Gara

-ooo-

Robb's jaw was set as he effortlessly carried Gara inside. Her knee throbbed and she remained silent as they strode inside and away from the eyes of the servants who's eyes were gazing at them curiously. When they got as far as the hall Gara became very self-conscience and knew that people were going to talk about this and feared it would only prolong the silence that existed between her and Robb so she patted his shoulder which made him pause mid-stride and look at her. She wished he didn't look at her.

"Put me down."

She ordered and Robb's brow furrowed,

"But, your leg-"

"My Lord, you must put me down!"

"Fine!"

He still held onto her and averted his gaze before straightening his shoulders, walking over to an inconspicuous table and lowering her gently into one of the high-backed seats that were meant for the men of the hall. Gazing up at him, Gara saw Robb look around – not looking at her; Gara fancied that if Robb could have looked anywhere in the world in that moment, he wouldn't have looked her way. He looked annoyed and angry which only fuelled Gara's resolve that they shouldn't be seen hand-clasped in the middle of the hall, nor should he be carrying her around like a stable lad taking a milkmaid to the stables. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Robb staring at her profusely.

There was no warning from Robb this day. Gara's breath hitched when he knelt down and cupped her face and kissed her brazenly on the mouth in the hall. Gara didn't even have the strength to pull away; she merely fell into it and felt her hand trail his now-smooth jaw and neck, her head tipped back and her eyes closed. She heard him sigh as he broke away and threw himself back, running a hand down his face before leaning his head against a big wooden pillar and fixing his blue eyes on her with a heavy sigh. She breathed heavily in the wake of his outburst of lust and wished he wouldn't give her so much slack and reel her in so quickly. Poor Theon, she thought; but then she remembered her dream and she felt no pity for the Greyjoy. Robb was kneeling at her feet again, only now he was looking up at her and smiling gently,

"Does it hurt badly?" He asked softly, brushing away her fringe and wiping a fleck of mud from her face and she grinned – her teeth very white against the mud – and he laughed at her dirtied face.

"Not so much, my lord."

"Don't call me that," He said passionately with a shake of his dark head. He looked up at her and uttered earnestly,"...If we can be anything in public, we can be friends," He touched her cheek and said sweetly, "And I'd rather my friends call me by name." Gara frowned and relished that she had the perfect witty reply to that and raised one of her arched eyebrows and leaned forward and whispered,

"Then, what can I call you in private?"

He laughed then and drew her up by the hand and Gara stood before him. They were close, it was shadowy and Gara could feel her breath come short and her desire rise as Robb said gently, rubbing her fingers with his.

"Anything you like," He kissed her hand, his eyes never leaving her face. "Anything you think fits." He stipulated with a small smile and Gara could feel herself become lighter. She had hated the silence of the last day; before she and Robb had admitted their feelings for one another, they had been great friends. Often holding archery tourneys in the yard, riding out, making dens. It had always been Robb, Gara and Jon until Robb began to pally around with Theon more often and then it was mostly just Gara and Jon. Gifu never really bothered with them growing up, preferring the company of the septas and the older ladies. It was only when Sansa came of a decent age did Gifu begin to speak to any other children other than her sister, although Gara noted that Gifu had always had time for Theon. It was an awful feeling; being distant from friends, but when Robb had finally kissed her just a year's past in the Godswood under the old Weir Wood, she'd felt her spirit soar. She'd harboured a love for him for a few years before he realised his for her, she assumed and was the happiest girl in Winterfell when she realised he returned her feelings. Gara bowed her head. His face was concerned as she grimaced,

"Will you let me take you to your room now?" He asked sincerely and Gara's head bolted up,

"What?!"

She snapped and Robb fell back from her temper – his own ready to flare at her testiness when he realised what she thought he had meant and he burst out laughing. Taking her slight arm and placing it around his strong shoulders, he hoisted her up and said quietly,

"Maester Luwin'll need to look at that leg,"

She sighed and chuckled at her own stupidity and looked away from him, his face was close to hers and if she looked up she knew she could plant a kiss on him. Wounded, covered in mud and soaked in blood, she turned her face and very gently pressed her lips against his and pulled away with a smile curling along her lips as Robb's face remained blank. Gara had to bite back a sigh as that hungry look returned to his eyes. He blinked and it was gone and she laughed at his silence and nodded for him to walk, which he did. Helping her to her chambers, Gara thought it strange how quiet and less lively her rooms were when Gifu was not in them.

Robb was tactful enough to sit her down on the chair that was by the mirror and not on the bed. But it was sitting there; welcoming and covered in furs, Gara thought that she had never seen a bed be so tangible in all her days and they both made a point to not look at it.

"I-I'll go and get maester Luwin?"

