Vivian slowly dressed into a set of new clothes that had been provided for her. Her wet clothes were still being dried. The clothes she currently wore were not noble clothes, but not commoner. They were light blue and a little loose. Vivian shifted uneasily as she tried to tighten her clothes.

When the group had arrived at the inn the youths had been lucky that there was a traveling merchant staying there. He provided them with clean, dry clothes, but for a price. Although none of them had money on them the merchant accepted Jaime's vouch that he would get paid.

Vivian had been given one of the best rooms and a bath had been drawn for her. She had gladly soaked her body and washed away her worries as well as the dirt. Initially, she was scared that Jaime Lannister was the lion in her vision. It only made sense. But after a few minutes in the tub her mind cleared. Jaime was one of the Kingsguard.

The Kingsguard were said to be the best knights in the kingdom. They were sworn to protect the king and his family with their lives, obey whatever he commanded, and keep his secrets. This was a duty that they were sworn to for life. They were forbidden to own any land, take a wife and father children. So, in a way, he was a lion without teeth or claws. He couldn't take her away from her direwolf.

Vivian stepped out from behind the screen and walked toward the bed. Suddenly, she stopped and stared. She had told the servant girl to only take her clothes and leave her sword on the bed. The bed was empty. Quickly, Vivian started to search the room for her sword. There was no sign of it. She couldn't help but let out a curse.

She threw open the door and quickly made her way down the stairs. Her long wet hair clung to her back. She spotted the innkeeper and started toward him when out of the corner of her eye she saw Jaime. If he noticed her he didn't give any indication. In his hand was Ashes. He expertly and almost reverently handled the sword.

Vivian made a beeline toward him. She was only a table away when he glanced up at her. His movement was smooth as he got to his feet.

"I do not believe I gave you permission to handle my sword, my lord," she said hotly.

His eyes danced with cunning as he expertly spun the sword around then pulled it closer to him. "It is a finely crafted and old weapon," he told her.

"Yes," she said as she reached for it. He nimbly moved the sword up and out of her reach. "You have no right," she nearly snarled.

"Legend says that the sword can burst into flames," Jaime commented, ignoring her words. He eased himself back onto his chair, and ran a finger through the hilt's design. "Ashes. Made with the ashes of the last phoenix." There was a circular emblem in the hilt. It depicted a red bird with open wings.

Vivian slowly nodded.

He gave her his best smile, which caused shivers to run down her body. She had seen the young Kingslayer many times at court. But she had never been so close to him. She had to admit that he was extremely handsome. But his cocky smile and attitude made it easy for her to dislike him.

"The old king asked to see this sword. Your grandfather said he was no longer in possession of it." He looked at her curiously and his eyes dared her to explain why her grandfather lied. "Made it sound as if the sword had been destroyed."

"At that time, it wasn't in his possession," she replied, refusing to look away. Jaime raised his eyebrows in surprise. "It belonged to his sister. It went to him the day she died."

"Interesting," he said. "And why do you have it now?" He casually put the sword into its sheath.

Vivian's lips twitched as she tried to keep her emotions in check. She didn't like the questions that he was asking. Why did he care? "I just do," she simply said. "Now, please give it back to me."

Jaime turned his attention away from the sword and toward her. His eyes were defiant as they explored her body. She hated the way he assessed her. She crossed her arms over her chest, as if he could see through her dress. Slowly, he stood up and fully straightened his body. She didn't move and looked up at him without fear.

For that brief moment, he looked like a lion ready to pounce on his prey. "I think that I best return this sword to its rightful owner then. Or…" he paused and waited for her to ask the inevitable.

Vivian hesitated before she asked, "or what?"

Jaime smile widened. "A chaste kiss," he said in a low voice.

Vivian took a step back in surprise. "How dare yo…" she started but was interrupted as he grabbed her hand. He swiftly pulled her to him and smashed his lips against hers. Then he let her go. He looked at her smugly as her body trembled. Without warning, she slapped him across the face. He laughed as he handed her the sword.

Vivian grabbed it and quickly walked from him. She wiped her mouth with her hand and sleeve. That was her first kiss and Jaime had stolen it.

Vivian couldn't help but let the tears of frustration fall as she made her way to her room. Her hand clenched the sheath of her sword as her body shook with rage. How dare he force her to kiss him?

