A/N: So this is my new story, I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if Robb had been forced to marry a Frey girl before he was allowed to cross the Twins. Like most people I despise Walder Frey so he's not miraculously going to be nice in this story; hopefully he makes your skin crawl - that's the effect I'm going for anyway!
Disclaimer: I own none of the original characters, only my interpretation of them, thank you to GRRM for creating them! I own nothing to do with GoT, only Elissa & Ana.
Rating: This story is M and will be from the start; sex, language, violence. You know the drill!
Hopefully if you've clicked on this story you're intrigued and will at least read till the end of the page! It would be lovely if you could leave me a review and let me know what you think.
:)
Wedded and Bedded
"What are you willing to give to cross the river?" Catelyn Stark asked her son, her eyes on his.
"Anything," Robb said firmly.
"Anything?" she questioned, her eyes boring into his.
"Yes," he replied, staring intently back at her.
"You will end up with a Frey wife," she told him warningly.
"My wife would always have been chosen for me," he said and she sighed.
"Very well … I will go and speak with Walder Frey if it's what you want," she said heavily.
"I'll be here when you get back," Robb said and she nodded at her son before turning and pulling back the flap of his tent and stepping into the biting chill of the morning air.
A small group of men were to go with her to the Twins, she shuddered slightly as they walked up the steps to the great double doors. She knew that Walder Frey was not a man to be easily won over, she was almost certain that when she walked back through those doors she would have just betrothed her beloved eldest son to one of his countless daughters. The thought made her feel uneasy, Robb was in need of a wife of course, but he was still so young and she had hoped that he would be able to make his own choice in time instead of it being forced upon him. Still, he had made the decision to march from Winterfell when his father had been arrested, and he was making the decision now to give Walder Frey his heart's desire in order to cross the river Trident.
Two guards bowed shortly to her as she approached the presence chamber, the heels of her boots making her footsteps echo around the stony entrance hall. She took a deep breath as they opened the doors wide for her to step inside and walk the length of the chamber, curtseying low to Walder Frey when she stopped in front of him. He looked down on her from his raised chair with a hint of a smirk playing on his lips; "Lady Stark," he greeted, his tone gleeful.
"Lord Frey," Catelyn returned evenly, his tone doing nothing to reassure her.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, his eyes raking across her body.
"You must know my son is marching south, he needs to cross the river," she told him.
"And you want me to open my gates to him?" he guessed.
"It is the fastest route south," Catelyn confirmed.
"I want something in return," Walder Frey said, licking his lips slowly.
"What is it that you would ask for?" she asked him, already knowing the answer.
"I have many daughters … and they need good husbands," he said.
"You would have my son marry one of them?" she guessed and a smile spread across his face.
"He can have his pick of the bunch … although, they are an ugly lot … save for two of them, he can pick between them … can't give Lord Stark an ugly bride"
"I give you my word that if you let him cross the river Robb will marry one of your daughters on his return north," Catelyn promised.
"No I don't think so," Walder Frey said, smiling widely again.
"I thought you wanted …" she began but he cut her off.
"You think I trust him to come back once he's crossed? No, he will marry one of my daughters and then he can cross the river," he told her.
"But he must cross the river now!" Catelyn cried.
"Then he best pick fast," Lord Frey said with finality.
Catelyn knew it would do no good to argue and so she nodded heavily, wondering how she would break the news to her son that he would not be able to march until he had taken a wife. "You!" Walder Frey suddenly shouted towards a guard, making her jump; "fetch Roslin and Elissa, now!"
"Yes my Lord," the guard bowed at once before hurrying from the room.
"Will you be picking for him?" Walder Frey asked her mockingly once he had gone.
"Robb can choose his own wife," she said calmly, refusing to let him goad her.
"And what a choice," he said; "ah! Here they are, my two diamonds in the mound of shit!" he called out, making Catelyn wince at the crass way he referred to his other daughters. She turned as the girls approached her and felt a little relief spread through her chest, they were both very beautiful; at least Robb could be pleased about that.
"This is Roslin," Walder Frey introduced the first girl who curtseyed politely to Catelyn before straightening up to face her. She was tall and slim with long golden brown hair that fell straight to the base of her back, she looked to have high cheekbones and steely blue eyes, and, Catelyn noted, wide hips. "And Elissa," Walder Frey gestured to the second girl who took a few steps forward before dropping into a curtsey. Elissa was shorter than her sister by over a head and she too was slim, her hips slightly narrower than Roslin's but wide enough to comfortably birth a child. Her hair was also long, but fair and with a slight curl at the ends, Catelyn noted her small, straight nose and full lips before settling on her honey coloured eyes which were wide with apprehension. "One of you is going to marry Robb Stark," their father announced.
