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Sitting by the cot, she watched on as her son fell into a peaceful slumber. She had often found herself observing him as he slept, and when he was awake. Only a month old, but growing fast. Moving her hand to gently brush her fingers over his pink cheek. His eyes had remained blue, just as she had hoped. Now she only wanted him to look more like his father as he grew older. Perhaps if her and Robb had more time they could have had a daughter that looked like her, and maybe one that took after Catelyn, and another that looked like Arya.
And though they had only been blessed with one child, he was more than enough for her.
The sharp knock at her door came as no surprise, and nor did the fact that Jon did not wait for permission to enter. It had become a ritual for them since Eddard's birth, he would visit her in the afternoon or night to play with his nephew and tell her of his day. She thought he found comfort in listening ears.
But there was something more plaguing him that night.
"What's wrong?" She asked, "Have you heard word from Stannis?"
"No. Nothing." He replied, "It's, it's Melisandre, I discovered something about her."
"What did she do?" She asked, though she greatly suspected she already knew what this discovery entailed
"She did not burn Mance Rayder." He revealed, confirming her assumption, "She burned Rattleshirt in his place, and now masquerades Mance as him."
Silence followed this revelation, and Jon's eyes grew wide with understanding.
"You already knew." He said, the accusation clear, "How?"
"It's remarkable what one sees when they stop trying so hard to see." She answered, "It is a rather neat trick, I'll give her that."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I did not wish for further conflict, or to be perceived as undermining Stannis." She explained, though if that was truly the reason she could not say, but it made a convenient excuse, "And it seems that undermining Melisandre is just as if I was undermining Stannis."
"You don't trust her?"
"Of course not, and neither do you." Layla said, "She's a fanatic which makes her both ruthless and righteous, and far too fond of burning people alive for my taste." She explained, "And the way she looks at you,"
"How does she look at me?"
"Like she wants nothing more than for you to be her newest bed companion now that Stannis is gone." She said, distastefully, "She wants you, Jon, what for, I'm not sure but it can't be good."
"I am a man of the nights watch."
"I know." She muttered, her voice soft and sad, and he wondered if maybe she too wished for him to set aside his vows for her
But she was Robb's wife, he told himself, she loved Robb not him. Of course, there was another voice that reminded him of the way she had smiled at him back at Winterfell, laughed at his words the way no other had, of the kiss they shared. He longed to feel those lips again.
The Gods would curse him for this. Desiring his brother's wife, the mother of his nephew. But she was mine first, he thought, and he took her for his own.
"No more secrets," Jon finally said, "I need you to trust me."
"You're one of the few I do trust."
I realize that this chapter shifts POV but I wrote Jon's part first, and liked it too much to cut it after I wrote Layla's, hope no one finds it disconjointed
Response to review from Billy:
Yes, if at this moment Rickon was of a more similar age to Robb she probably would be going for him, and that's the point. She's actively trying to use Jon as a replacement for Robb, and in upcoming chapters they will come to blows over that. Because, like you said, Jon does hold resentment towards Robb and he won't put up with being second best forever.