DYING EMBERS || ROBB STARK

N I N E T E E N

Baths were such a waste, they took to long too construe, made quite a mess, and put hard labor on the already tired soldiers but everyone insisted that as acting Queen she could have all the baths she wanted and it would be okay.

It was really not.

Victoria sighed as she sat in the warm bath, steam rolling off the tops of water as she sunk in, bare body adjusting to the warmth. Elaine was behind her, running a brush through her wet hair and assuring that the knots were out of her thick dark waves.

"Baths like these are really a luxury everyone should experience once in their life, but not during war." Victoria commented as her eyes closed and she relaxed, God's she could fall asleep right there.

"Baths like this are for lords and ladies, queens especially. It's why your uncles have sent only the best herbs and potions to relax you." Elle pointed out, amusement in her tone as she dipped her fingers into the and pulled more hair from the water. The smells of cinnamon and lavender, bright honey with a hint of coconut mixed into the air. The blonde has never smell such items before and it wasn't until Victoria had shown her the collections of hers ground up into little salts did she become aware of each distinguishing item.

"Relax?" Vic snorted with a low laugh. "I haven't relaxed since the day we left Winterfell. Relaxing is only what the common people get to enjoy."

"Oh you're blind." Elle retorted. "The common people worry about more things then anyone else."

"What about the commoners who grow their own food? And live deep in the country, where weather is fortunate and the soil is flourishing." Victoria questioned.

"Those people still worry about powerful houses going to war." Elaine admitted. "And those powerful houses trampling everything they've worked for in life."

"I suppose you're right, so nobody in the bloody realm relaxes."

"The dead do," Elaine pointed out in a very matter of fact way.

Victoria rolled her eyes and softened her tone as the idea was still tended, "they relax because they no longer deal with us all. It must be nice."

Elaine pulled the brunettes hair softly, using the comb gently to pull any knots out as the brunette relaxed. Robb Stark was to come later on in the night which meant Elaine would have to spend the night sleeping in the dingy cot next to Sir Trout. The Knight was a trustworthy man, he never gave her reason to be wary when she stepped into her quarters and he always gave her privacy, even going as far as offering the warmest furs when she slept in the cot next to him. Despite his silence the handmaiden could admit he was a decent friend to her, and his company wasn't terrible.

As of late however he has taken longer then normal shifts at the entrance to the future Queens tent which not only meant that Elaine would have the tent to herself but she was very likely to have to defend herself if any of the men decided to get a bit too close. The blonde pretended not to worry too much as she reassured herself with the blade strapped to her thigh, right where her riding boots ended and at an easy access. She hoped tonight would be different though and Ser Trout would walk her to his tent, if anything just for security.