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Liar

"You lied to me."

"I… Yes. But I didn't intend to."

"That's not an excuse, Jon," Catelyn snaps at him.

She flops down into a chair and gestures to Jon to sit as well. He confessed what he did, at least. Still, he did those things and lied about it. For moons.

"I know what is said about bastards' nature," he says quietly. "But it's not lust. I love her. I respect her. I would never bring shame on her."

"Respect? Is that what you're calling the way you treated her? You say you would never bring shame on her. But you did. It's exactly what you did."

Shame on Jeyne. And shame on himself.

He is about to open his mouth to speak but he changes his mind and only nods. Because it does not matter that no one knows, save for Catelyn, it happened – with every kiss and every secret meeting.

"After you promised me to make an end of it."

"I tried."

"You didn't try hard enough," Catelyn replies, her voice is accusatory and bitter.

She is angry. She does not even remember which child angered her this much last time. Maybe none of them. And Jon makes it worse with each of his words.

He is the one who breaks the silence.

"I persuaded myself that there was no harm in talking to her amongst proper circumstances or spending time near her when she was with others. But…"

But proper circumstances turned to improper ones and those others vanished from their side. Catelyn can see it very clearly.

"I know that it's impossible. I knew all this time."

"Why then?"

Jon shrugs. "I pretended. We pretended that it can be otherwise."

Oh, Seven have mercy. He is not just imaging himself in love, he is.

But how far did they go in that pretending? Jon did not offer her marriage. He could not have done it.

And her? What is she supposed to do now?

She would like to embrace him to give some comfort. But what comfort? And how, when another part of her just wants to slap him, although she has never felt the urge to do such a thing before.

She is not able to stay sitting down. As soon as she stands up, Jon follows her example.

"Robb leaves to White Harbor tomorrow morning. You will accompany him."

Jon nods. "As you wish, my lady." He slightly frowns then. "I didn't know Robb is going to visit Lord Manderly."

Because Robb did not know either. Catelyn just decided a moment before.

"His lordship calls him from time to time."

That is actually true.

"And now get out of my sight."

Jon bows and leaves the room.