Hello!
As you may or may not know, I write a story called Winter in My Heart, a story about Robb Stark and my OC Fianna Bua.
To extend from WIMH, I wanted to write another book that would consist of a series of one shots. These will be little extras for the story that some of you might like to see. So to understand them you'll probably want to read Winter In My Heart first.
These one shots will be themed and each will have a different setting with different characters, for example I will be doing a one shot on Fianna's ancestor Aifric Bua - so obviously the current books characters will not be in that one, but many characters alive during Aegon's conquest will be. Another example would be a one shot of Robb and Fianna spending time together between the events of the book, and modern AUs. You get the gist?
If anyone wants to see anything in particular definitely suggest it!
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy these little tidbits.
This is a modern AU, where Robb and Fianna meet under different circumstances.
Song: Take Me Home by Jess Glynne
"Yeah, don't worry, dad," Robb Stark assured into the phone, which he had wedged between his ear and his shoulder. "I'll be there in time."
He took the phone and hung up before he could listen to his father's lecture any more. Hailing down a taxi in London was proving to be more difficult that one would think, but Robb never believed in Uber services and he was now paying the price for it.
In truth, he wasn't sure if he would be there in time like he had promised - his father was anxious for a reason. The flight to Dublin airport was departing in thirty minutes and Robb hadn't even left his street yet.
Perhaps it would be for the best, funerals weren't his strongest suit and he was only truly travelling to support his father, he barely knew Cillian Bua.
Finally, a taxi amongst the traffic pulled in next to the kerb. Without delay, Robb rushed forward before the taxi could get the chance to leave. But instead of grabbing the handle, his hand bumped into another.
Robb raised his head in confusion, eyebrows scrunched as he realised there was a woman attempting to get into the taxi intended for him.
He remarked upon her appearance for a split second, noting that they were close in age, and that she had a pretty face. But that face was tainted by the frown that overtook her features.
"Look, I really need to get this cab, I'm so bloody late," she gushed, her eyes rimmed with red above two dark semi circles.
"I-I'm sorry," he stammered, "but I need to take it, I'm late as well."
"Believe me, if you knew where I was going you'd want to let me get this taxi," she spoke in a harder tone than before.
"I could say the same to you, I called the taxi in, it's my one to take," Robb argued back, bristling at her attitude.
"Don't be such a prick, alright? I'm having a hard day and missing my flight isn't something I need right now," her voice raised in volume, preparing for an argument.
Their stand off was apparently too long for the cab driver to take, as before either of them got the chance to get in, he sped off once again, flying down the street to seek another customer.
Robb and the woman watched with agape mouths, realising that now they would be well and truly late. He reared back, preparing to fix the woman with a glare but stopped upon noticing her expression.
The lady's eyes had began to water, although from her appearance he suspected that it wasn't for the first time that day. Her lower lip trembled and it was clear that she was holding back tears.
Instead of spitting an insult at him like he suspected, she instead took a deep breath and turned back around to hail down another cab.
Unsure of what to do, Robb stepped forward to do the same. Albeit, a fair few feet away from her.
He remarked on her appearance for a moment, for every taxi that drove past and didn't stop, she would visibly deflate and look closer and closer to a breakdown every time.
"Are you alright?" He called out to her, jolting her with surprise. She looked over to him for a moment with a clenched jaw before returning her gaze to the street in front of her.
"Yes. I'm fine," she gritted out, waving at yet another taxi that was already taken.
"Where is it you're headed?" He pried.
"The airport."
"So am I."
She didn't reply to that, he wondered if she even heard him.
"Bit stupid now I reckon, we could have both gotten in the cab back there," this time he got a reaction, she whirled around to face him.
"Yeah, and now because of your fucking arrogance I'm going to miss my dad's funeral," her voice broke at the end of her sentence, forcing her to look away from him before he saw the tears beginning to drip down from her eyes.
Robb sighed, unsure of what to do. He looked around for a second, before walking slowly towards her. If she heard him coming, she didn't look to acknowledge it.
"I'm going to a funeral as well, it's over in Ireland. I reckon I've about missed my flight by now though," he muttered, knowing full well he'd be getting an earful from his dad and his mother later.
"My dad's funeral is in Ireland too, that's where I'm from," she spoke quietly back, so quiet he barely heard her. He already knew she was Irish by the accent, but he wondered then if fate had played a hand and they were both meant to board the same flight to go to the same funeral.
