-The headmaids laid out my things for the night— I chose a dark leather type dress with house Baratheon embroidery. As soon as I got to the feast the first thing to do is get a damn drink! Otherwise my mouth won't say the things I normally need to.
With a pint in hand I made my way to the other side of the feast when suddenly I heard father yell; "Everyone shut up! I have an important announcement! My beloved daughter, Princess Rohanne will marry Robb Stark! Let's say this week!" He shrugged, and went right back to drinking and whatever he was doing.
Across the hall I could see Lord Stark sigh and look at his toes, out of exhaustion more than anything.
Everyone cheered, father raised a mug of ale towards me with a smile his cheeks the color of apples. I smiled and raised my cup up. "To The Starks of Winterfell!" I yelled sending everyone to cheer again. I had too admit I loved when they cheered to something I said. It felt powerful, but I always had to remember why I would do anything in the first place.
"What comes to mind when you hear that, dear Rohanne?" The friendly voice of Tyrion asked, standing beside me in the doorway.
"Tyrion, where the hell have you been?!" I almost gasped, abruptly smiling.
"Drinking and... mostly drinking." He replied, taking a sip of his cup.
"I'm actually not surprised." I smiled.
"Everyone loves being the critic." He shook his head.
"I'm a born critic, you know that."
"So what do you think of Robb Stark? You'll be Lady Stark soon." Tyrion's tone turned to a matter of fact, twisting his head up to me.
"I'm not. Father's making me his heir." I replied, we were the only ones in the doorway but I still said it quieter than before, my arms crossed.
"He told you this?" He asked in more curious tone. Normally that kind of manner would get me suspicious, however Uncle Tyrion wasn't like the other Lannisters.
"On the way here." I answered, taking a big drink, looking him in the eyes.
"You're not even thinking about this marriage now are you?" He sounded more like he thought that one out loud.
"Course I have, Robb seems like a nice boy, an alliance with the Starks is a good thing and he might be honorable. You can trust honorable men. Lucky me because you can't trust anyone when you're on the Iron Throne." I explained, looking deeply into my cup, kings either went mad or dropped dead from just one mistake.
"My, my, you have picked up a thing or two. however, not to trust anyone is better." Tyrion smirked, drinking more of his wine.
"Most of all I'm afraid." I thought outloud. He was one of the only people I could do that with.
"Of this marriage?" He arched an eyebrow.
"Of the throne. Too many kings have died for it, none ruled well either. Not even my father, he is sending the country into bankruptcy." I huffed, folding my arms again, looking at the feast in front of us and my father laughing the night away.
"How on earth do you know all this, next thing you'll sound like Varys." Tyrion smirked and drank more, mother always called him a foul man and to stay away from him. Nonetheless, once I got to know him I realized why he drank and whored away.
"Good, I like Varys. You hear a thing or two when you're around his grace and her grace. I am a Princess after all." I chuckled a bit at the thought of knowing as much as the spy master, I wondered if he knew my secrets. If I had any.
"True, I hear that your father is going on another hunt tomorrow, will you be joining us?"
"Yes, that was second on his list of things to do I'm sure." I grinned, the next day would be quite nice. Unless mother ruined it by saying I need to stay and plan for the wedding, utter bullshit.
My eyes began to focus on the Starks and what they were doing. Lord Stark walked up to Robb, whispered something in his ear and pointed in my direction. I immediately shifted my eyes elsewhere, but instantly looked back. Robb looked hesitant yet still began to walk my way, he looked back and Lord Stark waved him off with a small smile. One to show his son it was alright. I felt like the man and Robb was the hesitant girl. Seven gods.
"What would you do if you sat on the Iron Throne? Many people dream of it, I know we've all thought about it." Tyrion asked casually, running his finger along the brim of the cup.
"Try to maintain peace, stability, move our country to a new age, it's far too routine now." I said taking another sip.
"Seems like a distant dream." Tyrion smiled, shaking his head a little.
