How The Storm Queen Laughed | Female Robert Baratheon | GOT/ASOIAF

The Spurned Wife

NOTE: I have gone back to edit the betrothals slightly, having made a hasty decision too early on that didn't fit with the narrative I have planned. Lyanna is now meant to marry Stannis, and Jaime meant to marry Lysa. All will be explained later on. 

Ned did not see Robarra for over a year after he left King's Landing.

He heard the news of the birth of her child, Princess Visenya, nine months after the wedding, of course. Healthy, robust, and black of hair, with eyes of indigo-purple, the official letter proclaiming the news had reported. Robarra had written to him herself too - they exchanged letters once a month or so anyway, not that either of them had much patience with words - and she sounded delighted to be able to act as a real mother to her second daughter, where she had not been able to with the first. She hadn't mentioned it so overtly in case the letter was read by unfriendly eyes, but implied it well enough.

For the same reason, Ned was careful not to speak of Mya too much, merely mentioning that he had brought his bastard daughter back to Winterfell and that she was happy and cared for. Robarra was a little less subtle when she wrote to him of her complaints about her husband; Rhaegar was not cruel or disrespectful towards her, but was apparently still boring, distant and often away for long periods of time, either on Dragonstone or visiting Summerhall. 

But she seemed happy enough, describing days spent entertaining her many friends (men and women alike) or exploring the city with her guards - making her very popular amongst the common folk - or going out riding and hunting. From what it sounded, she was a ray of lightness and fun in the Mad King's court; a distraction from the burnings and fear of Aerys' next fit of delusion. 

Nonetheless, when the news of a tourney at Harrenhal reached Winterfell, it was soon followed by a very excited letter from the crown prince's wife, who absolutely insisted that he had to attend. Ned was going to go anyway, but smiled to read the words. He did miss her, his closest friend and constant companion since he was eight years old.

And it would be a relief to get away from Father and his increasing hints that Ned would be a good match with Barbrey Ryswell, to soothe her father Lord Rodrik's ruffled feathers after Brandon's southron betrothal was announced. Ned knew full well what had gone on between Barbrey and Brandon, and did not fancy taking the girl to wife knowing full well that she was in love with his brother and likely would carry on sharing his bed after their wedding. 

All the Stark children travelled south to the God's Eye (though Mya, of course, had to stay behind due to her distinctive looks). Ned was the only one of them used to travelling this far at all, let alone so far south. Lyanna was in fine spirits, excited to be leaving the North for the first time, seeming to have put the fact she would soon be meeting her betrothed Lord Stannis stubbornly out of mind. Benjen, ten years old, thought it was all a great adventure, whilst Brandon looked every bit the wild northern lord, with his sharp smiles and intense stare. 

Robarra was there to greet the Starks as they rode into the packed tourney grounds, surrounded by a retinue, of course, but with a beaming smile on her face. 

"Ned!" He had scarcely dismounted before she had embraced him, thankfully not for too long but enough to make his siblings snicker amongst themselves. She never was one for formalities; the one blessing was that none of her attendants seemed to find this unusual or inappropriate, seeing how she acted this way around everyone she liked.

"Princess," He replied rather dryly, to which she pulled a face.

"Oh don't start," She turned to his siblings who had also dismounted. "You must be Brandon,"

"Aye," His brother was wearing his wolffish grin, appraising her in a way that Ned knew was designed to irritate him and bowing swiftly. "A pleasure to meet you at last, Princess Robarra,"