A/N: New chapter folks, hope you all enjoy it. Do let me know!
unnamed visitor: I'm hoping to get some interaction between them at some point but it won't be for a while as I'll be focusing on the Robb/Roslin/Jeyne situation. It was indeed cruel how she found out about Robb and Jeyne but I agree that it's for the best that she knows. Things will definitely be rocky for a while but in time I'm hoping they will make progress. Thank you very much, glad you feel better about it, here's the new one, hope you enjoy it!
Right-ho, onwards!
:)
VI
"The Greatjon has taken yet more mines in the Westerlands," Robb reported to his lords as he read through the latest update from his most trusted general, "I will send instruction for him to make permanent camp at Oxcross. We can join him there once this wedding is done with," he tried not to appear affected at saying those words out loud. Roslin Frey would arrive the next afternoon although he'd been trying to avoid thinking about that and what it would mean for him and Jeyne. "Would you send men ahead your Grace?" Lord Karstark asked him and Robb nodded slowly. "Aye, I intend to send yourself with men from Karhold and Winterfell, and I would ask that Lord Tully go with you," he looked between the two men and they both nodded. "The rest of the army will follow on behind you, should any trouble come to the Greatjon then at least there will already be reinforcements on the way to him," Robb finished and everyone murmured their agreements.
"I think we are done my lords," Robb forced a smile, "my ladies," he inclined his head towards Maege and Dacey Mormont as everyone seemed to rise as one from their places. "Your Grace," they inclined their heads to him as they began to file out. "Uncle, could I have a word?" Robb asked before Edmure could slip out of the door and his uncle nodded, coming back to sit at the table. "What is it?" he asked as soon as the door closed behind the rest of the lords. "Will you be taking Alys with you?" Robb asked him and his uncle frowned slightly. "I had thought to leave her where she is safe, but I imagine she might not be pleased to be left behind," Edmure told him and Robb nodded. "If you take her perhaps she could use an attendant?" he raised his brows.
"The lady Jeyne?" Edmure raised his own brows in response. "Aye," Robb said uneasily, avoiding his uncle's eyes. "I suppose it would be best for both of you if she is away from Riverrun before your intended arrives," Edmure said quietly and again Robb nodded. "One can only hope," Robb said just as quietly and his uncle sighed heavily before rising up to his feet and clapping Robb on the back before moving towards the door. "I will speak with Alys," he said, coming to a halt, "doubtless she will be more than happy with the arrangement, the two of them seem to get on well enough." Robb could only nod his thanks, managing a brief smile which his uncle returned sympathetically before he pulled open the door and disappeared from his presence.
Tomorrow.
Robb still couldn't get his head around it. His future wife and queen would arrive tomorrow and there was nothing else to be done about it. Roslin Frey. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. He would have to tell Jeyne about his new plans for her. He hated having to make them, he had no claim on her to send her anywhere but what else could he do? She would not be welcomed home, she would be miserable if he sent her back to the Crag. Hopefully she wouldn't be angry with him. Hopefully she would see that he had her best interests at heart. A soft knock came at the door and he wrenched his thoughts away from Jeyne and called for whoever it was to come in. Somehow he managed a smile for his mother when she walked in but her own expression was sceptical as she closed the door firmly behind her and came to sit on his immediate right.
"How was your meeting?" she asked him softly. "Fine," he replied, "I'm sending Edmure and Lord Karstark ahead to the Greatjon with reinforcements," he told her and she nodded her head slowly. "I've spoken with Edmure and he is to take Alys with him, I've asked if he would…if he would take Jeyne as well, to attend on Alys," he continued, not able to look at his mother as he said the words. "I think that's for the best," she said quietly, "have you spoken to her about these new arrangements?"
"No," he grimaced slightly and he heard his mother sigh. "You need to be honest with her, this is all difficult enough as it is," she advised him and he knew she was right, he just didn't want to risk angering or upsetting her, not tonight when it was the last time they could be together. "I just don't know if I'm doing the right thing anymore," he admitted to his mother and her hand came to squeeze around his forearm. "This was a very stupid situation you got yourself into," she said but it didn't sound as though she was scolding him, "only you can fix it Robb, and you'd best do it quickly because the party from the Twins will arrive tomorrow afternoon."
"I'm aware of that," he said stiffly and she squeezed his shoulder again. "I have to go mother, unless you needed me for anything else?" he said abruptly and she shook her head to which he stood up. "One day all of this will make sense to you Robb, I promise you," she told him, holding his eyes for a moment. "I hope you're right mother," he said heavily, "because right now I can't see a happy ending for anyone in any of this."
