A/N: Hello! HELLO!

In this chapter, Catelyn has to find a way to communicate with Eliana when she notices that her daughter has no intention of going anywhere near her or Robb. She holds a grudge and is very stubborn much like her father used to be, she won't apologise and she won't speak to neither of them until they apologised for their rational actions.

Robb, trying to resolve the issue, has an unwelcome gift from his older sister. I also apologise for making Eliana seem like an absolute bitch in this chapter to Catelyn, I felt awful because she doesn't deserve it.

Please read and review!

Innocence?


Dawn broke over the camp, awakening the troops to an early morning full of an eerie chill while they allowed their eyes to slowly adjust, only to see their King already on the move.

Robb, wearing a small wry smile, marched through the rows of tents while pulling along a boy with him. He knew Eliana didn't want to speak to him or even see him for that matter, but he knew what she was like. They used to play this game all the time as children. Robb needed her to do something for him, which he knew she wouldn't be happy with and already knowing that it would take a lot of bargaining to get her to agree.

In his hand, he held a welcoming warm bowl of freshly made stew especially for her by their mother; another bribe.

The boy next to him couldn't have been eighteen? He was tall and lean, his long hair falling across his eyes, making it look as though he could barely even see properly. He was a few inches smaller than Robb, and not as stocky.

Robb had already checked her tent to find that she wasn't in there, by the state of it, it looked as though she hadn't even slept in the bed provided. That worried him. Eliana could go for days on end without sleep, but too much sleep deprivation and everything begins to go wrong.

He heard her shouting first, and then the sharp slashing sound belonging to her sword.

She was doing what he'd done less than a day ago. She was angry, and upset. Just like him. They were more similar than they both really knew, they both let their emotions get the best of them.

Robb thrusted the bowl into the boy's hands quickly. "Lia!" Robb caught her attention easily, and he saw her head turn in his direction and then the look of annoyance flashed across her face before she turned away and continued with hacking a tree. He rolled his eyes, quickly approached her. He pulled back her shoulder, and ripped the sword from her grasp which didn't make it any easier for him.

"What on seven hells do you think you're doing?!"

Robb sighed, "Lia, this is my new squire... Willum." He announced, knowing that she would ask what happen to Olyvar Rivers straight away. "I know what you're thinking - where's Olyvar? It seems he prefer's the company of Lord Umber and has made himself his squire and that grumbling old goat just agreed... but Willum here was a Page, now he's a squire for me at the age of eighteen."

"Don't let Greatjon Umber hear you name him a goat..." Eliana's eyes then landed on the boy stood slightly behind Robb, with his hair blinding his sight. His face wasn't as nearly as developed as it should be for the age of eighteen. He wasn't that old, fifteen at most, sixteen if pushing. "Hello, Will?" She spoke, completely forgetting her anger and instead, sent her brother a rather odd look.

"M- m'lady."

"You will train him for me."

That made her anger resurface then. "What?!" She exclaimed, her face hardening immediately. "I am not your - your servant! I am your sister, I'm here to help you and protect mother not be yours to order around as you will."

Robb took a hold of her shoulder and pulled her to the side quickly. "Lia, all you need to do is make him skilled with a sword, mace, lance and spear - then it's all done. That's all I want you to do, and then you will fight alongside me when we take back what is ours. When we seek justice and honour - when we take down Joffrey and the Lannisters." Robb stated, a small smile forming on his thin lips. "Will you join me, not as a member of my war council but as my sister?"

She was tired of fighting him.

She to admit it, he was reckless but he'd spoken careful words - words he'd thought over and not just spoken like usual. He was learning, not very fast but effectively. At the end of the day, Robb was her brother and she wanted to take back what was theirs. They deserved it, they needed it and they wanted it. If they were to win this, they would win this together. "I will not bend my knee to you, brother, but I will follow you and offer you all the wisdom of my words as often as I can as some hope of guidance."

Robb's smile only grew. He'd won.

Eliana, realising what he was thinking, pushed him back and rolled her eyes. "Shut up, you fool." She laughed, when he pulled her into a tight hug and ruffled her head of hair.

"Love you too, Lia." He vowed, taking the bowl from Willum's hands and passing it over to Eliana, "Compliments of mother, she's sorry for well... you know." Robb shrugged, with an awkward look on his face now.

Willum shifted nervously when Robb left him alone with the most beautiful woman in the North. He had heard stories of her beauty and wisdom but in person, all that seemed a dream... her in person easily beat all the stories by far.

"Wiilum, before I even begin to teach you anything please go and get a decent hair cut so I know you actually have eyes." Eliana ordered him, seeing his head bob up and down before he scurried off in a rather odd rush. "No need to hurry back!" She knew that the boy wasn't who he was pretending to be, he had never been a page before he'd become a squire - there was no absolute way that was possible, the boy was hopeless. She would have to work hard with him, and she wouldn't waste her time but she would get him to learn.

It wouldn't be an easy job but he seemed teachable enough.


