The Crossed Rose - GoT - R.S.

Riverrun

Dahlia found it sweet how much Robb cared for her. In a way, it was almost irritating, but endearing at the same time. After all, he should be leading the party at all time, being the King and all, but, every once in a while, he would fall behind a little until he met with Dahlia and Jeyne as they rode side by side in the middle of their army.

"There's no need to check on me so often, your Grace." Dahlia told him once, when Robb kept his horse as close as possible to that of his wife's.

Grey Wind walked in between the two of them, their horses far too used to presence of the direwolf to even care much anymore. Lady Jeyne and her horse still startled at Grey Wind, though, and Dahlia made sure to have Willaman holding onto her mare's reins whenever Robb and Grey Wind came to check on her.

"You are my wife and you are carrying my child, my love." Robb had argued, his eyes stern but his tone playful. "You shouldn't even be riding to begin with."

"I'm fine, love, don't worry." Dahlia assured.

And she was. Fine, that is. But the ride from Harrenhal to Riverrun was a long one and with Robb making sure to give Dahlia plenty of time to rest, their party would be taking a while longer to get to their destination.

Robb had confided in Dahlia one night, after they had set camp at a clearing in the woods they were traveling. As they held each other in their tent, underneath their furs, Robb had told his wife his worries.

"Lord Karstark seems to think all of this is a waste of time." He said, as Dahlia frowned a little and looked up at Robb from where she had been resting her head against his chest.

"This is your grandfather's funeral." Dahlia pointed out as Robb sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He clearly agreed with her. But how to convince great Lord Karstark?

"He seems to be of the opinion that if we're not marching into battle with the Lannisters, it is a waste of time." Robb said.

"Well, Lord Karstark seems to think that anything that doesn't end with him getting his hands on the Kingslayer again is a waste of time." Dahlia pointed out.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Dahlia sighed, as she sat down on the bed, the upper half of her body covered just barely by a silky robe. "I mean that he seems to have forgotten that there's a war around us and only cares now for his own vengeance. I mean... I understand his anger, truly, I do. But he needs to understand that we can't just march right up to King's Landing and expect to win. I wish to see the Lannisters out of that Throne just as much as he, but I understand that, right now, this is not possible."

Robb smiled at her then, sitting up as well to prop himself up on some pillows behind him and pulling Dahlia to lay back against his chest again. Almost unconsciously, Robb's hand traveled down the curve of Dahlia's hip before slipping to her front, falling flat against her stomach. Robb's smile widened even more, if that was possible. Their Maester had said Dahlia had been almost three moons along her pregnancy when it was confirmed back at Harrenhal which meant that, now, with every passing day during their ride, the little swell in her belly grew more and more. It was still small, nothing but a little bump, but it was there. His child, protected in the stomach of his wife.

And, for a moment, all thoughts of Lord Karstark and the war outside slipped from his mind. For a moment, all that matter was Dahlia and her warmth as she laid with him and their babe in her belly.

But only for a moment.

"You don't think this is a waste of time?" Robb asked, his finger tracing over Dahlia's stomach as she smiled at the tickling sensation his touch left on her skin.