ANOTHER SIDE OF HER

Author's Note: This is a non-profit fanfiction based on A Song of Ice and Fire. It is part of a larger story world I plan to adapt into an original novel. All names, places, and affiliations may change in the future.

ROBB

The ship rocked gently beneath Robb's feet as he leaned against the railing, watching the endless blue expanse of the Jade Sea stretch to the horizon. The salt breeze tugged at his hair, which had grown longer during their journey. Nearly a moon and a half had passed since they'd departed Volantis, and to his own surprise, he found himself settling into a rhythm aboard the imperial vessel.

He was free to go anywhere on the ship now—a privilege granted after he had promised not to throw himself overboard in some foolish escape attempt. Where would he escape to, after all? The nearest shore was days away, and even if he somehow survived the swim, he would find himself in foreign lands with no allies, no resources, and no way home.

So instead, he had thrown himself into his lessons with unexpected vigor. There wasn't much else to do besides train and study, and Robb had always been a quick learner. The language came easier than he'd expected—difficult in its tones and characters, but he found he had an ear for it. Court etiquette was tedious but not impossible to master. And the history of YiTi, with its sprawling dynasties and legendary emperors, was fascinating despite himself.

"Young lord," Master Wei called from behind him, interrupting his thoughts. "If you are finished with your contemplation, Princess Ruyan is about to begin her morning exercises. I thought you might find them educational."

Robb turned, eyeing the old scholar with a mixture of wariness and reluctant respect. In the weeks since their departure from Volantis, he had come to realize that Master Wei, despite his loyalty to YiTi, was not unkind. He taught with patience and seemed genuinely pleased by Robb's progress.

"What sort of exercises?" Robb asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Combat training," Wei replied with a slight smile. "Our princess is not merely a scholar, as you may have assumed from your time with her in Winterfell."

That was intriguing enough to draw Robb away from his solitary contemplation. He followed Master Wei to the main deck, where a space had been cleared. Several sailors and guards stood watching as Princess Ruyan faced off against Master Fu, the grizzled old warrior who had been instructing Robb in YiTish martial techniques.

Robb's eyebrows rose in surprise. The princess was dressed in simple black trousers and a fitted tunic, her long hair bound tightly in a practical braid. In her hands, she held a curved sword unlike the straight blades he'd trained with his entire life. Master Fu wielded a similar weapon, though his was noticeably heavier.

"Begin," called Gao Shan from where he stood observing, and without hesitation, the princess lunged forward.

What followed was nothing like the careful, measured sparring Robb had witnessed in Winterfell's training yard. Princess Ruyan moved with startling speed, her blade a blur as she attacked, retreated, spun, and struck again. Master Fu matched her pace, their swords meeting with sharp clangs that rang across the deck. There was no holding back, no careful pulling of blows that might harm one's sparring partner. This was fighting with deadly intent, held in check only by their skill.

"They could kill each other," Robb muttered, unable to tear his eyes away.

"That is precisely the point," Master Wei said quietly beside him. "In YiTi, we train as we would fight. Half-measures teach half-lessons."

The intensity of the match increased, with Ruyan pressing her advantage after a particularly deft sidestep. Her blade danced dangerously close to Master Fu's neck, but he twisted away at the last moment, using her momentum against her. They were dangerously close to the ship's edge now, but neither combatant seemed concerned.

Then it happened—in a move too fast for Robb to follow, Master Fu swept Ruyan's legs from under her. She twisted as she fell, almost recovering, but her foot slipped on a patch of deck still wet from the morning's washing. Her arms pinwheeled for balance, and then she was gone, toppling over the railing and into the sea with a distant splash.

Robb surged forward instinctively, but Master Wei's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Watch," the old man said calmly. "This is not the first time."

The ship's crew was already in motion, moving with practiced efficiency. Two sailors tossed a rope with a buoyant wooden ring attached to it, while others prepared to lower one of the small boats if needed. But it wasn't necessary—Ruyan surfaced a moment later, putting her sword back into its scabbard as she floated, then she swam strongly toward the rope, climbing up to the ship.

When she hauled herself back onto the deck, she did not retreat to dry off or rest. Instead, she bowed formally to Master Fu, water streaming from her clothes to form a puddle at her feet. Master Fu dismissed her afterwards.

"That was..." Robb searched for the word.

"Enlightening?" Master Wei supplied with a knowing smile.

"Yes," Robb agreed. "This is... not the scholar I knew from Winterfell."

Wei's smile deepened. "The princess you met in the North was but one aspect of her training, young lord. In YiTi, a member of the imperial family must excel in all areas—scholarship, diplomacy, martial prowess, art, and statecraft. The princess has dedicated herself to mastering each discipline since childhood."

Robb found himself reassessing everything he thought he knew about Ruyan. The prim, scholarly woman who had pored over Winterfell's library and discussed Northern customs with such interest had hidden depths he hadn't glimpsed. It made him wonder what else he had missed.

The revelation about Princess Ruyan's martial training was only the first of many insights Robb gathered in the weeks that followed. He watched her aides with new awareness after their kidnapping, paying attention to the subtle dynamics he had previously ignored.

One evening, as Robb sat at a small table in Master Wei's cabin, practicing the intricate characters of the YiTish written language, he ventured a question that had been gnawing at him.

"Master Wei," he began carefully, setting down his brush, "Lihua and Gao Shan—they serve the princess, but they acted against her wishes when they... took me. How is that possible?"

The old scholar was silent for a long moment, his wrinkled face thoughtful. Finally, he sighed.

He poured two small cups of hot tea, sliding one toward Robb. "The princess's attendants serve her, yes. But ultimately, they answer to the Emperor."

Robb frowned. "So they acted on the Emperor's orders against Ruyan's wishes?"

"The Emperor Tianlong sets the goals, not the methods. When the princess reported your refusal of the alliance, Lihua and Gao Shan made a decision. They believed the Emperor's vision must be fulfilled, even if his daughter was unwilling to employ... certain tactics."

"They'll be punished when we reach YiTi, then?" Robb asked, a bitter edge to his voice.

Wei's laugh was dry. "Punished? Perhaps reprimanded for their lack of subtlety. But not punished, no. Results matter in the imperial court, young lord. And they have delivered results."

"Me," Robb said flatly.

"You," Wei agreed.

His thoughts trailed off as a new and uncomfortable parallel formed in his mind. Hadn't his own father once been forced to marry for political advantage? Hadn't all the great lords of Westeros arranged marriages for their children with little regard for their wishes? How different was that, really, from what was happening to him?

Very different, he told himself firmly. Those marriages were still conducted with honor, with formal agreements between houses, not kidnapping and coercion.

But the uncomfortable thought lingered.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63782263/chapters/163541347