CHAPTER TWO
word count: 2387

                    Robb Stark was eight when he learned what real summer felt like. In the aftermath of a rebellion in the Iron Islands led by his father and the King, Robb and his twin sister, Alys, travelled to King's Landing with their father to attend Robert Baratheon's Name Day celebration. Spring had passed and the snows around Winterfell were low. Robb spent half the journey complaining about how he wanted to ride his horse next to his father while their septa told him to pay attention to their lessons. Watching the country change shape along the Kingsroad did keep Robb moderately interested — glimpsing the lands outside of the North was rather novel. Alys shared Robb's adventurous instinct and they ran amok, hiding between trees and tents of their father's company every time they stopped for a meal. But there were only so many games two eight year olds could play.

For all Ned Stark had told his children about King's Landing and the Red Keep, Robb found it all rather underwhelming. There was no grand welcome for the Starks when they arrived. The city streets were too busy and the air was too hot.

Robb and Alys were brought before the Iron Throne — the hideous, towering King's Seat made with a thousand melted swords — to be presented to King Robert Baratheon, their father's oldest friend. Robb was aware he had been named after the King (just as his half-brother Jon had been named after Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King). Perhaps Robb's father saw greatness in his son's future, a boy worth naming after a king. Robert Baratheon was not the formidable giant Robb had expected to meet. Robb could imagine the warrior king that had won the throne and broke the Greyjoy Rebellion and hoped he would never fight in a war.

The Starks were escorted to their guest rooms for the duration of their stay. Alys and Robb's rooms lay next to each other. Before Robb could finish unpacking his chest, Alys snuck into her brother's room. She laid back on his bed, Robb made a fuss when his sister got her boots on the sheets.

"I want to explore. Will you come with me?"

Robb did not hesitate before he nodded, a grin spread across his face. Unpacking was boring anyway.

The twins barrelled through red corridors, ducking under maids and Kingsguards. The castle was theirs for the taking.

The Red Keep was bigger than any of the Northern castles the twins had visited before, full of labyrinthine corridors. A maze without a centre for Robb — but Alys seemed to know where she wanted to be.

Robb and Alys were stopped in their tracks when Robb almost tumbled into a girl. She was their age, if younger by a few moons, dressed in pink and gold with dark blonde curls. A huge black cat with a grumpy expression was clasped in her arms. Alys recognised the girl first. Robb felt a winter chill blow through him, tethering him frozen in place. The girl was pretty like a colourful bloom in the snow. She looked at the twins, wide-eyed and curious. She held the kind of warmth the North only felt during fleeting spring days. Alys punched her twin brother in the stomach and Robb mimicked her bow.

Taryn Baratheon smiled, a pink glow on her freckle-dappled cheeks. "You must be the Stark twins. Father told me about you."

"Can you take us to see the dragons?" Alys asked quickly, eagerly rocking on the balls of her feet. "I thought I knew the way but..."

The Princess paused, bottom lip pulled between her teeth. The cat in her arms jumped free — he rounded the twins, giving judgemental looks, and brushed against Alys's legs before darting away. "They're all underground now," Taryn explained. "We aren't supposed to visit them, but I know the way."

It was evening by the time they entered the cellar room beneath the castle. Golden hour light faded, leaving the underground room in growing shadows. Robb had not been as enthusiastic as Alys and Jon about House Targaryen in all their lessons, but his heart thundered in his chest, mouth agape when he saw the nineteen dragon skulls.

The smallest dragon skulls were even smaller than direwolves, tiny dog-sized creatures but their teeth were still dagger-sharp. As the three children ventured down the room, the dragons grew bigger. Taryn explained that many of them were unknown. Robb wondered how magical it must have been to live centuries ago and see dragons patrolling the sky. The largest dragon skulls were those of Meraxes, ridden by Queen Rhaenys, Vhagar, ridden by Queen Visenya, and Balerion the Black Dread, ridden by Aegon the Conqueror. Most dragons have more than one rider, but later riders paled in comparison to the conquerors.

