Winter In My Heart | ROBB STARK.

LXIII. God of Death

"You've grazed your hands," she tutted, sliding her cool fingers over the minute scrapes that littered the child's palms. "Not to worry, they'll be gone by the time you marry."

Daenerys grinned at her own joke, and then at the response with which Aifric had given her. Sticking her tongue out in distaste, the youngest Stark prodigy scrunched her nose and let out a profound 'ick' noise from the back of her throat.

"Are you the Dragon lady?" Aifric prompted suddenly, her nerves seeming to dissipate once she recognised Daenerys wasn't an immediate threat to her.

"Amongst other things, yes," she breathed a chuckle, ignoring the cramps developing in her thighs from crouching for too long.

"Can I ride a dragon too?" She beamed with excitement, and against her better judgement, Daenerys decided to feed into her childlike whims before a day came that she wouldn't boldly ask such questions.

"When you're as tall as I am, yes," the Targaryen Queen assured, tucking a stray lock of her fiery hair behind her ear. It had been a long time since Daenerys had even looked a child in the eye, perhaps it was something she had actively avoided. The pain of losing her own babe, and the promise she'd never hold another, was enough to ward her away from feeding into the need she had to birth a babe. A babe with her blonde locks and blue eyes, with a fiery temper but a heart of gold.

"Aifric!" The unmistakable voice of Robb Stark cried out, the owner himself breathing a sigh of relief upon coming into view of the two. He hurried towards the girl, checking over her quickly to ensure she was alright before meeting Daenerys watchful eye.

The blonde wondered if she had a babe with Jon if he would act the same way, doting and caring. Something she herself never had.

"She had a little fall, but she's alright," she reassured, straightening to stand in sync with him as he gathered his daughter in arm. He was pleased to see that whatever conversation, however small it was, had erased the troubled expression that was etched on Aifric's features only minutes before.

"Thank you," Robb nodded sincerely, turning on his heel to return to the rest of their family. Daenerys' chest clenched when the little girl, who had stolen her heart in a matter of seconds, waved innocently at her over her father's shoulders.

❄️

"Mother?" Aifric whispered to her parent while they supped at their last feast that evening, eyebrows furrowed as she mindlessly pushed the food around on the plate. Neither of the twins were eating much that night, something that concerned their parents greatly.

"Yes, love?" She answered quickly, feeling rather full herself even though she had only swallowed two bites of the deer meat. No doubt tonight would be restless, her mind unable to think of anything other than her babes and their sour mood.

"Do you hate us?" She questioned, causing her mother's fork to clatter against the side of her plate in shock. Fianna slowly turned to look at her daughter with widened eyes, horrified that she would ever come to such a conclusion.

"No, never could I ever hate you," she denied, sliding her chair back to be able to turn to Aifric fully. "Why would you possibly think that?"

"Eddie said if you loved us, you wouldn't leave us all the time," she confessed quietly, eyes watering to Fianna's horror.

"I'm only leaving for a short while so I can keep you safe," Fianna reassured desperately, placing her hand on Aifric's knee.