Robert sat in his seat, unsure why he felt that way.

The small council meeting had ended and everyone had already dispersed, leaving but one.

"Your Grace?" Jon said, making Robert turn to the Hand.

He should feel overjoyed at the news yet he felt dismayed, not because he particularly cared but he was saddened because he knew how Livia would react to the news.

"Jon, how will I tell her about this?" Robert asked, looking up at the man who had been like a father to him.

During the meeting, they had discussed the recent news of what happened in Dragonstone. Rhaella Targaryen had perished with her children as their boat sunk in the stormy waters.

Jon sat in the seat beside him. "What do you mean?"

"Livia had been close to the queen. She...I do not wish to make her upset anymore, Jon." Robert answered, looking down and remembering the way he treated her.

And the way she forgave him despite it.

"Yes, I heard about what she did for you." Jon said as he recalled how understanding the young queen had been, finding the king herself with no hesitation and taking care of him through the night.

"Maybe I shouldn't tell her. She deserves better." Robert mumbled, hoping that Jon wouldn't hear him but he did.

"Then give her better and start by telling her. Don't hide secrets from her now. You'd be doing a lot more harm by keeping it from her." Jon advised. Never had he seen the young Baratheon feel terrible about hurting someone's feelings. At least, not until today.

Robert thought long and hard before coming to something. It was doable but he didn't know if she would agree to it.

"Do we have any more council meetings for the next few days." Robert asked, standing up with a renewed gleam in his eyes.

"No, there isn't, unless there is to be an emergency. " Jon replied, looking at Robert curiously. "What have you got planned?"

"You'll see. But first, will you do me a favor?"

°•°•°•°•°•°

She did not deserve any of this. The power, the position, the life.

She did not deserve to live, not when everyone around her had died.

Livia had heard the news early in the morning after Robert had left for the small council meeting.

Lady Lydden, Thisel had told her the news she had heard from one of the knights.

Rhaella and Viserys Targaryen had passed away, along with the newborn baby girl. They had tried to flee Dragonstone but the waves proved too difficult and the boat had sunk.

Their bodies were found by Stannis Baratheon at the shores of their stronghold, Dragonstone. Now, to be his for the taking.

Rhaella, who had loved her like a daughter. The Targaryen queen who had suffered all her life bearing endless stillborns for a madman who could never be content.

Livia sniffed, doing her best not to cry. She would not cry, not anymore. She couldn't be weak anymore. Many people would try to exploit that and she couldn't have that happen.

"My queen, is there anything I can do for you?" Thisel asked, offering her a white handkerchief.

Livia waved it away as she hugged her knees tighter to her chest, hidden by the window as she took a moment to collect herself.

When she had heard the news, she could not explain it but her chest had tightened in pain, as if her lungs could not take in any air. She was drowning above the ground, it was as if she couldn't breathe.

If it weren't for the coaxing of Thisel, she was sure to have passed out.

"No, Thisel. I just need some time to myself, you may go now." Livia dismissed her, turning back towards the window.

Her new friend bowed, smiling. "Of course, Your Grace. I'll find your brother or maybe your sister, I'm sure they'll be happy to keep you company."

Before Livia could protest, the girl had already gone leaving the young queen sighing. Thisel was one of those innocents, still untouched by the world's cruelties.

A lucky girl, indeed. Livia could've been her if she was not a Lannister. But the gods have made her one.

It was quiet, except for the birds squawking outside that Livia started to think that Lady Lydden had simply given up.

It was then that she heard the sound of footsteps. She immediately sat up straight and cleared her face of her breakdown when she saw a familiar smirk that only made her turn back to the window.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't want to see me." Robert teased, sitting at the extra space by the windowsill while Ser Arys stood about a meter away.

Livia glanced at him. "I'm not in the mood to spar words with you today, Robert."

He frowned, truly looking forlorn but she knew he didn't care for anyone with the Targaryen name. "I see you've heard the news. Liv, I'm so-"

She tried not to seem affected by the nickname he had given her, making her look away instead before she blushed. As the thought hit her, she felt ashamed for blushing when she should've been sobbing.

"Don't. Not today, Robert. Maybe tomorrow." She said, removing an invisible piece of dirt from the window.

Robert stood up then, exclaiming and making her jump at the sound of his voice. "No, not tomorrow! We have something to be doing tomorrow! In fact, we have something for the whole week."

Livia shook her head at him, thoroughly confused. "What in seven hells are you talking about?"

