"You want a better story. Who wouldn't? A forest, then. Beautiful trees. And a lady singing.
Love on the water, love underwater, love, love and so on."- Richard Siken

Chapter 3

It had snowed the night before Mal's wedding. All of Winterfell seemed to be covered with a mild dusting of snow. The sun was shining brightly in the morning, its bright rays reflecting off of the snow making the whole of Winterfell glitter like it was covered in a million diamonds. Mal lied in bed staring out of her tiny window. In her opinion, the weather outside was only proper to her current situation; the sun and snow coming together to form a beautiful visage for all to witness. She'd been up for the entire night, tossing and turning which she accounted as pre-wedding jitters. It was understandable that she would feel anxious toward the whole situation -nauseous really, she'd been out of bed a couple times during the night to vomit into a nearby chamber pot. She felt embarrassed for the maids who would have to clean that out. "What a wonderful way to introduce myself, 'Hello my name is Mal and I'll be your future mistress, please do me the honor of cleaning up my vomit.'" She rolled over onto her back to stare at a tapestry hanging above her bed. The tapestry, she could tell, was very old and depicted some great battle, no doubt a battle that the Starks were victorious in. "They are proud of their history, aren't they, much more so than any other family in Westeros. They have thousands of years of honorable history. There has never been a tale of a Stark gone bad or mad. No great defeats, no massacres, they're very noble. I just had to take one look at the family to realize that they have thousands of years of good breeding on their side. I should be honored to join a family such as this; in any matter I could have done a lot worse."

A knock at her door roused her to get out of bed and as she was adjusting her veil back on her head the door to her room was forced open and her uncle leisurely strolled into her room with a few of her Dornish handmaidens, one of which was carrying a breakfast tray for her. "No need for that right now, girl," He told her brusquely as he surveyed her room "Good Gods, is this the best room they could give you? You're a Princess of Dorne, not some minor lord's whelp! I have half a mind to call this whole thing off and drag you back to Dorne, my brother be damned."

"Enough," she said as she sat at the vanity breaking her fast while her maids prepared a bath for her. "I love the room, it's comfy, it's cozy, it's-"

"It's smaller than the room I give to my hounds back in Dorne." He rudely interrupted as he sat on her bed.

"You should be gracious, uncle. The Starks have been nothing but kind since we've arrived here. There's no reason for such vitriol towards them."

The Prince of Dorne nearly snorted at that before snapping his fingers at a nearby maid holding an ornate chest. Oberyn opened the chest and pulled out a decorative cloak. It was her wedding cloak, the one that she would wear to signify that she was a Martell of Dorne, the cloak her new husband would take off and replace with his own to show that she was no longer under her father's protection for that was now her husband's job .

Mal had known about her marriage for almost two months and it wasn't until now that it started to hit her how serious the whole situation was. She was speechless as she ran her hands over the cloak. The bright reds and oranges seemed to both comfort her and hurt her at the same time.

Noticing the change in his niece's demeanor, Oberyn Martell lowered his voice to a gentle, fatherly tone. "It was your Aunt Elia's… she wore it that day she married Rhaegar. I remember how excited she was, not for herself necessarily but for Dorne. It was a great honor, you see, to be married into the Targaryen dynasty," Mal could note the bitterness that laced into his words. "She said she was proud to join our houses together, to make Dorne a powerhouse in Westerosi politics… this is the only thing I have left of her."

Mal stared at her heartbroken uncle "Uncle-". Her uncle shook his head before continuing. "She sent it back the day Arianne was born, 'A Princess of Dorne should wear a princess's cloak on her wedding day' she wrote. It was always the plan for Arianne to wear it but," he shrugged nonchalantly "you know how she is, it'll be a miracle if she is ever wed."

Oberyn lifted his eyes from the cloak and stared right at his niece, his dark eyes so much like her own. "You know what happened to Elia and her children?" Mal nodded her head; she couldn't remember a time when she didn't know about the tragic story of her aunt and little cousins. "Then you know why I do not wish for you to be married to someone so far away? I never forgave myself for not saving Elia… and her children. I always thought that if perhaps she married someone closer to home I could have rushed to save her. To this day I am haunted at the thought of her dying alone in such a horrific way. Did she cry out for me, for my brother? How can I allow another woman of my blood to be sent out to marry someone so far from home?"

