Aggressive Negotiations.
The wind whipping around the castle was freezing, Yet, it was nothing compared to the temperature radiating from the entry hall as the Queen of the North made her entrance. A day early to Arthur's chagrin. It was a bold move to begin negotiations with. It caught him off guard and made him look foolish. What a way to start.
"Is a room prepared for The Lady Stark? Inquired one of her ladies in waiting. "The journey has been a long one." She added.
Arthur bared his teeth in a smile. It looked genuine to those who didn't know him. Bedivere beat him to speaking, ever the diplomat."I can only imagine. Right, this way." He said his arm gestured towards the far hall. They had decided to put the queen as close to the center of the castle as possible. Defense reasonsArthur had claimed. Just because it was two doors away from him was a mere coincidence.
Instead of following her Lady-in-waiting, Lady Stark approached Arthur. Her cloak had been drawn close for warmth and she had yet to pull back the hood. All Arthur could see of her was her flame-red hair and strong jawline. He had been told that she was as beautiful as fire, and burnt men as badly.
Rumor had been correct as Arthur found himself yet again unprepared for the Queen of the north. He had begun to bow, only for her hand to reach out and stop him. After he had paused she lifted her hands to remove her hood. She was stunningly beautiful. Like no other woman he had met before.
"My Lady?" He inquired, Arthur knew right there and then that he was in trouble. While he had been told she was firey she now gave him a look that was pure ice.
"Sir." She stated back coolly. As she brushed past him. She wasn't happy with having to be here, her actions stating that louder than any word could. Merlin help him, he wanted to run towards her with fire, melting her cold exterior. He watched as her entourage followed Bedivere further into his castle.
"Fuck." He breathed when they were out of sight. He ran a hand through his hair. Yeah, this was a great start to negotiations.
Sansa shifted in her chair again. It would go unnoticed if she were at home in Winterfell. Here, however, it drew Arthur's eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to call her out for it. He just flashed her a cheeky smile. Never in her life had a man like Arthur appealed to her. However, he had grown on her in just three days. The suddenness of it terrified her.
Her advisor was droning on about the increase of trade both parties would bring to the marriage. Her idea, she would speak for herself, if she knew the people better. The past three days he had hosted her had been spent in the throne room around a round table. It was odd for her.
The table like the man who sat opposite her was odd. Sansa was used to her cold looks being off-putting towards suiters. But Arthur seemed to enjoy getting them from her. If all the terms were met for both parties she would leave in the morning. Only to return in a fortnight and then she would call Camelot home for half the year. Ayra and Gendry would look after Winterfell when she ruled here.
Arthur had agreed to switch home alongside her. It was a negotiation tactic as he then asked for her dowry. In all things, he had been generous. It made her worry. With the teaching of Little Finger drifting in her mind she knew he wanted something from her. She couldn't figure out what that thing was.
The bell struck signaling the end of their negotiations. Arthur approached her as he did every night, he waited until she rose, took her hand and kissed the back of it. It was a gesture she enjoyed rather much. The area he kissed always felt like a brand. What scared her the most was the desire his simple kiss brought to her.
The evening feast passed in a blur. She had been seated next to Arthur for the first time during her visit. The proximity was getting to her head. He had found little ways to touch her. A brush of the back of his hand against her cheek. Another kiss on her hand. Drawing circles on her palm as it rested on the table. Each one had shot like lightning through her body.
He stood then, raised a glass and spoke, "To Lady Sansa our soon to be Queen." He turned to her and gave a bow of his head. The Hall rang with echoes of "Lady Sansa" Eyes never leaving him she smiled softly and bowed her head as well.
When he sat down she asked him, "Is that customary?"
"I have no idea." He answered. "I just wanted to say you're lovely name." She had to hold back an eye roll. Always with the compliments. The man was a natural charmer.
Turning to hide her smile, she looked around the hall at all the people gathered around them. He eyes finding that of another woman. "I'm sure your announcement didn't sit well with everyone." She said turning back to her soon to be husband.
He looked puzzled and for the first time since the day she had arrived she had caught him off guard. His eyes scanned the crowd finding the same woman she did. "A tale for another time."
"Scorned lover?" She pushed.
He let out a bark of a laugh. "My Lady, would that be jealously I hear in that wonderful voice of yours?" His smile got bigger at the look she cut him.
"No, Sir." She began emphasizing the title. "Merely marveling that someone finds you appealing." He laughed again. And this time it reached his eyes. His face changed to that of a boy. A boy she could have loved easily when she was younger.
"I was about to say the same for you." He chuckled at her. Picking up a strand of her hair. "How anyone could stare at you, is beside me."
She narrowed her eyes. It wasn't truly offensive but gave her an opening to leave the table so she took it. "Well then," She stood, "I bid you goodnight. May you rest your eyes." And with that, she turned, her lady in waiting behind her as she left the hall.
Hours later found her sitting on her bed in her nightclothes. She should apologize, she mused. It was rude to leave a dinner that was held in your honor. She knew from gossip that Arther's room was not too far from hers. Not that it was decent to visit him in the middle of the night.
She was at war with herself, "And over a pair of pretty blue eyes." She thought. She sat there staring into her fire wondering if this was the best way to start a betrothal. The past examples she had to go off of was no help to her. Arthur was different, kinder. And about to be interrupted. She stood and made her way to the door.
She opened it a crack and looked right out into the hall. There was one guard posted at the very far end of the hall. Almost 6 rooms away. And to her left was Arthur's room at the end of the hall. His door was larger and more decorated than the others in the hall. She looked back towards the guard who was at attention but not looking her way.
