Hi there! Hereâs the masterlist of my completed and ongoing works, I hope you enjoy them!â€ïž
[ONGOING WORK]:
Avalanche: Robb Stark x Reader [In Progress]
Summary: The whole Westeros knew the South and the North rarely made a good match, but sometimes fate liked to play its game.
Avalanche Masterlist
Declassified:Congressman!Bucky Barnes x Reader [In Progress]
Summary: Politics is a game that requires secrets, just like love.
Declassified Masterlist
Sunshine: Logan Howlett x Reader [In Progress]
Summary: The first ray of sunlight holds many promises.
Sunshine Masterlist
[COMPLETED WORKS]:
*Bridgerton:
Enamored: Anthony Bridgerton x Reader [Complete]
Summary: Love is never easy.
Enamored Masterlist
Garden of Secrets : Benedict Bridgerton x Reader [Complete]
Summary: Life is the flower for which love is the honey. Â
Garden of Secrets Masterlist
*Criminal Minds:Â
Twisted: Spencer Reid x Reader [Complete]
Summary: No one can outrun their past.
Twisted Masterlist
*The Witcher:
Beautiful and Damned:Geralt of Rivia x Reader [Complete]
Summary:Â Itâs a bad idea to wish for a fairytale.Â
Beautiful and Damned Masterlist
*Vikings:
Faint of Heart:Ivar x Reader [Complete]
Summary: An arranged marriage is supposed to be political, free of any emotions. And yet, when feelings get involved in a marriage between a Viking and a Christian princess, the power balance of the world changes.Â
Faint Of Heart Masterlist
* MARVEL:
Burn The Witch : Bucky Barnes x Reader [Complete]
Summary: Thereâs a thin line between mission and love, and spies arenât allowed to cross that line.
Burn The Witch- Masterlist
Caught In The Fire - Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader [Complete]
Summary: In a city ruled by gangsters, nothing is ever simple.
Caught In The Fire - Masterlist
The Eye of the Hurricane :Â Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader [Complete]
Summary: Sometimes, love and power become entwined with each other.
The Eye of the Hurricane Masterlist
Donât You Love Me? : Steve Rogers x Reader [Complete]
Summary: Opposites attract.
Donât You Love Me? - Masterlist
Untouchable : Bucky Barnes x Reader  [Complete]
Summary: What happens when Bucky Barnes falls in love with someone he shouldnât have?
Untouchable - Masterlist
Bad Habit :Billy Russo x Reader [Complete]
Summary:Â Anything can happen in a coffee shop.
Bad Habit Masterlist
Once A Year : Billy Russo x Reader [Complete]
Summary: Past always catches up.
Once A Year Masterlist
Oneshots:
Theory of Gravity: Making small talk can be difficult with a crush [Logan Howlett x Reader]
Warnings: Explicit language, (canon) comments about weight, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
It wasnât that you werenât good at holding grudges.
You were excellent at it, actually. Your very own sister-in-law was the proof of it, you hadnât been able to get along well with her ever since you were a child.
So it wasnât that you lacked the ability to hold grudges, it was just that Robb made it very difficult.
Day by day, your resilience was chipped away. You were still angry at him for calling that lady âpleasantâ but he kept claiming it was for Jon, and though you hated to admit it, he also had a way ofâŠ
Well.
Convincing you and quenching your anger at the same time.
You were trying to choose between two pairs of earrings when Robb walked into your bedchambers, and you had to do a double-take to realize it was not a stranger who barged in, but your husband. You gasped, your hands shooting up to cover your mouth.
âWhat happened to your beard?!â
âMy mother made me shave it,â he grumbled while you gawked at him. âFor the kingâs arrival.â
You had never seen Robb without a beard; he always had either a stubble or a very short beard, so this was the first time you were seeing him clean-shaven. Though he was handsome as always with his sharp jawline which was even more prominent without a beard, the sight felt rather strange to you, and it took you a couple of seconds to understand the reason. A huff of laughter escaped you, muffled by your hands before you lowered them.
âYou look like a Reach knight!â
The way his expression turned from annoyed to complete and utter betrayal couldâve made a simple observer think you had just insulted him. He let out a displeased exhale through his nose, then strode past you to approach your mirror like it could magically grow his beard back if he glared at his reflection hard enough.
âI do not understand why she insists so much,â he mumbled while you tilted your head, watching him in the mirror with your arms crossed. âA northman cannot be without his beard, itâs just not right.âÂ
You covered your laughter by clearing your throat and plopped down on the bed, a grin curling your lips.
âRecite me a poem,â you demanded, and he turned around to scowl at you.
âI donât know any.â
âYou look like you do,â you said airily. âCan you sing, at least? Play any instruments? Almost every knight in the Reach can.â
âIâm no Reach knight,â he grumbled. âAnd itâll grow back.â
âAre you saying that to me or yourself?â
He took another look at his reflection, running a hand over his face.
âI look like a boy.â
âA handsome Reach boy,â you chirped, earning an annoyed glare in return. Â
âDonât.â
You held up your hands in a mock of surrender before you pushed yourself off the bed.
âWell, I must go,â you said. âLady Stark needed me today, so Iâll leave you and my mirror alone.â
âWaitââ He caught up with you to grab your wrist so that he could pull you closer, drawing a giggle out of you. You playfully slipped your wrist out of his grasp with a gasp, feigning shock.
âIâm very offended by you daring to believe Iâd kiss you,â you said with a hand on your chest. âAs handsome as you are, Iâll have you know Iâm very loyal to my husband.â
âI am your husband!â
You made a noise of disagreement.
âMy husband has a beard,â you pointed out, taking a step back. âYou appear to be one of the knights who used to follow me around in the ballroom begging for a dance.â
Well, that wasnât entirely true; none of those knights were as handsome as Robb was, but he didnât need to know that.
âLearn a poem in the meantime,â you told him, walking backwards to the door. âOr grow your beard back. Whichever is faster.â
With that, you walked out of the room and left him there, your laughter echoing in the hallway.
Though you both had very different trainings, it was times like these you could see that Lady Stark was in fact raised in the south.
Being the lady of the castleâespecially when the said castle was Winterfellâcame with so many responsibilities. Hosting guests was not only duty but also an art, which she pulled off flawlessly, even before the guests were there. The bedchambers, the feast, the entertainment, it was all ready the moment you got the news that the king would be arriving today. There were direwolf banners hanging in and outside the castle, and by the time you and the Starks gathered in the yard, you could already hear the sound of the horses approaching.
You had picked a pearly gray silk gown for the day, to blend in with the rest of the family, with your pelt thrown over your shoulders. Jon wasnât allowed to stand with the family per Lady Starkâs orders, and it had put Robb in a rather sullen mood that he only snapped out of at the sight of Arya rushing to cross the yard with a helmet on her head. Lord Stark quickly pulled it off of her head and sent her to go stand between Sansa and Bran. You were right beside Robb, your hand in his while he caressed the back of your hand with his thumb almost absentmindedly, making you bite back a smile before you looked over your shoulder to steal a glance at your ladies-in-waiting in the crowd.
You hadnât met the king or the queen before, and it had been on purpose, thanks to Silas and your father. The kingâs many affairs with other women was not unheard of throughout the realm, and two years ago, around the time that title of yours started being thrown around, he and the queen had visited the Reach. A week before that, per Silasâ counsel and your fatherâs orders, you werenât allowed to go outside so that when you missed the feast in Kingâs honor, the whole Reach thought you had been too sick to join any feast the whole week. The reason was simple; neither your father nor Silas wanted to risk the possibility of you catching the kingâs interest, seeing that if you did, there would be so little that they could do except send you to Dorne to keep you safe and away from the most powerful man of the realm.
Though many families in the Reach would be delighted at the idea of their daughter catching the kingâs eye and elevating their status, your family loved you way too much to put you in a situation where you would be forced to be a mistress.
But thankfully, you were safe now.
Not that the married women were safe in the southern court, especially from the king. However, you were Robbâs wife now, the future Lady of Winterfell, and nobody, not even the king, could risk the wrath of House Stark and the North by crossing a line.
You were probably the safest lady in the whole realm.
You snapped out of your thoughts when the horsemen passed the gates and entered the yard, a young boy that could only be a couple years older than Sansaâthe prince, if you had to guessâ at the front. Sansa sighed beside you, making Robb turn to her and then frown at the boy who gave Sansa a smirk, and you had to bite back your smile.
Of course Sansa would admire the prince.
The queenâs carriage entered the yard as well, followed by the Kingsguard and the king, whom you only recognized because of the crown. He was a heavy man with a serious look on his face, his eyes darting around the yard as his horse stopped and his squire rushed to help him dismount. Lord Stark bent a knee, the rest of the family and the whole yard following him suit, and it was only when the king motioned at him to rise that he stood up, all of you doing the same.
The king held Lord Starkâs gaze. âYou got fat.â
You blinked a couple of times, holding your breath to see what Lord Stark would say, but he only lowered his eyes to the kingâs stomach before raising his brows at him, as if returning the statement without so much as a word. The king burst into laughter, making Lord Stark smile as well before he pulled him into a hug.
âŠGods, you were never going to understand menâs humor or their idea of friendship.
âCat!â he greeted Lady Stark with a happy smile, hugging her as well. Sansa was still staring at the prince, and you leaned closer to her so that Robb couldnât hear your whisper.
âYou might want to pretend to be a little more nonchalant, my sweet.â
Sansa gave you an abashed smile while the king and Lord Stark exchanged words.
âDo you think he finds me beautiful?â
âOf course he does,â you whispered back, watching the queen step out of the carriage. She was beautiful, the displeasure on her face wasnât enough to take away from it, and she looked around the yard before her eyes stopped on you.
âYou must be Robb.â The king shook Robbâs hand before his eyes found you. âAnd the newest member of the family, I assume. The tales of your beauty werenât lying, my lady.â
âThank you, Your Grace,â you accepted the compliment with a well-practiced graceful smile. The queen approached Lord Stark who kissed her hand, but everyoneâs attention turned to the king in a second when he spoke:
âTake me to your crypt, I want to pay my respects.â
âWeâve been riding for a month, my love,â the queen said kindly, and you had to wonder for a second whether everyone else could hear just how forced it sounded or just you. âSurely the dead can wait.â
The king didnât even spare her a glance.
âNed,â he said curtly before he walked away, and Lord Stark followed him into the Keep.
âŠAh.
The crypt.
Where Lord Starkâs sister who was also the kingâs alleged true love laid in her eternal sleep.
The Queen looked like she wanted to argue, but her brother touched her arm as if signaling her to stop talking, and you averted your eyes, making yourself busy with your bracelet.
It was one of the many things you and Margaery were taught when you were little.
If someone above your rank was insulted or ignored in front of you, you never saw it.
Lord Stark and the king spent almost an hour in the crypts while the queen retired to her bedchambers to rest. It seemed that Lord Stark had much to speak with the king, because Robb had come to find you in the yard around an hour before the feast, clearly released from his fatherâs solar. You quickly dismissed your ladies-in-waiting so that you could speak freely at the far corner of the yard, and to be completely honest, the way you two sat was not appropriate at all; rather than sitting across from one another, you had your back against his chest, his arms wrapped around you while he nuzzled to your hair.
It had been rather peaceful, at least until a moment ago.
âA betrothal?â you repeated, craning your neck to look up at him. âBetween Sansa andâŠâ
âPrince Joffrey,â Robb finished your sentence for you, letting out a displeased noise as you pulled out of his arms to turn to see him better. âDonâtââ
âAnd Lord Stark said yes?â
âSansa would cry for the rest of her life if he did not,â Robb said with a grimace. âShe is in love already, and they havenât even talked to each other yet. My mother talked my father into it, he will take the girls with him when he goes to Kingâs Landing to be the Hand.â
A frown pinched your forehead while Robbâs fingers drew shapes in your palm absentmindedly.
âRobb, I donât thinkâŠâ
Gods, how were you going to approach this?
You had to walk a very thin line here. You couldnât risk anyone think you were trying to sabotage Sansaâs future, especially when the root of your worries was her future. Sansa was the sweetest girl ever, and you were certain she would grow up to be the loveliest lady and queen, but it was because of that you werenât as excited as Lady Stark about this union.
Sansa was too sweet and naive for Kingâs Landing.
Not to mention, you knew nearly nothing about Prince Joffrey. There was a reason why it had taken Silas so much time to make a decision about your husband, marriage couldnât be decided in a haste. Granted the king and Lord Stark were friends, but it didnât mean their children would form a good union, and the moment they wed, Sansa would be bound to Prince Joffrey forever, regardless of how strong her house was.
And this was yet another time you were thankful to the gods for Silas and the rest of your family.
Those rules didnât apply to you.
âWhat is it?â Robb asked, pulling you out of your thoughts. You opened your mouth and closed it again, then took a deep breath.
âSansa is very young still.â
âOh they wonât wed right away,â Robb said. âTheyâll wait until my father deems it the right time. Sansa will just be in Kingâs Landing in the meantime, with Arya.â
You stole a look at the rest of the yard, deep in thought.
âWell, perhapsâŠâ You paused. âPerhaps if they wonât wed right away, Sansa could stay here a bit longer so that I can teach her things.â
âLike what?â
âLike how to survive in the southern court.â
He huffed a laugh. âOh come on.â
âRobb, Iâm serious.â
âMy father will be with her, sheâll be fine.â
âYour father cannot save her from everything,â you said. âNor can he help her in everything, especially when it comes to the south. Itâs a different world than here, and please donât get me wrong, but Sansa still believes in fairytales. She must learn know how toââ
You stopped yourself and Robb pulled his brows together.
âHow to what?â
Manipulate people.
It was beyond you how no one had given her the necessary training, especially if the southern court had been a possibility all along. You were rather sheltered and very much aware of it, but when it came to southern court games and wielding power, you and Margaery were given a very strict education.
Although you falling in love was unexpected, your husband falling in love with you had always been the plan.
âThe southern court is an incredibly dangerous place,â you told him. âI fear she might not be ready for it just yet. If she stays here a little longerââ
âNothing bad will happen to her in the southern court,â he assured you. âMy father and the king are close as brothers.â
âWhich is wonderful, but think about it,â you insisted. âSilas didnât make our union happen because of my father and yours. He made it, because he approved you above all that. Does your father know Prince Joffrey? Do you? Beyond the fact that he will sit the Iron Throne once his father passes?â
âHe canât do anything to Sansa,â Robb brushed you off. âSansa is a Stark.â
You caught the sight of the queenâs brother Jaime Lannister and Prince Joffrey stepping out of the keep into the yard, then huffed out.
âCan you please ask your father either way?â you asked. âIf she can stay here for a moon or two?â
His eyes softened as he cupped your cheek gently, then dipped his head to give you the sweetest kiss, making your heart skip a beat. A giggle escaped you, your cheeks growing hot.
âWeâre in public!â
âAnd weâre on our honeymoon,â he defended himself while you dragged your fingertip over the snarling wolf clasps on his doublet before you buried your face to his chest where his laugh rumbled deep. He pressed a kiss on top of your head, his hand still cradling your cheek.
âBut youâll ask?â you insisted and he heaved a sigh.
âIâll ask,â he said. âHappy?â
âVery,â you chirped as you lifted your head to beam at him. âThank you!â
He held your gaze in his, stroking your cheekbone with his thumb.
âIâll never be able to tell you no, will I?â he asked and you scrunched up your nose, then grinned.
âProbably not,â you said airily. âBut then again, why would you want to?â
That drew a chuckle out of him, and he shook his head as if he couldnât believe himself.
âAye,â he murmured, leaning in to kiss you again. âWhy would I want to indeed?â
Thanks to Lady Stark, the feast was going perfectly.
And everyone was having fun. Sansa was over the moon with the news, and she had made you promise that you would lend her one of your gowns for her to wear in the Kingâs Landing, so that she could impress the ladies there. Though you wanted to say it would take more than a gown, you decided not to say anything until Robb asked Lord Stark, so instead you assured her that you would help her with choosing the perfect gown and jewelry so that she would make an impeccable first impression on the southern court. Just until a moment ago that you and Robb were sitting at one of the tables among your peers, drinking and laughing, but when Arya threw food at Sansaâs dress, Lady Stark had shot him a look that clearly said to step in, so that the royal family wouldnât notice the chaos that was about to erupt. Robb heaved a sigh and kissed your temple before he made his way to Arya and lifted her out of her seat, telling her it was time for bed. Arya pouted, but one gentle push from Robb made her start walking, and they both left the Great Hall so that he could tuck her in.
Watching Robb take care of his siblings never failed to make your chest all warm. He knew how to handle all of them, adapting a softer approach with Sansa and Bran while roughhousing Arya and Rickon who loved it. For a moment, you couldnât stop your mind from wandering off, so you found yourself imagining what a great father he would make one day, to your own kids.
You knew it was too early, you still couldnât tell whether you were ready, especially with your motherâs fate, yet the simple image of him with a baby made you smile.
You wondered whether they would take after him or you. Or perhaps they would be the perfect combination of you bothâ
âMy lady.â Alysâ voice snapped you out of your thoughts. âLady Stark and the queen ask for you, I think.â
You turned your head to take a look at the High Table where only Lady Stark and the queen satâeveryone else had scattered around the Great Hall. Lady Stark nodded at you and you pushed your chair back.
âThank you Alys,â you whispered and stood up, then made your way to the High Table. You swept a well-trained curtsy, then straightened up and smiled at them, clasping your hands in front of you.
âYour Grace,â you said. âLady Stark.â
âHello my dear.â
âI wanted to see the infamous Blossom of the Reach,â the queen said, making your smile wider. âEveryone sings your praises, even miles away.â
âThank you, Your Grace.âÂ
âIncluding your best friend,â she said, making your head whip up. âMargaery Tyrell. She is dazzling the capital as we speak.â
And judging by the tone of her voice, she was not happy about that.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it was unexpected. Margaery never feared anyone, no matter their social standing.
âAs she dazzled the Reach,â you said. âIâm sure she flourishes in Kingâs Landing.â
âDo remind me, who had more admirers in the Reach? You or her?â
The attempt was nearly pitiful, and you had to hold back your laughter. This wasnât new, the way people would try to sow discord between you and Margaery so that you would turn against each other and become rivals forâ
For what?
Attention?
The queen wasnât the first, nor would she be the last to find out your and Margaeryâs bond ran too deep to get harmed by such comments. Margaery could be crowned the most beautiful girl in the realm tomorrowâin your opinion, she deserved itâ, and you would be cheering her at the top of your lungs. She could be the queen, and you would be the first to bow down; there was no possibility of you turning bitter for her accomplishments and happiness, you loved her way too much for that.
And it was mutual too. Margaery never held contempt for you even when that title started being thrown around in the Reach, instead she fueled it, so that even more people would talk about it.
There was nothing anyone could do to make you and Margaery turn into enemies, no matter how much they tried.
âOh, one stops counting after a while,â you said with a laugh. âIt was rather hard for us to keep track of it, but the last I remember she had poems and I had songs. You would have to ask her though.â
âThe Reach does love its songs, does it not?â the queen asked. âJust as singers love their embellishments, Iâd say.â
âŠAh.
Well, alright then.
There were only three people in this hall who could tell what that veiled comment really meant; the queen herself, Lady Stark, and you, seeing that you were all quite fluent in the language of the southern court and how it held insults behind compliments, or simple statements.
Like that one.
âSuch admirers can affect a lady in a certain way,â the queen added. âLike excess pride. You and your friend should be careful.â
So now not only were your looks exaggerated, but you and Margaery were both arrogant.
Very well.
If she came all this way to your home to insult you and your best friend, you could play the game.
âBoth my best friend and I look up to you as the pinnacle of humility, we grew up with the tales of your beauty, Your Grace,â you said airily. âBack when we were little girls, that was all we would hear from Kingâs Landing. To this day, I still remember how many admirers you used to have back in the day. Iâm sure youâre delighted that his majesty relieved you of them, even after so many years!â
The tiny twitch of her lips reminded you of a snarl, but it was gone as fast as it came.
âWell,â she said after a beat. âI hope that you and your husband will be as happy as me and the king have been.â
The same king who had spent the majority of the feast drunk with another woman in his lap.
Sure.
She could keep hoping, Robb would never do that to you.
âIâm sure it would please you, Your Grace,â you said with a bright smile and she held your gaze in hers, then gave you a curt nod, signaling you could leave. You dropped a curtsy straight down with your head held high, then walked away from the High Table to join your ladies-in-waiting.
âThe queen does not look happy,â Lyra murmured and Jorelle raised her brows, stealing a look at the table.
