Capítulo 1362: 27
Summary:
Margaery's nameday. A lot of fluff with a pinch of angst.
Notes:
Happy one year anniversary for this story! I had intended to get this up by April 8th so it came out a year after the first chapter but oh well.
Edits: Changed the name of Aemon's sword from Dragon's Breath to Gnawing Hunger.
Notice: A spoiler-free appendix is now up for this fic. It is part of the series. It has a list of pairing, frequently asked questions, changes from canon, descriptions of the original Valyrian steel weapons, canon characters and OCs. Currently it just has the barebones and will be added to over time.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The goodnight kisses that her children had tricked Jon into giving her, or more accurately her giving him, had kept her up the previous night just as much as the thought of her nameday. Despite spending what felt like hours constantly shifting how she was sprawled across her bed and touching her lips, Marg slept well. She figured the kiss did its job, Margaery would need to make it a part of their nightly routine.
Out of bed, Marg caught sight of herself in the looking glass. Her curls had become a fizzy nest in her sleep. Moons ago she would have fretted like she was supposed to, noblemen only liked tousled hair if they were to make it so. She recalled Jon's gazes the day Aerea and her squirrel had stolen her hairbrush, it'd been the day they first kissed. So instead of her or Mira meticulously brushing her hair every morning until her hair was perfect, she now stopped once her locks were free of tangles. On days the two felt like braids or spending more time speaking they would let her be perfect again but it was now her choice.
These past few days, she didn't have Mira though and wouldn't until they headed south again. She'd let her friend return to her home, Marg had understood the feeling of being homesick more than anyone and so she couldn't deny the sole handmaiden to head north with her. In the absence of her lady-in-waiting, Margaery and Sansa were to act as each other's handmaids, it had been one of Laerra's idea. As it was her nameday, Margaery would be spared this duty until the morrow.
Sansa comes to her chambers not long after Margaery had awoken. The redhead already being dressed for the day was embarrassing, Sansa was notorious in the household for sleeping in when possible. "Happy nameday, Margaery!" The girl looked more excited for the occasion than Marg.
Blinking some of her sleepiness away, Margaery smiled and accepted a hug from her friend. "Thank you, Sansa!"
Ushering Marg to the bench before her mirror, the one that Margaery deemed as the kissing bench ever since her first kiss with Jon, Sansa began to brush her hair and they became lost in smalltalk, discussing Marg's big day.
For the first time in her life Margaery would spend the anniversary of her birth away from Highgarden and with only a single brother: Garlan. The day would be different than any before it, there would be no tourney or large feast, none of the extravagance her father loved. It would be a different experience and only time will tell what Margaery would prefer.
She was not without family however, but instead of the family of her past she was surrounded by her future. Margaery's children, husband and wives were with her, though as of yet they were none of those things. Her childrens' presence alone was a present. They'd set her on a path that would allow her true happiness, not just a crown.
The cost of her family's attendance for the day while saddening would be worth it if she got the rest of her lifetime with them, if all of them got to grow old and shriveled. Margaery looked forward to their gifts, even Loras had sent one. The presents were a topic that she and Sansa were well invested in and prattled on and on about.
When the idea of Jaehaerys' gift was brought up, Marg's thoughts went back to the meeting three day prior when Aerea threw a tantrum. Seeing Jon, a king, kneel by her daughter and interact with her had stirred something inside of her and warmed her in ways she hadn't known possible. Aerea hadn't even been conceived yet and she could sense the love Jon and the girl had for one another.
While Marg's father was fairly involved in her life, their relationship didn't seem to compare to the bond between Jon and any of his children. Her father loved her and she loved him but there was such a noticeable difference. She'd been told it was a lady's place to handle the babes, and her grandmother had raised her to capitalize on such an opportunity for House Tyrell. Margaery thought this was better. Jon would be a good father, the best father, the best father to her children. If she had naughty dreams of making said children that was neither here nor there.
Putting those distracting thoughts away for now and satisfied with her appearance, Marg and Sansa began the trek to the Great Hall filled with nervous giddiness. While Winterfell had a private dining hall for the Starks in the Great Keep, it lacked the space to comfortably seat everyone she cared about. She could blame Jon for having way too many kids but she loves them too.
