Last chapter didn't have Dany and Robb in it but this one has plenty (for those of you who wanted that). For those who ask for action, soon we will have some of that.
Thank you for your reviews and I'll be waiting to read what you think about this one.
Chapter 13 : The Caged Lion
Morning found him with her on top of him, his hands placed possessively over her hips and her nails digging almost painfully on his shoulders while she clung to him. He could feel her warm breath dancing over the shell of his ear. He himself tried to kiss her wherever he could reach.
Having her there certainly made things more bearable for him. She was a beautiful sight to greet each day and a perfect companion to share the bed every night. Not only that but she was excellent to talk to when he needed to clear his mind but didn't wantto be treated like a child. Besides, Dany reminded him that there weren't only death and war in the world.
"Robb," she exhaled in his ear followed by a mewling sound before she rolled off him, sighing and smiling with her eyes close.
He laughed at her, watching her lying there, naked with her perfect and unblemished skin, her body marvelous to the point he was more often than not tempted to just watch her all day long.
Reaching for her face, Robb leaned over her and kissed her sweetly. "You're beautiful," he whispered against her lips before she opened her eyes wide. She quickly caught his bottom lip between her teeth and grinned deviously. He matched her smile.
"Your smile has been missed, my Wolf," she said softly.
"I only smile for you these days. There's not much else in this world for me to be happy about. Not much more than you and my child." His hand fell upon her belly, caressing the bump lovingly.
Within him there was an impending need to see his child grow in a world where there would be peace, where he could grow and play freely like he had done after Robert's Rebellion. Summer had been marvelous for many but truth was that winter was coming – and every winter was harder than the last. War wasn't what Westeros needed – much less the North because they needed to gather food and prepare for the times to come.
She ran her hands along his hairline, grinning past him as if she wasn't looking at him but thinking about something else – probably about him but not in the present.
"Remember when I said I liked you better when you were in a bad mood – or like Bran says, with your Robb the Lord face?"
His eyebrows knotted together, slightly offended but also amused. Her musical laughter drew a smile out of him. "Robb the Lord?"
"Well, now it is your Robb the King face," Dany quipped. "I lied. Your just Robb face is far better – when you're carefree, smiling and happy."
"There's no time for me to be that Robb anymore," he replied, feeling strange at referring to himself as another. The Robb she spoke about was the child he no longer wanted to be. Perhaps if things had been different, he would still be that boy and then he would have become a carefree man. But life was hard and it soon taught him he needed to be stronger and more serious – laughter and games were forgotten.
"No. Do not tell me that because that's my Robb. The King in the North, the Lord of Winterfell, that's the one who belongs to his subjects and the one his enemies fear. But you're other for me and that is the one who warmed up my heart – something not even the breath of a dragon could do."
"Is that right?" he asked, arching one eyebrow with the mischief of an amorous young man.
Dany nodded as her grin widened before she squealed when he climbed on top of her, naked just like her. He showered her with kisses, nuzzling her ear and tickling her sides as she laughed gaily.
He was certainly in not the best position when his mother entered the tent abruptly. All laughter died and he pulled away from Dany. Neither of them was embarrassed by their nakedness but they were about the intimate moment they were sharing.
"A raven from Horn Hill and another from Stannis," his lady mother said sternly. "Lord Randyll has decided to join you alongside many other houses in the Reach. Apparently they have decided to turn their backs on the Tyrells." She paused, pursing her lips as she looked at them trying to cover themselves with the furs. "I'll be waiting for you with the rest of the lords."
As soon as his mother had left, Robb groaned and jumped out of bed. He threw Dany a scolding look when she tried to muffle her giggles because he still heard them as he dressed.
-o-
It turned out that House Tarly and many others from the Reach had joined them because they weren't willing supporters of the Tyrell's ambitions to make Margaery queen. And so they were waiting for news from the new King in the North. What surprised Robb was the fact that they had accepted Daenerys as the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms – something that was impossible considering that only men could rule.
But as Robb walked across the camp, led by a guard, he thought about the raven sent by Stannis. A raven that had carried a message written to destroy Joffrey's – and Cersei's – claim on the throne.
There, in front of him, was the caged lion. Robb had waited long to speak to him, hoping that some of his attitude had worn out. But Jaime Lannister was a man who took very little things seriously, confident that his luck would always get him out of trouble – or more likely, his father's fortune.
