MARGAERY I

The North was very different from the stories she heard, except for the cold. It was not full of wild barbarians but of normal people, peasants, shepherds, and artisans, like any place in the world. When her father promised her that she would be queen she never thought in the North, however, the gloomy rumors about Prince Joffrey managed to get her grandmother to look in the direction of Winterfell.

Prince Robb was a good match, at least compared to Prince Joffrey. Margaery didn't know him yet, but she trusted her grandmother's spies. In addition, her grandmother and King Rickard knew each other and even got along well, so much so that he allowed her family to travel to the North. Almost everyone was there, even Maester Gormon, her great-uncle.

"Your Majesty". said her father as he stood before King Rickard, while bowing modestly.

"Lord Tyrell", replied the King. "It is gratifying to welcome the first Tyrells to visit Winterfell."

Margaery was surprised by the words of the king; she thought that the North had no lords but magnars and that they even called the southern nobles that.

"And I'm honored to serve the Watch.

Night's Watch was the perfect excuse to visit the North. It was well known that Black Bank was one of the most powerful banks in the world and that it was convenient to keep reliable ambassadors in Mole's City. For this reason, her father had chosen her uncle Garth for this position; the Citadel for its part had selected her cousin Medwick to visit Hardhome.

Her uncle Gormon would be the new Grand Maester of Night's Watch. A prestigious position despite not being very old. In the past the Watch was poor, but now it was a powerful organization that everyone wanted to please, however, so far only the North enjoyed its friendship. Her father wanted to change that, he wanted to be the Watch's new friend.

"Good to know", replied the King. "Anyway, I invite you to go to the great dining room. They will try a new recipe, very popular in the Gift."

The King continued to talk to her father, while Margaery stayed behind with Loras and her cousins. Her brother was excited to wear black, believing he would be filled with glory. Even so, Margaery suspected that it was not glory that her brother sought, but the company of boys, which abounded in the Wall.

The dinner was generous and the food exquisite. The meat of the Ibben pigs turned out to be juicier than that of the Reach pigs and he was informed that they would soon spread the breeding of this breed throughout the North. Margaery knew that since its independence the North had more ties with Braavos and Ibben, which she would never see in the Reach, where they had more ties with Volantis.

What she liked most was a song on Old Tongue, despite not understanding the lyrics. Although by the tone that was intoned, she assumed that it was a tragic love. The bard was a black brother named Mance Rayder, commander of one of the Watch's many castles.

"I hope you enjoy the party, Lady Margaery", said the prince.

"I do, my prince", Margaery replied, recalling her grandmother's tricks to get men's attention.

"I know it's very different from Highgarden."

"Winterfell has its charm. My grandmother says it's much nicer than Red Keep."

"I'm starting to understand why our grandparents get along so well."

Margaery laughed and the red-haired prince laughed with her. Her progress was rapid, but she had to be cautious, for it was well known that the King in the North refused to establish marriage ties with the South. Still, she hoped her grandmother would change his mind.

The North was not the only region yearning for independence after the fall of the dragons. If the Seven Kingdoms remained united after the war, it was due to King Robert's marriage to Cersei Lannister and his friendship with Lord Jon Arryn. Dorne for its part hated the man they called usurper, Iron Islands had already tried to become independent, why couldn't her father be next?

…

When her brother Ser Loras and his entourage left for the Wall, Margaery remained at the castle with her grandmother, mother and Garlan and his wife. King Rickard seemed somewhat annoyed, despite his extreme courtesy.

On one of her walks through Godswood Winterfell, Margaery opened to Robb.

"Your grandfather hates me, doesn't he?"

"My grandfather hates most Andals, it's not your fault."

"But your mother is a Southerner."

"My father married before Robert's Rebellion, otherwise he would have married a northerner."

"I would have liked to be your wife, Robb", Margaery said as she approached the prince's face.

And there, facing the gloomy gaze of an weirwood, Robb Stark kissed her and Margaery knew she had triumphed. It was a passionate kiss, better than any she had ever received. He guessed Robb must have kissed a lot of girls before, because he was good at it.

After the kiss, they continued walking through the Godswood, which in a way reminded her of Highgarden. However, Highgarden's Godswood was much more beautiful and even had three weirwoods. She thought that if she asked the Old Gods to make her queen, they would listen to her, despite being an Andalan woman.

The next day it was snowing and it was colder than ever. The king's daughters told her that it was a simple summer blizzard and that if he stayed until winter she would know the real cold. Margaery had no choice but to feel compassion for Loras and other relatives, who would spend the rest of their lives at the Wall or beyond.

"How have you been, my granddaughter?" asked her grandmother when they were alone.

"Very well, dear grandmother."

"Did you achieve anything with the prince?"

"I kissed him."

Her grandmother squeezed a smile.

"Well done, we must make sure you are queen."

"But grandma, how do I know I'm not a game for him? Northerners are quite closed, King Rickard may not accept our compromise."

"Your cousin Medwick told me something very interesting. Apparently the Old Gods allow polygamy."

"Polygamy?" asked Margaery curiously.

"It's more common beyond the Wall, although he assures me that Lord Flint has two wives. And if Aegon the Conqueror had two wives, why not the future King Robb?

"Grandma, I...

"Don't worry, my dear. You must insist on being the favorite, like Rhaenys against Visenya. Your relatives in the Citadel will take care of the matter."

Margaery nodded. She didn't like the idea of sharing a husband with another woman, yet Queen Rhaenys was a figure worthy of admiration, despite her sad end. Maybe her grandmother's plan wasn't so bad, as long as it was her son who inherited the North, House Tyrell would prevail.

Notes

I don't know if I will continue this story, it was hard for me to write this chapter. The idea was interesting, but I feel like the plot is going nowhere.

I may get the ideas back in another story. After all, I always found it interesting to parent Robb to Margaery, as well as Hardhome as the 10th Free City.