We lay in bed, breathing heavily, but each passing second took away the blissful moments shared only minutes before. The Greyjoys had taken Winterfell. Bran and Rickon were in danger, and we were too far away to do anything about it.

"We've made so much progress here," Robb commented, staring at the ceiling as I lay on my back in the crook of his arm.

"You haven't lost," I added.

"We," he returned.

I smiled softly at his words, leaving him in silence to think about what our next move should be.

"If we run back, we will lose all of the momentum we have made here. I may lose some men to their homelands. We'll be set back tremendously, and Theon knows how to fortify Winterfell."

I shrugged at that. I wasn't as certain as Robb, which he soon realized.

"Well, he ought to. We spoke of it enough as children with the stories and histories of the North." Robb shook his head, adding, "But if I don't…I've lost our seat, Ana. I have no castle for my kingdom. What sort of king lacks that?"

"One who is taking a calculated risk."

"The others will talk."

"Not if you keep winning battles. If you do that, who cares? They may poke fun, but only out of fear because you have not lost."

"So you don't think I should turn us North? You think I should leave Bran and Rickon to the Greyjoys hands."

"I did not say that," I returned quickly, sitting up.

"So what do you think?"

"I don't know, Robb. I—" I cut off, sucking air through my teeth as I moved my shoulder to face him.

I refrained from touching my injury, but Robb's eyes went to it immediately.

"When in the seven hells did that happen?"

I sighed, "It really is not important."

"It absolutely is!" Robb returned, sitting up as the blankets fell around his waist.

He pushed my hair aside to get a better look as I protested, "Not compared with what has happened today."

"This looks fresh," he returned, ignoring me.

I sighed, "It is."

"When did this happen?"

"On the scouting trip with Will."

"He let you get hurt."

"He did not let anything happen. I put myself in a position to be hurt. You know this, and you do it every battle yourself."

"Well, I have not been injured yet."

"And if you ever are, gods forbid, I will be just as upset. It is dangerous, Robb. You know that as well as I do. These things will happen. Don't tempt the fates with words like that."

"Well, you should not go gallivanting off with your brother, getting shot! I am going to murder Will."

I thought for a moment about suggesting that he get in line. Willem would welcome it at this point, but I thought better of it.

Robb continued, "Next time, you are with me, no one else."

"That is far more dangerous, Robb. We will not focus."

Robb was silent in response.

"Can we talk about Winterfell?" I asked, hazarding a hopeful glance that seemed to set Robb at ease – or at least made him give up some of his anger.

"Yes, but this is not done."

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"What else did you see when you dreamed of Theon's betrayal?"

"I dreamed both of your brothers were killed."

For a moment there was complete silence. He hadn't expected that, and I honestly hadn't expected to say it so bluntly. I turned to look at Robb with a soft, guilty expression, feeling a sinking in the pit of my stomach as I thought about what I said. Robb's mouth was open silently, his expression vacant as his mind worked underneath the surface.

"What?" He breathed, staring at me in horror.

"I should have told you everything," I started, fighting back the tears.

In the back of my mind, I still couldn't believe it. Maybe that was why it came out all at once. In my mind, Theon would never. He could not have changed so deeply so quickly.

"Yes, you should have told me that." There was still some hesitation in his voice, and I knew exactly where it was coming from. Robb did not want to believe it either.

He stood abruptly and grabbed his shirt, pulling it overhead. "We have the council. We have no time to dwell on this. We have to act."

"You mean for us to return North?" I asked, still unsure what was the best course of action.

"Unless someone can give me an alternative that seems strong enough." He had pulled on his pants, belting them hurriedly. He ran his hands through his hair with haste, but before he put on his shoes, he stopped cold in his tracks and looked back at me. His blue eyes were soft, almost melting into his expression as he shook his head, saying as much for me as himself, "He could not kill them."

"I know. The only thing we can be certain of is that Greyjoys have Winterfell. We know nothing else…but it is what I saw," I shrugged.

Robb nodded, his mind weighing my visions with what he knew of the boy he grew up with.

I stood up, beginning to dress. As I passed Robb, he took hold of my uninjured arm, "I will have words with your brother."

"I will have words with you if you let this change anything," I returned calmly.

"I cannot lose you too, Ana."

"You won't. We have much to do still."

Robb leveled a cool stare, but ultimately, he nodded. We dressed in silence for the Council. Robb held his head high as he strode into the tent. I followed quickly, taking a look around the room to try to judge their expressions. Lady Catelyn's expression had not changed. She was furious and worried, and she only managed one look at Robb. My husband, however, simply turned a dark stare to my brother. Willem raised an eyebrow at me only nodding once I swept my hand across my shoulder, signaling why Will had earned this sudden wrath.

"You all know by now what has happened," Robb spoke aloud.

"And what are we waiting for?" the Greatjon demanded, standing up. "We go North, storm Winterfell, and break every one of those Ironborn bastards, starting with Theon Greyjoy."