"Cillian Bua?"
"Yeah," she turned to him finally, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Who are you?"
"Oh- I'm Robb Stark, Cillian was my father's best friend," he held his hand out limply for her to shake, which she did, gently.
"Fianna. Cillian was my dad."
Robb was in a small state of shock, what were the chances of this happening?
"Looks like nether of us are going now, the funerals tomorrow and that was the last flight today," she laughed drily, shaking her head and looking away again.
An idea came to Robb all of a sudden, and he felt pushed to tell her about it.
"A friend owes me a favour, if we borrow his car we could get a ferry to Dublin?" He offered to her, her head flying up in surprise.
"Really?" She whispered, looking like she was about to start sobbing.
"Really," he affirmed, taking his phone out to call Theon. "I'll just give him a ring first, yeah? Wait here."
She nodded enthusiastically, wiping under her eyes and then crossing her arms over her chest as Robb walked a few feet away.
"Well well, if it isn't my least favourite ginger," Theon greeted him with, causing Robb to snort despite the situation.
"Settle down, I have red undertones," his reply made Theon bark out a laugh, "remember how you said you owed me one?"
He was silent for a moment before replying, probably reluctantly so.
"Yes... why?"
"I need your car."
"Not a chance, mate!" He protested. "That car is my baby, I'm still paying back my loan for it!"
"Theon," Robb grumbled, "I have to get to a funeral by tomorrow and I've got a girl here who needs to get to it as well, it's her father."
"Don't play the dead man card," Theon muttered, then sighed resoundingly. "Fine, take it for as long as you need. But if I see so much as a hair on the seat I'm gonna tell your sister it was you that scared off her boyfriend."
"I told you that in confidence," Robb hissed into the phone, "that Joffrey was a right little prick. I was worried about her."
"Sure," Theon drawled, "swing by and pick up the keys."
"I just have to get the keys and then we can go, yeah?" Robb assured her, but there was little he could say that would put Fianna's mind at ease.
"Okay," she quietly agreed, barely giving her surroundings a glance as they stepped inside of the dingy apartment that was just two streets away from where they met.
"There you are, you're lucky- I wanted to drive off down to the-" a man rounded the corner, his words cut off when he caught sight of the woman stood next to Robb. He let out a low whistle, and walked closer to the two. "Nevermind. I'm not going anywhere."
"Piss off Theon," Robb reprimanded frustratedly, causing Theon to look at him with a suspicious look in his eyes as he studied his friend's expression.
While he did that, Fianna used the opportunity to look him over. He was a rather thin man, with a sullen face and long, sandy hair that reached his chin. She wouldn't be surprised if he occasionally dabbled in narcotics judging by his scrawny appearance, but reminded herself not to judge based off of that.
"Here you go," Theon tossed a set of keys to Robb, which he caught easily and stuffed into his jacket pocket.
"Thanks," Fianna and Robb murmured at the same time, before turning and heading to the door again.
"Where are you lot headed anyway?" Theon asked curiously, following after them as they exited the apartment.
"Galway!" Robb called back to him.
"Galway?! Robb! Not a chance in Hell-" the bang of the door shutting effectively cut off Theon's protests, and so the journey began.
It was awkwardly silent as Robb drove towards the docks. Painfully so. And neither person was willing to break the silence, Fianna was too engulfed in mourning and Robb was too respectful to disrupt her.
To fill the void, he reached and turned the radio on, the dreary drabble of a local radio station filling through the speakers.
"Who's your dad?" Fianna asked suddenly, surprising Robb entirely that she had spoken.
"Ned Stark," he managed to reply when he got over his initial shock.
"Oh yeah," she murmured softly, "I've met him a few times. He's quite nice."
"Yeah, they met back in Uni and managed to stay friends ever since."
"Oh I know, I never stop hearing the stories. The tales of the parties they went to sound a bit like war stories," she joked, eliciting a chuckle from the other. "You don't look like him."
"I look like my mother," Robb shrugged his shoulders off-handedly.
"Oh, a mamas boy is it?"
"What? No," Robb scoffed a little too quickly, causing Fianna to raise an eyebrow in response, but ultimately not replying. "You don't look like your father that much either."
"Nah, I look like my mum."
"Oh, I've never met her I don't think," Robb's eyebrows scrunched as he tried to think back.
