A/N: Wow, wow, wow! Thank you all for such an incredible response for the first chapter! It is without a doubt the best start I've had with any fic so thank you all for your reviews/follows/favourites, it's amazing. I hope I've replied to all reviewers (aside from the guests - big thank you to all you guys!) if I've missed you out I'm really sorry and thank you!

This is the next chapter so if you'd like to let me know what you think it would be much appreciated!

:)

Home Comforts

Robb's army marched for five days, only stopping for a short time each night to sleep, before their leader finally called for a permanent camp to be raised near the Whispering Wood, with the plan that they would lift the siege of Riverrun. Elissa was exhausted as she slid off her horse and waited patiently for her and Robb's tent to be erected in the middle of the camp. Robb was nowhere to be seen when the men told her that it was ready for her to enter and so she went in alone, shivering in the cold as she stripped off her dress and pulled on a night slip before climbing into the fur laden bed. It only took a few minutes for the warmth to build up around her and it wasn't long before her eyes closed letting sleep take over as she had had precious little of it over the past few days.

Robb entered the tent a while later having spent the best part of his evening with his bannermen, he felt well and truly drained but his mind was still buzzing with various strings of advice. Before he could brood on anything his bannermen had said Elissa stirred in the corner of the tent, pulling herself up in the bed and looking towards him, her eyes still clouded with sleep; "do you have need of me my Lord?" she asked quietly. Robb didn't answer at once, in truth he had been desperate to lay with Elissa again, to feel everything about her, but he knew that she had been in much discomfort on the journey to the Riverlands. She tried to hide it from him but he saw the way she winced when she slid down from her horse every evening, her steps slow and laboured as she made her way to bed.

"No," he said softly after a while of just looking at her, she looked so beautiful, her hair all mussed and her eyes tired and slightly confused; "go back to sleep," he urged and she did as she was told, laying her head back down against the soft pillows and letting her eyes close after a long while of watching her husband brood over the table in their tent.

Robb was sat at the table again when Elissa woke and she wondered if he had been sitting there all night, his tired blue eyes turned to her as she shifted herself out of bed and pulled on her robe. He smiled as she tightened it around her waist and rubbed her eyes sleepily; "there's breakfast here for you," he told her, gesturing for her to sit down opposite. She crossed to him and settled in the chair, tearing a small piece of bread from the roll and taking a bite. Robb watched her for a moment before he spoke again, determined that he would get to know his new wife; "how was it growing up at the Twins my Lady?"

"Noisy my Lord," she told him with a small smile once she'd swallowed her mouthful.

"I bet," he returned her smile, "it must have been difficult to be alone for a moment"

"A moment's privacy was a rare gift," she agreed, tearing some more bread from her roll. Robb waited as she took a few more mouthfuls, wondering what else he could say to her but to his surprise she spoke first; "what is Winterfell like my Lord?"

"Noisy," he grinned and she couldn't help but smile widely in return.

"My Septa was from the North," she told him after a moment.

"Did she ever visit Winterfell?" he asked.

"Every month for the markets … she said it was wonderful," Elissa answered.

"You will see it for yourself when this is all over, I can't wait to show you everything,", he said.

"Do you have a favourite place?" she asked.

"The Godswood,", he replied after a moment, "it's so peaceful and beautiful and I swear there is no better sight than seeing the sun set behind the trees, the way the light catches the water …" he trailed off then, noticing that Elissa hadn't taken her eyes from him as he'd described the Godswood.

"I've never seen a Godswood," she said after a moment.

"You will," he smiled; "what about you, what was your favourite place at the Twins?"

"There was a passageway on one of the upper floors, one of the windows had a wide enough sill that I could sit comfortably in it. I would stay there for hours when I could, just losing myself in a book for a while," she smiled wistfully and Robb frowned slightly.

"You like to read?" he asked her.

"Very much," she replied.

"What kind of books?" he persisted.

"Anything," she smiled, "I can read anything; it doesn't matter what"

"I'll get you some books," Robb promised her after a moment.

"You don't have to go to any trouble," she said at once.

"It's no trouble, I want you to be happy my Lady," he said seriously.

"Are you happy with me my Lord?" she asked quietly after a moment, her eyes finding his.

"I am not unhappy with you," he told her honestly and she smiled faintly.

"I have worried that I didn't please you," she confessed.

"Of course you pleased me my Lady," Robb reassured her at once.

"But you have not come to bed since," she whispered.

"You have been in pain," he said and she looked up at him in surprise; "did you think I wouldn't notice?" he questioned with a small smile.