âWould you be?â she asked. âIf my husband humiliated me like thatâŠâ
âI will never wed.â
âYou might have to,â Barbrey said and Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âNot really. Iâm not the heir, I have no such responsibilities. One of my sisters has two children, she was never wed.â
âBear Island has different customs than the rest of the North,â Wylla said. âIf my father tried to wed me to someone like the king, Iâd run away.â
âSheâs still the queen,â Barbrey said and Wylla shook her head.
âIâm too northern to accept such disrespect.â
âBy the way, have any of you talked to her ladies-in-waiting?â
âIâve been avoiding them like the plague.â
âWell, Iâve talked to them, andâŠâ
The rest of Alysâ words disappeared into a buzz when the familiar feeling hit you, making you frown slightly. Your theory was that it was instinct for ladies of the court, you just learned to notice when men were looking at you even without a glance in their direction. Perhaps it was habit, perhaps it was a way to survive, but you knew when they were watching.
And sure enough, when you turned your head, you found Robb, Lord Stark, the king and Prince Joffrey all looking in your direction. Robb did not look happy for some reason, he had his jaw clenched while he listened to the king, and Prince Joffrey scowled before his eyes found mother and his frown deepened, as if she had done something of great offense. You let a lovesick smile light up your face as you waved at Robb without sparing the rest of them a glance, and that seemed to snap him out of his mood, that familiar soft light appearing in his gaze as he lifted his cup a little to greet you. The king said something and smacked him on the back, letting out a boisterous laugh and you lingered there for a moment, then rolled your shoulders back.
âIf youâll excuse me for a moment,â you said and walked away from your ladies to approach the men on the other side of the hall.
âYour Graces, my lord,â you greeted the king, the prince and Lord Stark, then beamed at Robb and turned to them. âMay I please borrow my lord husband for a minute if you donât mind?â
The king laughed.
âOh he stopped listening to us the moment you looked his way,â he said. âBut thatâs how a newlywed must be, huh Robb? Your father used to have the same look on his face whenever you looked at your mother.â
âRobert, come on now,â Lord Stark said and the king grinned.
âYou did,â he insisted while you laced your fingers through Robbâs. âThe same tortured look, even when I dragged you to hunts! Thatâs how you know itâs a good match.â
 âSpeaking of matches, Iâve heard the happy news,â you told Prince Joffrey with a smile. âIâm certain you and our beautiful Sansa will be as happy as we are, Your Grace.â
Prince Joffrey didnât seem delighted at all, his eyes finding his mother again before forcing himself to smile.
 âThank you, my lady.â
âAnyway, as I was saying, the whole North is talking of that duel! The future Warden of the North is a great fighter just like his father!â
A shadow crossed Prince Joffreyâs face but you paid him no mind.
âIâm glad the whole North is entertained, but I was rather terrified,â you said, leaning sideways to Robbâs arm and he pressed a kiss on top of your head as if trying to soothe you at the mention of the duel.
âYou had nothing to worry about, I told you that,â Robb muttered into your hair and you shot him a mischievous look.
âThe love of my life putting himself in danger scares me, thatâs no crime,â you said, earning a chuckle from the king. âIs it, Your Grace?â
âNot at all,â the king said. âEven the strongest men are defeated by love more than sword, my boy. Great warrior or not, you might want to keep that in mind.â Â
âI will, Your Grace.â
âIf youâll excuse us please.â
Robb followed you as you both crossed the Great Hall, still holding your hand tight until you stopped and turned to him. He seemed rather tense, frowning at Prince Joffrey who had just approached the queen to mutter something to her ear with a sour expression. You raised your brows, watching Robb grab a cup from one of the servants before he took a sip, still glaring at the High Table.
âIs everything alright?â
His attention snapped back to you. âMm hm.â
âAre you certain?â you asked. âWhat were you all talking about before I approached?â
âIâll tell you later.â
Though you wanted to insist, you decided otherwise. âHave you had the chance to talk to your father yet?â
âAbout?â
âAbout Sansa!â you whispered. âIf she can stay a bit longer.â
âI mentioned it, he said no.â Robb shrugged his shoulders. âAnd Iâve told you, heâll keep an eye on her. Sheâll be safe.â
You pursed your lips before taking a deep breath.
âAlright, then Iâll send a letter to Margaery first thing in the morning,â you said. âSheâs in Kingâs Landing, she should be able to help Sansa.â
He tilted his head.
âMargaery Tyrell?â
âDo you know another Margaery?â
âYour best friend whom youâre angry at?â
âIt doesnât matter whether Iâm angry at her or not,â you said. âAt the end of the day, I trust her with my life. We both know whatâs important and when to put aside disagreements, sheâs never going to deny me if I ask her for a favor.â
âEven after what happened?â
âDonât underestimate her loyalty to me, or mine to her,â you said. âTrust me. If I need help, sheâll help.â
âIâll never understand you two,â he muttered. âAnd I still think youâre worrying for nothing and Sansa will be fine, but very well. Write to her if itâll put your heart at ease.â
âHey.â Jonâs voice reached you and you looked over your shoulder to find him smiling. The sight seemed to have taken Robb by surprise as much as you, because he scoffed a laugh.
âDid Theon get maimed?â he asked. âHow come youâre smiling?â
âUncle Benjen is here.â
Robbâs eyes widened. âReally?â
âWait, Benjen Stark does exist?â you asked, looking between him and Jon, and Robb nodded fervently.
âOur uncle. Heâs the First Ranger of the Nightâs Watch.â
You were guessing that was an impressive title in the North, from the proud tone of Robbâs voice.
âCome,â Robb added. âI must introduce you to him, heâs amazing.â
âI mean to be honest, I doubt introductions are needed,â you pointed out, drawing chuckles out of both brothers. âI feel like I know him already.â
Warnings: Explicit language, (canon) comments about weight, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
It wasnât that you werenât good at holding grudges.
You were excellent at it, actually. Your very own sister-in-law was the proof of it, you hadnât been able to get along well with her ever since you were a child.
So, it wasnât that you lacked the ability to hold grudges, it was just that Robb made it very difficult.
Day by day, your resilience was chipped away. You were still angry at him for calling that lady âpleasantâ but he kept claiming it was for Jon, and though you hated to admit it, he also had a way ofâŠ
Well.
Convincing you and quenching your anger at the same time.
You were trying to choose between two pairs of earrings when Robb walked into your bedchambers, and you had to do a double-take to realize it was not a stranger who barged in, but your husband. You gasped, your hands shooting up to cover your mouth.
âWhat happened to your beard?!â
âMy mother made me shave it,â he grumbled while you gawked at him. âFor the kingâs arrival.â
You had never seen Robb without a beard; he always had either a stubble or a very short beard, so this was the first time you were seeing him clean-shaven. Though he was handsome as always with his sharp jawline which was even more prominent without a beard, the sight felt rather strange to you, and it took you a couple of seconds to understand the reason. A huff of laughter escaped you, muffled by your hands before you lowered them.
âYou look like a Reach knight!â
The way his expression turned from annoyed to complete and utter betrayal couldâve made a simple observer think you had just insulted him. He let out a displeased exhale through his nose, then strode past you to approach your mirror like it could magically grow his beard back if he glared at his reflection hard enough.
âI do not understand why she insists so much,â he mumbled while you tilted your head, watching him in the mirror with your arms crossed. âA northman cannot be without his beard, itâs just not right.âÂ
You covered your laughter by clearing your throat and plopped down on the bed, a grin curling your lips.
âRecite me a poem,â you demanded, and he turned around to scowl at you.
âI donât know any.â
âYou look like you do,â you said airily. âCan you sing, at least? Play any instruments? Almost every knight in the Reach can.â
âIâm no Reach knight,â he grumbled. âAnd itâll grow back.â
âAre you saying that to me or yourself?â
He took another look at his reflection, running a hand over his face.
âI look like a boy.â
âA handsome Reach boy,â you chirped, earning an annoyed glare in return. Â
âDonât.â
You held up your hands in a mock of surrender before you pushed yourself off the bed.
âWell, I must go,â you said. âLady Stark needed me today, so Iâll leave you and my mirror alone.â
âWaitââ He caught up with you to grab your wrist so that he could pull you closer, drawing a giggle out of you. You playfully slipped your wrist out of his grasp with a gasp, feigning shock.
âIâm very offended by you daring to believe Iâd kiss you,â you said with a hand on your chest. âAs handsome as you are, Iâll have you know Iâm very loyal to my husband.â
âI am your husband!â
You made a noise of disagreement.
âMy husband has a beard,â you pointed out, taking a step back. âYou appear to be one of the knights who used to follow me around in the ballroom begging for a dance.â
Well, that wasnât entirely true; none of those knights were as handsome as Robb was, but he didnât need to know that.
âLearn a poem in the meantime,â you told him, walking backwards to the door. âOr grow your beard back. Whichever is faster.â
With that, you walked out of the room and left him there, your laughter echoing in the hallway.
Though you both had very different trainings, it was times like these you could see that Lady Stark was in fact raised in the south.
Being the lady of the castleâespecially when the said castle was Winterfellâcame with so many responsibilities. Hosting guests was not only duty but also an art, which she pulled off flawlessly, even before the guests were there. The bedchambers, the feast, the entertainment, it was all ready the moment you got the news that the king would be arriving today. There were direwolf banners hanging in and outside the castle as well as the yard, and by the time you and the Starks gathered in the yard, you could already hear the sound of the horses approaching.
You had picked a pearly gray silk gown for the day, to blend in with the rest of the family, with your pelt thrown over your shoulders. Jon wasnât allowed to stand with the family per Lady Starkâs orders, and it had put Robb in a rather sullen mood that he only snapped out of at the sight of Arya rushing to cross the yard with a helmet on her head. Lord Stark quickly pulled it off of her head and sent her to go stand between Sansa and Bran. You were right beside Robb, your hand in his while he caressed the back of your hand with his thumb almost absentmindedly, making you bite back a smile before you looked over your shoulder to steal a glance at your ladies-in-waiting in the crowd.
You hadnât met the king or the queen before, and it had been on purpose, thanks to Silas and your father. The kingâs many affairs with other women was not unheard of throughout the realm, and two years ago, around the time that title of yours started being thrown around, he and the queen had visited the Reach. A week before that, per Silasâ counsel and your fatherâs orders, you werenât allowed to go outside so that when you missed the feast in Kingâs honor, the whole Reach thought you had been too sick to join any feast the whole week. The reason was simple; neither your father nor Silas wanted to risk the possibility of you catching the kingâs interest, seeing that if you did, there would be so little that they could do except send you to Dorne to keep you safe and away from the most powerful man of the realm.
Though many families in the Reach would be delighted at the idea of their daughter catching the kingâs eye and elevating their status, your family loved you way too much to put you in a situation where you would be forced to be a mistress.
But thankfully, you were safe now.
Not that the married women were safe in the southern court, especially from the king. However, you were Robbâs wife now, the future Lady of Winterfell, and nobody, not even the king, could risk the wrath of House Stark and the North by crossing a line.
You were probably the safest lady in the whole realm.
You snapped out of your thoughts when the horsemen passed the gates and entered the yard, a young boy that could only be a couple years older than Sansaâthe prince, if you had to guessâ at the front. Sansa sighed beside you, making Robb turn to her and then frown at the boy who gave Sansa a smirk, and you had to bite back your smile.
Of course Sansa would admire the prince.
The queenâs carriage entered the yard as well, followed by the Kingsguard and the king, whom you only recognized because of the crown. He was a heavy man with a serious look on his face, his eyes darting around the yard as his horse stopped and his squire rushed to help him dismount. Lord Stark bent a knee, the rest of the family and the whole yard following him suit, and it was only when the king motioned at him to rise that he stood up, all of you doing the same.
The king held Lord Starkâs gaze. âYou got fat.â
You blinked a couple of times, holding your breath to see what Lord Stark would say, but he only lowered his gaze to the kingâs stomach before raising his brows at him, as if returning the statement without so much as a word. The king burst into laughter, making Lord Stark smile as well before he pulled him into a hug.
âŠGods, you were never going to understand menâs humor or their idea of friendship.
âCat!â he greeted Lady Stark with a happy smile, hugging her as well. Sansa was still gazing at the prince, and you leaned closer to her so that Robb couldnât hear your whisper.
âYou might want to pretend to be a little more nonchalant, my sweet.â
Sansa gave you an abashed smile while the king and Lord Stark exchanged words.
âDo you think he finds me beautiful?â
âOf course he does,â you whispered back, watching the queen step out of the carriage. She was beautiful, even the displeased look on her face wasnât enough to take away from it, and her gaze went around the yard before it stopped on you.
âYou must be Robb.â The king shook Robbâs hand before his eyes found you. âAnd the newest member of the family, I assume. The tales of your beauty werenât lying, my lady.â
âThank you, Your Grace,â you accepted the compliment with a well-practiced graceful smile. The queen approached Lord Stark who kissed her hand, but everyoneâs attention turned to the king in a second when he spoke:
âTake me to your crypt, I want to pay my respects.â
âWeâve been riding for a month, my love,â the queen said kindly, and you had to wonder for a second whether everyone else could hear just how forced it sounded or just you. âSurely the dead can wait.â
The king didnât even spare her a glance.
âNed,â he said curtly before he walked away, and Lord Stark followed him into the Keep.
âŠAh.
The crypt.
Where Lord Starkâs sister who was also the kingâs alleged true love laid in her eternal sleep.
The Queen looked like she wanted to argue, but her brother touched her arm as if signaling her to stop talking, and you averted your eyes, making yourself busy with your bracelet.
It was one of the many things you and Margaery were taught when you were little.
If someone above your rank was insulted or ignored in front of you, you never saw it.
Lord Stark and the king spent almost an hour in the crypts while the queen retired to her bedchambers to rest. It seemed that Lord Stark had much to speak with the king, because Robb had come to find you in the yard around an hour before the feast, clearly released from his fatherâs solar. You quickly dismissed your ladies-in-waiting so that you could speak freely at the far corner of the yard, and to be completely honest, the way you two sat was not appropriate at all; rather than sitting across from one another, you had your back against his chest, his arms wrapped around you while he nuzzled to your hair.
It had been rather peaceful, at least until a moment ago.
âA betrothal?â you repeated, craning your neck to look up at him. âBetween Sansa andâŠâ
âPrince Joffrey,â Robb finished your sentence for you, letting out a displeased noise as you pulled out of his arms to turn to see him better. âDonâtââ
âAnd Lord Stark said yes?â
âSansa would cry for the rest of her life if he did not,â Robb said with a grimace. âShe is in love already, and they havenât even talked to each other yet. My mother talked my father into it, he will take the girls with him when he goes to Kingâs Landing to be the Hand.â
A frown pinched your forehead while Robbâs fingers drew shapes in your palm absentmindedly.
âRobb, I donât thinkâŠâ
Gods, how were you going to approach this?
You had to walk a very thin line here. You couldnât risk anyone think you were trying to sabotage Sansaâs future, especially when the root of your worries was her future. Sansa was the sweetest girl ever, and you were certain she would grow up to be the loveliest lady and queen, but it was because of that you werenât as excited as Lady Stark about this union.
Sansa was too sweet and naive for Kingâs Landing.
Not to mention, you knew nearly nothing about Prince Joffrey. There was a reason why it had taken Silas so much time to make a decision about your husband, marriage couldnât be decided in a haste. Granted the king and Lord Stark were friends, but it didnât mean their children would form a good union, and the moment they wed, Sansa would be bound to Prince Joffrey forever, regardless of how strong her house was.
And this was yet another time you were thankful to the gods for Silas and the rest of your family.
Those rules didnât apply to you.
âWhat is it?â Robb asked, pulling you out of your thoughts. You opened your mouth and closed it again, then took a deep breath.
âSansa is very young still.â
âOh they wonât wed right away,â Robb said. âTheyâll wait until my father deems it the right time. Sansa will just be in Kingâs Landing in the meantime, with Arya.â
You stole a look at the rest of the yard, deep in thought.
âWell, perhapsâŠâ You paused. âPerhaps if they wonât wed right away, Sansa could stay here a bit longer so that I can teach her things.â
âLike what?â
âLike how to survive in the southern court.â
He huffed a laugh. âOh come on.â
âRobb, Iâm serious.â
âMy father will be with her, sheâll be fine.â
âYour father cannot save her from everything,â you said. âNor can he help her in everything, especially when it comes to the south. Itâs a different world than here, and please donât get me wrong, but Sansa still believes in fairytales. She must learn know how toââ
You stopped yourself and Robb pulled his brows together.
âHow to what?â
Manipulate people.
It was beyond you how no one had given her the necessary training, especially if the southern court had been a possibility all along. You were rather sheltered and very much aware of it, but when it came to southern court games and wielding power, you and Margaery were given a very strict education.
Although you falling in love was unexpected, your husband falling in love with you had always been the plan.
âThe southern court is an incredibly dangerous place,â you told him. âI fear she might not be ready for it just yet. If she stays here a little longerââ
âNothing bad will happen to her in the southern court,â he assured you. âMy father and the king are close as brothers.â
âWhich is wonderful, but think about it,â you insisted. âSilas didnât make our union happen because of my father and yours. He made it, because he approved you above all that. Does your father know Prince Joffrey? Do you? Beyond the fact that he will sit the Iron Throne once his father passes?â
âHe canât do anything to Sansa,â Robb brushed you off. âSansa is a Stark.â
You caught the sight of the queenâs brother Jaime Lannister and Prince Joffrey stepping out of the keep into the yard, then huffed out.
âCan you please ask your father either way?â you asked. âIf she can stay here for a moon or two?â
His eyes softened as he cupped your cheek gently, then dipped his head to give you the sweetest kiss, making your heart skip a beat. A giggle escaped you, your cheeks growing hot.
âWeâre in public!â
âAnd weâre on our honeymoon,â he defended himself while you dragged your fingertip over the snarling wolf clasps on his doublet before you buried your face to his chest where his laugh rumbled deep. He pressed a kiss on top of your head, his hand still cradling your cheek.
âBut youâll ask?â you insisted and he heaved a sigh.
âIâll ask,â he said. âHappy?â
âVery,â you chirped as you lifted your head to beam at him. âThank you!â
He held your gaze in his, stroking your cheekbone with his thumb.
âIâll never be able to tell you no, will I?â he asked and you scrunched up your nose, then grinned.
âProbably not,â you said airily. âBut then again, why would you want to?â
That drew a chuckle out of him, and he shook his head as if he couldnât believe himself.
âAye,â he murmured, leaning in to kiss you again. âWhy would I want to indeed?â
Thanks to Lady Stark, the feast was going perfectly.
And everyone was having fun. Sansa was over the moon with the news, and she had made you promise that you would lend her one of your gowns for her to wear in the Kingâs Landing, so that she could impress the ladies there. Though you wanted to say it would take more than a gown, you decided not to say anything until Robb asked Lord Stark, so instead you assured her that you would help her with choosing the perfect gown and jewelry so that she would make an impeccable first impression on the southern court. Just until a moment ago that you and Robb were sitting at one of the tables among your peers, drinking and laughing, but when Arya threw food at Sansaâs dress, Lady Stark had shot him a look that clearly said to step in, so that the royal family wouldnât notice the chaos that was about to erupt. Robb heaved a sigh and kissed your temple before he made his way to Arya and lifted her out of her seat, telling her it was time for bed. Arya pouted, but one gentle push from Robb made her start walking, and they both left the Great Hall so that he could tuck her in.
Watching Robb take care of his siblings never failed to make your chest all warm. He knew how to handle all of them, adapting a softer approach with Sansa and Bran while roughhousing Arya and Rickon who loved it. For a moment, you couldnât stop your mind from wandering off, so you found yourself imagining what a great father he would make one day, to your own kids.
You knew it was too early, you still couldnât tell whether you were ready, especially with your motherâs fate, yet the simple image of him with a baby made you smile.
You wondered whether they would take after him or you. Or perhaps they would be the perfect combination of you bothâ
âMy lady.â Alysâ voice snapped you out of your thoughts. âLady Stark and the queen ask for you, I think.â
You turned your head to take a look at the High Table where only Lady Stark and the queen satâeveryone else had scattered around the Great Hall. Lady Stark nodded at you and you pushed your chair back.
âThank you Alys,â you whispered and stood up, then made your way to the High Table. You swept a well-trained curtsy, then straightened up and smiled at them, clasping your hands in front of you.
âYour Grace,â you said. âLady Stark.â
âHello my dear.â
âI wanted to see the infamous Blossom of the Reach,â the queen said, making your smile wider. âEveryone sings your praises, even miles away.â
âThank you, Your Grace.âÂ
âIncluding your best friend,â she said, making your head whip up. âMargaery Tyrell. She is dazzling the capital as we speak.â
And judging by the tone of her voice, she was not happy about that.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it was unexpected. Margaery never feared anyone, no matter their social standing.
