randomosity | [For Hannibal] The Raid

[For Hannibal] The Raid

Since the Lannister execution and the overthrowing of Tommen Baratheon, Hannibal had settled into the Iron Throne rather comfortably with Margaery at his side. The Bolton reign had begun. And having already amassed a strong brood of children, the dynasty looked as if it would be set for some time.

Of course there were those who opposed their new King. Remnants of those loyal to the Lannisters, or the true Targaryen loyalists who considered Hannibal an unworthy successor in comparison to Daenerys. There were minor uprisings, which were put down with ease between the Bolton and Tyrell army.

But a raven arrived one morning from Winterfell.

The royal family sat at the breakfast table. Rhys and Reina were bickering over the last biscuit, while Aenar crumbled his food between his tiny fingers, and Margaery held Lorys to her breast to feed her. A servant brought the note, addressed to Margaery, which Margaery took with her free hand. Her expression turned grave as she looked to Hannibal.

"It's from Sansa. She says a few days ago a messenger from the Dreadfort arrived and told her that there was activity stirring on the Iron Islands..." she was nervous. The Ironborn were a salty, devious lot. Her grandmother had always preferred the quasi-savage Dornish to the Ironborn.

No sooner had she read the message, then the signal horn sounded and Gold Cloak rushed in. Black sails bearing the golden kracken were approaching Blackwater Bay at top speed - faster than any ship they'd yet seen. Margaery went pale.

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Margaery had to set her jaw against the pain as he withdrew his finger, then used it to apply the salve again. For at first it hurt, but then she felt the cooling sensation. Margaery breathed softly to ease the sensation, until finally her body adjusted.

"Better...much better, thank you my king," she whispered as she leaned back to kiss him softly.

Hannibal smiled as he felt the swelling going down. He returned the kiss as his finger finished applying the salve before withdrawing. "There, now you are cleaned and tended to. You should be fully healed by breakfast." He said as he kissed her tenderly.

Margaery breathed deeply as her womb began to heal. She looked up to him and nuzzled her nose against his neck. "Thank you. You always know just what to do, my love." Margaery turned to face him and kissed over his lips and chin. Showing him the full extent of her affection.

Hannibal smiled as he returned her passionate kiss. "That is part of my duty to you my love. I made a promise to you years ago that I would always be there for you. Your happiness and health is what I live for. Followed by the happiness and health of our children." He said with a smile.

Margaery smiled, resting her forehead against his and sighing softly. The aching in her body was slowly melting away thanks to the heat of the water. "You did promise me that, didn't you? I remember. It was long before our wedding, as a matter of fact," she reminisced. "To think there was a time when I dreaded being wed to you."

Hannibal smiled as she remembered. "Indeed I did. I remember all the hard work it took to win your heart. I did have to resort to a bit of bribery and a fair amount of seduction as I recall. You were quite stubborn about me." He teased her.

Margaery laughed softly. "You've met my grandmother, yes?" She teased. "Of course I'm stubborn."

She ran her fingers along his chest and kissed along his jaw. "Bribery indeed. Giving me a Dire Wolf to tie me to Winterfell with you. Then of course you seduced me, how was I to defend myself against such charms?"

Hannibal chuckled at that as his hands moved to just caress over her sides to maintain loving contact. "That is true, you do come from a strong minded woman's trainings. Although, you were playing your own games if you recall." He said.

Margaery smiled and pushed her fingers through his hair, wetting it a bit. "Of course I was. If I hadn't, you would have found me dull, wouldn't you? I think my fate would have been much different if I hadn't proven myself interesting to you. No?" She kissed him again and wrapped her arms around him.

Hannibal chuckled at that before nodding his head in agreement. "That is a possibility my love. However, I am more than happy with the journey we took together to fall in love. I have not regretted for a moment allowing you into my heart." He said honestly.

Margaery chuckled in turn. "Admit it, you made me fall in love with you because your father commanded you to do so after Ramsay stole me from Highgarden." Margaery traced her fingers over his scars from the battle in the North.

"...I wonder, if he hadn't stolen me, what would you have done?" she tilted her head. "Would you have stolen me yourself? Seems the Northern way to do things. Or would you have come to court me in a socially acceptable manner?"

