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Belly's full, a fire crackling and draped in warm fur, Alysanne Baratheon ended her wedding night. The white gown lay discarded on the floor, its hem torn, a sight that would surely shock her lady-in-waiting when morning came. Nevertheless, Alysanne couldn't bring herself to care.
Her journey to Winterfell had been a delightful one. She had wed Robb Stark, a strong, kind-hearted young man whom she believed she could grow to love. But tomorrow, she would return to King's Landing without her new husband. Her duties on the Small Council demanded her presence until they could find a replacement for her. Only then could she settle in a place where she truly felt at home.
Turning her head to her new husband, she watched as his bare chest rose and fell in contented happiness. Little did he know that her life would be in imminent danger upon her return. Alysanne had stumbled upon a grave secret, one that filled her with fear. Luckily, she had shared it with the one man she trusted deeply, John Arryn. It was a discovery she had made by accident, piecing together evidence she had found in his office. It was a book containing the lineages of the Seven Kingdoms. There, under her name, she had uncovered a chilling discrepancy in her brothers' hair and eye colors, one that made her feel sick. When she had confronted the older man, he had denied it, fearing for his own life. Now, she found herself working with him to uncover the truth.
"You aren't tired out?" Robb's words were muffled by the pillow he laid his cheek on. She blushed, turning to her sleepy husband.
"Not quite, no." He pulled her closer into his chest, his eyebrows furrowing as he gazed at the woman beside him.
"What runs through your mind at such odd hours?" Alysanne could have told him the truth and unburdened her soul, knowing Robb would never betray her confidence. However, the thought that her mother would go to any lengths to protect the secret was enough to make her hold her tongue.
"Well, if you must know, Lord Stark, I'm thinking about our wedding day. I'm reflecting on how perfectly it played out, exactly as I had envisioned." She pecked his cheek before settling back beside him.
