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Here I am building a safety net under Dany to remove it later. You'll see why.
Hope you like this.
Chapter 3 : Warmth
Mornings in the North weren't as bright and sunny as they were in Essos. They were cold and gray – or at least that first morning was.
Daenerys had always enjoyed the warm weather because she came from fire. The extreme heat of the desert never bothered her but now, for the first time, she noticed the difference between her warm bed and the cold air in the room. It wasn't really that cold but somehow her bed felt so comfortable.
Sighing, she scooted closer to the source of heat but as her arm wrapped tighter against a body, her back stiffened. Soon she remembered she wasn't alone in her bed and that the hard body, the chest covered in a faint layer of hair, belonged to her new husband.
Her violet eyes opened hesitantly to meet the figure of a peacefully sleeping Robb Stark. And under the blankets she could feel their legs entangled.
He had probably been so tired that not even her need for his heat was able to wake him up. Robb couldn't seem to care about being used for warming up. She certainly couldn't understand how if the room felt so cold, he was happily sleeping under the furs.
She used the time to study him. He was a handsome young man, not in the strong way Drogo had been and not in the classic Viserys had looked. He was different to everyone else in every single way and it intrigued her because if he was unique and she was the last of her kind, did that mean they were destined to make company to each other?
He stirred and she retreated, pulling away from him.
Her actions were leading her into dangerous territory. She had no desire of being a dutiful wife and bearing his children – she didn't want to learn to love him like it had happened with Drogo. She just wanted to be loved and desired so he would do anything to please her.
Turning on her side, facing away from him, Dany clung to her pillow and worried she would fail on her plans. And this time she was alone – not that it had been much different before but she felt better when Ser Jorah and Rakharo were around.
Not once before she had needed to be held for comfort but she had to admit the loving contact, the soothing sound of someone else breathing felt perfect. She had never had a family and the khalasar hadn't been one like the caring ones. Was that what made Robb different?
She felt the bed shifting under her as he slid out of it. Apparently, he believed she was still asleep.
"Daenerys?" He called softly, but as he did so, Grey Wind sat in front of her, staring into her eyes silently.
It amused her to see the direwolf tilting his head to the side as if asking why she was hiding.
Just like her dragons, direwolves were the Starks children. Others could be afraid of such a ferocious animal, one that showed its teeth to those who threatened the safety of their pack but she knew he was only protecting Robb, like her dragons did with her, though they still were far too young to do much damage.
"I'm not hungry," she murmured once Robb called her name again.
"Nonsense," he answered and moved so he was in her line of sight. "You haven't had a decent meal in days." Robb crouched before her, next to Grey Wind, and reach with his hand to touch her forehead. "Are you sick?" His brow furrowed with concern. "Do you want me to call for Maester Luwin?"
She scowled at him and slapped his hand away. "I'm fine! I just don't feel like leaving the bed yet. Send one of the maids with some food and I'll be perfect."
One corner of his mouth curved up. It infuriated her to no end to see how he thought she was a joke. He didn't see her as a queen nor fear her – he just saw her as a woman, as his wife. Funny thing was, she couldn't find in him the devious figure of the son of one of the men that had rebelled against her father. She couldn't find that reason to hate him with all her being.
"You don't want to join your husband? I wanted to introduce you to my family."
She sank deeper under the furs. "I'm not in the mood."
He cackled and the sound surprised Grey Wind, making his ears drop.
"You're a child. A spoiled child at that, my queen," he teased and soon he met the fury in her eyes. "Come on. Join me." He outstretched a hand and offered it to her. "If you are cold, you can come back here later for a warm bath."
"I liked you better when you weren't as cheerful as you are now," she replied, eyeing his hand warily. She knew she couldn't hide in their bedchambers forever – especially not if she didn't want to look scared of the Starks and the northmen.