Coming down the stairs to a landing on the second floor, Margaery was greeted with the heartwarming sight of Garlan, Jon and her future children. They welcomed her with a cheer of nameday wishes, and a series of hugs and kisses. She and Jon only exchanged a small peck but it was a good way to start the day.
In the Great Hall the group was greeted by the rest of the extended family. It was so very sweet, all of it, especially learning that Lady Catelyn had ordered one of her favorites made for the meal. It turned out that Margaery hadn't slept in as late as she thought and Jon had woken Sansa up earlier for the sole purpose of tending to Margaery.
"Marg?" Jon sought her attention in that Northern lilt of his when they were nearly done eating.
Lazily she raised her brow, "Hmm?"
He looked unsure of himself but forced a shy grin. "Up for a ride?"
"Just me?"
His hair swung as he apologetically shook his head. "It'd be a group thing, I want to show you the most beautiful place within a fair distance of here. We'd have our midday meal there and need to ride fairly fast to make it back before supper but I think it would be nice."
The corners of her lips pulled upwards as she fluttered her lashes while peering into his lovely eyes. Over the duration of her stay it somehow felt as if the North was slowly growing more and more beautiful, as if it was gaining color. "I believe I'd like that."
Her agreement and her big smile made him show his own teeth. His hand even made a motion to take hers but ended up just gently brushing hers as he remembered where they were. It truly was a crime that Marg couldn't kiss him when he looked at her as he did. "Brilliant. Depart in an hour?"
It proved to be a good thing he required so long to pack everything and invite the others because it took Marg a quarter of the time to convince Sansa to wear riding breeches and skirts. The redhead had insisted on wearing a dress but Margaery was victorious even if it took another ten minutes to get the girl undressed and into the proper clothes to sit atop a horse.
Walking into the courtyard they were greeted with many incredulous looks, none more disbelieving than Arya Stark. The girl was so surprised she marched over to Sansa just to shift the split of the skirt and go wide eyed at her sister in breeches. "Who are you and what have you done to my sister?"
Margaery answered for the poor girl trying to stop her sister from revealing her clothed legs. "Marriage secrets and it still took a half hour." She accompanied her words with a wink to her future wife.
The response made Arya pause and sputter before marching to the stables without a word, leaving behind two giggling girls.
In Arya's place, Jon joined them, guiding two horses. The large satchel at his side was writhing but no one said anything about it. "I saddled the horse you rode to the execution, I figured it was your preference." True to his word one of the two horses was Honeycrisp, one of Willas' that she took a liking to on the journey north.
She gave him a blinding grin for noticing such a thing and stoked a gloved hand down the brown mare's snout. "Hello Honeycrisp! And thank you Jon! She is my favorite!"
Sansa on the other hand looked put out, her shoulder slumping slightly. Her defeated eyes avoided Jon and glanced between the black stallion and the stables.
Taking the younger girl's hand, their future husband gave it a soft loving squeeze. "I thought since you don't ride much at such speeds that it might be better to ride with someone." His violet gaze moved to Marg. "If that is okay, with the nameday girl?"
"Oh, of course." Margaery replied before she really thought through it.
As a reward she was rewarded with a promising smile and an offered hand. "Thank you. My lady?" Jon assisted Marg onto her steed and held her hand a pinch too long, not that she cared. Turning he addressed Sansa next. "Would you prefer to sit in front or behind?"
The choice made the Stark pause but she swiftly had an answer. "Front, I want to see everything!" Sansa looked so pretty with joy on her face and a twinkle in her blue eyes. And so when Jon mounted the shadowy horse with the redhead before him, it took everything Marg had in her to not laugh at Sansa's sudden blush.
A sharp pain of jealousy did stab Margaery's heart at the sight of the girl in Jaehaerys' arms but it only lasted a fraction of a second. It wasn't as if Marg could be in the girl's place, not that she'd even wish for that when she had such freedom. For all of Margaery's life, riding had been one of her favorite things, she never felt more free than with reins in hand and wind in her hair. So while she might wish she was the one in his embrace, Marg was pleased with being completely free on Honeycrisp.