Turning on the spot, Eliana's eyes fell on the smith and she quickly began stalking over to where he stood working quietly. When he heard her approach however, he head shot up and he bowed it soon after. "My lady Eliana... to what do I owe you pleasure of your presence so early?" He questioned, setting down his tools and clasping his hands together tightly.

"You've heard my brother has acquired himself a new squire - I fear the boy is hopeless, nevertheless, a squire needs a sword." She explained with a composed look on her face as she spoke to him. "If you have any free time, I would very much like and so would Willum, if you would care to craft him a sword of his own."

Upon hearing her request, the smith nodded frantically. "Certainly, my lady. I will have it ready for you in few days time. Do you require a particular pommel?"

Eliana shook her head, finally swallowing a spoonful of the stew. "No, just a sword will do." She replied, her eyes falling on the hopeless form of Jaime. She didn't know what it was, but she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him in some way.

She grumbled under her breath, walking towards him. Eliana thought herself to be the only person who actually attempted to make a civil conversation with Jaime despite him being the enemy. He would die anyway. "Have they fed you yet, Ser Jaime?!" She called, knowing how hungry he probably was by now.

At the mention of food, Jaime's head shot into the air and his eyes focused on the Wolf in front of him but they soon found the bowl of steaming stew in her hands. His growing hair swung around in the air while he shook his head. "Sadly, no but I feel a bit peckish I suppose... is there any partridge? If you're offering that is?" Jaime replied, wanting to eat something desperately. "Or..." He gazed at her form and dropped his gaze.

Eliana nodded, sipping on another spoonful of the stew to taunt him. "You're lucky I have a sense of humour, Ser, otherwise I would just let you starve..." She contemplated before surprising him. Without another word, she placed the stew into his own hands and then took a seat on the mopping-wet ground and sighed.

Unsure of whether to trust her or not, not knowing whether it was some trick, Jaime discarded the spoon and slowly began to drain the bowl of the stew. He smiled to himself when he heard Eliana's remark at his action.

"Ugh, men... you're all the same."

He lowered the bowl and frowned, "I hardly think so..." Jaime disagreed with his smile still showing. "Not all men are Lannisters." He stated, seeing her roll her eyes and shake her head when his arrogance surfaced through his use of words.

"Gods, you are arrogant."

Jaime frowned, "And you're not?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow. She looked at him, and simply shook her head with a small smile playing at her lips. "What are you smiling at, Stark?"

"Nothing."

Jaime sat up, placing the bowl down on the ground. "Tell me." He pressed, wanting to know what she was smiling at... wondering if it was something he'd said or something she was thinking. She opened her mouth to speak but it closed when she saw who was storming towards them.

"Oh, the joy of the Gods..."

"Get up." Came the voice of Catelyn Tully, wearing her usual unhappy look while sporting her usual attire. Her stance was the same, hands positioned at her hips with a frown pulling at her face.

"What if I like it down here?" Eliana tested the water, not really wanting to hold a conversation with her mother at that particular moment. "What if I enjoy Ser Jaime's company?"

They both saw Catelyn's jaw tighten, "He is our prisoner, he pushed your brother from the tower... he tried to have him killed." Catelyn exaggerated several words to try to get her to move but failed miserably.

"I'm not stupid, I know what Ser Jaime has done in his life. I know he's a prick and that he's done bad things... however, we're not all innocent mother. I'm not, and I hardly believe you are as well." Eliana spoke, sighing. "But you're forgetting one vital piece of information mother, Bran is not dead." She challenged, rising to her feet. "Yes, Jaime may have pushed him from that tower... but he shouldn't have been climbing in the first place." She stared at her mother, "All that matter's is that Bran is alive, not whom I talk to or sit with." And then she sat back down again.

Catelyn had fallen silent, unable to get a single word out.

"And I actually prefer talking with someone who doesn't attempt to stutter out m'lady..." Jaime laughed at that but he was soon silenced by the glare Catelyn shot him. "It's rather nice."

"Well, I see you ate the stew I made you." Catelyn noted quietly, glad she'd done something right. "Did you like it?"

Eliana clicked her tongue and turned to Jaime, "Did you like it, Ser Jaime?" She questioned, knowing fully well she was treading deeper into dangerous waters... but once she had started, she always found it difficult to stop.

"It was beautiful Lady Stark, you outdid yourself."

Catelyn's heart sunk slowly, "Did you even try it, Lia?" Catelyn pressed, anxiousness getting the better of her.

"Yes, I did but it seems that Robb has resorted to starving Jaime... how's that fair exactly?"

"He's our enemy, Eliana." Catelyn bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, "Not our guest."

Eliana nodded and folded her arms over her chest, "And how exactly do you propose we get the girls back if he starves to death, any suggestions?" The bitterness had returned, the horrible bitterness that left a horrible stinging sensation. "No... okay then."

Jaime looked down, noticing the tension immediately but he couldn't deny the entertainment he was receiving from it.

"Why are you siding with him?" Catelyn asked out of desperation.

Eliana closed her eyes and let out a long-held breath, "I don't pick sides, I never have. I'm my own person, mother, and I don't agree with Robb's way that's all." Eliana said honestly, swallowing hard.

