Duty

VS

Robb has grown used to your company in recent weeks. He was surprised the first time you came to his study for no reason other than to talk, but he came away from that evening happy to have seen and spoken with you.

Eventually, those nightly visits became more of an expectation. Sometimes you'll have a conversation over tea and cakes and other nights he'll share a laugh with you over supper with a belly full of ale. Occasionally you watch him work while doing needlepoint or sewing up his trousers – because he always seems to rip the seams – providing a needed distraction whenever he gets too frustrated with the contents of his letters.

It is routine. One he quite enjoys, which is why when you don't come to his study tonight, he's not upset, he's worried. He thinks to ignore it and continue on with his work, but he struggles to concentrate on any of it when his mind keeps wandering back to you.

He has enough after a few minutes and rises to his feet intending to find you and determine that everything is alright. As he walks around the Great Keep, not a single person he passes can tell him where you are. His casual stroll slowly morphs into a hurried walk as he begins heading towards your chambers. That is when he runs into someone.

Elyse.

He almost doesn't realise it is her at first, so focused on where he is going that he brushes past her. It is only at the sound of her voice when she stops to curtsey that he recognises who it is. He spins back around as he already passed her a little, cocking his head to the side.

"Elyse," he breathes as he approaches her slowly, "How are you?"

They have not spoken in some weeks now. It is awkward between them. It has never been awkward. He suspects that she has been avoiding him, but a part of him chooses to believe that only because he has in fact been avoiding her out of guilt.

She looks up at him, a thin yet soft smile on her lips. "I am well," she says, though her pained eyes tell a different story.

Robb has the urge to pry her for more questions. The only reason he has stayed away from her is because things can never be as they were once. Not if he intends to honour his vows to you.

He doesn't want her to feel as though he has simply cast her aside and forgotten her. But as soon as he's about to raise a hand to take hers, he stops himself, remembering why he is here in this corridor in the first place. He is trying to find you.

"Have you seen...?" his voice trails off before he can say your name. He doesn't know if that would be offensive or unnecessarily hurtful.

But it doesn't need to be said because she knows who he refers to just by the look in his eyes.

"The Queen is in her chambers. With Maester Luwin."

That means something is wrong, and though he wants to stay and ease Elyse's hurt, he does not have the time for it.

"Thank you, Elyse," he lingers for a moment, knowing there are still many things unsaid between them, before making his way to your chambers.

Just as he arrives at the door, Maester Luwin steps outside, jumping when he sees Robb.

"Your Grace," he bows as best as he can while shutting the door, " Forgive me, I was not expecting you."

Robb frowns as he glances from the closed door to Maester Luwin, "Has something happened?"

The Maester shakes his head slowly, "Her Grace has fallen ill, but–"

"Why was I not made aware?"

"It was quite sudden," he explains, then places a hand on Robb's shoulder, "But it is nothing serious, you need not worry yourself."