The Strayed Son

"We're here," Robb said to Melantha, pointing at the castle ahead of them. They had finally made it to Riverrun, early in the morning too, which meant he would have the full day ahead of him. Melantha was riding on his horse with him, and had named the mare Emerald, which she had insisted on after he had rejected half a hundred other names. Despite it having been raining, she had insisted that she wanted to ride on a horse, and seemed quite happy about it despite them being cold and wet and miserable. "We finally made it."

"Riverrun?" She asked, excitedly. "We're at Riverrun?"

"We are," he confirmed with a nod. Riverrun was quite the distinct castle with its red sandstone walls, and triangular shape. They were approaching from the south side, and the drawbridge was down, meaning they would be able to ride into the castle with ease.

Those who had been riding at the head of the column had already begun establishing a camp around the castle, setting up tents and defenses, since the castle was much too small to house the entirety of his host. Some cheered as he rode through, and others were kneeling or bowing, and perhaps if the circumstances were different he might have dismounted and spoken with them, but he had matters to attend to inside the castle. He and Melantha rode through the lowered drawbridge, surrounded by several of Robb's highborn companions and guards.

Inside, he spotted several of his lords having already arrived, Lord Karstark and Lord Glover. Additionally, he spotted Ser Wendel Manderly, having returned from Bitterbridge with his mother, having been unsuccessful making an alliance with King Renly.

Jeyne's brother, Rollam, who had been serving as his squire, had already dismounted and helped Robb get Melantha down first, and then Robb himself followed, picking his daughter up to hold her as Rollam took Emerald the horse away. Grey Wind came to his side too, panting a little, and scaring at least some of the horses around.

"Grey Wind!" Melantha exclaimed, reaching her hand out to the wolf. Robb allowed her to get close enough to pet him, but didn't put her down. The last thing he needed now was Melantha making some mischief with the direwolf here in the yard with hundreds of horses.

The steward of Riverrun, Utherydes Wayn, came over to Robb. "Ser Edmure is waiting for your audience in the Great Hall."

"I'll see him once Jeyne and the children are here." Robb figured it was likely to be at least another hour before they were in the castle, but he wanted to make sure he was there with them when they finally arrived. "I also wish to have my mother there. I need to speak with her."

Utherydes nodded. "At once, your grace." The older man started walking towards the Great Keep.

Robb put Melantha up on his shoulders, and ordered Grey Wind to remain close to him. Rollam returned once he had finished with the horses, and he waited patiently for a while, occasionally playing with his daughter as he did.

Finally, Robb spotted Jeyne and her sister, Eleyna ride into the castle too. Behind the two was a baggage wagon that he knew could only be the one where his younger children were traveling in. While some grooms helped Robb's wife and good-sister dismount, Robb put Melantha down and went to get the other children.

Eddard and Theo seemed excited to see him, while Joanna was still sleeping in her wet nurse's arms. After Robb had assured the two boys that they really had arrived, he took them both out of the wagon, and held their hands as they seemed in awe at the castle, and he continued to hold them as they started towards the Great Hall.

When they entered, Robb noted that he was the last to arrive. All his lords and most of his companions who had been with him in the west had already arrived, and the only ones who hadn't were the ones who were entering with him now. Ser Raynald and Ser Rolph had already made their way to the hall despite him not even telling them too, and there were others who had come too. Ser Edmure was there, along with Ser Marq Piper, Patrek and Jason Mallister, Tytos Blackwood, Jonos Bracken, and others. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a cloaked woman who was heavy with child near Lord Bracken, and he thought to perhaps question her, but nobody seemed to act as though she was out of place. All who had been traveling were still wet from their travels.

His uncle was boasting of his victory at the Fords. About how he had beaten Lord Tywin back to prevent him from crossing the Red Fork, but went silent as the Greatjon was the first to notice his arrival. "The King in the North!" he cheered as Robb stepped in. "The King of the Trident!" some of the Riverlords answered in turn, while other Northerners took up the Greatjon's cheer.

Robb raised a hand to silence them. "Thank you, my lords," he said, stepping forward towards the dais. He brought his children with him, and Jeyne, Eleyna and Rollam all followed, while his companions dispersed amongst the crowd. From how Melantha, Eddard and Theo all stood behind him, clutching at his leg, he could tell they were nervous, so when they made it to the dais, he had them sit down on the bench. He turned to his Uncle Edmure. "Thank you, Ser, for your valar against Lord Tywin at the Fords," he began. "I heard you won a great victory there."

"Indeed," his uncle responded. "Small wonder Lord Tywin ran off to fight Stannis. He'd had his fill of northmen and rivermen both." Ser Edmure's words were met with laughter and approving shouts from those gathered.

Once again, Robb raised his hand to silence them. "The war isn't won," he reminded them. "Lord Tywin will march on us again. It is only a matter of time."