Gara had to smother a giggle at his nervousness, Robb was usually very confident, but to see him stumble back with his thumb jerked at the door and jittering his words made her want to hug him. She got up with a wince and nodded, limping to the trunk at the foot of the bed; she dug around in it for a rag and began to wipe the mud from her face. It wasn't long before Robb returned with maester Luwin, the old man came in and Gara had changed into a plain dress of almost silver, when the fabric shifted it had hues of blue. She only changed so the maester could more easily examine her leg. Robb didn't hang around and stated that he'd wait outside and come back when the maester was done so he could take news to her father. Gara nodded and watched him go with absolute longing; anyone could have seen it and the maester simply chuckled and shook his head.

"The servants are already gossiping like fishwives about your fall, young lady,"

"I didn't fall."

"Oh, really; that's a nasty gash, how did it happen?"

Gara frowned and realised he was talking about her head and she gingerly touched the wound that her sister had inflicted upon her the night before and shrugged her shoulders and said dismissively,

"This? Oh, yes; I think I must have got it today..."

Maester Luwin's eyes were suspicious, but he didn't pursue it and inspected Gara's cut leg and hissed upon seeing it. "That's a nasty one," He nodded and gently cleaned it out and Gara had to bite down on her lip to stop herself from mewing like a taunted cat. Maester Luwin was at his work for no more than fifteen minutes. A quarter of an hour later and he was gathering up his things; Gara's wound was bound and he gave her a little milk of the poppy to dull the pain and smiled at her before he left, saying that he'd return to see how she was fairing later on. She was still sitting on the chair when Robb re-entered looking anxious,

"How're you feeling?" He asked squeezing her shoulder affectionately and Gara smiled up at him with hazy eyes – the milk of the poppy making her slightly drowsy. Robb smiled at her wet look and nodded to himself and hoisted her up from the chair gracefully and placed her in the bed like she was his child. Throwing back the furs, he helped her ease under them and get comfy. He planted himself at her side and shook his head,

"Since when did you fall off horses?"

"I did not fall." She maintained in a slightly slurred voice and smiled, "I fell, and then was dragged before I wrangled him back down and then I managed to stay on! The King was impressed." She gloated with a giggle and Robb smiled down on her; his hand found hers and he held it gently as she frowned and he asked quietly,

"Is everything alright?"

Gara licked her lips and blinked. Shaking her head, she squeezed his hand urgently and blurted, "D'you think the Wall could ever...fall?" Robb averted his eyes while he thought and then repeated,

"Fall?"

"Aye." She nodded and Robb shook his head, his mouth was downturned. "No, I don't think so. Why do you ask?" Gara's expression was confused as she shook her head and grasped for an answer before she managed, "I had a horrible dream last night. I was terrified; Theon killed Gifu-"

"Wouldn't be an entirely bad thing," Robb grinned and Gara giggled before she waved him away,

"No, listen! Theon killed Gifu, and there was...foamy water around their heels. I killed my father with a spear by accident – I was trying to save you, but you couldn't hear me. J-Jon and your uncle were killed by the Wall, Robb, it came down." Her eyes were fearful and Robb gripped her hand more tightly and leaned forward and pressed his hand to her head as tears pricked her eyes. Smoothing back her crimson hair, Robb shook his head and looked straight into her eyes and reassured her,

"Nothing's going to happen to me, you, your father, or your sister. Well, Theon might kill her if she doesn't stop leading him on. But nothing's going to hurt you..." A tear silently crept out from under Gara's thick lashes and she blinked, Robb watched the moisture roll into her hair and listened as she garbled,

"You were standing in a battlefield – no, you were kneeling. Covered head to toe in blood and you looked so sad. The whole Wall, Robb, all of it – the whole edge of the earth just fell and Jon ran straight in to save his uncle and I-I...I couldn't call him back. I had to watch him run in...I couldn't save any of you...None of you lived save for me."

Robb's eyes were intense as he looked down on her and felt her head grow hot and clammy under his hand. Reaching up, she touched his face and shook her head and whimpered,

"I never want you to look like that again...I never want to see – any of that – again."

"I've never looked like that. The Wall's still there, ask Uncle Benjen – he'll tell you. Theon's not got it in him to slay your sister, she'd slay him first. And if you think your father could be felled by a spear, then you're selling him short. It was just a dream, nothing to be afraid of." She looked unconvinced and sniffed – her little nose reddening in her distress. Robb clicked his tongue and kissed her forehead softly,

"Don't be silly, dreams can't hurt us. And as long as I live, Gara, I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you..." Gara watched as he looked away and tilted his head as he looked down on her with a smile,

"The horse was a one off."

She nodded and smiled, her expression looked less distraught.

"For sure, a one off." She repeated and closed her eyes. Robb watched as she nestled into her furs and took a long and deep breath, her eyelids were waxy with lethargy and she was breathing slowly and calmly. Robb was about to leave when her eyes fluttered open once more and she held his gaze. She held it for longer than she ever had; Robb's eyes were on her raptly. His mouth was on hers, fleeting and sweet. She leaned back down and sighed content before slipping off to sleep. The last thing she saw was Robb as he looked back at her fretfully before gently closing her chamber door with a soft click.