I woke to the soft mumbling of Robb; he was resting his head on my bump talking to the growing babe his hands also moulding around the curve of the bump. I opened my eyes slightly as I peeked down at him but all I could see was his curls as he was facing the bump.
"Hey my little prince; don't tell your mother, but I know you're going to be a boy. She doesn't believe it but you are a boy; all first born Stark's are." Robb whispered against the bump as if the babe could hear him.
"I wouldn't mind if you turned out to be a girl, but I always wanted a son first. Do me a favour and turn out a boy; your mother would never let it go if you're a girl." He muttered kissing the bump gently turning his head in my direction. Just before he turned to face me I shut my eyes and turned my head to the side.
Robb's hands travelled around my waist as he lifted his head up off my bump and pulled me into his arms as he rolled back onto his side of the bed.
GOTGOTGOTGOT
"You're getting bigger." Robb stated as he watched me dress into a new dark blue dress Selia had made last week. I turned and face my husband; eyebrows raised and hands on hips. Robb gave me a sheepish smile as he walked over and wrapped his hand around my waist. "I meant that in a good way; you're beautiful."
"I feel fat Robb; you can't tell me I'm 'getting bigger'." I snapped turning away from him as I attempted to slip into the tight dress. I turned back round to face him trying to wipe the tears from my eyes as they fell. "My dress is too tight." I cried allowing him to embrace me in his arms.
"Evie you're four months pregnant you're going to get bigger; our little boy is growing." Robb assured me as he rubbed up and down my arms. His hands grabbed the laces and tied them up loosely before pulling back and looking down at me. "You look fine in this dress; it's not too tight just right." I smiled up at him as I wiped away the tears away as I did so.
"You are too sweet to me Robb, all I do is complain." I mumbled leaning up to kiss him softly before sitting in the chair to pull on my boots.
"I got you pregnant to I have to put up with your mood swings." He said as he ran his fingers through my lose curls before grabbing my crown and setting it on my head, where it dropped down to sit on the middle of my forehead. I looked at myself in the mirror and noted the way he ran his fingers through my curls the same way he did when we made love.
"Thank you Robb." I whispered tilting my head to accept the kiss he was leaning down to give me. This was the Robb I loved, this was the way I loved our marriage to be; he was perfect – well sometimes.
"You are my beautiful queen; my beautiful wife." He added taking my hand in his as he led me out of our chambers and to the hall where breakfast was being served.
When we entered the hall Catelyn, Bran and Rickon were already seated around breaking their fast; Catelyn was smiling at us as we joined her at the table. Once I was at in my seat Robb started piling the food high on my plate; it looked like I was eating for ten.
"Robb I'm having one baby not twenty." I pointed out placing my hand on his arm as he attempted to place more food on my plate.
"You need to eat lots so you both have strength and he needs to grow." Robb stated telling me something I already knew; something he had been telling me every mealtime.
"I know Robb and if I I'm still hungry after I've finished I'll eat some more." I told him staring my fast as I shovelled part of an egg in my mouth. I gave him a soft smile and urged him to start his own fast as well.
"Robb leave her be; stop being over protective. If you stress her out something could happen to the babe." Catelyn informed him in a way to stop him from pestering me all the time. Robb frowned at this new information attempting to run his hand through his hair but was stopped by the crown placed upon his own head. Instead he lowered his hand down so he could eat his breakfast before turning to Bran to answer his question. "You're looking well Evie; how far along are you now?" she asked taking a sip of her of her tea waiting for my reply.
"Four months, it's going so fast." I muttered playing with the food of my plate as I turned to face her. "Can you believe Robb and I have been married for four months?" I asked her thinking it had gone too fast.
"The first few months go quickly Evie; but you have the rest of your lives ahead of you." She answered giving me a look that told me to believe her. I nodded my head as I looked back down at the plate of food piled on my plate and attempted to eat it. After I had finished half the food off my plate and Catelyn had finished her tea she stood and looked down at me. "Would you like to go for a walk?"
