"Before his death," Eva said, pouring a glass of wine, "your father had arranged to assassinate Daenerys Targaryen." She took a sip of her wine, and I shifted Ned on my lap. "She was with child," the woman said.

"Have you reached your friends?" I asked. "Not yet," she responded. I sighed. "Pity. It would be most convenient." Eva laughed. "Not everything can go your way, Annablyth." I shrugged, as if quietly opposing her, and shifted Ned again. "Excuse me, Eva, but I have to go play with Ned. He grows restless," Eva nodded and waved me away with a hand.

I hoisted the boy onto my hip and walked to his bedroom. I picked up a small toy, and then carried him to my personal office. Ned played happily on the warm rug, and I started on a ledger.

I treasured these spare moments, when everything seemed at peace. Of course, those moments always ended fast enough. There was a knock on the door. "Come in," I called out. The door swung open. The girl there, only nine or ten, curtsied deeply. "Your Grace, Maester Luwin told me to give you this immediately." I stood up and took the letter and ripped it open.

/My queen,

As I'm sure you have heard of our wonderful victory at the Oxcross. It lifted up the spirits of my men, but alas, they are tired and battle worn. There is a war to be won, still.

I hope that you are adjusting to being Queen. I always knew that you'd be a great ruler, kind and just. How is Eddard? I hope that the war is over soon, if only to see him.

Annablyth, my love, there is something I must ask. You told me yourself that you know how to play the game, and that you could hep me strategize. So I ask you, beg of you, to join me on the battlefield.

You would only bring a small party, perhaps take on a disguise, and ride fast to where we are seated at the moment. Please do not bring Ned, no matter how much I wish to see him. I couldn't risk him as well, I don't even want to risk you; but I need that head ontop of your shoulders.

Robb/

The teardrop hit the paper on the word 'Ned', but I still laughed. I would see Robb. Then I looked to Ned. "I need to make arrangements," I said outloud. I would need to put more responsibility on Maester Luwin and Bran, but I would do anything I could to secure Robb's life.

I first started to plan the wedding of Lady Hornwood and Rodrik Cassel. They would marry a few days after I left, and then head to their new home with their new ward, Beren Tallhart, and Beth in tow.

I also left with a detailed set of instructions for Eva, most of them having to do with setting up our network. Robb may believe that being a queen was just about being just, fair, and kind, but it was more than that. My mother on the most part failed at doing this. You need to know what is going on.

As a young girl, I would follow Varys around secretly. I would watch him sneak around and talk to skittish maids and tired guards. What I didn't realize was that Varys knew every time I followed him, and he decided to take me under his wing. He knew that I knew how to keep a secret, and started to show me the extents of his web of whispers. It was almost like he was grooming me to be the perfect queen.

Eva was a trusted associate of Varys after I made her my handmaiden, and would whisper secrets to me while she undid my plait after a long day. That is why I put her in charge of my own web. She would get in contact with some of her 'girls' in King's Landing, and they would send regular letters telling of the happenings of the castle.

I went to Maester Luwin and handed over all my papers and ledgers, and then I started to pack. It was silly, but I was overly excited to actually wear a summer dress again.

I then said my goodbyes to Bran and Rickon, and assigned Lorena to be the main caretaker of Ned. I woke up early on the day of departure, and took a bath with little Ned.

Afterwards, I put on one of my riding dresses, a dark green one, and saddled up Elm. The goodbyes were said the previous night, but I made sure to hold Ned for a while, soaking in his warmth and imprinting his face onto my mind.

I had a small charcoal drawing of Ned and I to show Robb. The little serving girl told me she could draw, and I told her to draw Ned and I. The result was beautiful, perfectly capturing our features.

I handed Ned to Lorena, and then, with four guards to protect me, we set off.

The ride was quiet, other than the constant patter of hooves. We rode fast and hard, and I started to feel blisters being formed on my thighs. It would be a long ride.

• • •

We could hear the camp before we could see it.

The clinking of swords and yells told us that we were near. I immediately sped up Elm, and we reached it by nightfall.

It had been a painful seven days, but it was all worth it. I jumped off Elm, and handed the reigns to a horse boy. People bowed, and it took everything in me to not sprint pass them to Robb's tent.

I walked fast, and with purpose, and soon I reached the large tent. I opened it, and almost broke down right there. Robb wasn't facing me, instead looking at a table filled with little figurines.

"Robb," I breathed. He turned, his face originally annoyed, but then his mouth twisted into a wide smile. I ran to him, crashing into him with a hug. I pulled back and kissed him. He pulled back. "Annablyth," I kissed him again.

"I missed you so much," I whispered, tears in my eyes. "I did too, Anna." I hugged him, tightly.

He called for a bath, and we washed off the dirt from the travels together. I laughed as he kissed my shoulders, and I realized that I really did miss him.

I showed him the picture of Ned and I, and he kissed me with so much passion that I led him to the bed.

Afterwards, laying next to each other, our limbs tangled together, I whispered to his sleeping form, "Robb Stark, I love you,"

• • •

Robb's POV

Annablyth.

She was here, alive and well.

I loved the way her body seemed to radiate heat, warming the tent in the cold of night. I fiddled with the picture of Ned. He looked like me, but his face was long like my father's. He had a Baratheon jawline, strong and sharp. I knew that he would be a handsome lad when he grew up.

I slowly removed Anna's arm from me, and pulled on a pair of breeches. Sighing, I looked again at the battlefield.

After a few moments, I felt arms wrap around my chest. "We need to retreat," she whispers. I turn to her, my eyes meeting her beautiful green ones. "What are you talking about? I am winning every battle," Annablyth looks sad when she says, "But you are losing the war."

I want to say something, to defend myself, but I am shocked by the revelation. Annablyth puts on a silk grey robe and moves to the other side of the board. "You don't have any Kraken pieces," she notes. She picks up a lion one, and fondles it. "Why? The Ironborn are no threat,"

Anna gives me that sad look again. "But they are. They are raiding the Stony Shore. Balon Greyjoy assembles a large host at Pyke, and it is known that his daughter Asha is preparing to capture Deepwood Motte,"

"How do you know this?" I ask as she puts the lion back. "I wasn't even informed. She shrugged, "I hear whispers," I rubbed my temples.

She rushes forward and takes my hands. "Please Robb, I beg of you. Turn around your army and defend the land you claimed. You can't be a King without a Kingdom." She drops her voice to a whisper, "Do it for me, do it for Ned,"

I let go of her hands. "The second that my lords are comfortable in their holdfasts, they won't want to stir ever again. They will want to stock up and tuck in for Winter." Annablyth looked desperate. "Winter is coming Robb, wether you like it or not."