"And we will beat him again!" Ser Marq Piper said, wearing his blue and pink cloak.

The Greatjon roared with approval, and the rest of the shouting was loud enough that it made Robb impressed that Joanna was still sleeping. All three of his older children seemed quite uncomfortable, as he had often shielded them from these sorts of meetings. He felt hopeless to try and control them, when silence was brought once more, this time by a staff being banged on the floor.

Ser Desmond Grell, the captain of the guards, stepped forward with his mother. She wore a blue gown without any jewelry, while her hair was still a little wet from bathing, and she was doing her best to try and hide her grief. Robb watched her study the hall, looking at Robb, Ser Edmure and Ser Brynden first, before shock and confusion took hold.

Robb wanted to step forward to greet her, but he remained still. Instead it was Melantha who went first, happily rushing down from the dias to leap into the arms of her grandmother. He followed a little more slowly, as he heard them share a few words.

When his mother and daughter were finished, he finally spoke. "Mother," he said.

"How…?" She looked up at him, looking for answers, then it seemed she resolved to ask in private. "I heard you were wounded, your grace. I prayed every day for your health and your safe return." Her courtesy felt wrong to Robb. She had taught him much and more about how to behave properly when he had been a boy, but even so, hearing her speaking to him like this almost made him feel uncomfortable.

"I took an arrow while storming the Crag," he explained. "It healed well though. I had the best of care."

"The gods are good then." His mother took a deep breath and sighed. "Did they tell you my reasons?"

No, Robb thought. All they had told her was what she had done, but he was not such a fool as to not know why she had done it. "For the girls."

She nodded. "I had six children, but now I have four."

Rickard Karstark stepped forward, pushing past the Greatjon. "Aye, my lady. And I have one son, where once I had three. You robbed me of my vengeance."

Robb felt his hand drifting towards his sword, and Grey Wind came a little closer as well. He did not want a fight to break out, but he made himself ready.

His mother remained calm though. "Lord Rickard, the Kingslayer's dying would not have bought life for your children. His living may buy life for mine."

"Jaime Lannister has played you for a fool," Karstark said, unsatisfied. "You've bought a bag of empty words, no more. My Torrhen and my Eddard deserved better of you."

"Leave off, Karstark," rumbled the Greatjon. He crossed his huge arms against his chest and stepped forward to put himself between Lord Rickard and Robb's mother. "It was a mother's folly. Women are made that way."

"A mother's folly?" Lord Karstark stood a little taller in the face of the Greatjon. "I name it treason."

"Enough," Robb said. He could feel a little anger rising through him, and he had allowed this to go on for long enough. He stepped over to Karstark first. "I will not have my mother named a traitor in my hearing," he said sternly. Then he turned towards his mother. "If I could have the Kingslayer back in chains, I would. But I know that love drove you to commit the folly you did. For grief of Bran and Rickon and to get Sansa and Arya back, I know. Love isn't always wise, but I've learned to follow where it leads, even if it brings us to folly."

While she seemed a little hurt by that, she also seemed relieved. "If my heart led me into folly, I would gladly make whatever amends I can to Lord Karstark and yourself."

I don't need amends from you, he thought silently. He wasn't angry at his mother for freeing the Kingslayer. If anything, he was glad she had, knowing he would not have to do it himself.

Lord Karstark was the same as ever though. "Will your amends warm my Torrhen and Eddard in their graves, where the Kingslayer put them?" He didn't say anything else, and instead turned to leave the hall, pushing his way past Lord Tytos Blackwood and the Smalljon. Robb did not order that he be stopped.

"Forgive him, mother," Robb said when he was gone.

"If you will forgive me," she replied.

"I already have," he admitted. "I know what it is to love so greatly you can think of nothing else."

"Thank you." She smiled a little, and then bowed her head.

"We need to talk. You, me and uncle Edmure," he said. The rest of the audience was not helping. "Stewart, call this session to an end," he said, turning to Utherydes Wayn.

The man slammed his staff into the ground, and shouted that the meeting was at an end. Immediately the crowd began to file out, Riverlanders and Northerners alike, the Greatjon and the cloaked woman heavy with child and all the rest. He saw Joanna's wet nurse was starting to leave, but Robb went over to her and told the woman to stay, before he went to his sons still sitting on the bench.

"Do you remember your grandmother?" he asked the boys.

In unison they shook their heads.

"It's alright," he told them. It must have been at least two years now since they had last seen her. "Come on." The boys followed Robb back towards his mother, and he invited the wet nurse too.

She was talking with some of the lords wishing her well before they stepped out. The last was Ser Edmure, and by that point, the rest who had gathered had made their way out of the hall, leaving them alone.

"Robb, oh…" she said as she turned back to him, still holding Melantha's hand. Her face was white. "H-how. How are they?"

