A/N: Hey guys, this one is a little earlier than usual (hopefully you won't be complaining) since I won't be home tonight - no internet, waaaah!
Anyway, thanks again for all the reviews/follows/favourites.
Hope you enjoy this next chapter, let me know what you think! Big thanks to guest reviewer Viva my Vida, you put a huge smile on my face!
:)
Differences Aside
Robb didn't leave for another week and Elissa felt dread as she walked with him down to the entrance hall, she glanced out of the open doors and saw his Lords all saddled and waiting for him. "Please promise me you will stay safe," she urged him and he nodded.
"I will be safe so long as I know you are," he promised, "I don't want you worrying about me, you need to keep yourself calm, if not for you then for the baby," he smiled, placing his hands on either side of her rounded stomach, feeling his heart soar when he felt the baby move.
"I will do everything for our baby," she told him seriously and he kissed her softly.
"I know you will," he breathed when he finally tore his lips from hers.
"I will miss you," she told him, looking up into his eyes.
"I will miss you, but it won't be for long I swear," he promised, holding her gaze.
"Good," she smiled and he kissed her again.
"I love you," he said meaningfully, his blue eyes on her honey ones.
"And I love you," she replied, "now go before I change my mind and come with you," she insisted and he grinned at her, kissing her once more before letting her go and walking to the door. Elissa watched him go with her heart pounding, fighting the urge to run after him. Robb turned back once and smiled at her and she managed to return his smile, refusing to let tears fall. He looked reassured and turned back, disappearing out into the courtyard to join his Lords.
Edmure watched their farewell and tried not to feel bitter, he longed for Roslin to look at him the way that Elissa looked at Robb, but the only look he ever got from her was one of contempt. He knew why, she was still upset about her father and she blamed him, there was no one else she could blame, he had been the one to strike Walder Frey's head from his shoulders. That fact would never change and it was a fact that both he and his young wife would have to live with. She couldn't hate him forever, that's what he kept telling himself, she would forgive him in time and go back to being the sweet wife she had been whilst they were at the Twins.
He found himself wondering if they should have stayed there, he couldn't say that Roslin was happy there, she was in complete shock over the events of the wedding, but at least she could bear to be around him. At least she leaned into his touch, allowed him to kiss her, to comfort her, to whisper soothing words in her ear as they lay entwined in bed at night. Now she was walking towards him with a look of pure fury on her face and he steeled himself for what was coming. "I am not with child," she told him and he stared at her, wondering what reaction she wanted from him. Thankfully, she spoke again first; "we will have to try again," she said, not looking at all like she was looking forward to it. Before Edmure could say anything in response she had marched away from him and he sighed heavily, wondering how long she could go on hating him.
"Are you alright my Lord?" Elissa asked him and he jumped, not knowing she had been there.
"Nothing for you to worry about your Grace," Edmure smiled back at her and she frowned slightly.
"She's angry with me too," she said and he sighed, "She refuses to even look at me let alone speak to me," Elissa continued and Edmure looked at her sympathetically.
"She should be more respectful to her Queen," he told her.
"I'm not her Queen, this is not the North," she smiled and Edmure couldn't help but laugh.
"Roslin finds a way out of everything," he chuckled.
"She is used to getting her own way, she really thought she could stop what happened to father, she never dreamed it would happen if she refused it," Elissa told him.
"He had to die," Edmure said firmly, "she knows that deep down. I regret that it was me that had to do it though, she can't live with that"
"She will learn to, she has no other choice, you're her husband and that bond cannot be broken," she said, patting his arm gently.
"If she could break it I have no doubt she would," he said bitterly, "we cannot all be as fortunate as you are in marriage your Grace," he finished, smiling sadly at her.
Elissa watched Roslin and Edmure at dinner, she would have to be blind not to notice the rift between them and it made her sad. She may not agree with Roslin on most things but she wanted her sister to be happy, she had hoped that she would be but that was before the wedding. She still felt bitter when she thought of that, when she closed her eyes and saw the arrows raining down. Had it not been for Roslin's warning she would have gone to her father as he'd requested and she would have looked on helpless as the bolts shot through Robb.
