Coddling. He was coddling her and it was the most bizarre experience of his life.
Had this happened between other Lords and Ladies when married despite not knowing each other? He had certainly never seen his father being overly sweet with his mother – though they did share a bond deeper than the one he had seen between the King and Queen during their brief visit to Winterfell. Until that day, Robb believed it was normal to have parents who cared about the other, who had as many children as the Old Gods would allow.
Glancing at Dany in front of the heart with her dragons, he realized that even if she had played the part of woman just like he was playing the part of man now that his father was away, there was a lot of child left in them.
During nights they permanently lived in between those worlds – sharing childhood games and stories but exploring their bodies like grown people did.
And he noticed she smiled more often, she laughed from the heart and she was slowly losing the reflex of flinching whenever he got close to her at night, at his sudden movements. She also enjoyed spending time with his brothers, giving a lot of it to Bran who was no longer the active boy he had been before the fall.
She told him stories about Dothraki people and their horses whenever he doubted he would be able to ride in that new chair for his horse.
"Will you let me ride your dragons if they ever get big enough?" had asked Bran and Dany was quiet for a second. Maybe she was scared herself to ride those winged beasts.
"Yes," she replied resolute. "If they let us ride them, you can."
Bran seemed content with that answer and, for the first time in a long time, he let himself curve his lips in a small smile.
Meanwhile, as the Lord of Winterfell, he had to pay attention to the everyday problems. Before he had only served as a witness to his father work, something he did to learn as the rightful heir of the Starks.
Robb was overseeing the stock of fodder, seeing as they would soon need to ration it when winter finally arrived.
Never before had occurred to him that his father had found himself in similar circumstances. Eddard Stark wasn't who was supposed to rule the North, at least not when he was so young. That was his uncle Brandon. But his father had done a good job, avenging the death of his siblings, as a Lord, as a father and in every role he had to take.
Robb was afraid he'd never be as good as him.
-o-
He had just received a raven with a message from his mother, telling him that she had taken Tyrion Lannister as prisoner and that she was taking him to the Eyrie, where his aunt Lysa ruled since her husband, Jon Arryn, had died.
Robb sighed, knowing what it meant for him and his brothers. His mother wouldn't return soon. Rickon would be in the same bad mood he'd been since most of their family had departed and Bran would be aloof for he couldn't be the adventurous boy he had been. In the meantime, he would have to deal with them and his duties as Lord and new husband, with dragons and direwolves.
He let his head fall onto his hands, elbows on the desk.
He wasn't tired but he felt useless.
"Tell Theon to stop bedding my maidens," Daenerys voice said, sounding annoyed and demanding, like a willful girl.
Robb arched an eyebrow at her and saw her with her arms folded over her chest. She looked like a blue winter rose in her new dress – beautiful.
He snorted a laugh. "I'm assuming he's not taking them by force."
"No. But I would appreciate he didn't take them as if they were here to please him."
"Dany."
"I need them to help me with my dragons. They are getting bigger and need constant care so they don't misbehave." She walked closer to him and flattened her hands over the desk. She looked into his eyes as menacingly as she could. "Tell him or I will."
"Fine," he breathed out. He didn't feel like arguing at the moment and she was taken aback by how easy he had come to agree with her.
"When?"
"As soon as I see him. Now, is there anything else you need?"
"Many things but you will say no to most of them."
He stood up and smiled tiredly at her. She was indeed full of fire and fought constantly for her right to walk freely around Winterfell, to ride her horse and to just not hide anymore. It was too dangerous for many people – especially for them.
"But I would appreciate your help to feed my dragons since I can't find Doreah or Jhiqui." Dany clasped her hands in front of her and Grey Wind, at his side, seemed mesmerized by her.
Maybe it was true that each of the direwolves was like its owner because Robb had found himself thinking about Daenerys often, and most of the times it was because she offered a shelter to this life. She was the one who made him forget all the troubles but at the same time had created them all.
-o-
He cursed one more time when Drogon tried to bite his finger again.
Daenerys laughed at his deep scowl.
"I believe he's not fond of me," he muttered sullenly while feeding Rhaegal, her green dragon, who acted much better than his brothers, at least towards him.
"He's very good friends with Grey Wind, though." Daenerys pointed out at the dragon standing over the direwolf's back. They also played together and curled on the floor due to the heat the dragons brought.
It had been especially disturbing to see Rickon napping while next to Viserion – the best behaved dragon as far as Robb knew. The white dragon was quite attached to Bran, as well, since they seemed to share a bond not even Daenerys could comprehend. All in all, Bran had a great communication with animals, like with his direwolf, Summer.
Robb shook his head. "Never thought this would be one of my duties as husband."
"I never thought we'd sleep with a direwolf in our bedchambers but I haven't argued with you about it." She was gracious as she took care of her babies. "It's only fair."
He watched her encouraging her dragons to spit fire, flames even if they were just colorful sparks, because they had been doing it at the most inopportune times lately – like that dress of hers they had burned without intention. And the last thing they wanted was to see someone screaming about a fire inside the castle or direwolves with furs charred by those three lizards.
Irri shot him a shy glance as she fed Viserion.
Of all her maidens, Irri was the closest to Daenerys and Robb had noticed her studying him. Sometimes it felt like she disapproved of him and how different he was from her people. Others, it felt as if she was measuring him, studying him whenever he happened to be around her khaleesi.