"I don't know my Lord," she said quietly, unsure where to look.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore," he told her seriously, laying his hand on hers.

"I thought it was my duty … how else will you get me with child?" she asked.

"We have time enough for children, I want to know you better my Lady," he reassured.

"This isn't what I expected,", she confessed and he was pained that she had thought she had to suffer through her marriage, he supposed she must have seen what her father's countless wives had been through and expected the same. "I want you to be happy," he told her again; "I know it will take time but I want us to be happy together"

"I would like that too my Lord," she said looking up into his eyes again making a smile come to his lips as he tightened his grip on her hand momentarily.

Elissa was preparing for a bath, thinking that warm water would do wonders for her aching muscles, she also felt dank and wanted nothing more than to be clean again after the five days riding she had done. The two serving girls left when her bath was full and she was loosening her robe when the flap of the tent pushed aside to reveal Robb. "I'm sorry," he apologised at once when he saw she was getting undressed.

"You have seen it all before," she replied before she could stop herself and she bit her lip wondering what his reaction would be. To her relief he laughed lightly; "you're right there my Lady," he said and she watched as he lay three books down on the table; "for you," he told her.

"Thank you so much my Lord," she said gratefully.

"I will try and get you more if I can," he promised and she smiled widely.

"You're most kind," she said.

"I will leave you to relax now, I'll return for dinner," he smiled.

"I will be here," she said, returning his smile. He hesitated for a moment and then came towards her and bent his head to kiss her lightly on the lips. Elissa had been so surprised that she hadn't moved away and she was glad she hadn't when she saw his smile as he turned and retreated from the tent.

She finished undressing then and stepped into the bath, sinking low into the warm water, letting it soothe all her muscles, letting all her tension slip away. Her thoughts were of Robb as she lay there, slowly running a washcloth up and down her skin, she was more at ease with him now, his presence didn't terrify her as it had done back at the Twins. He seemed different away from her father and she wondered if she had changed too, she definitely smiled more, and she didn't feel the need to tiptoe everywhere in case she triggered one of his moods. She vaguely wondered if Robb had a temper, she supposed he must, she supposed all men must, especially if they were to win a battle. Even so she had seen nothing to suggest he would ever be anything but kind to her, his words had reassured her more than she could say and she could feel something like hope brewing inside her. Hope that Robb was right, that in time they could be happy together, have a happy marriage.

Robb was numb as he walked blindly back to the tent, his steps heavy as he felt his eyes brim with tears. He couldn't believe what he'd been told, he had shouted and raged and denied it but it was no use. The words didn't change. His father was dead. No. His father had been murdered. He wrenched open the flap of the tent and stamped inside, stopping dead when he saw Elissa running a brush through her long golden hair. He had been so consumed by anger and grief he had almost forgotten that he wouldn't be alone as he had wanted. She turned to him then and the fury in him seemed to die as a wave of sadness crashed through him, his knees gave way and he lurched forward to grip the table as tears poured from his eyes.

It wasn't the table that he fell into though but her soft arms, he grabbed onto her as though his life depended on it, his arms tight around her waist, his hands clenched around the silk of her robe. Elissa rubbed her hands up and down Robb's back as his tears soaked through to her shoulder, fear consumed her as she wondered what could have made her big, strong husband break down like this. His weight was pressing against her and she felt her own knees buckle and they both sagged slowly to the floor, his head still buried in the crook of her neck as he tried to stop the tears from falling, hating himself for being so weak in front of her. "What's happened Robb?" she whispered, one of her hands running through his hair.

It was the use of his name that sobered him, she had only ever addressed him as 'my Lord' before but hearing her say his name somehow gave him the strength to stop the tears. "My father is dead," he murmured in her ear and he felt her arms come even tighter around him and her lips press against his temple for a moment. He lifted his head to look at her then and she gazed back at him, her warm honey eyes full of concern; a worried frown creasing her smooth forehead slightly. She cared. The reality hit him then, his wife cared, his beautiful wife cared.

He kissed her then, he kissed her properly; how he should have kissed her on their wedding night, his lips wanting hers to melt with his so badly. She hesitated for a second, surprised at his sudden advances but she let her instincts take over and moved her lips with his, he grabbed the back of her head at her willing and deepened their kiss, letting his tongue dance with hers. Elissa's stomach tightened in knots as Robb's lips continued bruising hers but it was not an unpleasant feeling and she smoothed her hands up and down his back again. He wanted her then, he wanted her so badly that he couldn't stop himself pushing her down onto the floor his lips not leaving hers as one of her hands tangled in the curls at the base of his neck.