He smirked at her reaction before offering her his hand. "Come, let us go."

It seemed that he was too confident with himself that it surprised him when she said. "No! Wha-where are we going?"

He frowned, looking like a sad puppy as he widened his eyes and jutted his bottom lip out. "Don't you trust me?"

She looked at him in shock. "I try to, but when you say things like that, it's hard to trust you! Where are we even going? Boating?"

"Hunting, Livia, hunting. You make it sound like I'm some sort of heathen." Robert blew out air in frustration. "I thought we could use the fresh air and a break, I guess. We've been in the keep for ages."

Livia raised a brow at him. "Ages?"

"We've been at the keep for quite some time." He corrected himself quickly. "Besides, I thought you would be cheered up by this excursion."

At that, her heart warmed. Finally warmed, after being cold and numb. He had wanted to cheer her up. He was trying to make up for his behavior, the past few days.

Now, of course, she wouldn't try to fool herself that there was a meaning behind his idea to cheer her up. He just cared, as a friend and a companion.

Perhaps that was what they were, friends and companions.

Robert looked almost defeated as he sighed. "If you don't want to-"

"When are we leaving?" Livia asked, making Robert look up with a smile growing on his face.

"I was hoping we could leave now."

°•°•°•°•°•°

"I had thought you were joking when you said we would leave now."

Robert fastened the saddle on his horse, looking over at Livia who had her arms crossed. "Why would I joke about such a thing?"

Livia rolled her eyes, smiling as she climbed aboard her horse. "Hunting? Seriously Robert, when has hunting ever cheered anyone up?"

She sounded annoyed but he knew better, he had seen her smile to herself when she thought no one was looking. She may pretend not to like it but he had cheered her up.

It was a success in itself just to convince the queen of Westeros, Lady Livia Lannister to go hunting in the Kingswood.

Robert climbed atop his own horse as he rode to her side. "Have you ever even ridden a horse?"

"Of course I have!" Livia exclaimed, adjusting her gloves.

He raised a brow at her. "Do they teach horseback riding in between etiquette and embroidery lessons?"

"Very funny." She scrunched her nose at him. "If you must know, Jaime and I used to skip out on our lessons every month and he taught me how to ride horses. We bribed the stablemaster and we would ride by the seaside. Sometimes, there were fishermen and we would buy oysters and blackberry wine. "

They started to move forward, half of the Kingsguard were behind them along with a few of Livia's ladies while the rest were ahead to ensure no danger but Robert could only focus on Livia as he kept his eyes on her.

"And how did the great Lord Tywin react to his eldest son and daughter gallivanting in the Rock?" Robert asked, amusement in his tone.

Never would he have thought that Livia Lannister, the ever dutiful daughter, would do something so rebellious.

Livia smiled. "He didn't find out until Jaime fell off his horse."

He winced. "Oof, that must've hurt."

"Four stitches in the leg and the maester didn't stay quiet, he told our father that very day." She laughed, then became serious. "Jaime had to write lines, he hated it, every second of it. As for me, he sent me to King's Landing. 'Time to make good use of myself', he said."

Robert noticed Livia's smile dimming as she remembered her past that he found himself stirring the conversation to another topic. "We used to do something like that in the Eyrie."

She looked over at him, her golden hair flowing as they were surrounded by evergreen trees. "You and Ned? I can picture you sneaking off but Ned?"

"Believe it or not, it was his idea. We'd sneak off to the village, get drunk in taverns, and do whatever young boys do." He said, making her laugh.

Her laugh was endearing, like tiny bells. The fact that she does it rarely is what makes it so valuable whenever he is able to coax it out of her.

"That was not an image I needed in my head." She answered as they both burst into laughter. "Did Lord Arryn ever find out?"

"He did. But what could he do? Even if he punished us, we would probably do it again." He answered, smiling at the memory of when things were easier.

Before his parents' ship sunk, before the tourney, before the war. Before everything.

The retinue stopped, interrupting their conversation as everyone began to dismount from their horses.

Robert dismounted before helping Livia get down from her own horse, holding her by the waist and steadying her as she reached the ground. They were pressed up against each other, they hadn't been that close ever since their wedding night, so close to kissing.

"Thank you." She said, looking up at him before she stepped back and looked around. "So, what are we hunting for? Adventure?"

He smirked, delighted by her eagerness and knowing that it was her first time to hunt something.

"I'm glad you asked. Let's just say we're hunting for our dinner."

"You're joking."

"Not really."

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