âAs she dazzled the Reach,â you said. âIâm sure she flourishes in Kingâs Landing.â
âDo remind me, who had more admirers in the Reach? You or her?â
The attempt was nearly pitiful, and you had to hold back your laughter. This wasnât new, the way people would try to sow discord between you and Margaery so that you would turn against each other and become rivals forâ
For what?
Attention?
The queen wasnât the first, nor would she be the last to find out your and Margaeryâs bond ran too deep to get harmed by such comments. Margaery could be crowned the most beautiful girl in the realm tomorrowâin your opinion, she deserved itâ, and you would be cheering her at the top of your lungs. She could be the queen, and you would be the first to bow down; there was no possibility of you turning bitter for her accomplishments and happiness, you loved her way too much for that.
And it was mutual too. Margaery never held contempt for you even when that title started being thrown around in the Reach, instead she fueled it, so that even more people would talk about it.
There was nothing anyone could do to make you and Margaery turn into enemies, no matter how much they tried.
âOh, one stops counting after a while,â you said with a laugh. âIt was rather hard for us to keep track of it, but the last I remember she had poems and I had songs. You would have to ask her though.â
âThe Reach does love its songs, does it not?â the queen asked. âJust as singers love their embellishments, Iâd say.â
âŠAh.
Well, alright then.
There were only three people in this hall who could tell what that veiled comment really meant; the queen herself, Lady Stark, and you, seeing that you were all quite fluent in the language of the southern court and how it held insults behind compliments, or simple statements.
Like that one.
âSuch admirers can affect a lady in a certain way,â the queen added. âLike excess pride. You and your friend should be careful.â
So now not only were your looks exaggerated, but you and Margaery were both arrogant.
Very well.
If she came all this way to your home to insult you and your best friend, you could play the game.
âBoth my best friend and I look up to you as the pinnacle of humility, we grew up with the tales of your beauty, Your Grace,â you said airily. âBack when we were little girls, that was all we would hear from Kingâs Landing. To this day, I still remember how many admirers you used to have back in the day. Iâm sure youâre delighted that his majesty relieved you of them, even after so many years!â
The tiny twitch of her lips reminded you of a snarl, but it was gone as fast as it came.
âWell,â she said after a beat. âI hope that you and your husband will be as happy as me and the king have been.â
The same king who had spent the majority of the feast drunk with another woman in his lap.
Sure.
She could keep hoping, Robb would never do that to you.
âIâm sure it would please you, Your Grace,â you said with a bright smile and she held your gaze in hers, then gave you a curt nod, signaling you could leave. You dropped a curtsy straight down with your head held high, then walked away from the High Table to join your ladies-in-waiting.
âThe queen does not look happy,â Lyra murmured and Jorelle raised her brows, stealing a look at the table.
âWould you be?â she asked. âIf my husband humiliated me like thatâŠâ
âI will never wed.â
âYou might have to,â Barbrey said and Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âNot really. Iâm not the heir, I have no such responsibilities. One of my sisters has two children, she was never wed.â
âBear Island has different customs than the rest of the North,â Wylla said. âIf my father tried to wed me to someone like the king, Iâd run away.â
âSheâs still the queen,â Barbrey said and Wylla shook her head.
âIâm too northern to accept such disrespect.â
âBy the way, have any of you talked to her ladies-in-waiting?â
âIâve been avoiding them like the plague.â
âWell, Iâve talked to them, andâŠâ
The rest of Alysâ words disappeared into a buzz when the familiar feeling hit you, making you frown slightly. Your theory was that it was instinct for ladies of the court, you just learned to notice when men were looking at you even without a glance in their direction. Perhaps it was habit, perhaps it was a way to survive, but you knew when they were watching.
And sure enough, when you turned your head, you found Robb, Lord Stark, the king and Prince Joffrey all looking in your direction. Robb did not look happy for some reason, he had his jaw clenched while he listened to the king, and Prince Joffrey scowled before his eyes found mother and his frown deepened, as if she had done something of great offense. You let a lovesick smile light up your face as you waved at Robb without sparing the rest of them a glance, and that seemed to snap him out of his mood, that familiar soft light appearing in his gaze as he lifted his cup a little to greet you. The king said something and smacked him on the back, letting out a boisterous laugh and you lingered there for a moment, then rolled your shoulders back.
âIf youâll excuse me for a moment,â you said and walked away from your ladies to approach the men on the other side of the hall.
âYour Graces, my lord,â you greeted the king, the prince and Lord Stark, then beamed at Robb and turned to them. âMay I please borrow my lord husband for a minute if you donât mind?â
The king laughed.
âOh he stopped listening to us the moment you looked his way,â he said. âBut thatâs how a newlywed must be, huh Robb? Your father used to have the same look on his face whenever you looked at your mother.â
âRobert, come on now,â Lord Stark said and the king grinned.
âYou did,â he insisted while you laced your fingers through Robbâs. âThe same tortured look, even when I dragged you to hunts! Thatâs how you know itâs a good match.â
 âSpeaking of matches, Iâve heard the happy news,â you told Prince Joffrey with a smile. âIâm certain you and our beautiful Sansa will be as happy as we are, Your Grace.â
Prince Joffrey didnât seem delighted at all, his eyes finding his mother again before forcing himself to smile.
 âThank you, my lady.â
âAnyway, as I was saying, the whole North is talking of that duel! The future Warden of the North is a great fighter just like his father!â
A shadow crossed Prince Joffreyâs face but you paid him no mind.
âIâm glad the whole North is entertained, but I was rather terrified,â you said, leaning sideways to Robbâs arm and he pressed a kiss on top of your head as if trying to soothe you at the mention of the duel.
âYou had nothing to worry about, I told you that,â Robb muttered into your hair and you shot him a mischievous look.
âThe love of my life putting himself in danger scares me, thatâs no crime,â you said, earning a chuckle from the king. âIs it, Your Grace?â
âNot at all,â the king said. âEven the strongest men are defeated by love more than sword, my boy. Great warrior or not, you might want to keep that in mind.â Â
âI will, Your Grace.â
âIf youâll excuse us please.â
Robb followed you as you both crossed the Great Hall, still holding your hand tight until you stopped and turned to him. He seemed rather tense, frowning at Prince Joffrey who had just approached the queen to mutter something to her ear with a sour expression. You raised your brows, watching Robb grab a cup from one of the servants before he took a sip, still glaring at the High Table.
âIs everything alright?â
His attention snapped back to you. âMm hm.â
âAre you certain?â you asked. âWhat were you all talking about before I approached?â
âIâll tell you later.â
Though you wanted to insist, you decided otherwise. âHave you had the chance to talk to your father yet?â
âAbout?â
âAbout Sansa!â you whispered. âIf she can stay a bit longer.â
âI mentioned it, he said no.â Robb shrugged his shoulders. âAnd Iâve told you, heâll keep an eye on her. Sheâll be safe.â
You pursed your lips before taking a deep breath.
âAlright, then Iâll send a letter to Margaery first thing in the morning,â you said. âSheâs in Kingâs Landing, she should be able to help Sansa.â
He tilted his head.
âMargaery Tyrell?â
âDo you know another Margaery?â
âYour best friend whom youâre angry at?â
âIt doesnât matter whether Iâm angry at her or not,â you said. âAt the end of the day, I trust her with my life. We both know whatâs important and when to put aside disagreements, sheâs never going to deny me if I ask her for a favor.â
âEven after what happened?â
âDonât underestimate her loyalty to me, or mine to her,â you said. âTrust me. If I need help, sheâll help.â
âIâll never understand you two,â he muttered. âAnd I still think youâre worrying for nothing and Sansa will be fine, but very well. Write to her if itâll put your heart at ease.â
âHey.â Jonâs voice reached you and you looked over your shoulder to find him smiling. The sight seemed to have taken Robb by surprise as much as you, because he scoffed a laugh.
âDid Theon get maimed?â he asked. âHow come youâre smiling?â
âUncle Benjen is here.â
Robbâs eyes widened. âReally?â
âWait, Benjen Stark does exist?â you asked, looking between him and Jon, and Robb nodded fervently.
âOur uncle. Heâs the First Ranger of the Nightâs Watch.â
You were guessing that was an impressive title in the North, from the proud tone of Robbâs voice.
âCome,â Robb added. âI must introduce you to him, heâs amazing.â
âI mean to be honest, I doubt introductions are needed,â you pointed out, drawing chuckles out of both brothers. âI feel like I know him already.â
Warnings: Explicit language, (canon) comments about weight, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
It wasnât that you werenât good at holding grudges.
You were excellent at it, actually. Your very own sister-in-law was the proof of it, you hadnât been able to get along well with her ever since you were a child.
So it wasnât that you lacked the ability to hold grudges, it was just that Robb made it very difficult.
Day by day, your resilience was chipped away. You were still angry at him for calling that lady âpleasantâ but he kept claiming it was for Jon, and though you hated to admit it, he also had a way ofâŠ
Well.
Convincing you and quenching your anger at the same time.
You were trying to choose between two pairs of earrings when Robb walked into your bedchambers, and you had to do a double-take to realize it was not a stranger who barged in, but your husband. You gasped, your hands shooting up to cover your mouth.
âWhat happened to your beard?!â
âMy mother made me shave it,â he grumbled while you gawked at him. âFor the kingâs arrival.â
You had never seen Robb without a beard; he always had either a stubble or a very short beard, so this was the first time you were seeing him clean-shaven. Though he was handsome as always with his sharp jawline which was even more prominent without a beard, the sight felt rather strange to you, and it took you a couple of seconds to understand the reason. A huff of laughter escaped you, muffled by your hands before you lowered them.
âYou look like a Reach knight!â
The way his expression turned from annoyed to complete and utter betrayal couldâve made a simple observer think you had just insulted him. He let out a displeased exhale through his nose, then strode past you to approach your mirror like it could magically grow his beard back if he glared at his reflection hard enough.
âI do not understand why she insists so much,â he mumbled while you tilted your head, watching him in the mirror with your arms crossed. âA northman cannot be without his beard, itâs just not right.âÂ
You covered your laughter by clearing your throat and plopped down on the bed, a grin curling your lips.
âRecite me a poem,â you demanded, and he turned around to scowl at you.
âI donât know any.â
âYou look like you do,â you said airily. âCan you sing, at least? Play any instruments? Almost every knight in the Reach can.â
âIâm no Reach knight,â he grumbled. âAnd itâll grow back.â
âAre you saying that to me or yourself?â
He took another look at his reflection, running a hand over his face.
âI look like a boy.â
âA handsome Reach boy,â you chirped, earning an annoyed glare in return. Â
âDonât.â
You held up your hands in a mock of surrender before you pushed yourself off the bed.
âWell, I must go,â you said. âLady Stark needed me today, so Iâll leave you and my mirror alone.â
âWaitââ He caught up with you to grab your wrist so that he could pull you closer, drawing a giggle out of you. You playfully slipped your wrist out of his grasp with a gasp, feigning shock.
âIâm very offended by you daring to believe Iâd kiss you,â you said with a hand on your chest. âAs handsome as you are, Iâll have you know Iâm very loyal to my husband.â
âI am your husband!â
You made a noise of disagreement.
âMy husband has a beard,â you pointed out, taking a step back. âYou appear to be one of the knights who used to follow me around in the ballroom begging for a dance.â
Well, that wasnât entirely true; none of those knights were as handsome as Robb was, but he didnât need to know that.
âLearn a poem in the meantime,â you told him, walking backwards to the door. âOr grow your beard back. Whichever is faster.â
With that, you walked out of the room and left him there, your laughter echoing in the hallway.
Though you both had very different trainings, it was times like these you could see that Lady Stark was in fact raised in the south.
Being the lady of the castleâespecially when the said castle was Winterfellâcame with so many responsibilities. Hosting guests was not only duty but also an art, which she pulled off flawlessly, even before the guests were there. The bedchambers, the feast, the entertainment, it was all ready the moment you got the news that the king would be arriving today. There were direwolf banners hanging in and outside the castle, and by the time you and the Starks gathered in the yard, you could already hear the sound of the horses approaching.
You had picked a pearly gray silk gown for the day, to blend in with the rest of the family, with your pelt thrown over your shoulders. Jon wasnât allowed to stand with the family per Lady Starkâs orders, and it had put Robb in a rather sullen mood that he only snapped out of at the sight of Arya rushing to cross the yard with a helmet on her head. Lord Stark quickly pulled it off of her head and sent her to go stand between Sansa and Bran. You were right beside Robb, your hand in his while he caressed the back of your hand with his thumb almost absentmindedly, making you bite back a smile before you looked over your shoulder to steal a glance at your ladies-in-waiting in the crowd.
You hadnât met the king or the queen before, and it had been on purpose, thanks to Silas and your father. The kingâs many affairs with other women was not unheard of throughout the realm, and two years ago, around the time that title of yours started being thrown around, he and the queen had visited the Reach. A week before that, per Silasâ counsel and your fatherâs orders, you werenât allowed to go outside so that when you missed the feast in Kingâs honor, the whole Reach thought you had been too sick to join any feast the whole week. The reason was simple; neither your father nor Silas wanted to risk the possibility of you catching the kingâs interest, seeing that if you did, there would be so little that they could do except send you to Dorne to keep you safe and away from the most powerful man of the realm.
Though many families in the Reach would be delighted at the idea of their daughter catching the kingâs eye and elevating their status, your family loved you way too much to put you in a situation where you would be forced to be a mistress.
But thankfully, you were safe now.
Not that the married women were safe in the southern court, especially from the king. However, you were Robbâs wife now, the future Lady of Winterfell, and nobody, not even the king, could risk the wrath of House Stark and the North by crossing a line.
You were probably the safest lady in the whole realm.
You snapped out of your thoughts when the horsemen passed the gates and entered the yard, a young boy that could only be a couple years older than Sansaâthe prince, if you had to guessâ at the front. Sansa sighed beside you, making Robb turn to her and then frown at the boy who gave Sansa a smirk, and you had to bite back your smile.
Of course Sansa would admire the prince.
The queenâs carriage entered the yard as well, followed by the Kingsguard and the king, whom you only recognized because of the crown. He was a heavy man with a serious look on his face, his eyes darting around the yard as his horse stopped and his squire rushed to help him dismount. Lord Stark bent a knee, the rest of the family and the whole yard following him suit, and it was only when the king motioned at him to rise that he stood up, all of you doing the same.
The king held Lord Starkâs gaze. âYou got fat.â
You blinked a couple of times, holding your breath to see what Lord Stark would say, but he only lowered his eyes to the kingâs stomach before raising his brows at him, as if returning the statement without so much as a word. The king burst into laughter, making Lord Stark smile as well before he pulled him into a hug.
âŠGods, you were never going to understand menâs humor or their idea of friendship.
âCat!â he greeted Lady Stark with a happy smile, hugging her as well. Sansa was still staring at the prince, and you leaned closer to her so that Robb couldnât hear your whisper.
âYou might want to pretend to be a little more nonchalant, my sweet.â
Sansa gave you an abashed smile while the king and Lord Stark exchanged words.
âDo you think he finds me beautiful?â
âOf course he does,â you whispered back, watching the queen step out of the carriage. She was beautiful, the displeasure on her face wasnât enough to take away from it, and she looked around the yard before her eyes stopped on you.
âYou must be Robb.â The king shook Robbâs hand before his eyes found you. âAnd the newest member of the family, I assume. The tales of your beauty werenât lying, my lady.â
âThank you, Your Grace,â you accepted the compliment with a well-practiced graceful smile. The queen approached Lord Stark who kissed her hand, but everyoneâs attention turned to the king in a second when he spoke:
âTake me to your crypt, I want to pay my respects.â
âWeâve been riding for a month, my love,â the queen said kindly, and you had to wonder for a second whether everyone else could hear just how forced it sounded or just you. âSurely the dead can wait.â
The king didnât even spare her a glance.
âNed,â he said curtly before he walked away, and Lord Stark followed him into the Keep.
âŠAh.
The crypt.
Where Lord Starkâs sister who was also the kingâs alleged true love laid in her eternal sleep.
The Queen looked like she wanted to argue, but her brother touched her arm as if signaling her to stop talking, and you averted your eyes, making yourself busy with your bracelet.
It was one of the many things you and Margaery were taught when you were little.
If someone above your rank was insulted or ignored in front of you, you never saw it.
Lord Stark and the king spent almost an hour in the crypts while the queen retired to her bedchambers to rest. It seemed that Lord Stark had much to speak with the king, because Robb had come to find you in the yard around an hour before the feast, clearly released from his fatherâs solar. You quickly dismissed your ladies-in-waiting so that you could speak freely at the far corner of the yard, and to be completely honest, the way you two sat was not appropriate at all; rather than sitting across from one another, you had your back against his chest, his arms wrapped around you while he nuzzled to your hair.
It had been rather peaceful, at least until a moment ago.
âA betrothal?â you repeated, craning your neck to look up at him. âBetween Sansa andâŠâ
âPrince Joffrey,â Robb finished your sentence for you, letting out a displeased noise as you pulled out of his arms to turn to see him better. âDonâtââ
âAnd Lord Stark said yes?â
âSansa would cry for the rest of her life if he did not,â Robb said with a grimace. âShe is in love already, and they havenât even talked to each other yet. My mother talked my father into it, he will take the girls with him when he goes to Kingâs Landing to be the Hand.â
A frown pinched your forehead while Robbâs fingers drew shapes in your palm absentmindedly.
âRobb, I donât thinkâŠâ
Gods, how were you going to approach this?
You had to walk a very thin line here. You couldnât risk anyone think you were trying to sabotage Sansaâs future, especially when the root of your worries was her future. Sansa was the sweetest girl ever, and you were certain she would grow up to be the loveliest lady and queen, but it was because of that you werenât as excited as Lady Stark about this union.
Sansa was too sweet and naive for Kingâs Landing.
Not to mention, you knew nearly nothing about Prince Joffrey. There was a reason why it had taken Silas so much time to make a decision about your husband, marriage couldnât be decided in a haste. Granted the king and Lord Stark were friends, but it didnât mean their children would form a good union, and the moment they wed, Sansa would be bound to Prince Joffrey forever, regardless of how strong her house was.
And this was yet another time you were thankful to the gods for Silas and the rest of your family.
Those rules didnât apply to you.
âWhat is it?â Robb asked, pulling you out of your thoughts. You opened your mouth and closed it again, then took a deep breath.
âSansa is very young still.â
âOh they wonât wed right away,â Robb said. âTheyâll wait until my father deems it the right time. Sansa will just be in Kingâs Landing in the meantime, with Arya.â
You stole a look at the rest of the yard, deep in thought.
âWell, perhapsâŠâ You paused. âPerhaps if they wonât wed right away, Sansa could stay here a bit longer so that I can teach her things.â
âLike what?â
âLike how to survive in the southern court.â
He huffed a laugh. âOh come on.â
âRobb, Iâm serious.â
âMy father will be with her, sheâll be fine.â
âYour father cannot save her from everything,â you said. âNor can he help her in everything, especially when it comes to the south. Itâs a different world than here, and please donât get me wrong, but Sansa still believes in fairytales. She must learn know how toââ
You stopped yourself and Robb pulled his brows together.
âHow to what?â
Manipulate people.
It was beyond you how no one had given her the necessary training, especially if the southern court had been a possibility all along. You were rather sheltered and very much aware of it, but when it came to southern court games and wielding power, you and Margaery were given a very strict education.
Although you falling in love was unexpected, your husband falling in love with you had always been the plan.
âThe southern court is an incredibly dangerous place,â you told him. âI fear she might not be ready for it just yet. If she stays here a little longerââ
âNothing bad will happen to her in the southern court,â he assured you. âMy father and the king are close as brothers.â
âWhich is wonderful, but think about it,â you insisted. âSilas didnât make our union happen because of my father and yours. He made it, because he approved you above all that. Does your father know Prince Joffrey? Do you? Beyond the fact that he will sit the Iron Throne once his father passes?â
âHe canât do anything to Sansa,â Robb brushed you off. âSansa is a Stark.â
You caught the sight of the queenâs brother Jaime Lannister and Prince Joffrey stepping out of the keep into the yard, then huffed out.
âCan you please ask your father either way?â you asked. âIf she can stay here for a moon or two?â
His eyes softened as he cupped your cheek gently, then dipped his head to give you the sweetest kiss, making your heart skip a beat. A giggle escaped you, your cheeks growing hot.
âWeâre in public!â
âAnd weâre on our honeymoon,â he defended himself while you dragged your fingertip over the snarling wolf clasps on his doublet before you buried your face to his chest where his laugh rumbled deep. He pressed a kiss on top of your head, his hand still cradling your cheek.
âBut youâll ask?â you insisted and he heaved a sigh.