Robb poured out two measures of wine as Jeyne reclined back on the sofa, her robe tied so loosely around her that he was having to concentrate very hard on what he was doing. She had come up to take a bath after dinner and he had given her a little time on her own, sensing that it was something she needed. Now she looked more relaxed than she had done at the evening meal but Robb felt as though every muscle in his body was tense. He approached with the wine and she took hers with thanks before taking a sip from her cup as he sat down awkwardly next to her, his mind racing. "If you have something to tell me I would prefer you to just say it so this tension can leave us. This is our last night together, whatever it is would you tell me so we can relax and try and enjoy it?" she asked him and he sighed heavily.
"I won't command you," he said, "but I had though that perhaps you would like to take the role of Alys' attendant for the time being." She sat up straighter on the sofa then and he somehow managed to turn his head and look at her. "Alys is leaving at dawn with half of your army," she said softly and he nodded his head. "I thought it might be easier…" he trailed off as she moved further towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, pressing her lips to his cheek. "I understand," she whispered in his ear, "this is going to be hard for both of us but at least with me gone you might be able to get to know Roslin better."
"I don't want you to feel like I am casting you aside and pretending you never existed. I'm in love with you Jeyne, that won't change no matter how far away you are," he told her and she kissed his cheek again, more firmly this time. "I love you Robb," she breathed against him, her warm breath feeling so good against his skin. "I will never regret this time we spent together," she went on and he allowed his hands to come up and rub gently up and down her forearms. "We knew the day would come and we are on the brink of it…I wish we had longer my love but you and I were never destined for one another," she said sadly.
"I don't want to think about us being parted," he whispered, turning his head and meeting her beautiful, dark eyes. "Then let us not think about it," she whispered back, leaning in closer to him so their lips could meet. He kissed her softly, slowly, wanting to memorize the feeling of her lips on his, wanting to savour her for as long as he possibly could. He turned his body further towards her, sliding his hand down her cheek and then back to tangle in her hair as he deepened their kiss. She let a noise of pleasure escape her, the sound of it vibrating in his mouth and making him hard for her in an instant. His other hand snuck down across her collarbone and further down, loosening her robe as he went. He couldn't help but linger at her firm breasts, feeling her buds pebble at his touch, her own hands coming to his doublet to ease the fastenings open. She moaned into his mouth again as he let his hand massage her breast more firmly.
Somehow he managed to tear his lips from hers and she was breathing hard as he trailed them down her jawline and to her neck, nipping at the tender flesh and eliciting a pleasurable gasp from her. She tasted so sweet and fresh from her bath and he wanted to kiss every inch of her, devour every inch of her. Her hands were pulling his doublet from his shoulders and he regretfully moved his hands away from her so he could hurriedly shrug out of it, loosening the ties on his tunic and tugging it quickly up and over his head. Now her hands were at his bare chest and he exhaled deeply in satisfaction as she leant in closer to him and pressed kisses to his exposed flesh, her nails scraping lightly down his stomach as her hands moved to untie the laces of his breeches. His own hands came to her shoulders to slide her robe away from them, leaning in to kiss at her neck again as she unlaced him. "I need you Robb," she whispered between kisses, "I need you inside me."
He could have exploded then and there but he steeled himself, wrenching his lips away from her and pulling at the tie of her robe. She stood then and slid it all the way off, standing completely bare in front of him and looking every inch a goddess in the dancing light of the fire and the low burning lanterns. Somehow he managed to move, to pull his boots from him before getting to his own feet, seeing Jeyne backing slowly towards the bed, her eyes not leaving him. He shoved his breeches down his hips as he came towards her, kicking them away from him as he crawled onto the bed that she had just lay herself back on. Her heart was beating wildly, he could tell from the way her chest rose and fell so quickly and enticingly, her breathing ragged as he came to move her legs apart. "Robb…don't toy with me Robb," she breathed out as he slowly rubbed circles into her upper thighs with his thumbs. He could only grin at her then as she reached out to try and pull him towards her.
