Northern Sun | Robb Stark

Chapter 8

Robb wasn't happy.

A messenger arrived the day after Oberyn and his paramour, Ellaria, left Dorne to attend Joffrey's wedding. Eidalya had been braiding Myrcella's hair in the garden when Theon walked up, offering her a slip of parchment.

"That's the stamp of your King!" said Myrcella excitedly as Eidalya pried it open. "What does he say?"

Eidalya smiled awkwardly, eyes flickering between Myrcella and Theon as she stood, preventing either of them from looking over her shoulder. She didn't dare read it aloud.

Princess,

I was pleased to hear negotiations on Dragonstone went well. Even a man as serious as Stannis was no match for your charm.

Our harvest continues to provide. The North's defenses have been mounted as precisely as you wished, ensuring no attacks can come from land or sea. The Ironborn have made no further attempts, though we can expect a strike via the Iron Fleet may be forthcoming, perhaps in the North or elsewhere.

I've married Lady Roslin Frey. The ceremony was small and she is... prettier than I imagined. You were right about waiting it out. But not right about the fact that I could perform this duty and set aside what we have. Lady Roslin is kind but timid. We are not much alike.

When I heard that you might marry Prince Oberyn, I was upset. My mother may have seen me toss a quill through a fold of the tent before I sent her to Winterfell to watch over Rickon. Maester Luwin reported that Bran snuck out of the castle with the help of Osha, Hodor, and Summer. He said something about a three-eyed raven... we're not sure what he means but we're doing everything we can to find him.

I need you here, Eidalya. As pleased as I am to hear that your uncle will support us, it worries me that you're so far now that we've heard my sister is being forced to wed Lord Tyrion. We must plan an attack. Waiting around does no one any good.

I miss you.

Robb

She crumpled up the letter, rubbing her hands together until she'd begun to pulverize it in her palms. When that didn't completely destroy it, she rushed to the nearest fountain, letting it dissolve the rest of the way in the water.

"What is it?" asked Myrcella curiously. "What did he say?"

"They've heard about poor Sansa's betrothal," she said dismissively. "Bran Stark is missing, he went on an adventure and told no one about it. I hope to all the gods that they find him."

Theon clearly knew that wasn't everything. But Myrcella was too young to hear about it, she wouldn't understand what it meant and Eidalya couldn't be sure she'd keep quiet if she knew that Robb and Eidalya had actually begun to grow fond of one another before duty and politics separated them to uphold important alliances. To her, it would be like a fairytale. For Eidalya, it was the right person at the wrong time.

Meals were simple. A view of the ocean, sometimes visited by Princess Arianne and Prince Trystane unless they were invited by Prince Doran to dine under his terrace. The children had a strange upbringing, what with their mother returning to Norvos. Still, they seemed to be much healthier than others Eidalya had seen. Though everyone in Dorne seemed to have had their first sexual experience by the age of three-and-ten (far too young in Eidalya's eyes), they weren't wicked like some other Westerosi, namely her brother.

A letter was sent to Prince Doran from Oberyn as soon as he arrived in King's Landing a fortnight later. It stated that Sansa had already been married to Tyrion but that the marriage was believed not to have been consummated, and that Jaime Lannister had recently been brought back to King's Landing by Lady Brienne of Tarth, though for some reason, the Kingslayer now had one less hand.