Game of Thrones - One Shots/Imagines: Part Two (Completed)

Young!Robert Baratheon/ Young!Barristan Selmy X Stark!Reader - Don't Start Now

A/N - This imagine is based on the song 'Don't Start Now' by Dua Lipa. I especially love the lyric: "Though it took some time to survive you; I'm better on the other-side," and decided to make a whole chapter out of it. I hope you all enjoy it.

You had always found men intriguing. It seemed as though their brains were wired differently to how women's minds were. You'd first noticed the difference when you had met Robert for the first time. He was your brother's best friend and your sister's betrothed, and yet he had spent much of his first trip to Winterfell flirting with you. Perhaps, if you hadn't been so naive you would have realised how horrid it was that he was attempting to court you. But you were young, and giddy at the idea of a man paying you so much attention.

In all honesty, the flirting had started out pretty innocently. A compliment here or there, and lingering touch when no one else was looking. But soon enough, it became more, and when he had kissed you for the first time you had been utterly lost to him. The kisses had continued, only growing more and more passionate as you became closer. The intimacy of it all was overwhelming, and you allowed him to keep leading you astray. 

By now, you couldn't help but notice the issues with your relationship. He was to marry Lyanna, not you, and you knew that it was wrong to allow yourself to keep spending time with him, but it was like you couldn't help yourself. And truthfully? You didn't want to stop. It was no longer just about being wanted, you were completely and utterly in love with Robert, and with every kiss he drew you in even further.

Eventually, kissing wasn't enough for either of you. You craved more of him. Longed to be as intimate as you physically could be. And for a while, Robert had turned you away. Your brothers would be angry enough if they had found out about your secret relationship, without him having taken your maidenhood. But you told him that you loved him, and that you trusted him, and suddenly you were sharing your bed most nights.

Gods, it had been so stupid. You were an unmarried woman, and a Lady no-less, and you had risked getting pregnancy out of wedlock because you were so convinced of your love for a man you had hardly known. Looking back, you could still say that it was probably one of the worst decisions you had ever made.

Robert had only stayed in Winterfell for a month or so after you had first slept together. He hadn't even told you of his plans to return to Storm's End when he had begun packing for the journey. To say that you had been hurt would be an understatement. You wanted to scream and yell and throw things. You wanted to show him your anger in a blaze of pure fury. You wanted to scare him and show him exactly what it was that made you a wolf. But instead, you'd just broken down into tears, sobbing as he watched you, standing on opposite sides of his chambers, as far from one another as you could get.

"This will have to be goodbye," he had told you, as though it was the most simple thing he had ever had to say. As if he wasn't tearing your heart into shreds and leaving you broken. 

You could barely breath, your words catching in your throat as you stared at him in disbelief. "But I love you," you had finally uttered, nose snotty and eyes streaming. 

"Don't be naive, Y/N. This isn't love," he'd started again, and in that moment your heart had shattered in your chest and you hand allowed your legs to give out from underneath you. 

You had stayed like that for a long time, the sounds of your crying filling the room as Robert continued to pack away his things, moving around you with ease. 

After Robert had left you had quickly plastered your old smile back onto your lips, attempting to convince yourself that you were okay, even though your brain was still reeling. It would be important that your family never found out about your relationship with him. There was no way that it would come as good news, not now, and you couldn't stand the idea of them looking at you like some broken thing.