Whisperess of Dragons•Jon Snow

Daenyra ix

"Are you well?"
"It's my...grandmother. She is sick.
"Oh."
"And she will die. soon likely...because she can't handle another war."
Robb looked guilty.
"It isn't your fault, Robb. It wasn't unexpected that a war would happen after a rebellion and the creation of a new dynasty. It's like when the conqueror died. The realm is unstable."

They sat in silence for a long time.
He was building up the courage to ask the question that had been on his mind.
"Why don't you want me?"
"What?"
He repeated his question.
"I..." she started.

She thought for a bit.
"Do you want me to be honest?"
"yes."
"To me, you are a child, and I know it doesn't make sense because I am only two years older. And then there is your father."
"My father?" he asked.
"He ruined my life. He killed my father. I hate him. No matter how much I think about what he had to go through or why he did what he did, I still hate him. I do respect him now that we had a few conversations, but I still hate him."

Robb was silent, processing.
"I want you. I want to go back and change it all. I want you to be happy."
"You don't want me, Robb. The only reason you think that is because I am your wife and you haven't been in love."
"I have been in love. I love you."
"What?"
"I do."
He took her hand.
"I am a man now, not the boy you met. I know that you have been in love with ... Jon and I know you grew up differently than I did and have different expectations, but I will live up to them. I will show you that I can be the husband you deserve."

"You are not a man yet. But you will be soon. If you do love me, you won't get mad when I tell you the truth."
"I won't."
"Your father is dead. and if you don't want to die as well, you will have to side with either Stannis or Renly. Stannis should be king by law, but Renly has the numbers."

She stood up, and the knight was already outside.
"But for what it's worth, I will love you, Robb. Maybe I don't know, but I will."
She looked at him for a bit and kissed him on the cheek.
"I will see you at the council meeting."

She turned and left their tent to leave him to his thoughts.

Aeron and Daenyra were the first ones to arrive.
Soon everyone started to enter the tent.

"Is this everyone?" asked Robb.
"It is yes," answered Aeron in his usual cold voice.
She looked at him worriedly. He had just started to open up.
"The scouts report Lord Tywin moving north. We need to get him on broken ground and put his knights at a disadvantage." Rodrik Cassel began.
"No, we need to get around him and break Jaime Lannister's siege of Riverrun," replied Greatjon Umber.
"Do that, and the river lords will join us," he concluded.
"To do either, we need to cross the river, and the only crossing is at the twins."
"Lord Frey controls that bridge. Your father's bannerman." Theon said this to Catelyn Stark.
"'The late Lord Frey' my father calls him," she stated.

Daenyras purple eyes searched Aerons red eyes.
They would be laughing about this later.

"At the trident, he didn't appear until the battle was done. Some men take their oaths more seriously than others."

"robbs right. We need that bridge." Theon said.
"So what's it going to be?" asked Jon Umber.
"Do we move against Jaime or Tywin?"
"Jaime," both Aeron and Daenyra said.
Before anyone could answer, two guards dragged in a man.

"Your pardon, my lords. We've captured a Lannister scout."
then flipped a piece of the map over their plans so the Lannister scout couldn't see it.
"Don't worry, lad. He won't be leaving this tent with his head," reassured Greatjon.

Daenyra noticed Aeron's hand move to his sword.
He saw danger everywhere.

"Where did you find him?" Robb asked.
"In the bushes above the encampment," said one of the guards.
"He looked to be counting," he added.

Robb moved from his place and walked to the man.
walk of a lord. a walk that was meant to be threatening.

"How high did you get?" he asked the Lannister scout as he faced him.
"20,000. Maybe more."
"You don't have to do this yourself. Your father would understand." Rodrik Cassel began but was cut off.
"My father would understand mercy when there was a reason for it," Robb said.
"And he understands honor."
Rodrik gave him a proud nod.

Robb turned to the man.
"and courage."
"Let him go," Robb said finally.
Everyone had a shocked face, but two.

He had seen this in his flames, Daenyra realized.
And as for Daenyra, she knew Robb would be just, and the man had done nothing wrong. His only fault was being born in the Westerlands.

"Robb." Lady Stark objected immediately.
Only looks were shared, and she didn't say anything else.

Robb turned to the man once more.
He leaned to whisper in the man's ear.
"Tell Lord Tywin that winter is coming for him. 20,000 northerners marching south to find out if he really does shit gold."
"Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord."

Robb nodded his head to the guards, and they took him out.
She could see the anger rise in Greatjon Umber.
He moved to leave the tent but turned back around to face Robb.
"Are you touched, boy? letting him go?" he asked angrily.
"You call me a boy again."

The Greatjon moved closer to Robb, wanting to say something.
Before he could, Robb said, "Go on.".
The older man leaned back, looked around the tent, and left.

The meeting was soon over.

Robb retired to their shared tent.
Daenyra went to Aerons.

"Winter won't come for Lord Tywin."
"I know. I will," she replied.
He smiled, a knowing glint in his red eyes.

"Summer will come for Lord Stark."
"yes." He replied.
"Northernes don't fare well in the South, it is known." Aeron added.

A messenger entered the tent along with a guard.
"My lady, my lord I am sorry to disturb you at this time, but his man said he had an urgent letter for you.
"It is alright, thank you. You can go."

The messenger handed her the letter and left the tent without saying a word.

She read the letter, and her world was crushed.
"Visery is dead."

Aeron didn't look shocked.

"We have to make new plans," she said.
"indeed."
"This does complicate things."
"It doesn't matter. We will make sure Daenerys ascends the throne," he said.
"As peacefully as we can."

They sat in silence for a while, a comforting silence.
It grew late, so she put down the cup she had been holding.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah," he replied in a quiet voice.

She stared at him for a long moment and then moved to kiss his cheek.
She lingered at his temple for a bit before leaving his tent.

Robb was already sleeping when she entered the tent.

She changed her clothes and lay next to him.
He looked peaceful.
He soon wouldn't be.

She dreamt once more.

Lord stark on his knees, surrounded by many people.
Joffrey Baratheon said something she couldn't understand.
Ser Ilyn lifted a sword.
Ice.
and Lord Strong was no more.

When she awoke, the sun was still down.

She got up from the bed and sat at the table.
Ser Knight followed her and lay on the floor next to her.

Daenyra poured herself some wine, looked at Robb, and waited.
She stared and waited until the sun rose.

He woke up, but she still sat in a daze.
He was worried, but he was a lord waging war now, so he had to leave.

Aeron joined her some time later, and together they waited.
waited for the letter.

A guard came and delivered her the news she'd been waiting for.
She had waited for this moment ever since ice met her own father's head.

Lord Stark was dead.

And while everyone was crying, mad with grief, she felt like cheering.