The way in which his lips curved to smile was warmer than she had ever seen anyone smile. Not that she had seen many people smiling at her - at least not honestly. And comparing it to others, the only other people who smiled at her like that were Ser Jorah, perhaps Ser Willen Darry but she had been too young to remember it, and Drogo once or twice since he had found out she was carrying their child.
"If things continue like they have so far, you will probably see me in a bad mood more often than not."
She wanted tell him his bad mood was nothing compared to Drogo's or Viserys'.
At that moment, there was a tap on the door, and both master and beast lifted their heads. They were soon at the door, opening it and revealing a boy, a child that looked like Robb.
"Rickon," Robb greeted affectionately and the boy in front of him looked sheepish yet happy. "I'll join you in the hall in a moment."
"Who is she?" Rickon asked, pointing openly at Daenerys who watched the scene from bed.
She was all wide eyes. She was the youngest of her siblings and never needed to take care of Viserys – he wouldn't have allowed such thing either. It was difficult for her to understand the relationship between Robb and Rickon, and why the boy seemed so content at the sight of his brother. She hadn't been too happy when Viserys was around because it usually involved plans of how to sit back in the Iron Throne.
Robb soon fell quiet and looked at her, hoping she would come to his aid when he failed at making things simple for a child. An explanation for a marriage out of convenience, just to play the game of politics and keep her safe – but don't be fooled, she knew she was also part of Eddard's plan in case anything failed. She was at a loss too.
"My wife," Robb muttered simply.
"Wife?"
"Like Mother to Father. She's my wife," Robb said.
The small boys said nothing and only looked confused, brow furrowed and hands firmly holding onto a black direwolf that looked bigger than his owner. Robb had reluctantly shared the story of how he had found his pet and the litter of direwolves that were shared out among his siblings – one direwolf for each Stark.
Finally deciding what to do, Rickon walked further inside the room. "Hi."
Daenerys smiled against her better judgment. Time after time, she had told herself to not sympathize with the enemy, to not grow close to them. Rickon might have been a child but she was a baby when her family was murdered – no one had mercy on her.
"Hi," she murmured.
"This is Shaggydog," he introduced his direwolf and Daenerys' smile grew wider.
"I'm Daenerys Stormborn." She decided against speaking her name because she doubted a boy so young could understand she was not one of the Targaryens in stories they heard – she knew he wouldn't know the difference and she wasn't in Winterfell to create conflict within the Starks remaining there.
"Dany?" He jumped in bed and she laughed at his spontaneous attitude.
She would've liked to be so carefree when young but she was always escaping from danger and that was a thorn in her heart.
"You having breakfast with us?"
"I," Dany started and then looked at the smile in Robb's lips. What were the Starks doing to her? What was happening in her that she couldn't keep her head cold and take decisions so she would follow her plan? "Yes. I just need a few minutes to prepare myself."
"We can visit Bran later. He likes stories. Do you know some?"
Shaking her head, she realized that perhaps she wouldn't be able to execute her plans so quickly or easily. Time would be needed to win this family over and for that she would need to let herself immerse into their routines. They had to trust her and then she would act. She would turn them against the Usurper and win her throne back.
"She knows stories about dragons," Robb provided before taking the boy in his arms and off the bed. "But she won't share it with you unless you leave her alone so she can dress. Come on, boy."
That reminded her, she needed to see her babies and for that she would have to be very secretive and careful.
"Robb, I need my handmaidens. Robb!" Dany shouted but she could only hear the two brothers laughing down the hall.
She growled in frustration but luckily for her Irri, Jhiqui and Doreah soon showed up, each carrying a large basket. Her dragons were getting bigger each day and she was very proud of them.
"Close the door."
-o-
It was lightly snowing in Winterfell. Dany had never seen a scene like that, those snowflakes dancing in the air and falling gracefully on a blanket of white that covered the ground. Of course at the other side of the court, the mud looked horrible but she had decided to focus on the beauty of it.
