"I think it's there."

"Shhh."

"Seven hells, it's right there."

"Liv, shh or else we won't eat tonight."

Livia shook with annoyance and leaned over Robert's shoulder to see a small boar eating grass.

The boar stirred, making her inch closer to Robert, her hands clutching his shoulders tightly.

Too tightly, apparently.

"If you squeeze any tighter, I won't have shoulders anymore." He whispered to her as he adjusted his grip on the spear in his hand.

"Sorry." She whispered back, loosening her hold on his shoulders but her hands remained. "Have you hunted a boar before?"

"Well," He began softly, inching closer to the boar. "No, not really. Foxes, hounds, and stags, I have hunted plenty of times though."

Livia scooted closer as he moved nearer to the boar, alarmed. "You mean you haven't hunted boar before! You're not even on horseback. Oh, we are dead."

Robert paused, slowly raising the spear. "Relax, no one's been killed by a boar before. I think."

"That's comforting. I'll leave you to your boar." She said, slowly moving back, eyes on the boar as Robert prepared to kill it.

What she didn't think would happen was when she was stepping back, she stepped on a branch, releasing a loud crunching sound.

The sound attracted the boar, making it squeal in anger as it bounded in their direction.

Livia's first instinct was to run but her body froze with fear as if she couldn't even shout. She closed her eyes, praying for anyone to rescue her when she heard a grunt of pain.

Still, she kept her eyes shut, not wanting to see whatever happened when she felt hands on her arms.

"Open your eyes, Liv."

Slowly, Livia opened her eyes and saw Robert looking at her in concern, his blue eyes light and worried.

"Are you alright?" Robert asked, his hands still on her arms.

"I'm alright. Is...Is it dead?" She answered, shaking herself from her shock.

Livia tried to look around him but he blocked her view of the dead animal. He smiled at her in amusement. "It is. Who knew you'd be great bait?"

Robert turned her around and led her back to their campsite, gesturing for some men to clean up the mess and prepare the boar.

"Bait? You really know how to charm women, Robert Baratheon." She smirked as they arrived at the campsite.

Robert only winked. "Not all women. As you may recall, there is one who escaped my charms."

Livia patted his cheek, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Not so charming after all."

°•°•°•°•°•°

Night had fallen upon them and the two of them were seated around one of the many fires lit.

Robert was sure that by now, Livia would have insisted to head back to the keep but she agreed to stay and camp. Despite her inexperience in the outdoors.

And she was very inexperienced.

She had almost gotten herself trapped in one of the snares. If he hadn't seen her stepping towards that area, she would be hanging by her legs by now.

Instead of getting angry, she merely laughed and shook it off, rolling her eyes when he teased her.

Livia was so unlike the many maidens he had met. She was probably the most highborn out of all of them yet she didn't look down on others.

Even now, she wasn't hiding in their tent, she was sitting here with him. He looked over at her and he caught himself staring at her.

Her hair had been pulled back with a simple ribbon, her green eyes reflecting the warm fire before her. She was looking at the embers of the flame in front of her, smiling softly to herself.

"What are you smiling about?" Robert found himself asking.

She looked from the fire to him. "I'm thinking that maybe hunting isn't so bad."

"Of course, it isn't so bad. What could be better than hunting animals and almost getting trapped in a snare?" He joked, making her laugh.

"Stop." She laughed, pushing him lightly before getting distracted by the fire again as she poked at it with a stick.

The boar had finished roasting and was served but Robert couldn't help but look at Livia once again.

Livia, who was used to eating from golden plates, who is now eating wild boar in a campsite.

She turned to him, chewing on one of the sweet roasted apples. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

Robert reached for her, before he could change his mind, and cupped her face. "Liv, I..."

"Yes?" Livia looked at him questioningly, holding the hand cupping her face. "Robert?"

Before he could lose his nerve, he finally asked her. "You are happy, aren't you?"

With how things are. With the kingdom. With me.

"It was not a perfect beginning. But I am. Things are good." She calmed his fast-beating heart when she pressed a kiss unto his palm. "A great deal better than I expected to be."

Robert pulled away, smiling as they ate the rest of their dinner in comfortable silence.

All the while, he was thinking that maybe, just maybe he could be happy, maybe he'd finally find peace with Livia.

She would be constant in his life. He would never need to worry about her standing in his life for she will ensure that he will not forget it.

Livia would never leave him, not as Lyanna did.

Maybe she would be the one who finally stayed.

Who would stay for him. With him.

°•°•°•°•°•°

When all the fires had been put out and they were in their tent, laying side by side, Livia heard Robert speak. "Are you still awake?"

She had half a thought not to answer, to pretend to be asleep but still, she said. "Yes, I'm still awake. Can't sleep."

"Is it because of the nightmares?" He whispered and her breaths stopped as she held it.