âIâll ask,â he said. âHappy?â
âVery,â you chirped as you lifted your head to beam at him. âThank you!â
He held your gaze in his, stroking your cheekbone with his thumb.
âIâll never be able to tell you no, will I?â he asked and you scrunched up your nose, then grinned.
âProbably not,â you said airily. âBut then again, why would you want to?â
That drew a chuckle out of him, and he shook his head as if he couldnât believe himself.
âAye,â he murmured, leaning in to kiss you again. âWhy would I want to indeed?â
Thanks to Lady Stark, the feast was going perfectly.
And everyone was having fun. Sansa was over the moon with the news, and she had made you promise that you would lend her one of your gowns for her to wear in the Kingâs Landing, so that she could impress the ladies there. Though you wanted to say it would take more than a gown, you decided not to say anything until Robb asked Lord Stark, so instead you assured her that you would help her with choosing the perfect gown and jewelry so that she would make an impeccable first impression on the southern court. Just until a moment ago that you and Robb were sitting at one of the tables among your peers, drinking and laughing, but when Arya threw food at Sansaâs dress, Lady Stark had shot him a look that clearly said to step in, so that the royal family wouldnât notice the chaos that was about to erupt. Robb heaved a sigh and kissed your temple before he made his way to Arya and lifted her out of her seat, telling her it was time for bed. Arya pouted, but one gentle push from Robb made her start walking, and they both left the Great Hall so that he could tuck her in.
Watching Robb take care of his siblings never failed to make your chest all warm. He knew how to handle all of them, adapting a softer approach with Sansa and Bran while roughhousing Arya and Rickon who loved it. For a moment, you couldnât stop your mind from wandering off, so you found yourself imagining what a great father he would make one day, to your own kids.
You knew it was too early, you still couldnât tell whether you were ready, especially with your motherâs fate, yet the simple image of him with a baby made you smile.
You wondered whether they would take after him or you. Or perhaps they would be the perfect combination of you bothâ
âMy lady.â Alysâ voice snapped you out of your thoughts. âLady Stark and the queen ask for you, I think.â
You turned your head to take a look at the High Table where only Lady Stark and the queen satâeveryone else had scattered around the Great Hall. Lady Stark nodded at you and you pushed your chair back.
âThank you Alys,â you whispered and stood up, then made your way to the High Table. You swept a well-trained curtsy, then straightened up and smiled at them, clasping your hands in front of you.
âYour Grace,â you said. âLady Stark.â
âHello my dear.â
âI wanted to see the infamous Blossom of the Reach,â the queen said, making your smile wider. âEveryone sings your praises, even miles away.â
âThank you, Your Grace.âÂ
âIncluding your best friend,â she said, making your head whip up. âMargaery Tyrell. She is dazzling the capital as we speak.â
And judging by the tone of her voice, she was not happy about that.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it was unexpected. Margaery never feared anyone, no matter their social standing.
âAs she dazzled the Reach,â you said. âIâm sure she flourishes in Kingâs Landing.â
âDo remind me, who had more admirers in the Reach? You or her?â
The attempt was nearly pitiful, and you had to hold back your laughter. This wasnât new, the way people would try to sow discord between you and Margaery so that you would turn against each other and become rivals forâ
For what?
Attention?
The queen wasnât the first, nor would she be the last to find out your and Margaeryâs bond ran too deep to get harmed by such comments. Margaery could be crowned the most beautiful girl in the realm tomorrowâin your opinion, she deserved itâ, and you would be cheering her at the top of your lungs. She could be the queen, and you would be the first to bow down; there was no possibility of you turning bitter for her accomplishments and happiness, you loved her way too much for that.
And it was mutual too. Margaery never held contempt for you even when that title started being thrown around in the Reach, instead she fueled it, so that even more people would talk about it.
There was nothing anyone could do to make you and Margaery turn into enemies, no matter how much they tried.
âOh, one stops counting after a while,â you said with a laugh. âIt was rather hard for us to keep track of it, but the last I remember she had poems and I had songs. You would have to ask her though.â
âThe Reach does love its songs, does it not?â the queen asked. âJust as singers love their embellishments, Iâd say.â
âŠAh.
Well, alright then.
There were only three people in this hall who could tell what that veiled comment really meant; the queen herself, Lady Stark, and you, seeing that you were all quite fluent in the language of the southern court and how it held insults behind compliments, or simple statements.
Like that one.
âSuch admirers can affect a lady in a certain way,â the queen added. âLike excess pride. You and your friend should be careful.â
So now not only were your looks exaggerated, but you and Margaery were both arrogant.
Very well.
If she came all this way to your home to insult you and your best friend, you could play the game.
âBoth my best friend and I look up to you as the pinnacle of humility, we grew up with the tales of your beauty, Your Grace,â you said airily. âBack when we were little girls, that was all we would hear from Kingâs Landing. To this day, I still remember how many admirers you used to have back in the day. Iâm sure youâre delighted that his majesty relieved you of them, even after so many years!â
The tiny twitch of her lips reminded you of a snarl, but it was gone as fast as it came.
âWell,â she said after a beat. âI hope that you and your husband will be as happy as me and the king have been.â
The same king who had spent the majority of the feast drunk with another woman in his lap.
Sure.
She could keep hoping, Robb would never do that to you.
âIâm sure it would please you, Your Grace,â you said with a bright smile and she held your gaze in hers, then gave you a curt nod, signaling you could leave. You dropped a curtsy straight down with your head held high, then walked away from the High Table to join your ladies-in-waiting.
âThe queen does not look happy,â Lyra murmured and Jorelle raised her brows, stealing a look at the table.
âWould you be?â she asked. âIf my husband humiliated me like thatâŠâ
âI will never wed.â
âYou might have to,â Barbrey said and Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âNot really. Iâm not the heir, I have no such responsibilities. One of my sisters has two children, she was never wed.â
âBear Island has different customs than the rest of the North,â Wylla said. âIf my father tried to wed me to someone like the king, Iâd run away.â
âSheâs still the queen,â Barbrey said and Wylla shook her head.
âIâm too northern to accept such disrespect.â
âBy the way, have any of you talked to her ladies-in-waiting?â
âIâve been avoiding them like the plague.â
âWell, Iâve talked to them, andâŠâ
The rest of Alysâ words disappeared into a buzz when the familiar feeling hit you, making you frown slightly. Your theory was that it was instinct for ladies of the court, you just learned to notice when men were looking at you even without a glance in their direction. Perhaps it was habit, perhaps it was a way to survive, but you knew when they were watching.
And sure enough, when you turned your head, you found Robb, Lord Stark, the king and Prince Joffrey all looking in your direction. Robb did not look happy for some reason, he had his jaw clenched while he listened to the king, and Prince Joffrey scowled before his eyes found mother and his frown deepened, as if she had done something of great offense. You let a lovesick smile light up your face as you waved at Robb without sparing the rest of them a glance, and that seemed to snap him out of his mood, that familiar soft light appearing in his gaze as he lifted his cup a little to greet you. The king said something and smacked him on the back, letting out a boisterous laugh and you lingered there for a moment, then rolled your shoulders back.
âIf youâll excuse me for a moment,â you said and walked away from your ladies to approach the men on the other side of the hall.
âYour Graces, my lord,â you greeted the king, the prince and Lord Stark, then beamed at Robb and turned to them. âMay I please borrow my lord husband for a minute if you donât mind?â
The king laughed.
âOh he stopped listening to us the moment you looked his way,â he said. âBut thatâs how a newlywed must be, huh Robb? Your father used to have the same look on his face whenever you looked at your mother.â
âRobert, come on now,â Lord Stark said and the king grinned.
âYou did,â he insisted while you laced your fingers through Robbâs. âThe same tortured look, even when I dragged you to hunts! Thatâs how you know itâs a good match.â
 âSpeaking of matches, Iâve heard the happy news,â you told Prince Joffrey with a smile. âIâm certain you and our beautiful Sansa will be as happy as we are, Your Grace.â
Prince Joffrey didnât seem delighted at all, his eyes finding his mother again before forcing himself to smile.
 âThank you, my lady.â
âAnyway, as I was saying, the whole North is talking of that duel! The future Warden of the North is a great fighter just like his father!â
A shadow crossed Prince Joffreyâs face but you paid him no mind.
âIâm glad the whole North is entertained, but I was rather terrified,â you said, leaning sideways to Robbâs arm and he pressed a kiss on top of your head as if trying to soothe you at the mention of the duel.
âYou had nothing to worry about, I told you that,â Robb muttered into your hair and you shot him a mischievous look.
âThe love of my life putting himself in danger scares me, thatâs no crime,â you said, earning a chuckle from the king. âIs it, Your Grace?â
âNot at all,â the king said. âEven the strongest men are defeated by love more than sword, my boy. Great warrior or not, you might want to keep that in mind.â Â
âI will, Your Grace.â
âIf youâll excuse us please.â
Robb followed you as you both crossed the Great Hall, still holding your hand tight until you stopped and turned to him. He seemed rather tense, frowning at Prince Joffrey who had just approached the queen to mutter something to her ear with a sour expression. You raised your brows, watching Robb grab a cup from one of the servants before he took a sip, still glaring at the High Table.
âIs everything alright?â
His attention snapped back to you. âMm hm.â
âAre you certain?â you asked. âWhat were you all talking about before I approached?â
âIâll tell you later.â
Though you wanted to insist, you decided otherwise. âHave you had the chance to talk to your father yet?â
âAbout?â
âAbout Sansa!â you whispered. âIf she can stay a bit longer.â
âI mentioned it, he said no.â Robb shrugged his shoulders. âAnd Iâve told you, heâll keep an eye on her. Sheâll be safe.â
You pursed your lips before taking a deep breath.
âAlright, then Iâll send a letter to Margaery first thing in the morning,â you said. âSheâs in Kingâs Landing, she should be able to help Sansa.â
He tilted his head.
âMargaery Tyrell?â
âDo you know another Margaery?â
âYour best friend whom youâre angry at?â
âIt doesnât matter whether Iâm angry at her or not,â you said. âAt the end of the day, I trust her with my life. We both know whatâs important and when to put aside disagreements, sheâs never going to deny me if I ask her for a favor.â
âEven after what happened?â
âDonât underestimate her loyalty to me, or mine to her,â you said. âTrust me. If I need help, sheâll help.â
âIâll never understand you two,â he muttered. âAnd I still think youâre worrying for nothing and Sansa will be fine, but very well. Write to her if itâll put your heart at ease.â
âHey.â Jonâs voice reached you and you looked over your shoulder to find him smiling. The sight seemed to have taken Robb by surprise as much as you, because he scoffed a laugh.
âDid Theon get maimed?â he asked. âHow come youâre smiling?â
âUncle Benjen is here.â
Robbâs eyes widened. âReally?â
âWait, Benjen Stark does exist?â you asked, looking between him and Jon, and Robb nodded fervently.
âOur uncle. Heâs the First Ranger of the Nightâs Watch.â
You were guessing that was an impressive title in the North, from the proud tone of Robbâs voice.
âCome,â Robb added. âI must introduce you to him, heâs amazing.â
âI mean to be honest, I doubt introductions are needed,â you pointed out, drawing chuckles out of both brothers. âI feel like I know him already.â
Warnings: Explicit language, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
Back in the Reach, when Lady Olenna hired that lady of the night to tutor you and Margaery on marital acts and what husbands liked, she had assured both of you that unlike what everyone around you kept telling you, your name, your familyâs wealth, any heirs youâd have with your future husband; none of that was a guarantee that he would fall in love with you.
According to her, it was all about how mesmerizing you would be, and your marital bed was the key. That night, while you and Margaery laid in the bed trying to silence your giggles so as not to wake Loras again and get a scolding, you had both agreed that it was exaggeration; surely it couldnât have been the case for everyone.
But judging by Robbâs reaction after what you had done last night, you were beginning to believe that lady.
âMy maid will be here any moment!â you said as you pushed him gently, making him walk backward to the door. âI must get ready for breakfastâwe already overslept!â
He grabbed your wrist and in a blink, you had your back against the wall, a giggle escaping you.
âRobb!â
âDismiss her when she comes.â
âAnd what of my ladies-in-waiting?â
He grinned at you. âDismiss them too.â
âThat would be rude!â
âFine, Iâll dismiss all of themââ
âYouâll do no such thing!â you exclaimed, the look of shock on your face coaxing a chuckle out of him as he cupped your face in his palm, your heart skipping a happy beat.
Gods, he looked irresistible.
He had put on his breeches, but his white linen shirt was half open, letting you peek at his chiseled chest. His curly hair was tousled thanks to last nightâsâand this morningâsâactivities, and there was a mischievous light gleaming in his eyes as he looked at you, tracing the line of your bottom lip.
You frowned, willing yourself to focus.
âI donât suppose anyone has told you this,â you said, sticking your nose in the air, âbut a lady needs her own time to get ready to be seen in public.â
âA lady or my lady?âÂ
A smile curled your lips before you could stop it, and you pointed in the direction of the door, making him whine.
âIâve been away from you for a week!â
You shrugged your shoulders, feigning nonchalance as if you werenât currently battling yourself not to drag him back to bed. âThat was of your own making.â
âThat, my sweet wife, is a cruel lie,â he murmured, leaning to brush his lips against yours. A pleasant sigh left you, the familiar warmth blooming in your lower stomach, your mind going blank once again as it always did whenever Robb kissed you. Your body moved at its own accord; you threw your arms over his broad shoulders so that you could pull him closer, ready to lose yourself in his arms but a knock on the door snapped you out of it and made you pull back. Robb blindly chased your lips as you pressed a hand on his chest to push him back again, turning your head.
âJust a moment!â
You went under Robbâs arm to get away from him, whirling on your heels before you stepped back, clasping your hands behind you with a grin. He raised his brows like he was warning you.
âDo notââ he started, but before he could finish his sentence, you had already swung the door open to beam at your maid. She was a sweet girl, only a couple years younger than you. Just like the other northerners you had met, she wasnât very fond of sharing too much, nor did she jump at the opportunity to gossip unlike what you were used to back in the Reach, but you were certain you were going to be friends soon enough.
âGood morrow Kyra!â you chirped. âMy lord husband was just leaving, you may come in.â
Kyra stepped in and curtsied.
âMâlord. Mâlady.â
Your grin widened at the look of utter betrayal on Robbâs face. âI shall see you at breakfast, my husband.â
âAnd I shall see you, my wife,â he said, kissing your temple as he walked past you and left the room. You turned to Kyra, looking down to pretend to fix the silky skirt of your nightgown.
âKyra, would you mind telling the maids to draw me a bath?â you asked. âAnd Iâd really appreciate it if you could help me take off my necklace, thank you.â
With the King and his court arriving next week, Lady Stark was busy beyond words. She had to foresee anything and everything about their visit, and while you had been following her like her shadow to learn and help out if needed, you also had your own duties.
While the preparations were being made for the feasts upon the Kingâs arrival, Wintertown could not be expected to put everything on hold, especially with the arrival of autumn. Thus, you and your ladies were tasked with preparing certain supplies for the smallfolk. The baskets mostly consisted of blankets and food, and while back in the south your father had certain people responsible for overseeing such help, in the north, it fell upon Lady Starkâand per her request, you.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it didnât surprise you, but you figured it was just one of the many differences between the south and the north.
Everyone did something here, regardless of who they were.
Your ladies-in-waiting were already in the granary, and you had every intention to go join them when you stepped out into the yard after having a short conversation with Lady Stark, but you stopped dead in your tracks when you caught the sight of Theon sparring with Jon while Bran watched them and Robb sat beside him, no doubt having just finished sparring with either of them. You could feel your heart skip a happy beat as you stole a look in the direction of the granary, but the urge to be with Robbâfleeting as it would be, for mere minutesâovercame your hesitation. You made your way to him, a smile twitching his lips the moment you entered his sight and sat beside him.
âHello,â you said. âI figured I could take some fresh air before I went inside, I hope you donât mind?â
âOf course not,â he said quickly while Bran waved at you, still quite shy. You gave him a warm smile, both your and his attention turning to Jon when he blocked Theonâs strike with his sword, pushing him hard enough to make him stumble back.
âBut will it happen?â Bran insisted while you rested your head on Robbâs shoulder and he pressed his lips on top of your head, sneaking an arm around your waist to subtly pull you closer. Jon rolled his eyes.
âOf course not, Bran.â
âYou never know,â Theon sang and Bran huffed.
âEven if father says so?â
âFather wonât say so.â
âHe said so to Robb.â
âHe asked me,â Robb corrected him, âitâs not the same thing.â
âWhat are we talking about?â you asked and Bran turned to you with a scowl on his face.
âJon getting wed.â
âIâm not getting wed.â
âSilas said he was the one who approved Robb,â Bran said. âAnd if Robb had to approve your future ladyâŠâ
Robb let out a scoff. âI donât think that falls on me.â
âThereâs usually more things to consider than your older brother approving someone,â you pointed out. âSilas saying that isnât the whole truth.â
âBut Jon, would you have to wed Ser Tallhartâs daughter if father said so?â
You bit back a laugh at the exasperation on Jonâs face. While you didnât know the details of how he and Silas separated, it was quite obvious that Jonâs attention wouldnât belong to anyone else for a long time, judging by how sulky he had been since your brother left. As much as you wanted him to share his feelings with you, you figured he didnât want you or anyone else to know, so you had to keep your silence despite seeing his sadness.
Perhaps you could imply you would keep his secret, but you would have to earn his trust for that.
âSer Tallhartâs daughter?â you asked, making Theon let out a laugh.
âI doubt thatâll happen, Bran.â
âBut!â Bran insisted. âBut listen. Silas approved Robb, right? And you already said, about Ser Tallhartâs daughter, that Robb approved.â
Robb made a face. âI didnât say I approved.â
âBut Theon said that you called her pleasant and said southern girls and northern girls are different,â Bran said, making your head shoot up from Robbâs shoulder. âYou approved, and Jon doesnât have a southern betrothed, and...â
The look of panic that settled on all three men wouldâve been funny if it werenât for the fury crashing down on you. Theon and Jon stopped sparring as if someone had just barked an order at them, and Robbâs eyes widened as he stared at Bran at a loss for words. Bran seemed oblivious to their reactions, ranting about how Jon couldnât wed because thatâd mean heâd see him less like Robb, while you tried your hardest to keep your expression calm, considering you were in public.
Ser Tallhartâs daughter, was it?
ââŠAh,â you said and arched a brow at Robb, an overly sweet smile curling your lips. âIs that what Robb said?â
One simple observer wouldâve thought Robb was being accused of treason with the way he shook his head vigorously.
âThatâs not what IâBran, you make it sound very different than what actually took place.â
âBut Theon and Jon were sayingââ
âI said nothing.â
âIâm not involved in this conversation.â Theon and Jon spoke at the same time, desperate to absolve themselves of any crime but Robb wasnât so lucky and by the looks of it, he knew it.
âI just said forâfor Jon, she looked pleasant.â He waved a hand in Jonâs direction without even sparing him a glance while you tilted your head, still smiling. âFor Jon only. I wasnât evenââ
âMy lady?â Alysâ voice reached you, making you look over your shoulder. âMaester Luwin says we may start if youâre ready.â
âOf course,â you said as if your stomach wasnât churning, the familiar ache whenever you were nervous back in its full strength. You got up from the bench to follow Alys, leaving Robb dumbfounded but he snapped out of it before you could reach the granary and caught up with you.
âWaitââ
âI cannot,â you said airily without a glance at him, âI have things to do.â
âThat sounded wrong, back there.â He stepped in front of you to block your path, making you narrow your eyes. âI didnât call herâI did call her pleasant, but only because I was trying to encourage Jon. Heâs been sulkier than usual, and Theon thinks itâs because he didnât like any southern girls at our wedding.â
âAnd one look at Theon makes you think of wisdom?â
âNo,â he admitted after a beat. âNot really. But what else could be the reason?â
Your brother was the reason, but it wasnât like you could tell Robb that. Besides, that wasnât the point, you were not going to stand here and get into an argument where the whole yard could see, you were way too trained for that. Jealousy was not mesmerizing, most of the time it held the opposite effect. Lady Olenna used to say that the more a lady looked bothered, the more her influence slipped away. Grasping too tightly would signal to the court that you were insecure, and insecurity was unbecoming of a lady.Â
Which meant that even though it took every ounce of control in you, you couldnât appear angry.
âI donât find anyone more pleasant than you,â Robb added, almost breathless. âMy lady, surely you must know that.â
You could swear the words you were not supposed to say were clawing at your throat, but you took a deep breath and forced yourself to smile.
âAlright.â
Robb pulled back slightly, his eyes darting over your face.
ââŠAlright?â
âYes,â you said, your voice holding no trace of grudge unlike your heart. âAnd if youâll excuse me, I must be going now.â
âButââ He stopped you, holding your arm before you could turn around. âBut weâre alright?â
 As much as you wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, that also would appear very unladylike, so you nodded your head instead.