They left through the king's gate as a party of nearly two dozen heading north-west. The sun shined brightly and there was not a cloud in sight, her nameday couldn't have better weather. The cold breeze from their light gallop felt wonderful with the heat of the sun against her, it was a hot day for the North. Her thrashing hair would be a tangled mess but it felt heavenly.
After passing fields of farmland, patches of woods, Margaery noticed Jon lower a hand to his satchel. When his arm raised it was with the white dragon clinging to his hand. Held in the air the future king of the sky spread its scarlet wings to catch the wind. It was a glorious sight, and strangely fatherly, watching one of the most dangerous creatures in the world take its first steps towards flight with the help of her man. It was fortunate the entirety of the party was aware of the existence of the three dragons, as Aegon and Rhaenys replicated their sibling.
Margaery even got to hold Frostfyre while it practiced and the experience would be something she never forgets. It was incredible how light but strong the beast was as it grasped her fingers with its claws. Its snowy scales glittered under the sun with precipitation making it look regal.
By an hour to noon, Margaery questioned how she ever considered the North dull and grey. Everywhere she looked was color, different than the Reach but no less breathtaking. Yellow-green grass climbed up massive stone hills at surprisingly steep angles, the fields were sprinkled with wildflowers of countless colors. In the forests oak leaves were emeralds and even the grey-green of sentinel pines looked more like jade than the dull grey they sometimes appeared as.
Their speed slowed significantly when they began a serpentine path up a small mountain, the boy had laughed when she voiced her awe at its size. Everytime they came upon an absolutely stunning outlook that Marg and Sansa wanted to stop at, Jon insisted they continue the climb much to their annoyance.
But by the gods, was the view from the flat grassy peak awe-inspiring, she'd have called it otherworldly if it wasn't so very earthy. Margaery felt as if she could almost see Highgarden from there, she felt like an ant in a world so vastly large that she would never know more than a hundredth of it. Looking further north, snow capped mountains reached higher into the heavens than she thought possible and below them a lake that reflected the blue of the sky. The Wolfswood looked endless as it pawed at the horizon, one could make a game of trying to count all the red specks amongst the green canopy.
When Jon came to help her down from Honeycrisp, Margaery was still speechless even as she practically jumped off the horse into his waiting arms. With her legs wrapped around his middle, she gave him the mother of all kisses. It was euphoric, the boundless world she'd been a part of just moments ago vanished and all that was left was her and Jon. Their lips danced a new more intimate dance than before and all that kept her aloft was her king and his grip so high up her thigh that they were basically on her rear. A hand over his heart she could feel the quick drumming beat the same rhythm as her own. Margaery hardly considered their parting a parting as their foreheads still leaned together for support.
She was forever lost in deep depths of liquid amethyst when the first sound that graced her ears was her youngest daughter's cheer. "Yay! Go Mama! Suck his face off!" Apparently Aerea forgot to be disgusted like the last time the girl's mother kissed her future husband.
Still in his arms, Marg felt Jon's lips brush hers lightly and the crinkle of his eyes gave away his amusement. She giggled first and his chuckle followed and sent lovely reverberations through her body.
With great effort she eventually untangled herself from Jaehaerys. Her mind was unable to string words together in speech, though Marg thinks she may have left her tongue behind with that blissful kiss. She was on such a mind numbing peak that she just had a dopey grin as Val locked lips with her husband too.
Sansa danced to him next, she was barely in a better state than Marg was. "I didn't know the North could be so beautiful!" Her voice was so seeped in awe that there was no doubting her sincerity. The redhead's siblings all shared a disturbed cry as the girl claimed a gentle kiss.
By the time Rhaenys placed a peck on the corner of his lips, Jon had one of his rare full blown smiles and was looking a little lost. His striking smirk was sadly ruined by a lewd comment from Theon, who was silenced under the weight of half a dozen glares.