"She died giving birth to me."
Fianna had caught him off guard again, this time by the bluntness and the honesty of her statement.
"O-oh, I'm so sorry to hear that!"
"Don't be, my dad was enough to be two parents," her tone had saddened suddenly, and she wasn't looking at Robb any more. He decided to change the subject, fully aware that she was in pain. And rightfully so.
"Do you have any siblings?"
"No, I have a cousin who I'm close to, so he's basically like my brother. How about you?"
"Too many," Robb laughed under his breath, "two sisters and two brothers. All younger than me."
"Christ," she swore, "that sounds like a lot of drama at the dinner table."
"You have no idea," he shook his head, "Arya and Sansa hate each other. They're very fond of making sure everyone knows this in the form of throwing food at dinner time."
Fianna sarcastically gasped, "and waste food? Oh, the little devils. One time, Tiernan and I were playing, and he tripped me and I ended up knocking my head and having to get stitches. So when I recovered, I collected my rabbit's poop in a bucket and tossed it over him when he was asleep."
Robb's eyes widened considerably upon hearing this, a laugh coming out of his throat as he looked over at the woman incredulously.
"Jesus Christ!"
"He gave me a scar! The little shite deserved it, I got called Fanny Potter for a year!"
Robb howled in laughter at this, shaking his head in amusement as he pulled into the car park next to the docks, finally.
"I'm going to go get us sorted at the ticket office alright?" Robb asked, unbuckling his belt and preparing to get out.
"Wait, I'll pay for my half of the fare-" she began, reaching for her handbag to fish the money out but he stopped her by putting his hand out.
"Stop, it's the least I can do for making you miss the taxi," he winked at her, causing her to genuinely smile for the first time since she had gotten the phone call about her father.
Fianna rested her forearms on the railing as she looked out upon the sea surrounding the ferry boat. As dire as the circumstances were, she was happy to finally be returning to her homeland. If she could, she would have visited more. But now, the only person she even had to visit was her cousin.
"You're looking rather lonesome," she heard a Northern accent sound out from behind her, Fianna didn't even have to look to know who it was.
"Well now I'm not, am I?" She drily stated as he joined her to look out over the railing.
"Do you want me to go?" He offered, turning and preparing to leave.
"No!" She said too quickly, causing her cheeks to flush in embarrassment and the corners of his lips to quirk. "I mean... I don't really want to be alone right now."
"Of course," Robb fully understood and returned to his position, his elbow so close to hers on the rail but not touching.
"Tell me something about you," she demanded suddenly, once again, she caught him off guard as he scrambled to come up with something.
"Um... I'm in the police academy. Training to be an officer like my father," her eyebrows rose in interest at his words. "I'm originally from Leeds. I have a dog called Grey Wind-"
"Oooooh a dog?" She cut him off in an excited tone. "What kind of dog?"
"He's a giant thing, a Northern Inuit or something like that. My dad's dog had pups, and each of us got to keep one."
"That's really cute," she smiled brightly, "I have a big dog as well, he's an Irish Setter. Called him Chroí."
"Maybe our dogs could meet up sometime," Robb couldn't help but flirt, not realising how wrong it was to do so.
"We could set them up on a date," she replied, holding his gaze.
"My dog might be a little too much for your dog."
"You'd be surprised at what my dog could handle."
The moment was silent when Robb didn't reply to her, instead holding their gaze for far too long. Fianna eventually blinked rapidly and dropped her eyes, turning her face to look forward again at the sea, remarking on how similar the colour was to his eyes.
When they finally left the ferry boat, car in tow, to drive through Dublin streets, it was well past sun down and the sky was dark. The drive to Galway from where they were would be a few hours, and the two already had a long day.
"Look, I'll keep driving if you want. But it might be a good idea to get a B&B tonight and then drive early tomorrow morning?" Robb asked, feeling tiredness starting to creep up on him.
"Yeah let's just go somewhere," she agreed, tiredly rubbing her eyes. Robb hated to admit he found the action adorable.
After googling on Fianna's phone, she found the nearest B&B and by sheer dumb luck they just so happened to have two free bedrooms.
They walked down a narrow hallway towards where their respective rooms were in silence, which turned out to be right across from each other's.
"Well," Robb spoke up awkwardly when they stopped at their doors but neither made the move to go inside, instead just looking at each other.
