The low burning fire in the library was calming and the only thing keeping me awake as I read through the mountain of books Tyrion had dropped in front of me this morning. Tyrion and Victor had both been adamant that we find out as much information about the Targaryen past as possible and with Tyrion's help we had excess to the Targaryen history. With that history we had been searching for any valuable information that stood out to Victor.
I didn't think this was doing us any good but after mentioning it to Tyrion the first three times he had told me to be quiet or he would cut my tongue out. I of course knew he was joking around but when Robb was here and he heard him say it he nearly lost his patience for having Tyrion here. I had to explain to my overprotective husband that Tyrion was the brother I never really had and he was just playing the older brother part by taunting me and giving me the slight older sibling bullying.
The only reason I was staying in the library now was for the food Tyrion had asked to be brought in. I was picking at the dried meat with a hunger I hadn't felt before and I ignored the looks Tyrion kept shooting me as my fingers didn't stray too far from the platter of food. That was how Jon found me, munching on the dried meat as I flipped through the browning pages of a thick book based on dragons and the Targaryen's.
"You are not with my brother?" he asked dropping down into the seat next to me. I looked up at him and away from the writing on the old, withering parchment. His eyes were showing the smile he was trying to keep off his face and I could see the laughter shining deeply within the grey orbs.
"Robb is busy helping Bran walk in the courtyard. I on the other have been ushered into this dingy library to research my family history, until I find something interesting." I mumbled taking another piece of dried meat and sucking on the flavor as I watched him carefully.
"I thought you two would be locked up in your chambers for the next few weeks ignoring the whole world until he has you with his second child." Jon muttered grabbing a pear slice from the tray of food as he watched my face turn a fierce shade of red at his words. I knew he was thinking about that day he walked in on me and Robb in his study, something he had not let me forget since.
"I have already apologized to you for that Jon, what more can I say?" I asked reaching over and taking an apple from the tray and cutting into it and taking a slice as I waited for him to reply back to me and I knew it would be in his taunting manner.
"You could try and not to fornicate with my brother where it is likely for someone to walk in and see you in the act." He teased giving me a pointed look as spoke. As his words slipped from his mouth I was slicing into the apple once again and when his words met my ears the knife slipped and cut my finger. A small trickle of blood ran down from my finger and dropped onto the old history book I had opened.
I hissed out in pain when I realized what had happened and quickly brought my finger up to my mouth to stop the blood from flowing. Jon stood from his chair and hovered over me as if trying to help yet he just stood there and looked down at me. He looked guilty but still didn't offer to help so I just gave him a look and pushed him back to his chair with my foot.
"You are such a help Jon," I mumbled over my finger not taking it out of my mouth as I spoke to him. Instead of looking at him I reached over for a piece of the cloth that came with the tray of food and wrapped my slow bleeding finger in the cloth before directing my eyes to his. "And for your information, Robb and I haven't been intimate since you caught us." My words were met by a snort and he opened his mouth to let out a deep chuckle as he lifted his feet up and rested them in the desk. I frowned at him as his laughter continued to fill the library drawing the attention of Tyrion and my grandfather.
"I find it hard to believe that. From the looks Robb gives you I wouldn't be surprised if someone else walked in on you doing inappropriate things." He snorted rested his hands behind his head as he looked over at me as I held pressure on my cut hoping it would stop before I had to see to Eddard.
"You are starting to sound like Theon Greyjoy with your dirty mouth and vile imagination!" I snapped at him glaring over at him as I stood from my chair and looked down at him. I ran my uncut hand over my face and sighed in frustration before looking down at my good-brother and giving him a soft smile. "I'm sorry Jon; I'm just really tired at the moment I didn't mean to snap at you." I sighed, dropping down into my chair and dropping my elbows on the tabled and resting my head in my hands. "The last three weeks have been really tiring with all this research and Bran learning to walk again. Eddard takes up most of my time and when Sansa finally takes him away from me I feel like I can take rest and then Tyrion drags me here and I stare at these books until I fall out of my chair."
"I'm sorry for winding you up Evie." He mumbled softly reaching out and taking one of my hands, causing my head to slip and almost hit the wooden table. I looked over at him to see that he was keeping a smile off his face and attempting to look innocent. "Sorry, you should go back to your chambers and I'll tell Tyrion that you're not feeling well."
