"Where did you go?"

Livia looked up at Robert, still in his arms, breaking the silence but she had to know. 

Robert met her eyes. "I gathered your guards to go to the inn you went to."

"Was it that important to you? Because of the uprising?" She asked, after all, he had left her to go do so.

She was happy enough that he was still there instead of leaving like she thought he did but did the uprising really hold the utmost importance?

"The uprising's been stopped actually. Jon spoke to Prince Doran" He replied, making her brows furrow in confusion.

"Then why-" She started.

"For you." He answered, rubbing circles on her arm. "I could see how much pain it brought you and I wanted to ease some of the pain. I'm sorry that I said those things. I was afraid, absolutely terrified that you would surely leave."

She smiled, glad to hear him opening up to her. "I know. I was afraid too." 

"I wouldn't have left, I promise." He said.

Livia lay her head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeats. "Thank you." 

For staying. For listening.

Robert planted a soft kiss on her head. "Thank you."

For telling me. For showing me.

Silence descended upon them again and Livia had thought that he had already fallen asleep when he started moving.

Robert slowly let go of his tight embrace on her and turned on his side so that he faced her. The two of them, face to face.

Livia knew how tired she must've looked after the day's events but she saw how exhausted Robert was too. It was worth all the pain. If she had known that she would no longer have to hide anything from him.

He smiled softly as if he had heard her thoughts. Then his face turned serious, making her worry. When he started to speak, her heart warmed at his words.

"When my father sent me to the Eyrie, I was angry because I felt as if he pushed me away from home. Only my mother remained, writing letters, for a time, she was the only one I cared for. Then their ship sank and I regretted every anger I harbored for them, even my father." Robert spoke and she realized what he was doing.

Just as she had done, he was telling her everything. No more secrets in between, nothing more keeping them apart.

"I buried all the pain with whoring and drinking and fighting. When I saw Lyanna Stark, I just had to have her and when she left, I couldn't accept it. Starting the war because of my pride and killing Rhaegar Targaryen did nothing to ease my pain. It only gave me more nightmares. I didn't want to marry you because you knew me before the war, you would've seen how broken I was after it." He pausing, taking a deep breath.

Livia reached out, smoothing back his hair to sooth him.

He closed his eyes before continuing. "During our wedding night, I almost called for Lyanna but then I saw you and you-you were too good for me. I left because I was terrified, terrified that Lyanna's ghost would never leave me. But when we were in the hunting trip, by the fire, I saw you again and for the first time I had hope that you'd be the first to stay. When I found the letter, I was so convinced that you would leave me because if no one ever found a reason to stay, why would you? And with you, it'd hurt more because I let myself care for you more than anyone I ever cared for."

When Robert had finished, he opened his eyes and Livia saw fear in them, as well as a stray tear.

She inched closer, kissing the tear that fell and said the same thing he told her earlier. "I'm here. I'll be here for as long as you want me to be."

Laughing finally, he kissed her. A soft kiss full of all the emotions they felt. A sweet kiss, both of them savoring the unfamiliar feeling, the happiness.

"What if I never want you to leave?"

"Then I'll always be here."

°•°•°•°•°•°

The sun had long risen, the city had already come alive but Robert wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day.

Robert looked down at the woman in his arms, at his Liv, her head on his chest, eyes closed as if in prayer, her lips releasing small puffs of air, her hair shining like fine gold.

Her hands had found themselves holding unto his tunic sometime during the night.

He smiled, lifting a finger to trace her features from her temple to her lips, careful as not to wake her. 

They had spoke late into the night, only falling asleep when the first rays of light broke through the sky.

Nothing stood between them any longer. Perhaps this was true freedom. 

Freedom must have felt like that, to be able to be yourself, fully and completely, with someone who accepted you as who you are.

Robert shook himself from his thoughts when he felt Livia stir in his arms, slowly waking up.

She blinked awake, her emerald eyes focusing on him before a sleepy smile graced her face. "Robert."

"Liv," He whispered, careful as not to break the serene air. 

Many things had passed between them during the night, everything was different now.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, voice heavy with sleep.

"Not long." He admitted, sighing. "To be honest, I do not want to leave this bed."

Livia laughed softly. "Good. We're in agreement then."

Robert was just about to respond by saying they should stay in that bed forever when a loud knock sounded upon the door, making him groan in annoyance.