And regarding that title, he didn't hold much fondness for it. But that was his wife, the one with many titles that had never meant much. She was entitled to be Queen and play as Lady of Winterfell when his mother was away, but she was none of that at the same time.
Mother of Dragons didn't look like the fearsome woman others made her look like. In fact, right then she was joyously laughing at the curiosity it caused on Rhaegal Robb's curly and reddish hair.
"He better doesn't make a nest while I'm asleep," Robb jested and received a reproachful but amused glare from Dany as she took her dragon away from him.
Some days it felt as if this was a normal life, that he was still a boy romancing a young lady. But then history and wars, mad kings and wolves, winters and summers cast a large shadow over them, menacingly.
Maybe – and he would never say this aloud – his aunt Lyanna had run away with Rhaegar because they wanted more than what others had written for them. Maybe they could ignore history and write it however they wanted.
-o-
"Have you had news of your mother?" Dany asked as she brushed her hair before bed.
He was sat, pulling his boots off and the question took him by surprise. Lifting his gaze to stare at her, he met her questioning and also truth-inducing eyes.
Daenerys sighed. "You received a letter from her today. I'm not a fool, Robb. I was trying to be polite but if you'd rather see me searching for news by myself, fine. I'll read that letter." As if she wouldn't already have done it if that was the case.
"She took Tyrion Lannister as prisoner," he prattled emotionlessly.
She looked as if she knew what he was saying and soon he knew she had spoken the truth.
"Why do you ask if you're a such a good spy you found out by yourself?" He stressed his words with anger. She had no right to go through his personal possessions – even if she was his wife, a man kept secrets and more so in his current position. "Why don't you tell me what's happening? Do tell, my lady, because I sure have no idea why my mother had to take the Imp as prisoner while I let him walk away, knowing his family's involvement in my brother's accident!"
Daenerys kept quiet, only looking at him and his outburst. He had always been composed, cold-blooded and never driven by impulse but now he had lost all of that.
"Tell me why I couldn't behave like a true man and my mother had to defend our honor." He grunted with frustration before turning around and smacking his open hands against the wall. "I'm not the man my father wanted me to be."
Amidst his diatribe, she had walked to him. Daenerys placed a hand over his shoulder, trying to appease him.
"Had you taken him as prisoner, you would've attracted unwanted attention upon the North – upon us. The Lannister would have raised an army to come for him and you're not ready for it. You have no army to defend it. So in my opinion, you did well. You protected your people and your family."
He looked at her, so serene and sweet, and wondered if she was being honest, if she wasn't using his insecurities as a weapon against him, to manipulate him in ways he hadn't previously known. Theon had always warned him about the dangers of smart women but he hadn't been a victim until that moment.
"Didn't you want to confront him and let him know the rightful heir of the Iron Throne was back?" he prodded to see if she was able to come up with a believable reply.
"I'm not known for making the best decisions when facing the enemy – especially when I despise them. It is better to plan things before an encounter."
"Strategies?"
"Yes. And if you agree, I believe it would be in our best interest to do this together."
"Speak in no riddles, Dany," he warned, knowing very well where this was going, what was developing in front of him and he wasn't quite sure he wanted to be a part of it.
"I need you to help me get the Iron Throne back. And in return, I'll help you by giving you and your family the North. We will be allies and rule the Seven Kingdoms."
Was this what stories said about Targaryen madness? She couldn't be asking him this.
"Dany, I have no army. You said it."
"Call your bannermen. The Targaryen loyalists will come as soon as they heard I'm back-" she recited in an excited tone. He needed to stop her before she believed her nonsense.
Robb held her by the shoulders and smiled sympathetically at her. "I cannot rise against the King for no reason. My father is the Hand – it would be treason. We could end up dead. All of us."
She became disheartened, her eyes looking away. She was embarrassed and angry, her cheeks were bathed in a deep shade of pink that looked precious on her pale skin.
"Dany," he called. The eyes that met his weren't the same vibrant violet ones he saw smiling at him when they fought in the snow or the ones that danced in happiness when she told stories of dragons and of her adventures in Essos. In them flicked a flame of hurt and fury. "Don't do this. You're one woman against many armies. What you desire is no easy feat."
She remained silent and it bothered him.
"Daenerys, Princess of Dragonstone, Mother of Dragons," he spoke slowly, hoping she would look at him. She did. "Lady of Winterfell. So much you've done, maybe you'll prove me wrong and will sit on the Iron Throne." He cradled her face and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
She curled her fingers around his wrists and he felt her pulling him closer, keeping his contact as long as she could.
Moments like this proved him she needed to be cared for. She wasn't running away anymore and he would make sure of it. He'd keep her safe.
"I'm tired," he whispered, letting her press the side of her face against his shoulder while he rubbed her back up and down. "Would you join me?"
"Yes. I'm exhausted as well."
And she pretended she hadn't opened up to him, she hadn't said a thing. But he pretended that he hadn't been weak for a minute, and that he hadn't needed her for reassurance.
They lay together in bed wrapped up in each other under the furs, like children looking for comfort. He tangled his fingers in her long hair to kiss her gently, and she let him – it felt good knowing she wasn't pushing him away for not agreeing with her plans but he knew she was frustrated.
He was about to fall asleep when with her head buried in his chest, Dany murmured, "Maybe one day."
It was so soft, he didn't have time to make sense of it.
-o-
Morning came with disturbance as Maester Luwin interrupted their peaceful slumber.
"A raven has arrived from King's Landing," the old man said in his usual soft but firm voice. "The King has died."