Six || Return to King's Landing
Morganna had taken to lighter dresses the further south she got, thankful for the warm weather. Robb found her new attire to be rather pleasing to the eye, as more of her perfect ivory skin was shown as the weather warmed. Greywind seemed to enjoy the warmth as well, letting his tongue fall out of his mouth as he trotted behind Robb's horse.
The closer to the capital they got, the more excited Morganna became. She was excited to roam the halls of the keep once more, and even more excited to share her home with Robb. She was uncertain he would like her home at first, but she was hopeful that she could change his mind.
Her father was... lackadaisical at best when it came to caring for their country, but Morganna wished to change the way he handled his subjects. She knew the poorest in her city could hardly afford to put food on the table for their families, and Morganna wished to provide them enough money to live comfortably.
But, her father had placed the crown under massive debt by not knowing how to rule. Morganna had a plan to get them out of their debt, but she wasn't in the position to offer her own suggestions quite yet. She knew she could speak with Ned Stark about her plans, but she also knew that her plan wasn't one Cersei would approve of.
As Morganna entered the familiar gates of the Red Keep, she couldn't help but smile at her husband. The stable boys rushed to take the reins of the riding party's horses, smiling up at their newly wedded princess. Morganna waited for her father to dismount from his horse before following suit, grinning widely as her boots hit the familiar stone of her home.
Robb trailed after his wife with a smile of his own, happy to see Morganna in her own home. Dressed in a Lannister red gown lined with Baratheon gold, Morganna was a sight to behold according to her husband. Her father reached over and placed the tiara he had made for her on her head, laughing heartily as his daughter perked up.
Morganna led her husband through the grand courtyard, eager to get inside the castle once again. Once Addam was behind Morganna, she grabbed onto Robb's arm and led him into the castle. She did her best to show him how to get around the castle, but eventually her excitement of being home hit her and she tugged her husband into the kitchens.
The women working in the kitchens were expecting the princess to end up in the kitchens when she arrived home, and they had been working all day making Morganna's favorite treats. When the dark haired girl entered the kitchens, the kitchen staff had already set aside a few dishes full of treats.
"Ah, thank you." Morganna grinned, dropping Robb's arm and approaching the table in the kitchens. She reached out and grabbed her favorite treat- a raspberry tart- from the silver platter. She bit into the tart, smiling happily at the sweet flavor. "These are lovely. Robb, try some."
Robb smiled down at his wife and picked up a lemon cake, knowing they were Sansa's favorite. The cake was sweet and tart, and the flavors were seemingly brighter in the south than they had been in Winterfell.
"They are lovely." Robb agreed.
"Thank you, my lord, my Princess." One of the kitchen staff bowed gratefully. "Shall I send some to your chambers, Princess?"
"Can you send some treats to the gardens?" Morganna asked instead. "I wish to show my new husband the ocean."
"Right away, your grace." He nodded, calling forward a few kitchen boys.
"Come with me." Morganna smiled so brightly at Robb that he couldn't find it in him to deny her. Morganna happily led her new husband to her favorite spot in the oceanside gardens of the castle, nodding and smiling at everyone they passed in the halls.
Once they arrived at the shaded spot overlooking the sea, Morganna let go of Robb's arm and sat on the chair that had been brought to the gardens, alongside another chair for Robb, a table placed between the chairs, and the sweets resting on the pale green tablecloth.
Robb watched with an adoring expression as Morganna inhaled the smell of the salty air, smiling to himself before he sat down across from his wife.
"Whenever I have free time, this is where I go." Morganna told Robb, smiling over at him brightly. "I'm sure this will be one of the last times I see this place until after our wedding."
"When will that be?" Robb questioned.
"Father wants it to be as soon as possible, so that I won't be upset by waiting to be properly married to you." Morganna said with a light laugh. "It will probably happen in two weeks' time, in order to give the seamstress enough time to make my gown, as well as your wedding clothes. And our siblings' clothes as well."
"This dress will be more traditional than the one you wore in the godswood?" Robb asked, eager to keep Morganna talking.
"Yes. My mother will of course want me to wear Lannister red, but I feel I've always favored the Baratheon gold more, so perhaps I'll have a gold gown made for our capital wedding." Morganna mused. "What do you think?"
"Me?" Robb questioned, eyes widening slightly as Morganna reached for a raspberry tart. "It is your wedding gown, my love. I shouldn't have a say in what it looks like."
"But I'd like to know your opinion." Morganna blushed at Robb's pet name for her.
"I thought you looked beautiful in the blue and the gold colors you wore at our northern wedding," Robb started, smiling as Morganna's cheeks flushed darker. "And you look beautiful in Lannister red, too. I think you should wear something you like, my love, because you will look beautiful in anything you wear."
Morganna blushed deeper, looking out at the ocean in order to give her cheeks time to stop burning.
"Perhaps I will find a color that disagrees with me and wear that for the ceremony." Morganna teased lightly, smiling at her new husband.
"Try as you may, my love, but you will never not look beautiful in my eyes." Robb spoke sincerely, feeling a sense of accomplishment as Morganna's pale cheeks burned red.