"I don't know," Robb admitted. "They… They just appeared, the day after my wedding, with a mysterious grey man who was gone before I could ask anything."

"Bran and Rickon? Myrcella?"

Robb shook his head. "Just my children," he told her.

There was still a good deal of pain and disappointment on her face, but she seemed to make herself play the part of grandmother, bending over to study Melantha. "You've gotten so big!" she exclaimed, picking the girl up again to hug her once more.

Once she set the eldest of his children down, Robb urged both Eddard and Theo forward. His mother gave each of them a hug in turn, before she spotted Joanna and her wet nurse. "What's her name?"

"Joanna." Robb took the girl from her wet nurse and offered her over to Lady Catelyn. "I promised Myrcella we would name our first daughter for her grandmother…"

"And so you did," she said as she took the babe. From her tone, Robb sensed she didn't quite approve of the name choice given their circumstances, but she understood. "Oh Robb, she's beautiful."

"T-thank you mother," he said, unsure what else to say.

His mother rocked little Joanna and cooed softly before looking up. "My ladies, sers, are you new to Robb's cause?" She asked.

Ser Raynald came over first. "New, but fierce in our courage and firm in our loyalties, as I hope to prove to you, my lady."

"This is Ser Raynald, mother," he said. "Lord Gawen Westerling's eldest son and heir. His father was among those we took captive at the Whispering Wood." He beckoned the rest of them over in turn. "Ser Rolph Spicer, Lord Gawen's good-brother, who was castellan when I took the castle." The knight stepped forward next to Robb and Raynald and bowed his head towards Lady Catelyn. "Eleyna." The young lady stepped forward and curtsied. "Rollam, my squire." The boy came forward with the rest and bowed his head. "And I have the honor to give you Lady Jeyne Westerling, Lord Gawen's eldest daughter, and my... ah… lady wife."

Jeyne took a step forward, looking almost terrified as she did. Robb's mother went over to her, and examined her quickly for a moment, and then bowed her head. "I have a new daughter." She kissed Jeyne on both cheeks. "Be welcome to our hall and hearth."

Ser Rolph Spicer spoke up. "We are honored to be here, my lady, though I think we are all tired after such a long journey. Might we retire to our chambers to get some rest."

Robb gave Jeyne a kiss. "I think that would be best. I'll have the steward find accommodations for you."

"I can lead you to him," Uncle Edmure said.

"Thank you, Ser," Ser Rolph answered.

"Must I go too?" Rollam asked. "I'm your squire."

Robb chuckled. "I don't think I'm in need of squiring right now."

"Oh." Rollam sounded disappointed.

"I'll have you summoned if I need a squire," he said to cheer the boy up as his older brother took his arm and started to lead him away.

"Would you prefer I go too, your grace, m'lady," Joanna's wetnurse asked softly. "She ate little less than an hour ago."

Robb's mother smiled at the young, buxom woman. "You're more than welcome too, yes."

The wet nurse went with Robb's good-family and uncle out of the hall, leaving Robb along with his great-uncle, mother and four children.

"Your wife seems lovely," his mother said when the door was finally closed. "And the Westerlings seem worthy of such an honor… But Lord Gawen is Tywin Lannister's man, is he not?"

"He was captured at the Whispering Wood by Jason Mallister who had been holding him at Seagard for ransom. I'll have him freed, but I'm not certain that he will want to join my cause." Robb sighed. "Lord Tywin is likely to bring his fury upon the Crag if I lose for this marriage, and I married Jeyne without his consent."

"Why her?" Catelyn asked softly.

"Jeyne was there… The night we got word from Winterfell… She… She comforted me."

"And you took her maidenhead?"

Robb nodded. "I wed her the next day. And the day after, the children…"

"Might Myrcella and the boys be alive still?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "The children… They were brought by a strange man… He didn't show his face and wore only grey. Some say he was-"

"-the Stranger himself?" his mother finished.

"Aye." Robb did not want to believe stories like that, but he could not think of any other explanation. "All I know is that they're here."

"They're here," his mother said with a nod. "And that's what matters."

"I… I miss them," he forced himself to say. "Bran and Rickon and Myrcella…" Robb wanted to be home, freed from his burdens, his family being whole once again. He wished that he could throttle Theon Greyjoy for taking his home away.

"I know… I know, I miss them too."

"I should have listened to you about Theon. P-perhaps if I had listened, they would still be alive and safe at Winterfell, and I would still have the North. The Freys would still be here and…"

"Perhaps not. Lord Balon may still have chosen to wage war against you. The last time he tried to take a crown, it cost him two sons. Losing just one may have seemed like a bargain to him."

Robb shook his head as he sat down next to Melantha and took off his crown, handing it to her, since she liked to wear it. "Still…"

"It won't pay to dwell on that Robb." There was a tear in his mother's eye that she quickly wiped away. "What happened with the Freys?"

