Robb
Many a rumor had been spread about the castle, yet Robb had not chosen to believe it, though now he found that he wished that he had.
Daemon sat before him in his father's solar, and Robb found himself wondering what had become of both of them.
For a moment it was not a man who sat before him, but the boy who he had grown up with, his friend.
Aegon had told Robb that he would've been willing to speak with Daemon, however Robb had refused. He would speak with Daemon, as was his duty. He was Lord of Winterfell while father was away, and he would do the Lord's duties as such, even if he did not like them.
"What are we to tell the girl's father?" Robb began to say.
Daemon gave him a hard stare choosing not to answer.
Robb gave a sigh. Myrcella had caught Daemon abed with one of her ladies in waiting, the daughter of Bronze Yohn Royce. He remembered how his father had acted when he had caught Theon abed with Rhaenys, making the two wed, but Robb wondered how the girl's lord father would feel being wed to one of Prince Rhaegar's sons. Especially one named for the Rogue Prince. And Robb doubted he had forgotten the deaths of his father and brother at the hands of Aerys.
"A dragon takes what it will," Daemon responded.
Oh good, Robb thought to himself. "Your father did that once, when he took my aunt," he told Daemon, allowing his voice to trial off. They both had been told the story hundreds of times before.
That cut deeper than anything Robb could see. Daemon had always resented that he was not a prince. "Will you have my head then?" He asked, knowing full well the answer.
"No. But you will wed the girl to preserve her honor, and you will write to her father apologizing for it. I ought to send you to Lord Royce in the Vale to personally beg his forgiveness, but…" Robb said allowing his voice to trail off. "You will keep to her bed, lest you be sent to the Wall or gelded."
Lord Royce would no doubt be furious, having his daughter wed to Rhaegar's son, but it would surely be worse if Daemon did not take Rhea to wife. Yohn Royce had visited Winterfell less than two years past, to bring his youngest son, Waymar, to the Night's Watch. He had been kind enough to Robb himself, but had ignored the Targaryens entirely. They had not even been seated at the high table whilst he was present, and even Jon was.
The Royces were one of the most prestigious Houses in Westeros, with lineage as old and proud even as House Stark. They had ruled over large swathes of the Vale from Runestone for millenia, before being defeated in the Andal Conquest of the Vale. Even despite that defeat, they remained House Arryn's staunchest and strongest vassal. Yohn Royce himself had won great renown at tourneys, jousting at Harrenhal and Lannisport. He had almost won the Melee at Harrenhal as well, before he was defeated by Robert Baratheon. Royce was also renowned for his prowess on the battlefield, slaying Ser Jonothor Darry in single combat at the Trident, and rallying the forces of the Vale to rout the Riverlander before Robert had even slain Prince Rhaegar.
But, his greater fear was that of the king. Myrcella had spoken to him of how her father had taken little liking to the marriage of Rhaenys to Theon when he had first been told. Lord Arryn had been able to assure him that the match was not a threat to Robert's throne, but Lord Arryn was dead now, and it was father in King's Landing. With Daemon marrying a Royce of Runestone… Robb could not ever believe that Yohn Royce would support Aegon, but if King Robert ever believed there was any risk at all, Aegon and Daemon would both lose their heads.
"May I be excused then, my lord?" Daemon asked with a flare of anger in his voice.
"No," Robb said flatly. "You'll wed in a moon's turn. I'll have to invite Lord Royce, but I cannot imagine he will accept. I will have to deal with the Skagosi, so I will not be present. If you do not accept, Yohn Royce may try to have you sent to the Wall or beheaded."
"Aye, I'll wed the girl," Daemon responded. Robb did not doubt it was exactly what Daemon wanted, since the marriage would elevate his status. Surely he believed that Yohn Royce or Robb's father would feel obligated to give him some lands for it, though Robb considered the prospect unlikely.
"Then we are done now," he told him, and Daemon departed. Robb sighed and rubbed his temples when he was alone. He wished that his father were there, he had always known what to do.