Jon helped me to my feet and gave me a gentle push towards the door, before I took a step towards the door I grabbed hold of the tray of food and then left the room feeling content knowing I had a supply of food with me.
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Robb's cool hands ran over my shoulders and pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist. His lips pressed against my neck and he smiled against my skin when I grabbed hold of his hand and linked my fingers with his.
"Jon told me that he sent you to bed." He mumbled against my skin turning me around so I was facing him now instead of him talking to my back.
"I snapped at him due to my lack of sleep and he sent me here." I grumbled keeping my eyes closed as I snuggled into Robb's chest as his hands ran down from my waist and rested on my hips.
"I'm glad he did otherwise I would have had a short-tempered wife." Robb told me kissing my forehead softly before pulling back and looking down at me. I knew he was looking down at me because I had my eyes opened into little slits. "You missed a lot today." He added pulling up into a sitting position, pulling me up with him and resting against the bed board.
"Please inform me in all that I have missed." I sighed opening my eyes and looking into the fire as it burned furiously eating up the wood. I had no clue what I could have missed since I returned to our chambers and slept, I didn't know what time it was now so I had no idea how long I had been in the world of sleep.
"Bran walked further today than any other day, but he is wearing himself down a lot faster because of his impatience. Eddard pulled Sansa's hair today after Arya did it first. You should have seen Arya's face when he copied her." he chuckled at his words before sighing deeply and holding me lightly in his embrace. "I spoke to Tyrion as well in the library when I went to see you. We spoke about our defensives and future battle plans if they are needed and then I ended up asking him to become my hand of the king." At his words I pulled myself away from his chest and turned around to face him.
"You did?" I muttered flashing my eyes over his face seeing that he was indeed telling the truth and not making things up to get me to respond to him. He nodded his head in confirmation that he did what he said. I moved my body so that I was straddling his legs and placed my arms on his shoulders running my hands through his curls. "What did Tyrion say?"
"He didn't say anything for a while and then said he wouldn't mind being my hand as long as it wasn't the same as when he was Joffrey's hand." He told me laughing at something Tyrion must have told him. "He asked me why I made him my hand and not Lord Umber or even Jon."
"What did you tell him?" I asked running my hands over his cheeks and over his beard loving the feel of the prickly hair scratching my palms lightly.
"I told him that although I trusted them I wanted him to be my hand considering everything he has done for this family. I told him that he wasn't just as great friend but a trusted family member and he deserved to be included in all decisions we made. I told him that you trusted him and I trusted him and he was a logical man and I needed him by my side." He told me running his hands up and down my back as he spoke pressing his fingers into my muscles lightly in a soft massage.
"What did he say then?" I inquired smiling at the thoughts of Tyrion's reaction that flittered around my head. Robb's chest shook as he laughed deeply before grabbing my hands within his and pulled me close to him.
"He told me that I was being over emotional and my enemies would see that as a sign of weakness. That would have to be the first thing he helped me improve as my hand." He mumbled against my neck his smile still on his face as he repeated the words that Tyrion had told him beforehand. I giggled at his words and the way his lips pressed against my neck lightly sending shivers down my spine.
"Come dear husband let us join everyone for the feast." I moaned pulling away from him and dragging him off of the bed and stumbled to pull on my boots.
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Persuading Robb Stark of something he was completely against was going to be hard, but I knew I was going to get my way. It was how to persuade him that would get me what I wanted and a good way to influence a man was sex. I wasn't going to take this root as he would always expect it when I wanted something so instead I would seduce him into giving me permission.
The dress I had on was a silvery-blue and left little to the imagination, but Robb already knew what I had hidden under my dress. I knew he wouldn't be pleased with me wearing this dress in front of everyone else but it would receive his attention.
"You will drive him insane." Gendry mumbled as we walked down the corridor, him sulking as he walked and me holding a three month old Eddard in my arms as he rested his head against my chest. Eddard was clinging onto my dress, clenching the silky cotton in his fists as he jolted around as I walked.
His hair had become darker in the last few weeks and had started to curl at the ends ready to form into curls as it grew. He would copy his parents when it came to his hair, yet he wouldn't have any red in those curls as he would take after his uncles and Arya. His eyes were still as blue as the night he was born but I could see small flecks of green in them now, a reminder that he as actually my son and not just Robb's.
