"The fire is out, milady."

I nodded, opening and closing my hands. I easily pulled over one hundred buckets of water without a second thought in the moment, but now that the tensions had died, I could feel the blisters popping and cracking on my already callused hands.

"Use the rest of the pails for good measure," I replied and hurried to Bran's chamber.

I saw him lying on the bed with guards surrounding the door. Bran's direwolf lay next to him, keeping watch over the boy, who slept peacefully although he was still unnaturally pale.

It was then I noticed the pool of blood on the floor on the other side of Bran's bed.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Milady—" Ser Rodrik attempted to stop me, but I quickly walked around the bed.

Instantly, my stomach lurched, but I kept myself in check despite the bile stinging my throat. Clearly the direwolf had done this. The man's throat was ripped apart and the blood on that side of the room splattered across the floor and wall. A dagger lay in the pool of blood, still clutched in the man's hand.

I looked up at Rodrik, waiting for him to explain.

"He came into the room, attacked Lady Catelyn—"

"—No, please." I could feel the fear pumping through me as my ears started to ring. Not her too.

"Her hand has a terrible gash, no more. The direwolf protected her and Bran."

I nodded, "Where is she?"

"In her chamber. Maester Luwin is dressing her wounds and giving her the milk of the poppy. She would be asleep before you arrived."

"And Robb?"

"Here," Robb's voice rang out clear from behind us, his direwolf standing beside him. Before I knew it, I was next to my husband, my arms around his neck. Robb held me to his body, kissing my hair. He wrapped an arm around my waist as I pulled away slight and he turned back to the scene in front of us. "Ser Rodrik, I want to learn all I can of this man by morning."

He nodded, "Yes, milord."

Robb turned to me, "The fire is out?"

"Yes," I answered before staring at the body on the ground. It looked so unreal to me as had the man I killed to protect myself and my brother. "No doubt that man started this."

"No doubt," Robb agreed. "But why? For his own purposes or another's?"

"I'll inspect the dagger for any clues and we shall find where he's been hiding," Ser Rodrik added.

"He smells of horses. I would start there," Robb replied.

He beckoned for me to follow him out of the room. Grey Wind strode with us as we walked the halls. Robb had set gaurds strategically to watch over the family, and for our chamber, he had his direwolf positioned just outside the door.

"Your mother is fine?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yes."

"And you?"

The hardened expression Robb wore when we were with Ser Rodrik and the other men softened as a long sigh escaped his lips.

"What sort of lord am I if can't even protect my family?" he asked, his head hanging.

"My father couldn't protect me from all of the wildings. I never thought him less of a man because of it."

I felt Robb's eyes on me although I couldn't meet his. My eyes were stinging with tears, feeling overwhelmed by everything – the fire, the flashbacks, knowing someone had been here and meant to harm Catelyn or Bran or both. I could feel my lip starting to quiver as I began to realize my whole body was shaking.

Suddenly, Robb's arms wrapped around me. The scruff on his chin rubbed against my cheek; the stark contrast opened my eyes.

"You're ice." Robb walked into the hall to call for a bath to be drawn. He came back, hugging me to his body. I rested my head against his shoulder, letting some of his warmth permeate my skin.

When the bath was ready, Robb came with me. He pulled off his clothing quickly as my numb and raw fingers shook at the ties on my dress. Robb wasted no time in helping me, sending the dress to the floor and taking off my smallclothes before lifting me into the tub with him.

Robb slid in first, resting against the back of the tub. I sat down in front of him, lying against his chest. Slowly, I started to put my hands in the water. The second my fingers reached it, I sucked wind through my teeth, trying to ease the sting.

"You have to clean them," Robb pointed out.

"Yes, thanks," I returned icily.

I felt Robb smile against the top of my head as I gingerly put them into the water.

Begrudgingly, I looked up at him, "I'm going to ask you to clean them."

Robb's face squished in displeasure, "Why? You are going to yell at me."

"Well, I won't clean them appropriately because I will be a child about it."

That, Robb had to laugh at. Now, it was his turn for a begrudging smile as he picked up the soap and began work on my stinging, blistered hands.

"Who would try to attack my mother and brother?" Robb asked softly as I winced through the cleansing.

I shook my head, "I have no idea." There hadn't been any recent skirmishes. Even if there were, the anger would be towards Eddard, not Catelyn or his youngest son. I knew of no enemies, and…a dark thought came to mind. "Unless Bran saw something."

Robb stopped work on my hands immediately. There was a long silence before he ventured, "What would he have seen?"

"I have no idea, Robb, but what else makes sense? You all say Bran never falls."

I had effectively silenced our conversation with that statement. Every muscle in Robb's body tensed behind me, and I could think of little else to say as my mind strayed into darker and darker territory. Robb did not speak much after that, nor did I. Instead, we sat in the bath, contemplating what could have happened. Not that we would have any true answers until Lady Catelyn was awake.

I had gone early to the stables to take Chimera for a ride the morning Robb's mother opened her eyes. When I returned, Robb stood in the stables to tell me that she requested my presence.

"What did she say?" I asked quietly as we walked toward her chamber.

"She thinks it was Jaime Lannister," Robb answered.

I could feel his questioning eyes on my face as the words tumbled from his mouth. It was no secret Robb did not like Jaime, particularly when the lion was near me. I couldn't find the words to reply, unsure of why a man of his stature would push a child off a rooftop. It seemed utterly absurd. What could Bran have seen to inspire that?

Luckily, we arrived at his mother's chamber before I had to respond to Robb. Knocking, I entered slowly, giving my husband an uncertain look as I shut the door behind me.

"Ana, how many men does your family command?"

Lady Catelyn wasted no time, but my mind was still reeling from Robb's statement.

"My lady?" I asked in confusion.

She repeated the question; this time, she sounded colder, more distant somehow.

"Um, I am not sure."

"A woman should know these things of her family."

I felt myself stand taller under her swipe rather than cower or feel embarrassed. "What I do know is my House has a sizable but much smaller number of men truly bound to us than what my father would inevitably command."

Lady Catelyn faced me fully with a curious eyebrow raised. "And would they still fight under your brother?"

I remained silent for a moment, "My brother, though charming as my father, does not hold quite the same sway and ability to spin others around his finger."

"No, I suppose not." Disappointment laced Lady Catelyn's voice as she turned away from me, looking out the window. "I remember Ned saying as much. Your father had a way with words but more a way with making people want to be around him…a trait that found its way into you."

She tossed a glance over her shoulder, seeing the furrowed expression on my face. I could sense already the direction of her conversation and my heart began to beat just a few paces faster.

"My lady?" I asked slowly.

"Jaime Lannister threw my son off a tower, and yet with you, his only dream was to make you smile," she shook her head, her expression some twisted marriage of disgust and admiration.

"What are you asking of me?"

"You are too intelligent to ask—"

"—And I am too exhaust to be trifled with," I shot back. I felt my eyes widen as I realized that I had spoken out of turn – and harshly – to the mother of my husband, but I held firm. "If you have a request of me, Lady Catelyn, then do me the simple curtesy of asking me to my face. Do not make me wait and conjecture."

She faced me fully; her face long and hard as her arms crossed in front of her body. "I need you to return home and remind those of men of why they fought for House Samelson."