Welp I think we can all agree that this late post is completely Targets fault. I mean why do they have to make a better version of walmart? No one needs that. I already spent to much time in that hell hole and then this?!
Anyway, the actual reason I was late on this is that I was trying to get my other fanfic in order with Harry Potter. Jesus, I've been having problems with follows and favorites and reviews on that bitch. Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Fifteen: We're All in Pain
I had been sick once in the time that I had grown up. Usually the dewy airs and chill winds that rolled off the Trident caught most of my siblings, sending them under into fits of fevers and vomiting. But Corlin and I had remained untouched, unsympathetic to our sisters and brothers whimperings. Children who rarely get sick also rarely feel the same sort of empathy when it comes to something so unfamiliar.
Growing up, I had been under the impression that it was good breeding. My brother and I weren't bastard children or cousins wed out of obligation. Our mother was of good birth and breeding and our father was young when we were babes.
Now however something more insidious slithered in the back of my mind, pointing an accusatory finger at the shadow that always seemed to creep behind our mother. Was it really just breeding? Or was it something more?
Whether it was a luckier lot in life or a deal with a snake that kept our health, I was grateful.
And completely ill-equipped to wake from the fever dream that had overtaken me.
"Hold her hair." I gagged over the most expensive pot I had ever seen. Wolves were dancing on the side, carved into the pure silver. Phlegm and dry air met the bottom of the pot, steaming the inside and sending a foul updraft to my nose. Lovely.
Blindly, I reached out, grasping onto the strong wrist of the man holding my hair gently away from my face. That same hand gave a reassuring squeeze as my nails bit into the soft skin at his wrist. Alive, my blood sang. I was alive. And with that realization came another greater one: I was in debt. If there was anything that I had learned it was that debt could hang a woman and this was the debt of death. Anxiety hit at my throat, making it hard to breathe.
"If I had known that this is how she would greet me then I wouldn't have come." I nearly groaned at the arrogant lilt, catching sight of a pair of shiny leather boots and clean breaches as I spat.
"Shut your trap or get out, Theon." I blinked away some of the tears that had dribbled free, a few landing with loud splats against the pot. Robb. That was my Robb.
"Ew. She just spit on my shoe." A part of me had aimed for that sliver of perfectly polished leather in my weakened haze. God, I hated this arrogant prick.
"Get. Out." Ah, there was Robb again, his voice laced with such malice that I actually smiled. The hand combing through the shaggy tresses of my head stilled, another one coming to tilt my head upward. I blinked away some of the reflexive tears, staring up into the ruggedly handsome face of the wolf of the north.
"Back from the dead," Theon whispered from his place at the front of the tent. Grey Wind gave a rabid growl, his fur standing on edge as Robb echoed him.
"If you don't leave this tent right now, I will drag you out myself." His eyes never left mine, the softness there belying the fact that his words were barely leashed. A gust of wind tickled my nose as Theon quietly left.
And then there was silence. My breath whispered from me, filling the air between us. I felt gross and sweaty and surely smelt just as disgusting. Yet Robb's eyes stayed rapt my face, his hands still combing through the mat of my hair. There was something there in his eyes that made me pause, taking stock of all the things about myself that I had thought I knew. I was a mess - but somehow he was looking at me with… I paused, glancing down at the sweaty, rumpled sheets all around me.
He couldn't be looking at me like that. I glanced back up, catching the wonder in those crystal eyes of his, the way his head tilted as if he was trying to catch every detail of my face. It was too much. It was a lie. He was looking at me like I was so much more than I really was. And that was a sort of cruelty in its own right.
"Don't look at me like that," I finally whispered, tearing my gaze away from his once more to stare into the flickering flames all around me. The logs crackled softly from their perches all around me. They had created little bonfires at every corner of my bed.
"I thought you were dead," Robb breathed, his voice so raw that my eyes snapped back to him. I didn't think that he had heard me. There was weakness in his face - such vulnerability that I caught my breath. Slowly, he brought one of my hands to his lips, his eyes closing for a moment as I felt the soft touch of his lips and his stubble.