The cheers erupted throughout the room, including a nod from Catelyn, but there were nearly an equal number who dulled their enthusiasm.

"We've come far to the aid of the Tullys, Lord Umber," Robb added. "I too want to break the Ironborn, but we have to weigh our options."

I could see Catelyn's lips turn into a straight line at her son's words. I wanted to say something to her, try to catch her eye, but she still refused to look at me.

"But you mean to reclaim your homeland, do you not, your grace?" the Greatjon asked.

"I think I may have a solution," Roose Bolton's voice smoothed over the echoes of agreement throughout the Council. He stood and with a deferential nod to Robb, continued, "Your grace, my bastard Ramsey can retake Winterfell. He can rally men to the cause and have Winterfell reclaimed in little more than a fortnight, long before we would even reach your lands. He is strong and committed to proving himself."

My eyes darted quickly between my brother, Lord Whyte, and my husband. Something inside of me started to feel hollow. From my vision, I knew not to trust Roose Bolton, but that did not feel like the issue, not when we were so far away from the Frey house.

"Within a fortnight?" Robb asked.

Bolton nodded, "Yes, your grace. It would be his honor and mine."

The murmurs around the room seemed to acquiesce to this new suggestion as Robb added, "The Ironborn can return home if they surrender, all but Theon. I want him brought back to me alive."

"Yes, your grace. I shall send word immediately," Bolton returned, turning from the room as the murmurs around the room grew louder.

"Do you feel confident in that choice?" I asked Robb quietly, weighing the tone in my words so I did not give away my hesitation.

"I cannot make it to Winterfell within a fortnight, Ana. If anyone has a chance to save my brothers, it is not me. Not when it would take near a month to reach Winterfell," Robb returned.

"It's true. This is our best chance," I agreed.

"So we continue on," Lord Umber interjected.

"Yes," Robb returned. "We leave at dawn. We're getting closer to the Tully forces, or so my scouts say."

I tossed a glance at Willem, who wore a bemused half-smile. If nothing else, at least he was entertained.

"We'll reach them as soon as we're able and finish the Lannister forces that surround them," Robb added with a strong and even tone.

For a moment, everyone was silent, simply nodding confidently at our leader, before he dismissed the council. I watched as the soldiers poured out, leaving Lady Catelyn with Brienne behind her and my brother, sitting in the corner.

"You think I should have returned home?" Robb asked, looking to his mother.

She shook her head, her blue eyes cast towards the ground, heavy under her emotions. "I think you did what logic would dictate, Robb."

Robb looked away from her, nodding to himself. There was little other encouragement he would get from his mother. From there, he turned his eyes to Will, who was entirely expecting the rage that followed.

"What were you thinking? You put my wife in danger."

"I put my sister in danger, Robb. I feel guilty enough."

"Not nearly. Do you think for a moment that I am going to let you take her into a battle again?" Robb demanded.

Will raised an eyebrow, spouting out exactly what I anticipated. "You think you would be better? You'll both be dead in 10 minutes because you won't look at anyone else."

"So you think that is a point worth arguing? That is essentially saying that you will look at someone else and this is somehow supposed to comfort me?" Robb demanded.

"I am not in the business of comfort, your grace," Willem returned, sarcasm dripping in his tone. Robb was getting under his skin. I knew that I was the only reason Will was still fighting. He gave up on himself, but he would try to live to keep me safe.

"Apparently, you are not in the business of protecting those you care about either," Robb returned.

"Robb, Will," I interjected, standing between them. "This is pointless."

I turned to Robb, "I know my brother. He feels awful enough without any help. We will be more careful next time. I swear it."

"If there is a next time," Robb returned with a stern gaze to me.

I sighed as he maintained his warning look. I glanced around the room for a moment at his mother, her bodyguard, and my brother. Taking a step towards Robb, I whispered, "And there will be" before walking on.

I heard Will's familiar footsteps not far behind me. I turned with a raised eyebrow as my brother shrugged, "No point being in there."

"You will have a chance to redeem yourself soon."

"You know I would die to save you, right?" Will asked, staring at me with somber brown eyes.

"Will, I know you would lay on a sword for me. And I would do the same for you."

"There's no reason," he said, attempting to shrug away from me.

"Will," I returned, grabbing his forearm. "You are my brother. You have sought to protect your entire life. I'll be damned if I do not do the same for you, regardless of your wishes."

"Alright, stop being so sentimental," he replied, pulling away his arm as he stared unimpressed at my tearful expression.

"Such an ass…"

I was in bed long before Robb, but I could hear his emotion by the way he moved. It was stiff, stilted, and slow. He pulled off his clothes with care and lay down next to me, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

"You did the right thing," I stated.

"Are you sure?"

I waited for a moment before answering. "Yes. I just hope it works out as we think it will."

"I can't lose any more of my family, Ana."

"I can't either," I replied, my voice cracking under the weight of the words.

His hand cupped around my wound, forming a barrier. "I just need you to stay with me."

"As long as you want," I returned with a soft smile.

"Forever then" he returned, kissing my hair.