The Wolf Princess

Chapter 17

"My Lady"

Lilia turned her head to find no one other than Ser Willem. Despite following her every move cautiously and showing, again and again, his loyalty to her brother, Lilia hadn't spoken to him very much.

"Ser Willem," she saluted back respectfully. His horse approached the young lady's as they both rode in the middle, close to the Queen Mother. A rider had met them with news that the Queen had fallen ill, which clearly worried her brother who, despite not saying anything, clearly wished to remain by her side.

Lilia had received a message as well, only that instead of receiving one from the Maester, the rider handed her one from the Queen herself. Her sister by law told her how she felt useless and cursed for not having been able to conceive yet. The two weren't the best of friends, not just because of the circumstances but also because Lilia loathed Lady Sybill, the Queen's unbearable mother. Still, the clear wish that Jeyne had to please was endearing to Lilia, who found the girl's position one of much pressure. So, on her way to the Twins, she'd been praying for her brother's wife, so that the Gods would grant her a child, preferably a boy.

But if the Gods weren't kind enough to listen to her prayers... she feared how Jeyne would be welcomed once the war was over and they all went back to Winterfell.

Before the rider left though, she wrote to Jeyne as well, encouraging her. After all, she was still very young and would have plenty of time to give Robb many, many children – boys and girls alike. A little Ned perhaps, like Jeyne had told her about in an attempt to win her over. It had been a good move that certainly warmed Lilia's heart to the bittersweetness that it brought her.

She wanted a little Ned running around.

In her dreams, she had pictured little Ned with Robb and how perfectly similar they looked. In her imagination, not far away from them, stood a little girl with auburn hair in pigtails, craving attention from them as well. She herself stood next to Jeyne, who was heavy with child and, surprisingly she herself had a big belly as well. It came as a surprise to her to realize that she had an intense desire to make that happen. They were all in Winterfell as a big, happy family... as her family had once been.

"I see you upset, My Lady," he commented politely, trying to keep his distance from her. "I was wondering if I could do anything to help you"

Lilia pondered on whether or not she should share her concerns. The whole image she'd painted was a very beautiful one but also one she knew could never be and a distraction to what truly made her feel at ease.

"We are about to get to the Twins," she said in a heavy tone. "I have a bad feeling"

"What do you mean?" he asked. Lilia's eyes met his for a second before she looked away and her gaze found her brother riding next to their mother.

"I don't know," she replied as she kept her gaze on them. "but I have to thank you for serving my brother and leaving your post for me. Without you, I would have never made it to Riverrun"

The man looked away from her for a second and she could swear his cheeks had burnt a little at the comment. It was endearing to her but it did not seem the same way for him, as he quickly tried to brush his pride aside.

"It was my pleasure, my lady. Serving your cause seems as righteous to me as serving Lord Arryn. My place is here, fighting for family and for those who have shown me kindness" he replied almost instantly, avoiding her eyes. His sense of honour was one she'd not seen in a very long time and one that was getting rarer and rarer by the day. It was the kind of honour that she'd heard about in songs and the kind of honour that she'd once seen in Ser Barristan Selmy. She would go as far as saying that Jaime Lannister had once treated her that way but she would rather keep the memories buried deep within her conscience. "I would do anything for you, my lady"