She shuddered as always when she thought of that, she couldn't imagine being without Robb now, he held her heart and if he had died she was sure it would have killed her. The baby would have given her reason to live, but if it was born a boy and wrenched from her she knew she would have begged the Gods to take her and deliver her into her husband's hands. But that hadn't happened, Robb hadn't died and neither had she, and that was thanks to Roslin and her warning. A warning Elissa suspected that she may have been regretting if the looks of contempt she regularly bestowed on her were anything to go by.
Catelyn could also feel the tension between Roslin and near everyone else, the girl was grieving for her father that much was clear, but she was pushing away anyone who could care for her. Elissa had been the first to be exiled from her affections, Edmure had followed not long after, after he had swung the sword. Catelyn had wondered if perhaps it would not be best if Robb had done it but Edmure had insisted and now he was paying the price. And the price would last a lifetime as only death would part him from Roslin Frey's contemptuous glare.
Seeing how hard the girl was made her silently thank the Gods that Robb hadn't chosen her like she'd advised him to. Robb would not have known what to do with a stone woman who held such bitterness inside her. Elissa may have appeared weak at first but Catelyn had been mistaken, she wasn't weak, she was warm and sweet and loving, the best thing for Robb, the very thing he needed.
"Don't touch me," Roslin snapped as she undressed.
"Roslin," Edmure tried, but she waved him away.
"If we have to do this we do it my way," she said and he nodded wearily. She looked pointedly at the bed then until he took the hint and undressed himself, laying down when he was fully unclothed, waiting for her to make her own move. She moved to the side of the bed and unlaced her shift slowly, refusing to look him in the eye as she did so. He was almost ashamed at how hard he became at the sight of her naked body but she said nothing and neither did he.
His wife pulled herself astride him then in a determined manner and lowered herself down onto the length of him with a sharp intake of breath. Edmure made to move his hands to her hips but she slapped them away; "I said don't touch me," she said venomously as she began to rock against him. She bit her lip as she moved and Edmure knew she was trying not to cry out, he knew she wanted to hate him with everything she had but she couldn't deny that she had always enjoyed him making love to her. He could feel how aroused she was as she slid up and down his length, her movements quickening, her hands slapping his chest hard as she began to lose her self-control.
This was his chance, he knew, this was his chance to prove to her that she didn't hate him as much as she would like to. He pulled himself up so he was facing her and grabbed her hips. Her eyes flew open and he saw the fury in them but he didn't let go.
"No," she said, trying to move her hips faster, wanting him to finish quickly.
"Yes," he told her firmly, grabbing hard to slow her movements.
"No," she moaned, but he could hear it in her voice that she was giving in.
"Stop hating me Ros," he breathed, grazing his teeth down her neck.
"Never," she whispered, trying not to moan as he moved her slowly against him.
"Just let me love you," he said softly, trailing his lips across her jaw, making her breathing increase.
"I hate what you're doing to me," she confessed, barely able to stop crying out as a hand came to her breast and began massaging it gently.
"Let it go Ros," he urged her, his hand still at her breast.
"One night," she gasped, finally letting a moan escape her lips.
"It will do for now," he said, burying himself as deep as he could inside her before grabbing her hips again and flipping them so she was on her back.
She gasped in surprise at the swiftness of his movements and he tightened his grip on her hips as she let her legs wrap around his waist. At her movement he slammed into her, thrusting hard and deep and making her scream out, her nails raking down his back making him growl out in pleasure and pain.
Roslin hated herself for the cries and moans that escaped her mouth as her husband continued to drive pleasure through her. She had promised herself that she wouldn't get caught up in him and here she was, completely at his mercy as he slammed into her over and over again. Her nails had drawn blood; that at least brought her some satisfaction as she heard his growls of pain. She hated him for what he'd done to her, what he was still doing to her. But most of all she hated that she loved what he was doing to her as his thrusts brought her closer and closer to the edge.
When she hit her height she cried out loudly, finally releasing him from her clutches as he thrust twice more before he spilled deep inside her. She was breathing just as hard as him as he collapsed against her, wanting to push him away but instead finding herself pulling him closer, breathing in the intoxicating scent he always seemed to emit after they had made love.
