Sorry about lateness, wedding chapters always give me writer's block for some reason! As for ceremony/vows, I kind of spliced a few things together. I hope you guys don't mind, apologies if you do. Hope you like the chapter!

Chapter 9: Yellow for Grey

"There, all done."

With a metallic click, the clasps off her cloak were snapped shut, sealing her in. Cassana rolled her shoulders under the heavy fabric. In the South, these cloaks were more ceremonial than anything else, the warmer weather and indoor ceremonies not requiring the fabric to be anything other than colourful. But here in the North they were also a shield against the cold. For it would be cold out in the godswood, where the ceremony was to be held.

A long debate had gone on as to whether the wedding would take place in the godswood, or in the little sept that Lord Stark had built for his wife. Cassana would have felt more comfortable under the eyes of the Seven, rather than standing before the unsettling heartree in sight of the strange Old Gods.

However, the sept had been deemed too small for the ceremony. Lord Stark had built it only as a small refuge for his wife to pray in, there was no way it would be able to accommodate all of the guests, not even just those of high rank. And so, it would be under the trees that Cassana said her wedding vows.

She hoped it wouldn't rain.

"You look perfect." Myrcella breathed the compliment as she took in the sight of her elder sister.

Cassana should have smiled for her, and thanked her for the remark, but she did neither of those things.

The time was here, now. This was the moment after which she could not turn back. She had to try much harder from now on. She had to be a lot more serious about the situation, and not let it rule her as she had been doing for the past few days. Trying to strengthen her resolve with the thought of doing her mother proud, she raised her chin and took a final look in the mirror.

Underneath the cloak she wore a gown more beautiful than anything she had ever owned. Seamstresses had been putting the finishing touches on it right up until that morning, and the result was sparkling.

Made out of golden fabric which complimented her complexion and House colours, the skirt fell down to the floor in waves of heavy cloth which swayed around her as she walked. The sleeves came down past her wrists, slightly covering her hands, before dropping halfway to the ground in a swath of material. The dress itself was embroidered all over with flowers, vines, and hidden stags and lions; all done in a golden thread a few shades lighter than the gown.

The bodice dipped just low enough to show her womanly figure, and a necklace of glittering emeralds set into gold fanned out the bright green stones down towards the neckline. A matching belt of emeralds clinched the dress together, while yet more of the stones had been added to her elaborate coiffure.

Cassana was vain enough to know how beautiful she looked, and to take pride in that fact. The dress was perfect, the gems were perfect, her hair was perfectly set. Altogether, she looked perfect.

And yet, all she could think about was how the image would be spoilt when she changed cloaks. The grey and white of House Stark would throw the entire golden image off completely, but she would have to keep it on right up until the bedding.

The bedding. Normally it was that which drove most brides to distraction with curiosity and nerves, but oddly Cassana had barely pondered it. Her mind had been too busy being taken up by thoughts of what the wedding itself would do. There had been no room in her head to even think about after.

"Cassana?" Cersei gently touched her daughter's hand, bringing her back to the present moment.

"Hmm?" Cassana realised that she had been spoken to recently, but couldn't recall the words. "What was that?"

Cersei smiled softly, and raised her hand to gently touch Cassana's cheek.

"I said; are you ready?"

Cassana hesitated before asking. "Can I have a moment alone?"

"Of course you can, my darling."

Cersei smiled in motherly understanding, and ushered everyone out of the room. Myrcella put up a small fuss, having wanted to walk with Cassana down to the godswood, but their mother was firm. The ladies took Myrcella down to be seated and find their own seats, while Cersei waited at the door to escort Cassana to meet her father at the door to the godswood.

Alone for the first time that entire day, Cassana allowed herself to breathe a little quicker. She'd been so nervous the whole time, but hadn't dared show it in front of anyone. What would they say? The Princess scared of her wedding day. She'd be humiliated.

Taking another glance in the mirror, she knew that she looked ready. Her dress, her hair, her cloak, even the way she held herself made her look prepared for the day. But inside, she knew she didn't feel it, but that didn't really matter. She'd protested and resisted right up until the last minute, and it hadn't changed a thing. She'd tried. She'd tried and tried. All to no avail. She'd been unable to find a way out, it was all out of her hands now.

