The Queen in the North

Chapter Eight: The Targaryen Wedding

Taking a deep breath as he prepared himself, Jon couldn't help but feel completely out of place as he waited for his bride to arrive; he stood beside the officiating Septon who was reciting several prayers to the audience. 

These included readings from their holy text, The Seven-Pointed Star while Jon stood waiting with the Septon between the statues while the bride waited outside of the room for the ceremony to begin. 

Only once the prayers and readings were completed was Laena lead into the room on the arm of Stannis in place of her brother who was on the front row with their uncle watching the wedding take place. 

After the short walk down the aisle, Stannis silently presented Laena to Jon without saying a word which was very unlike a marriage that was done under the Old Gods. 

Laena had foregone the veil that many brides might have worn in this situation, she had opted for a cream-colour gown which was elegantly decorated with coloured embroidery that represented her house. 

"You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection," the Septon told Jon with a nod of his head now that the couple were together and the ceremony could begin in earnest. 

Jon removed the initial cloak that Laena had been wearing over the top of her dress from around her shoulders; the cloak displaying the sigil of her noble House before putting a new cloak on her with the sigil of his house on it. 

It was still strange to think that he was of House Targaryen, that House Stark was no longer the house that he represented and called his own when he had been Ned Stark's bastard for so long. 

Laena's face revealed nothing of how she was feeling, she ignored the glaring from her uncle knowing that he would never forgive her for what she did this day. 

"My lords, my ladies, we stand here in the sight of gods and men to witness the union of man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever," the Septon proclaimed to the gathering of Lords and Ladies from across the realm. 

There was no doubt that this marriage would need to be a success, there was much depending on it from Stannis' point of view especially in regards to the Stark alliance. 

Robb and Sanira were seated front row, the two of them holding hands as they watched the southern marriage take place that was so unlike their own.

Then taking each other's hands, Jon and Laena stood side by side as the Septon proceeded to tie a ribbon in a knot around their joined hands to symbolize their union. 

"Let it be known that Laena of House Velaryon and Daeron of House Targaryen are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder," the Septon said tying the knot around the hands to join them together. 

The room was silent, not even a whisper as they watched the union be made; Corwyn gritted his teeth feeling his power slipping away from him as Laena married the Stark bastard. 

"In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity," the Septon announced before he started to unravel the ribbon, the two of them remain metaphorically joined for the rest of their lives. 

It was then that the Septon looked upon the couple, his eyes taking in that Targaryen heir and his bride; seeing them for what felt like the first time. 

"Look upon each other and say the words," the Septon instructed one another to speak their vows, leading to Jon and Laena turning to look at one another; both of them knowing that there was no backing out of this now. 

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger..." the couple chanted together, the vows feeling foreign on Jon's lips knowing that he had never prayed to these Gods in his life.