Catelyn saw a flicker of surprise cross Roslin's features but it was quickly hidden, Elissa seemed less able to contain her panic and her eyes widened still further and Catelyn could almost see her shaking. "You've seen them, you can tell your son what beauties I have for him to choose between," Walder Frey said triumphantly and Catelyn merely inclined her head and curtseyed to him again before turning and walking out of the hall.
"He wants me to marry her tonight?!" Robb said incredulously, staring at his mother.
"He didn't say tonight Robb," she said heavily, taking a long drink of wine.
"I have to cross the bridge tomorrow, so yes, it will be tonight!" he fumed.
"They really are two beauties," she tried to soothe him.
"It doesn't change the fact I don't know them, that I must choose one for my wife and spend the rest of my days with her whether I like it or not!" he almost shouted, knocking his empty cup to the floor.
"You said you'd do anything Robb," Catelyn said firmly and he looked at her for the longest time, his eyes spanning a whole range of emotions before they finally set in grim determination.
"Which one did you favour?" he asked her.
"Roslin," Catelyn replied after a moment; "she seems the stronger"
"Stronger?" Robb questioned.
"The most able to deal with the situation," she elaborated.
"Roslin …" Robb repeated, pacing up and down for a moment; "I suppose I should see her for myself," he said after a while and Catelyn nodded her head.
They walked together in silence up to the entrance of the Twins, Robb hesitating slightly as they entered but he soon steeled himself and walked with quiet determination into Walder Frey's presence. "Lord Stark," he greeted, eyes shining with mirth.
"Lord Frey," Robb returned, bowing his head as Catelyn curtseyed.
"I suppose you're here to make your choice?" he questioned.
"Yes," Robb said, his expression stony.
"Roslin! Elissa!" Walder Frey barked, making Catelyn jump slightly.
The two girls appeared almost silently from a door on the side of the hall, Elissa trailing behind her sister with her head bowed while Roslin kept her own chin high and proud. Catelyn felt a rush of admiration for the girl and a surge of pity for her fair sister as they both curtseyed low before Robb. She watched as his eyes roamed over both the girls and she saw Walder Frey watching him in anticipation, amusement shining in his eyes. Robb's eyes finally found Roslin's and she looked back at him impassively, her blue eyes cold and distant, he moved his to Elissa's then but found they were looking down at the floor. He moved to her despite himself, she flinched slightly as his hand came gently under her chin tilting her head upwards so he could look into her eyes.
There was a warmth there that was not present in her sisters, the warm honey colour of them seemed to captivate him and he realised that he didn't want a strong wife of stone, he wanted a soft, warm wife who would be a soft, warm mother as his had been. "Lady Elissa," he said softly and she blinked slowly at him; "I would ask for your hand, if you would have me?"
"If you wish it my Lord," she managed to whisper, her voice shaking.
"Good!" Walder Frey boomed, clapping his hands together and standing from his chair; "the Sept. One hour," he continued and both Robb and Elissa's eyes widened.
"An hour?" Robb repeated, looking at Lord Frey.
"Yes … I would have her wedded and bedded by sundown," he said and Catelyn distinctly saw Elissa shudder slightly at his harsh tone and wondered, not for the first time, why Robb had chosen her over Roslin.
"You will be beautiful Lissy," Ana was soothing her as she brushed her hair through.
"I never thought he would pick me," Elissa said quietly as Ana began braiding her hair.
"Why wouldn't he pick you, you're wonderful!" Ana told her brightly.
"I never thought this is how I'd be married," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.
"You will make the best of it," Ana reassured her.
"What if he doesn't like me?" Elissa asked fearfully.
"He chose you didn't he?" Ana questioned with a smile, watching her sister's face in the mirror as she slowly nodded her head.
"I'm scared," she confessed after a moment.
"Everything will be alright I promise you," Ana said, securing the end of her braid; "have I ever lied to you?" she asked, her hands resting on Elissa's shoulders.
"No," Elissa said softly, shaking her head.
"And I will never," Ana promised and Elissa's eyes suddenly set in determination and she rose from her dressing table as Ana moved her hands away from her shoulders.
"Will I do?" she asked.
"You will more than do! Robb Stark is lucky indeed!" Ana assured her and Elissa managed a small smile before she turned to leave her room and begin her journey down to the sept.
