"I don't understand why there has to be a second marriage. We already had a marriage in that hovel they call a sept this morning." Mother snapped.
Myrcella ignored her mother. She had gotten quite good at doing that as she'd gotten older. Initially, she had idolised her mother. Cersei Lannister was a beautiful woman, tall, elegant and poised. But if you dug beneath the surface, you found a woman that was not at all at peace with herself.
Myrcella had been ten the first time she had seen the façade crack. Mother had been drinking and she'd said something that had made Joffrey cry. Even though her brother was what he was, Myrcella had rushed to defend him. Mother had responded by beating her.
When Myrcella had said that she was only doing what she'd been told from birth-to defend family-Mother had hit her harder. The only thing that had stopped Mother from going too far was Uncle Jaime appearing at the right moment and hauling mother away from her. The next day Mother had not even acknowledged what she'd done. Instead, she'd simply told Myrcella not to interfere in things that didn't concern her.
The next time the façade had cracked had been when her blood had come, and Mother had started yelling at her and whispering and all sorts of other things. Myrcella hadn't understood then and she didn't understand now what had caused Mother to snap. But snap she had.
Since then, Myrcella had turned to not listening to her Mother and instead focusing on other things. Like how during the morning feast, which Myrcella had shared with Mother, Lady Catelyn and some of the other great ladies of the north, the Manderly girls and the Mormont girls had taken her to the side to talk.
Myrcella felt nervous. Dacey Mormont was a bear of a woman and beautiful as well. Was she about to give her some warning? Something like what one of father's cousins had done when mother had married him?
"Don't look so bloody terrified, Princess. I'm not going to eat you." Dacey said in a thick accent.
"I…apologies, Lady Dacey." Myrcella said.
"Uf." Dacey said. "None of this Lady nonsense, I'm Dacey to you."
Myrcella grinned and said. "Well I'll be Myrcella to you as well then."
Dacey laughed. "I like you."
Myrcella smiled.
"Now, there's one thing I wanted to tell you before this whole thing starts. Us northerners are a hardy people, but really we're all quite soft. Just take the time to get to know us and you'll win us over. Lady Catelyn did and she's well liked. And if you ever need someone to give Robb Stark a clip around the ears, you let me know." Dacey said.
Myrcella laughed.
"She's serious." Jorelle Mormont said.
"Now, is there anything you have questions about?" Wynafryd Manderly asked. "bout the north or what's about to happen?"
Myrcella raised an eyebrow. "You mean the wedding or the evening?"
"Both." Wynafryd replied, smiling slyly.
"Well…is it painful?" Myrcella asked. That was the thing she'd always heard. Mother in the rare moments where she'd been a mother had always said the act was painful. Myrcella didn't want her and Robb's first time to be painful.
"It can be if neither of you know what you're doing." Dacey said. "So, what I'd suggest doing is taking it slow. Figure out what both of you like and take it easy. Don't rush."
"Is that a thing?" Myrcella asked. "Rushing?"
"Some men are like pigs at the trough," Alysanne Mormont said. "They get eager and they go quickly. And sometimes you don't want them to. So, it's important you tell Robb to take it easy. That you want to explore."
Myrcella felt her cheeks going red then, but she nodded all the same. This was useful advice.
"And you don't have to worry about men looking to see whether the marriage has been consummated." Wynafryd added. "I know that's a custom down south, but it hasn't been one here since Lord Brandon-one of them anyway-forbade it."
Myrcella nodded relieved. That had been another fear of hers. She hadn't wanted to be caught up in that horrible tradition.
"So, do you have any other questions?" Alysanne asked.
"Let her have some time to think over everything Aly!" Alys Karstark reprimanded.
Myrcella chuckled, she liked Alys, the girl reminded her a little of Margaery Tyrell, Marge was down south seeing to something with her brother Ser Garlan.
"Myrcella, are you even paying attention to what I am saying?" Mother demanded, tugging at her braid, making Myrcella wince.
"Yes, Mother." Myrcella replied, clearing her throat.
"Well? What did I just say?" Mother asked.
"That there is no need for a second ceremony, that the Old Gods are disgraceful, that you are opposed to this marriage, and that I must not forget that I am a Lannister as well as a Baratheon." Myrcella said. She glanced into the mirror and saw Mother nod approvingly.
She pushed down a sense of revulsion, Mother was so predictable.
"Well, you're ready, so let's get this over and done with." Mother said.
Myrcella rose and took a quick look at herself, she wore a dress that mixed gold and red, her hair was curled, she swallowed. Nervous despite having already been married once this morning. Mother extended a hand and together they walked out of the room and into the hallway. Ser Arys and Uncle Jaime were waiting.
"You look beautiful, Your Highness." Uncle Jaime said.
Myrcella smiled. Mother said nothing, and then they were walking down the hallway, down a flight of steps-her cousins took the ends of her dress to prevent her from falling-and then down another hallway. Ser Arys and Uncle Jaime opened a set of doors, then they were in the open.
Myrcella took in a sharp breath as the air hit her. It did a little to soothe her nerves, but not enough. This was silly, she'd already married Robb once this morning, but clearly this was the more serious wedding. This would make her the wife of the heir to Winterfell in the eyes of the north. And the entire north was present in the Godswood. They'd all turned out to see the heir get married.
They walked in silence, Myrcella keeping her mind blank deliberately, to prevent herself from feeling even more nervous. When they got to the tall trees and the silence of the wood, she swallowed. She blinked and there she saw him. Her Robb, her husband to be. He was stood wearing the grey of his house. His hair was bright and shining and his eyes…his eyes were green again.