Taking a deep breath, she dashed the King's door and rapped her knuckles against the wood. Praying to the Seven that the sound didn't carry. And that Arthur was awake. She held her breath in anticipation. An action that held no need as Arthur's "Come in" carried out to her.
She lifted the handle and slipped inside. Never looking back at the guard. If she had she would have caught the smile he wore.
Once she was inside and the door firmly closed behind her she had no idea what to do. Arthur had yet to look up from his place at his desk. It was stationed at the far side of the room, tucked into the corner with the fire on one side and balcony at the other. A defensive position if he needed it to be.
He looked up at her then. And if he was surprised to see her he didn't show it. "Come to see if I was alone?" He asked, turning his attention to the scroll in front of him.
She shot him a look. "No." She began. " As a matter of fact, I was here to apologize." That caught his attention. He looked back up at her.
Setting down his quill he gestured to the settee in front of his fire. He rose from his chair, poured her a cup of wine, handed it to her and sat back down. Ever the host she thought.
"An apology." He mused. Drawing out the word. He picked up his quill, looked down and continued to write for a moment. "Are you always this proper, even when the situation is more private?" He asked. Looking up at her through his lashes. It was a look a man gave a woman when he wanted her.
"I am proper until I am comfortable with the presence of others," she stated, taking a sip of the wine.
"Weren't you the one who came into my room?" He asked. "Are you attempting to seduce me?" He smirked.
"W-What?!" She said caught off guard. But watching him laugh at her gave her a wicked idea. "You have discovered my intentions." She murmured to him in his general direction.
It was his turn to wear the look of shock and surprise. "My lady." They both smiled. "I must admit, you were not what I was expecting."
"Mmmhmm." She agreed. He was not what she was expecting at all. "I was told you would be difficult to negotiate with." She admitted. He looked offended. As if a fire spark had suddenly burst into flames, she watched his eyes come alight with mischief.
"Well then my lady, let us get you more comfortable around me." He said approaching the settee and sitting opposite of her. His cup of wine swirling in his hand.
"What do you propose my Lord?" She asked. She wondered if he could hear the anticipation in her voice.
He pretended to ponder for a moment, then gave her another dazzling smile."I know just the thing." He began. "We hold our negotiations. Right here privately. What we speak of this night will be held secret between the two of us. In our coming days as man and wife if one of us doesn't hold up our end of the bargain we may choose the punishment."
She looked at him in bewilderment. Then she stared into the flames considering his words. She had not been satisfied with a few of the agreements the prior negotiations had held. Perhaps she could amend them here. She turned back to him to find him watching her. "Who should propose first?" She asked sweetly, wetting her lips and watching as his eyes followed the movement.
"You may my Lady." He said eyes returning to hers.
"Winter last years in Westeros. Winterfell will be covered in snow into the first of spring." she paused looking at him. "I want my wedding here. It will be a few short weeks until your season changes. I want flowers." She stated matter-of-factly.
Arthur looked at her like the cat who ate the canary. Perfect she thought. A small step towards a bigger goal. He cleared his throat. "Flowers can be arranged."
He agreed. She bowed her head in thanks. "Your turn." She said ever so helpfully.
He smiled. "In the privacy of our chambers or anytime we are alone I would like to call you Sansa. And for you to call me Arthur. No titles." She was taken aback. For her only family did that.
"As you wish, Arthur." She agreed. His answering smile was dazzling.
They continued in this fashion for a while. Arthur met all of her private demands. He only lost footing when she had requested to be pampered during her indisposition. For a man who grew up in a brothel, she found it amusing he had blushed when they spoke of her own needs.
With his cheeks still flushed he asked the question that had spurred this whole game. During the negotiations with their respective delegates, this particular term of the agreement was only touched upon briefly. This subject was the only time he saw a crack in the ice queen's defenses.
"Sansa." He began. Taking her hand and interlocking their fingers. It was a precaution. He did not want her escaping. Not when this subject was so important to him. "Sansa. There is one thing I must ask of you." He paused if his guess was correct than his beautiful bride-to-be was a victim of a man's wrath. And what he was about to ask could startle her, to say the least. "I ask for an heir."
He watched her eyes darken. And sure enough, she tried to pull away. He held fast as she put as much distance between them as she could.
He would ask this of her. She thought. She looked at him in anger for the first time. Had he not heard what had happened at the hands of monsters? She thought she would have years to grow accustomed to his presence. To his touch. She looked down at their joined fingers. It was the only place he touched her. And she had allowed the meager amount of contact. He was asking where other men had taken.
She took a steadying breath. "I will give you an heir." She said watching the joy spread across it. "However, I must be the one to allow you into my bed. We will not share one." She watched his jaw flex.
"As your husband, I could take what I wanted." He pointed out to her. Eyes hard.
"You won't." She said immediately. "It's not in your character." Of this she was certain.
They sat together in their thoughts. Sansa knew this would work in her favor. Finally, Arthur turned to her. "It looks like I will be earning my place in your bed." He said. The tension left her body.
He cupped her chin. "These negotiations should be sealed with a kiss." He stated. Her eyes darted down to his lips then to his eyes. She swallowed and nodded. Arthur leaned in and gently brushed his lips to hers. She had felt gusts of wind with more pressure than his kiss. It left her oddly dissatisfied.
He then stood. Asked for her hand and escorted her to her room. She heard him whistle as he walked back to his quarters.
Arthur knew many things Sansa did not. Growing up in a brothel taught him a great many things. Seduction at the top of the list. Preparing for bed he smiled. He was just given the gift of being able to seduce Sansa Stark.