The honourable part of him, the proper part knew that he shouldn't be doing this. She was his wife, he shouldn't even be considering taking her like this on the hard, cold ground. But he couldn't stop himself, feeling his hands find the material of her robe and pull it aside so he could run a hand up her silky smooth leg. Her stomach tightened further as Robb's hand ran higher up her thigh but it wasn't fear that gripped her this time, she wanted this, she wanted him. He let his hand touch between her legs then and he almost moaned when he felt her softness, his guilt fading away as he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

His other hand fumbled with his laces for a moment, finally managing to release himself from his trousers, moving above her once he was free and settling his hardness against her. Elissa couldn't help the small moan that came from her mouth when she felt Robb so close to her, wanting him inside her this time, needing him inside her. At her moan Robb could hold on no longer, the guilt fully gone now he pushed slowly into her, burying himself as deep as he could go, feeling her warmth surround him so perfectly. She moaned even louder this time and the sound urged him on as he let his lips travel from hers across her jawbone and down to the creamy flesh of her neck as he thrust inside her.

She grabbed his shoulders tightly as he moved within her, instinctively lifting her legs up to wrap around his waist and hearing his own growl of delight as her movement allowed him to thrust even deeper into her. He felt her hands unfastening the buttons of his jacket as he continued his movements, one of his own hands coaxing her leg up higher, smiling slightly when a cry of satisfaction left her lips. She was pushing his jacket away then and ripping at his shirt, she vaguely wondered if he would mind her ruining it but then he hit her so hard inside that pleasure was all that consumed her and she tore straight through it, desperate to touch her hands to his bare skin.

He groaned as her small, warm hands ran across the muscles of his shoulders and chest, exploring every inch of skin she could find before running her hands around to his back and pulling him closer to her. Robb could feel his release coming but he was desperate for Elissa to fall with him so he moved a hand between them and let his thumb brush firmly across the most sensitive part of her body. She gasped at his touch and he could feel her tightening even further around him as she cried out, feeling every pore of her body tingling as Robb thrust once more inside her before he too reached the end. He stayed inside her as he let his body cover hers, loving the feeling of her warmth surrounding him completely.

She was breathing hard as he kissed along her neck and back up to her lips, she moved hers with his eagerly and he couldn't help the smile that her willingness brought to his lips. Eventually though the reality began seeping back and he could feel the weight of grief for his father bearing down upon him again, mingled with the feelings of guilt as he realised that he still had his wife pinned to the cold ground. He slid out of her then and managed to pull his lips away from hers and push himself up so he was knelt above her, lacing himself back into his trousers. She didn't move, merely gazing up at him with those beautiful wide eyes that were still slightly glazed with satisfaction. He held out a hand then and she took it, allowing him to pull her into a sitting position and then pulling them both up to their feet.

Robb looked down on her once they were stood facing each other, his hand moving to brush a lock of hair away from her face, a small smile coming to her lips as he did so. He wanted to apologise, to tell her how sorry he was for taking her like that in such a dishonourable way but his words failed him as she laced her fingers through his and tugged gently on his hand, leading him to the bed. She pulled his ruined shirt up and over his head before moving her hands to his shoulders and putting some pressure on them so he sat heavily on the edge of the bed.

Elissa knelt down in front of him then and eased his boots away from him, gently laying them to the side before standing up and taking off her robe, leaving her in just a night slip. He gazed up at her and she pushed gently on his shoulder, encouraging him to lay down, he did what she wanted, his eyes were heavy with grief and exhaustion. She pulled the furs over him, making sure he was well covered before climbing in next to him, settling her head down against the soft pillows. Robb turned on his side to look at her then and she managed a smile, gently reaching her hand over to run it down his cheek. He moved closer then and lay his head down on her chest, feeling her arms come around him he closed his eyes and inhaled her warm scent, losing himself in her softness and letting her comforting embrace send him to sleep.

Catelyn watched the first glimmers of light peek out from behind the wisps of cloud and blinked a few times, realising that she had been sat in the doorway of her tent all night, unmoving. She had replayed the scenes a thousand times in her mind, the messenger handing Robb that fateful piece of paper. The disbelief on Robb's face, his dull voice telling her that her husband was dead, that her husband had had his head struck from his shoulders on the orders of a mere boy. She was devastated but Robb was inconsolable, he had shouted and raged, thrown things, kicked things, denied it and finally sworn revenge before storming away from her. It had taken her a minute to follow after him, worried about where he was going in the mood he was in, he had just been telling her before the news had come that he and Elissa seemed to be getting on better. She didn't want him to ruin that in his grief, he would regret it she knew that well enough.

