LIONS AND WOLVES | Robb Stark

10. Debts Unrepaid 𓃬

"HAVE YOU AN ANSWER FOR ME?"

Joanna was sitting around a small table with Alayna and Alden when Robb found her later that day. Alayna was scribbling a letter that she hoped would reach Jon Snow at the Wall. She sent him letters regardless of whether she received any in return, if not to reassure him that everyone was well, then to convince herself that he wouldn't forget her.

Turning at the sound of Robb's voice, she gave him a small smile. "Might we walk?"

Alayna looked up from her letter and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. As Joanna passed the back of Alayna's chair, she whacked her friend upside the head. 

Side-by-side with Robb, Joanna walked through the camp and appreciated the lighter air about them. In the wake of the battle, all those surviving men seemed a lot more at ease, grateful to be able to live and fight another day.

"Well?" Robb asked. "I've never been kept waiting this long."

"And is poor little Robb getting a bit impatient?" Joanna asked teasingly.

"When it comes to a matter of such precedence, yes," Robb replied.

"Well, we have just survived a battle, so I think I might have an answer for you," Joanna said. "But first, I need you to hear what I have to say."

"Go ahead," Robb said.

"First, I want you to know that I care about you very much and that if we are to do this, then I want it to change as little as possible about our friendship," Joanna began. "I value you as a friend too much to jeopardise what we have. Second, I want you to be fully aware that if we do this and word gets back to King's Landing, there is every possibility that your sister may take the force of Joffrey's rage."

That seemed to stop Robb for a moment and his face fell. "I hadn't thought of that."

Joanna took a deep breath. "Believe me, it's all I have been thinking about. Third, I do not want to become your queen if it means I lose my standing as an individual. I will be your wife, but only if we are equals."

"Wait, did you just say you'll marry me?" Robb asked.

Joanna folded her arms. "Is that all you took from that?"

"No," Robb replied. "Well, yes, but I listened to the other stuff, too."

"Typical," Joanna said.

"You've just agreed to marry me," Robb replied. "Is that all of your conditions, My Queen?"

"I have another," Joanna said. "I want this to have as little impact on the deal with the Freys as possible. If it so happens that Walder Frey is against this union, I will not hesitate to step back and you will have to marry one of his daughters." She then scowled. "And I don't want to be a queen."

Robb took a moment to go over her words before he nodded. "Alright. I accept your terms, although if we're to marry then I can't do anything about the queen part. Do you accept my proposal?"

"You haven't exactly asked me properly," Joanna said. "A real king would take his lady's hand, like so," she took Robb's hand in hers, raising it towards her lips, "and he would say, 'Could I have the honour of your hand in marriage?'"

"Well, you beat me to it," Robb said. "So I guess I don't need to."

Joanna shoved his shoulder. "Shut up."

"Do you know it's treason to strike your king?" Robb asked, pushing Joanna's shoulder teasingly.

"And do you know I could take your hand for pushing me, a princess?" Joanna asked. She and Robb tried to maintain straight faces, but they ended up laughing anyway.

"Robb?" called a voice behind them.

Joanna turned and saw Catelyn Stark, performing a small curtsy. "Lady Catelyn."

"Mother," Robb whispered, rushing forwards to embrace his mother. When they pulled apart, Catelyn gave Robb a pointed look, which all too clearly said I overheard your conversation. Care to explain? Robb turned to Joanna. "Mother, Joanna and I have decided to wed."

"Well, I must offer my sincerest congratulations, but also my deepest worry," Catelyn said.

Joanna nodded. "We understand that there are difficulties, My Lady, but Robb and I have come to an agreement which we hope will benefit everybody."

Catelyn hummed. "I see. Well, I look forward to seeing you two together. Your fathers talked about it all the time."

Robb smiled. "I've missed you."

"Yes, you look positively forlorn," Catelyn remarked.

Joanna held back as Robb and Catelyn sparked up a conversation and she turned to the knight that Catelyn had accompanying her. It surprised her for a moment to see that the knight was a woman, but she shook it off as quickly as it came. She and Alayna were no different to this woman, fighting in battles meant for men.

"I should introduce myself," Joanna said. "I'm Joanna Baratheon, daughter of the late king Robert Baratheon."

"Brienne of Tarth," the woman replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, My Lady."

Joanna smiled. "How did you come by Lady Stark's employ?"

"I was serving King Renly Baratheon," Brienne replied, her jaw tensing as she paused for a moment. "When something killed him, I fled with Lady Stark and swore my allegiance to her."

"Renly is dead?" Joanna asked, feeling her throat tighten. "How?"

"I do not know," Brienne replied. "But a shadow appeared from nowhere and murdered him. It took the form of Stannis Baratheon."

Joanna felt slightly faint. If Stannis was willing to kill his own brother in his quest for the Iron Throne, what would that mean for her? She stumbled slightly and Brienne was quick to catch her arm, causing Robb and Catelyn to turn in surprise.

"Joanna?" Robb asked, rushing forwards and taking Brienne's place holding her arm. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," Joanna said quietly. "Renly is dead."

Robb saw the sadness in Joanna's eyes, and felt a great swell of sympathy for her. As much as she did not know Renly very well, he was still family and the Baratheon name was fast losing its standing in Westeros.

"I'm sorry, Jo," Robb whispered.

Joanna swallowed and shook her head. "I don't know why I'm being like this. I didn't know Renly."

"Jo, it's okay," Robb said. "He was family."

Joanna nodded, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried not to let tears fill her eyes. "He was family. As much as I didn't know him, he was still blood."

Robb gently let his thumb brush across Joanna's cheek, a gesture which she found oddly comforting. Catelyn watched the two of them from afar, her heart twisted with worry. She had just been telling Robb that he had responsibilities now which prevented him from following his heart and that he was promised to another. That was a debt that must be repaid, as much as Catelyn hated having to force her son into such an arrangement, especially when he and Joanna looked to be getting on surprisingly well. It was for the sake of peace that his marriage to the Frey girl must happen.

Roose Bolton approached them, addressing the three of them in turn. "Your Grace," he said to Robb, before turning to Catelyn and Joanna. "My Ladies. News from Winterfell."