"After we got word from Winterfell… They left. I'd failed them, they said. Those boys we took as wards were gone. Black Walder suggested I take a Frey bride to make up for Eddard's death, but I refused. When I wed Jeyne, he suggested that his kin wouldn't mind wedding a three time widower. I…I nearly took his head for that, though Jeyne begged me to spare his life." Robb was still furious about it.

"And Ser Ryman left after that?"

"Aye. He and his men left in the night. Nearly a thousand men, gone, without asking for my leave."

His mother nodded grimly. "How many swords came with your wife?"

"Fifty men at arms… Perhaps a dozen knights," he said. "The Crag isn't a very strong castle, that's why we took it. It won't make up for the Freys."

"No…"Lady Catelyn admitted, before glancing at Eddard. "Perhaps amends can be made though."

Robb turned to his son. His mother was right, that perhaps amends could be made with his betrothal, though he was hardly fond of the notion. He did not trust Black Walder or Ser Ryman after that. "I will write to Lord Walder as soon as possible."

"Good. You need every sword you can get."

If only there were more I could gather. "Is Willam here?"

His mother shook her head. "He's been keeping to himself since we returned."

"How come?" His younger brother had always been a little sullen, but from the way their mother sounded, it was much more than usual.

"He met a girl."

Robb raised an eyebrow. "A girl?"

"At Bitterbridge."

"What's her name?"

"Lady Alyce Graceford. A pretty little thing, sweet and elegant, and the head of her house."

The name didn't sound familiar to Robb. He was sure he had heard of house Graceford once or twice, but he couldn't recall anything notable they had done throughout history. "He fell in love with her?"

"He did." His mother sighed. "He fell for her, and she fell for him. But we had to leave Bitterbridge."

Robb gave a nod. "And she didn't come with. I'll go speak to him after this."

"Yes, I suppose you should. I've tried talking to him since we left Bitterbridge, but he rarely wants to hear it." It seemed her mind had turned to other thoughts. "Grey Wind doesn't like Ser Rolph."

"What do you mean?"

"I… I could see it, the way he looks at him… Your wolf doesn't like him."

"Grey Wind doesn't seem to like him at all. I've seen him growl at Ser Rolph a few times. Jeyne is terrified of him," Robb paused for just a moment to clear his throat, "not long after the wedding, Jeyne's mother, Lady Sybel, attempted to poison Theo."

"Poison?" Catelyn sounded shocked. "Why?"

"So Jeyne's sons would inherit," Robb forced himself to say. Theo would be dead from the poison and Eddard could have been killed through any number of means that wouldn't have been that suspicious given his condition. Only Melantha and Joanna would have remained, and neither of them would have been threats for inheritance. "Jeyne didn't have any knowledge of it."

"What happened?"

"Grey Wind intervened," his uncle explained. "Lady Sybel was then ordered to eat the poisoned plum, and died not long after."

"Later I found she had been writing to Lord Tywin," Robb said. "She planted Jeyne in my bed."

"Did Ser Rolph have any part in it?"

"I don't know," Robb admitted. "He may have, though he denied all knowledge of the plots, and I didn't find anything, and all letters at my camp are checked by me or men I trust."

"Send him away," his mother said. "Any man Grey Wind mislikes is a man I do not want close to you. You know as much as I that those wolves are more than wolves. I think the gods sent them to us. Your father's gods, the old gods of the north. Six wolf pups, Robb, six for six Stark children."

"Seven," Robb reminded her. "Jon had one to." It had been a while since he had thought about his bastard brother. "I used to think the same as you… The gods had sent them to protect us. Until I was told Theon had murdered Bran and Rickon. Their wolves were of little use to them then."

"Robb, listen to me. Grey Wind is part of you. I can see that you're scared of him, but to be scared of him is to be scared of yourself. I told you to keep Theon Greyjoy close, now heed me when I tell you to send Ser Rolph away. Some noble duty worthy of his honor and station, that will keep him away for a while."

"I'm not a wolf, mother," he said, bristling. "I'll send him away to put you at ease, but not because Grey Wind doesn't like his smell."

"Thank you," she said, sounding relieved. She bent over to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Where's your great-uncle?"

"The Blackfish is searching for the Brotherhood Without Banners," Robb told her, "we have a lead on Arya's whereabouts."

"Arya… With the outlaws?"

"Aye," Robb said. He didn't want to tell her about Joanna, at least not yet. That required even more privacy than they already had. So he stood, "we'll speak about the matter later. Can you watch the children while I go speak to Willam?"

"Of course. I'll see to it that they're settled in."

"Can I come, father?" Eddard asked, looking up with big dark grey eyes. "Please?"

"I'll be back soon," Robb promised, kissing his son on the cheek. "I just need to speak with your uncle and I'll be with you again. Can you be good for grandmother while I'm gone?"

Eddard nodded.

