The ceremony of the wedding was simple but the fest wasn't, many people were there. All of them drinking, eating, dancing and laughing. Everyone were happy except Marienna, Robb and Jon....oh and Talissa of course. Mare stared at her cup of wine and took a sip, it tasted good but she didn't want to get drunk. She looked around her again and saw the prince from Pentos coming to her. He offered her his hand as Robb was ignoring her and she took it

Herastous could see the sadness behind Mare's eyes and all he wanted was to make her happy, to make her get what she deserved and he could swear that this girl deserved the world. So he walked to her and as her husband was too busy drinking wine am talking with his uncle he offered her his hand and when she took it he lead her outside. None of them said anything but they understood each other

"You look really sad..,I don't want to see you like that. Give me a small smile?" Herastous asked softly as he smiled a little and turned her so he could face him

"I am sad....I don't love Robb, this marriage is not something that either me or Robb deserve" she whispered and looked up at him, she smiled a little. His eyes were so calm, she could stare at them just to calm.

"You deserve better....someone who will love you and take care of you. Someone who will respect and value you" he whispered, his eyes never leaving hers "someone like me" he finished and he heard her gasp

"What do you mean?" She asked and looked at him surprised

"I am in love with you...I know that we don't know each other much but damn it I fell and I fell hard" he said and he could see her turning around "don't leave" he said softly and kinda hurt

"Herastous you can't be in love with me....we are supposed to be allies and if Robb or anyone is about to find out then you are screwed" she said with a little panic in her voice as she knew the consequences, yet the way he held her made her feel safe and strong. They were close, she looked up at him as he held her against his chest

"I don't care" Herastous said and kissed her with passion. His lips on hers, warm and pressing. The touch is electrifying, but this isn't a spark of destruction. This is a spar of life. And as much as she want to pull away, she just can't do it. Herastous is a cliff and she throws herself over the edge, not bothering to think what it could do to the both of them.

"Neither do I....I like you" she breathed when they pulled away but then she remembered that they had to return to the fest.

When they did they both couldn't keep their eyes off each other, but they both knew that it wouldn't last longer than a night. She was married and he would leave to go back to Pentos and everything would be gone.....they didn't have time. She glanced at Robb, he was handsome but.....but.....but they would never work out, both of the, knew it. But both of them secretly knew that they could.....they should.

♣️

It has been some weeks since Robb and Marie had gotten married and she was sadder than ever, especially since Lord Stark took Arya and Sansa with him to King's Landing and Jon left for the Wall. She was eating with Robb and Theon lunch when the news came, Lord Stark was blamed for treason?! No way, he was an honest and just man. She looked at Robb and Theon and their faces were just as shocked as hers. But she didn't speak, everyone knew that Lady Marienna Stark was the one that was leading their armies as Robb was too busy snogging around with his maid Talissa. It hurt, it did. But the thought of Herastous kept her sane, they had something while had was there. He had promised her to come back with the ships as the North had sent some men to Braavos, they were allies now

"If the king wants me to go to King's Landing, I will go to King's Landing" Robb started after he read the letter, he looked at Marie. They hurt each other a lot but they value each other "but not alone, call the banners" he finished

"All of them my Lord?" The man asked and Robb nodded, when he sat down again his hands were shaking

"Are you afraid?" Theon asked him and then looked at Marie

"I should be" Robb said and glanced at his hand which was shaking, he didn't want the fear but he could do nothing about it. It came like the shadow during the night, so silently and none could avoid it

"Good, that means you are not stupid" Theon said and looked at Maria "are you?"

"Scared? No. Nervous? Maybe. And let me tell you that, Theon. I never bowed my head to anyone, never being scared of the night and the wolves. I won't back down from the lion, after all....the king in the jungle might be the lion....but everyone bows under the sun" she finished and stood up looking at them "and I intend to be the sun" she said and turned around

"You forget something, Marie! I am the one who is the Lord here. Not you" Robb said and stood up looking at his wife who was waking away while Theon was sitting down. He knew that Marie meant every word she said

"Oh really? I don't think Lords sleep with their maids and spent their whole time with them, while their wives are training the soldiers and are handling the diplomacy" she said and took some steps closer "the next time you want a title...earn it" she said coldly and left the room with her chin up. She would fight this war....because there was a war coming and she would win it

The night before the first battle all the Lords of the North that had sworn loyalty to Nedd and now Robb were in the big tent drinking and eating. Nedd was dead....the Lannisters held Sansa and Arya now. Maria wasn't celebrating though, she was with her two most trusted soldiers in hers and Robb's tent looking at some maps and war plans. They heard cheers and voices from the big tent and they all looked at each other

"Probably a message from King's Landing" said the one looking at Marie but she shook her head and straightened her long red dress. She motioned them to follow her and she started walking inside the big tent

"The King in the North!" Shouted all the Lords in unison and the moment she entered Robb's eyes fell on her. He looked proud and...he looked even more arrogant like that, he was called a king and he was enjoying it. But who wouldn't? Maria's eyes stared back into his eyes and she decided to ignore Talissa who stood only some feet away from Robb grinning. As Maria walked towards Robb most of the men stared at her and moved to make more space, she stopped walking in the middle of the path and pushed a cup of wine on the floor, the red liquor spilled on the floor

