98 Proposal

Once more, Robb found himself in a tense and unwanted situation. Trapped within the bowels of a ship that belonged to his enemies. He possessed no large army nor many guards to protect him if things went south, he had to leave them behind in order to keep his movements hidden from Aegon Targaryen in case he attempted to do something, which he may very well still do.

Was it ideal? No, far from it.

But Robb couldn't afford to let an opportunity like this slip through his fingers. Daenerys and more specifically, her Dragons were a serious threat and he needed them on his side, not against him. Besides, he wasn't unused to taking risks with his life, he had done from the moment he marched south, always heading into the the thick of battle rather than watching from the rear.

"I must apologise for how those negotiations fell apart," Robb said, Daenerys shaking her head.

"You raised good points, things I had never considered." She explained. "Though I wish war was not the outcome, but it is what it is. May I ask, why you have come then?"

"I have come for an alliance, between me and you." The Mother of Dragons looked to the Imp, he had been right, as he had been on a number of occasions. She was in a unique situation where she could ask for a great deal, but also very little. Something she doubted she would have been able to realise by herself and not for the first time, begrudgingly had to internally thank Ser Bronn the Blackwater for convincing her to make use of him.

Robb himself noticed the look shared and wasn't entirely pleased with it. The Imp, was as he had come to learn was very smart. He was able to understand people and Robb wasn't happy with him being a part of this negotiation though there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was a apart of Daenerys faction and he couldn't stop her from making use of him as she was. If he were in her position, Robb would do the same.

"What would the aim of this alliance be?" Ser Barristan asked.

Robb kept his calm, despite not wanting to openly voice the reason behind it. He still didn't know what Daenerys thought of her nephew and whether she believed that he was Aegon Targaryen or not. If she did believe Aegon then him saying his reason, may cause her to turn against him.

Ultimately though, Robb needed to take a risk. "To bring an end to this war." Not the complete truth, but not a lie either.

"To defeat Aegon Targaryen you mean," Tyrion spoke up, Robb withholding the urge to openly frown. It was for this reason that Robb didn't want Tyrion in these negotiations, he not only was smart, he also wasn't afraid to speak his mind either. "So the question remains, what are you willing to give us in return for our aid."

Robb chuckled humourlessly. "You already know my stance upon this matter, lets save us both the trouble of me repeating myself." He stated firmly, crossing his arms over his chest and looking directly towards Daenerys. "What do you want, Queen Daenerys?"

There was a pause, Daenerys looking towards Robb and judging him. She knew full well that asking for more land and any of the realms that he hadn't already offered up was not something she would get. As Ser Barristan and Tyrion had explained to her, Robb wouldn't give her anymore land in order to make sure she couldn't become any stronger.

The North was his home.

The Vale had some of the finest knights in all of Westeros.

The Riverlands were a massive trading and fishing hub and was also seeing a massive overhaul in its military structure.

The Westerlands despite having been ravaged by raids were still the richest realm.

The Reach was the biggest agricultural landscape with an even larger army.

Just one of them would make Daenerys incredibly powerful and dangerous. Which was precisely why Robb wouldn't give one of them to her. He'd keep them to himself to ensure that he held an advantage over her. Even if the lords of that land wanted to support her, Tyrion had implied that Robb despite his words, would not let them do so. As strange as it might be for a Stark, especially a son of Edward Stark to act in such a way, Robb and proven a willingness to be cunning and very much Tywin Lannister.

So, once more Daenerys was forced to give up herself once more. "Marriage."

That singular word left Robb stomped, he looking towards Smalljon who looked as equally as surprised. "Marriage?" He repeated questioningly. "Between whom?"

"You and I." Daenerys continued. "It would ensure that neither of us could betray one another and unite us together completely."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Robb shook his head. "I'm already married to Margaery Tyrell. I will not annul that marriage, not after everything the Tyrells have done for me in this war."

It was Tyrion that spoke this time. "We're not asking you to annul your marriage with Margaery Tyrell. We're asking that you marry Queen Daenerys as well. Hardly a difficult thing, especially for a young man like you to have two beautiful ladies like them as your wives."