"I should go in, I'm a bit tired," she gestured weakly towards her door, surprisingly unwilling to leave his company just yet.
"Um, yeah," he agreed, somewhat unwillingly as well. "We should leave in the morning at about seven."
"That's fine," she said quietly, turning and unlocking her door with the key given to her. Fianna stepped inside, turning to smile at Robb before the door was closed fully.
Fianna tossed and turned once again, she had been laying in bed for over an hour and sleep completely evaded her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her father. She was reminded of their memories together, how he taught her everything she knew and how she should have visited more.
She was also trying to suppress the anger she held for him. He hadn't even told her that he was out of remission. When he got diagnosed with cancer before, Fianna had taken a year out of university to be at his side. She only returned to England at all because she was sure he was better, he had assured her.
While Fianna pushed aside the thoughts of her father, she welcomed thoughts of the man just across the hallway. The chances of the two of them meeting on a random street in London, going to the same place and having a connection through their father's was book-worthy. Fianna believed in coincidences, but this was too good to be true.
Deciding sleep wasn't an option, Fianna flung the covers off of her body and hauled herself out of bed. Making sure to take her key, she slipped out of her bedroom and tiptoed towards Robb's door. She hesitated before knocking on the wood, but decided it was too late to turn back now.
It took a few seconds of prolonged agony before Robb finally opened the door. He was shirtless, and it took everything in her not to look at his bare chest. He ran his hand through his hair tiredly, obviously just having woken up. His features twisted in confusion upon seeing the smaller Irish girl at his door.
"Fianna? What's wrong?" He asked worriedly. Fianna bit her lip, struggling to come up with something to say. This was a spur of the moment choice, not knowing what she was expecting when she went to his door.
"I never... I never said goodnight," she came up with weakly, causing him to drop his hand from his hair and his features to soften empathically. They stood in silence for a moment, their eyes drinking each other in before giving in. Fianna rushed forward and stood on her tip toes, pressing her lips to Robb's and her hands on the side of his neck. She poured all of her emotions from that day- anger, sadness and regret into the kiss. He immediately began to kiss back.
Moving their lips against each other's, Robb took a step back, his arms wrapped around Fianna's waist so that she moved with him, before shooting his hand out and closing the door after her.
The first thing Fianna noticed the next morning, apart from the shrill ring of Robb's alarm on his phone, was that she was extremely warm. She opened her eyes, confused for a moment at the arm splayed across her middle, before then remembering and relaxing back into the bed, entirely content.
She didn't regret her actions the night before, it served as a pleasure filled distraction and considering today would be one of the worst days in her life, she would use what ever she could get. Fianna turned her head to look at the sleeping Brit next to her, kicking herself for the uncontrollable smile that developed at his adorable sleeping face. She wasn't one for casual one night stands, but clearly now she was.
The alarm was still ringing, and he stirred in his sleep, about to wake up. Becoming annoyed with it, Fianna reached over and pressed the 'dismiss' option on the home screen, finally silencing it.
She hadn't meant to snoop, technically she didn't. But dismissing the alarm left the phone displaying the lock screen notifications. One of which caught her eye in particular.
It was a text message, from someone who's contact was saved as "Roslyn" with a small, red emoji heart beside it. The contents of the message were even more jarring.
'Spoke to the hotel manager again about getting the venue booked on May 25th, so it looks like that's set as the official date!'
Her stomach dropped upon reading it. Where Robb's touch had felt warm and inviting only minutes ago, now felt sweaty and overbearing. Fianna quickly shoved his arm off of her, which resulted in waking him up with a jolt as she shot up out of bed and began to pick up her littered pyjamas, tugging them on over her naked body.
"Good morning," Robb grumbled tiredly with a small smile, which dropped when he picked up on the franticness of Fianna's movements. "What's going on? Did we sleep in?"
Feeling too angry to speak, Fianna tugged her pyjama shirt down over her stomach and whipped around, picking up Robb's phone with little care and throwing it on the bed beside him. She then stormed out of the room and returned to her own.
Robb wondered if this was her way of telling him to check the time, so he pressed the home button and sighed in relief in seeing it was only 6.04AM. His momentary relief was thwarted upon seeing the text message underneath that.
"Fuck," he swore, jumping up and tugging his boxers back up his legs before shooting out of his room and straight to Fianna's.
The door was locked, so he resorted to knocking on it quickly, not caring for the sleeping residents in the rest of the building.
