The Honorable Stag | Robb Stark

16. A Battle of Stags

Robb/King's Landing
He lied awake watching the curtains blow in the wind.

His uncle would be there any moment and he would leave to fight on the shores of his home. He had no wish to become a kinslayer, but Stannis had given no choice, if he must Robb would kill him himself.

" You are scared." Margaery said lying on his chest with her eyes closed.

" And how do you know that?" he asked smiling.

" Your heart is pounding out of your chest. It is alright to be scared. It means you won't do anything reckless because you think you are invincible." she said sitting up to look into his eyes. Robb pulled her into a long, warm kiss. He didn't know if he would come back to see her again so he savored every moment he could.

" Lie down." Robb said as she quickly laid down on her back. He moved so his head was closer to her stomach so his child could hear him.

" Hello, my son or daughter. I am very impatient to meet you and I know that you will the most beautiful babe in the entire world, because you'll look just like your mother." he said smiling. " I have to leave soon, so I wanted you to know that I love you very much and I will be waiting for you when you get here because I will never leave you alone in this world."

He kissed his wife's stomach and the sat up to see tears streaming down her face. He hated leaving her, but if he didn't then the city would fall and that he could not allow.

" Come back to me. Live through this battle." Margaery begged running her hand through the side of his hair.

" I promise." he said kissing her one last time as the bells rang. " Get dressed, sweetheart."

She flipped the covers off of her hand walked over her wardrobe and picked out a simple blue gown to put on. Once she had slipped into it, Robb climbed out of bed and stood behind her lacing the ties but not as tight as usual.

He then made his way to the door to open it. Outside the door he found Ser Arys, Ser Barristan, and his uncle's squire whom had been sent to dress him since his own squire, Martyn was fighting with his father, Lord Kevan, in the Riverlands.

" Podrick, is it?" he asked.

" Yes, Your Grace." the boy said nervously.

" You can come inside now that the Queen is dressed." Robb said as his wife passed him to walk out into the hallway.

" Margaery, wait. Arys, I want Ser Balon guarding the Queen while you and Barristan are with me. Tell him that his not to leave her side even for a moment. Would you escort her and see to it that he is informed?" Robb commanded.

" Of course, Your Grace." the knight said walking behind Margaery as she left.

He and Podrick entered the room to start dressing him for battle. The boy made quick work of it never speaking as he did so.

" Was my uncle already dressed when he sent you?" Robb asked as the squire was tightening the last strap on his breastplate.

" Yes, Your Grace." Podrick replied as strapped his sword around his waste.

Robb loved using a sword but he thought it would be a greater show of strength to use his hammer that his father had gifted him on the morning of his wedding. He regretted so much that he was not by his father side when he died. If he was, maybe none of this would be happening. 

" There is a hammer in the corner over there. Bring it to me." he said.

The boy immediately obeyed and handed the heavy weapon to him.