"King in the North!" The Kingslayer quipped, mocking him despite being in chains. "I keep expecting you to leave me in one castle or another for safekeeping, but you drag me along from camp to camp." The prisoner lifted his head to give him a lopsided smirk. "Have you grown fond of me, Stark? Is that it? I've never seen you with a girl."
Robb swallowed hard and pursed his lips. He had been careful to only be close to Daenerys in his tent, to never show more affection to her because that would make her a target of attack. If they knew they could hurt him through her or the baby, someone would attempt to do something. That was why Dany wore dresses that never showed her protruding belly and also why he had asked Dacey Mormont to accompany his Queen – since Dany didn't trust many men.
"If I left you with one of my bannermen, your father would know within a fortnight and my bannerman would receive a raven with a message, release my son and you'll be rich beyond your dreams. Refuse and your house will be destroyed, root and stem." He couldn't help the venom poured over his words. The man in irons deserved his hatred.
"You don't trust the loyalty of the men following you into battle?"
"Oh, I trust them with my life, just not with yours." Since young age he had learned that men's greatest weakness was greed and sometimes even the most honorable men found themselves tempted by it.
"Smart boy." Jaime had seen the little twitch of his eyes that Robb hadn't been able to conceal. "What's wrong? Don't like being called boy? Insulted?" he spat with mockery and Robb only held his gaze.
Soon a growl could be heard from outside the cell. A deep and menacing growl and Grey Wind's heavy breathing as the direwolf walked around the cage.
"You insult yourself, Kingslayer." Robb saw the man desperately trying to find the beast lurking behind him, but in the dark and from his position, it was impossible. "You have been defeated by a boy. You are held captive by a boy." And then Grey Wind finally showed himself. The Kingslayer didn't look as comfortable when he saw Robb's companion. "Perhaps, you will be killed by a boy..." Robb let the threat hang in the air.
Grey Wind joined him inside the cell, yellow eyes trained on their enemy.
But it wasn't only the animal that entered. Close behind Grey Wind, a figure in a hooded cloak emerged. The direwolf move instinctively to stand between Robb and her.
The look in the Kinslayer's face was priceless as he saw the small beast perched on her shoulder. Rhaegal cried in rage as Daenerys pushed the hood of her cloak back.
"You should show more respect to the King in the North," she said calmly. "And to me." Her violet eyes were like a lightning during a storm. "You could at least give me your condolences since you were so busy butchering my family last time."
Robb wasn't about to say something to her, to stop her because she had right to be furious at the man, despite knowing about her father's madness. She always regretted more the death of Rhaegar and her mother than anyone else's. Jaime Lannister was just a face for her enemies.
"Who are you?" Jaime asked with his teeth clenched.
"Who am I?" Dany's smile was vicious; nothing like the ones she gave Robb. "Daenerys Stormborn. Princess of Dragonstone. Rightful heir of the Iron Throne." She glanced at Robb. "Queen in the North."
"You married a Targaryen?" Jaime hissed. "It's… impossible. She should hate you."
"No Stark killed my family," Daenerys interrupted. "Your family did and for that I should behead you and show your lord father that you don't play with a dragon." She was seething and then Rhaegal lifted his head and a lick of fire left his muzzle.
If the lion had feared Grey Wind, now he was about to piss his pants.
Robb felt like laughing.
"You're stupid," Jaime spat at Robb. "A stupid boy at that. She will rip up your throat as soon as she gets her throne."
Robb looked impassive as he answered, "Is she? Perhaps. But you won't be around to find out."
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Too quick," Robb offered.
"Too merciful for your crimes," Dany provided while Rhaegal fell onto Grey Wind's back.
"Crimes?" Jaime scoffed.
"Stannis Baratheon sent ravens to all the High Lords of Westeros. King Joffrey Baratheon is neither a true King, nor a true Baratheon. He's your bastard son," Dany told in an even voice through her teeth.
Once he had read the message, he hadn't been able to hide it from her. She had some sort of right to know if one of those who claimed the throne didn't have any right. And she had been furious and wanted to face Jaime Lannister to prove him she was not a little girl, not scared of them – but Robb had been able to persuade her until she had calmed down.
"If that's true, Stannis is the rightful King. How convenient for him," the Kinslayer replied before really thinking.
"No brother of the Usurper could be king," Daenerys growled just as her and Robb's hands clung to Grey Wind's fur – hoping not to show their true rage.
"My father learned the truth. That's why you had him executed," Robb said with disgust.
"I was your prisoner when Ned Stark lost his head."
