The Wolf and The Doe || Robb Stark || Game of Thrones

~ ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔥𝔦𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫 ~

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Robb was standing in front of the wooden door leading to his chambers and sighed. He had no idea if he should knock or just come inside. Grey Wind was next to him and he was squealing sadly with his eyes filled with worry. He was pushing his master's hand towards the door but Robb hesitated.
He was cursing himself in his mind that he lacked the courage to push the door and face whatever was behind them. He was a man, a husband and Lord of Winterfell. He should have no fear in him. He took a deep breath and opened the door.
Sofya was sitting on their bed. Her brown hair was loose and her dress was only half-worn like she was in the middle of undressing herself but finally decided otherwise.
"My Lady...", Robb started softly and she turned around to face him. He made wide eyes at the sight and took a step back.
She's never looked like this before, he wasn't even sure if she was still human. Her cheeks were swollen, red and wet and her eyes were the same. Her hair was a one big mess and her face reminded him of a mythical water demon his septa had been always telling him stories about when he was a child.
Yet he still considered her to be beautiful.
Grey Wind jumped on the bed and started to nudge the lady with his nose, trying to cheer her up. She didn't even pay the attention to the direwolf which was unusual.
"Just thought you may want someone to be with you... But I can leave", Robb whispered.
"Stay", she shrugged her arms, "Please", she added quietly.
"Of course", Robb closed the door after himself.
"I know you are mourning as well. I'm sorry for trying to deny the truth. Lannisters are pure evil", she tried to catch her breath, "We must do everything to help your father. Let me write to Stannis and Renly"
"Sofya, calm down. I can handle that, don't you worry about it at the moment, Take your time", Robb caressed her head gently and lifted her chin up, "He was more like a father to you than a brother, wasn't he?"
Sofya nodded her head and closed her eyes taking a deep breath.
"When I was a little child he was sitting me on his lap on The Iron Throne. He was whispering to my ear how the whole Kingdom loved me. He was teaching me about the wars and the weapons, he knew it was not ladylike but he insisted. He was always reminding me that I am a Baratheon whose brother started and won the rebellion against The Targaryens so it would be a shame for me not to know anything about protecting myself. He was always trying to provide me the best. The best dresses imported from Essos, the best jewelry from the Palace's crypts, the best servants trained since childhood to serve me... The best husband probably", she opened her eyes and looked at Robb, "I doubt that there was anyone better for me in his eyes. He died before I could write to him that I actually don't hate him for forcing me to marry you"
"He was aware of your love, my dear. You were his little Doe, I've seen you two", Robb assured.
"Exactly", she sobbed again, "Whose little Doe will I be now?", she hid her face in her hands.
"Don't be a doe anymore. It's time for you to be a stag"
"I thought you would say to be a wolf", she admitted looking at her husband again.
"You can be both", he sat next to her, "My mother's a Tully as much as a Stark. She took the best of the two houses and combined them together"
"I'm not like your mother, Stark. I'm a weak, pathetic spoiled Princess, that's all I am. It is a miracle that I am actually handling Winterfell quite well"
"I have to disagree, My Lady", Robb put a gentle kiss to her cheek which made her blush.
"You shouldn't see me in such state, I look terrible"
"I am your husband. For better and for worse. From the day of our wedding, until the end of my days", Robb reminded her.
"My Lord", Maester Luwin knocked lightly on the door before entering, "Oh, excuse me, My Lady", he turned around quickly.
"It's alright, Maester, come in", Sofya mumbled fixing her dress.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, it's not the best time, I am aware. But more letters are coming, there is one for the Lord. From Lady Sansa"
Robb nodded his head and kissed Sofya's forehead before leaving with Maester.
"I'll be back soon. If it's anything important I'll let you know. Please, rest, My Lady. Grey Wind will stay with you to keep you company"
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Benygne took a good care of her Lady - she brushed her hair, bathed her and made her a herb tea that helped her to fall asleep. Grey Wind stayed by Sofya's side until Robb joined her later that night. She was sleeping peacefully so he didn't wake her up but he held her close and fell asleep caressing her head like she was a child. He couldn't imagine the day one of his brothers or father would die. He couldn't imagine what she had to be going through.
In the morning he was the first one to open his eyes but she followed him quickly and so they laid together in their bed without any word. They were just staring at each other trying to find the best ones to say out loud.
"So... What was in Sansa's letter?", Sofya asked finally. She couldn't wait to hear the news.
"It was a letter written by my sister's hand but the words were The Queen's. Something about our father's treason"
"I'm sorry to hear that"
"Your beloved nephew, Joffrey, is The King now. And I am summoned to King's Landing to swear fealty to him", Robb sighed.
"He's being manipulated by his mother, Robb. We will go, right?"