"Maybe it is. All I know is I'm too young for this shit." I smirked causing Uncle Tyrion and I to laugh.
My attention turned to Robb walking up with a straight face, however, not as calm as he wanted. In King's Landing if you can't read people you might as well be dead, he seemed cautious of me. Afraid almost. "Princess, my father would like me to escort you to your seat." Starks and Lannisters didn't get along, maybe it was because I was half Lannister?
"Robb, this is my Uncle Tyrion Lannister, the only Lannister you can truly trust." I smirked, every time I looked Robb in the eyes it felt like a challenge, who was going to look away first, who felt more ashamed to step aside. Yet it wasn't a playful tease, it felt much more intense than that.
Robb Bowes politely, Uncle nodding his head. "Quite the introduction, my favorite niece." He raised his glass.
"Oh please you love Joffrey more than me." I grinned, knowing anytime I joked about my younger brother I got some kind of reaction.
And I did, he laughed, threw his head back and holding his stomach. Giving me a proud smile like I had won. "Now if you excuse me." He waved, walking outside leaving the two of us alone— making the air tense.
"Odd man, your uncle." Robb said, holding out his arm to walk with me.
"Just because he is a dwarf?" I asked, taking his arm, moving my cup to my other hand. "He's actually very... sweet." I let out a smile of the thought of how Uncle Tyrion was always fun to be with, the one to cause mayhem, and the one to swindle his way out of it. "Lead the way Robb Stark, I'm helpless without an escort." I grinned, looking in Robb's eyes, every time I wanted to stare, yet at the same time I wanted nothing more than to look away. I didn't shy easily, yet his composure just demanded something.
"I highly doubt that." He slightly smirked, three wrinkles forming under his eyes. I felt pleased with myself, finally making him at least smirk.
We made our way to the table right in front of where mother and Lady Stark sat making me uneasy. 'How could I speak freely when both our mothers are watching?' I hissed in my thoughts.
Robb waited for me to sit before he did. I didn't even bother with manners, I needed more ale! I filled my cup with the pitcher, Theon Greyjoy looking at me like a foreigner.
"You're a drinker?" Robb asked, his voice cautious as usual, was that his only emotion?
"Does that bother you?" I asked back, sipping from my pint, turning towards him.
"Not at all." He simply stated, looking the other way at anything but me and what was better than food?
Time went on, for some reason I could make conversation with a random peasant but not my husband to be. Was I sick?
I looked around the table, all the Starks were at the table along with my siblings, immediately making me sigh. I got along with Myrcella and Tommen, they were my little brother and sister, how could I not. But Joffrey, he was another conversation all together.
When we were little he would pull my hair, cheat at games, throw rocks at me, tell the maids on me, I hardly remember anything at a young age but I remember that. I Also remember how I never took it, he'd always pay for what he'd do, and at one point he knew better than to strike me.
My family is definitely one of the most complicated, every time I saw my father with a woman that wasn't mother (which was a lot) I was reminded of that. Laughing, drinking, sex, as if it would give him some kind of satisfaction. From what I saw it only worsened his problems, digging himself a hole.
It was something I didn't want in my life, that wouldn't be me! I wouldn't believe the lie that riches and power give you happiness, I knew what I wanted, and success was enough pleasure for me.
Yet it was still a fear of mine, that Robb and I would be like mother and father. Hating each other, cheating on each other, acting as if you were never married in the first place. I never once wanted a family like that.
I tapped my finger repeatedly on the table, unknowingly staring at father as I was deep in thought.
"That has to upset you." Robb spoke up.
I hummed in response and turned towards him.
"Your father sleeping with other woman besides your mother." He explained, his eyebrows farrowed.
"I stopped worrying about my family's sins. If I didn't I'd be a stressed ball of worry." I said, sipping more ale. "They never loved each other. Marriage isn't about love for us. It's about duty and alliances." What else was it for? Love? Love killed people, started wars, it's too strong an emotion to trust in the first place.
