Josephine sat across from Robb, holding the goblet of wine close to her heart as he cut into his food. She was chewing her lip as she stared at his food. The meat was bloody and piled heavily on the plate. Josephine wondered if Robb still knew he was being pampered compared to the normal soldier - they both were. Robb took to war well and seemed to have no qualms and Josephine did as well to a certain extent. She had inherited Bolton's few spies and employed her own quickly as they marched south. They both still felt like children though.

Robb had little care outside of battles and she had little care for battles. He had been named King but hadn't done anything different since becoming one. She had taken to her role as spymaster and conducted rather well. Robb was somewhat dismissive of the value of such work, as was natural of northerners, but the only reason they knew of Lannister movements was thanks to her. The only reason they knew the plan to capture Jaime Lannister would work was that of her. She would be the one to ensure Sansa and Arya arrived home; part of her could not trust Robb now he was King. He had bigger concerns than his younger sisters. He had to keep his whole army appeased. Josephine did not. As soon as they offered the trade - between Sansa and Arya for Jaime - she would take it. She could not be sure if Robb or any of the Northern Lords would. They want their freedom.

"Any word from Dorne?" Robb finally asked, eating more.

"No."

She took a large gulp of wine.

"The reach?"

"No."

Another large gulp.

"Did father ever finalise those betrothals?"

She met his eyes, squinting at him.

"No, you would have known. The whole kingdom would have known."

He set down his fork and knife, continuing the prolonged eye contact.

"Theon wants to go to Balon and propose they join us. To ensure they do, Theon has proposed to me that you two join."

"Join? In marriage?"

Robb tentatively reached out and clasped her one small hand in his large one. Her free hand lifted the goblet to her mouth once more. He was stopping her from hitting him. Or flipping the table. Or running out and ringing Theon by his neck.

"Yes. It would be beneficial."

She huffed, "No it would not. The Greyjoys cannot be trusted, Balon is still a traitor. They offer no meaningful alliance to the North and will turn on us as soon as the Lannisters ask."

"They would rather align with us than them."

"They would rather be free they don't care if the North is free."

His jaw flexed and strained, "They would be part of the North."

"They wouldn't see that as freedom. Balon thinks of himself as some sort of King."

"Balon is old, Theon would see differently."

"And you would see that I am his wife. You would see me in some cold castle as Theon whores about with sea hands!"

She had snatched her hand and stood up. Her body was shaking as if she was seriously cold. She wanted to yell at him. She had kept her voice low, not wanting anyone to hear outside the burlap.

"You would marry off Arya to some Frey boy you know nought about!"

Josephine was seething. Did he pretend like he didn't agree?

"Arya is marrying some Frey boy. He is heir to nought. He will be moving to Winterfell and they will spend their days there under your eye. Arya will have every bit of freedom I can give her. I will not be marrying the son of a traitor who whores around to get the likes of Balon Greyjoy on our side."

That caused Robb to snap and he stood up as well. One of his hands was balled up and one was pointing at her as if they were in a crowd and he needed to show his anger was directed solely at her. His eyes were wide and his nostrils flared.

"You will do as your King commands."

Josephine slapped him then. Winter shot up and left the room at the sound. Her hand vibrated in pain; they both looked at the offending limb in shock as if it had acted for itself. She wobbled slightly and retreated further into the tent. Where was the wine?

Robb stood for a few seconds.

"Once the alliance is secure you will be marrying Theon."

She turned and didn't watch him leave, her body shaking. She had found the wine and had gripped the bottle. She couldn't breathe properly. She was gulping down the air but nothing seemed to be coming back out. Her hands went to her sides and she bent down. She needed to drink the wine. Drinking something would soothe her.

When she stopped drinking the liquid she was surprised the bottle was empty. Her breathing was still rapid but she didn't feel angry anymore. She could hardly think about what angered her. But now the room was too hot and seeing the bloody meat was making her feel sick. When had the room gotten this hot?

She whistled. Well, she attempted several times before she actually whistled. She had grabbed and uncorked another bottle by the time Winter had come back in. Look, she wanted to say, look how smart she was being. She wasn't going to wander around without protection.

"You love me don't you?" She stroked her wolf as it nuzzled into her, "You do."

Then she began her walk. She was going to find a bard and she wanted to find someone else as well. She couldn't think who. Allana? No, that wasn't it. She wandered off anyway, her legs seemingly following the sound of close by music. She'd find out who she wanted to see she assured herself.

Josephine woke up the next day in her bed, holding her head. Several people were moving around her tent and she could hear the two girls whispering sharp commands at soldiers moving in and out. She remained quiet and tried to listen in. She did not want to sound as if she did not know what was happening. Was the camp moving?

She stood up, her head already held high, "Allana, can you help me get ready, please?"

The mousy girl appeared at her side already holding a dress. A travelling dress, plush and comforting.