"What do you mean?", he made wide eyes at her.
"We'll visit King's Landing. You'll swear fealty to Joffrey and we will try to find the way to help your father. Sounds like a good idea"
"Sofya, no. I'm calling the banners", Robb informed his wife.
"What?", she sat up on the bed and opened her mouth a little.
"I will visit King's Landing indeed. But not alone. I will never kneel in front of Joffrey. Not after what they've done to my father"
"You're starting the war, Robb", she hissed, "Are you sure about that?!"
"No", he admitted, "But that's the only thing I can do"
"No, it's not. I've told you what we should do..."
"I'd be a coward going there and kneeling in front of him", Robb tried not to sound irritated. He was aware that she was going through a difficult time but at the same time he was angry at her for still defending Lannisters, "Also, there was a letter from your previous servant, Myrtle. I brought it here", he pointed at the sheet of paper on Sofya's dressing table.
She opened it immediately. It was a simple greeting from King's Landing from Myrtle and Lady Sansa Stark. Which was a secret code for deep trouble.
"Robb, I don't want you to go. I'm scared you might not come back", she admitted turning around to face her husband, "I've been raised around Lannisters and I would never try to fight them. I just know what they're capable of"
"And what are they capable of?", Robb asked, "You didn't want to believe my mother when she said that Bran might have been thrown out of the tower. But now, when your family is getting affected, you're suddenly changing your mind"
"I was never defending them, I've been saying that we are lacking the proofs. But I can see that we are getting more and more with time, I am not pretending to be blind. I still don't think it's a good idea for you to march to the South with an army. I'm sorry that I don't want to be a widow just few months after my wedding day", she said which caused him close his mouth, "I've just lost my brother. Am I about to lose a husband now?"
"There's a difference between me and Robert. You loved him"
"And... where's the difference?", she dared to ask.
It took them both a while before they finally realized what she's just said.
"Did you just...?", Robb started.
"I don't know, let's forget about it"
"I don't want to forget about it", he admitted.
"Robb, please don't go. Stay at Winterfell with me", she approached him as Grey Wind stood up and followed her. His tail was waving like crazy out of happiness to see his master and lady getting along better than usual.
"I have to go and I have to fight so I can come back and spend the rest of my life at home in peace surrounded by my family. Don't worry, I'll come back. I have unfinished business here", he smiled before leaning in and kissing her softly. Sofya closed her eyes and let him make her forget about the recent events that were causing her nothing but pain.
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Winterfell was slowly getting crowdy with all the bannermen that had answered Robb's call. Every day was a busy day for Lord and Lady of Winterfell - they had to greet the guests and spend time with them, at least one conversation per lord. At the same time Robb had to prepare an army and Sofya was taking care of the food supplies and her brothers-in-law.
"What's going on with all these men?", Rickon was holding her hand all of the time as he was scared of the sudden changes around Winterfell.
"They're friends. All the lords from The North. Robb invited them here", she explained with a smile.
"What for?"
"To bring your father, mother and sisters back home and show evil people that they can't mess with your family"
"You mean our family?", Rickon asked.
"Yes, our family", Sofya smiled at him. He was still too young to understand that somehow her family was "evil people" she's told him about.
She's been slowly getting adjusted to the idea of Robb going South and was trying to be supportive even if she didn't want him to leave her side. Not now, when she's just realized how fond she actually was of him. They didn't even have time for themelves these days so they couldn't really enjoy their new discovery about them liking each other.
Some part of her, though, really wanted to see Cersei's face seeing Robb breaking into the King's Landing and showing The Queen where her place was. She thought she got rid of Sofya, that she sent her as far away as possible and left her there to die surrounded by the wolves. Cersei would never expect Sofya to actually get along with the pack. She had to be surprised already that her letters were not getting replies from Lady Stark.
Sofya got the letter from her brother Stannis in which he informed her that there was a possibility of their brother being murdered by The Lannisters. She wasn't surprised anymore. The first thing she did was visiting Winterfell's smith.
"Melt the handle and change it into a golden stag with a crown on its head", she ordered handing him the dagger she got from Joffrey.
"O-of course, My Lady", he nodded his head almost scared to touch the expensive dagger in her hands.
"Be careful with it, it's Valyrian steel", she told him.
It felt weird, almost like ruining the precious thing. But the truth was that she was only changing its shape. Yes, it belonged to Joanna Lannister. But it also had belonged to many other people before her. Now it was Sofya's.
It reminded her that she forgot to sew the crown around the stag's head on her dress. She fixed it quickly and the gown was truly ready.
She decided to wear it for the final day when all the bannermen were finally in Winterfell and they all gathered during the feast. She was sitting proudly next to Robb with Grey Wind between them under the table. Bran and Theon were there too, near them, to keep them company.