"Your son killed him so the world wouldn't learn who fathered him and you... you pushed my brother from a window because he saw you with the Queen," Robb said, doing his best to control his rage.
Bran had been such an active boy, climbing and running around. He wanted to be a knight and he had been crippled by the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. It had been cruel to stop his dreams like that. He hadn't smiled anymore until Dany had arrived.
"You have proof? You want to trade gossip like a couple of fishwives?" Jaime retorted nervously as his eyes glanced at Rhaegal and Grey Wind.
"We want the truth," Dany replied, tugging on Grey Wind's fur until he growled.
"Truth? Are you ready for that, my lady?" It was odd, but to Robb it almost sounded as if Jaime felt pity for Dany. "I didn't order to kill your family but if you had seen what your father did, how he behaved…" Jaime paused and looked directly at Dany. "I'm only sorry for not killing him before. Rhaegar would've been a better king."
The young couple was equally taken aback by the confession until Jaime snorted a laugh.
"That of course would've meant Rhaegar ordering my beheading for treason. So I don't know how sorry I really am."
Robb decided to ignore the words spoken by the prisoner.
"I'm sending one of your cousins down the King's Landing with my peace terms."
"You think my father's going to negotiate with you? You don't know him very well," Jaime replied. And somehow Robb doubted anyone could know Tywin Lannister well. He was vicious and soulless – a man with no respect for anything more than power and wealth.
Since wealth Robb had not, he'd show him the Young Wolf had power. He had earned it through fear and battle.
"No. But he's starting to know me." Robb felt Daenerys' fingers brushing against his over Grey Wind's back.
"Three victories don't make you a conqueror," Jaime commented as if he were just stating facts.
Robb smirked almost evilly. "It's better than three defeats."
His hand closed over Dany's before he gave one little push to his pet direwolf in a silent order. Dany understood quite well what he was doing and so, she walked out of the cell before the King in the North, pulling her hood over her head once again while behind them they heard Grey Wind growling loudly and menacing, followed by Rhaegal's cry and the sound of what Robb already knew was the dragon breathing fire.
Later he heard that the flame had burn the tips of the Kingslayer's hair and that his reaction had provoked many laughs among the soldiers.
-o-
When Robb entered the tent, Irri was brushing Dany's hair until it was as shiny as silver threads. Dacey was near the entrance, mace at reach but with a smile on her face, looking beautiful and fierce like very few women could. After exchanging a few pleasantries with him and Dany, the heir of Bear Island left. She was soon followed by Irri who had been dismissed.
He didn't need to look closely to see Dany wasn't in a good mood. She was gnawing at her lip nervously.
"He's wrong," she whispered into the awkward silence that had fallen upon them.
He came from talking to Alton Lannister, Jaime's cousin. He had made clear which ones were his peace terms and had also threatened the Lannisters because he wanted nothing to do with them. It was obvious he was in no mood to speak about lies or Lannister's words – the same for him.
"I will not kill you. I'm not using you," she pled as she stood up.
He shed his cloak. "You said it yourself once."
"Things were different," she reminded him. "Do you believe it?"
He kept looking at her as she approached him, his gaze cold and tired.
"Do you?" she demanded.
Shaking his head, he called her name. "Dany."
Before he could realize, she had reached for the dagger at his belt and unsheathed it. His eyes widened and softened when she pressed it to her throat. Her other hand reached for his and placed it on the handle.
"Kill me if you think I will do that to you. It's easier now that I have no one to save me." She held his steely gaze. "No one will blame you."
"Stop it," he hissed and tried to pull away but she wouldn't budge. "Daenerys," he growled.
"I will never hurt you willingly, my Wolf. Never." She loosed her fingers from around his hand, enough for him to pull the dagger away. There was a tiny cut that marred her perfect pale skin and he felt guilty for it.
His thumb tried to wipe the drop of blood but his glove only smeared it, making it look more awful.
"You love me," she whispered in a pained breath, her eyes welled with tears. "You love me like no one has ever done, even if it's just because I'm carrying your child. And I love our child and you because you've given me something I've never had. Home." Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I will never betray you."
He nodded, accepting her words and not denying her assumptions - his face without expression. He only ducked his head and kissed the small cut on her neck, like a wolf licking his mate's wounds, trying to heal her by sheer will.
She clung to him, her arms tightly wrapped around his shoulders.
That night, having her in his arms, was the closest thing he had to a home. She was right. They might have no castle or luxury but they made something much more stronger and he was going to destroy anything and anyone that threatened it.