Chapter V

A/N: Time for part 2. Sorry about the long wait. This is a longer chapter. I tried to write the wedding night, but the words wouldn't come together. Thank you SALStratton for all of your help! I hope it works out! SSD

Runa woke up from a nap with a start. Ned noticed the fading whiteness from her eyes, she'd had a vision.

"What did you see, cousin?" he whispered.

"I saw a red griffin, two white fawns, a moon over a forest of spruce trees, and a sleeping black lion standing against the rest of the Stormlands. I also saw the flayed man against the direwolf. I then saw six white seashells standing against the golden lion. I saw next a burning yellow tower against the falcon. Lastly I saw the spear and sun against the sable porticullis and chains." Runa shuddered.

"You make it sound like Westeros is getting ready for another war. What causes it?" Ned queried.

"I don't know. What I do know is that it all comes from the same source. And that it isn't a what but a who caused it. Where's Ros?" She asked finally noticing her guard wasn't around.

"She asked me if I could look after you. I believe she's planning on trying to scare Robert," Ned snorted.

"I hope she doesn't try to hurt him. He needs to be in one piece for the moment!"

Rosallynd had left Runa in the capable hands of her cousin, Ned, for a while, intending on getting to know the people of Storm's End.

It would be written off as polite courtesy, a handmaiden introducing herself on behalf of her lady, but what she was really doing was determining whether they could be trusted. Whether they were dangerous, honorable, or not.

She decided to start at the top of the castle's hierarchy.

A guard, Tom, guarded the door to the Lord's solar, so she flashed him her best smile. Her mother had always told her she'd be able to charm any man with her smile, and Tom was no different.

"Tell Lord Robert that Lady Rosallynd wishes to speak with him. I shan't take too much of his time."

Tom's eyes trailed up and down her body, ignoring the glare from the woman in front of him, before deeming her acceptably attractive enough, and opened Robert's door.

"My Lord, Lady Rosallynd for you."

"My Lady!" Robert rose from his seat at his desk, as Rosallynd sauntered into the room, her eyes taking it all in. It was more lavish than Lord Rickard's solar in Winterfell, that was certain, though it didn't outshine her mother's father's solar in Horn Hill. The Reach was full of unnecessary opulence. "Does your Lady have need of me?"

Ros simply smiled and closed the door on Tom.

"Lady Runa doesn't know I'm here."

A strange look passed over the Lord's face, before he raised his hands, a universal sign of surrender, and lowered himself back in his chair.

"I'm flattered, Lady Rosallynd. You are a beautiful woman, by any man's standards, and I'm a fool for turning you down, but-"

"I'm not here to fuck you, though it gladdens me to know you'll be loyal to your future wife!"

Robert's brow furrowed, a frown tugged at his lips, as he watched the red head walk about his solar, almost as though it belonged to her.

"Then why are you here?"

Ros looked at the few books there were on a bookcase opposite his desk, mindlessly perusing the titles. It was all part of her show, this carefree display.

"I take my vows seriously, my Lord, as I pray you will take yours," Ros stated, slowly turning to face him. Her face was hard, where before it had been warm, and she could feel the Storm Lord's confusion, as though it were a tangible thing in the air. "I swore that I would protect Runa Stark from all harm."

"She is perfectly safe here, I promise you-"

"I swore that I would protect her from all harm; physical or otherwise. Accidental or otherwise. I don't care if you're lord of this castle, or if you were King of the Seven Kingdoms, if you hurt my friend, with your fists, your infidelity or your words, I'll make your insides your outsides, and hang you with them."

Robert was silent, so the Northern Lady waited for her words to sink in.

His reaction would prove to her the kind of man he truly was, and she was prepared for it all.

He laughed.

That was unexpected.

Rosallynd had prepared for the stag to unleash his "fury" upon her, or to yell for Tom to come drag her out of the room, but his entire body was shaking in his mirth. His face turned red from it. A single tear of laughter rolled down his cheek. His hands slapped his desk, and the ink from his inkwell splashed a little across whatever letter he had been writing.

Apparently, she'd have to make herself clearer.

She reached up the long sleeve to her gown, while Robert's laughter continued.

Robert didn't even see the glint of metal, or the flick of her hand, but his cheek stung as her knife grazed him and flew past his head.

It hit the wall and clattered to the ground behind him.

"Seven Hells, woman! Are you mad?"

"Angry that I'm not being taken seriously? Yes. Mad?" Rosallynd shrugged, "I don't believe so. Though, if anything happens to Runa, because of you or by your own hand, then you'll see how mad I can truly be. Keep the knife. Call it a wedding gift. I have many others."

With that, the Lady of Last Hearth turned, yanked open the door and left, leaving behind a bewildered lord, with a single droplet of blood rolling down his cheek.

Runa was doing her best to keep her hands from shaking. In a short time, her uncle Rickard would be escorting her to the Godswood for the ceremony this evening.

Everyone in Storm's End had heard Robert's argument with the Septon on the matter. Her future husband had won the argument, but she was still going to be wary of trouble from the Septon. Runa saw religious mania in his eyes.

Ned would be performing the ceremony in the place of the apoplectic cleric.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her uncle's arrival. He smiled as he said, "I wish your parents were here to see how well you've grown." He had the maiden's cloak over one arm.

"They are always with us, Uncle Rickard," she told him as he fastened the cloak around her shoulders. The pin was a green direwolf with onyx eyes.

"Time to go. I'm worried that damned Septon will interfere," he replied.

"He's not to the point where he will spill blood. Yet." Runa murmured.

They arrived at the Godswood unmolested. Runa was pleased at that. Ned called out, "Who comes before the Old Gods?"

