Valaena spend the next hours not only unpacking her belongings, but mainly she focused on bathing and setting out her collection of perfumed oils on the dresser in the corner. It was pleasantly warm inside Cregan's room. Their room. So she took off her cloak and swung it over the chair that sat next to the dresser.
Valaena had been humming, taking out various dressers when her eyes fell on a thick scroll stuffed between a dress that Helaena had gifted her for her last nameday.
She bent down slightly grabbing the paper and holding it up in the setting sunlight. She had written to her aunt, countless times. But no reply ever came. But this scroll clearly contained Helaena's writing. Her heart beat faster as her eyes slid over the words.
Dear Valaena,
Mother and Grandsire are furious, I am certain that Aemond has tried to reach you by now, and I understand why. He loves you.
As my dear niece I love you as well. I pray you are well. I will read ypur letters, but mother is refusing to let any of us respond to them.
She chastised Aemond in front of the whole family for sharing your bed. But do not worry, Grandsire is not to know. Neither is your mother. I will write again soon. Be safe.
Love
Helaena
Valaena frowned at the short letter, Helaena was always straight to the point, apart from when she spoke in riddles. Aemond must have told his family of sharing her bed, as she did . Had he tried to use it as a last attempt? She didn't care for him as much as she had ago. Not in a way she had always cared. Anger, betrayal, and hatred had grown where her love for him had once been.
Her cheeks burned and against her better judgement she chose not to get rid off the the letter but stuffed it inside one of her summer dresses. She continued unpacking her belongings. Hoping to find a dress that would be suited for dinner and perhaps would also please her husband. In Truth Valaena was hoping to hold onto something, a piece of home perhaps.
Eventually, Valaena settled on a short sleeved dress, made out of purple smooth cotton and silk. The neckline was low but she wore the cloak Cregan had gifted her to make up for it. She chose to wear her hair loose, using only a single pin to keep some strands our of her face.
With much exitement Valaena dove into her jewelry collection, she wanted to wear her diamond and ridiculously large sapphire necklace, but when her eyes settled on a golden chain encrusted with pearls falling down in drops she couldn't contain her excitement to wear the peace. It had been a gift from her father. Ser Laenor, she was a young girl still but his good companion Ser Qarl had brought it from one of his many travels, shortly before Ser Harwin passed, and Ser Qarl murdered her father.
She had always felt he had not, and that perhaps it would have been an enemy of her mother to slay Ser Laenor, as it greatly weakened not only Rhaenyra but also Jacearys' position at court.
The maidservant, Ella had told Valaena where to find Cregan, their private dining chambers were at the end of the hall, and with her cloak clasped shut Valaena entered the room. She secretly hoped they wouldn't lie together, but perhaps she was supposed to. Had to lay claim to her new position as Lady of Winterfell. The wife of the Warden of the North.
Cregan had been hunched over the table, writing something down in ink before sliding a box over to ths other side of the table.
"Laena." Greeted the Lord of Winterfell his wife. Eyeing her appearance carefully. He himself wore no cloak this time. It was much warmer, almost hot inside the chamber. She probably still underestimated the natural heating that Winterfell had been built upon. The hotsprings that left little sizzling bodies of water inside the gardens of Winterfell.
"Cregan." Valaena bit her lip, her cheeks already stained red at the heat of the room. She coughed, awkwardly as she tried to undo the clasp of her cloak, but failed miserably as her hands slightly shook from nervousness.
Cregan stepped forward then, undoing the golden clasp with a simple flick of his index finger. His hands reached to take the piece of clothing off. It was intimate in a way that wasn't sexual at all, the way the back of his fingers softly stroked her bare shoulder.
Both Valaena and Cregan held their breath as their eyes met. She watched his pupils dilate as he did hers.
"It is much too warm in here for a cloak Laena." Hummed Cregan as he stepped back and took the cloak from her shoulders. Placing it on her chair instead as he shoved it backwards. Offering her a seat. She took it reluctantly, her heart beating fast in her chest as he pushed her chair closer to the table.