"Vivian!" Robb's all too familiar voice called out to her.

She didn't look at him as she tried to open her door and escape. She didn't want him to see her upset. He followed her into her room and grabbed her arm, refusing to let her go. The door closed behind him, but neither seemed to notice that they were alone in the room.

"What happened?" he asked.

Vivian looked away and quickly wiped her face with her sleeve. "Nothing," she said softly.

"Viv," he almost pleaded.

She looked at him in surprise and blinked. He gave her a nickname. His eyes searched her face, trying to assess why she was crying.

"It's alright," he said. "We're safe and alive. Those who died got what they deserved. The man would have killed you if you hadn't defended yourself."

Vivian opened her mouth and let out a gasp of surprise. Robb had tried to cover all his bases with what had recently happened. She couldn't tell him that it was Jaime.

"Thank you," she said, allowing a small smile to cross her lips. "It wasn't that though." She couldn't help but add that in. She didn't want to lie to him.

"Then what?" His forehead crinkled with worry. She was tempted to pull him close and kiss him. Then, she did.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him close, meeting his lips with hers. His arms wrapped around her back and pulled her closer. It was clear that neither knew exactly what to do. But passion wrapped around the two of them as their mouths opened and their tongues danced. Their bodies moved of their own accord. One of Vivian's hands ran through his hair, as Robb's hands ran down her back. Suddenly, Robb threw himself back and against the wall and stared at her in disbelief.

Both of their breathing was ragged. Her eyes were wide with fear at what he was going to say. She acted like a harlot by kissing him the way she did. But, she had to get Jaime's kiss out of her mind. The kiss between her and Robb was a true kiss. It held passion. And it was what she wanted.

Robb gently placed a hand on his lips as he breathed deeply. "I'm sorry," he finally said.

"For what?" she asked, almost in anger. "I was the one who…"

"Will you marry me?" he suddenly asked her.

"Wh… what?" she asked.

There was a determination in his eyes as he stood up straighter. "Be my wife," he said. "I can't… I won't sully your reputation. I want to marry you. But I need to know if you will be happy up here. It's not like the south. We don't often go to court. It's not warm here, it's almost always winter. Can you handle it? You will be far from your family. But I will always honor you and treat you with respect. You will never want for anything. And my family does care for you."

Vivian looked at him as she breathed deeply.

"Of course, I will have to officially ask your father and make the arrangements with my father. But I want to know if you will be alright with it," he added hastily.

Vivian bit her lip before she responded. "I have no riches and my dowry is little," she said slowly. "Some say that merchants can afford more than what my dowry is. But if you can look past that and…" she paused. "I have no doubt you can take care of me. And I love the North. I always looked forward to coming here. I hold your family dear to my heart. Yes! I will marry you."

Robb rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. Then he pulled away and smiled happily. "Then I will talk to my father tonight. I will help him negotiate with your father." He let her go and took a step back. "Not long, my lady," he said as he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

Vivian couldn't help but let out a large smile. She was happy.

"Your father wishes to speak with you," a servant girl told Vivian.

It had been a little over two months since her near death experience with the wildings. Vivian hadn't seen Jaime when she left her room shortly after Robb proposed to her. It seemed that the Kingslayer had left with his men. Both Robb and Vivian were excited, although neither had said a word to the other two men. They wanted to wait until everything was official to say anything.

When they arrived back to Winterfell Vivian was told that her mother and her were going to leave the next day. Her mother was well enough to leave and she couldn't risk staying any longer. Vivian had been slightly upset, but Robb had whispered that they would be together soon.

It had taken them less than a month to reach their home. They lived in her grandfather's castle. Her father was one of the younger sons of a noble house. His family hadn't been able to give him any land and very little gold, so he married Edith. Edith's father didn't have any male heirs and everyone assumed that once he died then his lands would go to his daughter's husband, Vivian's father.

"Tell him I will be there," Vivian commanded the servant girl as she got up from her chair. Her father rarely requested her presence. While her grandfather adored her as he did her mother, it was clear that her own father cared little for her. She knew of his constant schemes to get someone to pay for her. She hadn't told Robb of her father's obsession with money. It was the one thing that she feared that would leave a bad taste in Lord Eddard's mouth.