"My lady," she curtsied and starting helping Josephine manoeuvre into the thing.

"Allana," Josephine sighed, "What is happening here?"

Allana peeked up, looking timid as always, "You are travelling to the Stormlands today, my lady."

Josephine's lips pursed. Robb's insistence, she assured herself. She would go, do her job, and come back to greet Robb with her fury. She was going to send a trusting ambassador. Renly was not inviting her to negotiate nor do much at all. He had invited her to formally ask for the Northerners to stop whatever they were doing and support him. And Stannis was also appearing to ask the same thing. They would both pretend as if Robb wasn't the only one who had actually won any battles in the whole war. And then she would refuse and travel back to camp.

"How long is the travel?"

"A day and a half, my lady."

Josephine sighed and allowed Allana to do her work without resistance. Both girls were hand picked by Josephine as soon as she left Winterfell. Both were young and easily looked over by nobles but pretty enough to be noticed by boasting soldiers. Both had given her counsel and were well suited to the jobs of a handmaiden at war.

"Allana," Josephine stopped the girl as she rubbed smells into her arms, "Do you think speaking with Renly will change anything?"

The girl hesitated but not because she hadn't contemplated the question Josephine was asking her but because she was picking her words carefully. Allana continued the task, looking intently at Josephine's arms.

"Anything anyone does changes thing, my lady," she paused before continuing, "Lord Renly is young and not too dissimilar to King Robb."

Josephine tilted her head and looked into the polished mirror. She supposed Allana was right. Josephine did not actually know Renly would reject an alliance. She didn't actually know Stannis would either.

"Thank you, we will set off before noon."

Allana looked up again, biting her little lip, "It is already two hours past noon, my lady."

Josephine nearly laughed when he cheeks spiked red. Of course, it was! She had an even shorter amount of time to go through the list of things she needed to do in her head. Visit Robb, write a letter to mother, organise who was travelling with her, and secure Jaime. She could write a letter to Robb instead of seeing him, she supposed, and she could write both letters while travelling.

"Allana, when are we leaving then?"

"Before the end of the hour, my lady"

She sighed through her nose, "I trust you and Joyce have sorted through the guards my brother has offered?"

"Yes, my lady."

She pinched her nose, "Good, good, get Joyce won't you?"

In a few seconds, both girls stood in front of her equally mousy. They wrung their hands and looked everywhere but Josephine. They were both older than her by nearly a decade. But both had delayed growth and their pudgy faces made them look younger. Neither had suitors despite being from fine families but it was the curse of being the eighth or ninth daughter. Allana's father had been immensely pleased when she became a handmaiden - it offered some rank even if she never got married; Joyce's father was also glad since they'd be passing many young Lords and fourth sons on the road South. They both were incredibly similar and both had light brown long hair parted solidly in the middle. Both seemed to wear near identical clothing and Josephine would often find them walking behind her and taking notes. They were smart girls. Her shoulders slackened as she looked them over.

"I trust you both, immensely," she started and saw as the girls perked up, "You both have shown intelligence that I did not believe I would find."

Josephine winced at her own words, did that sound too harsh?

She continued, "I really hope you see me as more than your lady. I see you as invaluable advisors I would do nought without."

Josephine quickly reached under her bed, the only place she believed the girls would not tidy in her absence. She held out a two small palm size boxes to both of them and was pleased when they reached grabbed their one without needing to say. When the boxes clicked opened their eyes were both wide.

"These are pins. They mark that you are acting in the stead of a small council member - myself. I want you two to stay here on my leave and act for me. I trust you both to do the job well. You only need to appear at council if Robb calls. And when I come back I would ask for you to continue working under me," Josephine paced the room, they were only handmaidens and she was putting them in danger, "I do not want you to act as spies nor run out to war."

She stopped and looked at the girls, noticing they had already added their pins to their breasts. Josephine smiled. She took a deep breath. She couldn't pretend the war didn't exist now, she couldn't pretend she was flirting in some awkward limbo anymore. She was going to see an adversary face to face within two days time. Renly nor Stannis would hurt her but they both could soon be facing Robb. She needed to stop acting childish. She needed to be like father was.

She was almost going as far south as he did. That thought made her mouth taste cold and bitter. She shook her head, where she was going again, acting like a child.

Josephine attempted a smile at the women, "And call me Josephine, please, we are working together now and I need you to not see me as above you."

Josephine had never allowed her handmaidens to call her by her name before. In Winterfell, she was looked after by two much older women and her Septa had chided her anytime she got too friendly with them. Sansa and she had both followed the rules and got acquainted with more suitable friends. That felt like a lifetime ago and Allana and Joyce were no longer her handmaidens.

"Of course, Josephine," Allana was quick to reply and returned to her duties, tugging Joyce with her.