No words were able to leave her tongue, not untill Cregan sat down himself and raised his cup at her.
"My mother wrote to me-" stated Valaena as she reached for hers.
"She gave birth to a healthy boy, Viserys. We should toast to him."
"To Prince Viserys then." Offered Cregan raising his ale high as she did her sweet elderflower wine.
During dinner the two talked about their childhoods, how Cregan had spent his in the snow alongside Benjen and Rickon. He had been to the wall for the first time as a five year old boy. She in turn told him of Essos, leaving out the parts where she bit her tongue and traveled with her former betrothed. Rather she focused on the colourfull markets and much better food.
She asked Cregan about the wall, wondering what it felt like to stand on top of it.
"I am relieved that you have asked me this question yourself." Begun Cregan as the servants poured in to collect their plates and serve them more drink. He cast his eye towards the box that still sat near Valaena's side. With an almost happy sigh Cregan got to his feet and walked over to her, grabbing the box and handing it to the Princess.
Cregan felt he enjoyed gifting her things, little things for now, perhaps more in the near future.
He watched as she undid the ribbon that he had hastily tied together. "Gloves?" To his suprise her voice exuded glee, her eyes lit up as she took the leather out of the box and examined them. "Oh these are perfect."
"You'll need them, we are traveling North at dawn, to the wall."
"Oh, are you sending me to the wall already?" Jested Valaena as she slid on the gloves and got to her feet aswell. Watching the Lord with curious eyes. He was kind to her. A kimd stranger still. She held the box in her hand, her eyes sliding to the small note that sat on the bottom.
Laena Stark , Had been written on them, she smiled. Raising one hand up to rest on Cregan's arm. It might have been awkward, they were they shared only small touches, but if felt right. It felt comfortable to do so.
"They do not fit your dress." Remarked Cregan as he moved his arm to hold her hand. "Have you become fashionable already?" Shot the Princess back as she looked up at him.
Cregan shook his head, laughter erupting from his throat as he softly stroked Valaena's palm with his thumb. "We'll take the horses."
Valaena frowned, her brows pushing together, why would they take the horses and risk being on their way for days, when it would take them only hours to reach the edge on Dragonback. "Is my dragon not to your liking?"
"I would not even consider insulting her Laena, but my men it it them who are wary, they have yet to adjust to a Southern Lady as their Lady."
Valaena nodded, her mind slightly absent, she felt conflicted at having to abandon her Dragon.
"Laena, Women partake in councils and decisions in the North. Your task as Lady of Winterfell is not just to bear heirs."
Cregan's voice as certain it had a rugged edge to it, especially when je quit stroking Valaena's palm. She turned her head away from him aighting softlty. "They will come to trust me?"
"Of course."
She recounted how many steps there were between the courtyard and his rooms, almost three and six.
"Cregan, we... we haven't." Velaena fell silent, she did not wish to speak her mind, but as long as they hadn't consumated, as long as there was no word of a heir, how would they come to trust her. Women may sit on councils. Still it would be her, the North would blame where she not to produce heirs to their warden.
"Do you wish to stroll the gardens?" Proposed Cregan, his hand slipping from hers as he reached for the table. Resting against it.
Was she perhaps ugly? Did he not want her?
Valaena grimaced, shaking her head. She did not wish to stroll the gardens, it horribly bored her to think of it. Strolling, sewing, singing, dancing.
She wished to practice the sword perhaps, or archery, ride, read history. Learn more languages than she could ever master. Do her duty. She wanted to do her duty and then perhaps figure out who she was. Who she wanted to be, and alongside that she would do her duty to her husband. Perhaps still buy her freedom with a son.
He was still staring at her, waiting for her to say something. Alas all she did was shake her head again. "We have got long travels ahead of us no? I think it is best we retire."
She didn't wait for him to answer, instead her shaking hands got so terribly that she turned her back to him and nearly slammed the door open.
"Would you help me pack?"