"It's still damn morning!" Robert mumbled, making Livia laugh as she got up from the bed.

"It seems time waits for no one." Livia whispered, squeezing his hand before disappearing behind a screen.

He hated how their perfect morning was suddenly interrupted by whoever was at the door. Whoever it was, he or she was going to get an earful from him.

Robert got up from the bed himself, striding towards the door, still in his clothes from the day prior but looking a great deal happier than he did before. He opened the door to see Jon looking at him with a disappointed expression.

"Jon, what in seven hells are you doing here so early?" Robert asked angrily.

Jon entered the room and seeing the messy state of the room, turned around to face the young king. "Again, Robert? Drinking?"

"It was one goblet!" Robert crossed his arms defensively. After all, he truly only drank one goblet.

"Why do I find that so hard to believe?" Jon asked, raising a brow.

Robert rolled his eyes. "I do not know why. Do you really think that I would look like this if I drank so much yesterday?"

"You're wearing rumpled clothes, possibly from yesterday, and your chamber resembles a pigsty." Jon retorted, waving to the mess in the room.

Before Robert could open his mouth, Livia made an entrance from the screen, looking as fresh as she does every day, with a barely concealed smile, signifying that she heard every word he and Jon exchanged. "Now, that's not a very nice thing to say, Lord Arryn."

Jon's eyes widened in shock and his mouth fell open, resembling a fish out of water, as he turned from Robert to Livia to the room. "My queen, I-I did not realize that you were here, I-"

"What did you come here to say?" Robert interrupted Jon's stammering before he laughed aloud.

Jon gave him a look, before answering. "There is to be a small council meeting, in four hours time."

"Thank you, Jon." Robert thanked, a smug smile still on his face.

Jon nodded to him, and to Livia as well before leaving the room. It only took a second for the Hand to leave before the king and queen burst into laughter.

"That's what you call an entrance!" Robert exclaimed, still laughing.

Livia chuckled. "I do have my moments."

Robert walked to her, kissing her on the cheek. "You always do."

He watched her blush before he walked to his own changing screen, peeling off the clothes from the day before to change into something cleaner and more suitable.

When he emerged, Livia was at her vanity trying on different jewelries, still in her own world.

Robert smiled at the sight. How wonderful it was to watch her troubled over such trivial things like jewelry. He knew just the right thing for her.

He walked over to the side table he had placed his gift on the night before. Picking up the necklace, he moved behind her, seeing her smile as he looked at her through the mirror.

"How about this for a necklace?" Robert asked, placing the necklace against her pale skin and clasping it.

Livia gasped, touching the pendant. "Robert, it's beautiful! When did you have this made?"

"When we got back from the hunting trip, I had it commissioned. Figured, it would be a nice gift." He answered, before asking hesitantly. "Do you like it?"

She stood, turning around to loop her arms around his neck, laughing freely. "I love it! Thank you!"

He smiled, pulling her closer, breathing in her scent and treasuring the sound of her laugh. "Anything for you."

Livia pulled away suddenly. "I didn't get you anything."

"You didn't have to. I gave you this because I wanted to, not because I want anything in return." Robert answered.

She frowned, before an idea seemingly dawned upon her as she turned back to her vanity. She picked something up before turning back to face him. "I know it's not much but I received this from one of the people I helped down in the hospital."

She pressed something in his hand and he opened it to see a small piece of white cloth, a handkerchief?

 Looking closer, he saw shapes forming a stag and a lion in gold thread. It seems as if the small cloth stirred something in him as he looked at her. "Thank you, Liv. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I received something from someone without any other reason."

Livia smiled, walking into his arms at the same time he wrapped his arms around her waist, her head tucked in the crook of his neck. "Anything for you."

Almost too soon for Robert's liking, they pulled away. Unwillingly, his eyes fell on the parchment, still on the floor. A cruel reminder.

"What do you want to do with...with that?" Robert asked, turning to Livia, afraid to see her reaction, if she still longed for the Dornish prince.

But she only looked at the parchment with a finality on her face, as if accepting everything. "I think it's time to let the past to die. I've made my peace with it. I don't think there's any more reason to linger in it."

Robert looked at the strong woman before him, proud to call her his wife and proud to be her husband.

"Time to face the present."

With no setbacks, with no burdens. Just as the future should be.

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