The night was cold and I was fully aware that I was by myself, Robb was off fighting in one of his battles and he had giving his tent to me. If they won this battle then we would be able to move down to Riverrun, if they won this battle then this time in a week we would be somewhere with actual rooms.
Greywind had gone to fight with Robb so I didn't have him here to keep me warm, I felt more alone now than I ever had.
I had been spending most of my time with Catelyn, but she was just as worried about Robb as I was and kept to herself in the evenings prying to her Gods.
Just think about Catelyn's Gods made me want to pray to the old Gods, but there wasn't a godswood around here for me to do so. Not caring about having no godswood I pulled one of Robb's cloaks over my nightdress and pulled on my knee high boots before slipping out of the tent and through the tents. I had no plan on where I was going but I stopped at the open field where Robb had left three days ago.
I knew he would not be fighting for those three days without a stop, but it was the thought of him fighting in a war where he could get hurt or be killed that made me worry. This was the man I was meant to marry, but if he died before that I would be alone.
"Please don't get yourself killed Robb." I whispered out to the field hoping the wind would carry my wish to Robb on the battlefield.
"I wished the same thing about Ned when he told me he was going to King's Landing." a voice muttered from beside me, causing me to turn and get a mouthful of my hair.
"It wasn't Lord Stark's fault that he did, he was as loyal as you would expect some people fight for the throne and Cersie Lannister wants to keep the throne so she's in power." I claimed brushing my hair behind my ears. Catelyn gave me a soft smile as she reached forward to grab a loose stand of hair.
"You're a very sweet girl Eibhleann and your words are a comfort to me, my Robb is a lucky man to have you." She softly stated releasing my hair as she pushed it behind my ear and then brought her hand down to stroke my cheek.
"You must be proud to have picked me then." I teased making the smile grow on her face.
"I may have picked you, but I couldn't have made Robb fall for you or you for him." She announced before leaving me there on the slight hill standing over the field. Was it love she was talking about?
Waiting wasn't something I was made to do and it was proved in the last few days that Robb was fighting. It had now been five days since Robb left and I was finding myself uncomfortable with the thought of not having him around. I missed him and it made me think about what Catelyn had said the night before. Was it really love that I was feeling?
I knew it was dangerous, but after pacing around the tent for an extended time I decided to take a stroll around the camp stopping to give the occasional handmaiden a quick hello. For some reason everyone that had stayed behind seemed to be spending their evenings awake and out in the camp, preparing for the arrival of Robb and his men.
It could be possible that we all thought that the men would be returning in the foreseeable future such as tonight or in the morning. I was hoping that it would be sooner rather than later, because I wanted to see Robb.
As I was walking through the camp I caught sight of a blond leaving the tent that Theon occupied and wondered why she was there. I turned a corner in the line of tents where I knew the kitchen tent was pitched, but as I turned I was still watching the blond leave Theon's tent. As I turned back to face the direction I was travelling I ended up bumping into a young mousy haired girl a few years older than me.
"Lady Frey, I'm sorry for bumping into you." She gasped dropping to her knees to pick up the furs she had been carrying.
"Lily, you have no need to apologize." I stated getting down on my knees to help her collect the furs. She looked up at me with wide brown eyes.
"You know my name?" she asked with a squeak before dropping her gaze to the furs again.
"Yes Lily I do. You've been one of my handmaiden's since I turned up to the camp. You and Mara." I reminded her as we both stood and I handed her the fur blanket in my hands.
"I didn't think you knew my name considering I rarely spoke and Mara did most of the work." She mumbled shuffling the blankets in her arms. She looked nervous for some reason and I was curious about her behavior.
"Lily what's wrong?" I asked tipping my head to the side to get a better look at her. She was mildly beautiful with her mousy hair and brown eyes; it made me wonder why she was here working as a handmaiden and not married to some wealthy man in King's Landing.
"I have to prepare the King's tent and Mara has gone off somewhere with her husband and I don't think I will be able to get it all done before he arrives by myself." She rushed not looking me in the eye as she spoke. It came to me then that Lily was brought up in a house where she should respect her Lords and Ladies and not look them in the eye.
"Robb's on his way back?" I exclaimed not able to hide my excitement. Robb was nearly home, he was nearly back to me.
"A steward came in a few minutes ago, riding ahead of the army to announce that they will be returning within the next few hours." She replied sidestepping me a making her way towards Robb's tent.
"Lily let me help you and then I need you to help me." I called out running after her as she entered the tent.
"What do you need help with Lady Frey?" she asked placing the furs down on Robb's desk before going over to the bed and pulling off the furs before folding them and staking them on the floor.