As a group they quickly claimed the mountain crest as their own with a large heavy wool cloth to sit upon and plenty of food for their midday meal. It was a wonderful time with the magnificent view, lovely conversations, and the complete absence of any titles, they were just a group of friends and a family. Of course it wasn't without chaos.
"Mom!" The pained shriek came shortly after they ate and after the younger children started playing. Jon jumped onto his feet almost instantly, running towards the sound with Val and the others not far behind him.
It took Marg a second to break out of her shock and follow. She noted that Sansa also froze. They had to push their way through the crowd to see what happened.
The source as it turned out was Robyn. The sweet little redhead was cuddled into her father's arms sniffling. Stretched out over Jon's leg were the purple eyed Stark's own, with a scarlet slowly blooming at the knee through pale grey breeches.
Val was at the girl's feet pulling off the boot of the injured limb. When the legging was rolled up, revealing a light scrape but a bloody one. While Marg flinched at seeing a girl who will one day be a daughter to her, Val began tending to it.
Some of the others seeing it wasn't too serious gave the group space so as not to crowd the girl. But some didn't leave, Rhaenys was holding one of Robyn's hands. At Jonnel's urging even Sansa joined them to sing a soft song. What more could there be done to help?
So Margaery stood there awkwardly unsure of her place. Feeling a touch at her fingers, she gasped and looked down into watery gold eyes. Squeezing her youngest's hand, Marg looked once more at the group feeling useless, the other four had it handled. Spotting a speck of violet behind Sansa, a slight smile grew on her lips. Turning to Aerea she gave the girl's arm the smallest of tugs. "Come Rhea, we can help your sister in our own way."
By the time they finished their task, Val had the wound cleaned and bandaged but Robyn was refusing to stand on her own. "It hurts too much!"
Rhaenys' dark gaze left the poor Stark and met Marg's before traveling to Aerea and what she carried before returning to Margaery's with much more warmth. The Dornishwoman's attention switched back to the little redhead.
Next thing anybody knew, Robyn was squirming wildly. Between squeals and giggles she managed to scream. "Muña! Stop it! Muña!" Burrowing further into Jon's chest in an effort to tunnel herself away from danger, she pleaded for rescue. "Save me Kepa!"
"Yes, save her from the big bad dragon, Jae." Rhaenys continued her tickle assault.
Flicking the tanned fingers until they retreated, Jon smiled at the fellow Targaryen. "The beast fell back, I hit it but couldn't pierce the scales, they were too tough. You know you have tough scales too, a little scrape won't slay you." He turned back to his daughter, missing Rhaenys' exasperated glare.
"I'm going to scar and be ugly." Robyn's lip quivered and Marg knew she could finally help.
Kneeling before the girl, Margaery grinned kindly. "Even a few scars can't make you ugly, look at your father, he is still pretty and look how many he has." She motioned Aerea forward. "Besides you can't be ugly and the queen of love and beauty." Together they placed the wreath of purple wildflowers atop the fiery hair.
Robyn beamed at the gift, leaping out of Jon's arms to hug her. "Thank you! Aunt Cella is really really pretty even with her big scar, she is crowned all the time at tourneys!" Backing out of the embrace, a grimace appeared on the girl's face. "It still hurts."
Tapping the redhead's nose, Val snorted. "If you don't think about it then it won't hurt. This is but a tiny scrape and you are a tough girl, aren't you?"
"I'm a dragon and a direwolf! I can be tough!" Considering the girl sparred with Arya sometimes that was definitely true.
"I thought so. It may pain you but know it isn't worth thought, a few days and it'll be gone, no scar and no story to tell, forgotten within a moon." The blonde put a hand on Robyn's shoulder. "You won't let this little thing ruin your games, will you? Must you ride with one of us on the way back?"
That made the girl shake her head rapidly. "No! I'm okay!" Without another word Robyn was skipping through the grass back to play with her squirrel and Aerea who chased after her.