"Are you tired?" A deep voice with a thick accent called.
Robb was next to her much more lightly dressed than her. She was freezing and he seemed at his best.
"Of what? Of the servants watching me as if I were a snake ready to bite them?"
He sighed. "I apologize if you felt unwelcome. But I was speaking of Bran."
She smiled at him. It was bizarre that a man could be so polite to his natural enemy. Or maybe he didn't see her like that. Mayhap he hadn't been raised to hate her and Eddard and Catelyn Stark were as honorable as they wanted to look like.
"He's certainly curious. But a very brave and strong boy. I couldn't imagine how he must feel now that he can't play with other children." She wrapped her cloak tighter around her and breathed in the cold and crisp air. "If someone did that to my brother, I'd seek revenge."
He looked at her sharply. Surprised.
"He said he had never fell before," she explained. "And if he never did, he was pushed."
By the way Robb looked at her, Dany realized there was something there, not just the natural suspicion but a proof that what she was saying had happened. It was clearly something Robb didn't want to discuss with her so she chose to change the subject. For now. There would be time for questions and long conversations when he trusted her openly and completely.
"I never had the chance before to tell the stories Viserys told me. Dothraki people didn't care about it, as you may imagine," she said, half smiling. "It was nice even if your brother asks too many questions."
Robb chuckled. "My sister Arya would've asked many more. She would like you and you would like her. She likes to fight against boys as well and believes that women are better than man."
"A smart girl."
They both laughed.
For a few moments, they kept the companionable silence. She had never just enjoyed being around someone else but Ser Jorah, and he was usually there only to advise her in her decisions or take care of her.
Suddenly, she felt her hand being tugged and looking at Robb, she saw the mischievous smile on his lips. "Come on."
"What?" Her eyes widened as she saw herself being pulled outside.
"You haven't seen snow before, have you?"
"No."
"Then follow me."
Her footsteps were cushioned by the thin layer of snow – at least thin for the northmen's opinion. And she felt like giggling when Robb handed her a handful of it. She felt the snowflakes falling onto her hair and clinging to her eyelashes. Her nose and cheeks were frozen, and so her hands as the snow melted through her fingers.
But as she was shyly paying attention to Robb, seeing how his hair caught more snowflakes thanks to those unruly curls, she felt something crashing against her back.
"Rickon!" Robb scolded promptly, half laughing as he tried to ask for forgiveness to her.
"I want to play too!" Rickon protested, probably upset that he hadn't been invited to this supposed game, especially now that his siblings weren't able to play with him.
"We're not playing," Robb explained and soon Dany understood that she had been hit by a handful of snow.
"We can play," she said quickly, thinking that maybe she could pretend she was a child and finally had friends to play with, like she hadn't when she was younger. "Just show me how."
"You don't want to play," Robb replied, smiling.
"I do. We have nothing else to do or where to be."
"Fine. We'll play."
Rickon seemed more than pleased with this news and he was soon running around, gathering snow in his hands and forming balls that he threw at Robb and her. Robb seemed to be trying to protect her, covering her and also showing her how to throw. Everything was fine until she happened to hit her husband with a particularly big snowball right on his head.
She gasped but Rickon laughed joyously at the sight of Robb's expression.
There was no reason why but she decided to run and Rickon joined her. Robb was soon chasing them.
It was very different from her childhood and she wished she would've had one like this, with brothers or sisters to play and laugh with.
But as they played and ran, Theon appeared with a somber and furious look.
"Robb," he said loudly and sternly, enough to put an end to Robb's good mood. "The Imp is here."
And soon Daenerys saw Robb's true rage for the first time. And the youth in Rickon's face disappeared to be replaced by anger as well. The direwolves following them looked as determined as their owners.
"Take her to our chambers."
Dany was about to protest but Robb turned around and clenched his jaw.
"He can't know you are here."
He was right, that would mean power for the Lannisters and that was the least anyone wanted.