Artos Stark

The Laws of Gods and Men

Artos stood staring down at the letter he planned to send to Jon. He wanted to send one to Sansa and Arya, but he didn't know where they were. He was to be married today and he always figured his family would be there. He read it over one last time before tying it to the crow and sending it on its way. At least Jon would know how to contact him now. A knock pulled his attention away from the retreating bird and Ser Barristan stepped in.
"If only your father could see you now. He would be laughing at all the jealous lords and their daughters." He laughed looking the man over who was dressed in the Stark grey and sigil.
"My father never believed I would get married." Artos said leading them from the room.
"Your father had a conversation with me one night. He told me how you would ride off to battle for weeks on end. He would tell me how women would mourn you when you were gone and rejoice when you returned. He told me that you would never truly give yourself to her until a woman as wild as you came along." Artos chuckled at his words.
"She has the spirit to handle you and ride off to battle at your side." Barristan continued. Artos grinned at his words and pushed open the doors. The room was filled and beautifully decorated with Stark and Targaryen banners. Artos took his spot at the end of the aisle. He didn't have to wait long before the doors opened once again and Dany stepped through them. She was dressed in and floor-length ivory silk gown. The fabric fell around her like water and the red trim flushed her face in the most lovely way he could ever imagine. They had agreed to get married under the Faith of the Seven for lack of the heart tree and due to Dany's wishes. Artos felt his hands begin to sweat much like they do when he is looking over a steep drop as he walked closer to him. As Dany stopped in front of him the Septon cleared his throat and began speaking.
"You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection." He told Artos who pulled the heavy cloak from his shoulders. Sansa had made it for him before they left for King's Landing. It was dark grey and had a large direwolf embroidered on the back. Dany took a breath at its weight and Artos winked down at her with a teasing smile. He stepped back and took her hands before watching her closely as she turned to look at the Septon.
"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." He paused as Dany and Artos presented him with their conjoined hands. he started to speak again while he tied them together.
"Let it be known that Artos of house Stark and Daenerys of house Targaryen are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder. In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity. Look upon one another and say the words." He finished and Dany and Artos turned to face one another.
"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger..."
"I am hers and she is mine. From this day, until the end of my days."
"I am his and he is mine. From this day, until the end of my days." Dany and Artos spoke together.
"With this kiss, I pledge my love." Artos finished and leaned down and pulled Dany into a sweet kiss. Cheers filled the room when they pulled apart and Artos pulled the heavy wool from her shoulders.
"I don't know how you wear that all the time." Dany told him as they began to walk out of the room.
"My home is cold. If I didn't I would freeze." He teased kissing the side of her head. Dany laughed as Artos lifted her into his arms and pushed open their door dropping her on the bed. He held up one finger and shut the door and locked it in place. He turned back around to see Daenerys standing before him completely naked. Artos gave her an animalistic look and dove onto the bed pulling her on top of him. Dany made quick work of his shirt and tossed the fabric to the ground reaching for his pants. Artos grabbed her wrists, flipped them over, and kissed his way down her body. Dany threw her head back as Artos swiped his tongue up her. Every time they had been together she was always amazed by how talented he was with his mouth. It wasn't something she had experienced before but he never let her go long without it and she loved it. Artos slid a finger inside of her and placed his other arm over her hips as she started to shake through her first orgasm. He pulled away from her and stood from the bed once her body had stilled again. He locked his eyes with hers and untied his pants shoving them down his legs and crawled back into bed with her. Artos placed his back against the headboard and pulled Dany into his lap. She placed her forehead to his and sighed when she sank down on top of him. Artos let out a low moan as she began to rotate her hips and bounce. It didn't take her long before she was cumming once again, this time Artos followed after her.
"I love you." Dany whispered in his ear and Artos pulled them both down into a comfortable potion for a nap. Artos smiled and kissed her while he pulled himself out of her. They both took a deep breath at the action before falling asleep in each other's arms.

