The Winter Queen

Chapter 13

Soon, the newlyweds were finally alone for the first time.

Cregan slowly approached his bride who was huddling within the cloak and knelt before her.

“Princess, I hope the consummation was not too terrible for you. Please, know that if I would have had my way, while we would have slept in the same bed from this night forward, you would have remained a maiden until you were at least six and ten. However, it seems as though your father is unable to say no to his wife or Hand and they ordered the bedding.”

The Princess placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Rhaenyra. My name is Rhaenyra, My Lord. I am your wife,  so please, call me by my name. As for your other words, I believe you. I know the Stark’s greatly value honor which is one of the reasons why, when my Father told me that we were to wed, I did not fight to get out of the match though I did question the need to have me wedded and bred so early in my life, especially after what had happened to my poor mother. Finding out that our union was the idea of the Lord Hand and Queen did not surprise me either as both have sought to make my life miserable since my father announced his intention to marry Alicent, despite how she had previously been my Lady's maid."

The young Lord could not believe what he was being told. Had her life truly been so vile that he, a total stranger, seemed to be a trustworthy individual compared with what she was familiar with? It wasn’t right and it further convinced him of his duty to protect his new wife. She was now a Stark and Starks, plus the whole of the North, protect their own.

“I am Cregan, my dear," he said even as he pondered her words and the weakness of his King.

“Cregan,” she began, causing him to look directly at him, "thank you. Her Grace told me that, as a Northerner, you were going to be extremely rough with me. Instead, you’ve been nothing but kind. I know you’ve been ordered to sire a child on me as quickly as possible, just as I know Her Grace has assigned someone to stand outside of our chamber door each of the remaining nights that they are here to ensure that you bed me at least once each night.”

The young Lord had been unaware of this plot by the Queen and it angered him. His chambers, their martial chambers, were their private spaces and to know the Queen had such a great lack of respect for him, his house and his wife, was, while believable based on what he knew of her, was hard to accept.

Sighing, he replied, “Then we will fulfill our duty while we look forward to the day that they leave. Now, shall I help you redress so that we can enter my father’s hall for our wedding feast?"

He smiled at her.

"Yes, please.”

“Rhaenyra?"

“Yes Cregan?"

“Feel free to stick close to my side if you desire or near my father. My father is a very honorable man who I swear will treat you well and will protect you, as I will, from the vile men who witnessed our consummation. Trust me when I say that no Northern Lord who values his life, will treat you in the way of those Suthron Lords. It's probably why no Northern Lords or Ladies were invited to be witnesses."

"I will, thank you.”

Then Cregan helped his bride get redressed in her bridal gown and his cloak so that when a servant came by to inform them that everyone was waiting on them to make their grand entrance, they would be ready.