How had he known? Did he see her as she saw him?

When she didn't answer, he breathed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ha-"

"Yes, it's because of the nightmares." She answered, shutting her eyes tightly before quickly opening them again.

Livia avoided thinking of them too much. It haunted her like whispers at her every step, at her every waking hour.

Robert replied, through the darkness, his voice cutting through it. "It's alright, I have them too. It's why I drink so much."

She wanted to protest against his excessive drinking but it had been diminished quite a lot, only drinking a few goblets a day. There hadn't been another incident. It seems as if he was trying to redeem himself in her eyes.

Livia was shocked and she wanted to say that she knew about his nightmares, just as he knew about hers but she needed to know. "What are they about?"

She could feel him move to look at her, making her lie on her side to face him, even when it was dark and all she could see what his silhouette.

"The war. Killing Rhaegar Targaryen. Over and over, the endless carnage and the fighting." He answered.

"And Lyanna Stark." Before he could continue, she added.

"Yes. Every night, I kill him for taking her from me. Some nights, I dream that I kill her." Robert said, his voice hoarse as he finally admitted it to himself and to Livia, that he blamed Lyanna for the deaths as well despite his love for her. "And you?"

Livia couldn't answer what he revealed to her. Could she do the same and tell him the truth about her nightmares? Her words were trapped in her throat. But then she felt Robert's hand clasp her own through the darkness and it was as if he gave her the strength to finally speak.

"The war. The Mad King. I dream that he was able to finish what he started that day in the throne room. That Jaime didn't make it in time, that I died. And Elia, it was...it was all my fault." Livia said, her voice cracking as she remembered.

It was only when she felt Robert's hand wipe her tears did she realize that she had started crying.

Robert stroked her face, wiping the onslaught of tears. "I'm sorry I said those things about her children. I'm sorry that I was so quick to judge your brother. I'm forever in his debt for saving you."

Livia reached over to cup his face as he did to her. "I'm sorry I treated you so harshly. I'm sorry that I thought so horridly of you. I'm sorry about Lyanna, that she never saw how lucky she was to have you."

Robert drew closer, kissing her. On the forehead, on her nose, and finally on her lips. "Thank you."

Thank you for being the first one to say that. Thank you for helping me face my nightmares and keep them from destroying me. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and not leaving because of it.

She closed her eyes, savoring his touch on her skin, how each kiss felt like a sweep of spring and warmth. "Thank you."

Thank you for understanding. Thank you for cheering me up. Thank you for being the first person to see me as I am and not turning away.

As they pulled each other closer, drowning in kisses and passion, neither saw those two words for what they were. For what they really were.

If only they had acknowledged it before it was too late.

°•°•°•°•°•°

Even when they had gotten home to the Red Keep, the smiles still had not left their faces.

Throughout the rest of their hunting, they had not left each other's sides, their hands intertwined.

Their retinue noticed the closeness between their king and queen, talking amongst themselves yet the two barely noticed. Their attention only on each other.

When the hunting trip had ended and they were to return, Robert took Livia's hand as if to remind her that things were different now.

That he wouldn't pretend that nothing's changed between them and she had kissed him to promise him the same.

They arrived at the keep, welcomed by Lord Arryn who had smiled at seeing the two look different, happier.

Robert helped Livia dismount, planting a kiss on her cheek as he did so. "I have to attend to the small council meeting but I shall dine with you later, wait for me."

She smiled freely. It had been so long since she smiled like that. "I will. Take care."

He followed Lord Arryn to the small council chamber as she watched him go, already longing for him.

Livia and her ladies headed to her chambers to rest yet all of them only giggled and talked of her and the king.

"I knew the king would come around, my queen." One of her ladies said, making them all laugh.

"I think both of us needed the time to come around." Livia answered as all of them cooed.

"Have you already confessed your love to one another?" Lady Lydden asked and Livia's smile wavered a bit.

"We still need a bit more time for that, I think." Livia said, returning the soft and easy smile on her face.

One of her ladies piped up. "You do love him, don't you, my queen?"

Did she? Everything between them was new, all of it too new. It was too soon.

Before she could answer, a knock sounded from the door and a messenger appeared, relieving Livia and allowing her to avoid the question. For now. "Your Grace, a message for you."

Livia stood up and crossed the room, taking the letter, still thinking about her ladies' words. "Thank you. Where is it from?"

"This message came from Dorne, my queen." The messenger answered, making Livia look up in alarm.

She asked shakily. "From who?"

Surely not from whoever she thought it was from. She had thought those words would be enough for him, that things would be alright between them.

But she is to learn otherwise. Love was chaos, beautiful yes, but also terrible, leaving one more destroyed than what they used to be.

"From Prince Oberyn Martell, my queen."

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