"Runa of House Stark comes here to be wed," her uncle said before continuing, "A woman grown, trueborn, and noble. She comes to ask the blessing from the Gods. Who comes to claim her?"

"Robert of House Baratheon, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands," her soon to be husband said as he walked forward.

Ned then asked, "Who gives her?"

"Rickard of House Stark who is her uncle."

Her cousin turned towards her asking, "Lady Runa, do you take this man?"

In as calm a voice she could muster, "I do take this man."

At that moment, Stannis brought up the golden cloak with the black stag to give to his brother. Robert unfastened her maiden's cloak, her maternal cousin Howland took it.

As Robert tied the Baratheon cloak around her shoulders, he said, "As I am yours, you are mine. I bring you under my protection." Once the cloak was secure, he continued, "With this kiss I pledge my love."

The way he kissed her Runa could do nothing but kiss back. Her feet were stuck to the ground.

She barely heard the cheers.

He definitely liked that the Northern ceremonies began at sundown and were short. The wedding ceremonies of the 7 could last hours, and all that bloody incense made him sneeze!

Robert notice that his new wife had a healthy appetite. And she loved to dance, pulling him into the crowd of people with a smile.

The Northerners and the better part of the Stormlords were enjoying the feast, with many drinking contests. A young man who bore a striking resemblance to Runa's guard Lady Rossalynd was winning more than a few.

Connington and the rest of the Targaryen toadies from the Stormlands were in a quiet corner, sitting in a clump, giving both him and the "savage" men of the North dirty looks. The Griffin was drinking heavily, even by his own old standards.

As Runa tore into a venison steak, a loud voice slurred, "One Northern whore is as good as another!" It was Connington.

Robert shot to his feet, and was making his way towards the man, when the young man who'd won so many drinking contests got their first, grabbed Connington, lifting him clear off the ground.

Hauling him towards the high table, and then throwing him to the floor, he asked, "My lord, my lady. Permission to throw this filth where he belongs?"

"Permission granted Jon," Runa replied in a strong voice.

"My pleasure," Jon Umber (Robert hoped he was right) replied as he again lifted Connington off the floor, holding him over his shoulder.

The Targaryen toadies were silent after their leader was taken away. Returning to his wife's side, Robert queried, "Am I right in thinking that who just hauled Connington out, is related to your guard?"

"He is. That is Jon Umber, eldest son and heir of Lord Heward Umber. He's Ros's younger brother by a little over a year," his wife stated.

"He's nearly as tall as the Mountain!"

"And Jon's not done growing yet. He'll likely wind up taller than Clegane."

Robert could tell that Runa was starting to get nervous with the way she was running her finger around her wine glass. It was getting to the point where some drunk lordling called for the bedding to take place.

Once Jon Umber returned with a very satisfied smile on his face, he asked Runa for a dance. A tradition that was held to in both the North and the South was that a bride could not refuse a dance, otherwise it would bring bad luck.

Not much later some Tarly boy called out "It's time for the bedding!"

Before any man could make a move towards her, Jon Umber glanced at his sister and at her nod, hauled Runa up into his arms and bolted out the door.

That was obviously planned beforehand, Robert thought as he made his way towards his rooms, dodging the women.

Sure enough when he got there, Jon Umber was leaning against the wall. The door was shut at the moment. Upon seeing him the Northman snarled, "On behalf of the North, but mostly from me and mine, if you harm the Lady Runa in any way, I'll split you in two, from head to cock, and raise both halves of your corpse atop flagpoles to scare off the fucking Wildlings. Do we have an understanding, Lord Baratheon?"

"I'm surprised you think you'll beat your sister to tearing out my innards with her bare hands," Robert replied.

"True but my way is faster!"

Runa had already taken off the cloak and her jewelry when she heard Robert and Jon talking. She couldn't help but giggle a bit at Jon's vivid threat. And she knew he'd do it.

She was trying to keep her hands from shaking again, this time failing miserably. This was the part of the night that had her most on edge. When warged into a blue jay, she had accidentally seen a guard and a servant girl going at it. She got out quickly.

What would Baratheon expect of her? He certainly knew his way around women, if only by Mya Stone's existence.

She was so immersed in her thoughts that when the door slammed shut and was locked, Runa jumped out of her seat.

Once Robert was fully in the room, he remarked, "The Umbers are certainly protective of you."

"Jon and Ros are like the siblings I never got to have, especially Ros," she replied.

"Were you not close to your cousins" her husband inquired.

"I was and still am closest to Ned, in terms of age, looks, and some personality. But then he was sent to the Vale. Brandon was away fostering at Barrowtown, and Ben was just a baby when I came to live at Winterfell," Runa trailed off not knowing how to bring up her dead cousin.

Sensing the difficulty of the subject, Robert whispered, "I know you're not Lyanna."

"Do you?"

"Let me show you," he murmured before kissing her again. It was another kiss that made her feet stick to the floor. Runa gave herself up to the pleasure of it.

Robert used his talented hands on the laces of her dress, which soon slithered to the floor.

When she came up for air, she went to work on getting Robert into a similar level of undress. He helped her along.

Once they were finished with that task, Runa could not help but ogle the play of her husband's muscles in his arms and chest. She was careful not to look any lower than... Not looking there was out the window.

"See something you like?" Robert teased.

Runa opened her mouth to say something equally teasing, but no words came.

Robert took that as a yes. He then picked her up and carried her to bed, where they would be for the rest of the night.

A/N 2: Well, that's done. I'm feeling quite pleased with myself. This is the closest I've come to writing a sex scene, and I will write one for this story eventually! Looking forward to seeing what you all think! Constructive criticism is welcome.

Castings:

Jon Umber- Alexander Ludwig