Theon hugged me to his chest, still promising to come back before two fortnights were up.

"Just don't let us down," I asked, hearing the shakiness in my voice.

"I won't let you down," he insisted, looking into my eyes, searching me for more information.

But I couldn't bring myself to explain what I saw, or let him think that I believed he might do it. With a nod and a squeeze of his hand, I returned to my tent.

Before I had even reached the entrance, I could hear Robb's voice rise. "It's more complicated than that! You know it is! My men would string me up if I gave up our cause for one girl. We don't even know that they have her! We've heard nothing from Arya!"

I vacillated a moment outside of the tent. Just as I chose to walk inside, I saw his mother storm out. I tried to call Catelyn's name, but she said nothing, sweeping into the night.

Walking inside, I nearly slammed into Robb.

"Ana," he exclaimed, holding onto my elbows to steady me.

"Do you want to go after her?"

"Yes, but…I should take a moment."

"What happened?" I asked, running a hand through my husband's curly auburn mess of hair.

His eyes were alight with frustration but the squint showed his guilt. "My mother wants to trade for Arya, but there is no way our men would accept that for one girl, I give up the Kingslayer, let alone our entire cause."

He sunk down into a chair, letting his head fall into his hands. He shook out his hair with his hands and looked back at me, shaking his head with a lost look in his eye. "Gods, even though I would. I would give it up just to have my sister, to have my family all go home, but it's foolish. We've gotten so deep in this, Ana. It's not that simple anymore."

I sat down in front of him, placing my hands on his knees. "Robb, for a mother, none of it is complicated. If we had children, what would you do? What depths would you go to to protect them?"

Robb let out a sigh, "I know it. I would do anything. I practically would now for Arya, but I know my men. I know our people, and…and I doubt the Lannisters even have her."

His head fell heavily into his hands again as he said softly, "She's gone, Ana. I can feel it."

Pushing myself onto my knees, I moved between his arms, my head falling onto his chest. Robb held me to him. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't shake my head and promise that everything was fine. I knew better than that. Of course, we should have heard from her, but at the same time, I couldn't believe she was truly gone. I thought I would have felt it.

Robb's hand moved alongside my cheek as he tilted my face up with his finger. He kissed me softly, still able to drive butterflies into my stomach.

"I'll be back soon," he added softly, holding my hands to pull me to my feet as he stood on his.

"You cannot say to your mother what you just said to me about Arya," I reminded him.

"I want to be wrong, Ana. I am going to assume I am until proved otherwise. I'm sending my mother to speak with Renly. If we can treat with him, Joffrey has no chance. We can completely cut their supplies and with our combined forces, we could beat him. Then, we will go home; I truly hope all of us."

More than anything, I wanted to believe that this could all be over soon. "Go on then. Let's not waste any more time," I replied, forcing a smile.

Robb kissed me again and left our tent. He was gone for a long time as I lay in bed, waiting.

"Ana?" Catelyn's voice surprised me.

I sat up in bed, pulling a fur around me in the cold air. "Catelyn."

"Robb is giving his terms to the messenger to the Lannisters," she explained, sensing my confusion.

"Oh…" I had thought I would be part of that conversation.

"I will be gone for some time," Catelyn began.

"I suppose that depends on how good of a negotiator you are," I replied with a smile.

She laughed lightly, but there was little humor in her eyes as she glanced aside.

"There are many of you leaving tomorrow," I added.

"To my knowledge, only Theon and myself with some additional protection of course."

"Perhaps many was the wrong word, but important people to Robb and I are leaving."

"He should not let Theon Greyjoy go to the Iron Islands. That boy is not strong enough to come back, and we cannot trust his father."

"I've tried speaking to him," I offered.

"I need to ask you for something before I leave."

"Of course."

"I ask that by the time I get back, you and Robb try to conceive."

I could feel my face redden as my eyes nearly popped out of my head, and the best I could manage was, "We practice all the time!"

My face completely enflamed now, even my ears were a dark crimson, "No, I didn't—"

Catelyn's lips grew into a smile before she began to giggle and ultimately laugh. It was the first time I heard a true laugh from her since the fighting had begun. "Oh, I am glad to hear as much." She could barely say the words through her laughter.

I bowed my head, chuckling too, still mostly out of embarrassment, but it was nice to laugh.

"Robb mentioned you wanted to avoid having a child," she explained after a few moments.

I nodded, "I can't imagine bringing a child into this."

Catelyn's expression grew more serious. "No, I suspect not, but when you are in war, you must think about a succession plan."

I stared back at her. I was no longer embarrassed; instead, I was almost angry. Maybe it was selfish, but I refused to think about Robb dying.

"Your brother is prepared," Catelyn added.

"Yes, I'm sure his getting Sansa with child was entirely done to protect the succession plan of Plenair!" I shot back. "Robb has brothers. There is your plan."

"Ana, I am asking you to consider it. It is your duty as a wife."

My blood boiled underneath my skin, but I kept my mouth shut somehow until I could steel my emotions.

"I will consider it, and in the meantime, I will work to protect our succession plan in the best way that I know how."