"Good boy," he said with a smile. Robb gave kisses to Melantha, Theo and Joanna too, and then he set out from the Great Hall, leaving the children behind with his mother and Ser Edmure.

Robb was good at remembering his way around castles, and he figured that Willam was likely to have stayed in the same room he had been sleeping in before. He went up several flights of stairs, and made his way across the keep, before he came to the door. From the outside, he could see it was still Willam's room. A direwolf banner was hung on the door. He knocked thrice, and waited for his brother to welcome him in.

Nearly a minute passed, and Robb considered knocking again, when the door finally opened, and his brother stepped out.

"Robb…" Willam didn't sound that surprised to see him. "I… I had heard you returned."

"I have," he said, opening his arms. The two brothers embraced.

"You can come in if you want."

Another king might have pointed out that Willam would have no right to deny him, but Robb would respect what his brother wanted. "Thank you," he said, stepping in.

Willam's room was clean, unlike what it had normally been like at Winterfell when he was staying. His brother had been fostered with the Blackwoods at Raventree Hall, but he had normally visited at least twice a year. All the clothes were put away, and nothing was out on the floor.

"You won more battles while you were in the west, didn't you? We heard about a few of them."

"I did." Robb had fought in eight battles since he had last seen his brother that he could think of, and he had been victorious in every one of them. He knew that Willam wanted more than anything to be allowed to fight in battle alongside him, but he couldn't allow it, especially not now. "Tell me about Alyce."

"Did mother tell you about her?"

"Only a little. I want to hear about her from you."

Willam sighed. "She's beautiful and kind. When we got to Bitterbridge, there was a tourney, and that night during the feast, she offered to dance with me."

He had no doubt Alyce was drawn to Willam because of his unique status. Willam was a prince of a kingdom that was different, hardly anything like the one she had grown up in. "Mother said she was the head of her house."

"She is. Her father died when she was just three, and she didn't have any other brothers or sisters. She said she would go over to your banner if Stannis were to beat Renly outside of Storm's End, but she didn't…"

Robb could see what bothered Willam so much now. "You were hoping she would come here. After Renly's death. You had begged mother to return to Bitterbridge, but when she refused, you hoped to see her there."

Willam nodded. "And the Tyrells joined with the Lannisters. If she was still at Bitterbridge…"

"I don't think they killed her," he admitted. "Whether it be a few hundred swords or a few thousand that she commanded, your Alyce was still a lady of high birth. Most likely they've been holding her as a hostage to keep those forces in line if she tried to go over to my cause." He had heard stories from Bitterbridge, of how Randyll Tarly and Mace Tyrell had put thousands of men to the sword whose lords had gone over to Stannis at Storm's End and had attempted to join their lords in the east. But when Stannis had sent knights to Bitterbridge to collect what remained of Renly's old forces, they had been imprisoned. "That is if she tried to join us at all."

"You don't think she did?"

"I have a good many prisoners from the Stony Sept. None of them said anything of Lady Graceford or any lords or ladies at Bitterbridge attempting to come here. If she has any wits to her, she complied with Lord Tyrell's orders."

Willam looked both relieved and disappointed by that. "I wrote to Holyhall, but there hasn't been any answer. Highgarden and Bitterbridge too."

"Most likely the letters never reached her. I've not allowed any letters to enter or leave my camp unchecked, and I suspect the Tyrells have done the same."

"Renly allowed us to write letters to Riverrun."

"I'm sure he did. You were envoys of a potential ally. He wouldn't have wanted any reason for you to mislike him."

"And Alyce?"

"If she does try to tip her banner to our cause, she is surrounded by foes. They won't want to lose her men, but they won't allow her to freely send letters."

"Oh," Willam said, sounding even more worried than before.

He could tell there was something his brother wasn't telling him. "What happened between you and Alyce?"

"After a few days… She… She snuck into my room."

And you bedded her. "What did she tell you?"

"Alyce told me she was betrothed to a Fossoway boy. She's been betrothed to him since she was seven, but she doesn't want to marry him. She said she wanted to marry me instead."

In the past, Robb likely would have scolded his brother for his folly. Falling in love with a woman who was promised to another was hardly wise. But who was he to judge anymore? He had bedded and wedded a girl whose father he had openly gone to war with. "I'm sorry, Willam," he said with a sigh. "I wish there was more I could do for you."

Willam did not hide his disappointment. "I'm sorry too."

"You don't need to be sorry for anything Willam." I should have found some better task for you than just going with mother.

"Are you going to make me take a different wife? Some girl from the Riverlands or the North to shore up alliances?"

"No," Robb shook his head, "I won't force you to marry. When you're ready we can talk about your marriage if you want."

His brother was relieved. "Thank you, Robb."

Robb embraced his brother. "It's good to see you again, Will."

"And you, Robb," Willam said.