An odd fluttering filled my chest, making it hard to breathe. This man was an enigma and I was afraid that I was growing to like him. Gently, I tried to extract my hand only to get those striking eyes glaring up at me, his lips still running along the expanse of my knuckles.
"Is it too much to ask that I revel in you for a moment, my darling, wild thing?" My heart leapt, something like surprise and joy making it hard to breathe. His sweet words made my head roll. Oh, you silly girl. How pathetic can you be?
"I - For - for a moment, I think I was," I forced out, speaking the truth before I could even think about it. The words tumbled from me as he turned my hand over, kissing softly along my palm. "Dead, I mean." My mind ran blank. "I missed you."
Why did I say that? Heat burned at my face, making me look away from him as he gently set my hand down, those striking eyes now fully focused on me. Had it been so long that I had forgotten how arresting he was?
"You don't have to lie for my sake, Willa," he murmured, those grey eyes luminous as sadness flickered like a bolt of lightning through them. It made my heart hurt.
"I'm not." It was the truth. He was a giant in my darkness - like a wall that I kept running into. His eyes softened to warm skies and gentle rivers - rivers that I wanted to sink into and for a moment we sat like that simply staring at each other. And there was no fluttering, no quickening - only… contentment.
Was that what love was? Not the heat and fire… but the silent moment? The gentle waves that allowed you to float instead of tread? Perhaps that was it because in this moment all I saw was him and the world was finally silent. There was nothing but the strong tilt of his jaw and those disheveled curls that were endearing and wild all at once. There was nothing but that strong jaw and those eyes that held some many battlefields. And I was finally there with him, still in all the chaos.
I blinked, all at once the night and all our problems rushing back in so quickly that I gasped.
That was - I reeled back, startled. What had that been? My mind scrambled at something to do to get away from those eyes. Shakily, I tried to straighten, my muscles aching even though I had been lain out for the last couple of days. Robb watched me struggle with unreadable eyes.
"When do we move?"
The question seemed to catch him off guard, his eyes darting toward the flap of the tent and then quickly back to meet mine. With that one question, I had effectively shifted the mood. For a moment, we battled silently against each other, each of us tugging at information. There was certainly little to no chance that we had found a cozy little village to bed down in. The Vale was hostile to all wanderers, king or kettle maker and the men and women that took root in the surrounding hills and mountains were as harsh as their lands.
"We have two days before we must pack and leave." He said it as if he were ashamed. As if he were waiting for me to lash out and scream at him, asking him why he would endanger my life with such a hard journey so quickly.
"You made the right decision to move so soon," I whispered, my hand reaching out to run along the hard line of his jaw, the stubble there tickling. "You would have risked more lives than mine if we stayed for more than a night or two." His eyes didn't soften, the regret darkening the blue. I forced a weak smile. "You gave me as much time as you could."
Desperately, Robb's eyes searched mine, looking for something that I didn't entirely understand. "This journey may yet kill you."
"I've already been to those lands," I whispered in return. "The woman there isn't all that interested in my soul." My thoughts turned to a different kind of woman - one that sat on a throne above the clouds. One who was mortal and dangerous in her own way. My eyes turned to my husband, catching his.
"Do I have anything to fear from Lysa Arryn?"
The hesitation that crossed his face was enough of an answer.
"I am king of the North and you are my queen," he started slowly.
"I've heard that she is mad," I cut in bluntly, keeping his eyes.
Words seemed to form at the tip of his tongue eventually evaporating in a strangled groan. His eyes were stormy as they moved to the front of the tent once more.
"Listen very carefully, darling Willa," he finally said, his voice soft as he leaned closer. "Lysa is pledged to no one. She's closer to a bird of prey than a human at this point and her interests are liquid. However...there's something to be said of her loyalty to blood. My mother believes that she'll stay with her family's interests - if only to allow us to stay for a time and then leave."