The day after their wedding was straight to work. Artos stood behind Dany resting his hands on her shoulders.
"You stand before Daenerys Stromborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, and her husband, Artos of the House Stark, the wild wolf of the North." Missandei resisted making Artos lower his face into the back of Dany's head as he snickered at the name she had given him. Dany had taught Artos a lot of the language in the weeks before their wedding and he was proud to say he remembered most of it.
"Don't be afraid, my friend." Dany told the man who stood still at the end of the room holding what looked to be a pile of blankets.
"The Queen says you may approach and speak." Missandei informed him. The man took slow steps forward. Artos didn't know what he was saying as he spoke to them.
"He is a goatherd. He says he prayed for your victory against the slave masters." Missandei translated.
"I thank him for his prayers." Dany said as Missandei began speaking to him. The man placed the blanket down on the ground and began to unravel it at the bottom of the steps. He spoke looking down at charred black bones.
"It was your dragons, he says. They came this morning for his flock." Missandei told them before the man started to speak again.
"He hopes he had not offended Your Grace, but now he has nothing." Missandei told them.
"Tell this man I am sorry for his hardship. I cannot bring back his goats, but I will see he is paid their value three times over." Dany said as Missandei translated for him. The man fell to his knees chanting what Artos believed to be thank you and gathered the bones before running out of the room.
"Send the next one in." She said reaching up and taking the hand Artos had on her shoulder. Two men in robes walked up to them. One fancier than the other.
"The noble Hizdahr zo Loraq begs an audience with the Queen." One of the men spoke.
"The noble Hizdahr zo Loraq can speak to me himself." Dany told them slightly annoyed. The man who spoke before took several steps back and the other walked up the first set of steps and bowed.
"Queen Daenerys. Tales of your beauty were not exaggerated." He said in the common tongue. Dany smiled tightly.
"I thank you." She said. Artos fought back a laughed at her sarcastic tone.
"Mine is one of the oldest and proudest families in Meereen." He told her. He did his best to avoid Artos's eyes, he had seen him fight their champion before. The man terrified the remaining masters and high-born of the city.
"Then it is my honor to receive you." Dany told him.
"My father, one of Meereen's most respected and beloved citizens, oversaw the restoration and maintenance of its greatest landmarks. This pyramid included." He told them. Artos rolled his eyes at his words.
"For that, he had mt gratitude. I should be honored to meet him." She told him in a mock cheery tone.
"You have, Your Grace. You crucified him. I pray you'll never live to see a member of your family treated so cruelly." He told them. Artos took an angry breath and Dany reached behind her and gripped his thigh to help calm him.
"Your father crucified innocent children." Dany told him.
"My father spoke out against crucifying those children. He decried it as a criminal act but was overruled. Is it justice to answer one crime with another?" He argued.
"I am sorry you no longer have a father, but my treatment of the masters was no crime. You'd be wise to remember that." Dany told him firmly.
"What's done is done. You are the queen and I am a servant of Meereen. A servant who does not wish to see its traditions eradicated." He pleaded with them.
"And what traditions do you speak of?" She asked him.
"The tradition of funeral rite. Proper burial in the Temple of the Graces. My father and 162 noble Meereenese are still nailed to those posts, carrion for vultures, rotting in the sun." He told her before getting down on both knees.
"Your Grace, I ask that you order these men taken down so that they might receive proper burials." He begged.
"Ans what of the slave children these noble Meereenese crucified? They were rotting in the sun as well. Would you have begged me for their right to a proper burial?" She asked him with emotion thick in her voice.
"Your Grace, I cannot defend the actions of the masters. I can only speak to you as a son who loved his father. Let me take his body down. Let me have him brought to the temple and buried with dignity so that he might find peace in the next world." He begged once again. Dany looked back to Artos for help.
"If he is truly innocent in the crimes against the children the Gods will not be forgiving." Artos whispered down in her ear. Dany nodded to him and turned to look at the man again.
"Bury your father, Hizdahr zo Loraq." She told him. He bowed his head again with a deep breath.
"Thank you, my queen. Thank you, my king." He told them before standing and walking out. Artos grimaced at the title. He once refused Warden of the North and now he is king.
"How many more?" She asked them with tears in her eyes. Artos kissed the back of her head as Missandei responded.
"There are 212 supplicants waiting, Your Grace." She said.
"212? Send the next one in." She said after a moment of thought.

[They're married! Thank you so much for reading!]