"That's not how I see it, I have a fantasy and forgive me if I'm wrong but I'd like to love the woman I marry." If I didn't know better I'd say Robb was flirting, but I did and he wasn't. However that sly smirk of his still begged to differ.
"So would I." I agreed, all too serious, looking back right into his attentive sapphire, the color of the sea, the sky which ever one it made his eyes attractive to just watch. Yet he held his own, wary almost, it was obvious he didn't trust me.
"I don't want to be like your father, sleeping with other women." He breathed, his voice so low only we could hear, his voice seemed interesting yet his body said otherwise, slightly backing away.
I only moved closer, staring him down with a small grin. I was taught by the best how to cause mayhem. "Nor do I." Maybe I was getting too close, maybe I had too much too drink, maybe I over stepped my boundaries. I hadn't realized how close I had gotten, inches from his full pink, tinder lips. I swear I could hear him gulp.
"Don't get me wrong Princess Rohanne," Robb whispered, a smirk breaking his wall of tough big man— put his index finger to my lips, peering in my blue eyes. "you are very attractive." He finally let his smirk show, his eyes on mine. "But I don't know you." He finished, leaving me right back where I was seated feeling like I was just manipulated.
"Well, then get to know me." I quickly poured more ale in his glass, he gave me an even more watchful look than before. "Or does that scare you?" I asked, immediately stopping.
"Why would a little doe like you frighten me?" Robb gave a slight grin, drinking a bit more ale.
"Oh I quiver under the Mighty young wolf!" I chuckled, sipping my own cup, a different kind of shiver going down my spin.
We had both forgot our mother's watching us, making me instantly regret, causing me just to drink more. She also had to watch every move I made, she didn't trust me and why trust someone when they don't return the favor. Little Finger is a swindler but he has good words of advise 'trust no one, little princess, trust only yourself. Play a game, think of one person who could do the most damage to you and you'll always be prepared.'
Every situation I was in, and every situation I saw the real problem behind the curtains. My mother and uncle Jaime. It didn't take much to realize he was too loyal to her and that there was something else going on between them. I wanted to tell my father, nonetheless, something always held me back. Maybe it was a daughter's crushed love for a mother whose crimes were as thick as honey.
In one conversation with father I could end her. No I stopped that train of thought, it was the first time I actually spoke with Robb and that was what I was thinking about? No I had to change that.
"What is it you want, Princess Rohanne?" Robb suddenly asked, snapping me out of my deeper thoughts.
I laid my chin on my hand, my smirk showed through my fingers. "It's both simple and complicated." I sighed, what I wanted I had always known I'd have. "What I want is my birth right; the Iron Throne. I'm only telling you this because as husband and wife I would like us to trust each other." I turned and looked Robb in the eyes. His eyes showed his concern, maybe he didn't want that, or maybe I showed too much of my fury. I had bottled up inside to the point it might burst into millions of pieces that would be the death of me.
He looked at me as if I was the enemy, perhaps I was, I had no idea what he wanted of life. If it was a mistake to tell him that I was doomed from the beginning. I was a Lannister but a Baratheon first, He didn't know that, it was obvious the Starks and Lannister didn't get along, was that why he was so wary?
Robb glanced away as did I and the night continued, people said a few words to me, mainly congratulating us. I was never in any kind of relationship before but I imagined it to be very dull luckily it wasn't.
The sound of the hall became louder, along with Sansa Stark yelling at her younger sister for throwing food at her. I knew that all too well from both sides.
To my surprise Robb laughed harder than I thought he would. Lady Stark gave him a head nod to take Arya Stark away, with a sigh and frown he did.
"It's not funny!" Sansa yelled at Thoen who laughed just as hard.
Robb have his mother a reassured look as he walked Arya to her bed. They were completely different than my family just from that one incident.
My family was a lot more... cold.
[A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I love when people actually speak their minds, it helps me improve. I try to make a layered character with faults, maybe a few too many faults, and her journey to be a good queen, I just hope I can make good character development! Again thanks for reading!( ‿ )]