âOf course,â you chirped. âHow selfless of you to assess and compare ladies for Jon, Iâm certain heâs grateful.â
âSee, that comment right there doesnât assure me that weâre alrightââ
âAnd though Iâd love to hear about the differences between southern and northern ladies, I really must be going now,â you cut him off, pulling your arm out of his grip. âHave a good day, my lord.âÂ
With that, you walked away from him, anger still pulsing in your temples.
Who even was Ser Tallhartâs daughter? No one had told you anything about her.
There was no wonder your ladies-in-waiting would know about her, seeing that they had likely crossed paths at a wedding or a feast. If you were back home, you couldâve asked your friends, but here in Winterfell you had to be more careful than that.
Any wrong question could lead to many speculations.
Not to mention, you still didnât trust them. Alys, Wylla and Lyra seemed rather sweet, but when it came to Jorelle and Barbrey, you were still very cautious. Barbrey was going to have to work hard to prove her loyalty to you, and JorelleâŠ
Well.
You werenât certain that you could ever lower your guard with her.
It wasnât even about her at this point, it was more about her family. You knew very well that at any given moment, her family would push her forward if they knew they could undermine you, Lady Cerwynâs condescending manners were a proof of it. Not only that, the whole North would support them, as they were already fond of Jorelle and her family.
Your family, however, were outsiders to the north, and no matter how much help they would send when the winter came, northerners didnât trust or like outsiders.
You were pulled away from your thoughts when Wylla spoke.
âThatâs a very beautiful necklace.â
Your head snapped up, and you willed a lovesick smile on your face despite the storm in your head.
âAw thank you,â you said, dipping the spoon into the salt bag to pour some of it into the small container before you walked to place it in a basket. âRobb kindly brought me a gift from Torrhenâs Square.â
Alys and Barbrey exchanged smirks while Lyra and Jorelle folded the blankets to put into the rest of the empty baskets.
âDo you knowâŠâ you trailed off, nibbling on your lip. âHave any of you been to Torrhenâs Square before?â
Jorelle lifted her head for only a moment before she returned her attention to the blankets, clearly deciding against whatever she was going to say. Alys nodded her head.
âI have, once.â
âI donât think Iâve met House Tallhart,â you mused. âIâve heard high praises though.â
âDid Gilliane come to the wedding?â Lyra asked and you turned your head.
âGilliane?â
âTheir oldest daughter, my lady,â Wylla said. âAnd no, she didnât.â
âI think only Erena came,â Alys said. âIâm certain I caught a glimpse of herâher younger sister.â
âIâve met too many people to count at the wedding, Iâm afraid,â you said. âPerhaps I met them and donât remember it.â
âErena is very sweet, Gilliane howeverâŠâ
âLyra,â Alys warned her and she held up her hands.
âI said nothing.â
You tilted your head. âOh, now I must know.â
Barbrey grinned. âGilliane is very emotional.â
âItâs no crime against the king to be emotional!â Alys insisted while Lyra made a face.
âIt should be.â
Jorelle bit back her smile.
âGilliane gets affected by anything and everything,â she told you. âA bit of a crier.â
âAnd she falls in love with someone different at every Harvest Feast,â Wylla added and fixed her hair in an exaggerated manner. âAnd if anyone would like to ask me why she didnât come to the wedding, I have the answer.â
âHow?â
âOne of her brothers holds affections for me, and heâs a gossip.â
Alysâ jaw dropped. âWhich brother?â
âBenton.â Wylla reached out to grab an apple to take a bite, coaxing a laugh out of you while Lyra narrowed her eyes.
âHave you started living in Wintertown and we donât know about it?â
âItâs just one apple!â
âDonât let Maester Luwin see you,â Jorelle said and Wylla shrugged her shoulders.
âI am famished, would he rather if I fainted?â
âThat is a very sound logic I admit,â you teased them and Wylla gestured at you.
âSee?â
âBut in return, we hear why she didnât come to the wedding,â you added, plopping down on the nearest chair and cracking your neck with a grimace. âSounds interesting.â
âAlright, soâŠâ Wylla jumped to sit on the table. âBenton says she was heartbroken.â
âThatâs no news, she gets heartbroken whenever someone looks at her wrong.â
âJo!â
âAm I lying?â
âNo wonder she and I canât get along well, she has too many feelings for my taste,â Lyra mused and Alys pressed her fist on her lips in an attempt to hide her smile. Barbrey leaned in.
âWho was she heartbroken over?â
âAnd thatâs what is so interesting about it,â Wylla said and turned to you. âDonât misunderstand this, because I would know if there was anything between them, butâŠâ
You pulled back, your mouth half agape. âRobb?â
The whole room erupted into chaos.
âWylla!â
âHave they even spoken to each other before?â
âI have never ever seen them exchange words in any wedding or feast.â
âYeah, Benton says the same. She was admiring him from afar, pushed her father to make an offer of betrothal, butâŠâ
Well, if that was the pleasant girl, at least now you knew she was no real threat to your position or your heart.
âA lot of fathers madeââ Barbrey started but Alys elbowed her, stealing a look at Jorelle whose calm face was impossible to read as usual. Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âIâll say it if you wonât. Everyoneâs fathers made proposals.â
âLyra, donât say that!â
âWhat, like she doesnât know?â
âI do know,â you assured them. âAnd I donât mind at all. If Robb held a grudge over everyone who made a proposal to wed me, our marriage would be cold until weâre old and gray. Thatâs simply how such arrangements work, it makes sense that families made proposals, I could never hold grudges over that.â
At least that was what Lady Olenna would want you to say.
Untroubled and amused.
Thatâs what you had to appear when it came to possible former betrothals; untroubled and amused.
Even though what you felt was the complete opposite of that.
âAnd I donât want any of you to guard your tongues around me,â you added in a haste, as if you yourself hadnât been trained to guard your tongue around people since you could speak. âNot when itâs just us, at least.â
No one back in the south would believe or entertain such thought. In fact, if you and Margaery were ever told what you had just said, you both wouldâve taken it as an insult to be seen so naĂŻve, but this was the north.
And you could not seem resentful or insecure.
âNow,â you said and grabbed an apple to bite it as well. âTell me more about this person. I have been suffering from lack of gossip ever since I came here, and Iâd like to catch up.â
By dinner time, you had learned everything there was to learn about House Tallhart and their daughters, and thankfully, nothing seemed alarming.
But that didnât mean you werenât angry at Robb.
And although Lady Olenna wouldâve advised you otherwise, you were going to make sure he knew exactly how you felt.
Lord Stark had made it much easier, albeit not on purpose. He had kept Robb with him the whole day for meetings and petitions, and you had managed to excuse yourself to your own bedchambers right after dinner before he could come back. A week away from home must have meant Lord Stark had much to catch up on, because it was nearly midnight by the time you heard Robbâs heavy gait pass your door. You raised your brows, keeping your attention on your book in your lap when the door to his bedchambers opened, then closed after a couple of complete silence. His footsteps approached your door before he opened it and peeked his head in.
âWhat are you doing here?â
You flipped the page without pulling your gaze off the book. âReading.â
âHere?â
âSeems that way.â
âButâŠâ He stepped inside. âBut Iâm back.â
âHasnât escaped me.â
âThen why are you here?â
âItâs my bedchambers,â you replied. âWhy are you here?â
âI couldnât find you inâare you still angry at me?â
âNo,â you lied through your teeth. âI simply decided to sleep here tonight.â
Judging by the look on his face, you might as well have announced you meant to annul your marriage: âYouâre not sleeping here tonight.â
âI am,â you said, pretending to be engrossed in your book though you barely had any idea what you were reading. âAnd you can sleep in your own bedchambers and think about Ser Tallhartâs daughter all you want.â
âWhat?â His eyes widened. âI told you, I only said that forââ
âI care not.â You pointed at the door, your gaze fixed on the page. âLeave me be.â
He lingered there for a moment as if he was trying to find the best approach, then took a step towards the bed.
âMy sweet wifeââ he started, but stopped dead in his tracks when you lifted your head to glare daggers at him. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.
âI was trying to encourage Jon.â
âI heard you the first time,â you said and closed to book to give him a snake like smile. âNow that youâre here though, how are northern girls different than southern girls? Since you are an expert, you should have no issues enlightening me?â
âThatâsââ He pointed back at the door like Jon was standing outside, stumbling over his words. âI simply said, if Jon didnât find any southern girls to his liking, northern girls might be uhâdifferent?â The last word came out like an uncertain question. âIn terms of his uh, hisâŠaffections.â
You raised your brows, still glaring at him.
âI swear it was for Jon only.â
âWonderful,â you deadpanned. âYou may leave now. Have pleasant dreams.â
A ghost of a smile twitched the corner of his mouth. âI canât believe youâre jealouââ
âRobb if you finish that sentence, I will make you suffer in a very southern way, and then youâll know the actual difference between northern and southern girls,â you growled, and he held up his hands, biting back his smile.
âBe angry at me if you wish,â he said, stepping closer to the bed, âbut weâre not sleeping in different beds.â
âIâm not coming there, and youâre not welcomed here.â
âOh you are coming there,â he said and before you could so much as blink, he had thrown you over his shoulder, a surprised shriek spilling from your lips.
âPut me down this instant!â you exclaimed, your voice going high-pitched while he made his way to the door. You pressed your palms on his shoulder to throw him off his balance and wiggle out of his grip, but much to your frustration, it didnât work. âHow dare you? This is actual disrespect, youââ
âYou left me no other choice,â he stated, stepping out of your bedchambers into the hallway. âWhose fault is it? Not mine.â
âPut me down!â
He turned, but stopped in an instant, and though you hoped it was because he decided to listen to you, the real reason turned out to be very different. He shifted his weight and let out a curt cough like he was trying to regain his composure.
âFather.â
Oh Gods.
Oh Gods no.
Lord Stark could not see you like this, absolutely not.
ââŠRobb.â
Alright then, Lord Stark was indeed seeing you like this.
You shut your eyes tight, half hoping it would make both of you disappear from Lord Starkâs vision, scrunching up your face.
âGood evening, Lord Stark,â you squealed out, the angle Robb was holding you in preventing you from seeing your father-in-law, perhaps by mercy.
âMy wife and I were justâŠâ Robb started, but even you could tell he had no idea where the sentence would go. âWe were uh, going to sleep.â
Well, Robb was a terrible liar, so at least you could find some solace in that for the future of your marriage, especially now that you were going to have to spend the rest of the said marriage not being able to look at his father in the eye. A silence fell upon the hallway before Lord Stark heaved a sigh as if he had the realmâs weight on his shoulders, and even though you couldnât see his face, you could picture the exasperation on his face.
âI saw nothing,â he ended up saying. âI saw nothing, and I am walking away before I see anything.â
You heard Lord Stark go past him and you watched him walk to the other end of the hallway without sparing a glance back. A whine climbed your throat and you slumped over his shoulder, hiding your face in your hands until Robb entered hisâyourâbedchambers and dropped you on the bed. You grabbed the nearest pillow to throw at him, your cheeks burning.
âI wonât be able to look at your father anymore, Robb!â
âHe doesnât mind.â
âHeâthatââ you stammered, gesturing at the door. âHe saw!â
âAye, and he doesnât mind,â Robb said, catching the other pillow in the air. âTo repeat, you gave me no other choice!â
You gritted your teeth and turned to Grey Wind who was watching you both from beside the fireplace.
âGrey Wind, up,â you commanded and he leaped on the bed, making Robb frown.
âWhat are you doing?â
âHe will sleep between us.â
âNo he wonât.â
âYes he will,â you said and pulled the fur covers on top of you, the direwolf curling up next to you. âYou can sleep on your side, or you can sleep somewhere else dreaming of Ser Tallhartâs pleasant daughter, your choice.â
âThatâs a vile accusation and a terrible insultâGrey Wind, down.â
âGrey Wind, stay,â you shot back and Grey Wind let out a huff, looked between you and Robb, then yawned and nudged your arm with his snout. âSee? Heâs staying.â
Robb threw his head back with a groan while you pulled your pillow to yourself.
âLambâŠâ
âIâm too sleepy to argue.â
âThen just listen?â
âI shall not,â you said, closing your eyes. âGoodnight.â
âButâŠâ
âGoodnight, I said.â
 Robb exhaled through his nose impatiently and moved about in the room, his heavy steps enough of a clue to what he was doing. Despite trying to control yourself, you still ended up opening an eye to watch him take off his shirt, but you shut your eyes again before he could see you gawking at him. He got under the furs, and after a couple of seconds you dared steal a peek again to find him half naked, his arm thrown over his eyes to block the candlelight, oblivious to the way your gaze followed down his chiseled body while you bit at your lip.
Oh well.
Just because you were angry at him didnât mean you couldnât enjoy the sight.
Warnings: Explicit language, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
Back in the Reach, when Lady Olenna hired that lady of the night to tutor you and Margaery on marital acts and what husbands liked, she had assured both of you that unlike what everyone around you kept telling you, your name, your familyâs wealth, any heirs youâd have with your future husband; none of that was a guarantee that he would fall in love with you.
According to her, it was all about how mesmerizing you would be, and your marital bed was the key. That night, while you and Margaery laid in the bed trying to silence your giggles so as not to wake Loras again and get a scolding, you had both agreed that it was exaggeration; surely it couldnât have been the case for everyone.
But judging by Robbâs reaction after what you had done last night, you were beginning to believe that lady.
âMy maid will be here any moment!â you said as you pushed him gently, making him walk backward to the door. âI must get ready for breakfastâwe already overslept!â
He grabbed your wrist and in a blink, you had your back against the wall, a giggle escaping you.
âRobb!â
âDismiss her when she comes.â
âAnd what of my ladies-in-waiting?â
He grinned at you. âDismiss them too.â
âThat would be rude!â
âFine, Iâll dismiss all of themââ
âYouâll do no such thing!â you exclaimed, the look of shock on your face coaxing a chuckle out of him as he cupped your face in his palm, your heart skipping a happy beat.
Gods, he looked irresistible.
He had put on his breeches, but his white linen shirt was half open, letting you peek at his chiseled chest. His curly hair was tousled thanks to last nightâsâand this morningâsâactivities, and there was a mischievous light gleaming in his eyes as he looked at you, tracing the line of your bottom lip.
You frowned, willing yourself to focus.
âI donât suppose anyone has told you this,â you said, sticking your nose in the air, âbut a lady needs her own time to get ready to be seen in public.â
âA lady or my lady?âÂ
A smile curled your lips before you could stop it, and you pointed in the direction of the door, making him whine.
âIâve been away from you for a week!â
You shrugged your shoulders, feigning nonchalance as if you werenât currently battling yourself not to drag him back to bed. âThat was of your own making.â
âThat, my sweet wife, is a cruel lie,â he murmured, leaning to brush his lips against yours. A pleasant sigh left you, the familiar warmth blooming in your lower stomach, your mind going blank once again as it always did whenever Robb kissed you. Your body moved at its own accord; you threw your arms over his broad shoulders so that you could pull him closer, ready to lose yourself in his arms but a knock on the door snapped you out of it and made you pull back. Robb blindly chased your lips as you pressed a hand on his chest to push him back again, turning your head.
âJust a moment!â
You went under Robbâs arm to get away from him, whirling on your heels before you stepped back, clasping your hands behind you with a grin. He raised his brows like he was warning you.
âDo notââ he started, but before he could finish his sentence, you had already swung the door open to beam at your maid. She was a sweet girl, only a couple years younger than you. Just like the other northerners you had met, she wasnât very fond of sharing too much, nor did she jump at the opportunity to gossip unlike what you were used to back in the Reach, but you were certain you were going to be friends soon enough.
âGood morrow Kyra!â you chirped. âMy lord husband was just leaving, you may come in.â
Kyra stepped in and curtsied.
âMâlord. Mâlady.â
Your grin widened at the look of utter betrayal on Robbâs face. âI shall see you at breakfast, my husband.â
âAnd I shall see you, my wife,â he said, kissing your temple as he walked past you and left the room. You turned to Kyra, looking down to pretend to fix the silky skirt of your nightgown.
âKyra, would you mind telling the maids to draw me a bath?â you asked. âAnd Iâd really appreciate it if you could help me take off my necklace, thank you.â
With the King and his court arriving next week, Lady Stark was busy beyond words. She had to foresee anything and everything about their visit, and while you had been following her like her shadow to learn and help out if needed, you also had your own duties.
While the preparations were being made for the feasts upon the Kingâs arrival, Wintertown could not be expected to put everything on hold, especially with the arrival of autumn. Thus, you and your ladies were tasked with preparing certain supplies for the smallfolk. The baskets mostly consisted of blankets and food, and while back in the south your father had certain people responsible for overseeing such help, in the north, it fell upon Lady Starkâand per her request, you.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it didnât surprise you, but you figured it was just one of the many differences between the south and the north.
Everyone did something here, regardless of who they were.
Your ladies-in-waiting were already in the granary, and you had every intention to go join them when you stepped out into the yard after having a short conversation with Lady Stark, but you stopped dead in your tracks when you caught the sight of Theon sparring with Jon while Bran watched them and Robb sat beside him, no doubt having just finished sparring with either of them. You could feel your heart skip a happy beat as you stole a look in the direction of the granary, but the urge to be with Robbâfleeting as it would be, for mere minutesâovercame your hesitation. You made your way to him, a smile twitching his lips the moment you entered his sight and sat beside him.
âHello,â you said. âI figured I could take some fresh air before I went inside, I hope you donât mind?â
âOf course not,â he said quickly while Bran waved at you, still quite shy. You gave him a warm smile, both your and his attention turning to Jon when he blocked Theonâs strike with his sword, pushing him hard enough to make him stumble back.
âBut will it happen?â Bran insisted while you rested your head on Robbâs shoulder and he pressed his lips on top of your head, sneaking an arm around your waist to subtly pull you closer. Jon rolled his eyes.
âOf course not, Bran.â
âYou never know,â Theon sang and Bran huffed.
âEven if father says so?â
âFather wonât say so.â
âHe said so to Robb.â
âHe asked me,â Robb corrected him, âitâs not the same thing.â
âWhat are we talking about?â you asked and Bran turned to you with a scowl on his face.
âJon getting wed.â
âIâm not getting wed.â
âSilas said he was the one who approved Robb,â Bran said. âAnd if Robb had to approve your future ladyâŠâ
Robb let out a scoff. âI donât think that falls on me.â
âThereâs usually more things to consider than your older brother approving someone,â you pointed out. âSilas saying that isnât the whole truth.â
âBut Jon, would you have to wed Ser Tallhartâs daughter if father said so?â
You bit back a laugh at the exasperation on Jonâs face. While you didnât know the details of how he and Silas separated, it was quite obvious that Jonâs attention wouldnât belong to anyone else for a long time, judging by how sulky he had been since your brother left. As much as you wanted him to share his feelings with you, you figured he didnât want you or anyone else to know, so you had to keep your silence despite seeing his sadness.
Perhaps you could imply you would keep his secret, but you would have to earn his trust for that.
âSer Tallhartâs daughter?â you asked, making Theon let out a laugh.
âI doubt thatâll happen, Bran.â
âBut!â Bran insisted. âBut listen. Silas approved Robb, right? And you already said, about Ser Tallhartâs daughter, that Robb approved.â
Robb made a face. âI didnât say I approved.â
âBut Theon said that you called her pleasant and said southern girls and northern girls are different,â Bran said, making your head shoot up from Robbâs shoulder. âYou approved, and Jon doesnât have a southern betrothed, and...â
The look of panic that settled on all three men wouldâve been funny if it werenât for the fury crashing down on you. Theon and Jon stopped sparring as if someone had just barked an order at them, and Robbâs eyes widened as he stared at Bran at a loss for words. Bran seemed oblivious to their reactions, ranting about how Jon couldnât wed because thatâd mean heâd see him less like Robb, while you tried your hardest to keep your expression calm, considering you were in public.
Ser Tallhartâs daughter, was it?
ââŠAh,â you said and arched a brow at Robb, an overly sweet smile curling your lips. âIs that what Robb said?â
One simple observer wouldâve thought Robb was being accused of treason with the way he shook his head vigorously.
âThatâs not what IâBran, you make it sound very different than what actually took place.â
âBut Theon and Jon were sayingââ
âI said nothing.â
âIâm not involved in this conversation.â Theon and Jon spoke at the same time, desperate to absolve themselves of any crime but Robb wasnât so lucky and by the looks of it, he knew it.