"Fuck off, Robb!" She warned angrily through the door, making her bed as a sign of politeness to the staff and stuffing her belongings back into her luggage bag.
"Please just let me explain!" He begged, knocking on the door again.
Shocking him, Fianna hauled the door open and stepped forward until their bodies were close together, a fierce look in her eye.
"What the fuck do you have to explain?! You're engaged and you slept with me, as if I didn't feel bad enough!"
"I-" he stuttered, not having prepared his explanation as he didn't think she would have opened the door at all. "I don't love her!"
"And does that make it better?!" She scoffed, stepping back and gripping the side of the door.
"Meet me at the entrance at seven so we can leave and don't even try to talk to me unless I give you explicit fucking permission to!"
With that, she slammed the door shut and left Robb, alone and ashamed in the hall. A few doors opened and the people behind them looked out disapprovingly at the racket, but he couldn't help but feel they were disapproving of him too.
The guilt was overpowering.
Robb didn't dare speak again the entire car journey to Galway, which was fine with Fianna. She felt absolutely disgusted with herself, and wondered if she had threw herself at him. But he had reciprocated. It was 100% consensual and he just failed to mention he was engaged. He even spoke about his dog but failed to mention that he had a significant other.
Fianna looked out the window at the passing scenery for the duration of journey, not even looking at Robb or else she would feel the need to scream.
Fortunately, as they neared closer to Galway, thoughts of Robb dissipated. Unfortunately, thoughts of her father entered her mind instead.
Fianna had to speak eventually to give him directions to Tiernan's house, the second he arrived she opened the door, ignoring the fact he was trying to talk and shutting it behind her.
"Fianna-" he began before the door had slammed, continuing anyway as she fished her luggage out of the back seat. "I'm sorry, please know that."
She gave him a final glare, filled with contempt and disgust before closing that door too. A metaphor really, for closing the door on what could have happened between them. Fianna turned and headed towards Tiernan's apartment, bursting into tears the second the door opened.
"I knew you were going to be late," Ned Stark reprimanded him the second he opened the door. The Starks had a second home in Galway where they often visited, especially when Ned was seeing Cillian.
"I'm not late, technically, the funeral hasn't started yet. I'm just on time," Robb drawled sarcastically, receiving a look from his mother as a result.
"It's so good to see you," Catelyn embraced her son tightly in a hug, which he welcomed, having missed her as well. Ned settled for a pat on his back, a small, forced smile appearing to greet his son.
"You're wearing that? It's a funeral, you literally have to wear black," Sansa showed her presence by calling out, appearing from the kitchen and giving Robb's appearance a once over.
"I didn't want to drive in a car for three hours in a suit now, did I?" He rolled his eyes, pacing over and giving her a one armed hug, which she accepted.
"Drive? Why didn't you take the train? Did you rent a car?" Catelyn picked up.
"No, I borrowed Theon's car and took the ferry over."
"That Theon," Catelyn rolled her eyes, full of contempt, "he'll be just like his father, you'll see."
She was referring of course to the fact Theon's father was a drug addict, serving time in prison for selling and distributing heroin. It was why Theon and Robb were as close as they were now, because Theon had only been a teenager when Balon was sent to prison, Ned and Catelyn welcomed him in with open arms.
"Robb!" A childlike cheer filled the room, everyone turning to see the youngest boy, Rickon, bounding towards his eldest brother.
"Hey, little one," Robb greeted warmly, leaning down and lifting him into the air, which he squeaked excitedly at, before setting him down.
"Robb, will you go and get dressed the funeral is in an hour!" Catelyn scolded, fixing Rickon's hair after Robb had tousled it with his hand.
The funeral had been an awfully draining experience, Cillian had more friends than Fianna could have imagined. It was clear what he lacked in family members he more than made up for in his social life.
She was seated in the front row during the service, all Robb could see was the back of her head which occasionally fell when something particularly saddening was mentioned.
"Why do you keep staring at that girl?" Arya whispered crudely to him, looking back and forth with narrowed eyes.
"I know her, that's why," Robb quietly explained.
"Aww is she an ex girlfriend?" She cooed childishly, earning a glare and a shush from their mother.
Robb smirked at Arya's annoyed expression following, resonantly crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat. He returned his gaze to the lady sitting at the front, internally kicking himself once again.