Hannibal smiled as he shook his head. "As soon as I knew my father had plans for you to be my bride, I began to research you. Everything I saw grew my curiosity about you and my desire to meet you. I had grown impatient and had discussed with my father the possibility of me going to Highgarden to meet and woo you. He had agreed to my plan and arrangements were prepared. The day I was to leave we discovered Ramsay had gone to collect you on his own. I nearly rode out to stop him, but my father told me to be patient. Your grandmother is a protective and strong woman. My own father dared not cross her. I would have done the honorable thing had I been given the opportunity."

He smiled to her as he looked deep within hose brown eyes. "I am forever thankful you gave me the chance to earn your trust." He said.

Margaery laughed softly. "You did all that, when all I was doing after I learned from my father that we were to be wed was trying to find ways out of the marriage." She admitted the words with a laugh. Margaery then reached for the soap and took her time working it into a lather before rubbing it over Hannibal's chest to wash him as he had washed her. "But you were not as brash as Ramsay, nor as cold as your father. Perhaps that was the Stark influence upon you."

She kissed his forehead affectionately. "And I am forever in your debt for your protection from your awful bastard brother."

Margaery continued to wash Hannibal, working the soap over his toned arms and abdomen. "Oh, I do so wonder how it would have been if we had known each other as children." But she had never traveled far north. There had been discussions of marrying her to a Targaryen in her very early years. But when Robert Baratheon took the throne, it had been just the Baratheons that would do for Margaery from then on.

Hannibal chuckled softly at her confession. "Well, I understand why you had so many reservations. I should have killed that bastard far sooner than I did." He said as he relaxed and let her wash him off as well. He reached up to tuck a stand of hair behind her head. "I feel you would have been just as feisty back then. Although, you might have met me in the house of the Starks and not been quite so suspicious of me from the beginning." He said.

Margaery kissed him softly as her fingers moved to set the soap down and rinse the suds away from his skin. "A Bolton in wolf clothing is still a Bolton. I likely would have felt the same way." She admitted.

She nuzzled his nose again before bringing her hands to rest at his thighs. "But I have not once regretted letting you into my heart. At what point did you realize it was love and not manipulation for you when it came to wooing me? Margaery tilted her head.

Hannibal hummed softly as she continued to wash him off. He had carried a lot of tension as well and was enjoying this relaxing moment. He considered her question before he smiled softly. "It was the day we went hunting and then visited the crypts. That was the day I realized it was far more than simple manipulation between us." He said honestly.

Margaery smiled and sat back as she reminisced. "I do remember that day. You wanted to make love to me that night as I remember. You wanted to keep me warm, but I refused you, I made you wait until we were wed. Did that frustrate you, my lord?"

She thought for a moment, looking puzzled. "What was it I killed that day? A wildcat or a bear?"

Hannibal chuckled at that. "So that is how you remember it? As I recall you were halfway frozen to death. You initiated contact that night my dear and it was I who had to show restraint."

He chuckled as he recalled their first hunt together. "It was a wildcat my love."

"I initiated contact, yes, but you were eager to bed me properly even if you did show restraint in the end!" Margaery laughed.

She glanced down to her belly beneath the water. She pouted a bit, Euron's words ringing in her ears. "I should drink Moon Tea in the morning, to be safe." She whispered. "He...he threatened to impregnate me...said I should carry a proper Ironborn child..."

Hannibal saw the pout before he kissed her forehead tenderly. "I have some available here in he bathroom if you would like a cup now my love. However, I can assure you that he did not leave anything within you. I removed him before that." He said with confidence.

Margaery nodded solemnly as he suggested preparing her tea now. She was assuaged when he told her that Euron hadn't had time to plant a child within her. But still the fear lingered. Clearly she was fertile indeed if Hannibal had given her four babies; two of which had been twins! She didn't want to take any risks.

Hannibal knew why she was afraid. He moved in to kiss her tenderly. "I will make you a moon tea my love. If that will give you peace of mind my love." He said before he pulled her close in a hug. "Why don't we dry off an then go to bed?" He suggested.

Margaery nodded and smiled, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him close. "Yes, please. I could use the tea to help me rest." She nuzzled him and looked into his eyes. "Then yes, let's go to bed and be with our babies."

Hannibal nodded before standing and gettin towels. He moved to make her a moon tea before returning to her side with a simple nightgown. "Here you are my love." He said as he said as he offered her the two items.

Margaery slowly began drying herself as Hannibal prepared the tea. When he came to her with the gown and drink, she happily accepted both. Margaery slipped into the gown before taking the tea and sipping from it slowly. It was bitter, but she knew it would help. "You think of everything, my dearest love."

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