The feast was fabulous. Dancers and singers had been bought and freed by his future bride the Princess. Aemon had ordered spices and fruits from the free cities and the Summer Isles. Sunspear, Highgarden, Storm's End and of course Kings Landing were all united here on Dragonstone. As his cousin reminded him several times, there was no harder task than to convince Lord Mace Tyrell to allow the Martells at his daughter's wedding.
Every guest held their breath when Prince Jalabhar Xho showed his wedding gifts to Aemon. Those parrots may have been the most colourful beings Westeros had ever seen.Robb was the most impressed, I hope my wedding will be as good as yours, cousin. Thus, something was wrong and it seems like only the Prince cared about it. All over the southern kingdoms, the royal family had been declared as illegitimate and sinful due to religious feuds between his father and the High Septon about the realm. Lord Varys would have heard that many young men fled their homes to join the illegal Warrior's Sons army. The North was no better. Since his father Eddard Stark was named king of the Seven Kingdoms, the North considered him as a traitor to the old faith. Robb knew that if he wanted to keep the North loyal he had to marry the Princess before the Old Gods but that will be an insult to the entire South. Even the Ironborn rebellion was a joke in terms of stability compared to this crisis. It was not about fancy lords wanting an other person to blame on the Throne but it was the people demanding for faith unity. But there was three of them. No, four now, thanks to our friend Thoros and that creepy lady next to Lord Stannis.
"My Prince, is everything alright ?" Said a female voice from behind him
Robb turned around and saw her, his fiancée, the Maiden reborn as the small folk calls her, the Maiden with silver hair and purple eyes. Robb was always shy when he was alone with Daenerys Targaryen even though they knew each other from birth as the two houses make sure to keep a strong link
"Yes I am, my sweet princess, but your nephew's wedding is so much astonishing that he may undermine my rule !"
She laughed
Thank the Gods she laughed. Robb was never comfortable with making jokes about inheritance and politics in general with the Targaryens. They were allowed to call themselves princes and princesses and to keep Dragonstone as their seat but that's it. Their might was lost in Eddard's Rebellion and later in the Ironborn Rebellion when Viserys tried to claim his birthright.
"No one doubts our wedding will solve every realm's issues my dear Prince. She kissed him on the cheek. I heard the Warrior's Sons are pillaging the Riverlands and the Reach.
-That is what Varys said indeed. They threatened to go to Oldtown and take the Stary Sept as a sign of protest. In response, the Stary Sept declared house Stark as illegitimate to rule the Seven's land and called on a holy war."Robb was really nervous about that last detail. With no legitimacy, any southern house have the potential to support the Warrior's Sons.
Not the Tyrells at least. We now have an alliance with them. But what about the Martells, the Greyjoys or the Lannisters ? Will they keep their loyalty ?
"It seems that your father is more disliked than Maegor the Cruel himself !
-You do not know how the loss of an arm can affect a rule ! He laughed nervously. Now we will understand what your ancestor had suffered, unfortunately without dragons.
-How is your father ? She asked, ignoring the last sentence
-He can barely talk. Lord Arryn and I try to make his reign easier but he keeps on going to the small council and giving justice in the capital. He seems to be sixty by now. Robb's face seemed devastated. He says he is not suffering but you know my father, his will never say the opposite. The issue of the faith rebellion is something he never wants to talk about."
Her purple eyes in themselves were enough to notice she was furious.
"The crown is doing nothing ??
-He desperately want to spare men and crops. Winter is coming he says. Aemon, Lord Arryn and I tried to convince him to make something but he is stubborn.
-Why don't you raise an army and solve the issue yourself ?"
He already knew that was a solution. But a partial one. No army could defeat the people on its own.
"I will my Princess, but before I will marry you. And... Oh ! The ceremony starts I think"Lord Mace Tyrell was accompanying the beautiful Margaery to the septon and her future Prince. Aemon then covered her with a black and red coat. They said their vows and the bedding ceremony began. Robb was too shy to take part in it. Renly had tried his best to convince him but it was Ser Barristan Selmy that ended that debate.
"My Prince, we need to talk in private. Now."
In one of those typical black, cold and isolated rooms Dragonstone had, Selmy gave him a letter.
"A raven just arrived from King's Landing. He took a deep breath. I am terribly sorry my Prince, your father was an example of virtue for the realm"
The seal was Jon Arryn's. There was no need to read the letter and Robb didn't. He could only watch those inky symbols as he wept. His mouth tasted sour and salty as he fell on his knees
How ? How ?? How could he die from those ten year old injuries in such a short amount of time ? How will I ever be able to maintain the realm ?
YOU ARE READING
The Crowned Wolf
FantasyThis is an alternate universe where Robert Baratheon died due to his injuries after the Trident. In this reality, Ned Stark is chosen as the new king by the rebelious lords. This story is based on Asoiaf books and on some popular theories such as R+...