Cregan's head turned at her question, his feet already following her as she left the hall. There weren't many paces for her to count as they re-entered their chamber. There was a gentle breeze coming from his open windows and for a moment Valaena halted, thinking of figs in the palace gardens, songbird as she and Helaena chased after spiders and her mother's fingers running through her hair.
Summer was still in the air, and it tasted heavy just as sweet. The gentle breeze called upon a memory she had long forgotten. Childhood. Innocence, not yet had she been burdened with the duties of womanhood. Of being a girl, of lacking that which men said only they possessed. Though as she closed her eyes, humming softly, thinking of brighter summers, she realized that by Aemond's betrayal she had realize perhaps it were not men who were sensible.
The Princess wanted to revel in the summerair, perhaps stand at the foot of the window and breathe the air in, but she had her cursed duties to attend to, and so she turned, sharp on her heel. Hoping to do right.
"You will need to pack thicker dresses." Hummed Cregan, he was standing over one of her chests, a silk dress from essos in his hand. It was a midnight blue, more revealing than would be appropriate in the south even. She had never worn it, she had tried, moons ago, but Queen Alicent had chastised her for her choice of dress. Stating it was not befitting of a Princess. She had spend the afternoon wearing a High coloured Black dress, nearly sweating to her death.
Valaena watched as Cregan slid the fabric through his fingers. He wasn't making fun of her, he just leaned back on the wall as the fabric dropped back into the chest.
"Wouldn't the servants tend to these matters?"
Her eyes met those of Cregan, and he frowned at her. "Usually yes..."
"Then let them." Valaena suddenly did not want to be in the same room as him, it gave her such terrible fright to think of sharing his bed, but she had to. It was her cursed duty. "It is not your duty as my husband to- let the servants take care of packing."
Valaena watched him opening his mouth to speak, but she stepped closer to him, raising her chin so she could look at him better. "I have no- I have no ladies here, no friends, the Northerns do not like me, the servants stay away from me, as do the wives of your men."
Cregan held his breath as he looked at her, it was no secret that the Northerners did not like him having a Southern wife, even more so they detested the Dragon that she took with her, the large beast that ate sheep and frightened the surrounding villages. They whispered of how she had been betrothed to her own uncle only weeks ago, created false reasons as to why she and Cregan were wed so hastily.
"Which is exactly why I regret leaving you. It has done no good-"
"I do not blame you for this." Interrupted Valaena her husband. "The only way they'll accept me is by planting your- your heir inside of me. We must consummate." Her voice shook slightly, but she would show none of her fear as she raised her chin higher and held her gaze firm.
"Valaena, I do not wish to-"
"Am I not to your liking?" The words left her mouth faster than she could think. Already she could feel a scarlet red creeping up her neck, but truly, she feared he might think her hideous.
"What? You..." breathed Cregan out raising one hand to rest it on Valaena's arm.
"You are quite literally the most beautiful woman to ever exist." Confessed the Lord shaking his head. "No lies coat my tongue when I say that you are... breathtaking."
"Consider me flattered, but you are- you are not my husband by law if you choose not to- if we choose not to-"
"I just- I wanted to make you comfortable." Confessed Cregan. "Your hands are shaking, you're terrified. I cannot."
Valaena did not want to insult him, still millions of questions lingered on her tongue. She did not want to push him, perhaps she should be grateful for his considerations. Or not, for they would not accept her.
"We will be away from Winterfell for weeks." Spoke Cregan
"I do not wish to leave my Dragon behind, I'm sending her home to DragonStone, or she is to come with us. To protect us."
"We'll take Frost with us."
His direwolf, who stood almost as large that he reached well above Valaena's hips, but still. She did not dare think to leave Sapphire alone, in the North.
"Do not send her home." Spoke Cregan, "but the Northerners will be much more than wary-"
"We'll travel on horseback, fine, but I wish to see the wall on Dragonback, as my ancestors did."
"The wall?"
"If you help me pack, you may join us."
Cregan raised one brow at the path the conversation had strayed from. He noticed her hands shaking less and slowly took hers in his. Stroking her palm with his thumb. He gave her a nod, "mhm."