"I would love to." I answered rising to my feet and following her out ignoring Robb as he called after us.
GOTGOTGOTGOT
The sun was reaching its highest point in the sky as the three new found friends made their way through the high trees and compact forest. Two of the travellers were male; the other looked male but was female.
"Are you sure you know where you're going." One of the males asked. He was the larger of the two boys, brown hair, brown eyes, bigger than the normal size of a child. The girl turned her short hair swinging with her as she turned.
"Why do you keep questioning me Hot Pie? Do you not believe I know where I am leading you?" she asked taking out her sword at directing it at him. The other boy; oldest of the three turned and grabbed the arm of the girl, prying the sword from her hand.
"Arya stop it!" he hissed giving her a pointed look before turning to 'Hot Pie'. "You know not to question her Hot Pie; she knows where she is going."
"Gendry let go!" the girl 'Arya' snapped shaking his hand off her as she tried to snatch her sword back. Her blue eyes were fierce as they shone bright as the sun reflected through them; her features were strong yet there was still that feminine touch. She turned her glare from Gendry to Hot Pie before setting her sword in its sheaf. "I know where Riverrun is Hot Pie so stop questioning me!"
"Have you been there before?" Hot Pie asked and Gendry could see the anger flash through the young Lady's eyes. Gendry closed his eyes as she turned to face Hot Pie, her cheeks flushed with anger.
"Does it matter if I have been there before? I know where it is." She shouted loud enough to scare the birds resting in the trees. Gendry looked round hoping no one was around to find them; that wouldn't be good. "I could leave you here Hot Pie. Would you like that?" she shouted the last question to the boy and Gendry wished she would keep her voice down, but he dared not tell this to the girl.
"Arya stop shouting. What if someone is out there? They could capture us and take us back to Harenhall!" Gendry exclaimed in a soft voice trying not to do something he had been telling her off for.
"I was only telling him I know where we are going." She fired back glaring at Gendry with her sharp blue eyes.
"I was only asking if you knew where we were going!" Hot Pie shouted not wanting the blame to be placed on him. Both Gendry and Arya turned to glare at him at his exclamation; Gendry for the shouting but Arya for asking the same question again.
"Yes Hot Pie I do know. We crossed the river this morning, we should be too far now." She reminded him before turning and heading in t North/West direction hoping she was going in the right direction. Gendry looked between Arya and Hot Pie giving a shrug to the other boy as he headed after Arya.
"Girls always think they know everything." Hot Pie muttered running to catch up with the other two.
GOTGOTGOTGOT
Catelyn had led me into the forest on the opposite side of Riverrun; away from the Godswood. Greywind had followed us, he had been taking pointers from Robb and followed me everywhere since coming to Riverrun; he was just as protective.
We had been in the forest for over three hours and the sun was reaching its highest point in the sky, casting shadows through the trees giving enough shade to hide under. We spent half an hour reaching a perfect spot where we could sit on a broken tree and watch as Greywind acted as a normal wolf and chased birds as they flew over our heads.
"Have you thought of any names for the babe?" Catelyn asked nodding towards the bump which had my hand rested on. I nodded in response as I looked up at the birds as they flew passed, fast as I something spooked them, before looking over at Catelyn.
"Bran helped me pick out a few name the other day when we were in the Library; there's quite a few." I muttered running my hands over the growing bump a small smile on my face.
"Do you mind sharing? I didn't have anyone apart from Ned to share names with." She told me softly a smile also appearing in her face.
"I like Tristan, Clayton, Gendry and Theodore for boys." I told her giving a soft smile to my good-mother. "It's not very short but I still have five months to choose. I also like Brandon, but Bran doesn't want me to name the babe after him." Catelyn nodded her head as she run her hand through Greywind's fur as he sat between us.
"Have you spoken to Robb about it?" she asked watching me carefully as I shrugged and shook my head. "Why not?"