Vivian knew that her father wasn't good at putting things delicately, and that he would ask Eddard to pay a price for his son to marry her. She was grateful that she had her mother and grandfather. Both had found ways to sabotage previous "unhealthy" arranged marriages that her father had tried to make for her.

Vivian opened the door to her father's study and slowly made her way toward him. He held a letter in his hands and he smiled when he looked at her. "My Vivian!" he said happily, but didn't get any closer to her.

Edith sat in a chair nearby and smiled at Vivian. The young woman began to breathe rapidly with excitement. If her mother was happy then this was good news.

"Father," Vivian said as she curtsied to her father.

The door opened behind her and she looked back to see her grandfather Maximus. He had a curious expression on his face as he made his way toward them.

"Good," Vivian's father said with a smile. "I have summoned all of you here to tell you the good news. I have arranged a very lucrative marriage for Vivian."

Vivian's eyes lit up as she looked at her mother then grandfather. Both smiled.

"Oh father!" Vivian said with happiness. "You have made me so happy today."

Her father seemed a little surprise as he smiled. "As you should, my daughter. Jaime Lannister has requested your hand in marriage. I gave him my word that you will marry him."

"What?" Vivian shrieked.

"Impossible!" Her grandfather growled. "He is part of the Kingsguard. He can not marry!"

Vivian looked at her mother who seemed just as surprised. "What about the Stark boy, my lord," Edith said softly as she stood up. She was horribly pale.

Her father sighed as he shook his head. "I have not asked. When Jaime Lannister expressed his interest I felt no need. The Lannisters are far more powerful than the Starks. One of them is queen."

"Jaime can not marry!" her grandfather said firmly. "There is no point in trying to arrange a marriage with Jaime."

Vivian's father's eyes narrowed then he laughed. "The Kingslayer has shown how much he cares about rules. He wears different armor than what the Kingsguard usually wear. His sister is queen and he has promised that her influence will help change the rules."

"If it happens then it will be years from now," Maximus snarled. "You can not possibly hold her for that long. She is in the prime of her life. If you are to expect grandchildren…"

"She is my daughter!" her father interrupted with a hiss. "I will decide who she can and can not marry. And when it will or will not happen. Jaime has requested four years. I will give it to him. If at that time he can not and the Stark boy is still available then I will consider him. But for now, consider yourself married to the Lannister."

Vivian stared at her father in surprise. "How much has he paid you?" the words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.

The three looked at her in surprise then at her father. His mouth twitched as he kept his smile on his face. "You insolent girl," he hissed. He raised his hand to strike her, but Maximus got in the way.

"You will not strike a woman in my house," Maximus snarled in disgust.

"Then we will leave here!" her father snapped as he confronted Maximus. The room seemed to erupt with yells as the two men shouted at each other. Edith tried to calm to the two, but she couldn't.

Vivian looked at her mother, grandfather then her father. She knew that the other two couldn't help her. In the end, it was her father who had the last word. She rushed out of the room and just ran.

"Rumor has it that you plan to marry!" Cersei, Jaime's twin and older sister, said in anger. Her blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders. She was lovely.

Jaime stood in his room with his shirt unbuttoned. He had barely gotten back to Kingslanding. He wondered where the rumor started from. For the past month and a half he had communicated with Vivian's father.

From the letters alone, Jaime could tell that the man was a greedy little prick. The man had practically sold his own daughter to Jaime. Jaime was sure that if she hadn't been a noble then he could have purchased her virginity, to say the least, from her father. And there wouldn't have been need for marriage. Her father had nothing to lose in keeping her from being married. Even if he did inherit House Cynious of Firelake, from his father-in-law, he had no male heirs. And Edith was too sickly to be able to produce more children.

"I'm glad you are happy for my safe return," Jaime said with a cocky smile.

Cersei's eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "Don't play the fool, Jaime!" she snapped. "Married?"

Jaime let out a sigh as he nodded his head. "Father would be very proud of me, don't you think?"

"You can't marry. And if you could, to whom?" her voice had changed from anger to curiosity.

"Why does it matter to whom?" Jaime teased. "But I will be needing your help." He moved in closer to her and let his hand run up her arm.