"This one is Vermax," Taryn told Robb, pointing to another dragon skull halfway down the room. "Ridden by King Jacaerys, First of his Name. He married a Stark. An Arya, I think."

Robb turned to his sister to tell her that one of their ancestors had married a dragonrider, but Alys had stepped away. She was distracted by another dragon.

"That's Syrax," Taryn said quietly to Robb. "She was ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen."

Alys touched Syrax's skull and smiled wistfully. "She was yellow."

Taryn tensed. "I don't think we're allowed to touch them. I'm not supposed to come down here after dark."

Robb approached his sister, whose stormy eyes still gazed wistfully at the dragons, and touched her arm. "Let's go to the kitchens. See if they have lemon cakes."

Finally, Alys looked away and nodded. She cracked a smile. "But don't tell Sansa — she would be upset if we had cake without her."

Together, the children left the cellar room. Robb stared at the dragon skulls for as long as possible as Taryn closed the door. To see a dragon fly over Winterfell... He sighed sadly and wished there was more magic left in the world.

Taryn showed them to the kitchens. Alys skipped on ahead, wondering out loud about how wonderful it must be to live in the Red Keep. Taryn was happy to fuel her daydreams. They scurried up a spiral staircase, for once Robb did not challenge his sister to a race. Which was probably a good thing as Alys was ahead and she did not see him trip up the stairs. Robb threw his hands out, scraping his skin against the rough stone to catch himself. Taryn looked at him and Robb turned red, embarrassed to make a fool of himself in front of the princess.

Taryn helped him up. Blood from a small cut on Robb's palm smeared onto Taryn's hand. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's only a little blood. Here–" She sat them down on the step and took the hem of her dress to dab away the blood.

Robb clenched his fist and moved away. "You'll ruin your dress."

Taryn took his hand back, gently uncurling his fingers. "That doesn't matter."

She dabbed at the thin beads of blood, holding for a few seconds. They waited as the blood stopped spilling. "I'll ask one of the cooks to help you." Taryn stood and reached out to take Robb's other hand. He took her hand gratefully and stood. "Don't worry," Taryn added, "We all fall sometimes."

***

Dawn arrived with the northern sun trying to claw its way through soft grey clouds. The royal carriage crawled towards Winterfell in such a slow fashion that Taryn was growing restless. She was quite tired of these early mornings that had plagued them all for a month. Having already thumbed through the books her Uncle Tyrion had allowed her to borrow for the journey, the Baratheon Princess could tell you everything about Dragonglass but nothing about how to entertain her younger siblings who were even more bored than she was. The evenings were usually easier to sit through, when everyone relaxed after a day's travel and Taryn could finally source a moment of peace.

Taryn had visited the northern reaches of Westeros before, but only once, when she was ten. She had travelled by herself, with only guards and ladies-in-waiting by her side — it was the furthest she had ever travelled without her mother. That time, Taryn had taken a boat from King's Landing to White Harbour, for a quicker journey, and made the unfortunate discovery that she suffered from violent seasickness. Her last experience was part of the reason her family was now making their journey along the Kingsroad instead of quicker paths — Taryn's mother had insisted that her eldest daughter's comfort be a top priority — as well as her father's love of hunting, which had their party taking frequent breaks for expeditions deep into the woods. Taryn would not have minded the hunting trips if her younger brother, Joffrey, had not brought her a rabbit that he had killed and showed her how to skin it for supper. (She had screamed then and eaten nothing but bread and vegetables for two weeks after, even when any other kind of meat was placed in front of her.)

"We're almost there, I promise," Cersei Lannister said as she considered the tired expressions across her three children.

Taryn stared out of the window at all the men on their horses. Even though she couldn't ride, she wanted to be out there with her father, her brother, her uncle On horseback, Taryn could go anywhere and move at her own pace. But in the carriage, she was stuck. Her mother and two youngest siblings (Myrcella and Tommen) were never bad company as she loved them all so dearly; she almost felt guilty when she dreamed of having her own space again. But when Winterfell finally came into view, Taryn's complaints washed from her mind like a summer storm, and she knew the long journey would have been worth it.

