𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅

twelve: robb's camp

"Robb, I'm going to see my sister.

"What? Where's this coming from?"

"Daenerys has been without someone of her blood for some time. Her husband is dead and our brothers are dead. She needs me now."

"Valaeria, is this an excuse to get away from me?"

"Of course not. Why would you think such a thing?"

"You've never expressed any feelings like this before. I'm just worried that you're getting tired of the life I'm giving you. We're never safe. We're never relaxed. We're never truly happy. I'm worried you'll find a man who can give you safety, happiness, and peace of mind."

"Robb-."

"Don't try to tell me that you're happy here. I know you. You'd only be happy if I'd quit risking my life everyday and if we could just go home and focus on getting our family together. That is my dream as well. That's what I'm fighting for."

"Robb, you're fighting to avenge your father. The children are a lost cause."

"How can you say such a thing?"

"Because it's my fault."

"How so?"

"I let Bran and Rickon go. Bran was offered help from Meera and Jojen Reed. He's been seeing things for time and they promised that they could help him control it. Rickon is staying with the Umbers at the Last Hearth. Vhagar and Rhaella traveled with them along with Summer and Shaggydog. I sent two more servants to protect them. I tried to convince myself that I was doing the right thing, but it still hurts."

"You never said where Bran was going."

"They said they'd stop, so he could see Jon. I haven't gotten any word from him, so I imagine, they haven't reached that far yet."

"Where are they going?"

"Beyond the Wall."

There was an uneasy silence between the two of us. His blue eyes darted to different things in the room. He ran his fingers through his curls in a frustrated manner. "You let my little brother go beyond the damned Wall!"

"I-I was helping him!"

"Helping him were you?"

"Yes, he wasn't getting any better with me!"

"With his family?"

"None of us understand what he's becoming, Robb. Don't you think it's better for him to be with the people who do understand?"

"I suppose," he sighed after a moment. "I'm sorry."

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Robb sat like child next to me. His eyes sparkled and the blue seemed warmer.

"Whenever we begin to disagree, you stop and apologize and make me feel stupid."

"Why would I want to fight with the woman I love?"

His statement made me giggle a bit. We moved under the covers to get warmer as the winter wind blew into the tent. "Robb, when we talked about having children, did you mean it?"

"Of course. Well, if your body can't handle pushing six human beings out of such a tiny space, I'll gladly settle for three."

"It would have to be a boy first. The Northerners need hope in a secure future and our firstborn son would give them that assurance."

"Are you suggesting that we have a child in the middle of a war? What happened to making a safe world for the baby to grow up in?"

"What happens if we die? Robb, I know that's not what you want to hear, but one day we will go. I pray to the Gods that we don't see your Father until after we've grown old and seen our grandchildren have children, but the Gods don't always have mercy."