The rest of their stay atop the peak was not completely without chaos. Aegon threw Nymerion off a bolder for more flight practice and the poor dragon glided right into Rhaenys' back. Theon got bit by Sundancer for dusting it with a cloud of dry dirt when it was basking in the noon heat. Arya and Lorys made a challenge of jumping a widening gap which Arya fell backwards into once the distance was too far for her shorter legs, thankfully she was nimble enough to land on her feet. Then there was Aerea who ran around stuck with so many burrs she was practically a hedgehog, it took five of them a few minutes to remove them all. It was a welcome sort of disorder and far better than dealing with hollow well wishes from lords and ladies.
As they were about to depart, Jon handed her an apple mindlessly. After looking it over and determining it ripe and in pristine condition, she took a bite to find it to be rather flavorless.
Hearing the crunch he turned to her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. "Uh, that was for your horse…"
Swallowing, Marg stared at him with a hand on her hip and surely an embarrassed flush. "You could have said so." The rest of the apple went to Honeycrisp, the mare was just as disappointed as her at the bland fruit. Willas named the horse after not only her cider colored coat but its love for the type of apple and the deep red fruit was not to its spoiled standards.
"Aye, I suppose I should have. Forgive me?" Jon offered her a hand and she mounted her ride.
"Hmm… Perhaps, if your gift is nice. Honeycrisp on the other hand will require better tasting apples to make up for the missing bite." Smirking down at him, Margaery bumped her heel against the horse and didn't allow Jon to comment..
A series of thumps sounded at her door, the knock was soon followed by Jon's voice. Calling him in, Marg met her own eyes in the polished silver with a small grin.
Cailin and Minisa had clothed her to outshine everyone else in the hall tonight. They and Sansa had fashioned her a pretty dress in the pale blue that Margaery had recently discovered that she favored. All traces of the afternoon's adventure came off in the luxurious baths that were the Winterfell hot springs. All the girls had quickly departed once they had finished preparing their 'Mama' and now Marg suspected that was coordinated.
Slightly tentative, Jon was slow to approach but it wasn't long before he was behind her and looking her over through the reflection. "You look beautiful." His voice carried the confidence, the words were spoken as if they were any random fact and an unquestionable truth. Somehow that meant so much more than puffed up flowery poems or other nonsense that felt too much like flattery.
She chose to deliver the warm smile herself and turned to face him, skipping the middleman that was her mirror. "Come sit with me on the kissing bench."
"The kissing bench?" Amusement had seeped into his tone. "Do a lot of kissing on this one, have you?"
With a playful wink, Marg purred. "It has been a bit neglected this past moon. The poor thing hasn't seen much use since we christened it."
He hummed in response as he joined her and sat astride the seat. "I wanted to give your present so you could wear it properly at the feast if you wished." From behind his back, Jaehaerys pulled out a piece of jewelry.
The first thing she noticed were the roses made of pale sapphire shards that made the forefront of the headpiece. The shattered gems could likely cut and draw blood but roses had their thorns. Wiry branching bronze sprouted from or rather to the flowers in swirls and tangles like roots and stem. The piece connected to chains of the same metal at the temples.
"It is lovely." And it paired perfectly with her dress. Margaery thought it might be the first time she'd been gifted anything that wasn't gold or green or white by someone outside of her family. She knew it surely wasn't the most expensive piece she owned but it was easily one of the prettiest. The subtle blue of the gems would help bring out the faint amber in her brown eyes. "Did you know the Gardner kings of the Reach would wear crowns of bronze thorns in peacetime?"
Jon moved the jewels so their hands touched. "I did not. The Stark kings wore bronze circlets with iron." One of his thumbs traced the backside of her palm. "This was one of my mother's."
A bit wet in the eyes, Marg looked at the headpiece once more. It was somehow an incredible blend of House Tyrell and House Stark, a union of their houses like them, though Jon is technically a Targaryen. "Thank you!" Grabbing him by the sides of the face she tried to communicate what she could say through a kiss. Her lips kept disobeying her command and instead pulled themself into a wide grin and eventually Margaery had to give up in a fit of giggles.
Thankfully, Jon was unconcerned about the poor kiss and smiled sweetly. "I must confess Rhaenys helped me pick it out."
