"He doesn't even have a name! This cutthroat can't marry into House Waldorf!" Mycah roared. Dewan shook his head. "He's a knight. He won the tourney."
"I could talk to him, tell him to step back." Tyrion proposed.
"Rebekah? Is everything alright?" Dewan shook her softly, seing her absent look and her pale face. "Yes" She breathed, „I think so."
Rebekah's vision blurred for a few heartbeats. She was going to wed Bronn. She was going to be his wife and bear his children. She liked him in a way, she certainly owed him her life. But she never considered him as a marriage prospect. It did not make any sense.
"What is going to happen now?" Rebekah asked her brother and Dewan sighed: „He will take your name since he has none. You can live at court or at Shadow Castle, or we build you your own holdings. You will stay the Lady Waldorf."
Rebekah nodded and straightened her back. A lady had to be a dutiful wife, and Rebekah had already escaped the first marriage proposal with Clegane. The tourney had been her idea, and now she was willing to bear the consequences.
OoOoO
"Have you any idea what you've done?" Dewan asked him, the boy raising his chin arrogantly.
"I've won" Bonn explained lazily.
"I do understand that you like Rebekah. But she deserves a husband with own holdings and a family name! You have taken her future away" Tyrion accused, the Hand of the King being as annoyed with Bronn as everyone else seemed to be.
"„I don't get the drama. I won fairly, now she's mine. Those were the rules."
"This is not about the rules, Ser. This is about wedding a honorable maiden from a noble house to a cutthroat. No offence" Dewan added, being the calmest in the round. Lord Mycah and Ser Branston were sending Bronn hateful glances.
"Dewan, you can't allow him to marry your sister" Mycah hissed but Dewan just shrugged.
"Ser Bronn is right. Of course there were better options, but House Waldorf is not in need of money but of an heir. The smallvolks will adore us even more, which can be an advantage in times of war. And the dowery is rather small" Dewan reasoned, but Bronn could see that Branston and Mycah were not appeased at all. Even Tyrion remained skeptical.
"Bronn" Dewan adressed him directly, his handsome face serious and threatening, "You will be thankful to have Rebekah because you definitely are a very lucky man. I want you to remember that you don't have a powerful family to back you up. So if you hurt her in any way, if I hear just a simple rumor about her being mistreated, then you will be crushed."
Bronn was surprised that Dewan had the guts to speak like this. Everything boyish had vanished from his face.
"Your loyality is towards my sister and our House. No political intrigues, no betrayel will remain unpunished. And you will marry her after Stannis is defeated."
Bronn tought for a moment. He agreed with every condition, as he had already expected them. Exept the last one.
"You hope I die at war and leave your sister untouched" he stated and saw he was right.
"I just don't want her to be a widow so fast after marriage" Dewan explained.
"I understand. Ser Bronn Waldorf it will be then soon."
OoOoO
"Leave us." Rebekah commanded to the two handmaidens and the guards.
They left Bronn and Rebekah alone in the room, and Rebekah cleared her throat nervously.
The day had been long, first the tourney and then the discussions with her brother, Mycah and their advisors. Everything was about politics, strategics, the placing of their House. Rebekah was aware of the problems coming with Bronn as a betrothed.
"My dear betrothed. You want to speak to me" Bronn mocked.
"Yes, Bronn, I mean Ser, I wanted to discuss our marriage" she mumbled. Bronn still stood in the entrance, while Rebekah placed herself behind the table, her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive way.
"Go on."
"We've already known eachother in a way most couples don't before their marriage. You already saved my life and you became Tyrion's friend. What I'm saying is... I'm not repelled by the thought of being your wife. I will try my best to please you in every matter."
Bronn raised his eyebrows, walking casually a few steps closer, his movements as catlike as always.
"How nice to hear that."
"There's something else" Rebekah said, unfolding her arms, "I came to the conclusion that I don't care about your birth. But I do care about how you treat me. You may think this marriage will give you only perks, but that is not true. Bronn, like I said before, I am not a tavern wench. There are responsibilties and I don't want you to forget that. Marrying me means being part of my family as well" she ended, hoping she had not offended him.
"Your brother almost gave me the same speech, kitten" he said after a short while, "Tyrion told me that you nobles bother much about your names and politics. I don't have the intention to treat you like a tavern wench."
Rebekah walked backwards as he approached her.
"You're scared, aren't you? You were not scared of the Hound, nor the Mountain, but you are scared of this marriage. Or did you finally have the sense to fear me?" he asked.
Rebekah shook her head.
"No, I am not scared of you."
"Why not? We're alone here, you dismissed everyone. I will have you soon anyway. Does it matter when?" he teased while stroking with two fingers over the table.
His words sent shivers over Rebekah's skin.
"It does matter to me" she muttered, backing away from him slowly until she reached the wall.
"Shouldn't you obey your husband?" Bronn asked with his low voice, slowly caressing her cheek with his fingers.
"You are not my husband yet." It was hard to stay strong when his rough hand actually felt good. Rebekah scolded herself for giving in even a moment. She brushed his hand away but he catched it quickly.
"I could have you right here to make sure you belong to me." the sell sword warned, the light dancing in his blue eyes.
"I will stop you."
OoOoO
Bronn was tempted to push his luck. Now that she was promised to him, it would not matter if he deflowered her now or a few days later. On the other hand, Rebekah was quite reserved in this matter.
"You couldn't stop me" he stated, but he stepped away nonetheless. Her flustered looks was enough to make him aroused. Bronn could not explain why he did not go further. He certainly did not care about Rebekah's honor. Finally, he conclued it avoided him trouble in their marriage if he took it slowly.