"He's too busy to think about baby names; he's the King of the North. He has battle plans to make; this war isn't over Catelyn. He has better things to do than thinking about names." I told her feeling slightly guilty for the way I spoke about Robb because I knew he would listen if I spoke to him. "He's adamant that the babe is a boy so he won't listen to my name suggestions for a girl."
"Ned was like that; even with Sansa and Arya." Catelyn laughed possibly remembering a memory about Ned. "Tell me the names you like for a girl Evie; I might be to some use here."
"Talytha, Falia, Alerie and Piper; Bran agrees that then names will be unique and fit for a Princess." I told her not able to keep the smile off my face as I thought about having a daughter. "I also like the name Lyanna after Ned's sister; I think it would be nice to have some history in the name."
"Ned would love that; naming his granddaughter after his sister. Let's just hope she doesn't turn out like Arya." Catelyn stated shaking her head as memories of her youngest daughter; Arya. "She was a wonderful babe and then she grew into a wild young thing; like Lyanna, Ned always said."
"When do you think this war will end Catelyn?" I asked her turning out to face the forest again this time hoping it could help me see a future without war and disagreements. Catelyn's hand took mine in hers gently, squeezing it as she replied.
"I don't know Evie but hopefully it will be soon and I can get my daughter's back. We will be able to move back up to Winterfell and give King's Landing to Stannis." She replied looking out into the forest as well. The silence grew as we both waited to receive answers from the gods indicating that the war was near a close.
Greywind shot to his feet a low growl escaping form him as he shot off into the forest. I looked at Catelyn, who seemed to be having the same idea as me as she got to her feet and followed in Greywind's direction. I didn't waste any time before following her holding the fabric of my dress in my hands. I was standing next to Catelyn when I heard it; voices arguing.
"I told you I knew where I was going." The voice was heard before I could lay eyes on the speaker, but I was certain it belonged to a girl. She sounded stubborn; something I was used to with Robb.
"We still haven't arrived so you could be mistaken." Another answered this time a boy's voice as they continued to get closer.
Greywind growled as the entered through a gap in the trees presenting three young people. Two of them were boys the other a girl; she had dark hair and blue eyes. I frowned as she got closer knowing I had seen her somewhere before. They all came to a standstill when they saw us and the girls eyes widened upon site.
"Mother!" she cried out running into the embrace of Catelyn who had sunk down to the ground as she held her child close. The two boys stood still watching the embracement between mother and daughter. The was a large comparison between the boys. One was older, taller and well-built; black hair and blue eyes. Whereas the other one was younger, shorter and heavier; he had brown hair and brown eyes. The older one turned his attention to me his eyes shooting up towards my crown before resting on the floor.
"Arya, thank the gods you're okay." Catelyn cried running her hand through the short hair upon her daughter's head. Arya pulled away and brought her hand up to touch her mother's face; a tender yet caring move. Her eyes darted to me before looking over her shoulder at the two boys.
"I told you I knew the way Hot Pie." She called out making the bigger boy of the two blush with embarrassment.
"Arya you are a Lady, you don't speak to people like that." Catelyn scolded the girl holding her back by her shoulders so she could peer at her face.
"I'm sorry mother, I didn't mean it." Arya apologised looking down at the floor as she spoke.
"You're lying to me; Bran does the same thing when he lies. Looking down at the floor when you're about to lie." Catelyn told her getting up off the floor and on to her feet. As she did this her eyes settled on the two boys; both of them dipping their heads in respect. "Who are these people Arya?"
"This is Gendry and Hot Pie mother; we were all captured to be taken to the wall. We escaped but then were taken to Harenhall where Tywin Lannister stayed; I was his cup bearer. We've been together since King's Landing." She replied indicating each boy as she spoke. "I need to see Robb; I have information for him." Catelyn nodded her head in agreement and took her daughter's hand in her own before looking at the two boys.
"Walk with us to the castle; you can wash and eat there." She said to the boys before directing her daughter away.
"Who was that girl?" I heard Arya ask as I followed behind a small smile on my face; she was very open and impolite.
"Not now Arya." Catelyn warned walking faster as if to stop her daughter from asking rude questions.