"Oh?" The news was surprisingly welcome, Margaery had thought the Targaryen to be annoyingly ravishing, too damn pretty and womanly. Marg desired to touch that soft tempting tan skin so badly but hadn't gotten the excuse to yet. "Perhaps she deserves a kiss on this bench as well."
"Don't push her too fast. Just on the cheek."
She admired his patience and thought it sweet. "I won't." Though with the Dornishwoman's pouty lips it would be a challenge. "Do you not want the nameday girl to steal your future bride's first kiss?"
"I don't know how comfortable she is with all this yet."
"She has until we meet after your mission then I'm kissing her on those beautiful lips of hers. I plan on corrupting Sansa while you are away."
Jon looked a bit worried. "How corrupt are we talking?"
Laughing, she moved her face close to his. "Enough that you'll be jealous. We are to share a room, so I'll get to cuddle her and kiss her."
His dusky violet eyes darkened at the thought. "Hmm. I assure you that your bed situation will be much more pleasant than ours."
"I'm sure you'll love them huddling into you for warmth." In that regard Marg was slightly envious.
He huffed. "At least you'll get to bath regularly."
Marg conceded in that regard, not only did she get to bathe but she had the hot springs which were heaven. "Will you put the headpiece on me?"
Nodding, he had her turn so her back was to him. "Haella and Maenara will come and do your hair when I leave."
"I see, this was all premeditated." It was always pleasant when her suspicions turned out to be correct.
"Of course." The brush of his hands against her hair felt nice. "I believe that is done correctly."
When his faint touch disappeared, Marg turned. The headpiece was perfect atop her head. The ambitions of her family may have lost some of their luster in favor of actual love since she has gotten to know her future husband but the jewels made her feel like the queen she was to be. It almost looked like a crown.
As if reading her mind, Jon muttered, "Perfect."
Perfect she echoed in her head, perfect like the day so far, like the very moment they were in. Basking in the tranquil air, Marg closed her eyes and leaned into him, only a quarter turn difference than how Sansa had on the horse ride. Her cheeks were starting to ache from smirking too much.
"I'd like to see you wear this in King's Landing, can you imagine Cersei's reaction?" It was so easy to imagine the vision he was painting, somehow his gift just got better and better.
After all the pain Cersei put the future Margaery through, Marg looked forward to being petty. The headpiece was close enough to a crown to be insulting to someone like Cersei but not enough to be deemed inappropriate for a great lady to wear. "You sure know the way into my heart!" She twisted and gave him another peck.
They stayed like that cuddling on the kissing bench for a few moments before Jon pulled back. "I should give you time to get your hair done before supper." A shame, but he was right.
Stealing one more kiss, she let him go and soon his presence was replaced with her two middle daughters. Margaery remembered she still had yet to open her family's gifts.
Like the morning, the feast was made up of her favorites but with multiple courses, she admired Lady Catelyn's talent as the Lady of the keep. An intimate mood was prevalent throughout the meal, even if most of the same decorum as the South was followed. There was something about watching Alsauna and Robyn hoard and eat as many of the fresh strawberries as possible while still looking proper. There were no heirs or lords approaching her constantly to have a word, no games of the political variety, just easy conversation, eating, and her new family.
It was a tad upsetting that she couldn't share more than a few dances with Jon but between Garlan, her sons, as well as Aegon, Robb, and some of the others, she was busy. Val even asked her to dance once and spent half the time making Marg laugh with her slightly drunken comments and the other half mocking the boys. Being on her feet so long and the long ride in the afternoon quickly tired her and she turned to her gifts.
Her family's presents ended up being the most disappointing. Considering the great distance, they decided to give proper gifts once reunited and settled for jewels, none of which felt even a quarter as precious as the piece atop her head. Willas had sent books and some Dornish delicacies with the Martell party but his location also limited his gifts. Garlan had a fine saddle and caparison made for her horse.
