Bleeding Ivory l Robb Stark

Forever

As a child Joanna believed that everytime it poured rained it was the gods crying for the sins they committed. That was why she would run to Jaimes room and hide under his sheets terrified that the thunder would strike her as soon as it clapped through the sky. Joanna hated the rain, not only because as child she was terrified of it but also because it made everything so impractical and difficult.

Riverrun was flooded by the thunderstorm and they were trenched from head to toe. She didnt have the patience of her husband realising how the rain would slow them down, in fact Robb wasnt concerned at all. It was like time hadnt flown by, then again after the few nights they spent together he wouldnt want time to move on in the slightest.

Catelyn sat with Arya and Edmure at the table overlooking the map placing their position as Joannas shivering arms were comforted by Robbs warm cloak as he dried her hair with a towel. Joanna could feel it growing inside of her.

Their child

But since finding out there has never been chance to tell him. Their daily cycle consisted of strategizing, travelling, organizing soldiers and sex. Between the Karstarks betrayal to house Stark and their loss in power she needed Robb to be focussed. She would have to tell him, but not when they still needed to negotiate with Walder Frey.

A soaking Brynden and Shae entered the tent causing Joanna to look at him sharply. The rain will cost us another day. Shae spoke pulling her hair back into what was left of her single braid traveling past her shoulders My father always said that patience was not his forte.

Frey will wait. He knows were coming. Robb casually reassured his friend and advisor as he wrapped his arms around Joannas waist

Lord Walder is prickly by nature. Shae is right, the storm has slowed us down more than wed hoped it would. Catelyn added looking back to her son and his wife. Her uncle scoffed as he remarked

"Prickley? That what you call it?" He asked rhetorically "Might be the least pleasant man I've ever met. Shae rolled her eyes in annoyance to the Blackfish's comment

"Exactly, this is why we should've -" Shae argued back but was cut off

"I've seen wet shits I liked better than Walder Frey."The Blackfish replied as Catelyn sneered at his comment. He looked to her as he immediately turned to an amused Joanna "Apologies, your grace. Spent too many years around lancers and pikemen." To his surprise Joanna only laughed as she answered

"You forget that I was raised by a Baratheon, that eat, shat and fucked himself into an early grave. I'm sure I've seen worse wet shits." Brynden laughed whole heartingly at the young princess's words as Robb stared at her in complete admiration. This was one of many reasons to love her. Her ability to communicate with anyone on any matter.

Joanna might have been raised in a castle but if you had to put her between a group of sailors she'd speak their foul language as if it were second nature. She was relatable and never carried her titles above others heads.

"Lord Frey will just have to be patient with us. It's not like we could have controlled the rain." she reassured them

"He can take it as he likes. He's getting the wedding he wanted." Edmure pointed out

"He's getting a wedding but it was a king he wanted." Catelyn reaffirmed. Joanna and Robb rolled their eyes as it was just another comment made towards their marriage to which they no longer cared what others thought of "We should all get some sleep."

For hours the rain poured but it's sound was drowned out of her ears by Robb and hers moans as they tossed around in the bed for what felt like hours. Robb laid above Joanna with her hand intertwined with his above her head as he kissed her intimately.

Slowly and delicately he parted away allowing her to catch her breath as she pulled forward to kiss his lips once again. She was his safe heaven and he was hers. Robb could look into Joanna's eyes and see nothing but a sky full of stars. More suns in the sky that he could count. There were so many times where he would just stay quiet and admire her, and not only because she was the most beautiful woman in all of the seven kingdoms but also to how she was the perfect queen.

Joanna panted as she rolled over onto her stomach as nothing but a thin sheet covered her body. Robb damp from the sweat looked back to her as he proudly smirked at the kisses that decorated her neck and chest as he rose to tie a blue robe around his body "If you don't put some clothes on, I can't promise I won't attack you again." He sassed as Joanna rolled to her side with her breasts covered

"You attack me? I think it's safe to say that I've always bested you, especially in the bedroom." She remarked to Robb's amusement. Robb jokingly shook his head as he came back to the bed to sit opposite her. Joanna shifted closer until her head rested in his lap as his fingers traced her arms before grasping it.

It was silent between the two as Robb's free hand moved towards her stomach, startling her all too much. Her sudden reaction was to immediately retreat to which Robb smirked

"What are you doing?" she nervously asked him

"Wondering if it's a boy or a girl." Robb answered. Shock coursed through her veins. He knew - but how? She made sure that he never knew by wearing dresses and cloaks the size of the Hound to cover her stomach - not that she'd been showing much in any case.

"How did you know? And why didn't you tell me you know?" She sat closer until their chests were together and their foreheads rested against one another

"I wanted you to be the one to tell me but I'm no idiot. You forget that I'm the eldest of five children. I know a pregnant woman when I see her because of my mother asking me to hide it from my father in her early weeks of carrying a newborn. Why didn't you tell me?" he calmly asked. Joanna's eyes remained shut as she shook her head

"Because-" she sighed "Whenever my mother fell pregnant Robert wouldn't see it as celebration. It was like our birth was a burden to him. That's why I love the North. You all treat each other like family... Part of me was scared that you'd be angry that I got pregnant because we're so young." She spoke with the deepest amount of guilt and sorrow.

"I could never be angry. Joanna, I love you too much to hate you. You are my queen. The first and only woman I've ever loved. When I finally realised I wanted to shout to the world from pure joy but I wanted you to tell me. It was the noble thing to do."

"You Starks and your obsession with nobility." Joanna scoffed as she rested her head on his shoulder pecking his neck. Robb's laughs could be felt with every peck she gave before retreating to look back at him. His soft hands taking hold of her cheeks as his thumbs gracefully traced her cheeks

"It's you and me forever." he told her