I wanted to post this to celebrate the 150th follower of this story but you reached that number faster than I could write this chapter.

Thank you, as always, for your words and in exchange, I'll give you these.

Chapter 5 : Lies

She had run at the mention of one of her dragons being missing. Ignoring the protest of her new husband, she had left him behind and started a frenetic search for one of her babies – for one of the last three dragons who, like her, had reborn from fire in the middle of the desert. He would never understand what they meant to her and that was why she couldn't listen to Robb.

"Stop!" He shouted in a commanding voice and she could hear his footsteps approaching fast behind her. Of course, he was taller and knew the castle like the back of his hand. "I said, stop," he hissed and yanked her by the arm.

"He's missing. I need to find him before something happens," she spat with fury. She wouldn't have stopped him if Grey Wind would have been the one missing but he couldn't seem to understand this was her family as well.

"Dragons. You're speaking of dragons?"

And soon she understood that this wasn't about her need to run away from him when something else called her. This wasn't about his wounded ego after a night full of passion she never thought could live inside a cold northman. This was about the legends dragons were.

"I cannot answer your questions now. My dragon is missing." And she escaped from his grasp, hurrying down the hall with Grey Wind on tow while Robb stood there, astounded.

Was it right of her to hide her secret like that? Yes. Absolutely, because like a mother, she was protecting her children. She knew if Eddard Stark or Robert Baratheon – or anyone – found out she had three dragons, three of the most powerful creatures men had been able to tame, she would be murdered, no questions asked. If anyone knew, she would be a bigger threat than what she already was.

It was Grey Wind who stopped her from entering the part of the castle where most of the servants were – where she would be seen by everyone and then the rumors would grow and they would travel to King's Landing and before she could realize, she would be beheaded at the hands of the Usurper. The direwolf instead led her back to the chambers of the Stark children, to Bran's to be exact.

Why she trusted that wolf, she couldn't say. But she followed him and Irri did her best to keep up as well.

Hodor was outside the door, looking the same as always but Dany could hear the commotion of the boys inside Robb's brother's chambers. As soon as she was inside, she saw Drogon standing at the feet of Bran's bed, smoke coming out of his snout while Summer – Bran's wolf – stared at him.

"Is it yours?" Bran asked excitedly while Rickon tried to pick on the angry little dragon's wind, provoking the thunderous whining of her Drogon.

"Yes."

"I thought dragons would be bigger," Bran added quickly, while Rickon was almost bitten on one finger – at that Shaggydog pulled on her dragon's tail and Dany feared the animals would fight to the death but they were pups and only seemed to play with each other.

"They are still too young," she answered, studying with fascination how the animals seemed to get along – much like she was surprised when Robb didn't want to kill her that first night or the many ones after that. "They will grow and flight, breathe fire like the ones before them."

"They?" Rickon asked, looking up.

"I have three," she replied and soon Drogon was perched on her right shoulder, his claws tangling with her platinum hair.

The glimmer of hope in Rickon's eyes only told her that she would more likely than not find him chasing her dragons. That this pup would be playful with her dragons and mayhap that would be trouble but it would also be a lot of help – not to keep her children hidden anymore.

"Do they all breathe fire?" Bran asked. "Old Nan tells us stories about dragons breathing ice. I don't believe her. But I thought all dragons had died."

"No," Dany muttered simply. "They are born from fire. They are strong again."

"Will you ride them?"

"If they get big enough. And if they don't, they will still be by my side."

"Like our direwolves," Bran said. "Our house's animal. We each have one to take care of us."

Daenerys smiled at him. Wasn't he right? Did other houses have such a strong bond with their sigils?

She was surprised when the weight of Drogon left her shoulder and then she saw how the small dragon decided that a much better spot was being on Grey Wind's back. The wolf complained for a moment but soon he grew accustomed and the claws didn't dig deep enough to hurt him.

"You're very observant, you know? You're quite smart," Dany praised but the moment was interrupted when Robb stormed in, enraged.

He stood still, scowling at the reptile that had found a comfortable place on his wolf's back.

She didn't know what he was thinking or what would happen. Daenerys only knew that if he spoke a word about killing them – her dragons – she would kill him. He had no right just like she didn't have any rights over his wolf.

"Where are the others?"

She didn't utter a word nor made any movement that indicated anything.

"Daenerys, where are they?" His voice was commanding like boys who had just become men shouldn't be. He couldn't see it but she did – inside him there was more passion and strength than he thought, more leadership than what his father had. Robb hadn't been born to follow others or at least not to do so if he wasn't head of the plans.

"Hidden."

"How? Why didn't you tell me?" he growled through clenched teeth and behind her she could feel the younger Starks clearly afraid. Robb was an authority figure – caring but firm.

"They are mine and I had no reason to tell you," she replied haughtily. She wouldn't show fear to him because she wasn't scared anymore. Long ago she used to be a scared girl who was beaten by her brother, a girl who was seen as a commodity in a game and a girl who had been married to a khal just to gain soldiers and power. Now she was a woman.

"You think you had no reason but as it turns out, I'm protecting you and you manipulated me to smuggle those… things here." He was menacing, teeth showing as he tried to keep his voice even but stern. "You know what would happen if the King finds out? Dragons, Daenerys! If they grow to be like they once were… the Seven Kingdoms could burn."

"I only want to see them burn," she murmured, looking at him in the eye.

"You want me dead. You want to see me and my family all dead. If anyone finds out, they will kill us for treason. I should kill you before that happens." His blue eyes, always bright seemed to turn like the ocean during a storm. He seemed to grow bigger and menacing.