"Does she have an interest in the crown?" It was a fair enough question. Perhaps one of the reasons that Ned Stark had lost his head was as simple as not realizing that everyone would kill for a cut of the throne. Even those we trusted the most.
"No," he answered bluntly, his eyes narrowing. "But there's someone who does currently under her roof."
"Petyr Baelish," I breathed, a muddle of stories running through my head quickly.
"I take it you've heard of him." A mocking smile curled his lips. "His interests are up to the weather. Which is a distinct danger in itself when paired with my aunts particular affections for him…" His eyes grew stormy as he stared down at me. "It's a different battlefield in the Vale, darling. One that has more to do with silver tongues than swords."
"Then perhaps I might be able to help you," I murmured, taking in the hard set of his shoulders. Robb was a warrior. My set of skills lay closer to the home - hopefully they would translate well to the world of politics. Somehow I thought that I had had more experience with my siblings than most young ladies would have. It gave me a bit of hope.
"Whatever the outcome, Willa," he finally started. "I'll make sure that you're safe."
Something inside of my heart melted at his words. My hands reached out to his cheek once more, the stubble there ticking my fingers. "We're in this together now, husband. For better or worse, we're tied together. If anyone, you'll be able to come to me. I'll never turn against you. Never."
His eyes softened to warm silver, his hands reaching out to cup the back of my neck and draw me forward so that our foreheads gently kissed. For any of my fears, Robb was the only one that I could trust. I wasn't in the Twins anymore and I knew no one - had no ties to anyone outside of this man. I would trust him with my life. For better or worse.
A little bit of light twinkled in the depths of his irises, his lips pressing softly to my cheek before he was pulling away.
"You should rest," Robb whispered.
"Haven't I been resting for a while now?" I didn't want to sleep anymore. I didn't want to fall into that hot darkness again. Frowning, I shuffled around some of the furs on top of me.
"Fighting for your life is more the terms that I would use." Strong hands grasped my forearms, stilling my squirming. Deep lines of concern marred Robbs brow as he frowned down at me. "Rest."
He gave me one final frown before rising from his perch on my bed.
"If you would be so kind, my king," I called to his retreating back. Slowly he turned, indulging me. "I'll only need one day to recover."
"My men will think you're some type of corpse rising from the dirt," Robb said dryly, not seeming at all surprised at my polite request to leave in a days time.
"Good." Primly, I picked at my blankets. "Then so many of them won't try to kill me."
"You may be right, wife," he drawled, brushing aside the tent flap. "It would be a shame to have so many good men die from such simple stupidity."
And with that he was gone, the heavy canvas falling behind him like a wall.
The real question was who would they have died from? My husband or me? For once in my life, I wasn't sure.
My hands flexed, my mind drifting as that question hung inside like a burning flame in the middle of an ocean. I had powers - unnatural powers. Powers that made me a target for things that weren't of this realm. Could I..?
I flicked my wrist, sweat dripping down my throat as a vine whipped from beneath the fur rugs just at the edge of my bed. Stay, I pleaded, my muscles burning as I gasped for a bit more air. My lungs were on fire but I could see it - it was there. I wasn't crazy. It trashed on the ground, knock over a chair and then smashing into it again in a fit of blind rage. It was as frazzled as I was - I realized, strength slowing draining from me.
I was tired. My body was covered in sweat, slowly turning my tunic into a clear mess that stuck to my body. A burning started somewhere in my chest, making me gasp out a low whimper as my hand finally gave out, the poor vine twitching where it lay. Desperately, I tried to hold on to that tether of power that I could feel like a second spine even as darkness seeped into my vision.
I needed to control this. I needed- I gagged, swallowing down whatever bit was left in my stomach as I slumped back into my pillows. On the ground, I could hear the dying struggle of that one, lonely vine that I had summoned and somehow that was as agonizing as watching my own mother's death.
A cackle like the sounds of broken glass and bow strings itched through my ears before the darkness came - a promise that I was terrified to acknowledge.
