CHAPTER SEVEN
Robb
Present Day
I held a cup of wine in my hand and swirled it around. Staring at the dregs as they spun in a whirlpool in the cup. My eyes only left the cup when I heard my wife's sobs again. She was across the long oak table in the small council room sitting damn near on her father's lap.
"Why did you let it get this bad? I could have sent healers- Maesters from all over the world! Uncle Stannis has a woman who knows magic and Daenerys said there's many of men who practice in magic and healing across the Narrow Sea.. I could have found a way! Please, Daddy! You can't give up!"
"Alana it isn't that simple." Cersei said as she rose to her feet and approached Alana, placing a hand on her shoulder and then hugging onto her slightly. "No magic in the world could heal your father."
"We don't know unless we try-"
"Magic isn't real." Robert grumbled. "I'm sorry, Princess. It's just the way of the world."
I snorted slightly and all eyes landed on me. I raised my brow and shrugged. "Robert, you say magic isn't real and yet... There are dragons in this world. People said they were just bedtime stories and yet Daenerys Targaryen has three dragons. Her husband rides one and her daughter the other. Magic is real, Your Grace."
"There's no magic. No bloody Gods either." Robert's fist bawled and his knuckles turned white. "If either is real then why did my best friend die? Why do I have a fucking peg leg! You hide the scar on your back, Robb. I know you do. That bear slashed you too-"
"What?" Alana paused. "I've never seen a scar on my husband."
"You don't look hard enough then." Robert replied quickly and my stomach sank.
"It's small." I muttered. "On my shoulder."
A nod from Robert. "Fucker's claw nicked him when Barristan took it down. If Theon didn't push Robb out of the way it would have been a whole hell of a lot worse."
"I hate bears." Alana sighed and I nodded in agreement with her. Her attention turned back to Robert as she ran her hand through his limp hair. "What can I do to help you, Daddy? What are your wishes?"
"My wishes came true five times already." He smiled. "I've got you and your siblings even if they're pains in my ass. The day each of you were born is my biggest blessing."
"I'm serious." Alana smiled softly. "What do you want us to do for you? Robb and I will do anything you ask-"
"Well maybe not anything." I interjected. "Sorry, I have some standards."
Robert rolled his eyes. "Is it too late to get you a new husband? Can that be one of my wishes?"
Alana laughed and shook her head. "No, Daddy. I love Robb and even if you made it your dying wish for me to wed someone else I'd never fulfill it."
I scoffed and crossed my arms. Leaning back in my chair and glaring at my father by law. For a man who hand selected me for his eldest daughter for some reason in recent years he's just been a fucking dick to me.
Nothing I do is right.
I'm no longer good enough for Alana.
He thinks I'm a dog shit father.
And you know what maybe I am but I'm trying harder when it comes to Saera. Jacerys is another story he's... He's just not been listening recently. And giving Alana such a hard time, all I can hope for is that he realizes his grandfather is sick and his mother is about to bury the man who is the reason all of us are alive. The man who she calls her hero.
"Come on Robert, give Alana a list of things you want done- maybe things you wish to do. You are dying, my sweetling. We don't have much time. The Maester said another month or so if we are lucky." Cersei looked tired as she spoke. I felt awful. Two years ago she looked as though she was aging gracefully but now she's... She's skin and bone and has dark circles under her eyes. Her typically full hair is just tied back messily. Even her gowns are less extravagant.
My wife pulled out a parchment but Robert Baratheon shook his head. "Don't write none of this shit down, Alana. There's no need to waste your supplies on me. Save all of it when you need to announce my death."
Tears silently streamed down my wife's face.
"Bury me next to Ned and Lyanna." Robert said plainly. "Maybe closer to Ned. Lyanna might be pissed if I'm too close to her."
"Don't worry, they're not even next to each other." I added as I reached for my wine again. "Father used to tell my mother to place him closer to his father than his sister."
"Then do the same with me. I want to be closer to Ned." Robert nodded and took a sip of his tea. Cersei rubbed his back gently. "My hammer," He paused. "Gendry knows it's to be melted down-"
"No." Alana argued. "Don't you dare melt it."
"Princess, I want it made into daggers for all my grandchildren. I've got," He counted on his fingers. "I've got nine grandkids. That's plenty of steel."
"Ten." Alana said softly. "You have ten.."
Cersei started to count as well. "No, Alana. You have three, Gendry has two, Joffrey has one, Tommen one, and Myrcella has two. That makes nine."
"Ten." Alana insisted.