Robb was already stood facing the Septon when Elissa entered, her father moved to her side as she came through the door and offered her his arm grudgingly. Catelyn sighed as she watched the girl walk shakily towards Robb, there was no one present but them and the Septon, it could not have been the wedding the poor girl must have dreamed of. Robb managed to smile for her when she reached his side and she tried to turn the corners of her mouth up into a faint returning smile.
"Will you cloak this woman and bring her under your protection?" the Septon asked.
"I will," Robb said, taking the cloak from his mother and sweeping it around Elissa's shoulders in one graceful move. He took her small shaking hand in his then and swallowed hard as the Septon wrapped a thin silk ribbon around them; "In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity. Look upon one another and say the words."
"Father. Smith. Warrior. Mother. Maiden. Crone. Stranger. I am hers, and she is mine, from this day, until the end of my days," Robb said evenly as Elissa spoke softly in unison with him; "Father. Smith. Warrior. Mother. Maiden. Crone. Stranger. I am his, and he is mine, from this day, until the end of my days." Robb bent his head then and brushed his lips lightly against Elissa's cheek and she tried not to flinch back from him, somehow managing to keep herself still.
Elissa barely touched her food and Catelyn felt her pity for the girl surge even more strongly through her as she found herself wondering if anyone had told the poor girl what to expect from her wedding night. Before she could move to her and try and give her some reassuring words Walder Frey was on his feet and clapping his hands together; "the bedding!" he declared and Robb rose to his feet at once, Elissa hesitantly following suit; "you are in for a treat young Stark if she is anything like her mother!" Catelyn saw Robb's fists clench slightly at his words and she noticed Elissa's face was completely drained of colour as the men began walking towards her. She shrank back in fear despite herself and Robb looked down at her as she stared at the approaching group with frightened eyes. "Stop!" Robb said loudly; "I will take my wife to bed myself"
"We have to know the marriage was consummated," Walder Frey insisted.
"You will get your proof in the morning," Robb said with finality and to Catelyn's surprise he nodded his head in agreement. Robb took Elissa's hand in his then and led her carefully from the room, the eyes of everyone in the hall on their retreating backs.
Robb closed the door of the chamber Walder Frey had housed him in and turned to face his new wife, she was stood with her back to him and he could tell even though the light was faint that she was shaking. He moved slowly towards her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him; her face was pale and her eyes fearful as she looked up at him. "I know this isn't what you want but I'm afraid we have to," he said softly, running a hand down her cheek.
"It's my duty," she whispered and he sighed heavily, moving his hands to unbutton his jacket. Elissa watched him as he shrugged out of the jacket and pulled his shirt up and over his head, exposing his bare chest to her.
She let her eyes wander across the hard muscles of his shoulders and arms, and the broad expanse of his chest, shuddering slightly as it dawned on her how much bigger he was than her. She remembered hearing two serving girls gossiping about their first time laying with a man and she had learned that it was best if he was small in size, she had a feeling though that everything about Robb Stark would be big and she shuddered again. He pulled at the ties of her dress then and slid it from her shoulders, leaving her in a plain shift that Ana had laced tightly under her breasts to emphasise them. Robb's eyes wandered the curves of her chest and she instantly wanted to hide from his gaze, she couldn't move though as his fingers unthread the laces and she felt her shift join her dress on the floor.
She was stood completely exposed and Robb couldn't help but stare as he dropped his hands to the laces of his trousers, unthreading them and pulling himself free of them so he stood as bare as her and her heart sank as she saw that he was indeed big everywhere. He moved towards her then, his hands going to her waist and making her shiver slightly as he guided her backwards towards the bed, her legs shaking as she moved closer to it. "Lay down," he whispered and she did as she was told, trying to concentrate on breathing evenly as she felt him move her legs apart. She closed her eyes then and in the next instant she felt his body press against hers, feeling him hard against her thigh. His hand came to her face then and she managed to open her eyes; "I'm sorry," he breathed and she managed to nod for him.
"I don't know what to do," she confessed in a whisper and he kissed her cheek lightly.
"Try and relax," he urged her and she took a few deep breaths as his hand wandered up her thigh.
It felt wrong, a man touching her like this, but she knew she had to let him, he was her husband and this was his right. Robb felt all her muscles tense when his hand reached the most intimate part of her body and he sighed heavily as he moved his hand gently against her softness, trying to coax her body to be ready for him. Elissa held her breath as his hand moved against her, she could feel some warmth between her legs and her stomach twisted oddly but it was fear that still gripped her. She heard Robb sigh again after a moment and he moved his hand away to grip her hip as he shifted his body so his hardness was positioned between her legs.