The next days passed by in a tepid sort of haze. I was scared to summon anything else - fearful of Chaos and her mockery and also of how it would sap the energy from my already decrepid form. When I had awoken that first day, it was to the wondering murmurs of a maid as she cleaned up the trashed remains of my room. I never entirely knew what they made of the whole scene but the heated looks that I caught Robb giving me were enough to make me cautious of using them until I was sure to be alone.
As for my injuries…
"They're healed." Skipperth's eyes had narrowed as she had poked at the skin the day after I had awoken."You're bone was infected, your grace…"
I had seen the suspicion in her eyes then, her lips a thin line.
"Did anyone give you anything?" How was I supposed to respond to that? She was obviously fishing for some sort of response. It was too bad that I had to many secrets to give her anything.
I forced a smile to my lips. "Given the fact that I wasn't conscious for much of my sickness, I would say that you need to perhaps ask someone by my bedside. Perhaps my husband?"
The look on her face could have rotted all the flowers in King's Landing. Not such a big fan of Robb, it appeared. And given that look in her eyes, I was going to be sitting right beside him on that list.
I watched her closely as she inspected the tent and then my covers and body one more time. Was she looking for a vial clearly marked "elixir of life?" She would need to go ask Chaos for that. After a few more sharp questions about my pain level and some rather pointed attempts to get me to divulge my death defying serum, she was packing up her tools and limping her way out of the tent.
I couldn't entirely say that I was sorry to see her leave.
Robb was so busy rearranging our party and utilizing the men that we did have that I barely saw him. Still, when I forced myself up and out of bed to take a stilted march around camp, I felt his gaze on my back. He always seemed to have the strangest expression. I could never pin it down.
Catelyn was my near constant companion once I woke. She brought me my food and worried over me when I decided to finally rise from my bed. And she told me about how much Robb had stayed beside me. Perhaps she was simply trying to build some sort of bridge between the two of us. Perhaps there was another reason altogether that I wasn't entirely aware of.
Whatever the reason… I felt changed in some way. When I was near him, my eyes wandered to run along the strong expanse of his shoulders. Or take in the auburn glint of his curls in the evening light. I enjoyed knowing he was near, I began to realize. It was almost startling. Had I ever really felt that before?
The packing and final start to our journey was just as arduous. Though much diminished, our party seemed to be in almost the same formation to me. More guards were stationed around me along with a rather unhappy Theon who looked slightly offended that he was guarding me instead of his dear, sweet Robb.
Catelyn was situated in a small party just ahead of mine, her eyes always searching me out. Separating us was probably a better idea for the simple fact that the guards were more evenly dispersed.
It allowed my mind to wander to deeper, darker areas - areas where a force of nature crumbled into human skin held court. Caution colored every breath that I took. The bit of life that she had given me felt almost tethered and I was almost tentative to test the limits of it. Namely these abilities that she said my bloodline possessed.
"Your grace!" My eyes snapped from the worn path that the horses were treading upon. We had reached the mountain area, each path steep and narrow. Here the guards filed to the front of back of me, allowing for just enough room for the kings messenger to wheel his horse around to trot beside me.
"A message from the king?" I inquired mildly, leaning to the side a bit to catch my husbands auburn curls at the front of the party. He was so far ahead that he was already cresting the side of the ridge. Theon grunted from his place just in front of me. He had been in a silent tantrum since the start of our journey.
"Just an inquiry on your health, your grace." He was a young, crawny lad with a plume in his cap and a long nose. His outfit wasn't very armoured aside from the vest and arm padding. In other words, if we were to be attacked once more than there would be little to stop an arrow or cold steel from piercing straight through him.
"I'm doing splendid, if he cared to know," Theon snipped, his face shrewd as he turned fully around in his saddle.
"Yes, do tell my husband that his man child is doing splendid back here with all the destitute," I sighed, rolling my eyes at Theon's scandalized expression. "I'm sure in a moment or two he'll be amusing himself with a game of patty cake or perhaps stop for a glass of milk to cure his achy tummy."