The rest of his day seemed like a blur to Robb. He spoke with some of his lords, and his uncle, discussing some possible next steps that could be taken, and when the Lannisters would finally make a move against them. He ate dinner, and played with the children for a little while after. After tucking Eddard and Theo in and reading them a story, he lingered for nearly an hour after they had fallen asleep, watching them. Tomorrow he wouldn't need to wake them up just before dawn in order to get them ready for that day's march.

Eventually, he decided it was past time that he returned to his own chambers with Jeyne. He gave the boys a kiss, and then rose to leave.

When he opened the door, there was someone waiting for him, much to his surprise. Instinctively, Robb's hand reached for his sword, fearing it was some assassin, but he quickly realized they were not armed. Where's Grey Wind? He thought to ask, but then he saw the wolf, standing almost protectively in front of her.

"Your grace," the figure said, scratching Grey Wind's ear. It was a woman's voice. "I… I was hoping I could speak with you."

She pulled back her hood, revealing a familiar face. Her hair was long and black as a crow's feathers, and her eyes were brown, with a heart shaped face and high cheek-bones. Only a few candles were burning to light the hallway, but even in that, Robb could make out her beauty well enough.

"Barbara? What are you doing here?"

"I thought it was obvious. I came here to speak with you," she said. She leaned over and whispered something to Grey Wind, before the wolf started to walk away. Robb frowned, while she grinned. "You ought to spend more time with that wolf of yours. Else you're likely to lose him to me." She reached out her hand in front of her, offering it to him. "Might you walk with me?"

He looked down for a moment. "Y-you're with child?" He asked, only a little shocked.

"Oh, that," she said, placing her other hand on the swell of her belly. "That's what I wanted to speak with you about."

Robb's mind raced with nearly a hundred different things to say, every one of which he kept to himself. Instead, he gulped.

Barbara laughed a little. "I can't be the first woman you've ever known to get pregnant? Can I?" She asked. "Who were those boys in there?"

"My sons," he finally managed, before he took her hand.

She kept a tight grip on his hand and started to lead him to the stairs. Together, they walked down them, until they reached the bottom. Then she led him out of the Great Keep of Riverrun entirely. At first, he wasn't sure where she was taking him, but it became clear quickly enough. She took him into the godswood, not stopping until they were in front of the weirwood tree.

"Why here?" Robb wondered.

"You keep the Old Gods, don't you?" She asked. "My father always told me the only time a Blackwood is honest is before a heart tree." Barbara began to lay down on the ground in front of the heart tree. "Come on, you too," she told him, patting the area beside her. "Closer," she said when he started to bend down. He sensed she would keep telling him to come closer unless he laid down beside her, and so he did. When he was on the ground next to her, she nestled herself up against him, and took his arms putting his right arm under her head almost like a pillow, and his left atop her swollen belly, holding it down with both of hers. She wore breeches rather than a skirt, and had pulled up her shirt to expose her stomach. "The stars," she whispered. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Robb looked up at the sky. It was a moonless night, and there weren't any clouds either. Even though they were in a castle, with a wide camp around them, he could see many stars. "They are," he finally answered.

A silence passed between them. After a while, he began to wonder if she had fallen asleep, though when he glanced at him, she saw her eyes were still open. He could see the stars reflecting off of her eyes for just a moment.

"I'm your child's father," Robb said to break the silence. It wasn't even much of a question.

Barbara didn't roll her head to look at him, and waited a few seconds to answer. "Well of course."

"Who else knows?"

"Your mother does." She took a few moments to think of others. "Jayne does. My sister, not your wife. Oh, and Grey Wind."

"And your father?" Lord Jonos had proven loyal to Robb, and was one of the more powerful lords on the Trident. I cannot lose the Brackens too, he thought to himself.

"He knows. He just doesn't believe me. He thinks it's just some story I made up to please him…" She paused for a moment. "He thinks it was the Mountain who got me with child." Her voice finally broke. "He… He told me that when the child is born… H-he'll… He'll send the babe away. The Night's Watch if it's a boy, or the Faith if it's a girl… And… And he'll send me to the Silent Sisters too."

"My Lady… I-I'm sorry," Robb said. He put his right arm around more of her.

"Don't be," she said after a moment. "I'm the one who snuck into your bed, wasn't I?"

It was true. She had been the one to sneak into his bedchamber, the day they had gotten word of father's death, and his lords had made him their king. She had offered to comfort him that night. An offer he had been too weak and too lonely to refuse. "It doesn't matter," he said. It had still been his fault. "I'll speak to your father on the morrow," he offered.

"Don't…" She told him. "He'll be polite and courteous with you, but he won't believe you. He'll still be angry with me. If you tell him not to send me to the Silent Sisters, he'll pack me off to marry some hedge knight a good deal away willing to take the Mountain's leavings to win his favor."