I stood up and walked toward my wife. "Alana... count with me. Three and two is five. Five and one is six. Six and one-"
"I know how to count Robb!" She snapped at me and exhaled as she wiped her tears. "I know how to count. We don't have three anymore Robb. We will have four."
"By the Gods-" I had to stop myself from reacting poorly. I love my wife. I love our children. But could she seriously have picked a worse time for all of this to happen? Her father is dying. We have Daenerys coming to visit and now she's expecting again?
"Alright... Ten..." Robert muttered. "Damn it."
"You need magic to heal you, Daddy. I want you to meet this baby. You need to live long enough to hold my baby... Please!" Alana begged.
I started to pace the room. I stopped by the window that looks out to the courtyard and watched as Saera was sitting under a tree with Greyson in her lap and reading a book to him. She's a good big sister. A great big sister... My oldest and my youngest sitting together and now... Alana has another one inside of her. It's going to change everything.
The thoughts started to circle my mind again.
Part of me was already attached to the idea of another son. Another little boy. We need boys to keep our line strong. To keep the Stark name going but... Another part of me looked at Saera and realized all the time I missed out with her. Because I was so fucking selfish and couldn't love my daughter the way a father should.
The way Robert Baratheon loves his daughter so much that he left the south and came to a place that was never his home just to die because it's where his daughter calls home. So he can rest peacefully forever in the crypt that someday my wife and I will be buried in.
"No magic!" Robert bellowed before he started to cough again. The napkin becoming stained with blood. "Princess... Just let me die... You've named Jacerys for me already. You- I know it pains you deeply. Losing everything you love..."
"Everything I touch dies." Alana sobbed as she exited the room and slamming the door behind her.
Leaving me in the room alone with Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister. I swallowed hard and looked at them with the same look of shock. Do I stay here and let her cool off? Do I chase after her and risk her screaming at me?
"Anything else, Robert?" I asked softly. "You'll be buried by my father, close but not too close to Aunt Lyanna. Ten daggers made from your hammer. Maybe a new husband for Alana..."
A chuckle from Robert Baratheon.
"Four kids... I remember when I had only four." Robert looked at Cersei and smirked. "Then Tommen came into this world screaming. All he did was scream for five years. Myrcella was the quiet one. Played with her dolls and sometimes asked me to host a tea party with her and her dolls. Best believe I did it each time. Joffrey nearly ripped Cersei to shreds and funny enough that's how he lives his life now. Ripping things to shreds. Still terrible with a sword I tell you."
My smile jerked slightly and I drank the rest of the wine that had been in my cup. Filling it up again and taking a long sip and swallowing it down hard. Robert looked at me and laughed. "The fourth one makes you think you can handle five." He added.
"Nope." I shook my head. "I'm all set."
Millie knocked on the door and had a tray of different soups and soft foods for Robert. Cersei had given her a list of things he can and can't eat. Things to be sure to deny him of no matter how much he'd beg too.
"Here you go, Your Grace." Millie said kindly as she placed the tray in front of Robert who looked at her like she was shit beneath his riding boots. "If you need anything else-"
Robert took a spoonful of soup. "This tastes like asshole."
"Robert!" Cersei gasped and turned to Millie. "My Lady, I apologize. It seems my husband's manners have already died."
"Oh my Gods..." I grumbled softly. "If I'm no longer needed I should go and attend to my wife-"
"Sit your wolf ass down, boy." Robert pointed to the chair that I had been seated in before. "Cersei. Leave us."
"As you wish." She kissed his head and gave me a polite nod before exiting ever so gracefully.
The air in the room grew thick as I sat down and waiting for Robert to berate me in some sort of way. What would it be now? I wondered about a million different thoughts. Scenarios spinning through my brain of how this could go.
Guest right rules, I can't kill the man. He's dying anyways but he's sitting in my home and enjoying food made from my kitchens. That- and he's my wife's father. Alana would smother me with a goat in my sleep if I touched a hair on Robert Baratheon's head.
I refilled my wine nearly to the top of the cup and slurped the first sip so it wouldn't spill. Robert's crystal blue eyes glared at me as he took another spoonful of soup that he gagged on again. Complaining that we don't hire good help in the kitchens.
"Was that the girl?" Robert asked dryly.
"Pardon?" I raised a brow as I lowered my cup back down to the table. "What are you insisting?"
Robert scoffed and shook his head. "Ten years ago I came for a visit. It had been two years since... I won't throw it in your face. I'm not that kind of man. But you were late to greet me and my wife and Myrcella and Tommen. When you appeared your shirt was undone and you were fixing your trousers."