"I absolutely despise you," Theon seethed, turning his back on me. In the short time that I had had the pleasure of knowing Theon Greyjoy, I had learned rather quickly that there was a delicate balance to his moods. Although, his tantrums were mildly amusing they were just that. I couldn't sense any sort of ill-will actually directed at me.
The messenger looked completely assaulted, his eyes moving nervously from myself to Theon.
"Tell the Wolf of the North, that my rump hurts and my ribs are killing me," I finally sighed, sensing his hesitation on bringing such attitude back to his king. I flashed him a bland smile. "And would you also be so kind as to inquire on his health since that is apparently the game that we're playing now?"
The young messenger didn't look at all amused by my antics but he nodded none-the-less and kicked his horse forward. My eyes followed him as he skirted around the party, wondering if I imagined the terrified tilt of his shoulders as he got dangerously near sliding down the side of the mountain.
The wind was crisp and bitter as it whipped off of the side of the rocky path and I turned my head, finally looking back on the path that we had ascended. Below the hardened surface of the mountain was slowly gobbled up by the forest's edge, the grass there a vivid green. We had reached a point that I could fully see the expanse of land below. For once, I understood why the men and women of the mountains ran wild. From here, colors popped in the depths of the forest. Meadow flowers burst forth in a shout of color against the dense, darkness of green.
A field of violent blue caught my eyes in the distance and I thought briefly of an old tale that my mother had whispered to me. A tale about a hidden love that blossomed from a flower into the first burst of blood. It was about a boy that gave the bluest of flowers to a woman who he had wanted since he was a boy.
On the night that they first kissed, the land burst into bloom with the reddest of flowers. The north and south were eaten up with that red and for a moment there love stopped time. For a moment, no one dared to moved.
And when they finally pulled apart all the world was bathed in that awful redness.
From there love, the world started anew in blood.
"Your Grace." I blinked, realizing suddenly that my horse had slowed and finally stopped, leaving an increasing gap between myself and the rest. Behind me, my guards shifted uneasily, their eyes critical as they looked me over.
"My apologies." Turning swiftly, I nudged my horse back into a cantor, catching up the rest of the group. My little carthorse gave a huff as he met the unforgiving twist of the road. A massive beast, he was bulky and ill-equipped for the uneven ground we were getting further and further into.
Sighing, I reached out a tentative hand and ruffled his massive mane of ebony. When they had first brought me to him, I had taken a step back at his simple size. He was massive - a beast better equipped to haul cargo from the ships than carry around a silly, little girl like me. Robb's eyes had caught on mine, a small smirk teasing his lips as he tightened his own saddle. There had been a daring glint there, a well-hidden laugh just under that little twist of his mouth.
It infuriated me and embarrassed me all at once.
He knew. I knew he knew that I had trepidations about riding a small thing like my previous mount. But this juggernaut was terrifying.
The carthorse had given a rough huff, sending my curls blasting away from my face as I walked unsteadily around him. His eyes watched me as well, going over my face in a way that made me think that he was very, very unimpressed. And that alone made me feel smaller still.
"We call him Pie." I stared at the barrel of a man who had waddled up to me, his hands tucked into the pockets of his tunic. Pie wasn't the name that I would have chosen. Perhaps… Destroyer or Dragon Eater. Possibly even Big Scary Horse with Giant Teeth - Scary for short. Catching my speculative gaze, the gruff man gave a grin. "He smashed in the head of a couple of those bastards who ambushed us. Looked like we were trying to make a nice cherry pie."
Ah. That made sense. My stomach turned as I stared down at the glistening hooves beneath impressively powerful legs. Yes, I could see how those ruined someone's body. He looked like he could smash down a whole house with those things.
I shivered as I stared down at Pie's corded neck, his whole body a chunk of muscle. And they had thought it best to put me on him. If anything, he should be up front guarding my husband.