When she gently pushed back the flap of his tent though she saw them knelt on the ground, their arms tight around one another, his little wife stroked her hand through his hair and kissed his temple and Catelyn had let the flap drop before walking away. She had never felt more alone, Robb had Elissa's warm embrace to console him but she had nothing to comfort her but the chill of the night air. Grey Wind sat with her for a time, sending her mournful looks every now and again before he too turned and walked away from her, settling himself down to sleep just outside Robb's tent. Catelyn had vaguely wondered why he had not gone in but when she heard the cries of a woman pierce the still air she had realised, knowing exactly how Robb was being comforted now.

She pulled herself back to the present then as the men were starting to rise throughout the camp as the sun rose higher. Opposite her she saw that Grey Wind was stretching up, he looked between Robb's tent and a spot in the distance for a moment before trotting off to the Gods knew where. Robb emerged then and she was about to rise to her feet but Elissa slipped out of the tent just behind him and she saw him turn to her and smile. He wrapped his arms around his wife then and Catelyn tried to ignore the stab of bitterness in her stomach as she realised that she would never feel her own husband's arms around her ever again.

Elissa breathed in Robb's intoxicating scent as she leant her head against his chest, feeling his cheek leaning down against the top of her head, she felt strange, a mixture of bliss and worry seeping through her body as she felt Robb's lips kiss the top of her head. She pulled back to look up at him then and he smiled at her; "you don't have to pretend," she told him quietly and he frowned at her; "I know you're hurting," she continued and he understood.

"Being miserable won't bring my father back," he said softly.

"You know I'm here my Lord," she said back, a small smile on her lips.

"Robb," he corrected her; "I like it better when you call me Robb"

"Very well," she agreed and he kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I have to see the Lords, the sooner we break the siege on Riverrun the better, we need Tully men if we're going to destroy the Lannister's," he said, his tone hardening.

"I will be here," she promised him and he managed a smile before releasing her from their embrace and walking towards the tent where he knew the Lords would be gathering to discuss tactics. Elissa watched him go with a slight frown before turning her head away as she felt eyes boring into her. She found herself looking into the eyes of Robb's mother and she twitched her lips up into a small smile, trying to convey how sorry she was. At her smile though Catelyn's expression hardened and she turned and walked back into her own tent leaving Elissa feeling completely helpless.

Elissa was still brooding about Lady Stark when Robb came back to their tent that night, she didn't notice him come in and he could see at once that something was bothering her. "What's wrong?" he asked and she jumped, finally noticing his presence.

"Nothing," she said quickly; "I was just thinking that's all, it doesn't matter"

"It matters to me," he insisted, coming to sit opposite her and running his fingers through the ends of her hair, twisting a lock gently around his fingers, revelling in the softness of it.

"What does your mother think of me?" she asked after a while and he frowned.

"She thinks you're my wife …" he trailed off, wondering if his mother had upset her somehow.

"Does she like me?" she persisted.

"I can't see any reason she wouldn't," Robb told her, a frown setting in now.

"Maybe she would have rather you married Roslin," she said quietly and she saw from the look on Robb's face that she was right and she couldn't deny that it stung. Robb saw the look of hurt in her eyes and he was instantly furious with himself and with his mother for whatever she had done to make Elissa feel the way she did. "I chose you," he told her firmly.

"Why?" she asked him, her eyes wide as she looked at him.

"Because you have the kindest eyes I have ever seen," he told her truthfully. She didn't say anything, she didn't know what to say, she had been expecting him to say that he found her the most beautiful, or that he had desired her more, thought she would be a more obedient wife. She didn't know what to make of his true reason, only that it made her feel like blushing. "What did she say to upset you?" Robb asked her.

"She didn't say anything," she replied, lacing her fingers through his.

"Something happened," he persisted.

"Honestly Robb it was nothing, she is grieving for her husband, I imagine she just wanted to be on her own," she managed a proper smile.

"Alright," Robb said heavily, knowing she didn't want to say any more about it.

"How are your Lords?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Fine … we will march in a few days," he told her and her hand tightened in his.

"That soon," she whispered and he almost felt glad that she sounded scared at the thought.

"We're sending a small host to distract Tywin Lannister while the main army takes the Kingslayer by surprise, if it works we will win," he explained.

"I hope you're right," she said quietly.

"So do I," he agreed, stroking his hand through her hair again.

A/N: So they are definitely getting to know one another better! Robb and Elissa are looking up but I hope you're all looking forward to some Catelyn/Elissa tension!

More soon guys, any feedback would be much appreciated! :)