âI just said forâfor Jon, she looked pleasant.â He waved a hand in Jonâs direction without even sparing him a glance while you tilted your head, still smiling. âFor Jon only. I wasnât evenââ
âMy lady?â Alysâ voice reached you, making you look over your shoulder. âMaester Luwin says we may start if youâre ready.â
âOf course,â you said as if your stomach wasnât churning, the familiar ache whenever you were nervous back in its full strength. You got up from the bench to follow Alys, leaving Robb dumbfounded but he snapped out of it before you could reach the granary and caught up with you.
âWaitââ
âI cannot,â you said airily without a glance at him, âI have things to do.â
âThat sounded wrong, back there.â He stepped in front of you to block your path, making you narrow your eyes. âI didnât call herâI did call her pleasant, but only because I was trying to encourage Jon. Heâs been sulkier than usual, and Theon thinks itâs because he didnât like any southern girls at our wedding.â
âAnd one look at Theon makes you think of wisdom?â
âNo,â he admitted after a beat. âNot really. But what else could be the reason?â
Your brother was the reason, but it wasnât like you could tell Robb that. Besides, that wasnât the point, you were not going to stand here and get into an argument where the whole yard could see, you were way too trained for that. Jealousy was not mesmerizing, most of the time it held the opposite effect. Lady Olenna used to say that the more a lady looked bothered, the more her influence slipped away. Grasping too tightly would signal to the court that you were insecure, and insecurity was unbecoming of a lady.Â
Which meant that even though it took every ounce of control in you, you couldnât appear angry.
âI donât find anyone more pleasant than you,â Robb added, almost breathless. âMy lady, surely you must know that.â
You could swear the words you were not supposed to say were clawing at your throat, but you took a deep breath and forced yourself to smile.
âAlright.â
Robb pulled back slightly, his eyes darting over your face.
ââŠAlright?â
âYes,â you said, your voice holding no trace of grudge unlike your heart. âAnd if youâll excuse me, I must be going now.â
âButââ He stopped you, holding your arm before you could turn around. âBut weâre alright?â
 As much as you wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, that also would appear very unladylike, so you nodded your head instead.
âOf course,â you chirped. âHow selfless of you to assess and compare ladies for Jon, Iâm certain heâs grateful.â
âSee, that comment right there doesnât assure me that weâre alrightââ
âAnd though Iâd love to hear about the differences between southern and northern ladies, I really must be going now,â you cut him off, pulling your arm out of his grip. âHave a good day, my lord.âÂ
With that, you walked away from him, anger still pulsing in your temples.
Who even was Ser Tallhartâs daughter? No one had told you anything about her.
There was no wonder your ladies-in-waiting would know about her, seeing that they had likely crossed paths at a wedding or a feast. If you were back home, you couldâve asked your friends, but here in Winterfell you had to be more careful than that.
Any wrong question could lead to many speculations.
Not to mention, you still didnât trust them. Alys, Wylla and Lyra seemed rather sweet, but when it came to Jorelle and Barbrey, you were still very cautious. Barbrey was going to have to work hard to prove her loyalty to you, and JorelleâŠ
Well.
You werenât certain that you could ever lower your guard with her.
It wasnât even about her at this point, it was more about her family. You knew very well that at any given moment, her family would push her forward if they knew they could undermine you, Lady Cerwynâs condescending manners were a proof of it. Not only that, the whole North would support them, as they were already fond of Jorelle and her family.
Your family, however, were outsiders to the north, and no matter how much help they would send when the winter came, northerners didnât trust or like outsiders.
You were pulled away from your thoughts when Wylla spoke.
âThatâs a very beautiful necklace.â
Your head snapped up, and you willed a lovesick smile on your face despite the storm in your head.
âAw thank you,â you said, dipping the spoon into the salt bag to pour some of it into the small container before you walked to place it in a basket. âRobb kindly brought me a gift from Torrhenâs Square.â
Alys and Barbrey exchanged smirks while Lyra and Jorelle folded the blankets to put into the rest of the empty baskets.
âDo you knowâŠâ you trailed off, nibbling on your lip. âHave any of you been to Torrhenâs Square before?â
Jorelle lifted her head for only a moment before she returned her attention to the blankets, clearly deciding against whatever she was going to say. Alys nodded her head.
âI have, once.â
âI donât think Iâve met House Tallhart,â you mused. âIâve heard high praises though.â
âDid Gilliane come to the wedding?â Lyra asked and you turned your head.
âGilliane?â
âTheir oldest daughter, my lady,â Wylla said. âAnd no, she didnât.â
âI think only Erena came,â Alys said. âIâm certain I caught a glimpse of herâher younger sister.â
âIâve met too many people to count at the wedding, Iâm afraid,â you said. âPerhaps I met them and donât remember it.â
âErena is very sweet, Gilliane howeverâŠâ
âLyra,â Alys warned her and she held up her hands.
âI said nothing.â
You tilted your head. âOh, now I must know.â
Barbrey grinned. âGilliane is very emotional.â
âItâs no crime against the king to be emotional!â Alys insisted while Lyra made a face.
âIt should be.â
Jorelle bit back her smile.
âGilliane gets affected by anything and everything,â she told you. âA bit of a crier.â
âAnd she falls in love with someone different at every Harvest Feast,â Wylla added and fixed her hair in an exaggerated manner. âAnd if anyone would like to ask me why she didnât come to the wedding, I have the answer.â
âHow?â
âOne of her brothers holds affections for me, and heâs a gossip.â
Alysâ jaw dropped. âWhich brother?â
âBenton.â Wylla reached out to grab an apple to take a bite, coaxing a laugh out of you while Lyra narrowed her eyes.
âHave you started living in Wintertown and we donât know about it?â
âItâs just one apple!â
âDonât let Maester Luwin see you,â Jorelle said and Wylla shrugged her shoulders.
âI am famished, would he rather if I fainted?â
âThat is a very sound logic I admit,â you teased them and Wylla gestured at you.
âSee?â
âBut in return, we hear why she didnât come to the wedding,â you added, plopping down on the nearest chair and cracking your neck with a grimace. âSounds interesting.â
âAlright, soâŠâ Wylla jumped to sit on the table. âBenton says she was heartbroken.â
âThatâs no news, she gets heartbroken whenever someone looks at her wrong.â
âJo!â
âAm I lying?â
âNo wonder she and I canât get along well, she has too many feelings for my taste,â Lyra mused and Alys pressed her fist on her lips in an attempt to hide her smile. Barbrey leaned in.
âWho was she heartbroken over?â
âAnd thatâs what is so interesting about it,â Wylla said and turned to you. âDonât misunderstand this, because I would know if there was anything between them, butâŠâ
You pulled back, your mouth half agape. âRobb?â
The whole room erupted into chaos.
âWylla!â
âHave they even spoken to each other before?â
âI have never ever seen them exchange words in any wedding or feast.â
âYeah, Benton says the same. She was admiring him from afar, pushed her father to make an offer of betrothal, butâŠâ
Well, if that was the pleasant girl, at least now you knew she was no real threat to your position or your heart.
âA lot of fathers madeââ Barbrey started but Alys elbowed her, stealing a look at Jorelle whose calm face was impossible to read as usual. Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âIâll say it if you wonât. Everyoneâs fathers made proposals.â
âLyra, donât say that!â
âWhat, like she doesnât know?â
âI do know,â you assured them. âAnd I donât mind at all. If Robb held a grudge over everyone who made a proposal to wed me, our marriage would be cold until weâre old and gray. Thatâs simply how such arrangements work, it makes sense that families made proposals, I could never hold grudges over that.â
At least that was what Lady Olenna would want you to say.
Untroubled and amused.
Thatâs what you had to appear when it came to possible former betrothals; untroubled and amused.
Even though what you felt was the complete opposite of that.
âAnd I donât want any of you to guard your tongues around me,â you added in a haste, as if you yourself hadnât been trained to guard your tongue around people since you could speak. âNot when itâs just us, at least.â
No one back in the south would believe or entertain such thought. In fact, if you and Margaery were ever told what you had just said, you both wouldâve taken it as an insult to be seen so naĂŻve, but this was the north.
And you could not seem resentful or insecure.
âNow,â you said and grabbed an apple to bite it as well. âTell me more about this person. I have been suffering from lack of gossip ever since I came here, and Iâd like to catch up.â
By dinner time, you had learned everything there was to learn about House Tallhart and their daughters, and thankfully, nothing seemed alarming.
But that didnât mean you werenât angry at Robb.
And although Lady Olenna wouldâve advised you otherwise, you were going to make sure he knew exactly how you felt.
Lord Stark had made it much easier, albeit not on purpose. He had kept Robb with him the whole day for meetings and petitions, and you had managed to excuse yourself to your own bedchambers right after dinner before he could come back. A week away from home must have meant Lord Stark had much to catch up on, because it was nearly midnight by the time you heard Robbâs heavy gait pass your door. You raised your brows, keeping your attention on your book in your lap when the door to his bedchambers opened, then closed after a couple of complete silence. His footsteps approached your door before he opened it and peeked his head in.
âWhat are you doing here?â
You flipped the page without pulling your gaze off the book. âReading.â
âHere?â
âSeems that way.â
âButâŠâ He stepped inside. âBut Iâm back.â
âHasnât escaped me.â
âThen why are you here?â
âItâs my bedchambers,â you replied. âWhy are you here?â
âI couldnât find you inâare you still angry at me?â
âNo,â you lied through your teeth. âI simply decided to sleep here tonight.â
Judging by the look on his face, you might as well have announced you meant to annul your marriage: âYouâre not sleeping here tonight.â
âI am,â you said, pretending to be engrossed in your book though you barely had any idea what you were reading. âAnd you can sleep in your own bedchambers and think about Ser Tallhartâs daughter all you want.â
âWhat?â His eyes widened. âI told you, I only said that forââ
âI care not.â You pointed at the door, your gaze fixed on the page. âLeave me be.â
He lingered there for a moment as if he was trying to find the best approach, then took a step towards the bed.
âMy sweet wifeââ he started, but stopped dead in his tracks when you lifted your head to glare daggers at him. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.
âI was trying to encourage Jon.â
âI heard you the first time,â you said and closed to book to give him a snake like smile. âNow that youâre here though, how are northern girls different than southern girls? Since you are an expert, you should have no issues enlightening me?â
âThatâsââ He pointed back at the door like Jon was standing outside, stumbling over his words. âI simply said, if Jon didnât find any southern girls to his liking, northern girls might be uhâdifferent?â The last word came out like an uncertain question. âIn terms of his uh, hisâŠaffections.â
You raised your brows, still glaring at him.
âI swear it was for Jon only.â
âWonderful,â you deadpanned. âYou may leave now. Have pleasant dreams.â
A ghost of a smile twitched the corner of his mouth. âI canât believe youâre jealouââ
âRobb if you finish that sentence, I will make you suffer in a very southern way, and then youâll know the actual difference between northern and southern girls,â you growled, and he held up his hands, biting back his smile.
âBe angry at me if you wish,â he said, stepping closer to the bed, âbut weâre not sleeping in different beds.â
âIâm not coming there, and youâre not welcomed here.â
âOh you are coming there,â he said and before you could so much as blink, he had thrown you over his shoulder, a surprised shriek spilling from your lips.
âPut me down this instant!â you exclaimed, your voice going high-pitched while he made his way to the door. You pressed your palms on his shoulder to throw him off his balance and wiggle out of his grip, but much to your frustration, it didnât work. âHow dare you? This is actual disrespect, youââ
âYou left me no other choice,â he stated, stepping out of your bedchambers into the hallway. âWhose fault is it? Not mine.â
âPut me down!â
He turned, but stopped in an instant, and though you hoped it was because he decided to listen to you, the real reason turned out to be very different. He shifted his weight and let out a curt cough like he was trying to regain his composure.
âFather.â
Oh Gods.
Oh Gods no.
Lord Stark could not see you like this, absolutely not.
ââŠRobb.â
Alright then, Lord Stark was indeed seeing you like this.
You shut your eyes tight, half hoping it would make both of you disappear from Lord Starkâs vision, scrunching up your face.
âGood evening, Lord Stark,â you squealed out, the angle Robb was holding you in preventing you from seeing your father-in-law, perhaps by mercy.
âMy wife and I were justâŠâ Robb started, but even you could tell he had no idea where the sentence would go. âWe were uh, going to sleep.â
Well, Robb was a terrible liar, so at least you could find some solace in that for the future of your marriage, especially now that you were going to have to spend the rest of the said marriage not being able to look his father in the eye. A silence fell upon the hallway before Lord Stark heaved a sigh as if he had the realmâs weight on his shoulders, and even though you couldnât see his face, you could picture the exasperation on his face.
âI saw nothing,â he ended up saying. âI saw nothing, and I am walking away before I see anything.â
You heard Lord Stark go past him and you watched him walk to the other end of the hallway without sparing a glance back. A whine climbed your throat and you slumped over his shoulder, hiding your face in your hands until Robb entered hisâyourâbedchambers and dropped you on the bed. You grabbed the nearest pillow to throw at him, your cheeks burning.
âThat was very undignified, Robb!â
âHe doesnât mind.â
âHeâthatââ you stammered, gesturing at the door. âHe saw!â
âAye, and he doesnât mind,â Robb said, catching the other pillow in the air. âTo repeat, you gave me no other choice!â
You gritted your teeth and turned to Grey Wind who was watching you both from beside the fireplace.
âGrey Wind, up,â you commanded and he leaped on the bed, making Robb frown.
âWhat are you doing?â
âHe will sleep between us.â
âNo he wonât.â
âYes he will,â you said and pulled the fur covers on top of you, the direwolf curling up next to you. âYou can sleep on your side, or you can sleep somewhere else dreaming of Ser Tallhartâs pleasant daughter, your choice.â
âThatâs a vile accusation and a terrible insultâGrey Wind, down.â
âGrey Wind, stay,â you shot back and Grey Wind let out a huff, looked between you and Robb, then yawned and nudged your arm with his snout. âSee? Heâs staying.â
Robb threw his head back with a groan while you pulled your pillow to yourself.
âLambâŠâ
âIâm too sleepy to argue.â
âThen just listen?â
âI shall not,â you said, closing your eyes. âGoodnight.â
âButâŠâ
âGoodnight, I said.â
 Robb exhaled through his nose impatiently and moved about in the room, his heavy steps enough of a clue to what he was doing. Despite trying to control yourself, you still ended up opening an eye to watch him take off his shirt, but you shut your eyes again before he could see you gawking at him. He got under the furs, and after a couple of seconds you dared steal a peek again to find him half naked, his arm thrown over his eyes to block the candlelight, oblivious to the way your gaze followed down his chiseled body while you bit at your lip.
Oh well.
Just because you were angry at him didnât mean you couldnât enjoy the sight.
Robb's about to have the worst time: wife is mad at him, his mom made him shave, his brother is depressed, his wife just compared him to the group of men that courted her which is strictly forbidden in their household (will make him cry) and he's about to beef with a fifteen year old - my man can never catch a break
DARLING I AM ACTUALLY LAUGHING ASDFGHJKLđ
his wife just compared him to the group of men that courted her which is strictly forbidden in their household (will make him cry) Blossom called him many things so far, but a Reach knight is probably what he took as the biggest insultđ
The big bad young wolf is not having a good time at allđ
I offer your cousins peace if they meet my terms. First, your family must release my sisters. Second, my father's bones must be returned to us so he may rest beside his brother and sister in the crypts beneath Winterfell. And the remains of all those who died in his service must also be returned. Their families can honor them with proper funerals. Third...
Warnings: Explicit language, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
Back in the Reach, when Lady Olenna hired that lady of the night to tutor you and Margaery on marital acts and what husbands liked, she had assured both of you that unlike what everyone around you kept telling you, your name, your familyâs wealth, any heirs youâd have with your future husband; none of that was a guarantee that he would fall in love with you.
According to her, it was all about how mesmerizing you would be, and your marital bed was the key. That night, while you and Margaery laid in the bed trying to silence your giggles so as not to wake Loras again and get a scolding, you had both agreed that it was exaggeration; surely it couldnât have been the case for everyone.
But judging by Robbâs reaction after what you had done last night, you were beginning to believe that lady.
âMy maid will be here any moment!â you said as you pushed him gently, making him walk backward to the door. âI must get ready for breakfastâwe already overslept!â
He grabbed your wrist and in a blink, you had your back against the wall, a giggle escaping you.
âRobb!â
âDismiss her when she comes.â
âAnd what of my ladies-in-waiting?â
He grinned at you. âDismiss them too.â
âThat would be rude!â
âFine, Iâll dismiss all of themââ
âYouâll do no such thing!â you exclaimed, the look of shock on your face coaxing a chuckle out of him as he cupped your face in his palm, your heart skipping a happy beat.
Gods, he looked irresistible.
He had put on his breeches, but his white linen shirt was half open, letting you peek at his chiseled chest. His curly hair was tousled thanks to last nightâsâand this morningâsâactivities, and there was a mischievous light gleaming in his eyes as he looked at you, tracing the line of your bottom lip.
You frowned, willing yourself to focus.
âI donât suppose anyone has told you this,â you said, sticking your nose in the air, âbut a lady needs her own time to get ready to be seen in public.â
âA lady or my lady?âÂ
A smile curled your lips before you could stop it, and you pointed in the direction of the door, making him whine.
âIâve been away from you for a week!â
You shrugged your shoulders, feigning nonchalance as if you werenât currently battling yourself not to drag him back to bed. âThat was of your own making.â
âThat, my sweet wife, is a cruel lie,â he murmured, leaning to brush his lips against yours. A pleasant sigh left you, the familiar warmth blooming in your lower stomach, your mind going blank once again as it always did whenever Robb kissed you. Your body moved at its own accord; you threw your arms over his broad shoulders so that you could pull him closer, ready to lose yourself in his arms but a knock on the door snapped you out of it and made you pull back. Robb blindly chased your lips as you pressed a hand on his chest to push him back again, turning your head.
âJust a moment!â
You went under Robbâs arm to get away from him, whirling on your heels before you stepped back, clasping your hands behind you with a grin. He raised his brows like he was warning you.
âDo notââ he started, but before he could finish his sentence, you had already swung the door open to beam at your maid. She was a sweet girl, only a couple years younger than you. Just like the other northerners you had met, she wasnât very fond of sharing too much, nor did she jump at the opportunity to gossip unlike what you were used to back in the Reach, but you were certain you were going to be friends soon enough.
âGood morrow Kyra!â you chirped. âMy lord husband was just leaving, you may come in.â
Kyra stepped in and curtsied.
âMâlord. Mâlady.â
Your grin widened at the look of utter betrayal on Robbâs face. âI shall see you at breakfast, my husband.â
âAnd I shall see you, my wife,â he said, kissing your temple as he walked past you and left the room. You turned to Kyra, looking down to pretend to fix the silky skirt of your nightgown.
âKyra, would you mind telling the maids to draw me a bath?â you asked. âAnd Iâd really appreciate it if you could help me take off my necklace, thank you.â
With the King and his court arriving next week, Lady Stark was busy beyond words. She had to foresee anything and everything about their visit, and while you had been following her like her shadow to learn and help out if needed, you also had your own duties.
While the preparations were being made for the feasts upon the Kingâs arrival, Wintertown could not be expected to put everything on hold, especially with the arrival of autumn. Thus, you and your ladies were tasked with preparing certain supplies for the smallfolk. The baskets mostly consisted of blankets and food, and while back in the south your father had certain people responsible for overseeing such help, in the north, it fell upon Lady Starkâand per her request, you.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it didnât surprise you, but you figured it was just one of the many differences between the south and the north.
Everyone did something here, regardless of who they were.
Your ladies-in-waiting were already in the granary, and you had every intention to go join them when you stepped out into the yard after having a short conversation with Lady Stark, but you stopped dead in your tracks when you caught the sight of Theon sparring with Jon while Bran watched them and Robb sat beside him, no doubt having just finished sparring with either of them. You could feel your heart skip a happy beat as you stole a look in the direction of the granary, but the urge to be with Robbâfleeting as it would be, for mere minutesâovercame your hesitation. You made your way to him, a smile twitching his lips the moment you entered his sight and sat beside him.
âHello,â you said. âI figured I could take some fresh air before I went inside, I hope you donât mind?â
âOf course not,â he said quickly while Bran waved at you, still quite shy. You gave him a warm smile, both your and his attention turning to Jon when he blocked Theonâs strike with his sword, pushing him hard enough to make him stumble back.
âBut will it happen?â Bran insisted while you rested your head on Robbâs shoulder and he pressed his lips on top of your head, sneaking an arm around your waist to subtly pull you closer. Jon rolled his eyes.
âOf course not, Bran.â
âYou never know,â Theon sang and Bran huffed.
âEven if father says so?â
âFather wonât say so.â
âHe said so to Robb.â
âHe asked me,â Robb corrected him, âitâs not the same thing.â
âWhat are we talking about?â you asked and Bran turned to you with a scowl on his face.