Rebekah seemed to regain her composure again.
"Bronn?" she asked softly, and the mecenary noticed she did not often use his name.
"Why did you win this tourney? Why are you even interested in marrying me?"
The question had occupied his mind as well, but he had no answer. Rebekah was naive in many ways, she didn't expect him to love her like a knight in shining armour.
Bronn doubted he was even capable of love, and he was not turning into a soft fool for a woman.
"I want what every man wants" he muttered, thinking that someone like Tyrion would find the right words to appease her.
Rebekah desperately tried to hide how much she was hurt. Bronn cursed himself for not finding a better answer.
"You and I will be married, Bronn, and I have no idea if you even like me or not. To be honest, I don't know how to behave around you. You say you have no honor, yet you keep acting like a knight; you say that I'm stupid and you're annoyed of me, now you want to marry me! How I am I supposed to deal with that? If you take away my chance to a wealthy, titled marriage, you should at least have any kind of explanation!" the words just bubbled out of her, the way she always spoke her mind without hesitation.
"You Lords and Ladies always search for complicated explications, but I'm just a plain commoner, kitten. I take what I want. It's just that simple."
Rebekah could slap herself for being so honest again. She was supposed to be the stronger one, the noble Lady, but she was being toyed with by a cutthroat with a hard face and shrewd eyes.
And it the prospect of marrying him only because he wanted to get into her bed was definitely not satisfying and rather repelling. What Bronn and Rebekah had could maybe not be called friendship, but Rebekah had hoped it was more than just physical attraction.
"I have an idea." she said out loud, another strategy forming in her mind. Maybe she would be able to give them both what they wanted.
"We can make a deal" Rebekah started, observing his every movement. She took deep breaths, regaining her calm.
Like a bored cat, Bronn had walked around the room again, drawing circles around her.
"I want to get to know you, Bronn. I want to know what made you the man you are today, I want to know my husband before I marry him."
She made a pause, cleared her throat and continued: "Tell me something about you no one else knows."
"There's nothing special about me, kitten" Bronn scoffed, but he was definitely curious.
„The most important is what I get back" he added, a smug smile on his lips.
This was the moment Rebekah could prove to him that she wasn't afraid of him, that she would be in control of their marriage. The red-haired woman took a deep breath, hoping her cheeks wouldn't turn pink and that her voice was steady.
If Cersei Lannister could make men do whatever she liked, Rebekah could do the same, she hoped.
"You will get a kiss in return" she said, pleased with the confidence in her words. Her heart started to beat faster again as Bronn closed the space between them again. "I am confused, now, really. Earlier you said you would stop me, and now you're practically inviting me."
This time it was her choice, Rebekah thought.
"A kiss, nothing else. Do you promise to be honest and open towards me?" she asked.
Bronn chuckled lightly, but Rebekah held his gaze.
"You are getting bold, kitten. I can just " - "Do you promise?" Rebekah interrupted him impatiently.
"I do."
Bronn had clearly underestimated her stubbornness. She wasn't afraid of him, she was going to tease him, to give him a kiss, nothing more, just to test how far he would really go. Stupid girl.
Before he could say anything else, Rebekah pressed his lips on his, softly, but without hesitation. She tasted like honey, like peaches, and her small hands moved to his chest. Stupid girl, beautiful kitten, Bronn thought as he instinctically deepened the kiss, demanded entrance to her mouth, his hands pulling her towards him. A surprised moan left her throat, and Bronn pressed her against the wall, making the kiss last a few more heartbeats.
For a second, her eyes met his, dark like Beryl, and Bronn took a step back, leaving them both breathless.
A little smile crept on Rebekah's lips. "Your turn."
OoOoO
"My father was a sellsword, just like me. A cunning, selfish bastard. Mother was a miller's daughter, Rosalie. Plain, but with pretty blue eyes and a big mouth. My father met her when he worked in her village, near Cider's Hall. Put a bastard in her belly but didn't left quick enough. My grandfather was quite rich for a miller and forced my father to marry her.
They got me and my baby brother and sister a few years later. My father was simply gone one day and my mother became a whore in King's Landing. She died from sickness. End of story" Bronn told her, boredom written in his face.
"Where are your siblings now?"
Rebekah asked and Bronn shrugged. "My brother might be dead, he was a useless little prick. Zhoe has stayed in King's Landing, so I think she's a whore too."
Bronn did not actually care for that girl he had last seen years ago. He had defended her and his brother when their parents hit them, but they were thankless spoiled children.
He observed Rebekah. Nobles tended to be disgusted by such families, but he knew Rebekah did not loathe commoners. She had travelled trough the Vale, seeking shelter by farmers and millers, and she risked her reputation to feed a few starving girls.
Rebekah kept touching her lips with her fingertips, as if she still felt his warm lips on them.
Her little deal had turned out great for her, Bronn tought, equally satisfied with Rebekah's reaction and disappointed because of its brief ending.
Later at night, Rebekah was still overwhelmed by the events of the day. She did not know how her marriage would turn out eventually, but she wasn't afraid anymore.
Maybe she would find his sister. Maybe he would tell her more about his past. Maybe she he would be able to make her truly happy.
Hey guys!:)
I'm so sorry it took me so long again, first my laptop was broken, then I couldn't finish this chapter because I never really liked it :D
Next chapter Bronn and Oberyn will finally meet :D
Liebe Grüße & xoxo