We entered the great hall where Robb was sat in his usual seat conversing with his mother. Robb didn't look up when we entered just continued to speak with his mother while her head turned towards us and watched as I brought her grandson closer to her. The closer to Robb we got the more Eddard fused against me trying to turn to face his father's voice. His head pulled away from my chest and he held his neck up alone without my assistance as he looked for his father. For a three month old babe Eddard Stark had surprised Maester Steel with his advanced movements and growth.
According to the Maester babes didn't tend to hold their necks up alone without assistance until they were well into their fifth or early sixth month. My son however had started to do it in his third month. I had noticed that he only did so near his father; was he trying to show off already before he understood the word?
"It is all part of the plan Gendry," I mumbled to the young man before giving him a soft smile and walking around the table passing Bran and Rickon as I did so to reach my seat. I ruffled each of their hair as I passed them before walking behind my chair as well as Robb's and handing Eddard over to an expecting and waiting Catelyn. Eddard gave his grandmother a soft smile and grabbed a lock of her hair in his fist before turning his head to his father.
Instead of looking at his son like Eddard hoped Robb was staring intently at me just like I hoped. His eyes were wide and he was finding it hard to keep his them from wondering over my body in such as open place. His hand was clenching around his goblet tight enough that his knuckles had started to turn white and that brought a small smile to my lips.
I gave my husband a tight-lipped smile before walking behind his chair and slipping beside him into my own one, wrapping my fingers around the goblet filled with the bright red wine. It tasted just as sweet as it smelled and the berries it was made from burst on my tongue, warming my throat as it slipped into my stomach.
I could still feel Robb's eyes on my so I turned slightly to my left to meet his gaze with my own inquisitive green eyes before dropping my gaze to my plate which was already filled with meats and fruits. My hand found my fork fast as it stabbed through a rare cut of meat and quickly brought it to my lips sucking on the juices before sinking my teeth into the tender meat and sighing as the taste hit my tongue.
"Are you enjoying that?" Robb asked setting his goblet on the table as he turned in his chair to face me. I gave him a smile through the cut of meat before swallowing it quickly as I nodded my head to his question. I was enjoying the meat it seemed to taste a lot better than I could remember from the last few days so maybe it was from fresh game or I was just so hungry I was appreciating the taste of the meat tonight.
"The meat is delightful on the tongue." I mumbled cutting into another piece and quickly placing it on my tongue. I closed my eyes as I let the meat take me away again as is sucked and chewed on the tender meat before peeking at Robb when he grunted in response to my words.
"Do you have to be so tempting when dinning in front of my men?" he groaned placing his hands down delicately on the table as if he was afraid it would break if he used any more strength. I paused before bringing another piece of meat to my lips and turned to stare at my husband.
"Would you wish for me to stop eating?" I questioned lowering my fork and setting it gently on my plate as I turned to face Robb as he was facing me. His eyes widened slightly as he watched me set down my fork and he shook his head quickly before swallowing deeply and taking a shaky breath.
"No, no don't stop eating, I would never ask you to do that." he muttered running his hand over the back of his neck before grabbing onto the front of his shirt and pulling it away from his neck as if it was strangling him. "You are just distracting when you eat like that." he added sweeping his eyes over the hall of people as he spoke avoiding eye contact with me. I chuckled lightly at his words as I picked up my fork again.
"Should we start up a conversation to distract you from me distracting you in the first place?" I asked him slipping the meat passed my lips and chewing it thoughtfully as I waited for my husband's decision. Robb nodded as he turned to face me again giving me a thankful smile to help him distract his mind from inappropriate things while in the mist of others.
Just when I went to start a conversation Robb turned the other way without a word, leaving me to look at his back with a small frown forming above my eyes. Would he be that rude as to ignore me now that he had my attention? Opening my mouth to scold him for his behaviour, Robb turned back giving me a soft smile in apology. In his arms sat Eddard, whom was happy to be in his father's arms as his small giggle could be heard over the loud babble of the hall.
"I'm thinking that my son would help take my mind off of his mother." Robb supplied me with as his eyes dropped to my chest before flashing up to meet my green orbs with his sky blue eyes. I gave a small tilt of my head in acknowledgement to his words, it may help him keep his mind clear if he had Eddard to hold most of his attention.
"Children tend to do that in some occasions," I replied before flicking my eyes around the hall settling on Arya as she conversed with Lord Umber and a few other men. She was probably asking them about the war and how many fights they had been in before the war ended. "How has Arya's training been?" I asked suddenly interested in the lessons Robb had allowed Arya to take after my name-day feast. Robb huffed in annoyance before settling his eyes on his youngest sister before replying.
"She has taken to them naturally but what should we have expected from her? Apparently father had paid for her to take lessons beforehand when they stayed in King's Landing. Jon said she picked up where she left off and is actually well trained for someone of her age." Robb told me bringing Eddard closer to his chest as he spoke. The boy was beginning to tire and I knew it wouldn't be long before he would be crying for his feed and bed.
"You really mean she fights well for a girl." I stated letting him know that I wasn't foolish enough to believe he didn't like the fact that his little sister was being trained like a noble lord would or a night of the King's watch. Robb's head shot to me and another panicked look flashed across his features. He was worried that he would get into trouble with me for something that degraded a woman in my eyes. My dislike for degrading woman was something he had known for a while after our marriage. "Do not worry yourself Robb I would feel the same when it came to the time where you would teach Eddard to protect himself. It is something a mother and sometimes an older brother feels." I told him softly leaning over and placing a light peck on his cheek.
Eddard let out a small yawn and cry letting me know that he was indeed ready for his feed before I settled him down for his sleep. I gave Robb a small smile as I stood from my chair and excepting our son from his arms.
"I'll bring you a plate of food back to our chambers in a few minutes." He mumbled to me also rising to his feet to give me a quick kiss before pushing me lightly away from the table with a light slap to my bottom. I glanced back at him to see that he was sending me a large smile before I rolled my eyes and stopped between Bran and Rickon.
"Rickon, sweetie, you should head up to your chambers, I can tell you're tired." I told the boy placing a hand on his shoulder as he sloped forward in his chair as sleep tried to consume him. He nodded softly, slipping out of his chair and following me to the doors where Gendry was waiting for us with a pleasant smile. "I see watching and listening to Arya has brightened up your evening." I teased him as we left the hall and walked up the stairs to Rickon's chambers. Gendry sent me a glare as he grabbed a stumbling Rickon and hoisted him in his arms. "I only tease Gendry."
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Eddard had finished nursing when Robb came into our chambers without the plate of food he said he would bring for me, yet there was nothing within his hands. I slowly rose from the chair near Eddard's bassinet and placed him onto the soft furs before pulling a thick fur over him and tucking him in gently.
A minute hadn't passed by before Robb's hands were pulling on my waist dragging me away from our son and over to the bed. I stopped him before he could push me down onto the bed and gave him a pointed look.
"What?" he grumbled placing a kiss on my chin, lacing his hands behind my back, undoing the laces that held my dress together. I pushed him away with a firm push on his shoulders and frowned at him as he sucked in his bottom lip with a groan.
"You didn't bring me my food." I whined as my stomach grumbled in protest. I had hardly had any food at dinner due to Eddard wanting a feed and now my husband had forgotten to bring me a plate of food that he had promised to bring up when he joined me.
"I'm sorry I forgot to bring you something to eat, but don't you think you ate enough at lunch?" he mumbled pulling the dress over my shoulders and down to my hips where it hung as my hands were stopping it from going any further. I could see that Robb regretting his words as soon as his eyes dropped to my face.
"I think that you forget that I am producing milk for your son Robb, I need to keep my food supply high otherwise your son will be going without and we will both waste away!" I snapped pushing him away as I slid the dress off my hips and into a heap on the floor before fumbling into the bed in just my slip not bothering to pulling on my nightdress.
"Look Evie, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. You know I don't think before I speak." Robb grumbled pulling off his shirt and sliding into the bed beside me. His arms wrapped around my hips and he pulled me against his chest before leaning over and kissing my cheek. "Let me make it up to you Evie, and I mean I will do anything." He begged breathing in a shaky breath his hand rubbing my hips lightly in hope that I would forgive him. Of course I was going to forgive him; I loved him so I wouldn't be able to stay mad at him for long.
I huffed in annoyance before turning my head into the pillow and blowing out a deep breath. If I was to forgive him now he would always know I would forgive him. I ignored him as his fingers pressed into my hip massaging them as he waited for my answer and I knew he was growing impatient. I had slipped into a light sleep when Robb pulled me closer to him with a sigh of regret and I knew then that I couldn't go on ignoring him.
"Take me hunting in the Wolf's woods tomorrow and I will forgive you Robb Stark." I mumbled turning to cuddle into him as sleep took over once again.