A terrible scream woke Elissa early that morning and she jolted awake, her heart instantly sinking as she thought of Ana. She had thought the tonic had been working, she had not had a nightmare since she had begun taking it and yet now it seemed they had returned. As she pulled on her robe though another scream sounded and she frowned, moving towards the door, realising as she did so that it was not Ana's screams she was hearing. Ana's screams were always desperate and full of fear, whoever these screams belonged to was beyond pain.
The sound was almost animalistic, as though the heart of the very woman had been torn out. Fear beat against Elissa's chest as she hurried down the steps, stopping dead in the hallway as she saw Catelyn collapsed on the floor, and heart-wrenching cries coming from her as the Blackfish did his best to console her. Edmure stood to the side looking aghast but he turned as he caught Elissa moving down the last few steps, her heart pounding as she wondered what could have caused her mother in law to break down like this.
"Robb?" she whispered to Edmure as she walked to his side.
"Not Robb," he said quietly shaking his head and she allowed herself a breath of relief.
"Who then?" she asked, part of her not wanting to know.
"The boys," Edmure murmured, "Bran and Rickon"
"They're not …" she began but he shook his head heavily and her eyes widened.
"Robb was betrayed by Theon Greyjoy," he told her, glancing towards his sister.
"But he was supposed to bring ships … to help!" Elissa said desperately.
"He took Winterfell, and now there is word he has had the boys killed," he told her gravely.
"By the Seven," Elissa whispered, moving forward and laying a hand on the Blackfish's shoulder.
"Your Grace," he murmured as she knelt down next to him.
"Lady Stark I'm sorry," she managed to say before the woman grabbed her in her arms and sobbed harder than ever. The Blackfish steadied Elissa's shoulders as she threatened to fall off balance, only letting go when the girl shifted so she was on her knees, rocking Catelyn gently against her chest as she bit back tears of her own.
"The Maester has given her something to make her sleep," Elissa said quietly as she let herself out of Catelyn's rooms.
"How could Greyjoy do this?" Edmure said, shaking his head.
"Nothing surprises me after the Twins," the Blackfish said.
"No," Elissa said sadly and he looked at her apologetically.
"Sorry your Grace, I know you would rather not be reminded," he said.
"Nothing will ever make me forget," she said, "but at least we survived it"
"They were just children," Edmure said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Bran had been through so much already, Robb told me," Elissa said quietly, "how could he have been a threat? And Rickon, he was barely seven!"
"Cat told him not to trust the Ironborn," the Blackfish sighed.
"Robb couldn't have predicted this!" she exclaimed, hurt at his accusing words.
"I know," he soothed at once, "I would have done the same, he needed the ships"
"What is going on here?" Roslin's sharp voice called out.
"We have had some bad news," Edmure told her and she glanced towards Elissa.
"What news?" she asked, looking between the three of them.
"My nephews … they have been killed," Edmure managed and she gasped.
"Is Lady Stark alright?" Roslin questioned at once.
"Of course she isn't," Elissa said sharply.
"Girls," the Blackfish cautioned, "now may be the time to put your differences aside. This is war, and war isn't pretty, we will all suffer plenty by the end of it. Don't say things now that you will regret when you no longer have the chance to put it right."
When Catelyn woke her mind was blank for a second before it all came flooding back to her. Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought of her youngest children, her two precious boys who were supposed to be safe and secure in the North. Her heart ached as she thought of the suffering they had endured, of what fate must have come to them. She knew almost nothing and she was glad of it, she didn't want to know the pain they must have felt. She didn't want to think of them crying out for her or Ned, wondering why they didn't come for them.
The tears fell faster then and she turned her head into the pillow and tried to muffle her sobs. Her boys were dead. Her girls were captive. Her one remaining son was out fighting a war when he should be at home with his wife, eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child. It was wrong. All of it, it was so, so wrong. She should never have lived to see this. Part of her wished she hadn't.
Elissa and Roslin sat in silence for the longest time, neither of them quite knowing what to say to one another. Edmure and the Blackfish had gone to rally what men they could, thinking that they could perhaps gather enough troops to send North to reclaim Winterfell. Eventually Roslin could stand the silence no longer and she cleared her throat to speak.
"I'm sorry," she managed.
"Thank you," Elissa said quietly.
"You must wish you were with him," Roslin continued, taking a sip of wine.
"I do," she confessed, "but I think Lady Stark needs me"
"Have you told Ana?" Roslin asked.