Josephine painted on her smile again and stepped into the fresh air, away from the women and the soldiers emptying her tent for her travel. She whistled lowly, surprised when Winter weaved his way between tents to her right. He did not look muddy nor bloody but Josephine trusted her well-trained wolf got in no trouble.

Jaime saw her before she really saw him despite the fact she was seeking him. He saw her first as she went to his previous imprisoned spot, one hundred meters in front of him. She went to the spot walking all the way to the post he had been tied to. He wanted to call her name and mock her but found it more fascinating to watch. Had she forgotten the previous night? She was drunk, he reminded himself, and oh so little. Obviously, the drink would go straight to her brain.

She stood on the spot before feeling his eyes on her and whirled round to him.

He raised an eyebrow, though doubted she could see it, as she rushed over to him. As she came closer he found himself not being able to draw his eye away. She was wearing a plush golden dress. It crossed over her body leaving a fur rim and hugged her tight. Her hair had been pinned completely out of her face he almost couldn't tell it was brown. All it left was the plate size brown eyes that looked at him as if she was innocent in everything. Ha! Not after last night.

Her hands were covered in similar golden gloves, completely hiding the small digits from him. She had crossed her arms though once she stood in front of him, just like she used to when he sat in the other spot. Her blasted wolf had stopped meters behind her and lay down. Jaime was glad the mutt was mostly hidden from view.

"Who moved you over here?" her voice was sharp, "Why are the guards so far away?"

He chuckled, she didn't remember, "You moved me here. You ordered them to stand further away."

She screwed up her face, "When?"

"Last night."

Her cheeks flushed red and all the blood ran to them in urgency. She broke their eye contact and looked around as if inspecting the place. Her arms had dropped to her side and he watched as her fingers twitched.

His new place was out of the mud, slightly. He sat on a small grass embankment on the only part of grass left since the camp had been set up. The end of the camp was still two hundred meters away on the shortest route - he had been watching the route the guards too to piss - but he was closer than before. From his slight stoop, he could nearly see over the tents and could see a treeline on the opposite side of camp. Jaime was also level with her now and neither had to look up or down. He was immensely proud of himself the night before for securing this place.

"You do remember don't you?" he smirked at her, "You seemed fine to me."

She tugged at her hair behind her head, "I was. I was. I, uh, I am going to be gone for a week, maybe more. My handmaidens might visit you so I expect you to be… be not completely rude."

He barked a laugh, "Do you find me rude?"

She rolled her eyes, "Did you verify those letters for me?"

His face dropped from the smirk and now his eyes were shifting. He could just ignore her, he supposed. She was just here to get information, it hardly mattered. He could tell her the truth and it would not make a difference. When the war was won by his father anything he told her would mean nothing. He might as well be screaming into the void.

"I don't know who it is from," he still lied though.

She was silent and tried to meet his eye line but merely shrugged, "Fine. Winter will be staying here to guard you."

"I don't need that, that, beast to sit by my side."

Now she was smirking and he almost forgot what they were talking about until the mutt appeared at her side.

"Are you scared? You go into battle! You are part of the King's Guard! You're Jaime Lannister!"

"You don't realise how wonderful it is to hear that you think so highly."

He watched her cheeks redden again, "I… well, Winter is incredibly well trained. I almost take offence at you not trusting me."

"You shouldn't trust animals. They don't understand anything."

"Winter understands," she huffed, "You'll have to get used to him."

"I don't have much choice no do I, darling," he held up his rope tied hands.

He was surprised when her face dropped. How much of this was a charade? How much of this was she interrogating him, using her pretty little face and innocence to sway him? All of it, he told himself, all of it.

"No, you don't," she had already taken a few steps away from him, "I suspect they might forget to feed you when I am away. I have ordered my handmaiden's to deliver your food."

He rolled his eyes. Classic tactic. They wanted him to associate everything positive with her so he would feel positive about her and spill all the military secrets he had. Did she really think that would work? Did she really think he wouldn't see through it all? He wasn't dumb. Cersei was the more intelligent twin, as she often reminded him, but he was not dumb.

"So," Josephine looked away again, hugging herself, "Until then, Ser."

And then she mock curtsied and Jaime felt the smile go to his face naturally. Too naturally that it was gone by the time she looked at him again.

"Until then, my lady."

She turned, her voice sharp, "Winter, guard."

Jaime watched as the mutt stood up and padded over near where his legs were outstretched and laid back down. Its tail flopped lazily. Jaime inched away but could not move much. He didn't watch Josephine walk away and part of him regretted it.

He did not know it at the time but that regret would swell low in his belly for the rest of the week. And soon he would regret that, upon his new seat, all he could still stare at was the mud even if he wasn't in it. He kept forgetting what shade of gold Cersei's hair was and when thinking about her his thoughts quickly derailed into Lannister's capturing a lone Josephine on the road. He didn't forget that she did not mention where she was travelling to.