He pulled back and she made a frustrated noise. "Don't be so impatient," he murmured, clenching his hand around her calf and tugging her leg upwards so he could drape it over his shoulder. "Robb," she whined but he ignored her, kissing his way up her calf and along her inner thigh. He inhaled her sweetness as he came to settle between her legs taking a breath before he buried his head between them. A gasp and a cry of surprise left her as he allowed his tongue to explore her, savouring the taste of her in his mouth, slowing his ministrations as her hips rocked up into him. Gods she was so sweet. So sweet everywhere. His tongue sought out that little bud, kissing his way towards it and she moaned out wantonly when he found it. Her hands fisted in his hair and pressed him further against her, so close he could barely breathe but he hardly cared as she let out another moan, her hips bucking upwards again as he worked harder at her bud.
"Oh Gods," she moaned out, "oh Gods, how are you doing this to me?" she was breathless and moaning his name in the next moment and he could feel her trembling. Somehow he knew she was ready to fall and just a moment more attention from his tongue had her crashing down, moaning out in ultimate pleasure. His name on her lips. He savoured her for a long minute before he slowly kissed his way up her abdomen and across her smooth, flat stomach. Her leg slipped down from his shoulder as her body lay their limply, her breathing laboured as he kissed his way up to her breasts. "I love every inch of you," he whispered against her skin before he took one of her hardened buds into his mouth, his hand coming up to tend to the other one. He had her moaning again in no time, her own hands snaking up over his shoulders before she raked her nails down his back, pulling him further against her.
Her hands slid round to rest low on his stomach before she dropped one to wrap around his length, eliciting a groan from his own mouth that was smothered by the mound of her breast. She wrapped her legs up around his waist, tilting her hips up and guiding him to her entrance. Gods she really was impatient tonight. Her hand slipped from around him and at her movement he pushed his own hips forwards and buried himself inside her tight warmth. Gods she felt so good. She always felt so good. The feel of her. The taste of her. The smell of her. Her touch. Her kiss. Even just her voice. Gods he loved her. He loved her so much. He rocked his hips back and forth slowly, her own rising up to meet his as she inched her legs even higher up around his waist, a throaty moan coming from her on his next thrust. He loved hearing her make those noises. He loved knowing that his actions brought her as much pleasure as her own brought him.
They rocked together perfectly, slowly and deeply. Robb lifted his head from her breast to meet her eyes that were even darker than they usually were, clouded by lust. He groaned out as he buried himself entirely in her again, his hips pulling back as hers sank to the bed before they both rocked back into one another again. It was so easy being with her like this. Easier than breathing. Being one with her completed him and he could not quite understand how he would be able to live his life without her. He forced that thought from his mind. He wouldn't think on that now, not now when he was entwined with his beloved Jeyne. Right now he would savour her. Right now he would think of her and how beautiful she looked sprawled naked beneath him with her body working in perfect harmony with his own. Right now he would only think on the pleasure and not dwell on the pain that was sure to follow. Right now he had her. He had her.
If only time could stop. If only they could be locked in this heady bliss forever, entwined as one for all eternity without care for anything or anyone else. If only. If only. He cupped his hands around her cheeks as she cried out again, her brow creased as she began to tighten even further around him. He leant in as close to her as he could get, his lips only a fraction from hers as they gasped and moaned together. The ultimate depths of pleasure awaited them and they both plunged down together, her name coming from his lips as his came from hers. His body collapsed down against hers as they both breathed hard, her hands rubbing up and down his back for a moment before they settled flat, holding him firmly against her. She needn't worry about him moving away, he had no desire to do any such thing. He was happy laying here with her, still entwined completely with one another as her chest heaved against his own. "Jeyne -," he whispered and she turned her head at once and pressed a kiss to his lips before he could utter another word. "Don't say anything," she whispered back, "it's perfect Robb, just hold me in your arms while you still can."
He obeyed her, pressing a kiss to her lips again before he regretfully lifted his hips up and separated them again. His hold on her was tight as he rolled them over so she was draped across his chest, his grip only slackening as she settled down against him. She pressed a kiss above his heart as he let his hands come and settle on the small of her back, her breathing warm and even against his chest. That feeling was always so comforting to him for some inexplicable reason. Reason seldom came into it when it came to Jeyne. Before she had come into his life he had always been so rational, so level-headed. She turned him upside down and if it weren't for her own rationality… He stopped that thought before it went too far. It was too late. Far too late. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before dropping his head back against the pillows and closing his exhausted eyes.