"I wouldn't know where to start," Elissa sighed, "Gods why is it all such a mess?!"
"I think the Blackfish said something about war," she smiled wryly and Elissa snorted.
"The worst of it seems to be happening in our homes," she said sadly.
"It doesn't seem right does it?" Roslin mused, "There's no honour in it"
"Can their ever be honour in war?" Elissa asked.
"Of course, if you're fighting for good, for justice," she said fiercely.
"I suppose," she said dully.
"Do you not think your husband is fighting an honourable cause?" Roslin asked.
"Yes," Elissa sighed, "yes I do, of course I do … I just wish this would all just end"
"Don't we all," Roslin said softly, reaching forward hesitantly and taking her sister's hand.
Elissa went for a walk in the grounds after dinner, trying to clear her head. She had wanted to write to Robb, to tell him how sorry she was but the words just didn't seem to come. What could she possibly say to make him feel any better? All she wanted was to be with him, to wrap her arms around him and hold him as he cried like she had done when his father had died. The baby stirred as she walked and she placed a hand on her stomach, pausing for a moment and looking out across the river where the sun was setting behind the horizon. It was a beautiful sight, it surprised Elissa that there could still be such beauty in the world after all the horrors that her family had endured over the past weeks. She continued gazing out into to the distance before her eye was caught by the figure of a man walking across the bridge. He was leading a horse on behind him, a smaller figure sat on top of it. She walked towards the bridge then, curious as to who was coming at this time, as she approached she saw the guards block their way and she quickened her steps to see what was going on.
"Edmure?" Roslin said tentatively as she peered round the door of his study.
"Come in," he said heavily from his place at his desk. She did as he bid, closing the door quietly behind her before walking up behind him, hesitating slightly before she put her hands on his shoulders.
"I didn't even know them," he confessed, reaching up to lay a hand on one of hers.
"That doesn't mean you can't grieve," Roslin told him softly.
"Cat needs me to be strong," he said heavily.
"You are," she told him, kissing the top of his head reassuringly.
"Am I?" he questioned, tightening his grip on her hand.
"Yes," she breathed, "you are a good, just man"
"What changed your mind?" he asked, unable to stop the small laugh that escaped him.
"I know it was your duty," she said quietly, "it doesn't mean I like it … but it took strength to deliver justice to my father"
"I'm sorry I hurt you," he whispered.
"I'm sorry I pushed you away," she whispered back, snaking her arms further around him and leaning her head down against his shoulder.
Elissa could hear the guards arguing with the man as she walked towards them, a few of them seemed almost afraid and she could understand why. The man was tall and powerfully built, he had a wild look about him and half of his face looked as though it had been burned away. She frowned as she approached, trying to catch a glimpse of the figure on the back of the horse he'd been leading. "What is going on here?" she asked, stopping just behind the guards.
"I want to see Robb Stark," the strange man said and her frown deepened.
"He's not here, but I'm his wife," she said, managing to keep her voice even.
"His wife?!" the figure on the horse burst out suddenly and the man snapped his head to her.
"Who are you?" Elissa asked curiously, making to move passed the guards.
"Your Grace don't!" one of them cautioned, "Do you not realise who he is?!"
"No, I have not had the pleasure," she said heatedly.
"It's the Hound," another of the guards hissed at her.
"Why do you want to see Robb? You're a Lannister man," she said, confused.
"Fuck the Lannister's, fuck the King, fuck you all, I just want Stark to give me my gold," the Hound said.
"Why would Robb give you gold?" Elissa questioned.
"Because I have brought his brat of a sister home to him," he said, nodding to the horse.
"I'm not a brat!" the girl Elissa had thought to be a boy exclaimed, sliding down from her perch.
"Gold?" the Hound questioned, staring pointedly at Elissa.
"You need to see Lord Tully and Lady Stark," she managed, looking between him and the girl.
"Are you really Robb's wife?" the girl asked, staring up at her with narrowed eyes.
"Yes," Elissa said shakily, "and you are?"
"Arya Stark," she grinned, "pleased to meet you."
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed that! I know there was rather a lot going on but, yay Arya's back!
As ever please let me know what you think.
We'll be catching up with Robb next chapter, hope you haven't missed him too much!
:)