Today was the day she stopped being a Princess, a day she had dreaded her entire life. But if she was going to have her title taken from her, then she would do her uttermost to make up for it in power. And to do that, she would need to put herself here. She would have to consciously force herself into the life here, a prospect which made her frown automatically, but she didn't have a choice.

One day, Robb would be Lord Stark, Warden of the North, and she would be Lady Stark. The North itself was bigger than all of the other kingdoms put together, it was a huge place to rule. Surely she must be able to bring some Southern politics to it to make things interesting.

Her mother had faith in her. Her strong mother, who stood outside the door waiting for a daughter who had been too angry and stubborn to start this process sooner. Cassana didn't want to disappoint her. Refused to disappoint her. She knew it would be hard, and she would likely fail at times, but she would make her mother proud.

Cersei had another sad smile on her face when Cassana emerged from the room, but it changed to a speculative gaze as she looked her daughter over.

"Something changed in there, didn't it?" she inquired.

"Yes." Cassana replied

She chose not to elaborate, and her mother did not press her. She simply took Cassana's arm and looped it through her own. Then mother and daughter made their way slowly through the empty castle to where the crowds were gathered.

Robert stood by the closed doors, dressed in his Kingly best, waiting for his daughter. He appraised her as she walked steadily towards him, and Cassana thought she almost saw him smile with pride for her, but it was only almost. He gave her a gruff nod as if to say; 'thank you for turning up with a good appearance.'

"I will see you inside." Cersei said softly to her daughter, giving her a final long hug, before turning and entering the godswood without a glance at her own husband.

"You look…" her father trailed off as he stared her up and down.

He seemed to be looking at her for the first time, and Cassana felt almost defensive in the face of his gaze. She raised her chin slightly and held his gaze when his eyes reached hers. For a moment he had seemed about to smile, before an unreadable expression came over his face.

"You look just like your mother," he said in the end.

Cassana wanted to take his words as a compliment, as a rare sign of affection from her father. But somehow she knew it wasn't quite meant that way. The sadness in his voice left her in no doubt that he would rather his words were false.

"Thank you." She replied in a hardened tone, defying his wishes by accepting his compliment.

Cassana knew that her father hated the fact that whenever he looked at his children, all he saw was Lannister blood stamped onto their faces. He would much rather they had the Baratheon darkness. He would much rather that they had turned out like him.

The very thought of that made Cassana shiver in the chill air.

"May I?" he inquired formally, holding out his arm for her.

Cassana took the proffered arm gingerly, barely resting her fingers upon him.

"Thank you."

Her father tapped the doors firmly, and the guards on the inside pulled them open, revealing the assembled masses. In King's Landing, Cassana would have been greeted by the sight of richly coloured robes, glittering jewels, everything shining beneath a bright sunny sky. Not so here in the North. The cold ensured that everyone was wrapped firmly in a warm cloak, giving an almost uniform appearance to the crowd. While the grey skies above muted any other colours that dared to be present.

Everyone rose as soon as the doors opened, leaving Cassana unable to locate her family through the sea of heads. She knew where they would be though. Right at the front, sharing the first row with the Starks. All of the faces flanking her as she walked seemed to blur into a single form before her eyes, and the only thing she could see clearly was what waited for her at the end of her walk.

Robb Stark looked as noble as she had ever seen him. Black breeches tucked into black boots, a snow white shirt beneath a grey tunic, those colours echoed again in the direwolf cloak draped around his shoulders. A lady's cloak of matching colours was draped over his arm.

He looked slightly nervous as she approached, which made Cassana feel… odd, in a way. What did he have to be nervous about? He wasn't the one being plucked from his lands and title into something strange and foreign.

He wasn't the one giving up his life for marriage.

As soon as that thought entered Cassana's head, she realised that it wasn't true. They were both giving up their lives for this marriage. It wasn't something either of them had chosen, it had been put upon them when they were too young to even know their own names. Cassana felt a stab of pity for the both of them. She would never have admitted that to anyone, and she certainly couldn't afford to feel any more than that, but the fleeting feeling was there.