"Your grace." I blinked, glancing away from the beast I'm currently perched atop. We had made our way slowly but surely across the first of a series of mountain passes, making our way into the depths of the Vale. We would be there in no less than a days time and my husband fully intended to ride it out.
"Is there trouble?" I inquired, noting the messengers frazzled gaze. He really was a young lad, his voice barely cracking with adolescence.
"No, my lady. His grace just wishes to receive news of your health." I blinked.
"Pardon…" I started slowly, noting the rising color in the poor messenger's face. "However, weren't you just here a moment ago inquiring the same thing?"
"I…" He floundered, his face going scarlet before he finished lamely. "Yes."
My head snapped forward, catching my husbands furtive gaze, his head turned fully to glare down from his impressive distance ahead. It almost seemed… like he cared if I was comfortable or not. My lips thinned, confusion narrowing my eyes. Or he was trying to irritate me. From this distance, I could barely make out the way his eyes scanned over me, taking in the weary slump of my shoulders.
Or maybe… I didn't glance away from the imposing figure as I slowly rolled the idea around. "Tell him I'm in agony. My spine is on fire and I feel like I might throw up."
These were all in fact true. Although Chaos had given me my life, she hadn't actually taken away the injuries I had sustained. My ribs were still a yellowish-green that made even Skipperth to wince. But nothing was broken and I could draw in a breath without feeling like I was fighting a tug of war with my lungs.
I kept my eyes on the messenger as he kicked at his horse flank, sending him skittering back up the ever winding path to the king, letting Pie do all of the work. He was a smart horse and didn't particularly like it when I tugged on his reigns. If anything, he responded more to me actually telling him what I wanted, tapping his neck in whichever direction I needed.
"Are you really in some sort of pain, lassie?" I glanced around to see that one of the burlier soldiers had perked up, his eyes worried as they ran over me. That was surprising. Most of Robb's soldiers had shied away from me when I had emerged from my fever. On my first walk I had stumbled upon a small grave that had even been dug out in a meadow just a walk away. Caitlyn had tried to tug me from it, her face twisted into one of agony and pity. Pity for me, I had realized. Pity for the grave that they had dug out to place me in when they couldn't wait on me to heal.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, turning fully to face the soldier that had spoken to me.
"We're all in a bit of pain, Brodin," I mused, taking in the open discomfort on everyone's face, the worn tilt to their shoulders. Food hadn't been hard to come by but sleep had been. In the night, shadows turned into monsters. "My discomfort is of no difference than anyone else's."
A knowing smile tilted his lips, the skin around his eyes crinkling as they turned to just over my shoulder. "I donna think the king agrees, mah lady."
My brows furrowed, trying to work around whether he was mocking me or… I turned slowly, the scuttle of rocks and hooves breaking the crisp silence of the mountain. Ahead of me, Theon had straightened, a frown marring his face as he whipped around to glare at me.
"Oh, you've done it now," he snipped, turning swiftly back around to face the group of men that were making their way carefully but swiftly down the small path that the messenger had taken.
At there lead was Robb, a deep scowl darkening his face, his auburn curls whipping in the brisk air as he reigned in his horse. A few of his advisors followed behind him, curiosity evident in their quirked brows.
"You are unwell, my lady?" He was out of breath, a few strands of hair falling into his eyes as he wheeled his horse around to keep step beside me. I glanced forward, my cheeks heating as I realized exactly how much of a spectacle we were making. Almost everyone ahead was stealing glances at us even as the party continued forward. "Irrello says that you've been feeling sick."
"Robb, really…" I started to whisper, tapping Pie's flank so that he could sidle up to Robb's mount. The two horses eyed each other wearily, knickering as they sized each other up. His horse was leaner than mine, made for speed and agility with longer legs, bringing him to almost Pies' height. "What in the world do you think you're doing?"
Robb's brows furrowed in confusion, those blue eyes flicking around quickly before he was turning back to me. "I was told you were unwell," he said.
