Game of Thrones: Frozen Fire

Secrets

When she accepted the deal – the marriage – she had more ideas in her mind that the ones she had been able to turn into plans. She had long ago forgotten those childish dreams about love and innocence so she deemed fitting to be married to a man she didn't love once again – and this time she wouldn't fall in love. This time, she would use the man like Viserys had taught her.

Eddard Stark might had thought he was doing a favor to her and keeping his honor like the stupid man he was – one who respected honor and family like no other in the Seven Kingdoms and across the Narrow Sea. He had thought that by keeping her under his eyes after the Usurper's death, she wouldn't try to regain her rightful place in the throne. She was barely more than a child for them after all.

He had sent a man to offer her a safe return, to be placed under his protection and by that he meant to be turned into his eldest son's wife. He wanted for her to be sent far into the North in Winterfell's Great Keep – to keep her a prisoner.

But she trusted in her capabilities and also that no man proud of calling himself so was able to resist a woman if she knew how to make him see what she wanted him to see. Even a Stark could be turned into her ally if she picked her weapons wisely.

Her only demand had to bring Ser Jorah Mormont back with her but he was the one refusing to such thing. So she only would have Irri, Jhiqui and Doreah with her. Her babies – her dragons – were not part of the deal but she took them with her anyway.

She was not afraid of Robb Stark – she had been married to Khal Drogo and, no matter how poorly they talked about northmen, she doubted it could be much worse than the nomad's life.

-o-

There's no room for a pompous wedding – for a Queen's wedding – she was told. But soon she realized that her wedding would be in secret. Not even Eddard Stark himself would be there to see his son espouse.

Only Lady Catelyn would serve as witness from his family. And she didn't seem content about it.

Luckily for her, or not, she knew what to expect when she stood before a priest the night after her arrival in King's Landing, inside a small inn. She had seen a glimpse of his wild reddish brown hair and striking blue eyes. His skin was almost as pale as hers, and he looked trapped under the black of his outfit. He was barely older than her but shyer and solemn.

It occurred to her for the first time that he wanted this marriage less than she did. That he was following orders. But everyone had to play under the rules of nobility. It would've been much easier for them to be commoners and married out of love, to do what they wanted.

His beard helped him to make him look like a man but she could tell he was facing the same moment she had during her first wedding.

She didn't pity him. After all, she had been a peon in other people's game and it was only fair that he did as well.

The only thing she could be grateful about was that he was handsome and he seemed rather docile, perfect for her plans.

He said his vows in a monotone voice but boldly looked into her eyes through the ceremony. She replied with her own in a soft, alluring voice with hopes he would believe in her being a very helpless woman despite the stories and rumors about the Targaryens.

He draped the cloak over her shoulders and she became his lawful wife in that poorly lit room with less luxury than she would've hoped for but with his promise of protection.

"You should go to your room," Catelyn Stark said in a hushed voice, probably thinking that the whole thing was not what her son deserved, not what any mother wanted for their children much less when they had ignored every custom.

She alone led them to a room. There was no feast, no commotion and no bedding because that night Robb Stark looked at her with the eyes of a man who felt betrayed, who felt duty was punishment.

"You can choose the side of the bed," he muttered as his eyes fell onto the dancing flames of the fire.

Daenerys stared at him, confused because despite everything she expected a sex starved man. She expected to be abused by a man who had assumed he owned her now. Seeing that he wasn't about to mistreat her, she realized that there must have a reason of his own not to bed her.

"My marriage was brief," she said, carefully moving closer to him. "I know you must have expected a young maiden with her virtue intact and I do apologize if because of my arrival here you have lost a lover." She had to bite back her tongue not to yell at him that she hadn't had a saying in her first marriage, that he hadn't the right to sulk like a child.

His cold eyes, blue like the sea dothrakis were so afraid of, bore into hers. "I lost no lover and, believe me, your virtue is something I couldn't worry less about." He walked around her and put more distance between them, never losing eye contact with her. "And I know you bore a child."

Her chest constricted painfully. One thing was to accept the loss of Drogo but losing a child she had carried inside her was another completely. Mayhap she had underestimated the Young Wolf and he was smarter than to abuse her physically – he would hurt her by opening healing wounds.

"Sleep," he ordered, motioning to the bed. "We need to leave early before news of your stay here reaches the ears of the Spider."

"If he's as good as they say, he must know."

"But he hasn't found a reason to make it work to his favor." He bowed his head. "Just sleep."

And with that, he left the room, leaving her alone once more.

Daenerys didn't know why it hurt so much to be ignored like that when the last thing she wanted was to feel like another man had enslaved her to satisfy his every wish. Probably it had something to do with not knowing what to expect now that Robb Stark showed that he wasn't like most men, that he wasn't about to work as she had thought.

But after a long trip through the Narrow Sea and a wedding, she would gladly fall asleep and continue with her plans next day.

-o-