LIONS AND WOLVES | Robb Stark

12. Wedding Night 𓃬

"AM I SUPPOSED TO SHARE YOUR BED?"

Robb couldn't help but chuckle at Joanna's question. "I suppose so. After all, what's mine is now yours, and what would the lords say if they saw us in separate beds on our wedding night?"

"I don't care what the lords think," Joanna mumbled. "I- I'm not going to have sex with you."

Robb's smile softened. "I wasn't going to ask you to. I stand by what I said to you, Jo. I won't force you to do anything you're not comfortable with."

Joanna felt a little more at ease. "Thank you."

She was struggling to undo the strings of her dress, which had been done up by Malia. Alayna had taken it upon herself to move the majority of Joanna's things into Robb's tent, surely as a joke of sorts, but the nightdress on the bed was a welcome sight. At least she wouldn't have to sleep naked.

"Here," Robb said, approaching her slowly. "Let me help you." His fingers began to work the strings loose and whenever he brushed the exposed skin of Joanna's back, she shivered slightly. Robb smiled when he noticed, but said nothing of it. "You don't know how to do this very well, do you?"

"I'm afraid I've not had much experience," Joanna replied. "My handmaiden in King's Landing used to assist me with everything, although I fear for her life now that I am gone."

Robb's hands faltered for a moment. "You really think the queen regent would kill her?"

"The queen regent threatened to have me killed," Joanna replied. "I have no doubt that she would have lashed out at anyone who had ever been close to me, blaming them for my escape."

"Cersei threatened to kill you?"

"She sent me a letter," Joanna replied. "And before you ask to see it, I burned it."

"What did it say?" Robb asked.

"It was just a lot of patronising nonsense," Joanna replied. "My mother knows how best to manipulate those around her. She told me that should I 'continue on this path of insolence', then I shall be faced with King Joffrey and his vote of what to do with me."

"I will not let them harm you," Robb said. "You are my wife now and regardless of how we feel for one another, this union came with a promise."

"A promise I intend to fulfil as well," Joanna replied. "I will protect you as you protect me."

Robb smiled. "I would expect nothing less from the lioness herself. There, all done."

Joanna was free from her dress, which she held against her chest for a moment, her cheeks flushing red. "Would you mind turning away?"

"Of course," Robb replied. "Let me know when you're done."

Joanna slipped out of her dress when she was sure that Robb wasn't looking and pulled the nightdress on over her head. When the fabric settled against her skin, she turned back to Robb. "Alright, you can look."

When Robb turned to her, he wore a smile. "You are beautiful, Joanna."

Her cheeks reddened even further. "Thank you. You're not too bad yourself."

Robb laughed. "Right. Thank you."

Joanna sat down on the edge of Robb's - their - bed. "What are you going to tell your men about tonight?"

"Nothing," Robb replied. "It isn't any of their business."

Joanna lifted the furs and slipped beneath the sheets. "I appreciate that."

"I won't do anything until you're ready, Jo," Robb said, joining her after dressing himself for bed. "Just because we're married now doesn't mean we have to do everything at once."

Joanna nodded, turning onto her side to face Robb. "Do you ever think about how different our lives would have been if we weren't who we are? If you weren't the heir to Winterfell and I wasn't the daughter of the king?"

"Sometimes," Robb replied. "I sometimes wonder where we would be if my father had never gone south with your father."

"As do I," Joanna said. "We would not be fighting in a war, I can almost guarantee."

"But would your father still have died?" Robb asked.

"I don't know," Joanna replied, blinking a few times. "I sometimes wonder whether he's watching over me. Your father, too. Do you think they would be proud of us?"

"I believe they would be," Robb replied. "We've done everything right."

"No," Joanna said, shaking her head. "There is no right when everything feels so wrong. There's only what we think is best."

"You've spent too much time with Alayna," Robb commented.

"I've spent months in a tent with her," Joanna replied. "I was bound to pick up some things."

They both laughed quietly, before Robb said, "You know, whatever the outcome of this war, win or lose, I'm glad you and I could work together."

"As am I," Joanna replied. "My mother has had her claws in me for too long. Now I'm as close to being free as I shall ever be."

"Did you ever think we'd end up married?" Robb asked.

"I believe it would have happened," Joanna replied. "One way or another, we would have ended up together."

"I suppose this isn't the way you expected?"

"No," Joanna said. "It's not."

Robb smiled. "My mother is still not fond of this. She believes I have made a mistake."

"And perhaps we have," Joanna replied. "But your mistakes are not yours to bear alone anymore. I'm your wife now, so we will share in each others' victories and defeats."

"You're also a queen now," Robb said. "The Queen in the North."

"I never wanted to be a queen," Joanna whispered.

"I never wanted to be a king," Robb replied.

"It seems strange," Joanna said. "After eighteen years, to be the queen of a region I spent little time in."

"The North is your home now," Robb said. "The North is where you belong."

"Lions do not fare well in the cold," Joanna reminded him. "Nor do stags."

"But wolves do," Robb replied. "And you're a wolf now, Joanna."

With a nod of her head, Joanna yawned. "Whatever I am, at least I get to decide for myself."

Robb smiled, brushing her hair out of her face gently. "Get some sleep, Jo. We have work to do tomorrow."

"A ruler's job is never done," she murmured. 

"No, it's not," Robb agreed. "Goodnight, Jo."

"Goodnight, Robb."