"I'm not," I snapped, feeling an uncomfortable itch starting at the back of my neck. The truth was that I didn't feel all that great. My ribs had long since gone numb, every jostle tipping my level of pain up a notch until my whole body sang. My muscles burned from gripping Pie's flank so tightly and my head spun weakly from the lack of water and food I had had from my days of unconsciousness. I still couldn't stomach a full meal and this journey was taking a massive toll on me.
"You're lying," he bit out, looking unreasonably irritated by that fact. His hands reached out impatiently, tugging at my waist.
"What in the seven are you doing, Robb?" I hissed, slapping at his wrists as he readjusted and got a better hold on my hips.
"I should have just had you ridden with me from the start," he growled and I squealed as he yanked me off of Pie and onto his lap. His eyes blazed down at me as I wobbled, trying to get my balance on the new mount. "But you're stubborn and I knew you wouldn't come."
"You are damn right I wouldn't," I snarled, glaring up at him as I tried to wiggle my way off. Pie was stomping his hooves, looking more and more irritated that I had been pulled from him as a few of Robb's advisors tried to calm him. "You're insane if you think it is proper for a bride to ride at the front with her-"
"Damn the rules." His teeth flashed threateningly as he stared down at me, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He was mad. The icy depths of his eyes swirled darkly. "You will stay with me until the end of this journey." I opened my mouth, drawing in a breath to protest but his hand tightened on my waist. "This is final, Willa."
I could feel the corded muscles in his arms tightening and rolling as he wheeled his mount, kicking her into starting the long trek to the front once more. Behind me, Pie gave an indignant bay and I turned to catch a glimpse of my terrifying mount as he tossed his head, his eyes furious.
"Bring him with us!" Robb shouted back, sending an irritated glance back to his advisors. "He'll only get worse if he's not with Willa. She has that effect." He whispered that last part as if to himself, glaring down at me as if it were my fault. A few of the men we passed covered their chuckles with a dry laugh.
"You're insufferable," I spluttered out, huffily adjusting my skirts so that I could sit more comfortably on his mount. Unlike men, women took a significant amount of time to get ready to ride. We had a lot more to deal with in the area of clothes and it took a lot of time to make sure that our petticoats weren't showing.
"Are you agitated, darling?" he drawled, clearing undisturbed by my irritation. "Then I suppose my work is done."
I growled softly, choosing to stare moodily ahead than to answer him. He would only make me more frustrated anyway - it was his way with me. I would ignore him, I decided. That was the only way to handle this - the only -
His hand tightened on my waist as his horse went over a particularly rocky part of the path. How was I supposed to ignore him when he was so… present? Heat prickled my neck as I felt the warmth radiating off of him. His unique smell was all too intoxicating and it made a weird fluttering start in my stomach. I could feel his every breath and as the horse rocked I realized that my rump was shoved back against him.
Discreetly, I tugged my dress over my knees, inching forward on the saddle until there was a decent amount of space between us. My jaw set as I realized that this would be the most agonizing ride she had ever gone on. I winced as my back straightened, trying to draw out the distance even more.
"Your grace-" I started, trying to reason with him as I caught a few glances from the soldiers we were passing.
"You'll have your independence when you're well, wife," Robb snapped, grunting as he tugged me back into the warmth of his chest. His hand spanned my stomach as he kept me there, nudging his nose against mine in a way that made my heart beat too quickly. "For now, rest."
"But I-" I started again, trying to fight against the warm expanse of his chest against my back and the way that he made me feel safe and cared for.
"Rest." With that, he nudged my head down onto his shoulder, one hand gripping her waist securely while the other held the reigns in a confident grip. It sounded like an order and although he infuriated her, she found herself obeying him. Why was that?
You guys probably already know how much I love reviews but I always like to restate it as kind of like a plea. Kind of a like a drug addict looking for his next fix of coffee. That's what they sell right? Coffee? That's just what I always assume - exotic coffee that Target's not ready to put out in the market yet. Those cheap bastards.