"I want to dress for Robb's return in my green gown that he had Selia make the first week I was here. I haven't worn it yet and it seems the appropriate time." I said softly thinking about seeing Robb again after the last five days.
"Of course I can help you Lady Frey, but you'll have to bear with me until I finish the bed my lady." She replied gather the new furs and laying them on the bed before pulling them across in a neat set up. I went to the other side of the bed and helped pull out the furs so they were equal and straight.
I sat on the bed for the next few minutes while I watched Lily organize the rest of the tent by simple straightening chairs and tidy up the papers on Robb's desk.
"Eibhleann, Robb's a few minutes away." Catelyn announced as she entered the tent with a smile present. I jumped off the bed and rushed over to the chest which held my dresses. I pulled out the green dress and placed it on the bed before loosening the ties at the front of my dress and letting it drop to the floor as I quickly stepped out.
"Lily, could you tie me up please?" I asked stepping into the dress and pulling my arms in and waiting for Lily to tie me up. Lily rushed over and quickly tied the laces while Catelyn brought out the new boots I had made last week. Lily stepped back and announced silently that she was done and allowed me to slide my old boots off and pull the new ones on. I ran my hands over my hair feeling the loose strands that had fallen out of my braid. I sighed and was about to attempt to tie them back but Catelyn spoke first.
"Let your hair loose Evie, Robb likes it that way best." She advised coming over to undo the braid and run her hands through the now loose curls that ran down my back.
"Okay, I'm ready for this, let's go." I whispered leading the two women out of the tent and to the field that Robb had last been seen on before leaving for the battlefield.
Whoever said Robb should have been here within the next couple of minutes was a complete liar. I had been waiting for over half an hour for him to arrive and there was still no sign of him. Other men were coming in and I had seen Lord Umber as he rode passed us, but there was still no sign of Robb.
"He's fine Evie, we would know by now if something was wrong with him." Catelyn soothed standing by my side and gently squeezing my hand with hers. "Look there's Theon now." I looked to where she was gesturing and watched him carefully as he dismounted his horse and walked over to us.
"Lady Stark, Lady Frey, we won the fight and have captured the King Slayer." Theon bragged proudly as he turned and looked in the direction of where the King Slayer was seen riding behind Robb.
"Robb!" I shouted and did a very unladylike thing and ran towards him as his horse got closer. His head snapped towards me as I called out his name and when his eyes landed on me he dismounted his horse just in time to catch me as I flung myself at him.
"Evie, oh Evie, I've missed you." He sighed as he clung to me like a fish breathed water. I gave him a quick peck on the lips not wanting it to be too inappropriate for an unmarried couple before looking him in the eye.
"I've missed you too; it's been so boring here without you. I've been wondering around the camp with a hopeless expression plastered in my face." I mumbled hugging him tightly as he lowered me back to my feet. "Well that's what your mother has been saying." Robb laughed gently as he released me from his hug to hug his mother who had now joined us, with Theon.
"Ah the young wolf has a bitch, when will we be seeing the pups?" a cruel voice sneered as I stepped away from Robb to allow Catelyn some space to see her son. I turned at the sound of his voice and meet the green eyes of Jamie Lannister.
"Don't speak Lannister, you have no right!" Theon shouted resting a hand on his sword as Robb pulled out of the hug with his mother.
"Theon," Robb warned before turning his gaze on the King Slayer as he stepped forward and pulled me against him. "Take the King Slayer and lock him up in a cell. We'll handle him after I've walked my mother and my betrothed back to their tents." Robb turned away from the King Slayer, taking my hand as he did so and lead his mother and me away from the field.
When we were far enough away from anyone to overhear Catelyn started talking in hushed tones.
"Taking Jamie Lannister as a hostage was not a good move Robb." Catelyn scold him as she turned her head to give him a pointed look. "Tywin Lannister loves that boy and you take him from under his nose."
"I took him to get back my sister's unless you have forgotten them already mother!" Robb snapped clenching his hands, but ended up squeezing my hand as he still held onto it. Catelyn's hand was soon against his cheek before she had released what she had done.
"I'm still your mother Robb." She warned before walking off in the direction of her tent. Robb reached up with his spare hand and gently rubbed the cheek Catelyn has slapped before looking down to me.
"You shouldn't have said that to her Robb." I whispered giving him a small smile, but reached up to cup the cheek that had the red handprint. "Maybe you should apologize to her and then get some sleep. You look like you could use some." I gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving him and travelled back to his tent.