Marg thought the best gifts came from those with her in Winterfell. From Maenara she received a collection of artwork the girl painted herself, the scenes of the Reach along the Mander had nearly brought Marg to tears with a deep pining for her home. Sansa gifted her a proper Northern cloak with deftly embroidered briars of blue roses across the straps. Winter roses had clearly become a tasteful way to claim her as part of the Stark family or rather Jon's family. Many of the others made offers, the strangest being a bottle of poison from Myriah who looked way too innocent. Aerea's contribution of a gold necklace with a large emerald aroused many questions, in the end she confessed to having her squirrel steal it from Cersei's guest chambers which prompted laughter and a joke from Laerra.
The celebrations were beginning to wane when Val wrapped an arm around her. "My gift." With her free hand the blonde placed a circular brooch on the table before them, it was carved from white wood: weirwood. "Another damn rose but you Southerners seem obsessed with your pretty banners."
"We are, gods forbid I get something with a horse on it rather than a gold rose." She giggled with her inebriated companion. "Did you make this?"
Val hummed positively before leaning in to whisper in Margaery's ear. "You know…Snow has another gift for you, in private."
Glancing over to where she knew Jon was, as she couldn't help but always seek his presence, Marg grinned. He was looking at her and Val worryingly, but she didn't think he was waiting to give her another present, he would have given it earlier. "Really?"
With a purr, the Freefolk woman chuckled. "Mhmm. A present fit for a queen."
She doubted he intended to give her a crown or a throne, so Marg was at a loss. "What is it?"
"A special kiss." Val giggled again before pushing her towards Jon. "Go to him. You can give me your gratitude later."
Margaery was confused by the honey haired woman's final words. The 'special kiss' was surely the one between the legs. The thought excited her but made her nervous, Val's praise made the act sound heavenly but she didn't know that Jon felt comfortable with her like that yet. Then again, he was with Val and he hadn't known her much longer than Marg. Spurred on by the thought she approached her future husband. "Jon."
He smiled at her, Robb and Aegon seemed to understand the silent dismissal and gave them the closest thing one can have to privacy in a crowded hall. "Marg." The way he said her nickname in that timbre of his never failed to send a pleasant shiver down her spine.
"Val tells tale that you have another gift for me." She made her voice extra sensual to hint at the meaning.
"Another gift…Oh…" His boot bumped hers as he shifted awkwardly, it was adorable to see him flustered. "Did she tell you what it is?"
She nodded. "Val did."
His eyes flicked to where the 'wildling' was now spying over her flagon at them. "Is it something you wish for?" Jon couldn't meet her gaze as he asked.
"Would I be speaking to you now if I wasn't the slightest bit interested?" Margaery would be lying if she wasn't intrigued by the potential satisfaction a woman could find in bed, it was something she never expected to experience properly. "Is it something you are willing to give?"
"Of course." Jon's answer came quickly enough that even he was surprised. The truthful answer was welcome. "I can take your gifts to your room and you can leave a bit later?"
Marg thought that was prudent. She helped him pack her gifts for easy transport, though she was moderately distracted watching and accidentally brushing against his arms and hands, him in general. When he was gone, she was left with her rampant imagination. Those painfully long minutes were agony, by the time she departed the Great Hall she was grinding her thighs together futilely. Margaery hadn't even said goodnight to anyone, but she was barely holding herself back from sprinting through the corridors and up the stairs of the old castle.
Her nameday had been a good day. The memory was evidently going to be fondly cherished by more than just her. Knowing that Jon, Val, Sansa, and even Rhaenys had a great day somehow made the memories even more sweet. Everything up until… that moment… had been truly and utterly perfect. Even then what happened in her room started out wondrously, full of kisses -not on the bench-, touches, soft laughter and later her little moans and squeals.
But then it happened… two nights to sleep on it and Margaery was still completely embarrassed. Thanks to her upbringing, she had been able to repress the memory and act much like normal the next day. Though her fake smiles and laughs hadn't convinced Jon or Val and the weight of their stares had been suffocating. They gave her time, Jon more so than Val.
Conceptually she knew that she had no fault and that it was an accident, that is if Marg had any control of it in the first place, but that didn't stop her cheeks from heating whenever she had looked at Jon's face. His long and pretty face had been between her legs and that inescapable thought carried with it all the toe curling glory as well as the heartstopping horror.
