Game of Thrones: Frozen Fire

Children

Iagan wiggled his arms and legs as he lay next to her in bed. He seemed so fascinated with his freedom granted because of the warmth inside her chambers that she couldn't help but smile and giggle at him. Those little whining noises he made out of frustration or happiness made her own heart fill with warmth. After what she had gone through with Robb, she needed every drop of it she could get.

There was still a deep wound in her heart, an ache she couldn't get rid of despite the couple of days since his departure. She knew she had done wrong and had insulted him without wishing so.

Lately she couldn't rest much. Thinking about why she hadn't been able to trust his judgment, to discuss plans with him; it didn't allow her to sleep. They had been both fools believing that the other wouldn't understand. But what she regretted the most was to have picked on his wounds, poking him on the spots that hurt the most.

"My sweet boy," Dany cooed as she dragged the back of her hand against Iagan's soft cheek in a light caress. "He still loves you. Your father will forever love you because you're blood of his blood. Blood of the wolf." She carded her fingers through the short and thin white hair of the babe.

How had it been possible for her to be so weak when it came to Robb yet so cold-hearted with everyone else? Was it because she loved him? She had felt so hopeless when she faced his fury. She knew in that moment she had been mistaken and should have gone to him but things were already done.

"Maybe we can do something to mend things," she spoke to herself but also playing with Iagan's little hands. His blue eyes trained on hers as if he wanted to voice his opinion. "After all, your father shouldn't be fixing this for me. And I need his trust back."

There was a knock at the door and Dany soon replied to grant her permission. Lately, very few people visited her; mostly her handmaidens and Rickon who always felt quite bored and loved to learn Valyrian with her and Iagan. And even if Bran was extremely busy as a Lord, he made sure to make his presence known by letting Summer wander around.

She still remembered one particular afternoon in which Doreah had been terribly scared when she found Iagan cradled between Summer and Shaggy, all of them peacefully sleeping like brothers. Iagan was a true Stark, but also quite obstinate and brave like his parents.

"You are here," said Theon as he pushed the door open.

"Was I supposed to be somewhere else?" she snapped back with all the venom she could muster. He hadn't been particularly cruel with her, which she believed was because of Robb's order of not hurting her, but he wasn't kind either. "If I remember correctly, I'm not allowed to leave my chambers without a reason."

Theon scoffed. "Are you playing the victim after what you've done to Robb and the Kingslayer?" That smirk on his face provoked her to slap him, but she refrained from it in case he decided to take out his frustration on one of her handmaidens – it wasn't a secret that Theon enjoyed of Doreah's company at night to warm up his bed.

Taking Iagan in her arms, Daenerys stood up and looked at him in the eye, daring him to challenge her. Despite everything that had happened, she still wasn't afraid of him.

"As much as you want to believe, you and I aren't so different, Theon. We both love Robb and we both have done wrong to him. But you seem to forget the only reason why he gave you a reprieve is because of me." She breathed in deeply, feeling Iagan's little fist hooking on the collar of her dress. "I'm still your queen and I do want what is best for the North and the Seven Kingdoms. Most importantly, I believe Robb should be King."

"So you can be the rightful queen?" he hissed.

"Yes," she replied with no hesitation because she knew it was her place to take, a role she had prepared for all her life. "So we can rule together and so our children will inherit our titles. Names won't be forgotten and our parents won't have died because of nothing. We will take what belongs to us."