====
"Come, sit, my darling." Cersei smiled tightly at her eldest child, eager to finally have a moment alone with her. She was ready to tear into Morganna about the stunt that she had pulled on the King's Road, and smirked confidently as she sat across from Morganna at Robert's grand desk. "Now, tell m-"
"What is the meaning of this?" Robert's voice boomed through the chamber, startling the Lannister lioness. She stood abruptly, and froze in anticipation for the tongue lashing she was about to receive.
"We were just goin-" Cersei tried to explain, but she was met with a harsh glare that shut her right up.
"Darling, come with me." Robert extended an arm for Morganna. She quickly stood from her chair and wrapped her arm around her father's, eager to get away from her mother's sadistic smirk. "I'll take you to the Stark's tower. Your husband is going mad looking for you."
"He's going mad because he has to talk to all the wedding planners alone." Morganna giggled, infuriating the forgotten queen as the pair walked away from her. "Robb won't make a choice without me."
"I think that's because he only cares about you." Robert said wisely, watching as his daughter blushed deeply. "He couldn't care less about what the place looks like, or what is served at the feast, or even what his sisters will wear to the ceremony. All he cares about is that you're happy."
"You truly believe so?" Morganna asked, feeling comforted at the sentiment.
"I know it to be true, my darling." Robert confirmed. Addam nodded along with the king, overtly aware of how smitted Robb Stark was with the Baratheon Princess he was sworn to protect. "It is because it's how I've spent my life since you've been born. And you deserve nothing less than to be his number one priority."
Morganna smiled gently, knowing just how loved she truly was. As they approached the tower housing the Stark's, Robert's guard stepped forward to introduce them. Robert escorted Morganna into the courtyard within the Stark's tower, revealing to her just how frazzled her husband truly was.
"How am I to know which tapestry matches the flowers?" Robb huffed frustratedly at the seamstress holding several fabrics. Morganna gently dropped her father's arm and swept across the courtyard to Robb's side. She placed a hand on his upper arm, providing the seamstress a bright smile and giving Robb's arm a squeeze.
"Tilda," Morganna greeted happily, winding her arm through Robb's to calm him down. "I understand your want for the future king to have a say in the upcoming wedding ceremony, but Robb is not accustomed to the size of southern weddings. I believe this fabric matches the flowers I picked with my father, and any other choices should be brought to both Robb and I going forward."
"Of course, your grace." Tilda nodded, grasping the fabric Morganna chose. "Thank you, your grace."
Tilda quickly left the tower, putting Robb further at ease as he held Morganna's arm. Once the door closed behind the seamstress, Robb turned toward Morganna with a relieved smile.
"I don't know how much longer I could have lasted." Robb breathed, earning a beautiful giggle from the princess before him.
"Don't worry, my wolf." Morganna smiled affectionately. "You won't have to make decisions on your own anymore."
"I just want you to be happy with the ceremony and feast." Robb fretted. "I don't know how to make a southern wedding look nice."
"Calm down, my love." Morganna said softly, reaching for Robb's hands. "No matter what the feast looks like on the day of our wedding, I will be happy because I will have been finally truly married to you."
Robb blushed at the princesses words, and Robert laughed heartily as he clapped Robb on the shoulder.
"I told you, son." Robert chuckled. "She's got a magic touch."
"Father," Morganna blushed, prompting Robb to squeeze her hands in his.
"He's right." Robb smiled. "The moment you put your hand on my arm, I was instantly at ease. You make this transition much easier."
"I'm glad." Morganna smiled.
"I have a meeting with your father." Robert told Robb. "Is he in his office?"
"He is." Robb nodded, watching the old king and his guard cross the courtyard. When Robert disappeared from his sight, Robb leaned down and spoke to his wife. "My father is uncovering the truth of your father's reign."
"It's brutal." Morganna nodded softly. "I have plans to fix this kingdom, but it's not my time. Perhaps after the wedding, he will be more willing to allow me into his meetings."
"I hope so, Princess." Addam murmured.
"Ugh, Arya!" Sansa screamed, unaware that the princess was watching the tall girl chase her sister. Arya giggled as she dodged her sister's grasp, waving around a silver hairbrush every chance she could. Morganna giggled as Arya ran right into Addam, leaning her forehead on Robb's shoulder as her sister's by law realized she was there.
"Sorry, Morganna." Arya said sheepishly, hiding the hairbrush behind her back.
"Now, little warrior." Morganna released her hold on Robb and crouched down to Arya's level. "Taking things from the ladies in the castle is not very honorable, is it?"
"No, Morganna." Arya shook her head, offering Sansa her hairbrush back.
"If you wish to train with the sword, you must also learn how to treat the ladies you may have to protect." Morganna said gently, making sure to look Arya in the eye. "Being an excellent swordsman is only part of the process, little warrior."
"That makes sense." Arya nodded.
"Just like you train with the sword wearing skirts, you must also train your manners while in the capital." Morganna smiled at her sister by law. "Watch and learn from the lords and ladies from the court, but never change yourself for them. You are a warrior first and foremost, but you must also be a politician. Two sides to one coin."
Arya nodded at Morganna's words, eyes alight with a fire reignited. Arya would become the perfect lady in Morganna's court, but she would also be a great swordsman- just like Morganna.