Mal took a deep breath before putting her hands on her uncle's cheeks. "What happened to my aunt was a terrible crime, one that I hope never happens again. One day we will have justice for her and her children. But uncle dear, there is no better family for me, in all of Westeros, to marry into. You forget the Starks have had their fair share of tragedy: Robb's uncle, his grandfather and his own aunt fell victim to the Targaryen's madness. It is a time of peace, uncle, I shall marry Robb and unite our houses and spend the rest of my days as Lady of Winterfell. You need not worry about me, uncle, I will be okay." Mal tearfully finished as she hugged her uncle.

Oberyn tightly squeezed his young niece before kissing the top of her head and whispering into her hair. "You remind me of her, do you realize that. You have been a joy to me all these years and I hope your husband brings you just as much joy as you have brought me."

The tender moment between the Mar tells was broken by a handmaiden informing the pair that Mal's bath was ready. After giving her a kiss on her cheek her uncle left promising to return when she was ready.

After lolling in the bath for an hour while her maids primped her to perfection, Mal was finally ready. Her gown had been laced up tighter than normally while her dark curls had been brushed out and now shone brighter than the sun. Her dress was of a deep yellow to go along with her maiden's cloak of red and orange. Her maids helped her arrange her veil into place when her uncle returned.

"Your father would be very proud of you." He said as he escorted her out of her room.

She smiled at him through the veil. "I'm glad, I hope to make you proud as well." She grinned at him.

Oberyn Martell didn't respond besides sending a hearty chuckle his niece's way. That pair made their way through the courtyard of Winterfell, the servants and villagers nodded respectfully to her as they walked to the godswood. Neither Mal nor her uncle was deeply involved with the faith of the seven. So when deciding where the two would be wed was an easy choice. She was to be a Stark now, and there was no better place to begin her life of a Stark than in front of a weirwood tree. Robb and the rest of the Starks were already standing in front of the tree with its blood red face. "Even their trees are deadly serious." Mal thought nervously as her uncle helped her up the path to where Robb and Lord Stark were standing. Robb looked positively green and Mal hoped he would be able to keep it together and not end up being sick on her. Lord Stark on the other hand looked as calm as if this was an everyday occurrence. "That makes one of us."

Eddard gave his future good-daughter a soft smile before starting the ceremony. "Who comes? Who comes before the god?"

Oberyn Martell answered for his niece. "Mal of House Martell comes here to be wed. A women grown and flowered, trueborn and noble, she comes to beg the blessings of the gods. Who comes to claim her?"

Robb stepped up before clearing his throat. "I do, Robb of House Stark, heir of Winterfell. I claim her. Who gives her?"

Oberyn smirked at the Stark heir before answering. "Oberyn of House Martell, Prince of Dorne and uncle to the right high, right noble, and right excellent Princess Mal." Mal grimaced at her uncle's blatant disrespect. Oberyn turned to Mal before removing her veil to free her face to everyone's wandering eyes.

Mal saw Robb's eyes widen a bit before taking a hold of himself once more. Mal cocked an eyebrow towards her betrothed. "Surprised that I'm not ugly wretch, are you?"

While it was true that Mal's sister was the great beauty of the family it did not mean that Mal went without. Her sister did have the lion's share when it came to her curvaceous body but Mal still had a few curves where it counted. Both she and her sister shared the same dark, thick curly hair and while Arianne's eyes were sometimes a bit too small for her face, Mal dark eyes were as big as a doe's. All in all Mal made for a very pretty princess.

Oberyn winked at his niece as he knew that her beauty was a bit of a shock to the Starks. "Princess Mal, will you take this man?"

Mal gave Robb a smile, one that he was quick to return. "I take this man." She spoke in a clear voice with more confidence than she felt. Robb and Mal held hands as they knelt before the weirwood and bowed their heads in a short prayer. "So it is you then? You who will keep me and mine safe? Well enough tree, from this day forward I will bow to you and pray to you, as long as you keep your promise." After the prayer the two got back up on their feet. Her uncle moved forward to remove her maiden's clock while Robb stepped into place to put his family's cloak over her shoulders. "And do this is it. I'm a Stark now." She and Robb shared another small smile as their wedding party began cheering for the new couple.