***

Robb Stark stood in line with his family to greet their King and his family. With his father on his left and his twin sister on his right, Robb was the Heir of Winterfell and he needed to prove himself worthy of his place. As stoic and noble as he tried to present himself, Robb could not calm his thunderous heart. He almost trembled with anticipation. The King's visit to Winterfell was the greatest honour, but it also came with the promise of a new chapter and the return of the spring to his winter.

He tried not to glance sideways at his twin, Alys, as he knew she would take the piss out of his hopeful demeanour in all her annoying and particular ways. And as King Robert rode through the gates with his eldest son and second child, Prince Joffrey, and their Kingsguard and carriages, nothing could dampen Robb's high spirit.

His eyes searched as the riders and carriages poured into the confines of Winterfell, almost completely distracted from the King coming forth to greet Robb's parents, the Lord and Lady of Winterfell: Eddard and Catelyn Stark. Robb counted the seconds until the formalities would conclude. And then he saw her again. It had been more than five years since Robb had last seen the Princess. More than five years since their fathers had decided their eldest children should marry when they reached better ages.

Dressed in pale pink silk, golden curls like sun rays, Taryn Baratheon followed her mother out of their carriage, which could scarcely fit through the gates of Winterfell. Soft as a spring bloom and thrice as sweet, Taryn had always been beautiful. Robb watched as she helped her siblings down from the carriage too, holding her youngest brother under his arms so she could spin him around and make him laugh before setting him down. Taryn's brown eyes reached Robb's blue, and he tried to look away before she could find him staring at her, but she was too quick. Taryn gave him a bright smile and a small wave — it took everything for Robb to not break into a grin.

Finally, the introductions came to a close. Robb and Taryn's fathers went off in the direction of the crypt and the maids and servants snapped back into action to tend to the royal family. As soon as he could move without appearing rude, Robb closed the distance between himself and Taryn. She was ordering their septas and handmaidens to bring her siblings into the castle when he approached (although ordering was too strong a word for the politeness and care Taryn showed her staff). Robb knew others would not be so kind, but this was Taryn's unshakable nature. When her siblings were taken care of, Taryn turned to search for Robb and beamed when she found him before her.

Robb bowed. "Your Grace."

Taryn giggled, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold. "Please, you don't need to be so formal."

Though it had been almost six years since they had last breathed the same air, they had not been lax with communication — Robb and Taryn had written to each other almost every month in the years they had been apart. Their first meeting had left both of them hopeful for the future, even though they were only ten and eleven, but the letters had allowed Robb to truly begin to know Taryn. Neither of them was marrying a stranger, Robb was grateful for that at least.

Robb noticed her fingers fidgeting with the chain around her neck.

"The castle seems bigger than I remember," Taryn said, staring up at Winterfell with wonder in her eyes. Then she looked at Robb. "And you too, of course."

Breaking into a short laugh, Robb asked, "Is that such a surprise?"

Taryn shook her head. "I was taller but you were so much faster than me — I hated that." She giggled. "I felt like I was always chasing after you."

Robb stretched out a hand to take the bag Taryn had strung over her shoulder, and she allowed him to take it. "You're staying in your old room, if that's alright?"

Taryn smiled and nodded, tucking blonde curls behind her ears. "Of course. As long as you don't challenge me to a race this time."

They both laughed and began walking across the courtyard together. Robb grinned. "Don't hold your breath."

A/N.

idk if i got the timeline for the greyjoy rebellion right, but writing the first scene was sooo fun. a million and one thank yous to -undomiels and houseofamidala for helping me with this chapter (and every chapter tbh LMFAO).

lots of teases for the other fics in my universe too teehee. and yes!!! jace survives in my fics!!! i love him too much to sacrifice. (alys stark is also played by adelaide kane the loml!)

also ignore the reign pilot inspo in the third scene (it will happen again!) the first episode has been a NIGHTMARE to write so far because everyone has done it, so fingers crossed this is interesting enough. i hope you enjoyed! 🤍