A sour taste filled my mouth and I reached for my wine again. I remembered that day very clearly. Bran was being wed to Myrcella and although Bran had moved to Riverrun, they wanted the wedding to be in Winterfell. We were hosting for them as the polite king and queen we are. Of course I'd let my brother and my sister-by-law get married in our castle and celebrate on our grounds. That and Robert didn't leave me with much of a choice. He said he loved the north and loved how beautiful my wedding to Alana was.
I won't deny that.
My wedding to Alana was gorgeous from what I can remember. Which isn't much... I was far too drunk. Empty on the inside. Alana had scrubbed my father's blood from my body and hair that morning and dressed me herself. Forcing me to eat before our wedding and cleaning up my vomit that night when I drank myself silly.
"I had just woken up-"
"Alana isn't here, Robb, I know the truth. The red-haired girl. Millie? Right? You started sleeping with your best friends whore around that time. Lucky for you she already had that child with Theon. How did you never get her pregnant?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
I know exactly what he's talking about.
A laugh from deep within him shook the table. "I'm dying, Robb. Tell me the truth. It's just us in here."
"Alana will never know?"
"Not from my tongue." Robert promised.
"Sheepskin. It slides right over your cock and- yeah. Keeps you and her clean. No pregnancy that way." I explained softly. "I never intended on hurting Alana or anything like that. I love her, I'll always love Alana- I just... After what had happened she wouldn't let me touch her, Robert. She stopped sleeping in our room. I'm a man-"
"You're no man if you sleep with another woman for years because your wife is grieving." Robert's face didn't change. He was cold as stone. "I made mistakes in my youth. Had a bastard girl and a boy in the Stormlands. I was at war and didn't know if I'd return. Their mothers both died giving birth and they have no idea they have king's blood. Stannis has them working in his castle to keep an eye on them. Raised Edric to be a knight and Maya to be a nurse. I stopped sleeping around when Cersei lost a little girl. Josselyn. Still born." Robert shut his eyes for a moment and exhaled deeply.
"I didn't know." I said softly.
"We don't tell anyone about it." Robert grumbled. "Alana and Gendry had just turned a year old. We had Joffrey right after. I didn't think Cersei would ever touch me again... Then we had Myrcella and Tommen... And Gods, I nearly forgot the damn pain."
I chewed my bottom lip and tasted blood on my tongue for a split second. The last person I wanted to have this conversation with absolutely is Robert. My cup rose to my lips again but before I could take a sip Robert glared at me.
Setting my cup down I exhaled through my nose. Feeling the pain rising in my body yet again. Pain that I've buried down for twelve years.
"Does Cersei know about the other children?" I asked softly.
He nodded. "She sends them gifts for their birthdays."
"I don't have any-"
"I know that much." Robert laughed through his nose. "You're only smarter than me when it comes to that."
I swallowed hard. "I ended it with her when I found out Alana was pregnant with Greyson."
"And the whore-"
"Millie."
"Millie... She's been bitter ever since?" Robert raised a brow and I nodded. "I saw her snogging Theon behind the stables. I think she's more upset you never gave her a royal child. Girls like her are bad news, Robb. Very. Bad. News."
"Saera and Isobel are friends. I can't banish the woman because she's no longer my plaything."
"Does she know that? Does that girl understand that there is no chance you'll ever look at her the way you once did ever again?" Robert's question struck a chord but he didn't mean it offensively. I truly believe he's trying to help me. I stared at him blankly. A sigh escaped the dying king. "You're King in the North, Robb. You're a Stark. Force the fucking kitchen whore to wed Theon. Name Isobel as a Greyjoy like she is and handle it like a man. Tell your wife the truth. She deserves to hear it from you. People talk, son. People will eventually tell your wife the horrible things you've done."
I stared at my cup of wine.
"Drink it now, you'll need it once you start to remember all the things you did that Alana would disapprove of. I was drunk for three years straight once. Thinking of all the bad things I did behind Cersei's back. After two years it became anything I did behind her back. When we first wed I ate a cinnamon cake she had on her nightstand and blamed it on Gendry. She was pregnant with Myrcella and she cried. I never told her the truth. Not until recently. When you're dying it makes it harder for your wife to be angry."
A chuckle crept from his throat and he took another spoonful of soup. "Fire that damn kitchen girl, Robb. She can't cook."
"Is that a dying wish?"
Robert Baratheon laughed loudly.
"It's my dying wish, son."