It was just another case of Margaery being a bad match for him. She always seemed to have a harder time with him than the others. Her fears that they were only together for the children lingered darkly in her chest, Jon chose the others but she was practically forced on him in the other future. Marg was his duty.
The worst part was that there was no one to talk about it with. Truthfully there were plenty, some more awkward and ill-advised than others, Marg didn't know if she could stand the shame of confessing to any of them.
In the end she was spared the task of seeking someone out as Jon visited her that morning. It had been inevitably coming and so Marg had granted him entrance despite the fact that she couldn't meet his eyes even through silvery cloth.
Like Ghost he waded into her room without sound. He sat at the side of her bed on her tousled sheets and let the silence and billowy drapes be all that divided them, well other than the event on her nameday. "You didn't intend to do it." Jon had said the same that night before she had sent him away.
"I know." Marg hadn't been capable of doing much at the time, especially thinking, much less conscious enough to do what she had. She was thankful he didn't care that she was sprawled across the bed with her face in a pillow and her back to him. It could have already been noon and Marg would have had little idea.
He sighed heavily as if he carried all the weight of what happened. "Then why did you avoid me yesterday?"
Avoid wasn't the word Marg would use, the previous day she had simply been wearing a mask and acting. He hadn't been convinced and every time he had looked at her with concern her heart had jumped out from under her ribs to flounder like a fish on land. "I'm sorry."
"You don't need to apologize. Neither of us know what happened. I can't blame you for being embarrassed either but whatever that was, it's alright, I didn't come for that." His hand gently landed on her back.
But she did need to apologize, Marg knew he hated what she'd done, he preferred Margaery's true feelings over a false display. She turned over and faced him, hiding her face was just another mask.
His hand rubbed her waist comfortingly. "If you think that I'm disgusted or whatever by what happened, then you're wrong. I don't mind, it could happen every time for all I care."
"You seemed to care at the time." Marg recalled his questions and shocked face.
"I was surprised and neither of us knew what it was, I was worried." His violet gaze carried all his concern, his eyes are often the only way to read him when he gets stone faced.
They shared the thought then, Marg had also fretted over the idea. "What if it is a health problem?"
Jon hummed. "Then we will do what we can about it and make the best of what we have."
"It felt nice before…you know." Margaery realized how much of an understatement that was, Val trained him well.
He raised a brow. "Yeah?" At her nod, he smiled and continued. "Good, because I enjoyed it."
The thick shadowy liquid polluting her heart subsided at his admission, replaced with a warm fuzzy goo and with it hope. She could believe in the idea of them together again. "Perhaps it might not happen next time."
"Even if it does, that is fine. You said it didn't hurt."
"Far far far, from hurting." By far the best she's ever felt. She hadn't even realized what happened because her mind was completely drowned in pleasure.
Leaning forward he kissed her. When he pulled away his fingers fiddled with her side. "I'd appreciate getting to spend some time with you before I have to go."
She'd forgotten about that. The realization that she spent one of her last days with him by being distant and fake made her a bit depressed. Now Margaery had to make up for lost time. "I'd like that. Will you stay here for a little while?" Lightly she pulled him partly on top of her.
"A little while. We should spend time with the others as well." His eyes finally glanced down towards her shift and darkened. "Do you wish to try again?"
Margaery very much did but she was too emotionally drained. She wanted hugs and soft little pecks of the lips. "Not right now."
"Just cuddles then?"
"A few kisses here and there wouldn't be unwelcome." She knew what she wanted now and she refused to let it go. It wasn't a crown or a throne but the man who happened to bear the title of king. He was her man before he was her king, her nameday proved she didn't need anything but him, her children and possibly his pretty wives.
Notes:
So I would like a bit of feedback on the pacing of this chapter, it is not too different but definitely a bit faster.
Next chapter will be from Sansa's PoV as we get the last few moments before Jon and his party leave to go beyond the Wall, what exactly happened between Jon and Marg will also be covered. It'll be the final chapter before things start heating up.
Upcoming Chapter POV Order:
Sansa II
Multi IV
Multi V
Mya I
Realm I
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder