"What did she say?" I asked, sitting next to my brother as we rode amongst the green paths of the Riverlands.
He had this strange half-smile on his face ever since we received a raven from Sansa. It was as though he felt some mix of happiness and disappointment.
Willem shook his head, "Nothing, just that she is doing well. She is far along, but feels fine and wishes I were home with her."
"Perhaps you can be?" I suggested.
Will shrugged, trying not to betray the sadness in his eyes. "I just hope they stay safe. You have not seen anything of them, have you?"
"No," I admitted in frustration.
I had spent a significant portion of my time recently fighting to stay alive on the battlefield. When I returned to my tent, I never wanted to do anything more than kiss Robb or sleep, so I had not seen much in quite a while.
"Could you try?" he pressed.
"You know it is much more difficult for me if I am not in the vision."
He nodded, "I know." Almost as quickly as the lament was out of his mouth, he turned a wry smile, "You are a terrible seer then."
"I am doing what I can."
Will raised an eyebrow, his eyes feigning a complete lack of interest. "Well do it better."
Having had enough of my brother for one morning, I kicked Chimera on. He trotted forward, eagerly passing the other horses before him. The statements of "your grace" as I passed were still not easy to accept, but it was becoming somewhat easier to let them fade into the background.
I saw Grey Wind first. Amongst the horses and men, he stood out as he dashed happily at Robb's side. Robb turned his bearded face towards his direwolf with a wry grin. He said something to Grey Wind, which sent the animal down to his haunches before he sprinted off, almost carefree.
Watching the both of them, I could not help but smile. Even with the banners, the dented armor, and reminders of where we were, I still felt like surprisingly happy when I watched them. It still felt like I had pieces of home.
"Go on, Chimera." It took no further pressing from me for my horse to take the hint. Off he ran to the front of the pack, breaking towards Robb. He only slowed once he reached my husband.
"House Samelson was not entertaining you enough?" Robb teased.
"I thought you might be more entertaining."
He turned a smirk to me, "I will try then. I heard that Bran wrote to you."
"Yes, he did. It sounds like at your request," I answered, returning his smirk. "He says he keeps having these dreams about a three-eyed raven or that he is a wolf."
"Is this anything you can help with?" he asked softly.
I shrugged, looking off towards the North. I wanted to help Bran, but I could not imagine how, much less from here. "I am not a warg."
Robb raised an eyebrow before turning his gaze straight ahead. I could see the doubt behind his eyes.
"What? A wife who can see the future, that is completely sane, but a warg is madness?" I pressed.
"You came from Westeros proper, not even in the North like me. And yet you…"
"Believe in fairytales?" I asked, feeling a bristle in my spine.
"I did not say that," Robb returned, his voice a low monotone.
"You were thinking it."
"And you would know. You see everything."
"That is not fair!" I heard my voice rise an octave at his dry response and was instantly irritated with myself.
"I think to make the leap of faith that my brother is a warg, is someone who can inhabit the body of an animal, is a big leap without any more proof than a dream."
"Sometimes you need to go on faith, Robb. You won't have proof for everything."
"I know that!" he snapped.
He cast a glance aside at the men who were nearest to him. With a soft kick, he and his horse picked up their pace, leading the group. I followed until he slowed again.
"Everything here is trust. I have watched men die for me, kill for me, including ones that apparently will betray me…"
Robb shook his head, staring at the ground as his direwolf reappeared faithfully by his side. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment in silent communication before Robb puffed out a long breath of air.
Ultimately, he looked back to me, "I am trusting many things on faith, Ana. Can you just let this one thing be too much?"
"Of course," I replied softly.
I watched his face intently while he avoided my eyes. He was so strong for our people, but this was weighing on him. I knew what he was thinking as he stared into the distance because I felt it as well.
"I wish my father were here too," I spoke up as I led my horse right next to his.
Robb let out a quick sigh, shaking his head, but still not looking at me. I wanted to reach out and touch his face, but I waited for him to be ready.
"Sometimes, I think about how we should not even be here, but we are. And, Robb, he would be so proud of you."
Finally, Robb turned his eyes to mine. They were a soft blue, and I could feel my eyes starting to swim.
"I hope you are right," he returned simply.
"Robb," I placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him deeply. As he sucked on my bottom lip, I almost forgot myself, but when I pulled away, I added with a smirk, "Of course I am…I see everything."
Robb chuckled, shaking his head at me with his begrudging smile that lit up his eyes. "I hate that I love you."
I giggled. "I am sure."
I was grateful when we finally stopped for the night. We had traveled further and longer than our usual journeys across the Riverlands, which meant that we truly were making progress. The promise of so many additional men was music to our ears, but I was beginning to worry about how many more mouths we would soon need to feed.
"You look somewhat distressed, your grace."
I turned around in surprise at the tone of Jaime Lannister's voice. I glanced behind me, questioning whether he might be speaking to someone else although I could not imagine whom.
"Oh, have we had another claim to be a king or queen?" Jaime pressed.
I cast a glance towards the sky but had to laugh. "I'm sure. It has been a few months. I would imagine that there must be another who names themselves king by now."
"Be careful what you wish for," he warned.
"That was not a wish…simply a fact."
"So many naming themselves kings, but not any being defeated yet. Seems unbalanced."
"Well, they do not have you in King's Landing anymore, so—" I cut off quickly.
With Jaime's volatile reactions, I had no idea where this would lead him. As I hazarded a glance at the Kingslayer, though, he remained calm although the irritation was evident on his sharp expression.
"Interesting choice of words," he returned coldly. "What do you think would become of the true king if I were in King's Landing?"
"I shall reserve my statement on the true king as you put it and simply answer the second part…I would be somewhat less at ease with you out of this cage than with you in it, Jaime."
His dark stare never left his eyes, but I was surprised at his response. "Perhaps you should be."
It was the first time since he had lost his hand that any words from his lips seemed to carry an actual warning. I eyed him with more curiosity than worry. It was not so much that I did not feel the threat as that I was so surprised by his conviction. Something had changed within him, but I could not pinpoint how it happened.
"Good evening, my lord," I replied with a nod, unsure exactly what to come back with at that time and too tired to try.
In our tent, Robb sat at a table, pouring over letters. I leaned down, wrapping my arms in a hug around his shoulders as he turned his head to kiss my cheek.
"Your mother arrived safely to Renly's camp?" I asked, seeing her familiar handwriting.
He nodded, "Yes, word from her. None from Theon."
"We should have heard from him by now. He will have been at Pyke for a bit of time."
Robb did not reply but merely nodded his agreement once again.
"Well, I think your mother will have some success with Renly," I stated, changing the subject.
"I don't want to speak of Renly," he replied, turning in his chair to face me more fully.
"No? Is something else the matter?" I asked in concern.
Robb sighed, "Oh likely." He pulled me into his lap. "But it can wait until tomorrow."
In a matter of seconds, his lips were on mine as his hands traveled slowly down my breasts and stomach, sending a shiver up my spine while I melted into his touch. My body began to relax and with it my mind. For the first time in days, perhaps even weeks, I was not concerned about practicing at swordplay or our next move in battle. I was at ease.
I could feel the tug in my stomach sending small shocks of pain up my spine through my body. Each pull brought me to a standstill as I tried to climb the steps I knew so well.
I was sure that standing outside in the stone courtyards with the ivy creeping along the walls would make me feel better. I thought the cool air here would somehow set my breathing to a normal cadence rather than these haggard, panicked breaths that the pain caused.
I could feel something was wrong, and I tried to pull myself along the pathways of winding stone, my fingers grasping at the greenery and flowers that so perfectly aligned with the railing of the steps.
When I reached the top, I saw Grey Wind hurrying towards me with almost a whimper as he got to my side. He placed himself against my body, trying to give me an opportunity to steady myself as I sunk to the ground, the pain feeling stronger and deeper in my body by the minute.
"Ana!"
Sansa gracefully rushed down the path to my side, taking my hand as she crouched next to me. "Oh gods." Her horrified expression told me everything I needed to know as she yelled for Willem and Robb.
My eyes shot open and once again, I found myself staring at the draped canopy of our tent. I turned my head and instantly realized that I was lying in the crook of Robb's arm, which wrapped around me protectively.
I had worried Plenair, the home in which I grew up, was nothing more than a memory, but now, I clearly had other things to concern myself with.