Theon was quiet as he led her away from the prisoners but Jacqueline could tell that he busy trying to make sense of what he had seen. The boy has already been hostile to her before he had spotted her and Jaime. His extended strides and the tension in his shoulder told her that he was still angry at her, but Jacqueline could tell from his facial expressions that we was also confused now. She too was confused as to what had happened before with her and Jaime, but Theon wasn't the person to talk about it with.

"Lady Catelyn will join you shortly." Theon said, before leaving Jacqueline alone outside a tent. She entered, not bothering to take notice of the furniture and details instead. A tent in a war camp was just the same as every other tent in every other war camp. Untying her fur lined cloak, she threw it on the back of a chair before taking a seat. Out of either nervousness or boredom, Jacqueline patted her windswept hair down into it's proper place.

Only a few minutes passed before she heard someone enter the tent and Jacqueline stood, expecting Catelyn. But instead it was Robb Stark standing at the entrance when she looked up. Remembering herself, Jacqueline curtsied. "Your grace," she spoke before straightening back up. "I was expecting Lady Catelyn."

The King in the North stepped further into the tent, pulling his leather gloves off along the way. "My mother has turned in for the night. She has a long day tomorrow." Robb walked over to her and took a seat in the other chair, motioning for her to do the same.

Away from everyone else, Robb Stark looked more like the young man she remembered from her time in Winterfell. Less serious, more calm. His hair had grown longer and there was no snow to melt in it but his usual temperament had returned. Jacqueline wasn't sure why she cared so much that he still be the same person she remembered. Perhaps because so much had changed since she last set eyes on Ned Stark's son. She hadn't been particularly happy about being abandoned in Winterfell, but when she had left things were fine. Her life was still normal.

Until Catelyn had taken Tyrion captive. After that everything, and everyone, had changed. Robert was dead and Cersei was free to allow her dislike for Jacqueline to show. Joffrey was sitting the Iron Throne as her two brothers fought each other for it. She like to think that she herself was still the same person. She was still fighting for the quiet and solitude that came with being ignored. But Jacqueline was no longer winning that battle. Her brothers' rebellions had pushed her forward into a political life. A life that had materialized into her role as a negotiator on the behalf of the Lannisters. Then there was her affair with Jaime, if one could even call a one time occurrence an affair.

She wasn't the same as she was before. But she needed others to believe she was her old self. She wanted to be the same person, just as she wanted Robb to be the same. It was human nature to resist change. Even if that change was for the better.

"Your grace, may-" Jacqueline, pushing the idea of change from her mind.

But Robb interrupted her. "You don't have to call me that when no one is around." Yes, still the same Robb Stark.

"Robb," Jacqueline corrected with a small smile. "Why did you ask that I stay the night?"

The smile that had been on the king's face since he entered her tent faltered then. His voice was much colder when he responded. "I didn't realize you were so eager to return to the Lannisters in King's Landing."

Jacqueline recognized the same condescending tone he had used on Tyrion upon the Imp's return to Winterfell from the Wall. She wanted to snap at him, the way she had often snapped at Jaime for mocking her. But she bit her tongue and instead replied in a overly formal voice. "The guards that accompanied me here are Lannister guards. The minute we return to the capitol, they'll tell the Queen every potentially treasonous thing that I did along the way. She's looking for an excuse to arrest me."

Jacqueline wasn't certain how truthful her words were, but she wouldn't be surprised if Cersei questioned her about this night once they made it back to the capitol.

Robb's voice softened slightly. "And she'll see you staying the night in my camp as treason."

She nodded. "Without my guards? Probably."

Robb rose to his feet then and began to pace quietly for a few moments. Jacqueline kept her seat, conscious of the fact that he had no answered her question. But she didn't push it, not wanting to interfere with his thoughtful pacing. A few more moments passed before he spoke again. "What if you didn't return to King's Landing?"

"What?" Jacqueline almost yelled, turning abruptly towards the boy.

If her tone was offensive, Robb paid no attention to it as he continued, stepping closer to where Jacqueline sat in her chair. "My mother is leaving for the Stormlands tomorrow. Renly is there. As is Stannis. You could be with your brothers. Safe from Joffrey and the Lannisters."

The tent filled with silence as Jacqueline and Robb stared at each other. She could feel her heart beating in her chest. The Starks were giving her an opportunity. It was an opportunity to return home, but more importantly it was an opportunity to run away. The thought made her heart beat faster.

Jacqueline considered it. But what was she running towards. No matter where she went, the war would continue. Jacqueline's return to the Stormlands wouldn't stop her brothers from fighting. Her brothers had never listened to her and they wouldn't start now when the Iron Throne was at stake. But if Jacqueline did follow Lady Stark to the Stormlands, her brothers would have her choose. They would force her to choose between them. Renly or Stannis? Neither would accept a neutral position from her.

