29 CATELYN IV

A worse day had never passed me since we returned to Winterfell. First there was the bastard attack on Robb, what a scare! At a certain moment I thought he will kill him, he was like an obsessed killer, venom oozed from him. He didn't stop neither when Robb fell nor when he lost the sword. Not even when everyone was urging him to stop his treacherous assault

What was he thinking of? Had he thought he will kill the king while we stand helpless watching him! I thought that his hours of being free was scarce after his crime but again Robb forgave him like he always does!

Not this time Robb, this bastard is very dangerous, those who didn't know of the spar will see the bruise and learn about it. He will put your authority to question. We can't jeopardize the crown not after all those sacrifices.

I was seething with anger by the time I was told of the Lannister bastard's pregnancy. I was urging Robb to order Snow's death when he just said "He is expecting a child mother"

"What?"

"Lyanna is increasing lady Stark" Alys said with a smirk

"I thought you would be the last one to be happy about such news"

"Why my lady?"

"Sooner than later she will topple you from the throne and sit a queen instead, it's your fault if anything befall us!"

"Really? Everything is my fault, it must be me who lost the north a couple of years ago"

"Shut up" I shouted at her but It was Robb who slapped her so harshly, she fell to the floor from the impact. She looked at both of us in utter hate and snarled "I hate you, I hate you. I do really hope he would take your precious throne but sadly he too honorable to do it" and she stood and spat to the floor and fled the solar

Robb collapsed to a chair and covered his face with his hand "It is all falling apart again mother"

I heard him sniffing and it torn my heart

Oh my dear boy, my poor child, I held him dear to me, we will fix it as we always do

It took me awhile till I calmed him, and now I need to talk to Alys and give her a piece of my mind

I found her at a distant solar watching from the window, she seemed so forlorn I almost pitied her. Her situation was dire, Robb killed her father before and now he isn't treating her well enough. No wonder she looked to me in annoyance but I wasn't deterred, I was focused on my mission

"We need to talk, my queen"

She answered coldly "We already did my lady, there is no more to say"

"You have to improve your relation with Robb, this will not do"

She looked at me incredulously "You are talking to me? Me? He just beat me and you didn't utter a word"

"You shouldn't talk to your king like this!" then I sighed and added in a milder tone "why are you provoking him? What is the benefit? You will be the only miserable one"

"I am already miserable!"

"We can try to change this, work on it, it's all in your hands, believe me my dear"

She looked to me in doubt "Maybe you can work on it with the Sand snakes!"

Ah, she knew about it then "My dear, my lord husband went to war and returned with another woman's son but I forgave and we lived the happiest you could see"

"You didn't forgive, Lady stark, you never did"

"Of course I did, Ned and I…"

She cut me "I mean Jon Snow, why are you so dead set on punishing him? Why do you try to make Robb hate him so much? You are unjust and cruel"

"One day, when you have children of your own, you will know that they are the most important thing in the world, you will destroy anyone who threatens them"

"But he did nothing, he saved Winterfell, he saved the north, he is loyal to Robb"

"You don't know that"

"Robb is only a king because Jon let him, don't deceive yourself my lady"

And she looked to me in silent challenge

Seven Gods, it will need more than a talk to make her see reason. I decided to accompany her most of the time. After I made Robb apologize for hitting her, I thought a brief break will do them both good so I took her with me to white harbor. I used the trip to advise her on how to deal with Robb and I kept reminding her of her duty to produce an heir to the throne all the way long. She seemed wary but she didn't fight again.

She was well loved and respected by the northern lords. Lord Manderly came to welcome us himself despite his enormous weight. We were well received despite the discontent of the northern lords and a feast was made on our honor and thankfully Alys smiled her first smile in days, I started to see the merit in bringing her with me

When I brought up my offer to Lord Manderly, he seemed taken aback but he collected himself quickly and answered "It's a great honor of course my lady but but I was under the impression that the prince will never marry due to his injury!"

My uncle warned me against lying or concealing, he said it will only backfire so I braced myself and replied steadily "The maester said that Bran can be a husband but he will mostly never sire a child"

Lord Manderly seemed conflicted about this piece of information but he finally answered "I will need to talk to Amarylis about it then give you my final reply, my lady"

The few days we spent there were a nice change from Winterfell and the continuous troubles and chores but I couldn't afford much more time, Sansa's wedding was approaching and I had loads of things to do. Beside the buzz of the wedding arrangement, I had to solve the Dorea problem before she cost us the throne and finally I had to do something to stop the bastard and his Lannister whore.

Too much to do..

And on our last day lord Manderly congratulated us with their acceptance. He looked cheerful enough and Amarylis looked shy and hopeful but Ser Wylis looked skeptical to say the least. He didn't utter a word though neither a protest nor a congratulation. I knew his close relation with the bastard and expected no more of him

It was settled then and the announcement will be made during the celebration of Sansa's wedding in two weeks' time

I was so satisfied with the result of our journey till lord Manderly waved us goodbye and asked me to send Jon his regards!