The Stag and The Frog - (GendryxMeera GOT fanfic) Part 1: Alone

30: Crossroads

"I'm already married," Tyrek revealed. "I've been married for years. And my wife Lady Ermesande is very cute. But she is a toddler. I was married to her to ensure her lands for house Lannister when she was just an infant, as her parents had both perished."

Robin looked in shocked at Tyrek upon hearing his. Maybe he still believed that marriage was an arrangement out of love. It wasn't, not in this world. Not if you were a lord or a lady. The barmaid might be allowed to marry her baker just because she loved him but no one sitting by that table would be allowed to do the same. The cat not included. Cats can't marry.

But soon they would all be married. Not because of love but because of duty. Because the world would require them to grow up and become wives and husbands. But duty doesn't have to be the death of love, and love doesn't have to be the death of duty.

"My uncle Tyrion is trying to get my marriage annulled though. Since I'm now Lord Lannister and need to produce heirs," Tyrek continued. "Since the marriage obviously wasn't consummated that should be possible and I will be able to marry someone else instead."

"But what will happen to your current wife then?" Meera asked.

"I'll probably keep her as a ward at the castle still. She's a sweet child, Lady Ermesande. Just not a suitable wife," Tyrek replied.

"Paxter Redwyne wants me to marry his daughter Desmera, he asked me when we were in the capital," Robin suddenly piped up. "And I don't know... I've never met her. But Lord Redwyne is worried about what the new king will do with the Reach, there are rumors Highgarden has been promised to someone else. And Lord Redwyne wants to ensure that I'm loyal to him if that happens."

"Lady Desmera is a sweet girl," Tyrek said. "I've met her. She's shy but very beautiful. Red hair and freckles. I'll have her if you won't."

"Red hair...sounds like my cousin Sansa," Robin replied. "I probably should marry Lady Desmera. I'm just... not ready I guess. To be someone's husband. To do everything a married man needs to do. To have children of my own."

"Neither am I," Tyrek replied. "I still am. No one in this kingdom gets to wait until they're ready."

"You're married to a toddler, Lord Lannister... it's not like you have to perform the duties of a husband," Meera interjected.

"It would be a good alliance for my kingdom to marry Lady Desmera." Robin agreed. "And Lord Redwyne will probably marry her to someone else if I don't accept soon. Lord Baratheon is also unmarried... But I think Lord Redwyne is hesitating on whether he wants to give his daughter to a bastard blacksmith who might not keep his kingdom for long."

"Lord Baratheon is more of a lord and man than you'll ever be," Meera snapped at him, probably a bit too quickly and angrily.

The two boys looked at her in surprise. Not really sure what to do of her outburst.

"Lord Baratheon's done well so far," Tyrek said. "He made me give him his castle after all... But he's a bit rash and emotional at times. You can tell that he's not born a lord. He's too gullible, I tricked him into marrying my sister."

"Lord Baratheon is marrying your sister?" Meera asked in an upset tone. Surely Gendry would have told her if he was marrying someone else.

"Relax, Lady Reed," Tyrek replied and chuckled slightly. "I don't have a sister. As I said Lord Baratheon is gullible. Why do you care so much anyway?"

"I don't..." Meera said, looking down at the floor and pretending like she didn't care at all about the subject of this conversation.

The boys did not look like they believed her. But they didn't say anything else about it.