When Jeyne woke she recognised that faint light that came just before dawn and she carefully moved herself away from Robb's embrace. He huffed in his sleep but thankfully his eyes didn't flutter open, his deep, even breathing continuing on after a moment. She swallowed hard and moved off the bed, collecting up her discarded robe and wrapping it around her before she quietly began moving about the chambers and collecting up her few belongings. There hadn't been much time to collect many things from the Crag when she had made the decision to leave and she was glad of it now as she packed everything away into her trunk besides her clothing for the day and her riding cloak and boots. She glanced back towards the still sleeping Robb for a moment before she slipped off her robe and swiftly pulled a shift over her head before wrapping her dress around her and tying it tightly. She left the boots and cloak by the door before bundling her robe into her trunk and closing in securely, lifting it up and carefully moving that to the door as well.
Thankfully Robb didn't stir as it made a small thud against the floor and she breathed a sigh of relief before she crossed to the desk in the corner and pulled a piece of parchment towards her. She didn't think too much about the words, she just wrote what she had to say, refusing to read back over it when she came to the end. She had no time to dither, not now. As she folded the letter up she moved to the window and looked down into the courtyard where horses were being saddled up and men were milling around. Dawn was just about breaking and she needed to get down to the yard so she would be ready to leave with the others. She crossed to the bed and tried to ignore the fact that each beat of her heart left her in agony. How could she leave him?
She lay the letter on the empty pillow before letting her eyes linger on his sleeping face for the longest time. Her love for him was so overwhelming that she could barely stand it. He was so beautiful. She longed to crawl back into bed with him and never leave his side but she had made her choice. She had made it a long time ago when she had refused to become his wife. If only he had not needed to cross that bridge. If only she could have been reckless enough to consent. It was too late. Far too late for regret now. Both of them had to let go and find some way to move on from the brief period of bliss they had spent with one another. She took a deep, shuddering breath, refusing to let herself cry, before she leaned in close to him and pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead. He stirred slightly as she pulled back and mumbled something that she couldn't quite make out. He stayed sleeping though and she thanked the Gods for it as she turned away from him and tiptoed to the door. She pulled on her boots quickly and threw her cloak about her shoulders before she picked up her trunk and turned the doorknob and silently as she could manage. She opened it just enough that she could slip around it and closed it quietly behind her.
"Jeyne?" Robb mumbled incoherently as he stirred awake, his eyes blinking rapidly against the bright sunlight that was streaming in through the gap in the drapes. He turned his head to the side and saw it was empty. He rolled over and placed his hand to the sheets next to him and found them cold. In the next moment he saw the neatly folded parchment and he swallowed hard, his fingers trembling as he reached out to pick it up. Part of him did not want to read the words she had left him with but he had to, scared as he was, he had to.
My love,
I couldn't bear the thought of saying goodbye. Perhaps it is weak and craven of me but I need what little strength I have to force myself to leave this room. I wish I could stay forever yours but we both know it is impossible. I will miss you every day and no doubt dream of you each night. I beg of you again to try with Roslin Frey. She is to be your wife and your queen, doubtless she is scared as it is. Try to put her at ease Robb, try and be happy with her, or at the very least content. I would hate to think of you miserable and I would never begrudge your happiness, it is all you deserve after all the horrors you and your family have had to endure. I will miss your mother, she is a good and kind woman and I bid you say farewell to her from me.
I know I will see you again but it will never be as it was. It can never be as it was. I will always have a smile for you my love, and you will always have a place in my heart so long as I draw breath. It was a joy and an honour to have loved you Robb Stark. Farewell for now.
Jeyne.
She was gone. He traced his fingers over her words and brushed the silent tears that had tracked down his cheeks away with his other hand before he took a deep, shuddering breath. He folded the letter back up and got himself out of bed, only now seeing that all her things were gone. After he wrapped his robe around himself he went for the window and pulled the drapes aside. From the position of the sun he knew it was mid-morning. She would have left hours ago, there wasn't even a trace of movement on the horizon. They were long gone on their way to Oxcross. She was right, he would see her again in mere weeks but it could never be the same again. He found himself hoping that Edmure would house Alys in an inn so he wouldn't have to see Jeyne in camp every day, so he wouldn't have to flaunt his wife in front of her. He groaned then. His wife. Damn it all. He rubbed his hands over his face in a slightly desperate manner as he looked out towards the north instead of the west. There was no flicker of movement on the horizon yet but he knew that there soon would be. Roslin Frey would arrive within mere hours.
A/N: So that will be the last Robb/Jeyne interaction we have for a while. I will still have Jeyne POV snippets until they are all in Oxcross again but the main focus will be shifting more towards Roslin for a while now. She will be arriving at Riverrun next chapter! Hope you all enjoyed, more soon!
:)