Some of the lords were condoling her but most of them were looking at her with a grain of salt. She was not like their women, especially in that dress. But it wasn't her first encounter with obnoxious Northern men like that so she wasn't worried about it.
"For 30 years I've been making corpses out of men, boy", Greatjon Umber was having a discussion with Robb, "I'm the man you want leading the Vanguard", he insisted.
"Galbart Glover will lead the Van", Robb said calmly.
"The bloody Wall will melt before an Umber marches behind a Glover!", he yelled and some men turned their heads to watch the scene, "I will lead the Van or I will take my men and march them home", he threatened.
Sofya rolled her eyes. Northern Men were so stubborn and primitive. They would yell and start fights where Southern Men would deal with conflicts by spying, cunning and bribing. Despite Northern Lords scaring Sofya a little, she had to admit she prefered their ways more.
But Robb didn't like it at all. He made a serious face and gave Lord Umber a deadly look.
"You are welcome to do so, Lord Umber", he stated clenching his jaw before standing up, "And when I am done with the Lannisters, I will march back North, root you out of your Keep and hang you for an oathbreaker"
People around them went silent and watched the scene with wide eyes. Sofya stiffened a little. It was always weird to see Robb being so harsh to people because it was a side of him she's never experienced. Even in their early days which were full of fighting and being rude to each other, he's never had such contempt in his voice and he's never looked so scary.
"Oathbreaker, is it?!", Greatjon yelled while standing up as well. He threw some plates off the table while doing so. Sofya's heart started beating faster. Angry men, especially drunk, were terrifying for every lady.
Other lords stood up as well but she wasn't sure if they found Robb's words insultive as well or were they about to stop Greatjon's rage.
"I'll not sit here and swallow insults from a boy so green he pisses grass. How dare you to call me an Oathbreaker while having Joffrey's aunt by your side as your Lady Wife?!", he asked with fury in his voice while reaching for his sword.
Sofya's heart stopped in her chest and she felt like everyone in the room was staring at her. It didn't last for long because Grey Wind rushed towards Lord Umber and attacked him in defense of his master. He bit off two of his fingers and all the people were more focused on that. Robb was watching the scene with no emotion on his face. But Sofya's cheeks were burning out of embarrassment.
Lords of The North did not trust her, did not like her and did not respect her. How was she supposed to be Lady of Winterfell one day? Especially when the day was about to come - Robb was leaving any day soon and his mother was still not back.
"My Lord father taught me it was death to bare steel against your Liege Lord", Robb finally broke the silence, "But doubtless the Greatjon only meant to cut my meat for me"
Lord Umber kicked his chair out of pain and anger.
"Your meat...", he started as the tension in the room started to be unbearable, "...is bloody tough", he finished and started laughing.
All the lords followed him, including Robb. They were laughing maniacally like nothing happened and that was too much for Sofya. She stood up and left the chamber quietly. Nobody paid attention to her anyway.
She went outside and leaned on the wall, letting cool air hit her face gently, making the redness of her cheeks fade away slowly.
She was wearing the wolf on the right side of her chest, her husband's direwolf was treating her like his lady, she was actually praying more to the Old Gods of The Forest than to her own, she learnt how to live in Winterfell and not to complain about it, she was even handling ruling the castle pretty well. Her surname was Stark and she was supposed to be a mother of the future Lord of Winterfell. It didn't change anything. It was exactly like Theon told her the other day. They would never treat her as one of them, no matter how many times she was going to prove them that she was their kin.
"My Lady", Robb's worried voice brought her back to reality. She turned her head around, "Was it too violent for you?", he asked and she snorted. Did he really think that she left because of two fingers laying on the floor?
"Didn't your Lord Father teach you that disrespeting your Lady Wife should not be forgiven so easily?", she asked.
"Not so easily. He lost two of his fingers", Robb chuckled.
"Because of Grey Wind, not you"
"Sofya... If I go back there and fight him for one stupid comment he made in anger, I could forget about an army and marching South", he tried to explain calmly.
"I understand. It's more important than my honour", she nodded her head ironically.
"What are you talking about... He didn't say anything about you that wasn't true. Just mentioned you being Joffrey's aunt which is, unfortunately, true. He was insulting me in general, not you"
"Me being your Lady Wife is an insult?", Sofya furrowed her brows.
"Sofya... Why do you have to complicate this?", Robb sighed holding her hands, "Please, come back and give them your beautiful smiles instead of leaving the feast insulted, and maybe they will like you more"
"You know nothing of women and you don't even understand how wrong you are by saying that", she sighed as well, "But alright, let's go back in. It's not the right time for us to fight about it", she smiled at her husband and intended to keep the smile for the rest of the feast.
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