A/N: Here's the next one my lovelies! It's a month today since I published this story and I can't believe the response, I've reached 100 follows and over 50 favourites which is just the best response I've had in such a short space of time. Thank you all so much! :)

Back with Ailsa this chapter.

Thanks: brunette-in-black, maria-olivia, nachobeats823, imagineemily, kawaiixkisses, BSG75, SassyGirl22, VeraWatson, everyone else who follows & anyone else who's reading :)

His Eyes

The weeks without Robb slowly ticked by, the whole of Winterfell soon knew of my pregnancy as my stomach began to grow. Our child was moving daily and Maester Luwin assured me that its heartbeat was strong. All I had to do was wait, continuing on with my duties as usual, one eye kept on Brienne as I still did not trust the woman. I was taking a break, sitting in the nursery with Ned who was now able to sit himself up unaided, when the bells began to toll. In a flash I was on my feet, handing Ned swiftly to Katrin and darting to the window. A trickle of a hundred or so men were slowly marching through the south gate, those in the middle had suspended between them a board on which a body lay, his head covered with white cloth. My heart pounded in my ears as I tore from the room, flying out into the courtyard and towards the approaching men. Lord Umber was at the helm of them atop his horse but he dismounted quickly at the sight of me, coming forward to catch me in his arms, preventing me getting any closer. I looked up into his eyes and saw the immense sadness that filled them as he looked down on me, my head was shaking at once, already denying the words that he had not yet spoken. "Not Robb", I whispered desperately, "not Robb, please tell me it's not Robb!"

"I am so sorry your Grace", he said, his voice weighed heavy with grief. I struggled against him then, desperate to pass him so I could reach the men behind him and show them, show all of them that they were wrong. Robb could not be dead, my husband could not be dead; he had promised me he would be safe, and that he would come back to me. He would not leave me. "Your Grace please …" Lord Umber said, pulling me back from the men.

"No!" I screamed out as the men brought the body passed me, "he is not! He is not dead!" Lord Umber had no words for me, he merely held me tightly as I watched them carry the dead man into the keep, Lady Stark hurrying out of it as they did so, glancing towards them for a moment before her eyes fixed firmly on me. I couldn't bear it, my knees buckled beneath me, sobs racking through my body that I was powerless to control. Lord Umber held me fast, ensuring that I did not crumple to the floor and Lady Stark was with me in an instant, I could tell from her eyes that she knew whose body she had passed. "I have to see him!" I choked out, grabbing at her.

"I will come with you", she told me gently; her voice shaking as tears tracked down her face.

The small chamber was guarded by two men who bowed to us as we walked between them. The body was laid out across the long table in the middle, the chairs having been pushed away to the back of the room. I was still unable to think of the body as that of Robb's, I forced myself forwards until I was stood at his side and reached out a shaking hand to the cloth that covered his face. Lord Umber's hand was on mine before I could touch it, shaking his head at me; "I beg you don't look your Grace … it is better, if you remember him as he was"

"I would see my husband!" I told him.

"You would not recognise him", he replied, and I let my hand drop.

"It is that bad?" I whispered.

"I'm sorry your Grace", Lord Umber said gravely and I looked up to see Lady Stark take one of the man's still hands in hers. I let my own hand touch his chest, letting it rest there for the longest time against the stillness. After a time I stepped closer, brushing my fingers lightly across the cold skin of his hand which did nothing to comfort me, making me feel ever so slightly sick. I put my hand back to his chest, the other I moved up to my face to brush away my tears. The glint of the man's buttons caught my eye then and I froze for a moment before slowly moving my hand up to the topmost button of his jacket, my fingers lingering on the fastening there.

"Did you change him?" I asked Lord Umber sharply.

"No your Grace, we bore him straight here", he told me, his voice laced with confusion.

"You are sure?" I persisted.

"Quite certain your Grace", he assured me.

"Ailsa, what is it?" Lady Stark asked me, her brow furrowed.

"This is not his jacket", I told her, turning back to the body, staring at the buttons again.

"All the men wear the same your Grace, the King insisted upon it", Lord Umber said.

"Yes I know", I told him, "but Robb's differed slightly"

"How?" Lady Stark asked me, her eyes wide as she stared hopefully at me.

"He had the topmost button changed from the rest, he had it replaced with one shaped as the leaf of Ardenne", I told her, moving my hand to it again and her eyes followed me.

"Then you are saying this is not Robb?" she whispered.

"I have to see his face", I replied, moving again to pull the cloth from him.

"Your Grace!" Lord Umber began warningly but I ignored him, pulling the cloth away in one swift movement before I could change my mind.

The sight of the man's injuries made bile rise up in my throat and I clasped a hand to my mouth, taking a few steps back. Lady Stark had closed her eyes in horror but I could not seem to tear mine away. The man was unrecognisable, all his features seemingly mangled, one side of his head completely bludgeoned. I forced myself to step back towards him, I could not see if the man was Robb from his face, but I knew that his eyes would tell me. Lord Umber stilled me again as I reached my hand to his eyelids. "Your Grace, you should not upset yourself further", he urged.

"I would see his eyes", I replied.

"If you insist upon it then please let me", he told me and I managed to nod my head. He let me go then and moved to the dead man, brushing a thumb across an eyelid to open it, my heart sank as I looked at it; it was completely bloodshot, no trace of colour left. I nodded again to Lord Umber and he opened the other, this one too was bloodshot but part of it was as it should have been. I moved as close as I could stand and stared into it, making sure that my initial thought was true. "It's not Robb", I said after the longest time, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"Your Grace …?" Lord Umber breathed questioningly.