âJon getting wed.â
âIâm not getting wed.â
âSilas said he was the one who approved Robb,â Bran said. âAnd if Robb had to approve your future ladyâŠâ
Robb let out a scoff. âI donât think that falls on me.â
âThereâs usually more things to consider than your older brother approving someone,â you pointed out. âSilas saying that isnât the whole truth.â
âBut Jon, would you have to wed Ser Tallhartâs daughter if father said so?â
You bit back a laugh at the exasperation on Jonâs face. While you didnât know the details of how he and Silas separated, it was quite obvious that Jonâs attention wouldnât belong to anyone else for a long time, judging by how sulky he had been since your brother left. As much as you wanted him to share his feelings with you, you figured he didnât want you or anyone else to know, so you had to keep your silence despite seeing his sadness.
Perhaps you could imply you would keep his secret, but you would have to earn his trust for that.
âSer Tallhartâs daughter?â you asked, making Theon let out a laugh.
âI doubt thatâll happen, Bran.â
âBut!â Bran insisted. âBut listen. Silas approved Robb, right? And you already said, about Ser Tallhartâs daughter, that Robb approved.â
Robb made a face. âI didnât say I approved.â
âBut Theon said that you called her pleasant and said southern girls and northern girls are different,â Bran said, making your head shoot up from Robbâs shoulder. âYou approved, and Jon doesnât have a southern betrothed, and...â
The look of panic that settled on all three men wouldâve been funny if it werenât for the fury crashing down on you. Theon and Jon stopped sparring as if someone had just barked an order at them, and Robbâs eyes widened as he stared at Bran at a loss for words. Bran seemed oblivious to their reactions, ranting about how Jon couldnât wed because thatâd mean heâd see him less like Robb, while you tried your hardest to keep your expression calm, considering you were in public.
Ser Tallhartâs daughter, was it?
ââŠAh,â you said and arched a brow at Robb, an overly sweet smile curling your lips. âIs that what Robb said?â
One simple observer wouldâve thought Robb was being accused of treason with the way he shook his head vigorously.
âThatâs not what IâBran, you make it sound very different than what actually took place.â
âBut Theon and Jon were sayingââ
âI said nothing.â
âIâm not involved in this conversation.â Theon and Jon spoke at the same time, desperate to absolve themselves of any crime but Robb wasnât so lucky and by the looks of it, he knew it.
âI just said forâfor Jon, she looked pleasant.â He waved a hand in Jonâs direction without even sparing him a glance while you tilted your head, still smiling. âFor Jon only. I wasnât evenââ
âMy lady?â Alysâ voice reached you, making you look over your shoulder. âMaester Luwin says we may start if youâre ready.â
âOf course,â you said as if your stomach wasnât churning, the familiar ache whenever you were nervous back in its full strength. You got up from the bench to follow Alys, leaving Robb dumbfounded but he snapped out of it before you could reach the granary and caught up with you.
âWaitââ
âI cannot,â you said airily without a glance at him, âI have things to do.â
âThat sounded wrong, back there.â He stepped in front of you to block your path, making you narrow your eyes. âI didnât call herâI did call her pleasant, but only because I was trying to encourage Jon. Heâs been sulkier than usual, and Theon thinks itâs because he didnât like any southern girls at our wedding.â
âAnd one look at Theon makes you think of wisdom?â
âNo,â he admitted after a beat. âNot really. But what else could be the reason?â
Your brother was the reason, but it wasnât like you could tell Robb that. Besides, that wasnât the point, you were not going to stand here and get into an argument where the whole yard could see, you were way too trained for that. Jealousy was not mesmerizing, most of the time it held the opposite effect. Lady Olenna used to say that the more a lady looked bothered, the more her influence slipped away. Grasping too tightly would signal to the court that you were insecure, and insecurity was unbecoming of a lady.Â
Which meant that even though it took every ounce of control in you, you couldnât appear angry.
âI donât find anyone more pleasant than you,â Robb added, almost breathless. âMy lady, surely you must know that.â
You could swear the words you were not supposed to say were clawing at your throat, but you took a deep breath and forced yourself to smile.
âAlright.â
Robb pulled back slightly, his eyes darting over your face.
ââŠAlright?â
âYes,â you said, your voice holding no trace of grudge unlike your heart. âAnd if youâll excuse me, I must be going now.â
âButââ He stopped you, holding your arm before you could turn around. âBut weâre alright?â
 As much as you wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, that also would appear very unladylike, so you nodded your head instead.
âOf course,â you chirped. âHow selfless of you to assess and compare ladies for Jon, Iâm certain heâs grateful.â
âSee, that comment right there doesnât assure me that weâre alrightââ
âAnd though Iâd love to hear about the differences between southern and northern ladies, I really must be going now,â you cut him off, pulling your arm out of his grip. âHave a good day, my lord.âÂ
With that, you walked away from him, anger still pulsing in your temples.
Who even was Ser Tallhartâs daughter? No one had told you anything about her.
There was no wonder your ladies-in-waiting would know about her, seeing that they had likely crossed paths at a wedding or a feast. If you were back home, you couldâve asked your friends, but here in Winterfell you had to be more careful than that.
Any wrong question could lead to many speculations.
Not to mention, you still didnât trust them. Alys, Wylla and Lyra seemed rather sweet, but when it came to Jorelle and Barbrey, you were still very cautious. Barbrey was going to have to work hard to prove her loyalty to you, and JorelleâŠ
Well.
You werenât certain that you could ever lower your guard with her.
It wasnât even about her at this point, it was more about her family. You knew very well that at any given moment, her family would push her forward if they knew they could undermine you, Lady Cerwynâs condescending manners were a proof of it. Not only that, the whole North would support them, as they were already fond of Jorelle and her family.
Your family, however, were outsiders to the north, and no matter how much help they would send when the winter came, northerners didnât trust or like outsiders.
You were pulled away from your thoughts when Wylla spoke.
âThatâs a very beautiful necklace.â
Your head snapped up, and you willed a lovesick smile on your face despite the storm in your head.
âAw thank you,â you said, dipping the spoon into the salt bag to pour some of it into the small container before you walked to place it in a basket. âRobb kindly brought me a gift from Torrhenâs Square.â
Alys and Barbrey exchanged smirks while Lyra and Jorelle folded the blankets to put into the rest of the empty baskets.
âDo you knowâŠâ you trailed off, nibbling on your lip. âHave any of you been to Torrhenâs Square before?â
Jorelle lifted her head for only a moment before she returned her attention to the blankets, clearly deciding against whatever she was going to say. Alys nodded her head.
âI have, once.â
âI donât think Iâve met House Tallhart,â you mused. âIâve heard high praises though.â
âDid Gilliane come to the wedding?â Lyra asked and you turned your head.
âGilliane?â
âTheir oldest daughter, my lady,â Wylla said. âAnd no, she didnât.â
âI think only Erena came,â Alys said. âIâm certain I caught a glimpse of herâher younger sister.â
âIâve met too many people to count at the wedding, Iâm afraid,â you said. âPerhaps I met them and donât remember it.â
âErena is very sweet, Gilliane howeverâŠâ
âLyra,â Alys warned her and she held up her hands.
âI said nothing.â
You tilted your head. âOh, now I must know.â
Barbrey grinned. âGilliane is very emotional.â
âItâs no crime against the king to be emotional!â Alys insisted while Lyra made a face.
âIt should be.â
Jorelle bit back her smile.
âGilliane gets affected by anything and everything,â she told you. âA bit of a crier.â
âAnd she falls in love with someone different at every Harvest Feast,â Wylla added and fixed her hair in an exaggerated manner. âAnd if anyone would like to ask me why she didnât come to the wedding, I have the answer.â
âHow?â
âOne of her brothers holds affections for me, and heâs a gossip.â
Alysâ jaw dropped. âWhich brother?â
âBenton.â Wylla reached out to grab an apple to take a bite, coaxing a laugh out of you while Lyra narrowed her eyes.
âHave you started living in Wintertown and we donât know about it?â
âItâs just one apple!â
âDonât let Maester Luwin see you,â Jorelle said and Wylla shrugged her shoulders.
âI am famished, would he rather if I fainted?â
âThat is a very sound logic I admit,â you teased them and Wylla gestured at you.
âSee?â
âBut in return, we hear why she didnât come to the wedding,â you added, plopping down on the nearest chair and cracking your neck with a grimace. âSounds interesting.â
âAlright, soâŠâ Wylla jumped to sit on the table. âBenton says she was heartbroken.â
âThatâs no news, she gets heartbroken whenever someone looks at her wrong.â
âJo!â
âAm I lying?â
âNo wonder she and I canât get along well, she has too many feelings for my taste,â Lyra mused and Alys pressed her fist on her lips in an attempt to hide her smile. Barbrey leaned in.
âWho was she heartbroken over?â
âAnd thatâs what is so interesting about it,â Wylla said and turned to you. âDonât misunderstand this, because I would know if there was anything between them, butâŠâ
You pulled back, your mouth half agape. âRobb?â
The whole room erupted into chaos.
âWylla!â
âHave they even spoken to each other before?â
âI have never ever seen them exchange words in any wedding or feast.â
âYeah, Benton says the same. She was admiring him from afar, pushed her father to make an offer of betrothal, butâŠâ
Well, if that was the pleasant girl, at least now you knew she was no real threat to your position or your heart.
âA lot of fathers madeââ Barbrey started but Alys elbowed her, stealing a look at Jorelle whose calm face was impossible to read as usual. Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âIâll say it if you wonât. Everyoneâs fathers made proposals.â
âLyra, donât say that!â
âWhat, like she doesnât know?â
âI do know,â you assured them. âAnd I donât mind at all. If Robb held a grudge over everyone who made a proposal to wed me, our marriage would be cold until weâre old and gray. Thatâs simply how such arrangements work, it makes sense that families made proposals, I could never hold grudges over that.â
At least that was what Lady Olenna would want you to say.
Untroubled and amused.
Thatâs what you had to appear when it came to possible former betrothals; untroubled and amused.
Even though what you felt was the complete opposite of that.
âAnd I donât want any of you to guard your tongues around me,â you added in a haste, as if you yourself hadnât been trained to guard your tongue around people since you could speak. âNot when itâs just us, at least.â
No one back in the south would believe or entertain such thought. In fact, if you and Margaery were ever told what you had just said, you both wouldâve taken it as an insult to be seen so naĂŻve, but this was the north.
And you could not seem resentful or insecure.
âNow,â you said and grabbed an apple to bite it as well. âTell me more about this person. I have been suffering from lack of gossip ever since I came here, and Iâd like to catch up.â
By dinner time, you had learned everything there was to learn about House Tallhart and their daughters, and thankfully, nothing seemed alarming.
But that didnât mean you werenât angry at Robb.
And although Lady Olenna wouldâve advised you otherwise, you were going to make sure he knew exactly how you felt.
Lord Stark had made it much easier, albeit not on purpose. He had kept Robb with him the whole day for meetings and petitions, and you had managed to excuse yourself to your own bedchambers right after dinner before he could come back. A week away from home must have meant Lord Stark had much to catch up on, because it was nearly midnight by the time you heard Robbâs heavy gait pass your door. You raised your brows, keeping your attention on your book in your lap when the door to his bedchambers opened, then closed after a couple of complete silence. His footsteps approached your door before he opened it and peeked his head in.
âWhat are you doing here?â
You flipped the page without pulling your gaze off the book. âReading.â
âHere?â
âSeems that way.â
âButâŠâ He stepped inside. âBut Iâm back.â
âHasnât escaped me.â
âThen why are you here?â
âItâs my bedchambers,â you replied. âWhy are you here?â
âI couldnât find you inâare you still angry at me?â
âNo,â you lied through your teeth. âI simply decided to sleep here tonight.â
Judging by the look on his face, you might as well have announced you meant to annul your marriage: âYouâre not sleeping here tonight.â
âI am,â you said, pretending to be engrossed in your book though you barely had any idea what you were reading. âAnd you can sleep in your own bedchambers and think about Ser Tallhartâs daughter all you want.â
âWhat?â His eyes widened. âI told you, I only said that forââ
âI care not.â You pointed at the door, your gaze fixed on the page. âLeave me be.â
He lingered there for a moment as if he was trying to find the best approach, then took a step towards the bed.
âMy sweet wifeââ he started, but stopped dead in his tracks when you lifted your head to glare daggers at him. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.
âI was trying to encourage Jon.â
âI heard you the first time,â you said and closed to book to give him a snake like smile. âNow that youâre here though, how are northern girls different than southern girls? Since you are an expert, you should have no issues enlightening me?â
âThatâsââ He pointed back at the door like Jon was standing outside, stumbling over his words. âI simply said, if Jon didnât find any southern girls to his liking, northern girls might be uhâdifferent?â The last word came out like an uncertain question. âIn terms of his uh, hisâŠaffections.â
You raised your brows, still glaring at him.
âI swear it was for Jon only.â
âWonderful,â you deadpanned. âYou may leave now. Have pleasant dreams.â
A ghost of a smile twitched the corner of his mouth. âI canât believe youâre jealouââ
âRobb if you finish that sentence, I will make you suffer in a very southern way, and then youâll know the actual difference between northern and southern girls,â you growled, and he held up his hands, biting back his smile.
âBe angry at me if you wish,â he said, stepping closer to the bed, âbut weâre not sleeping in different beds.â
âIâm not coming there, and youâre not welcomed here.â
âOh you are coming there,â he said and before you could so much as blink, he had thrown you over his shoulder, a surprised shriek spilling from your lips.
âPut me down this instant!â you exclaimed, your voice going high-pitched while he made his way to the door. You pressed your palms on his shoulder to throw him off his balance and wiggle out of his grip, but much to your frustration, it didnât work. âHow dare you? This is actual disrespect, youââ
âYou left me no other choice,â he stated, stepping out of your bedchambers into the hallway. âWhose fault is it? Not mine.â
âPut me down!â
He turned, but stopped in an instant, and though you hoped it was because he decided to listen to you, the real reason turned out to be very different. He shifted his weight and let out a curt cough like he was trying to regain his composure.
âFather.â
Oh Gods.
Oh Gods no.
Lord Stark could not see you like this, absolutely not.
ââŠRobb.â
Alright then, Lord Stark was indeed seeing you like this.
You shut your eyes tight, half hoping it would make both of you disappear from Lord Starkâs vision, scrunching up your face.
âGood evening, Lord Stark,â you squealed out, the angle Robb was holding you in preventing you from seeing your father-in-law, perhaps by mercy.
âMy wife and I were justâŠâ Robb started, but even you could tell he had no idea where the sentence would go. âWe were uh, going to sleep.â
Well, Robb was a terrible liar, so at least you could find some solace in that for the future of your marriage, especially now that you were going to have to spend the rest of the said marriage not being able to look at his father in the eye. A silence fell upon the hallway before Lord Stark heaved a sigh as if he had the realmâs weight on his shoulders, and even though you couldnât see his face, you could picture the exasperation on his face.
âI saw nothing,â he ended up saying. âI saw nothing, and I am walking away before I see anything.â
You heard Lord Stark go past him and you watched him walk to the other end of the hallway without sparing a glance back. A whine climbed your throat and you slumped over his shoulder, hiding your face in your hands until Robb entered hisâyourâbedchambers and dropped you on the bed. You grabbed the nearest pillow to throw at him, your cheeks burning.
âI wonât be able to look at your father anymore, Robb!â
âHe doesnât mind.â
âHeâthatââ you stammered, gesturing at the door. âHe saw!â
âAye, and he doesnât mind,â Robb said, catching the other pillow in the air. âTo repeat, you gave me no other choice!â
You gritted your teeth and turned to Grey Wind who was watching you both from beside the fireplace.
âGrey Wind, up,â you commanded and he leaped on the bed, making Robb frown.
âWhat are you doing?â
âHe will sleep between us.â
âNo he wonât.â
âYes he will,â you said and pulled the fur covers on top of you, the direwolf curling up next to you. âYou can sleep on your side, or you can sleep somewhere else dreaming of Ser Tallhartâs pleasant daughter, your choice.â
âThatâs a vile accusation and a terrible insultâGrey Wind, down.â
âGrey Wind, stay,â you shot back and Grey Wind let out a huff, looked between you and Robb, then yawned and nudged your arm with his snout. âSee? Heâs staying.â
Robb threw his head back with a groan while you pulled your pillow to yourself.
âLambâŠâ
âIâm too sleepy to argue.â
âThen just listen?â
âI shall not,â you said, closing your eyes. âGoodnight.â
âButâŠâ
âGoodnight, I said.â
 Robb exhaled through his nose impatiently and moved about in the room, his heavy steps enough of a clue to what he was doing. Despite trying to control yourself, you still ended up opening an eye to watch him take off his shirt, but you shut your eyes again before he could see you gawking at him. He got under the furs, and after a couple of seconds you dared steal a peek again to find him half naked, his arm thrown over his eyes to block the candlelight, oblivious to the way your gaze followed down his chiseled body while you bit at your lip.
Oh well.
Just because you were angry at him didnât mean you couldnât enjoy the sight.
#robb & blossom being down bad for each other is so funny to me because she tries to hide it and robb is so open abt it#bro does not care if everyone knows he wants his wife ALL THE TIME. but blossom tries to stay demure Lolll oh the whole North knows about Robb's love for Blossom at this point, he is not subtle đ
#but jon & theon immediately also being like WE NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING Jon and Theon immediately went like "Every man for himself" đ
#robb following blossom to see if sheâs mad at him and her LYING. and robb being like um r u sure because it doesnât feel like weâre good#his poor little in love brain⊠He is learning! đ
#âand one look at theon makes you think of wisdom?â DRAG HIS ASS! Blossom still doesn't like Theon AT ALL đ
#the little moment of blossom with all her ladies is so cute!!!! but wahhhhhh i miss eadith her maid She and Eadith were such good friendsđ„ș
#and blossom also asking for full transparency makes me laugh like girlâŠ. you playing in their faces baddddd Like the southern courtier that she is...đ
#and him being so confused that sheâs in her room because heâs back in winterfell. like awww my poor robb He was so clueless until it dawned on him that she was still angry at him đ
#and dear god i would KILL ROBB for embarrassing me in front of ned. like i KNOWWW ned was praying to every god for patience and strength#ned deciding thatâs not a battle he wants to fight so heâs like iâm just gonna go I just knoooow Ned went back to Cat's bedchambers and told her all about it đ Going like "Your son..." đ
Warnings: Explicit language, adult themes, suggestive themes. MDNI- Do not read if you're under 18.
Series Masterlist
Back in the Reach, when Lady Olenna hired that lady of the night to tutor you and Margaery on marital acts and what husbands liked, she had assured both of you that unlike what everyone around you kept telling you, your name, your familyâs wealth, any heirs youâd have with your future husband; none of that was a guarantee that he would fall in love with you.
According to her, it was all about how mesmerizing you would be, and your marital bed was the key. That night, while you and Margaery laid in the bed trying to silence your giggles so as not to wake Loras again and get a scolding, you had both agreed that it was exaggeration; surely it couldnât have been the case for everyone.
But judging by Robbâs reaction after what you had done last night, you were beginning to believe that lady.
âMy maid will be here any moment!â you said as you pushed him gently, making him walk backward to the door. âI must get ready for breakfastâwe already overslept!â
He grabbed your wrist and in a blink, you had your back against the wall, a giggle escaping you.
âRobb!â
âDismiss her when she comes.â
âAnd what of my ladies-in-waiting?â
He grinned at you. âDismiss them too.â
âThat would be rude!â
âFine, Iâll dismiss all of themââ
âYouâll do no such thing!â you exclaimed, the look of shock on your face coaxing a chuckle out of him as he cupped your face in his palm, your heart skipping a happy beat.
Gods, he looked irresistible.
He had put on his breeches, but his white linen shirt was half open, letting you peek at his chiseled chest. His curly hair was tousled thanks to last nightâsâand this morningâsâactivities, and there was a mischievous light gleaming in his eyes as he looked at you, tracing the line of your bottom lip.
You frowned, willing yourself to focus.
âI donât suppose anyone has told you this,â you said, sticking your nose in the air, âbut a lady needs her own time to get ready to be seen in public.â
âA lady or my lady?âÂ
A smile curled your lips before you could stop it, and you pointed in the direction of the door, making him whine.
âIâve been away from you for a week!â
You shrugged your shoulders, feigning nonchalance as if you werenât currently battling yourself not to drag him back to bed. âThat was of your own making.â
âJust a moment!â
âThat, my sweet wife, is a cruel lie,â he murmured, leaning to brush his lips against yours. A pleasant sigh left you, the familiar warmth blooming in your lower stomach, your mind going blank once again as it always did whenever Robb kissed you. Your body moved at its own accord; you threw your arms over his broad shoulders so that you could pull him closer, ready to lose yourself in his arms but a knock on the door snapped you out of it and made you pull back. Robb blindly chased your lips as you pressed a hand on his chest to push him back again, turning your head.