She flinched then and his other hand stroked through her hair; "I'm so sorry," he whispered, moving his head down to nestle in the crook of her neck as he slid slowly into her. Elissa's body screamed in protest, pain flooding her as she felt something break inside her and she bit her lip hard remembering the words her father had spoken to her just after she wed Robb; 'keep your legs open and your mouth shut.' She tasted blood as Robb thrust into her again making her bite even harder on her lip, tears silently streaming down her face as the pain continued to throb. Robb tried to move as slowly as possible, feeling Elissa's nails digging sharply into his forearm telling him that she was in pain.
He didn't want to hurt her, he had never wanted it to be like this, he had wanted to wed a willing bride who would bed him gladly, not one who lay there out of duty. Robb's thrusts continued and Elissa grew used to the pain, it had dulled slightly but it still seeped through her every time Robb moved himself inside her. Eventually his breathing accelerated in her ear and his hand tightened on her hip and in the next second she felt him spill himself inside her and she stopped biting down on her lip, knowing that for now at least it was over. She felt him slide out of her after a moment and her body cried out in relief, she was sore but at least it was done. He lifted his head to look at her then and his eyes were full of remorse as he took in the tears that had tracked down her beautiful face, his hand coming up to brush them away.
"It's alright," he whispered, "it's over … sleep," he urged her and she managed to nod at him after a moment and he rolled away to lay at her side making no move to hold her. For some reason this made her want to cry even more and she tentatively moved onto her side and inched closer to him. Robb was surprised at her movement but glad and he stretched an arm out inviting her to lay closer to him. She let her head rest on his chest after a moment and he moved his arm about her, laying his hand flat on the small of her back, feeling her tense for a moment but then relax. Elissa found her eyes growing heavy as she listened to the steady thud of Robb's heart in her ears and eventually managed to close her eyes to the world and drift off to sleep.
At breakfast the next morning two serving girls paraded the blood stained sheet through the hall to prove that Elissa had been a maid and that the marriage had been consummated. Elissa dropped her eyes to her food feeling sick at the sight, Robb noticed her discomfort and hesitated for a moment before laying his hand across hers reassuringly. For once she didn't cringe away from him, glad that he was trying to soothe her, feeling more comfortable in his presence now that they were fully clothed again.
Catelyn watched from the other side of the room, she had never seen such a public display of a girls lost innocence and she felt her pity for Elissa grow even more. "How was the fit Lord Stark?" Walder Frey asked then; "her mother was like a velvet glove." Catelyn felt disgusted that he could discuss his daughter in such a way and she saw the look of anger cross Robb's features before he managed to compose himself and answer; "I have no complaints about my wife Lord Frey"
"Good," Walder Frey smirked, "are you packed girl?" he barked at Elissa, making her jump slightly. Rob frowned at her involuntary movement and felt an overwhelming desire to protect her from anything and everything, even her own kin. "I am almost ready father," Elissa managed evenly.
"Don't keep your husband waiting now," he said sharply.
"My Lady has time enough," Robb said reassuringly.
"Thank you my Lord," Elissa said quietly, feeling Robb's hand twitch around hers for a moment.
Catelyn was already saddled on her horse when Robb emerged from the keep with his new wife by his side. Her hand was placed on his arm lightly and she could tell even from a distance that neither of them were comfortable. She glanced around and saw that a few of Robb's bannermen raised their eyebrows in surprise when their eyes fell on Elissa. It wasn't difficult to work out why, it was assumed by every man across the Seven Kingdom's that Walder Frey had a bunch of ill looking daughters and that it was best to steer clear of them at all costs.
Robb didn't look at any of them as he came to a stop in front of his own horse, a new one saddled next to him for Elissa. He helped his wife up onto her own horse and she thanked him quietly and courteously before he stepped away from her to climb astride his own horse, digging his heels in and leading the way for his men to cross the Twins. Elissa followed on behind him, looking back over her shoulder when she reached the other side, trying not to think about when she would see her home again. She caught a glimpse of Ana standing out on one of the balconies and managed a smile for her, all the while feeling as though her heart was breaking as her favourite sister faded into the distance and was lost from her sight.
A/N: So that was the first chapter - hope you read to the end and enjoyed it. The wedding night was awkward to write, I've always written scenes like that where the couple are both very willing so writing them both as reluctant was difficult. I hope Robb didn't come across as too cold, I see it that he didn't really know what to do with such a scared girl, knowing he had to do his duty but not wanting to hurt her. Anyway, I hope it was alright.
Thoughts would be much appreciated.
Was Walder creepy enough?
What do you think of Elissa?
Any feedback would be amazing :)