"A king?! And who are you ruling 'King in North'? None, heavy is the head that wears the crowd which they earned. Not the one who think they deserve it" She said slowly and looked at him coldly "You see the wine....that will be how blood will be spilled once we will reach the south...not to them, but to our people. To the orphans and the widows back in the villages and the towns...blood of innocent" she said and looked around "to be called a king, you should first earn the title. A king does not sit in the safety of his tent and celebrates with the Lords!" She continued and walked towards him "you want to be called a king? Bring justice and victory" she said and shrugged with a small smirk. Robb looked angry

"I will win this war...my people will be safe and then, then you 'my queen' will bent your knee to me. Everyone will" he said sternly looking into her eyes

"All the world bows under the same sun....not under the same wolf" she whispered to his ear and put a hand on his cheek kissing him softly just to show what was her power. She wouldn't give to the Lords and soldier the pleasure to see them fighting "I know.....my king. I know" she said when they pulled away and she looked at the Lords "win this war and not only the Lannister but every southern will fear us then!" She called out and grinned as they all agreed and cheered.

Robb was speachless, he and Maria had of course kissed again and slept together. Because mainly they had to, or if he wanted to...she had to agree too, usually. If not then they wouldn't. But that kiss so....powerful, it was passionately and rough and...almost real. Deep down he wished it was because he had kissed back....and not because he had to, it was because he wanted to. He and Talissa were fine but he and Maria had a fire between them, like they were made for each other but refused their fate. And he loved Talissa but was he in love with her? He claimed he did, even to himself....but the truth wasn't that he didn't.

And as she walked away and to their tent Maria took a spear and threw it at a target afar making sure everyone was watching. It wasn't about glory and show off, that was about power. It was about justice and about how the lost princess would find her way. Even though she didn't even know what was that. She smiled when she heard gasped and got inside the tent.

While she was getting undressed she heard someone getting inside and she immediately knew it was Robb. His quick pace and heavy boots and when she turned around covering her chest with her dress they just stared at each other

"You need to stop trying to make me look like a fool all the time in front of my Lords. Just stop" he said coldly and looked away from her almost naked body

"There are rumours all around the camp that you sleep with the slave...doesn't that make me look like a fool, Robb?" She asked in a half angry, half betrayed tone. With her head up and her pride on the sky she found the courage to look into his eyes though

"It's not the....Maria you know that me and her-"

"It's not the same?! Of course it's not! I know you love her....I am not stupid, Robb. I also know that you are so devoted to your love for her that you forget your people, so no you are not worth to be called a king" she said and looked at him, she walked over and pointed a finger to his chest "you put yourself over your people, know that Robb Stark. They are not my people, I wish I knew who were....but I shall protect them and do everything in my power to keep them alive, to give them a good life and secure a future for them....I shall do what you can't" she finished

Robb grabbed her wrist and brought her close to him staring deep in her eyes "I am a good king, I love my people and why am I so worthless? Because I loved? That's my mistake Maria?!" He yelled and tears came to his eyes "I lost my father, my sisters are captured by monsters! All I have left is my mother and her....Talissa" he said and he swore he could see the hurt in hers when he spoke Talissa's name and not hers "Marie I-"

"You want pity?! What do you want from me Robb?! I grew up without parents, I have nothing! I am risking my life for people who don't even care about me! I am risking my life for your mother, your sisters, your people, your lover, you! You want to know how it really is to have nothing?! I have nothing! So next time you start complaining about your life, think of mine! And tonight I realized I am utterly and completely alone!" She called out and pushed him back shaking her head "because I do love you, Robb....and gods give mercy to anyone who tries to harm you. But one day I won't, one day I will stop loving you and that day....you will understand" she said and walked to their bed, she looked at it and then at him

"You love me?" He asked shocked and slowly walked towards her, he could never imagine that she would ever feel anything for him. Let alone love him, he reached a hand to take hers but she pulled it away. She was hurt....and he had hurt her. He looked down "I can sleep somewhere else if you want" he whispered softly

"In Talissa's bed, I know" she whispered and started putting her nightgown on. She stared at the fire and felt its warmth "you can go to her, I don't mind...." she continued and took a cup of wine and sipped it. She acted like it wasn't a big deal when it was really breaking her heart and Robb knew it

"No, not tonight...." he muttered almost ashamed, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders "I am trying....trust me I am" he whispered and placed a soft kiss on her neck and shoulder "and thank you for being such a good queen, my good queen" he whispered and stroked her hair gently

"I am not a queen, I am far from it...." she said and sighed, she turned her head to him and looked into his eyes and sighed "you don't love me....I am not yours because you are not mine, you are hers" she whispered and looked down "and I hate her for that" she said and stood up getting out of his embrace

"I don't know what to say, I want to love you.....and maybe a part of me does, but we both know the truth" he said and faced her, his deep blue eyes staring back at hers. He suddenly saw a coldness, he couldn't bare this coldness.

He plants a fierce kiss that was far too short for her liking and she presses her lips to his, searching for something. Something to make her stop wanting to run, to make the pain and rejection go away, to make her stay....but she doesn't find it