He sat there, going through some of the letters on the desk aimlessly. Robb knew he should be outside, enjoying the fleeting summer, but he had other matters to attend to.
It was the Dornish Princess who came next into the solar. She was dressed more warmly than when she first came to Winterfell, but she could still hardly be described as a model of propriety.
"What would you have of me, my lord?" She asked, her voice purring a little as she did.
"You will be returning to Dorne soon, will you not?" Robb responded. It would be good to get to the point first, rather than draw it out.
"Oh yes, I believe so," Arianne replied.
"Good, I would ask one more favor of you when you leave then," he said.
"Anything…" She said, giving him a wicked smile. The Princess was eager to curry favor with the heir to Winterfell Robb could see, which he was not so sure if it was a good thing.
"If Princess Elia is to remain at Winterfell, I would have you take Daenerys south to Sunspear with you," Robb told her.
Arianne raised an eyebrow. "A princess for a princess…. Why?"
"You would do well not to ask, or tell anyone of the arrangements. I would like it to be kept quiet," Robb explained.
"Our little secret then," Arianne said, smiling a little.
"Yes, our little secret," Robb replied, letting his impatience show through, and the Dornishwoman knew to take her leave.
It would be best if Daemon didn't know he was sending Daenerys south, he decided, but he needed to tell her of it at least. He looked around, and decided there was little else he needed to do for the day, and went to find Daenerys.
She turned out to not be so difficult to find though, near the courtyard, from which they began to walk together. Daenerys wore blue today, and it made her purple eyes stand out. "Daenerys, I-"
"You spoke to Daemon?" Daenerys asked him. "I know that. He was not pleased, that much was plain."
"I did, but that's not what I am here for," he told her. "I'm sending you away."
He saw a look of shock on Daenerys's face when he said that. "Why?"
"What you told me… I had thought it best you be away from here." It was only partially a lie. He and Aegon had discussed it and agreed it was the wisest course of action, though there was another part that Aegon had thought it best not be told to Daenerys.
"Where are you sending me?" She asked him.
"With Princess Arianne when she leaves," Robb said.
Daenerys considered that for a moment. "To Dorne…"
"To Dorne," he echoed. "You are not to tell anyone though. I would rather Daemon not catch wind of it before you leave."
"When will I be able to return?" Daenerys asked him. There was some fear on her face he could see, and sadness as well, deep within her violet eyes. Robb didn't think it compared to how he felt. First it was father going south, with Jon and Jeyne leaving. Then it was his mother who left, and now Daenerys. Next it would no doubt be Theon and Rhaenys returning to the Isles. Rickon would grow older and eventually father would bring him south to court. And Robb would be alone someday. Alone with Myrcella and their children, in a castle that he scarcely recognized half the time.
"I do not know," he lied. In truth, never seemed most likely, but he didn't say it.
"Is that answer supposed to please me?" She said.
"No," Robb said, answering honestly this time.
"Good, because it doesn't." Daenerys responded.
He looked at Daenerys. She had wished to marry him once, he knew, and even he had wanted to as well for a time, but when she had asked his father about it, he had told her no.
"I'm sorry Daenerys," he finally managed, not expecting she would appreciate it, but knowing he needed to say something all the same.
To his surprise though, Daenerys gave him a hug. "I will miss you," she whispered into his ear.
"I will too," Robb whispered back.
When Daenerys finally let go, he turned around to see Myrcella was walking in, Greywind following closely behind her.
"I leave you, my lord," Daenerys said to him, turning walking away from him, leaving him with Myrcella on one of the turrets overlooking the main courtyard.
She wore a red and gold dress today in the colors of House Lannister, and took his arm joining him in overlooking the courtyard. Daemon was not there, as far as Robb could see, while he watched as Ser Barristan was helping in the training of the men at arms. Others stood around, watching, cheering and encouraging them on, as they fought, while further off he could see that Rickon was playing with some of the other children of the castle. They were playing some game that he didn't know.
"Daemon will marry Rhea," Robb told her. He saw that Myrcella was still troubled by it though. "Lord Royce will not be pleased with the match will he? Daemon holds no lands or titles that their children might inherit or..."
"I'm not sure Robb. Rhea's eldest sister was wed to a Frey of the Crossings a half a dozen years ago. Arlan or Harwin, or something like that."
"And?" Robb urged, uncertain as to what she wanted to tell him.
"He was one of Lord Walder's grandsons by his third wife, without a hope of inheritance… Perhaps he will be willing to accept the match. He is a good friend of our fathers too," Myrcella offered.
He nodded in response. It made him feel a little better, but not by much, and left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Come with me," Robb said impulsively, leading Myrcella through the turrets, and down to the courtyard itself, where they made for the stables.
Greywind padded along eagerly, while Myrcella followed a little more cautiously.
Robb spoke with one of the grooms, who began to ready horses for them when they reached the stables themselves.
"Where are we going?" Myrcella asked him.
"You like to ride, do you not?" Robb responded. He knew she wasn't as good as Robb or his siblings, but she still did enjoy riding.
"Yes, but-" she answered before Robb cut her off.
"Then, you would do well to know the lands around Winterfell too then," he said to her.
Myrcella seemed to understand, and though neither were particularly prepared to ride, when the groom actually brought the horses to them, she mounted hers all the same.
Robb decided they should ride out the Northern gate, which meant they had to go across the entire castle, through the yard and past the main keep, before they finally had left through the Northern Gate.
Nobody had stopped them as they rode through, and once they had ridden past the outer wall, he noticed that Myrcella was looking back at the Castle of Winterfell, a little in awe, before she turned to look ahead at the Wolfswood that lay ahead of them.
They rode further and further from the castle and into the woods. The Wolfswood was quiet today, save for the sounds of them and their horses.
When they had ridden for nearly an hour, Robb stopped them, and they dismounted together.
There was a small creek, which Myrcella took a drink from, while Robb saw to the horses, and when they were finished, he sat down on the ground against a rock that seemed almost to be like a tree stump. It was a little cold, but Robb didn't feel it mattered, and Myrcella quickly joined him.
Robb toyed with one of her golden curls in his hand, and looked over her now that they were a good ways from the castle.
"Why did you bring me here?" Myrcella asked him.
"To show you, and to be with you, alone, away from the castle. Free from Daemon, and Rhea, and Theon, and Maester Luwin, and all the rest," he told her.
Myrcella moved his hand from her hair to her stomach. "If we should have a girl, I know what I would name her."
"What would that be?" Robb asked her.
"Joanna, for my mother's mother," Myrcella said.
"Joanna…" Robb said, with his voice trailing off at the end. "That sounds good my lady."
"Did you ever know your grandmothers?" Myrcella asked him.
"My mother's mother, Lady Minisa died before I was born, and my father's mother, Lady Lyarra, died when I was young. I don't remember her much, but father always says that she loved Jon and Jeyne and I more than anything."
Myrcella nodded. "I never knew Lady Joanna, she died birthing my uncle Tyrion. Lady Cassana lives at Storm's End, and was always kind to me."
"What of your grandfathers?" Robb asked. He knew who they were, but he wanted to hear it from her first.
"Lord Tywin… He paid visits to court from time to time, and sometimes mother would take me and my brothers and sisters to Casterly Rock to see him. He can be a cold man most the time. And I never knew Lord Steffon since he died before I was born too," she told him.
Robb thought about his own grandfathers too. Lord Rickard had been slain by the Mad King, along with Uncle Brandon after Prince Rhaegar kidnapped Aunt Lyanna. While Lord Hoster still lived, he did not ever remember meeting him, though mother insisted that his grandfather had held him once as a babe, and another time a little before Sansa was born, Lord Hoster had paid the North a visit.
Robb supposed he ought to not complain though. He had a mother and father both who had raised him, Daenerys had no parents, Theon had not seen his in years, and Rhaenys, Aegon and Daemon had only scarcely seen their mother before she had finally decided to stay behind at Winterfell this time.
"So Joanna if we have a girl… What if we have a boy?" Robb asked her.
"I don't know… I'll think of something in time… Or you can," Myrcella said.
He placed a kiss on Myrcella's belly. "When it's born, we can pay King's Landing a visit and present our babe to court, and let both our fathers and mothers see them."
"That sounds wonderful Robb," she said, though Robb could see the faintest bit of sadness on her face.
Robb saw that nearby there was a blue winter rose and he picked it, before he gently placed it in Myrcella's hair that had been previously free of flowers.
For just a moment they sat with each other in silence, before Robb heard some branches snapping around them. "Greywind?" he called out, noticing the wolf wasn't nearby.
He sat up quickly, and looked around, and noticed six people near them that hadn't been there before. "Myrcella, we have to go" he whispered softly, and she shot up immediately next to him.
The horses were still tied to the tree, and Robb began to fumble at the ropes, while Myrcella mounted her horse. When he had finally untied them, and began to mount, he noticed they were surrounded.
He studied the figures carefully. Four men and two women he noticed, and two of them wore the black cloaks of the Night's Watch. The rest he judged to be wildlings. No man is more dangerous than a man whose life is forfeit, Robb remembered his father had told him once.
"Where do you two think you're going?" One of the men wearing black asked.
"To hell with where they're going," said one of the wildling men. "We'll take the mounts and anything else of value from your persons and be off."
"No," Robb responded bluntly, drawing his sword. "Go, and we will forget you were ever here. Stay and you die."
The other Deserter was studying him closely. "Bold this one is, just to match his garb. I remember Lord Stark brought two of his sons to the Wall once, that had fire in his hair. Must be the boy became a man now."
The boy is still a boy, Robb thought to himself.
"A son of Lord Stark? We ought to keep him a prisoner. If we should deliver him to Mance…." One of the Wildling women suggested.
"No, we're not going North again. Cut their throats is what we ought to do," the first deserter said.
Robb heard a nervous cry from Myrcella. He hoped that he could hold them off until Greywind returned, but the wolf didn't seem to be coming.
He couldn't wait any long, and instead he charged forward, going at the second deserter from the Night's Watch.
Their swords clashed with Robb swinging down from atop his horse, with a blow the man struggled to block. The man made a strike for Robb's leg, that he quickly countered, and their swords clashed once more, before Robb caught the man off guard and was able to stab him in the chest, and he fell to the ground, bleeding. Dead, he thought to himself, unsure what to make of it before he turned around and saw one of the wildling men was behind him.
Robb made short work of this one too, and he rode into the stream, where the wildlings were unlikely to follow him, when he heard a cry of dismay.
Myrcella, he remembered suddenly, feeling half a fool, but when he turned around, he saw that she had dismounted, whether by choice or force he couldn't tell, and the wildling woman had a dagger to Myrcella's stomach.
"With child she is, isn't she?" The woman asked him. "Drop the sword lad."
Robb looked at Myrcella into her eyes that shined like emeralds, and knew he had no choice. He dropped his sword into the creek below him, watching in dismay as he did. He could only hope they would be merciful to Myrcella after he had killed two of them, while he would become just another one of Old Nan's stories. Lord Stark's heir, who married a Princess and was killed by Wildlings. It was better than being flayed by Boltons he decided.
But just then he felt something pulling him from behind, hands pulling him down. "The horse," a deep voice said in his ear, and suddenly he was falling towards the creek below where his sword lay, and when he landed, everything went black.
Author Notes:
You'll notice Myrcella has blond hair and green eyes again in this chapter. I switched her back to being Jaime's daughter, rather than Robert's.
Anyways, that's all I got for this chapter. Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favorites as always.
All rights belong to GRRM, I own nothing here.