There was to be another feast after the wedding, Robb and Mal were given seats of honor at the head of the table, throughout the course of the feast people continued to come up to the two to give them words of congratulations and complements. They kept praising Mal's dark good looks and how well they complimented the bright Tully looks of Robb's. It was said more than once that there wasn't a more handsome couple in all of the North than the one sitting at the head of the table.

The couple in question had been relatively quiet towards each other. Besides the courteous small talk they would send each other's way. At first Mal had understood Robb's shyness and tried to be as patient as he father would like her to be. However, soon enough her temper got the better of her, but unlike her sister who would have flown into a rage Mal took things a little calmer.

"It's strange, is it not?" Her question caused Robb's head to jump up. He had previously been picking at his food berating himself for not being able to talk to his new wife.

"I'm sorry, princess, what's strange." He politely asked.

Mal smiled widely at Robb before answering. "You still call me 'princess', I'm your wife now Robb."

Robb grinned at Mal. "I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable; you've been a princess all your life. I would hate for you to feel lowered by marrying me."

Mal checked at that. There was something very different about Robb. She had never met anybody like him. He was so unlike the boys she grew up with.

"You will never have to worry about that, my lord," she placed her hand over his and felt Robb squeeze it. "I don't feel like I've lowered my position in life at all, in fact, I feel the exact opposite." Robb lifted her hand and laid a kiss on it in response to her answer.

Things seemed to go a lot smoother as the feast progressed; Robb was much more relaxed and was able to joke around a time or two with Mal. Towards the end of the feast Mal's handmaiden had informed her that it was time for the bedding. Unlike in the South, there would be no embarrassing ceremony where the men would undress her and joke about what her wedding night would entail, which Mal was extremely grateful for. Despite that there would be no ceremony there were still some hoots and hollers from the young men, the loudest jeer came from the Greyjoy heir. "Arrogant guppy." Mal thought rudely as she made her way to her room.

As her maid helped her undress a knock sounded at the door. With a nod to her maid the door opened and Robb walked in. Mal dismissed the maid and the newlyweds were left completely alone. "Well, this is sufficiently awkward." Mal thought as she stared at Robb in his nightgown. He kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other as his eyes darted everywhere in the room. Mal kept fidgeting as she tried to find something to say. "Come now Mal, no time for your tongue to be tied. But it seems all words have left me." Despite all her teasing and forwardness, Mal was as virtuous as the next girl. It was well known secret that most Dornish girls were not virgins on their wedding day, even noble Dornishwoman took their pleasures whenever they wanted Arianne was the biggest example of that. Yet despite all of Arianne's teasing, Mal remained as chaste as she was born. Sure she was a bit more knowledgeable than other noble ladies of Westeros but she had always lacked the nerve to follow through.

"You never told me what you found strange." Robb said suddenly. Mal was so lost in her thoughts that she had no idea what he was talking about. "Excuse me?"

"At the wedding feast," he shrugged as he continued. "You said that it was strange, but you never told me what."

"Oh," she nervously chuckled. "I was just thinking that it was strange that everyone was watching us like wild animals. They were completely happy watching us flounder about trying to talk to each other."

Robb laughed. "You should've seen my mother. She kept hounding me to try to talk to you. 'Ask her to dance', 'complement her dress'. It was never ending. "

Mal smiled before moving over to a nearby table to pour the two of them a glass of wine. "I'm sure she means well."

Robb accepted a glass of wine with a nod of thanks. "She does, I think she's just excited about the idea of grandchildren." Robb looked at her with wide eyes. "I-I mean when you're ready, you don't have to do anything. I mean… if-if you want to but… I don't you to feel pressured…" he finished pathetically.

Mal downed her cup of wine before addressing him. "It's expected is it not? For you and I to have children, to consummate our marriage? Unless you don't want to?" She trailed off.