"You swore fealty to me." Catelyn stepped towards her, wanting to get her as far away from that retched man.

She nodded, "Indeed I did, but not so it could be used as a weapon." Her voice was rising now, getting louder and louder by the second.

"Why can't you just listen to me?" Catelyn blurted, tears forming at her eyes as she saw the concern rise in Eliana's eyes. "You're my eldest child, I love you but you won't let me, you won't listen to me. Why? Why?"

"It's no use crying over spilt milk, mother." Eliana paused, standing up quickly. "I'm not a child anymore, you can't shield me from everything that goes bump in the night... I can handle myself, father saw to that, remember?"

"You're still my innocent child."

Eliana winced, and bit the inside of her cheek. "Not quite as innocent as I was." She admitted with a simple shrug of her shoulders. She'd forgotten to mention that small forgotten detail to her mother although she'd told her father soon after it had occurred... she just never really knew how to.

That made Catelyn stop, her heart froze in panic. "You're - you're no longer innocent?" Her voice was barely audible but Eliana heard the words that fell from her lips in a mere whisper.

"Ugh, why must you call it that?" Eliana questioned, seeing the amused look on Jaime's face from the corner of her eye. How could he enjoy this? Because he's a Lannister, that's how... "I've had sex."

"What?!"

Eliana scratched the side of her head, "And quite frankly, I don't understand what all the fuss is about?" She wondered to herself, frowning at her own question and then sighing. She looked at Catelyn and sighed again. "Mother, it was always going to happen someday... just a little sooner than you might have expected."

"Who?" Was Catelyn's next question to pester Eliana with, "Who with?"

Laughter sounded then, and Eliana began shaking her head. "I'm sorry but there's absolutely no way I'm going to tell you that." Eliana explained, knowing that that was the truth and that she had chosen to not tell her mother.

Still taken by the silence, Jaime had now found that this hadn't been as entertaining as he originally thought... it was fantastic! It was a mother/daughter slaying match of verbal abuse to one another, well almost verbal abuse, but not quite. "Oh, don't spoil the fun, Lia. Answer the question..." He whined, pulling a face to see what reaction he would get from it.

But he didn't get one because Catelyn had gone. She'd turned her back and charged off in some direction away from the pair of them. She couldn't tolerate her daughter's rebellious and defiant behaviour, not to mention how hostile she'd become in a short space of time as well. Eliana to her, was changing fast, and not to her liking... she wanted to have the relationship a mother and daughter should have.

Catelyn had that with Sansa, but not with Arya and not with Eliana.

Eliana stared after her mother and shook her head. If she could speak to her without being interrupted, she knew that they would get somewhere that would benefit both of them and help re-build their collapsing relationship. It was just, just so hard for her to get the words out when there was a chance Catleyn wouldn't listen to her like she'd want her too.

She'd never had a strong bond with her mother, it was with her father that she had established the proper relationship; a trusting, healthy one. One that would only strengthen and grow but that was all dead now.

"She absolutely detests me."

Jaime shrugged, before concluding her sentence. "And you hate her..."

"I don't hate her, hate's a very strong word." Eliana defended herself, furrowing her brow. "She just makes my life a lot harder with her constant questioning." She soon sunk to the floor again and began grumbling under her breath to herself, shaking her head. "Her problem is that she worries much more than he ever did, and it's smothering..."

Smiling to himself, Jaime chuckled. "You do realise that you do that a lot, don't you? If you continue to talk to yourself people may question your sanity..." He teased, looking to the floor slowly.

Eliana closed her eyes, "She expects me to tell her everything - my entire life story when she's been there for most of it." She paused and mentally hit herself out of frustration and annoyance. She shouldn't have treated her mother in such a way, especially after everything that's happened to them all in such little time. It wasn't fair to Catelyn and Eliana knew that but she was hurting too.

They all were.

A beat of silence passed between them.

Jaime turned his head to her and frowned suddenly, "So..." He trailed, trying to hold back his growing smirk. "Who did you have sex with by the way?" His voice had attracted an innocent tone to it but Jaime was far from innocent.

He had no innocence in him.

She glowered at him for a couple of seconds and rose to her feet once more, "Don't make me starve you, mouse." Eliana warned him with a dark voice along with her misty eyes growing dark, too. Before she walked away though, she turned back to face him. "Maybe one day I'll tell you - that's if you don't die during this which would be an awful shame."

His emerald eyes stared after while she strode away from him. He still wore his smile, yes, a smile. His smirk had disappeared and transformed into a soft smile... he didn't know why, but it had something to do with her actually acknowledging his existence in all of this. She also didn't refer to him as the Kingslayer, which was a relief for him. He hated that name.

She didn't judge him either, he knew she didn't like him but she didn't judge him - and that made him respect her somewhat. She was different, but he just couldn't seem to place the difference... he did know one thing.

The next few days would be fun; he would get to watch her train that hopeless squire of her brother's and watch him fail over and over. He couldn't contain his anxiousness or intrigue... not because of Willum, he wanted to see if she was as good as they say she was.

He wanted to see what Eliana was hiding from him.


A/N: Please read and review!