He didn't regret anything. Last night was amazing, there was nothing to deny about it. His relationship with Roslyn had even crumbling since it formed, but she was a sweet girl and he felt compelled to stay with her, wanting the love his parents had shared for so long. Besides, Catelyn had been the one to introduce the two, so if his own mother picked her out they had to be perfect together.
When the novelty of being settled in a real relationship and committed to someone he wasn't sure he truly loved settled, he found himself stuck and engaged to a woman who deserved better. And although he firmly believed what he done last night was horrible to both women, he knew that it was the final push he needed to call off the engagement. Not because this was some cliché romance story where he fell for the girl after one night, but because he was interested enough in someone that wasn't his fiancée.
After the service, Fianna and Tiernan were waiting at the doors of the chapel to be greeted by those exiting. Fianna hated this part the most, listening to everyone sympathise for her and faking a smile in return was nothing short of a nightmare.
"So sorry for your loss, my dear," Roose told her, gripping her hand with his clammy one. Another acquaintance of her father's who they secretly hated, Fianna knew the feeling was mutual from his side too.
"Thank you," she murmured, meeting his fierce gaze with one of her own and never taking her eyes off him until he was out of sight. What a sleazy bastard, she thought.
"Fianna," a voice got her attention, and this time Fianna's smile was genuine.
Ned raised his arms up, taking her in for a hug instead of a hand shake. She returned it warmly, rather fond of the older man.
"You've met Catelyn, haven't you?" He brought forth his wife, who came forward to hug Fianna as well.
"Of course, she came to Sunday dinner once or twice I believe."
"You definitely haven't met this pack of wolves anyway," he gestured towards the group standing behind him. Fianna smiled at them and waved in greeting, completely ignoring one of them in particular.
"I haven't actually," she lied, leading him to motion for them to come forward.
"This is Robb, my eldest. Then we have Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon," he pointed to each one as he named them, Fianna smiling at each in return. All, save for Robb, of course.
"How have you been holding up?" He turned to Fianna and asked suddenly, causing her to sigh and her happy facade to crumble.
Sensing this, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her outside to talk.
"It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do, coming here today and saying goodbye that is," she shook her head, keeping her gaze down at her feet as they slowly walked.
"Of course it would be hard, I know myself all too well. Don't fret child, the pain will lessen some day," she smiled softly at his words, giving him a small nod.
"You know," he changed the subject, "Cillian and I always discussed setting you and Robb up. It's a pity he's engaged now."
Fianna couldn't help but laugh at his words. How little he knew. Sensing his confusion at her amusement, she shook her head.
"I don't think he's my type."
The funeral party were then meant to go down the street to Baelfort, a local pub that Cillian was fond of ever since he could drink alcohol legally. There they would gather for a drink to toast in his honour, and Fianna was not looking forward to it.
After failed attempts to get conversation from her, Tiernan left Fianna to her own devices at the bar, mingling with the others as they offered their sympathies. His mother was in attendance too, but Fianna was never close enough to her aunt to seek comfort with her.
She sat at the bar, drowning her sorrows with alcohol and keeping her eyes fixed on the bar top below her elbows.
When the stool next to her was pulled out and occupied suddenly, she didn't spare a glance, assuming it was another acquaintance to look at her in pity.
"Hi..." they spoke, and Fianna rolled her eyes when she realised it was someone she wanted to hear from even less.
"Go away, Robb."
"I just wanted to apologise, honestly."
When she didn't tell him to go away again, he took that as a chance.
"I'm sorry. There's no excuse for what I did other than sheer weakness. Roslyn isn't the one I want to marry, and I've been planning on breaking it off. I just don't want to disappoint my mother. I'm sorry that I made you the other woman. You deserve so much more than that, but I'll understand if you don't want to see me again."
Instead of answering immediately, Fianna just gave him a dead look. Her eyes looking back and forth between his own, before she turned back to the bar and finished off the rest of her glass, slamming it down on the counter top with a bang.
"My father just died. I don't have the fucking time for little boys who want to act like kings right now."
And with that, she took off and left. And went home. Even if she wasn't sure of where that was any more.
Six Months Later
Fianna Bua hated weddings.
It was a small quirk about her she possessed her entire life. Weddings made her anxious, like something was always about to happen but never would. But that wouldn't hold as a valid excuse to reject invitations, and thus, she was forced to attend them anyway.