Trying to appeal to the Wolf King's sexual desires was smart, but something any doubted would work. Despite all-knowing that Robb married Margaery purely because he took her to his bed and then married her to not stain her honour, they all knew the context behind it. Robb had been reeling from news of the North and apparently a gift that had made him go temporarily mad with rage in a council meeting.

That act had led to him taking Margaery to his bed and then ultimately marriage. Starks were loyal and honour-bound, the chance of appealing to their sexual desire might have worked on someone like Brandon Stark, Ned Stark's brother. But on someone like Robb Stark, they weren't so sure if it would work.

"If you think that's enough for me to agree to this, then you're mistaken." He replied, proving their thoughts but that was hardly concerning.

"That's fine." Tyrion continued. "You see, we both know the reason why you want us on our side, Dragons. The destruction they can cause is vast and rightfully so, you don't want us as your enemies. We, in turn, would like to avoid causing death and destruction on the scale necessary to defeat you in battle."

"I will not betray my marriage," Robb stated firmly.

Tyrion however was undeterred, he was in his element. Negotiations like these and reading people were what he was good at. "You don't need to, as we said keep your marriage with Margaery Tyrell, but take Daenerys as your wife. The position of King is already secure in yourself, the position of Queen on the other hand is not."

Robb frowned deeply. "You're not making this marriage sound very appealing." He replied, Smalljon scoffing in agreement. Even he could see how disastrous that would be. Sure, Robb would be King, his position strong and unshakeable. But the position of Queen would be up for contention by Margaery and Daenerys, the little power struggle could actually destabilise the realm and plunge it back into war.

"You can be assured, thrusting the realm into war is the last thing we want." Ser Barristan tried to appease, though Robb was obviously still against this.

"I'm afraid you don't really have a choice." That earned a reaction, Smalljon looking outraged as he stepped forward. Robb stopped him from going further by placing his hand in the way of his path, but the act alone put everyone on edge.

There was a pause as both sides studied one another carefully before Smalljon stepped back. Despite that, the tension in the room was still palpable and after a moment, Robb looked towards Tyrion with a look that demanded answers. Tyrion would admit, it was creepy how alike that look was to one his father had, especially to see it on a Stark and from someone so young.

Trying to avoid shifting openly under the gaze, Tyrion kept on speaking. "You see, you can't give Daenerys to another member of your family because Daenerys won't accept it. However, she will accept marriage to a powerful noble such as your uncle, Edmure or Harrold Hardyng. But, if you do that, you'd be giving powerful nobles who might be convinced to rebel against you, Dragons. The choice is yours, Robb Stark, take Daenerys as your second wife and we can assure you, the conflict for Queenship will not destabilise the realm as many might fear. Secondly, you won't have powerful nobles being given powerful creatures such as Dragons. Above all else, we'll be united against the pretender, Aegon Targaryen."

"And what assurance is there that you won't take this war for Queenship openly? That you won't kill Margaery Tyrell?" Over the time Robb had spent with Margaery, he had grown to care for her, the happiest moment in his life was learning she was pregnant. Even knowing from the beginning that she had come purely to seduce him, marriage to him and the position of Queen on her mind, he hadn't been able to stop himself, she was good at what she did.

Just because he knew that though didn't mean he would allow her to die. For all her subterfuge and manipulations in the past, she was his wife and mother of his child. From a purely political standpoint as well, Robb couldn't allow her to die because of what the Tyrell's had done for him. Without their aid and supplying of food throughout his realm, he would have no doubt lost this war long ago.

"I had a hard life in Essos." It was not Tyrion that spoke though, but instead Daenerys. "I have seen things and done things myself, I'm sure you've had to do in your time here. I know I've changed from the naive girl I once was, but there are somethings within me that I won't change and won't do. Your wife, Margaery is pregnant with your child, that connection is something I can share. I lost my child, that nearly broke me. I've also seen children lost and alone, slaves without their mothers and fathers to protect them. I did not come Westeros to rob children of their parents."

There was a pause, Robb looking towards Daenerys, trying to gauge whether her words were truth. Daenerys stared back, openly looking to him, her gaze showing the belief she held in her words.

Eventually, Robb gave a short nod of his head. "Very well."