Myrcella

Not long after she had finished eating her dinner, she was summoned to Maester Luwin's tower.

"What is it Maester?" She asked when he saw her. There was a letter in his hands, and all Myrcella could do was pray that it did not bring word of Robb's defeat. Or worse, his death. Most letters of importance were read by Ser Rodrik or Torrhen, but this was one that hadn't had the seal broken yet.

"Robb had sent several letters to his aunt… Lady Lysa in the Vale. Her response… Well I think you ought to read it yourself…" Maester Luwin said, calmly.

Marla is in the Vale, betrothed to Lady Lysa's eldest son, Edric, she remembered as she took the letter a little nervously. Myrcella didn't think it likely they would have done Marla any harm, but she couldn't be certain. In truth, Lady Lysa had seemed half-mad after Lord Arryn had died.

The seal seemed to be Marla's own personal one, which gave her some relief, but when she finished reading the letter, she was in shock. "Marla… She… She…" Myrcella tried to say something, but she couldn't find the words.

Myrcella had been wed at three and ten, yet even that seemed much too young to her. Marla was just one and ten, and hadn't even flowered when she left King's Landing, yet she was already married.

When Myrcella pictured her sister, all she saw was the girl she had seen the day that they had parted ways in King's Landing, flowers in her golden blond hair, that Myrcella had placed there herself. She must have been married soon after they had gotten word of father dying too, she realized, and likely hadn't had the time to grieve for him either.

The letter was written in Marla's hand, though her writing had improved a little since Myrcella had last seen it. She prayed that her sister and her new husband would take their time before having children, with it being as difficult as it was for Myrcella now; she could hardly imagine what it would be like to be with child at an even younger age.

"What does this mean?" Myrcella finally managed to ask. It made no sense to marry Marla to Edric now, certainly they could've waited a little longer.

"In truth it seems to be folly by Lady Lysa. But if she wed your sister to her eldest son, this no doubt means she will not support Robb," the maester explained.

Myrcella nodded. The Blackfish had fled the Vale not long after there had been word of Robb's father being arrested, though he had not said why, or particularly spoken of what had happened. It might have been the wedding that caused him to leave, and he had cautioned Robb that attempting to win the Vale would be folly.

She thought back to the party from the Vale that had come when Robb had called his banners. Domeric Bolton seemed the easiest to puzzle out, returning to answer his liege lord's call, but the rest had still troubled her.

Ser Brynden she realized now must have come though because Lady Lysa refused to send men to aid Robb or the Riverlands, and not because his son was betrothed to one of her ladies in waiting.

It was Ser Mychel Redfort who perplexed her most though, after he had come North with Mya. Myrcella had thought it was in either grief or love or both, but now she wondered if he had come in the hope that it was because Robb would avenge her brothers. That didn't seem right to her though, since he had remained behind at Winterfell, rather than going south with Robb.

Morton Waynwood seemed a greater mystery to her though, a man who had not lost kin when Lord Eddard was arrested, and whose family was safe behind the Bloody Gate, one that his brother now held from what she had heard.

He had remained in the North, which seemed to go against her initial instinct, that he was hungry for glory, or that he simply came to join in the war with Lord Eddard.

Waynwood, Royce and Redfort were all great houses in the Vale she supposed. After she thought about it, she realized that perhaps they had come in the hopes that they would get Robb to join them against his aunt, or to make a statement to her.

The idea made Myrcella nervous now that Marla was the Lady of the Vale. She is too young and all alone in a kingdom that must dislike her.

Myrcella decided that when she had given birth, and Robb had won his war, that she would pay her sister in the Vale a visit, to see Marla and make certain she was safe.

Her mother wouldn't take kindly to the news either, she was certain. She had not taken well to her marriage to Robb, after all, and with Marla it would be even worse, wed well before father and Lord Arryn had ever agreed, and without their mother's permission or even presence at the wedding.

For a moment she thought to leave, but she noticed that Perianne had entered. "Is something amiss, my lady?" Maester Luwin asked the girl. Her father had betrothed her to one of Lord Tytos Blackwood's sons, to wed within half the year.

Perianne did not meet either her or Maester Luwin's eyes in shame. "I… I fear I may be with child…"

"Oh…" Myrcella said, going over to Perianne. She gave her a hug, even if it was a little difficult with her larger belly.

"Would you tell us the father?" Maester Luwin asked.

She shook her head. "No… He's wed…" Perianne told them. There were tears in her eyes, no doubt aware that her father would not be pleased to hear this, and wondering what this would make of her marriage.

For a moment she thought it might be Robb, after he had also taken Daenerys's maidenhead, but Robb showed little interest in Perianne or any of her other ladies.

This was Daemon's work. He had shamed Perianne just as he had with Rhea, only this time he couldn't marry Perianne.

Rhea was the one he had wed, and put a child in her belly yet that seemed hardly to satisfy him. Myrcella remembered that he had also taken a liking to Valaena too.

"Come this way," Maester Luwin said, bidding Perianne follow him. She did as she was told, and Myrcella followed, holding Perianne's hand as he led them a little further into the tower.

They sat down, and Maester Luwin began asking Perianne some questions. When he had finished with his questions, he began to tell her what she might expect while with child, and after. Myrcella paid it little heed, having already been told all of this before, though the thought of her giving birth soon scared her a little.

Perianne had been hiding it for some time she realized, and Myrcella put her arms around her belly protectively. It had grown, she noticed, enough that it likely would show if Perianne wasn't wearing the clothes that she was.

By the time the maester had finished, Perianne had tears in her eyes. Myrcella felt awful, seeing how what would otherwise be a blessing was causing so much distress for her.

"Come with me," she said, taking Perianne's arm, and they left the tower together, making for her bedchambers.

Since Robb had left, she had kept one of her ladies as a bedmate each night, which kept her from feeling lonely at night, and ensured she had someone there for her when she needed help, and used someone different each night, though Perianne had not wanted to, and now she knew why.

She followed as Myrcella had bid, until they were finally in Myrcella's chambers, where Perianne helped her undress, and then Myrcella put on a night gown, and allowed her some time to change as well, before they both lay in bed together.

"Did Daemon do this?" Myrcella asked with a hushed voice. It had to be him, she was certain.

Perianne gave her a confused look. "Daemon?"

"Was it Robb then?" She wondered, praying that the answer would be no, though it wouldn't surprise her if the answer was yes.

She shook her head. "It… It was Theon…"

Myrcella was taken aback by that. She hadn't considered Theon at all she realized, though it seemed to make some sense now that she thought about it. It was her father that Myrcella realized Perianne was so afraid of, how he would take to her getting with child, by a Greyjoy no less when he had already worked to make a betrothal for her.

"Your… Your son will be the Lord of Winterfell one day… And mine… He'll just be…"

A bastard. It was not a pleasant truth to admit she knew. For a moment she wasn't quite sure how to help Perianne, until an idea came to her.

"I can keep him here at Winterfell," she suggested. "He could grow up alongside my own children here, grow to be as close with them as his father is with Robb, make certain that he wants for nothing." Save his mother she supposed, but that was best left unsaid.

Perianne seemed to like the idea. "You would… You would keep him here, as a ward?"

Myrcella nodded. She was a Princess and the wife of the Heir to Winterfell, she was allowed to take on wards certainly. Robb would not tell her no if she suggested it either, and she knew how she could make him say yes if he didn't.

"Who have you told that you are with child?" Myrcella asked.

"Just Theon," she answered back, seeming mostly certain.

Theon often gossiped and boasted she knew, but never spoke of his exploits that Robb had told her of, not since he married Rhaenys. Yes, Myrcella thought to herself as she rose from the bed. Winterfell was a big enough castle, and now it was not as full as it used to be.

"Where are you going?" Perianne asked.

"I need to speak to Maester Luwin," Myrcella said, as she put on a fur cloak around her nightgown, and began to put on a pair of slippers. No one would ever need to know that Perianne had ever been with child save a select few she hoped. "Stay here."

She began to walk through the Great Keep of Winterfell, going as fast as she could in spite of being pregnant, descending the stairs with two men at arms who had been posted at her door following her confused, until she began to make across the yard.

Maester Luwin was thankfully outside in the yard, and must have seen her and realized she was coming for him. "What is the matter Princess?"

"Did you tell anyone… About…" She didn't want to say what, not when others could hear. "Perianne…"

He nodded. "I sent a bird to her lord father at Seagard…"

Myrcella felt dismayed as all her plans unraveled there. Had no one found out, then they might have been able to keep a secret. Perianne would likely need to be confined for a time, and they would need to find some delay for her wedding, though even that didn't seem so hard with the war. She could've taken on Perianne's babe as a member of her own household with few questions.

The Maester must have seen her disappointment on her face, and he had some concern in his grey eyes. "Surely her lord father must needs know, my lady."

She supposed there would have been little honor in keeping it from him, and lying. But if no one had found it, it would have at least preserved Perianne's.

Instead she was forced to return to her bedchambers, tired and disappointed. When she entered she saw that Perianne had fallen asleep on the bed already, and Myrcella curled into bed next to her.

She didn't know what comforts she could offer Perianne now. Myrcella could still take on Perianne's babe as a ward, an acknowledged bastard, but the world would still know of her shame.

For a moment she thought perhaps to wake Perianne to tell her, but she decided to let her dream. She prayed that Perianne was dreaming sweeter dreams, of happier times,

Myrcella thought about how lonely her bed seemed with Robb gone. He had promised he would return as soon as he could, once his war was won, and his father was freed, but the thought of his duty didn't make her bed feel any less empty with him gone.

She wondered how many others there were, whose husbands were at war now, awaiting their return, and how many would live to come home again. Silently she prayed for all of them, not just Robb.

It made Myrcella remember how Robb would gently rub her belly sometimes as she slept, and she tried it on Perianne. Thankfully she remained asleep, and after a little while, Myrcella decided she was tired too, and closed her eyes too.

When Myrcella woke, she found that Perianne had rolled onto her while they slept. She didn't mind so much though, since she was able to easily move the girl off of her.

When she opened the window, Myrcella was able to hear Shaggydog's faint howls in the distance. She could feel her own pup was giving light licks with each howl, as though the two were reaching out to each other.

The babe always seemed to move most often when the wolves were howling, though there were only Shaggydog now, and his howls often seemed lonely now, without Greywind or Ghost to join them.

Myrcella paid a visit to the privy and made water, before she returned to her bedchamber.

Perianne was awake now, and went over to Myrcella when she had closed the door behind her. "Can I help you dress, my princess?" She asked, and Myrcella nodded her head, grateful for whatever help she could get.

Today she wore a gown of black and yellow wool, and wondered what colors Marla would be wearing today as well. Are you wearing father's colors too, or are you wearing his?

Perianne went to her own bedchamber, which wasn't too far, and dressed herself, which left Myrcella alone in the hallways within the Great Keep.

She was hungry this morning, and started to make for the Great Hall, though felt some relief when Valaena emerged. "Do you need help, my lady?" She asked.

Myrcella nodded her head. Stairs had proven to be her bane since she couldn't even see her feet when she looked down, and she didn't have the same rush driving her as she had the night before.

Together they were able to make it to the main hall quickly enough, where a serving woman quickly came and offered breakfast to her.

The two of them sat at the High Table, but Myrcella did not sit in the lady's seat, as she had when Robb was there. Even though Robb had told her to stay there, and said she was the Lady of Winterfell still, even with him gone, she had quickly learned to keep herself as hidden as she could.

Here, she was the enemy, so after a few days she had told Torrhen to take the lord's seat. His wife, Lady Tyta Frey had finally arrived from the Dreadfort too, with their two children, Edwyn and Bella, and now it was Tyta who sat in the lady's seat.

Myrcella ate quietly until she eventually saw Ser Arys enter, and he came to her. "Princess, I hadn't known you had woken," he said when he was finally next to her, seated at the table.

He was her white knight, and one of the few people she could rely on here. But of late she had found him to be a little overprotective of her since Robb had left.

She supposed when Robb was there, he always had his sword at his side, and usually Greywind too, which had allowed him to be more at ease. And the North was less friendly now that he was off at war with her family.

In any case, he needed her now. "Find Ser Mychel and Mya, and bring them to me after I'm done here," she said. She decided she needed to speak with them soon.

The two had been wed in a small ceremony not long after Robb had left, and she had them leave to use her Sept to do it, so they owed her answers.

Ser Arys did as she asked, leaving to go find them, while Myrcella finished eating.

"Is Perianne with child?" Valaena asked her when she was done.

"She is," Myrcella said, nodding her head. The words though hadn't come easily to her, as if she could still keep it a secret. She decided that she could at least keep the father secret, deciding it best if Rhaenys didn't find out.

Myrcella saw a strange look in Valaena's blue eyes. Gossip traveling quickly among her ladies she knew, and not one of them had been surprised when she had told them that she was with child.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I should go back to my father at Driftmark," Valaena said.

"Why?" She knew that Valaena liked Winterfell the least of her ladies in waiting, but her father hadn't recalled her to Driftmark, and she didn't think it likely the Velayons would be caught up in the current fighting.

"I… I just should…"

"Come with me then," Myrcella told Valaena, as she got up. She managed to do so completely under her own power, which she was glad for, and she and Valaena exited the building, going towards the Sept, where she knew that Ser Arys would be able to find her.

"Why do you need to go back to Driftmark?" Myrcella asked.

Valaena remained silent for a little bit, as though she were choosing her words. "You don't need another lady with child," Valaena finally said bluntly.

Myrcella was confused at first, before she realized what Valaena meant. "You too?"

"Yes."

She rubbed her temples, wondering what she was doing wrong. At least Valaena had the courage to face her father.

Myrcella started to ask who the father was, but decided she'd rather not know. "I can speak to Maester Luwin for you, but I hope it is not long before Robb's war is done. I'll arrange for you to be sent south when it is."

Her mother had not had Lord Eddard executed yet, and she remembered the letter that had come only two days ago from her mother, outlining terms of peace. They had been kept secret, between her, Maester Luwin, Ser Rodrik and Torrhen Stark, but she had been preparing to go south again.

It would have to be after she gave birth now, but she felt more confident knowing that Robb may have proven himself in the field of battle, and that with their grandfather there that Joffrey would be good. The part that had given her most relief was knowing that Sansa wouldn't have to marry Joffrey.

All that was needed was for Robb to not do anything foolish.

She sat with Valaena waiting for a few moments until she finally spotted Ser Arys, and Valaena left.

He was followed by the two Myrcella had asked to see, Ser Mychel and Mya. "You wished to see us my lady?" Mychel asked when they were standing in front of Myrcella.

Mychel was a handsome man, and looked a little like Robb even, while Mya had her own sort of beauty to her too.

"My sister Marla is wed," she announced to them, and neither of them seemed very surprised. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Lady Lysa is your aunt by marriage. Telling your husband that his aunt has gone mad was not like to go well," Mya said.

It wouldn't, she supposed, but it didn't matter.

"She refused to go to war, and used the marriage as a pretense," Mychel said. "The only option we have is to replace her as regent."

Then why are you here? She realized that if they replaced Robb's aunt as Lady Protector of the Vale, that wouldn't bode well for Marla either. "If you want to replace Lysa, it should be in the Vale, not here at Winterfell," she told them.

"That wasn't the only reason I came," Mychel responded.

Oh I know that. He came because his father wouldn't allow him to marry the woman he loved, and here he could. "No, but you came with Ser Morton too, and Robb's uncle. You were hoping to broker an alliance," she said.

An alliance that if all went as she hoped would prove needless. The Knights of the Vale would be useful against her grandfather for a certainty, but there wouldn't need to be a war for much longer.

But even if so, they would want Robb's aid to overthrow Lady Lysa, which would put Marla in danger too. She couldn't let that happen.

"You came here to wed, and you have. Now if it is your wish to have my husband overthrow his aunt and my sister then you can return to Redfort then, and face your father there," Myrcella told them. "Your place is there, not here."

Turning away one sister to save another, Myrcella thought to herself, wondering why men had to be so cruel.

"My lady-" Ser Mychel started to protest before she cut him off.

"You are my guests here. It will be a long journey back to your home, so I would recommend you start soon," she told them.

The young couple turned away, leaving Myrcella alone near the Sept that Lord Eddard had built for Lady Catelyn. The Sept that they had been wed in.

Ser Arys came back to her before long. "What happened?" He asked immediately, seeing the distraught look on her face.

Myrcella wiped at her face, fearing that there may be tears there. "Marla… Lady Lysa had her marry Lady Lysa… And I had to order Ser Mychel and Mya out of the castle," she told him.

"Is that wise Princess?" Myrcella felt glad seeing the concern on her white knight's face.

"I don't know," she answered, feeling lost. She forced herself to look strong though, as she rose ready to face whatever the world was next to challenge her with.

Author Notes:

This chapter was pretty much finished at about 2.1k words, and then I came back literally the day before this was scheduled to drop and added another 1.6k words on top of what I already had.

If you listen closely, you can hear a hint as to where the next chapter will be.

Thanks so much for reading, and I think you guys might get it by now, but I don't own ASOIAF.