Suddenly the idea no longer appealed towards her. If faced with the decision, Jacqueline knew she would choose Stannis. Stannis was in the right, as he always was. He was Robert's heir and Renly was committing treason by trying to usurp the throne. Renly's actions had certainly made Stannis more bitter towards his younger brother. Robert had already passed over Stannis and gave Storm's End to Renly. And now Renly was challenging Stannis for the Iron Throne. But despite all this, despite knowing that Renly was in the wrong, Jacqueline didn't believe she was able to look him in the eye and pick Stannis. A part of her wondered if Renly would even care; he had abandoned her in King's Landing in the first place. But Jacqueline cared.

The sound of Robb calling her name pulled Jacqueline from her thoughts. He had stepped closer to her to rest a hand on her shoulder. His blue eyes, shades lighter than her own, were staring down at her, awaiting an answer. Jacqueline rose to her feet and paced a little, just as he had done. When she was ready, she turned back towards the King in the North and gave her answer. "I can't."

Before Robb could respond, Jacqueline continued. "Because I made a promise to your father. Before he died, I swore to Lord Stark that I would watch over his daughters while they were in King's Landing." It wasn't a lie though Jacqueline had not done a very good job of it up until that point. But she would. If she was forsaking running away, protecting the Stark girls were worth it.

Robb fell silent then. He couldn't in good conscience convince her otherwise. Jacqueline stood in the middle of the tent, reexamining her decision. She wasn't sure if it was the right choice or not, but at the moment, it made sense in her mind. She barely noticed that Robb had crossed the distance between before he took hold of her hands. They were soft against her skin, softer than Jaime's.

"My father once told me that, if things had turned out differently, King Robert would have had you and I marry," Robb said quietly.

Jacqueline stifled a laugh before looking up at him. "Are you telling me that if I could give you children, I would be Queen in the North right now?" She said with a small smile. It was a joke but the reality of it strung her. So many possible doors had been closed to her on the matter of one shortcoming she had no control over.

Robb raised a hand to her face then, catching her attention again as he gently rested it against her cheek. Jacqueline knew what he was doing. She was aware of the lack of distance between them and the way his eyes lingered on her lips. Unsure of how this situation had developed, Jacqueline let him kiss her. Unlike the last time a man kissed her in a tent, her mind kept working, analyzing the situation so quickly that Jacqueline could barely make sense of it. Robb's hand floated down to her waist and her mind snapped to a fault.

Jacqueline pulled away. "We shouldn't." She had said the same thing to Jaime.

"But we could." Again, he kissed her, and once again, Jacqueline let him. She was having trouble following her own words. His lips were too soft. He was a nice kisser, and an even nicer man but Jacqueline felt nothing there. Nothing that would warrant her to return the kiss. Robb pulled her closer.

"No, we can't." Jacqueline did not know why she was being so resistant. It wasn't the principle of laying with a man who wasn't her husband; she had already broken that tradition with Jaime months ago. And she didn't feel particularly attached to that relationship, whatever it was. She owed nothing to Jaime. They had not professed their love for one another and made a pact to enter into some kind of secret affair.

Perhaps, Jacqueline was trying to protect Robb's honor, not her own. He was honorable man, and a dutiful one. She didn't want to complicate their friendship any further, or give the boy false expectations. Robb may have been crowned a king, but he was still a teenage boy, nearly four years younger than Jacqueline, although one could not tell by looking at him. But she would have to be the adult in this situation.

Robb's face went hard for a brief second as Jacqueline pulled away before if softened again. Jacqueline recognized the flush of embarrassment in his cheeks. "Is there someone else? Theon told me what he saw tonight. Between you and the Kingslayer. I was certain he was lying."

Jacqueline kept her response short. She was surprised that she felt no embarrassment. "He wasn't lying."

"Do you love him?"

"No, I...I don't know," she started and Robb's face went sour. "Jaime was a mistake. But I do care for him. But I care for a great number of people. Jaime, my brothers, you, your family."

Robb shook his head. "Why him and not me?"

Because you're acting like a child, Jacqueline thought pursing her lips. "Because I'd rather not make repeat the mistake of sleeping with a man who will never be my husband. Would you have me become a whore, your grace?"

Robb made no more protests after that. They stared at each other in silence for a moment. "I don't want you to return to King's Landing. It's not safe." Robb confessed, caressing her face again but going no further.

"I fear it would be more unsafe not to return." Jacqueline replied, finishing the conversation. Still slightly unhappy, Robb placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Your grace?" A voice announced from the entrance of the tent. Both of them turned to see an older man with short dark hair standing there. Jacqueline recognized the sigil of a frayed man pinned to this his coat.

"Lord Bolton? What is it?" Robb said in the formal voice he had used on her during their would-be negotiations earlier in the day.

Roose Bolton considered them for a moment, his gray eyes shifting suspiciously towards Jacqueline. "A word in private, your grace."

Robb nodded, "I'll be just a moment." The man gave a bow before leaving them alone together in the tent. "It's getting late. You should sleep." Robb kissed her quickly on the head once more before leaving. Finally alone, Jacqueline let out an exhausted sigh.