"Then kill me. I'm sure you will be rewarded for such brave act, murdering a woman and three dragons that are not bigger than lizards. So courageous." She was furious at him but she knew this was a possibility when she accepted the deal – so she saw death as an outcome she would have to face sooner or later.

Instead of hitting her like Viserys would have done or growling and demining her like Drogo, both for being a stupid woman, Robb took her by the arm, not hard enough to hurt her but enough to let her know who was in charge, and led her out of Bran's room.

"You're a shrew," he hissed without remorse and her eyes widened. Never had she been spoken to like that, almost as if they were two kids bickering. "You play your part so well, I almost believed you and then you go and stab me on the back."

She slapped him, hard across the face. She had never raised her hand before and much less to a man who was physically superior to her but she had thought it was necessary.

He touched his cheek but didn't flinch. His blue eyes sparkled with something she couldn't figure out.

"This isn't about you. It's much bigger than your ego-"

He shook his head. "No. You're right. It is my father the one who'll pay for your mistakes this time. He'll be killed because this will be known. You betrayed me."

Her heart sunk and she stood there looking at him until he heaved a painful sigh and turned away to leave her there. Alone.

Had she done something so awful it couldn't be forgiven? Had she ruined her chances to get him to work on her favor? She certainly knew one day he would find out but she hoped he would have been enchanted by her.

"Don't tell him!" She shouted and he turned around.

"I can't. This is my secret too. My brothers' and Winterfell's. You're my wife, the Lady of Winterfell when my mother is away. Your secrets are mine and mine are yours. I'll pay the price as you will."

"You don't have to."

"You're wrong."

Robb Stark was foolishly loyal but impressively brave and she would need to return these favors one day. That, or she would need to start digging for his secrets to get them even.

-o-

"He needs to be pleased," Doreah advised.

A little smile was placed on Dany's lips because Doreah always blamed the bed for a man's anger. Now was not the exception. Yes, Robb was still furious because of what she had hidden under his nose, in his house, and had gone as far as to not sleep with her – she pointed that out and all she got in reply was that many lords and ladies were married but did not share a bed.

Truth was she missed him sleeping next to her – his warmth, she would say but she also liked his scent clinging to the pillows or the light sound of his snores. The only companion she had now at night was Grey Wind, as her most loyal guard. The direwolf had picked her to spend the night with, but Robb couldn't seem to mind that much even if he was a bit jealous, he trusted in his pet more than in any man.

"Maybe he needs time," Jhiqui said, feeding Rhaegal. She was the shiest of her maidens but sometimes she saw life with new eyes.

"He needs to ride," Irri said confidently. "He's a good rider." That was something they were surprised about – they didn't think people in the Seven Kingdoms could ride well and they hadn't heard about the Dornish sand steeds. "That'll clear his head."

Maybe but Dany doubted that was all Robb needed.

She wasn't used to someone being angry at her in such fashion. Viserys usually just hit her, sometimes brutally so, and Drogo had never felt the need of doing more than growling at her.

"He's a good rider, Khaleesi?" Doreah asked with a tiny and knowing smirk that Daenerys decided to ignore because such insolence could have been very well punished.

"He's the Lord of Winterfell," Daenerys replied. "As such, he's the best at everything in his kingdom," she added and smoothed her dress, signaling for them to leave her alone to take her dragons to the room Theon had not very gracefully prepared for them under Robb's orders.

She wandered around the permitted areas of Winterfell, the ones where most people wouldn't be able to see her. Sometimes the secrecy made her feel trapped. For so long she hadn't even had a roof over her head, always moving and traveling and now she had very little room for her to move.

Thanks to the hot springs, Winterfell was quite warm compared to the outside. And warmer inside the glass garden, which she had grown fond of over the last couple of days. It was like an oasis in the middle of such a cold and hard place.

There were beautiful flowers and plants, vegetables and fruits that looked ready to be eaten. She liked it there, to feel like she didn't belong to that world but to her own.

She was studying those particularly exotic blue winter roses that seemed to be frozen in time with their pale blue hues decorating the garden. The shade of the buds reminded her of Robb's eyes.

"My aunt loved those," Robb's voice startled her and she turned around to face him. "And it's said that your brother loved my aunt."

"Love cost us everything," she responded.

"So you've decided you don't believe in love?"

He looked so out of place in the colorful garden, all in greys and blacks with his pale skin and cold eyes, but she thought that when he was a child, he must have run around with his reddish hair in tune with a happy place.

She remained quiet until she asked, "What are you doing here? I thought you were avoiding me."

"I was in the Godswood. My father used to go there when he needed to think. I guessed it was a good place for me to be." He crouched next to her and then with his bare hands, he plucked a rose and handed it to her. "Do you know what happens when ice and fire get too close?"

"The ice melts and as water, it extinguishes fire," she muttered and felt when he perched the thornless rose on her ear.

"I won't apologize because you lied to me when I've done nothing but to keep you safe."

"Your father doesn't want just that."

"It's me we're talking about. It's I who is with you." His voice was hard but it held a sweet tone as well.

She smiled down at her lap. "Are you afraid you could melt? Is that why you don't sleep next to your wife anymore?"

His smile was present again and for that little she felt relief.

If once a dragon had fallen for a wolf, could that happen again? Could the stories of a love so great be true? When Rhaegar had fallen madly in love with Lyanna Stark, they risked everything – even if the Usurper called it kidnapping – Daenerys knew by the stories she had heard, that her eldest brother wouldn't have done such a horrible thing.

It wasn't Rhaegar's fault if Lyanna had fallen for him as well. Robert Baratheon was infatuated with the woman, but it didn't mean she had to love him back.

A wolf and a dragon had been the reason for a war, for a change.

Would that be possible again? And would they win this time?