"I… I can have a better match made for you, if it would please you…"

"It won't," she said, finally turning her head. "I don't want to be married off to some stranger, or anyone for that matter."

"You were hoping to marry me," he guessed.

She nodded. "W-when we got word of… Of what happened at Winterfell… I… I had hoped you would… That our son could be trueborn… He could be a King. I'd be willing to give Stonehedge up for that. B-but then you…"

"But I married Jeyne," Robb finished for her. "I'm sorry, my lady," he said, feeling full of guilt. He had wed Jeyne after he had taken her maidenhead, while Barbara was pregnant with his child. If he had been thinking straight, he might have waited until he had returned to Riverrun before choosing who he married, and he would have had the opportunity to speak with Lord Gawen about a potential marriage, but Barbara hadn't even crossed his mind at all.

She sat up, leaning against the tree, and pulled him up as though he wanted to do the same. "I-I'm sorry too," she said. "F-for feeling glad about your wife… For… For…"

"Oh," Robb said, as he finished sitting up. He wrapped his arm around her and settled it on her waist. "My lady, it's alright… I-I…"

He noticed there were tears glistening on her cheeks. "Gods… I… I'm sorry, Robb," she whispered. "Your children… T-they're so sweet and beautiful… A-and I…"

Wanted them dead. You're not the only one. "What is it that you want?"

She looked at him uncertainly. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a king," he reminded her. He pulled her over, allowing to sit in front of him, between his legs, and to lean back against his chest, while he put both her hands on her round belly. "I can give you what you want."

Barbara considered the question for a moment. "I… I wanted you…"

"What do you want for the child? Do you want to keep them at Stonehedge, or have me raise them among my children."

"I want him more than anything," she said without a moment's hesitation. "I… I want him to know you too… And his brothers and sisters."

"You will both always have a place at my court," he assured her. "Here, or at Winterfell."

"I know," she said, sounding glad. She took another moment to think before she spoke. "I… I want you to naturalize him," she finally said. "After he's born… I want you to tell all the lords he's your son. You need not style him a prince or call him a Stark, just… I want him to be my heir… To Stonehedge. I don't want to wed or have more children. I just want him."

For a moment, he almost felt himself say the wrong thing. That he would speak with his mother and Jeyne and Lord Jonos and whatever other councillors he trusted enough before making a decision. "I will," he told her. "I promise."

"Thank you," she said. He felt the babe give a kick on her belly, which caused her to giggle. "What are you going to name him?"

"Me?" Robb asked, feeling confused. "Shouldn't you choose the name?"

"I'd sooner trust you," she told him, nodding. "You've named four haven't you?"

Three, Robb thought to himself. It had been Elinor who named Melantha without ever speaking to him about it, and even Joanna had been named on a promise, so it was really two. "You're certain it's a boy?"

"Oh yes," she told him. "I've seen him in my dreams… The kind of dreams I have that always come true. He's always the same."

Robb raised an eyebrow, but said nothing of it. He didn't feel right to call Barbara mad when he dreams like his. "What does he look like?" He asked instead.

"Like me," she told him. "His hair is dark like mine, but it curls like yours. Sometimes he's a babe, but others he's a boy or a man, but there's always a little you in his face. I see you in my dreams sometimes too…"

"I would rather not know how you dream of me," he said. I have enough to worry about as is.

"So what are you naming him?"

"Hmm." He couldn't think of any names he liked. Most of the names he thought of just brought him more pain, and the rest just didn't feel right to him. It took him several minutes, but eventually Robb settled on one he felt was suitable. "Elys."

"Elys," she repeated. "Why Elys?"

Robb shrugged. He couldn't remember where he got the name from, but he did like the name, and figured that might be better than trying to name him after someone important in his life. "I can name him Brynden if you would like."

Barbara turned and glared at him. "Brynden," she repeated, saying the name almost as though it was a curse.

"For my great-uncle," he said defensively. "What's so wrong with Brynden?"

She looked at him with confusion. Her eyes seemed almost to burn holes in him as she tried to judge whether or not he was serious. "What's my name, Robb?"

"Barbara," he said quickly.

"Barbara Bracken."

"And?" Robb was still confused.

She didn't answer, only sighing and then shaking her head. "You kings really are all fools…" The babe gave another kick, and Barbara laughed. "Elys knows who his mother is at least, don't you?" The babe didn't answer. Barbara looked down at her belly, before she leaned back against Robb, pressing him harder against the tree, almost as though she wanted to crush him. "I want him out of me," she confessed with a groan. "The sooner, the better."

"Why?" he asked instinctively. Robb already felt like a fool just for asking.

"I always liked sleeping among the branches more than in my own bed. But I can't climb anymore… Not like this. I don't get to ride either, not even within the castle. One of your men stole my longbow…"

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't just bring you here because I wanted to know you were speaking the truth," she admitted. "I come here every night, wishing I could just climb up that tree."