Seated at a table surrounded by strangers and grumbling under her breath, Fianna found she hated weddings more and more with each passing minute. Of all the guests at her table, only one she knew.
"I can't wait to marry some day," Dany told her from her side, looking around the room with a beaming smile, brimming with happiness.
They were related, somehow. Dany and Fianna's mother were half sisters, making her technically her aunt, despite their similar age. The groom of the wedding was also a relative to them both. Fianna's cousin and Dany's nephew.
"She looks so happy doesn't she?" Dany gushed, marvelling over the pretty ginger that Jon had married earlier that day. Fianna turned to look at the two that were both seated at the top table, eating and giggling to themselves rather happily.
"Well if she wasn't happy I'd be worried," Fianna spoke negatively in a dreary tone, turning back to poke her untouched dessert with a spoon. Dany frowned at this.
"You're always so negative," she rolled her blue eyes, "one of these days you're going to meet someone and then you'll never shut up about love and happy endings."
"Not everyone gets a happy ending that's why!"
"Most people do!"
"What?!" Fianna scoffed, turning in her seat to face her, "name one person in our family that had a happy ending."
Dany stammered for a moment as she thought quickly, determined to come up with an answer.
"Oh!" She jolted in remembrance. "Uncle Aemon was rather happy when he passed!"
"Happy?! He died in an elderly home alone and never even married!"
"You don't have to be married to be happy," Dany waved off, picking up her flute of champagne and sipping again.
After an hour or so, the tables had been moved to the side and the guests had taken to the dance floor. Even Dany had disappeared, her long, blonde hair and attractive features drawing every single man in the room to her.
Fianna flicked through her camera album on her phone, smiling softly at videos she had taken of Chroí.
"You're looking glum," a very familiar sounding voice came from next to her, causing her breath to hitch in shock. Fianna looked over to see a face she was wishing she wouldn't see again, but couldn't deny the rate at which her heartbeat picked up when she did.
"Robb," she breathed, feeling like she hadn't seen him in a lifetime. Perhaps not long enough.
"Fianna," he returned, his lips twitching in a smile. "It's good to see you."
"Is it really?" She joked, tilting her head to the side and cocking her eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"
"Jon is my aunt Lyanna's son, we're cousins. The rest of my family are here too," he explained. "And you?"
"Jon is my uncle Aegon's son, so we're cousins as well."
"It sounds weird when you say that we're both Jon's cousins," he scrunched his nose comically.
"It does, doesn't it?" She couldn't help but chuckle, shaking her head.
"So how have you been?"
"Better," she admitted honestly. "And you?"
"Better," he agreed, looking slightly nervous all of a sudden. "I broke it off."
"Oh, so we're acknowledging it?" She sighed, the light hearted conversation turning awkward fast.
"I just thought you should know," he nodded, curling his lips in.
"Well if that's what you wanted to do, good for you. I hope it wasn't about me."
"You think you're special enough to break off an engagement?" He joked, waggling his eyebrows to show he was joking.
"I would hope not, you were just a distraction," she followed along, reaching over and playfully pinching his arm.
"Hey!" He faked, grabbing his arm dramatically and looking at her in horror. "It's treason to hit a king!"
He was referring to her parting comment that day of her father's funeral, and it only added to the amusement. Chuckling together for a moment, a silence fell over them, which was significantly less awkward than before.
"Do you want to dance?" He asked, and against all odds she found herself nodding and standing up, taking his outstretched hand.
It was sheer fate that a slower song began to play when they reached the centre of the dance floor, forcing them to dance accordingly.
At first, the dance was filled with bumbling steps and insecurities. But eventually, Fianna found herself feeling increasingly comfortable with Robb's hand in hers and his other splayed across her lower back.
"I know I have no right to ask, but I have to drive back down to London tomorrow to return Theon's car once again. We could travel together? And then.. maybe get some dinner?" His words were full of nervousness and she awed at it.
"You know what? I'd love to," he beamed brightly at her words. "Apparently our fathers thought we'd be a good match."
Aaaaand finish!
I loved writing this. Writing WIMH right now is incredibly draining because of the lack of happiness and Robb/Fianna. This was so fulfilling to write and I hope you all liked it. A few little GoT Easter eggs thrown in, of course.
I really hope everyone liked it, and if anyone has any suggestions for any other one shots they'd like to see feel free to comment them!