You went under Robbâs arm to get away from him, whirling on your heels before you stepped back, clasping your hands behind you with a grin. He raised his brows like he was warning you.
âDo notââ he started, but before he could finish his sentence, you had already swung the door open to beam at your maid. She was a sweet girl, only a couple years younger than you. Just like the other northerners you had met, she wasnât very fond of sharing too much, nor did she jump at the opportunity to gossip unlike what you were used to back in the Reach, but you were certain you were going to be friends soon enough.
âGood morrow Kyra!â you chirped. âMy lord husband was just leaving, you may come in.â
Kyra stepped in and curtsied.
âMâlord. Mâlady.â
âAnd I shall see you, my wife,â he said, kissing your temple as he walked past you and left the room. You turned to Kyra, looking down to pretend to fix the silky skirt of your nightgown.
Your grin widened at the look of utter betrayal on Robbâs face. âI shall see you at breakfast, my husband.â
âKyra, would you mind telling the maids to draw me a bath?â you asked. âAnd Iâd really appreciate it if you could help me take off my necklace, thank you.â
With the King and his court arriving next week, Lady Stark was busy beyond words. She had to foresee anything and everything about their visit, and while you had been following her like her shadow to learn and help out if needed, you also had your own duties.
While the preparations were being made for the feasts upon the Kingâs arrival, Wintertown could not be expected to put everything on hold, especially with the arrival of autumn. Thus, you and your ladies were tasked with preparing certain supplies for the smallfolk. The baskets mostly consisted of blankets and food, and while back in the south your father had certain people responsible for overseeing such help, in the north, it fell upon Lady Starkâand per her request, you.
You wouldâve been lying if you said it didnât surprise you, but you figured it was just one of the many differences between the south and the north.
Everyone did something here, regardless of who they were.
Your ladies-in-waiting were already in the granary, and you had every intention to go join them when you stepped out into the yard after having a short conversation with Lady Stark, but you stopped dead in your tracks when you caught the sight of Theon sparring with Jon while Bran watched them and Robb sat beside him, no doubt having just finished sparring with either of them. You could feel your heart skip a happy beat as you stole a look in the direction of the granary, but the urge to be with Robbâfleeting as it would be, for mere minutesâovercame your hesitation. You made your way to him, a smile twitching his lips the moment you entered his sight and sat beside him.
âHello,â you said. âI figured I could take some fresh air before I went inside, I hope you donât mind?â
âOf course not,â he said quickly while Bran waved at you, still quite shy. You gave him a warm smile, both your and his attention turning to Jon when he blocked Theonâs strike with his sword, pushing him hard enough to make him stumble back.
âBut will it happen?â Bran insisted while you rested your head on Robbâs shoulder and he pressed his lips on top of your head, sneaking an arm around your waist to subtly pull you closer. Jon rolled his eyes.
âOf course not, Bran.â
âYou never know,â Theon sang and Bran huffed.
âEven if father says so?â
âFather wonât say so.â
âHe said so to Robb.â
âHe asked me,â Robb corrected him, âitâs not the same thing.â
âWhat are we talking about?â you asked and Bran turned to you with a scowl on his face.
âJon getting wed.â
âIâm not getting wed.â
âSilas said he was the one who approved Robb,â Bran said. âAnd if Robb had to approve your future ladyâŠâ
Robb let out a scoff. âI donât think that falls on me.â
âThereâs usually more things to consider than your older brother approving someone,â you pointed out. âSilas saying that isnât the whole truth.â
âBut Jon, would you have to wed Ser Tallhartâs daughter if father said so?â
You bit back a laugh at the exasperation on Jonâs face. While you didnât know the details of how he and Silas separated, it was quite obvious that Jonâs attention wouldnât belong to anyone else for a long time, judging by how sulky he had been since your brother left. As much as you wanted him to share his feelings with you, you figured he didnât want you or anyone else to know, so you had to keep your silence despite seeing his sadness.
Perhaps you could imply you would keep his secret, but you would have to earn his trust for that.
âSer Tallhartâs daughter?â you asked, making Theon let out a laugh.
âI doubt thatâll happen, Bran.â
âBut!â Bran insisted. âBut listen. Silas approved Robb, right? And you already said, about Ser Tallhartâs daughter, that Robb approved.â
Robb made a face. âI didnât say I approved.â
âBut Theon said that you called her pleasant and said southern girls and northern girls are different,â Bran said, making your head shoot up from Robbâs shoulder. âYou approved, and Jon doesnât have a southern betrothed, and...â
The look of panic that settled on all three men wouldâve been funny if it werenât for the fury crashing down on you. Theon and Jon stopped sparring as if someone had just barked an order at them, and Robbâs eyes widened as he stared at Bran at a loss for words. Bran seemed oblivious to their reactions, ranting about how Jon couldnât wed because thatâd mean heâd see him less like Robb, while you tried your hardest to keep your expression calm, considering you were in public.
Ser Tallhartâs daughter, was it?
ââŠAh,â you said and arched a brow at Robb, an overly sweet smile curling your lips. âIs that what Robb said?â
One simple observer wouldâve thought Robb was being accused of treason with the way he shook his head vigorously.
âThatâs not what IâBran, you make it sound very different than what actually took place.â
âBut Theon and Jon were sayingââ
âI said nothing.â
âIâm not involved in this conversation.â Theon and Jon spoke at the same time, desperate to absolve themselves of any crime but Robb wasnât so lucky and by the looks of it, he knew it.
âI just said forâfor Jon, she looked pleasant.â He waved a hand in Jonâs direction without even sparing him a glance while you tilted your head, still smiling. âFor Jon only. I wasnât evenââ
âMy lady?â Alysâ voice reached you, making you look over your shoulder. âMaester Luwin says we may start if youâre ready.â
âOf course,â you said as if your stomach wasnât churning, the familiar ache whenever you were nervous back in its full strength. You got up from the bench to follow Alys, leaving Robb dumbfounded but he snapped out of it before you could reach the granary and caught up with you.
âWaitââ
âI cannot,â you said airily without a glance at him, âI have things to do.â
âThat sounded wrong, back there.â He stepped in front of you to block your path, making you narrow your eyes. âI didnât call herâI did call her pleasant, but only because I was trying to encourage Jon. Heâs been sulkier than usual, and Theon thinks itâs because he didnât like any southern girls at our wedding.â
âAnd one look at Theon makes you think of wisdom?â
âNo,â he admitted after a beat. âNot really. But what else could be the reason?â
Your brother was the reason, but it wasnât like you could tell Robb that. Besides, that wasnât the point, you were not going to stand here and get into an argument where the whole yard could see, you were way too trained for that. Jealousy was not mesmerizing, most of the time it held the opposite effect. Lady Olenna used to say that the more a lady looked bothered, the more her influence slipped away. Grasping too tightly would signal to the court that you were insecure, and insecurity was unbecoming of a lady.Â
Which meant that even though it took every ounce of control in you, you couldnât appear angry.
âI donât find anyone more pleasant than you,â Robb added, almost breathless. âMy lady, surely you must know that.â
You could swear the words you were not supposed to say were clawing at your throat, but you took a deep breath and forced yourself to smile.
âAlright.â
Robb pulled back slightly, his eyes darting over your face.
ââŠAlright?â
âYes,â you said, your voice holding no trace of grudge unlike your heart. âAnd if youâll excuse me, I must be going now.â
âButââ He stopped you, holding your arm before you could turn around. âBut weâre alright?â
 As much as you wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, that also would appear very unladylike, so you nodded your head instead.
âOf course,â you chirped. âHow selfless of you to assess and compare ladies for Jon, Iâm certain heâs grateful.â
âSee, that comment right there doesnât assure me that weâre alrightââ
âAnd though Iâd love to hear about the differences between southern and northern ladies, I really must be going now,â you cut him off, pulling your arm out of his grip. âHave a good day, my lord.âÂ
With that, you walked away from him, anger still pulsing in your temples.
Who even was Ser Tallhartâs daughter? No one had told you anything about her.
There was no wonder your ladies-in-waiting would know about her, seeing that they had likely crossed paths at a wedding or a feast. If you were back home, you couldâve asked your friends, but here in Winterfell you had to be more careful than that.
Any wrong question could lead to many speculations.
Not to mention, you still didnât trust them. Alys, Wylla and Lyra seemed rather sweet, but when it came to Jorelle and Barbrey, you were still very cautious. Barbrey was going to have to work hard to prove her loyalty to you, and JorelleâŠ
Well.
You werenât certain that you could ever lower your guard with her.
It wasnât even about her at this point, it was more about her family. You knew very well that at any given moment, her family would push her forward if they knew they could undermine you, Lady Cerwynâs condescending manners were a proof of it. Not only that, the whole North would support them, as they were already fond of Jorelle and her family.
Your family, however, were outsiders to the north, and no matter how much help they would send when the winter came, northerners didnât trust or like outsiders.
You were pulled away from your thoughts when Wylla spoke.
âThatâs a very beautiful necklace.â
Your head snapped up, and you willed a lovesick smile on your face despite the storm in your head.
âAw thank you,â you said, dipping the spoon into the salt bag to pour some of it into the small container before you walked to place it in a basket. âRobb kindly brought me a gift from Torrhenâs Square.â
Alys and Barbrey exchanged smirks while Lyra and Jorelle folded the blankets to put into the rest of the empty baskets.
âDo you knowâŠâ you trailed off, nibbling on your lip. âHave any of you been to Torrhenâs Square before?â
Jorelle lifted her head for only a moment before she returned her attention to the blankets, clearly deciding against whatever she was going to say. Alys nodded her head.
âI have, once.â
âI donât think Iâve met House Tallhart,â you mused. âIâve heard high praises though.â
âDid Gilliane come to the wedding?â Lyra asked and you turned your head.
âGilliane?â
âTheir oldest daughter, my lady,â Wylla said. âAnd no, she didnât.â
âI think only Erena came,â Alys said. âIâm certain I caught a glimpse of herâher younger sister.â
âIâve met too many people to count at the wedding, Iâm afraid,â you said. âPerhaps I met them and donât remember it.â
âErena is very sweet, Gilliane howeverâŠâ
âLyra,â Alys warned her and she held up her hands.
âI said nothing.â
You tilted your head. âOh, now I must know.â
Barbrey grinned. âGilliane is very emotional.â
âItâs no crime against the king to be emotional!â Alys insisted while Lyra made a face.
âIt should be.â
Jorelle bit back her smile.
âGilliane gets affected by anything and everything,â she told you. âA bit of a crier.â
âAnd she falls in love with someone different at every Harvest Feast,â Wylla added and fixed her hair in an exaggerated manner. âAnd if anyone would like to ask me why she didnât come to the wedding, I have the answer.â
âHow?â
âOne of her brothers holds affections for me, and heâs a gossip.â
Alysâ jaw dropped. âWhich brother?â
âBenton.â Wylla reached out to grab an apple to take a bite, coaxing a laugh out of you while Lyra narrowed her eyes.
âHave you started living in Wintertown and we donât know about it?â
âItâs just one apple!â
âDonât let Maester Luwin see you,â Jorelle said and Wylla shrugged her shoulders.
âI am famished, would he rather if I fainted?â
âThat is a very sound logic I admit,â you teased them and Wylla gestured at you.
âSee?â
âBut in return, we hear why she didnât come to the wedding,â you added, plopping down on the nearest chair and cracking your neck with a grimace. âSounds interesting.â
âAlright, soâŠâ Wylla jumped to sit on the table. âBenton says she was heartbroken.â
âThatâs no news, she gets heartbroken whenever someone looks at her wrong.â
âJo!â
âAm I lying?â
âNo wonder she and I canât get along well, she has too many feelings for my taste,â Lyra mused and Alys pressed her fist on her lips in an attempt to hide her smile. Barbrey leaned in.
âWho was she heartbroken over?â
âAnd thatâs what is so interesting about it,â Wylla said and turned to you. âDonât misunderstand this, because I would know if there was anything between them, butâŠâ
You pulled back, your mouth half agape. âRobb?â
The whole room erupted into chaos.
âWylla!â
âHave they even spoken to each other before?â
âI have never ever seen them exchange words in any wedding or feast.â
âYeah, Benton says the same. She was admiring him from afar, pushed her father to make an offer of betrothal, butâŠâ
Well, if that was the pleasant girl, at least now you knew she was no real threat to your position or your heart.
âA lot of fathers madeââ Barbrey started but Alys elbowed her, stealing a look at Jorelle whose calm face was impossible to read as usual. Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
âIâll say it if you wonât. Everyoneâs fathers made proposals.â
âLyra, donât say that!â
âWhat, like she doesnât know?â
âI do know,â you assured them. âAnd I donât mind at all. If Robb held a grudge over everyone who made a proposal to wed me, our marriage would be cold until weâre old and gray. Thatâs simply how such arrangements work, it makes sense that families made proposals, I could never hold grudges over that.â
At least that was what Lady Olenna would want you to say.
Untroubled and amused.
Thatâs what you had to appear when it came to possible former betrothals; untroubled and amused.
Even though what you felt was the complete opposite of that.
âAnd I donât want any of you to guard your tongues around me,â you added in a haste, as if you yourself hadnât been trained to guard your tongue around people since you could speak. âNot when itâs just us, at least.â
No one back in the south would believe or entertain such thought. In fact, if you and Margaery were ever told what you had just said, you both wouldâve taken it as an insult to be seen so naĂŻve, but this was the north.
And you could not seem resentful or insecure.
âNow,â you said and grabbed an apple to bite it as well. âTell me more about this person. I have been suffering from lack of gossip ever since I came here, and Iâd like to catch up.â
By dinner time, you had learned everything there was to learn about House Tallhart and their daughters, and thankfully, nothing seemed alarming.
But that didnât mean you werenât angry at Robb.
And although Lady Olenna wouldâve advised you otherwise, you were going to make sure he knew exactly how you felt.
Lord Stark had made it much easier, albeit not on purpose. He had kept Robb with him the whole day for meetings and petitions, and you had managed to excuse yourself to your own bedchambers right after dinner before he could come back. A week away from home must have meant Lord Stark had much to catch up on, because it was nearly midnight by the time you heard Robbâs heavy gait pass your door. You raised your brows, keeping your attention on your book in your lap when the door to his bedchambers opened, then closed after a couple of complete silence. His footsteps approached your door before he opened it and peeked his head in.
âWhat are you doing here?â
You flipped the page without pulling your gaze off the book. âReading.â
âHere?â
âSeems that way.â
âButâŠâ He stepped inside. âBut Iâm back.â
âHasnât escaped me.â
âThen why are you here?â
âItâs my bedchambers,â you replied. âWhy are you here?â
âI couldnât find you inâare you still angry at me?â
âNo,â you lied through your teeth. âI simply decided to sleep here tonight.â
Judging by the look on his face, you might as well have announced you meant to annul your marriage: âYouâre not sleeping here tonight.â
âI am,â you said, pretending to be engrossed in your book though you barely had any idea what you were reading. âAnd you can sleep in your own bedchambers and think about Ser Tallhartâs daughter all you want.â
âWhat?â His eyes widened. âI told you, I only said that forââ
âI care not.â You pointed at the door, your gaze fixed on the page. âLeave me be.â
He lingered there for a moment as if he was trying to find the best approach, then took a step towards the bed.
âMy sweet wifeââ he started, but stopped dead on his tracks when you lifted your head to glare daggers at him. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.
âI was trying to encourage Jon.â
âI heard you the first time,â you said and closed to book to give him a snake like smile. âNow that youâre here though, what exactly is so different between southern and northern girls? Since you are an expert, you should have no issues enlightening me?â
âThatâsââ He pointed back at the door like Jon was standing outside, stumbling over his words. âI simply said, if Jon didnât find any southern girls to his liking, northern girls might be uhâdifferent?â The last word came out like an uncertain question. âIn terms of his uh, hisâŠaffections.â
You raised your brows, still glaring at him.
âI swear it was for Jon only.â
âWonderful,â you deadpanned. âYou may leave now. Have pleasant dreams.â
A ghost of a smile twitched the corner of his mouth. âI canât believe youâre jealouââ
âRobb if you finish that sentence, I will make you suffer in a very southern way, and then youâll know the actual difference between northern and southern girls,â you growled, and he held up his hands, biting back his smile.
âBe angry at me if you wish,â he said, stepping closer to the bed, âbut weâre not sleeping in different beds.â
âIâm not coming there, and youâre not welcomed here.â
âOh you are coming there,â he said and before you could so much as blink, he had thrown you over his shoulder, a surprised shriek spilling from your lips.
âPut me down this instant!â you exclaimed, your voice going high-pitched while he made his way to the door. You pressed your palms on his shoulder to throw him off his balance and wiggle out of his grip, but much to your frustration, it didnât work. âHow dare you? This is actual disrespect, youââ
âYou left me no other choice,â he stated, stepping out of your bedchambers into the hallway. âWhose fault is it? Not mine.â
âPut me down!â
He turned, but stopped in an instant, and though you hoped it was because he decided to listen to you, the real reason turned out to be very different. He shifted his weight and let out a curt cough like he was trying to regain his composure.
âFather.â
Oh Gods.
Oh Gods no.
Lord Stark could not see you like this, absolutely not.
ââŠRobb.â
Alright then, Lord Stark was indeed seeing you like this.
You shut your eyes tight, half hoping it would make both of you disappear from Lord Starkâs vision, scrunching up your face.
âGood evening, Lord Stark,â you squealed out, the angle Robb was holding you in preventing you from seeing your father-in-law, perhaps by mercy.
âMy wife and I were justâŠâ Robb started, but even you could tell he had no idea where the sentence would go. âWe were uh, going to sleep.â
Well, Robb was a terrible liar, so at least you could find some solace in that for the future of your marriage, especially now that you were going to have to spend the rest of the said marriage not being able to look at his father in the eye. A silence fell upon the hallway before Lord Stark heaved a sigh as if he had the realmâs weight on his shoulders, and even though you couldnât see his face, you could picture the exasperation on his face.
âI saw nothing,â he ended up saying. âI saw nothing, and I am walking away before I see anything.â
You heard Lord Stark go past him and you watched him walk to the other end of the hallway without sparing a glance back. A whine climbed your throat and you slumped over his shoulder, hiding your face in your hands until Robb entered hisâyourâbedchambers and dropped you on the bed. You grabbed the nearest pillow to throw at him, your cheeks burning.
âI wonât be able to look at your father anymore, Robb!â
âHe doesnât mind.â
âHeâthatââ you stammered, gesturing at the door. âHe saw!â
âAye, and he doesnât mind,â Robb said, catching the other pillow in the air. âTo repeat, you gave me no other choice!â
You gritted your teeth and turned to Grey Wind who was watching you both from beside the fireplace.
âGrey Wind, up,â you commanded and he leaped on the bed, making Robb frown.
âWhat are you doing?â
âHe will sleep between us.â
âNo he wonât.â
âYes he will,â you said and pulled the fur covers on top of you, the direwolf curling up next to you. âYou can sleep on your side, or you can sleep somewhere else dreaming of Ser Tallhartâs pleasant daughter, your choice.â
âThatâs a vile accusation and a terrible insultâGrey Wind, down.â
âGrey Wind, stay,â you shot back and Grey Wind let out a huff, looked between you and Robb, then yawned and nudged your arm with his snout. âSee? Heâs staying.â
Robb threw his head back with a groan while you pulled your pillow to yourself.
âLambâŠâ
âIâm too sleepy to argue.â
âThen just listen?â
âI shall not,â you said, closing your eyes. âGoodnight.â
âButâŠâ
âGoodnight, I said.â
 Robb exhaled through his nose impatiently and moved about in the room, his heavy steps enough of a clue to what he was doing. Despite trying to control yourself, you still ended up opening an eye to watch him take off his shirt, but you shut your eyes again before he could see you gawking at him. He got under the furs, and after a couple of seconds you dared steal a peek again to find him half naked, his arm thrown over his eyes to block the candlelight, oblivious to the way your gaze followed down his chiseled body while you bit at your lip.
Oh well.
Just because you were angry at him didnât mean you couldnât enjoy the sight.
Is Robb ever just going to break down and be like "omg stop it! I love you, you don't have to be perfect" because he's stressed and overwhelmed and Blossom is just sitting there like nothing is wrong?
If Blossom refuses to acknowledge any issue that they have, I think it would definitely lead to that darlingđ
In the war arc, however, they'll see each other at their worst, and I think Blossom trying to "act perfect" would bother Robb much more than it would've back in Winterfell in peace time đ