Robb jumped at that. "No, no I do it's just…" he let out an exasperated sigh. "Gods, I'm doing this all wrong."

Mal moved to sit on her bed after refilling her cup. "Doing what all wrong." She lightly teased him, the wine making it easier for her to tease her new husband.

Robb rubbed the back of his head and finished his wine in one gulp. He slowly joined Mal on the bed. "Wooing you, of course." He softly admitted while looking into her dark eyes.

Mal stifled a laugh. "Wooing me? I did not know that was common practice here in the North. Wooing seems reserved for Southerners."

Robb moved closer to Mal. "Well, when one has a wife as beautiful as you, I think a bit of wooing is in order, no matter where you live."

Mal smiled softly before she placed her hand on Robb's cheek. "You truly are one of a kind aren't you Robb Stark? I've never met a man quite like you."

Robb took her hand and placed a kiss on her palm. "I'm lucky that you haven't or else you might have married them instead."

Mal stood up and placed her cup on a nearby table. "Will you help me with my gown?" She could hear Robb stiffen up before slowly making his way towards her. She felt his fingers glide over her back as he unlaced her ties to her gown. "You're very good at this." She couldn't help but tease him; it was becoming her favorite sport.

He frowned at her. "Luckily, your maid did most of the work before I came in. If I had to do this all by myself we'd be here for hours." He was rewarded with another of her laughs. In no time Robb finished his task, Mal's back was naked to him and his fingers. He trailed his fingers up her spine before sliding them down her back.

Mal's heart had sped up all while this was happening, she took a deep breath before turning around and showing her nakedness to her husband for the first time. Robb's eyes traveled all over her body, never lingering too long on one area. When he was done with his extensive look over his eyes went back to Mal's. She saw a fire in them she had yet to see before. A quick thought flashed in her mind. "And there's the wolf."

"You're beautiful. The most beautiful being I've ever laid my eyes on." He whispered reverently.

Mal blushed and tried to look away from Robb's intense gaze. "Don't," he said as he raised her chin to look at him. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You're my wife now; let me take care of you."

Mal looked deeply on his eyes before taking a hold of his nightgown and pulling him towards her. "Kiss me, Robb Stark." Robb's lips smashed against hers and the two let out a moan as their hands traveled over each other's bodies.

Robb's lips ravished hers as he maneuvered her onto her bed; he stalked on top of her and pulled his nightgown over his head. Mal's mind seemed to haze over as she felt every inch of Robb's toned body; she lifted her head to nip at every inch of exposed skin she could reach. Robb reacted by growling lowly and lifting her head to give her another hard kiss. His hands moved down her body and pulled her knees apart as he settled between them. Mal let out a soft moan as she felt his hands exploring her womanhood while Robb kissed and nipped at her stomach.

The sensations where becoming too much for Mal. Every kiss, every touch and whisper was sending her higher than she ever felt before. The heat she felt between her legs was becoming unbearable, she needed Robb in a way she never needed anybody before. After a few pleading words Robb made his way back up to Mal and gave her a soft kiss on the mouth before entering her. It pained her at first but Robb was gentle enough to give her time to adjust. She kissed Robb on the mouth to say that she was ready. After a few shallow thrusts, Robb found a rhythm that both of them could enjoy. Looking back on that night Mal would say that there was only one word to describe it: animalistic. While their foreplay had been filled with loving words and touches, the actual act was pure lust and desire. There were no loving words; the only sounds that filled the room were harsh pants and the occasional growl from Robb. It was maddening to Mal, she felt as if she would die from the pleasure when she finally reached the precipice of her desire actual tears left her eyes. Robb finished a few minutes later and he kissed her tears away before rolling off of her and catching his breath. Mal turned over and laid her head on his chest. Robb's arm went around her and rubbed her back as he kissed her forehead. Slowly, their breath returned to normal as exhaustion took over the pair. As she felt her eyelids get heavier and heavier one last thought permeated through her mind. "What a wolf."

A/N: I took the wedding ceremony from A Dance with Dragons so it should be an accurate portrayal of a Northern wedding. Again thanks so much for reading. Also anything that you might recognize, I obviously do not own.