"And what does that mean?" Catelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

She would not get her answer, however, as Robb walked into our tent. He looked around in surprise upon seeing Catelyn as though he questioned if he were in the right place. "Mother?"

"I was just leaving," she said, rising to her feet.

"What was that about?" Robb asked curiously.

"Our favorite topic," I returned. "You."

Robb smiled and leaned onto the bed to kiss me. "I hope only good things?"

"Of course," I answered, cupping his chin. His whiskers scratched against my palm when I pulled his face back to mine, leaning back as he climbed on top of me.

I lay in bed that night, thinking about what Catelyn had asked. Perhaps she was right, but the only thing replaying in my head was the vision of Robb, Grey Wind, and I sitting in the woods, utterly alone. That was not something I was willing to bring a child into, or be pregnant during. We would need to keep each other alive, and to do that, I would need to be as fit as possible and prepared to fight.

I hardly slept that night, imagining various scenarios of bringing up what I believed I should do with Robb. I kept anticipating different reactions, but as we got out of bed to say goodbye to Theon and Catelyn, I still hadn't identified the right way to say it.

"Be safe and remember our conversation," Catelyn said, hugging me tightly.

"I will. We will see you soon." Next, I walked towards Theon, who appeared to be exchanging jokes with my brother.

Theon stood tall, proud, but his eyes darted quickly from place to place, betraying his anxiety. He seemed to relax just a moment when I stepped towards him.

"Be careful. We can't lose you to the ocean," I teased.

Theon smirked, "No ocean will swallow me. Now, perhaps if the captain has a daughter, she could—"

"—Just come back, Theon. They may be blood, but we're your family," I interrupted, unwilling to have our possible last conversation filled with innuendo.

"I promised you that I would come back to you within a month. Do you not trust me?" he asked.

I nodded but couldn't get the words out as he hugged me tightly.

"I promise," he added, kissing me on the cheek and looking me square in the eye. "I will come back to you soon. With enough ships to take over King's Landing."

I nodded again with a small chuckle. "We'll see you soon."

"You will," he promised, giving me one last long look.

Willem and I watched at a distance as our friend went to Robb.

"Interesting," Will commented in a knowing tone.

I cast a gaze towards the heavens. The way he said a single word could somehow irritate me, and yet, I could never just leave it alone. "What is?"

"He never once said "we", just "you". I am completely insulted!"

"Perhaps you should go inform him."

"No, he will have to apologize when he comes back."

"Theon is not much for apologizing," I returned. My chest tightened at the dark thoughts in my head that wanted to tell Will he may be waiting a long time for that apology, but that was soon replaced as I did think about what Willem had just said. Even the night prior, Theon had only said "you."

As the two parties split off, Robb began to send orders to his men for final preparations before we moved to our next part of the Riverlands. There was a small force some distance to the east, and we wanted to be sure we were in prime position before long.

"Your mother and one of your elite guards gone in one day," Willem teased Robb.

My husband nodded, his smile soft, "It is a hard day. I suppose I will need to replace Theon."

"Should be easy enough. He has trained Ana well. Why not let her fight?"

I couldn't hide the surprise in my expression when I turned to my brother. We had always had a way with silent communication, but this was well beyond our usual understanding. He was saying exactly what I wanted to all of the night before.

Robb's eyes turned a deeper shade of blue as his lips turned into a slight frown. "It's dangerous."

"That bear woman fights. Ana is every bit as good as her. We'd just need to put her in the right place."

"A warm, safe, highly towered castle?" Robb suggested, his blue eyes giving a warning.

"Or with the archers?" Will returned, not backing down.

Robb cast a look towards me, worry etched onto his face. "Are you mad? That's dangerous!"

"Fine, how about she fight with me?"

"That I like even less!"

"Robb, you lost one of the best archers in Westeros. You might as well replace him with someone equally as good. I will stay with her the whole time. We can try her there."

"Just a test," I spoke up finally.

"Ana, we have talked about this," Robb said, taking a step towards me.

I knew Robb did not want to fight after just seeing two of the people closest to him walk away. For a moment I felt guilty that Will and I were taking advantage of the momentary hesitation, but only for a moment, replying, "And I have told you what I think will happen to us. I need to prepare myself, Robb, and you have to let me."

Conflict was brewing inside of him. He hated when I looked up at him with big, round, brown eyes, and he knew what I was saying was likely to happen. And yet, I understood how scared he was for me.

"You know, I die a little too every time you go fight," I stated softly.

A sigh escaped Robb's mouth. He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up further. "This isn't a game."

"No, no it is not. I do not want to go because I want to play at swords, Robb. I want to go because I need to make a difference. I need to prepare us as best we can, and I love you. I want to help protect you. Everyone fights because they care about you, trust you. Why should I be any different?"

Robb turned away from me for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest, but I knew it was only because he could feel himself being defeated. He was not used to that feeling.

"Do you want me to go?" I asked.

"No…I want you to stay."

"As long as you want," I replied, stepping next to him.

Robb smiled sadly and kissed my forehead before wrapping his arm around me. "Forever then."

Be on the lookout for the next part of Robb and Ana's story: Amongst Lions, Stags and Dragons.