"Those are not his eyes! This man is not Robb!" I insisted. Lady Stark moved then, coming forward to look at them herself, her hand found mine as her eyes saw his and I knew that she had seen it too. "This poor man is not my son", she said certainly.

I ordered the dead man to be buried with all honour and I had Maester Luwin send out all but one of his ravens to the border strongholds, all asking for news of Robb. I was desperate to know where he was, if he was safe, but no one seemed able to give me an answer. My frustration grew with every day that passed without word, my fear also heightened as I was well aware that even though the dead man had not been Robb, that did not necessarily mean my husband was alive. Lady Stark took my duties from me and I spent my own time between the nursery and the Godswood. I prayed for hours a day, not moving until my back ached and my legs grew numb beneath me. Sometimes I would be joined by Osha or Lady Stark, but many times I was there alone, pleading with the Gods to send Robb safely home to me. The days gradually trickled into weeks and there was still no word, I was on my knees in the Godswood when I heard someone approaching. I did not turn, if it was news of Robb I knew they would interrupt me, I heard movement beside me but I kept my eyes closed, assuming that someone had come to pray with me.

When I finished my prayer I opened my eyes and looked to my side, my eyes widened in surprise when they fell on Bran. He turned his own eyes to me and smiled weakly. I knew I couldn't return it, I could barely twitch up the corners of my mouth for my own son, the effort it took exhausted me. "You don't mind if I pray with you?" Bran asked me.

"Of course not", I replied carefully, Bran and I had barely spoken since Theon took Winterfell.

"He's not dead", he said, his voice strong and sure.

"How can you possibly know that?" I asked.

"I don't know it … but Summer does", he told me.

"Then where is he?" I replied, turning my eyes to him desperately.

"I wish I knew", he replied heavily.

"I have to know Bran, I have to know where he is!" I cried, all my fear spilling from me.

"You love him don't you?" he asked me.

"With everything I have!"

"I was unfair", he admitted, and I knew that he was talking about Theon.

"You didn't have trust in me", I said, unable to disguise my accusing tone.

"It was wrong of me", he replied, casting his eyes downwards.

"It is done", I told him, "We must think of Robb"

"Will you forgive me?" he asked shyly.

"Of course", I said at once, taking his hand in mine. We lapsed into silence then, both lost in our own thoughts, I took comfort from the warmth of Bran's hand though; glad that at least we had made our peace at last. My other hand dropped to my stomach as I felt the baby stirring slightly, Robb had promised to be there when it came. There was still time, there were still months left for him to come home, for him to be there to hold his new born child. Tears streamed silently from my eyes as I let my hand lay atop my rounded stomach, trying to take some comfort from movement within me. Bran's hand tightened around mine and I returned the pressure, not trusting myself to say a word. Both our heads were suddenly turned back to Winterfell though as we heard the sound of the bells tolling through the previously silent sky.

I was on my feet in an instant, Bran calling for Hodor to lift him back into his basket. I could not wait for him though, my legs seemed to move of their own accord as I ran as fast as I could back home, the sound of the bells ringing in my ears. I swept in through the gates, clutching my chest as I fought to take my breaths, my steps slowing to a walk as I made my way towards the south gate. My eyes found the men atop the walls and I called up to them; "what is it?!"

"The King your Grace!" one of them called back down to me and for a moment it felt as though my heart had stopped but then I realised that the tone he had used was jubilant. It suddenly became so clear then, it was as though I was only just hearing the bells; they were not slowly tolling to mark the death of their King, they were ringing out gladly to mark his safe return. Relief flooded through me as this realisation dawned on me, my legs moving again as I hurriedly climbed the steps onto the wall, wanting to see my husband with my own eyes. I did not have to search him out, he was there at the helm of the party, his head lifted as my eyes fell on him and he kicked his heels into his horse, urging him into a gallop. I turned away and carefully descended the steps as I heard the clatter of the hooves in the courtyard, not even making it to the bottom before Robb was in front of me. I ignored the last step, throwing myself instead into his arms, he caught me tightly, lowering my feet to the floor gently as he placed kiss after kiss atop my head as I sobbed into his chest.

"I am so sorry", he said fiercely, "I am so, so sorry Ailsa". I couldn't answer him, my throat was so thick with tears, so I settled for clutching him even closer to me, barely able to believe that he was real. Winterfell was abuzz with noise, every one full of joy that their King had returned safely to them and I let the sound fill my ears, concentrating on getting my emotions under control. "Where were you?" I finally managed to ask against Robb's chest.

"I was hit by an arrow", he told me and I tightened my grip still further, "I am fine … but I had to be treated, when I heard that you all believed me dead I rode North at once …"

"I never believed you dead", I told him and he pressed his lips to my hair again.

"I will never forgive myself for putting you through this", he whispered.

"It is not your fault", I tried to reassure him.

"I promise you Ailsa that I will not leave your side again before our baby is born", he said.

"What if you have to?" I asked.

"I won't", he answered firmly, his hands running up and down my back. I sighed against his chest, my eyes finally dry as I listened to the familiar thud of his heartbeat in my ears. After what felt like an eternity I finally lifted my head to look up into his face, my eyes searching for his eyes. Immense waves of relief crashed through my body as I looked into the familiar blue of them, knowing they were a sight I would never forget; his eyes.

A/N: So he's alive! (Obviously, I could hardly kill him!) Just a very quick pretty please to you lovely readers - would you mind awfully voting on a poll I've put up on my profile about which story you'd like to see next. I'm working on a few at the moment and I would love to know which one you'd most like to read so I know which one to put my efforts into.