Game of Thrones: Frozen Fire

Maternal Instinct

"You can't!" Daenerys hissed, her hands almost trembling over the surface of the Maester's desk. She felt her muscles tensing with rage and pain. Sorrow. This was bad news and she dreaded only the thought of saying it to Robb. "You have to keep this from him."

Maester Luwin frowned at his clasped hands. "Your Grace, I must remind you I've served your husband's family for a very long time, and I have never kept anything from them. Especially not when they involve one of the children I brought to this world."

Closing her eyes, trying to calm herself down enough to clear her mind, Dany tried again. "Please. You must listen to me. Robb…" her voice broke and she doubted the reasons behind it. What was he going to do? Would he lose his mind because of his rage? Would he turn bitter towards everyone? She only knew what his first measure would be. "He will kill the Kingslayer. He'll behead him as soon as he finds him."

"Are you questioning his decisions?" The older man looked at her inquisitively but his voice was soft and wise like always. It was hard to imagine him rushing into anything without giving it a proper thought. Fortunately for her, she was glad it calmed her.

"No, because that it is what his heart wants but it's not going to help him politically."

"And if he doesn't take revenge, do you believe it will be better for him?"

Probably, she thought. Not in the present time since most of his men would perceive it as weakness but showing a bit of mercy would be of great help if he planned on ruling lands still divided by many who wanted to become king.

"I know that northerners do not approve of mercy like this."

"Your Grace, they sent us Sansa's finger as a threat."

Scowling at the piece of fabric in which the finger was enveloped, Dany felt like crying. Catelyn was about to arrive home and the last thing she deserved was to find out one of her children was being tortured. It would devastate her. Dany couldn't bear the thought of someone hurting her child. It would destroy her to see Iagan maimed and she would kill whoever did it with her bare hands.

The Lannisters had done too much damage to them.

"But it wasn't Jaime who did it. It was his father. He is the one behind everything and the day I find him, I'm going to rip open his throat and burn him with my dragons for everything he has done to my family and the Starks."

Maester Luwin smiled faintly at her, as if he had seen something in her speech, something she had lacked before. "You speak like a mother and a queen. You reminded me of Lady Catelyn. Maybe the North is mixing with your blood."

"The North's heir was in my womb. I am part of the North and it is because of that, because of my love for my people and family that I ask you not to tell him." She knew it was probably not something reasonable to ask since he served her husband and not her. He owed everything to Robb as the King and he would always come first but she hoped she had proved herself before.

"I can't let this go without punishment for the love I have to the Starks."

"I'm not asking you that." Daenerys straightened her back and smoothed her hands on the skirt of her dress, her chin high in defiance. "I will deal out justice. I will defend my family, and Tywin Lannister will see that you can't tame the North or a Dragon."

"Your Grace," Maester Luwin called in a murmur. "What are you planning on doing?"

"He sent us a finger. I'll send him a hand," she stated firmly. "And I know who will do this."

"Jorah Mormont will be punished by the King if he does do this behind his back, and more likely than not that will cost him his head, his old sentence," Maester Luwin informed and Dany knew that was correct. Robb would see it as treason and he would not like to find out she had been talking to the man without his approval. Her husband was insanely jealous of Jorah.