It was gone by the time she drew level with him, as a mixture of apprehension and determination took its place. Her father moved himself away from her side, without the warmth of his bulk next to her, Cassana shivered delicately. How did the Northerners stand this weather all year 'round?

Her father manoeuvred himself into the seat beside his wife, indicating that the others present should also be seated for the ceremony. The only people who remained standing were herself, Robb, and the Septon.

That had been the compromise reached as the ceremony had been discussed nights prior. The vows would be said in the godswood, before the heartree, but they would be the vows of the Seven.

Cassana faced her soon-to-be husband, needing to tilt her head only slightly to look him straight in the eyes. His nervousness remained, but he smiled at her, a comforting sort of smile. Cassana felt herself almost return it, her lips twitching upwards, before they stopped themselves and she kept her expression serious.

"You may now cloak the bride, and bring her under your protection."

Cassana didn't hesitate as she reached up to unclasp her black and yellow cloak, but she did feel herself flinch a little on the inside as the heavy fabric hit the earth with a soft thud. The stag she had borne for so long now lay in a crumpled heap behind her, a more fitting symbol could not have been found.

The sudden change in temperature was startling to her for a moment, goose-bumps broke out across her exposed skin as she turned to give her back to Robb. Before it could settle into her though, Robb had unfurled her new cloak and gently draped it around her shoulders. Cassana was grateful for the heavy weight and the warming it had received being held in Robb's arms.

Anxiety fluttered within her, so she looked down as she turned to face Robb once more, and took notice of the stark contrast the white and grey provided to the gold. The poor pun almost made her laugh out loud for shear absurdity, but the Septon was clearing his throat to continue the ceremony.

"Your grace, your grace. Lord Stark, Lady Stark. My lords my ladies." He intoned gravely. "We stand here in the sight of gods and men to witness the union of man and wife."

He turned first to Robb, who stood a little straighter beneath the old man's gaze.

"Robb of House Stark, is it your wish to become one with this woman?"

"It is." Robb's voice was steady, his eyes never leaving Cassana's face.

"Princess Cassana of House Baratheon, if it your wish to become one with this man?"

Cassana licked her lips once, tasting the bitter colour that had been painted upon them. She help Robb's gaze as she replied.

"It is."

"Is there anyone present who would stand between this union?" the Septon addressed the crowd.

Silence answered him. Cassana felt as if the world were holding its breath. She wanted desperately to cast a glance to her mother, to make sure that she was doing everything right, but she didn't want to break eye contact with Robb in the middle of the ceremony.

"You may now pledge your love with a kiss." The Septon continued.

This time, it was Cassana who would go first. She took a small step closer to Robb.

"With this kiss I pledge my love, and take you for my lord and husband."

"With this kiss I pledge my love, and take you for my lady and wife."

Robb closed the remaining distance between them and bent down to press his lips to hers. Cassana was a woman, of course she had listened to songs and tales of what a maiden's first kiss was supposed to be like. According to them it was like flowers blooming in spring, a perfect summer's day, a glowing warmth from within, and lots of other such analogies.

Cassana felt none of that in this, her very first kiss. It didn't feel like much to her at all. Just a simple touching of lips, and then they were apart again. It certainly held none of the magic or passion spoken of in bardic rhyme. She was almost disappointed.

The Septon then held a crystal up above his head, a torch flame taking the place of the hiding sun, and let the rainbows rays fall over both Robb and Cassana.

"Here in the sight of gods and men…I do solemnly proclaim Robb of House Stark and Cassana of House Baratheon to be man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever. Cursed be the one who comes between them."

With those words, Cassana was wedded.

Gone was Princess Cassana Baratheon. She would now be known as Cassana Stark, nothing more until years from now, but thankfully nothing less.

Robb took her hand in his own, his grip was warm and sure, turning her to face the crowd with him. Cheers and claps of congratulations erupted from the crowd as they stood once more to welcome the newlyweds. Cassana saw her little siblings jumping with joy for her, but she held herself serious until she looked to her mother.

Cersei was clapping delicately, the small smile that Cassana loved so much on her face, her eyes full of pride for her eldest child.

Only then did Cassana allow herself to smile as well. She managed to retain that expression as Robb led her from the godswood, and towards the waiting festivities.