"What makes you believe I can help?" she asked him.

"You are queen," he said as he leaned in close to her.

Her breathing became labored as she looked up at her brother. "A queen with limited influence and power," she finally said as she pulled away from him.

Jaime rolled his eyes. His sister was too dramatic some times. "You bore your husband a son," he said seductively.

Cersei couldn't help but let out a snort at that. She turned and looked at her brother. "Why?" she couldn't help but ask.

"The eldest son of Eddard Stark is in love with her," Jaime admitted. "I know how you feel about the Starks because of Robert. And her father was the easiest to enticement into holding her. If we can not change the rules then she will be too old, or Robb will already be married. I don't care about her. If I can marry then I will please father in having an heir, who he can give our lands too. We both know that he will not give them to Tyrion."

Cersei placed herself very close to her brother. "But then things will change between us," she whispered as she placed her hand on his chest. "It will be more difficult for us if you have a wife."

Jaime wrapped his arms around his sister and pulled her close. He knew that he could convince her otherwise.

A soft knock on Robb's door surprised him. He had been getting ready for bed. He had been rather depressed as of late. The negotiations between his father and Vivian's father had been slow. Eddard had talked very little with Robb about Vivian.

"Mother," Robb said in surprise when he saw that it was his mother who was at the door.

"May I come in?" she asked, quietly.

He nodded as he quickly stepped away. "Is everything alright?" he asked in concern.

Gently, she reached out her hand that held a letter. Robb frowned then grew excited when he recognized the handwriting. His mother's sad demeanor was forgotten as he unsealed it and read. Slowly he sank onto the bed in disbelief.

My dearest Robb,

I do not know if my letter will reach you on time, before the rumors. Unfortunately, if you have heard them then they are true. Jaime Lannister has asked for my hand in marriage and my father has accepted. It is true that he is still part of the Kingsguard (as we know it is something that he is sworn into for life), but it appears that certain laws are being made to change some of their rules.

Father has given him four years. He says that in four years if Jaime still can not marry then I can chose who I wish. I can not (in good conscious) request for you to wait for me. Four years is too long for you to wait. I wish you a long and happy life with whoever you chose. I-

Vivian Cynious

Whatever had been written after "I" was smeared so that it was unrecognizable. Robb's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the wall. Four years? That seemed like a lifetime away. He held the letter in his hand, but couldn't bring himself to look at it again. Why would Jaime do that?

"I'm sorry, Robb," Catelyn said softly as she grabbed his free hand.

"Do I have to marry soon?" Robb suddenly asked his mother.

She looked surprised.

"Can I wait? Four years is not that long," he continued, trying to convince her and himself.

Catelyn gulped. "You will have to speak to your father," she replied. "But, Robb. The longer we wait the less likely it'll be that we find a suitable match. As the years progress, the narrower the selection of noble ladies becomes."

Robb nodded his head. "But I want to wait," he said. "There is hope to be with her. It may be small, but I have to believe that everything will turn out for us."

Catelyn have her son a sad smile as she patted his hand then stood up. "I will speak with your father," she replied. She couldn't tell her son. There was hope, although very small. But the Lannisters were cunning and smart people. In four years, Jaime may find another way to claim Vivian as his own, making it impossible for her to marry Robb.

Catelyn sent out a small pray to the seven for Vivian. Maybe they were watching and would find a way to intervene for her.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Holidays! I came to the realization a few days ago that I make my characters go through a lot for a happy ending. Oh well. Hope you continue to enjoy this story.

97hollster – Glad you liked the chapter. Hope you liked this one, too.

Guest – Glad you loved it.

Azalia Fox Knightling – Yes, Madame Ussa's accusations are indeed far more true than people want them to be. And she's not quite finished yet. I couldn't send the baby over toward them since the story will not be going in that direction (and I honestly didn't even think about doing that).

Trulzxoxo – Yes, Jamie arrives and brings heartache. Worse, since she doesn't even love him.

Claire3loves3music – Fortunetellers can't always be completely correct in what they say. She would taken the sword, though, had she been there only a few minutes before Vivian killed the man. But, it's all in the adventure. I prefer happy endings to sad ones, but sometimes the journey to get there is long and very hard.