"My brother liked to climb," Robb said. "He'd fall asleep in trees too. He always scared my mother with that. She always worried he would fall…" His voice faltered. "And then he did…" Robb found himself feeling guilty. Not only for failing to protect Bran, like he had Rickon and his children and Myrcella, but for hardly thinking of him since then.

"I can't remember my mother. She died of a chill not long after birthing Jayne when I was two. My step-mother would've been glad if I fell, and even more since she's failed to have any sons."

Robb realized that Barbara was scared to be a mother soon. He tried to remember if he had ever been scared to be a father. He hadn't been, not really, since Melantha had already been born when he learned he was her father. After that, he hadn't really had time to be nervous.

"You said you'd give me anything I want," she mused. "Can you help me get up the tree? I know where I want to be up there."

"My lady, it's a hard fall if-"

"-I won't fall," she interrupted. "You're going to make sure of that."

"I won't be able to remain here all night, to catch you if you fall while you're sleeping."

"You don't have to," she said, pulling something out from her cloak. At first he didn't recognize it, but then he realized it was rope.

"How will you get down in the morning?"

"You'll come and get me down," she said. "Nobody notices when I fall asleep here anyways, save perhaps your mother, and nobody will be looking for me either. Not even my father."

"If your labor begins-"

She shrugged, and moved his hands off her stomach. "Elys can learn to listen to his mother and wait for the night. If not, I'm sure I'll scream loud enough for the whole castle to hear. Now help me up."

Reluctantly, Robb did as she asked, first helping her to her feet, then with getting her into the tree.

The weirwood had rather low branches, which made it a little easier, and Barbara proved to still be much better than he thought she would be with her belly so large.

Once she had gotten up on the branches, it did not seem to be so difficult for her, with Robb only standing at the bottom, waiting to catch her, until eventually she made it to a thicker branch that must have been the one she wanted, as she stopped there. It was ten feet off the ground if he were to judge, while she sat there, facing the trunk and took out the rope. She seemed to struggle with bending over as she tied her ankles.

She had to try several times, before she let out a groan in frustration. "Robb," she called down to him. "I need you to tie the ropes."

He was tempted to tell her to just climb down, but he knew that wouldn't make her very happy with him, so instead, he forced himself to climb. As a boy, he had loved to explore the castle, and even climbed trees in the godswood and wolfswood from time to time, though he was never a climber like Bran.

It came much easier to Robb than he would have expected, after he had gotten himself into the branches, he could tell which ones he needed to grab onto next, and before long he had made it up to the branch Barbara was on, sitting across from her.

She handed him the rope, and extended her legs up to the branch to help make tying it easier. He used the knots he had learned from tying up Grey Wind, since he figured they would serve well enough here.

When he was finished tying her ankles, she lowered feet again, "You still have more," she said, taking out more rope. She took the first and looped it around the tree and just above her knee on one leg, allowing him to tie it, then the other, and made him do the same at her thighs. After that, Barbara laid back and took out another rope that she had him tie around her hips, just under her belly.

"Any more?" He asked her when he was done.

"One," she said, taking it out. "For here," she said, running her hand above her round belly, just below her breasts.

Robb had to move himself even further down the branch into her, and leaned over her to tie it. "Do you enjoy torturing me?" He asked her as he tied it.

"Yes," she admitted. "Someone needs to… Oh, you can tie it tighter than that."

And you've decided that someone is you, he thought as he forced himself to retie the rope.

"You can stay here, with me," she offered. "There's other branches, and I have more rope."

Robb shook his head. "Nobody may come looking for you, but they certainly will for me," he said. He felt as though it was almost a miracle that none had already. "Good night," he told her as he sat up, and started to back up away from him. Just as he was about to get off of the branch, he stopped suddenly.

He went back over to her and pulled up her doublet and shirt to place a kiss on her belly, like how Myrcella had always made him every night when she was pregnant with Eddard and Theo.

"Do I get one too?" She called out.

Fine, Robb thought to himself as he managed to stretch out over her, and placed a kiss on her cheek. For just a moment, he wanted nothing more than to lay there in the tree with her, perhaps even tie himself underneath the branch to keep her company, but he knew he couldn't.

When he lifted his head, she was looking at him. "Thank you," she whispered to him, and put a kiss of her own on his cheek.

Robb did not need long to climb down the tree. To his surprise, he found Grey Wind curled up at the foot of the tree. He considered bringing the wolf back to the keep with him, but thought better of it. He didn't want Barbara to be completely alone.

When Robb was finally back in his bedchamber, he only needed to remove his boots before he fell into the bed next to Jeyne and fell asleep.

The next morning, he found Barbara just as she had left him, tied up in the tree. "There you are," she said, when she looked down and saw him.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked as he began to climb up the tree.

"Oh very much, yes," she answered.

Author Notes:

Thanks for reading :)