Winter Is Coming

“In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity,” the priest said as he wrapped a rope around mine and Robb’s finger laced hands, “Look upon one another, and say the words.”

This was it, my wedding, Robb and I were to be married and no one other than Cynthia, Grey Wind and the Priest were here with us. Robb’s mother didn’t approve, the men that followed Robb didn’t really care, and all that mattered were that Robb and I were happy with this decision.

It’s been two days since Cynthia was taken by the Lannisters and Robb and I wanted to get married before we moved to the next camp and went into the next battle. Robb taught me the words to say and explained to me about the seven gods that he and his family worshiped.

“Father, smith, warrior, mother, maiden, crone, stranger…”

“…I am hers and she is mine...”

“…I am his and he is mine…”

“…From this day, until the end of my days.”

Robb and I stared at each other; he cupped my neck and then pressed his lips against mine. I placed my hands on his chest and leaned against him as he laid his forehead upon my own.

When the ceremony was over, Cynthia walked over towards us and hugged us; even Grey Wind walked over towards me and rubbed his face against my stomach. I smiled as I bent down and leaned my head against him and then stood up and pressed my lips against Robb’s.

“We should probably head back,” Cynthia said, “We’re moving at first light.”

“Aye, we are,” Robb said as he laced his fingers with mine.

The three of us rode back to the camp and were greeted happily by the men, they bowed their heads as Robb and I walked hand in hand next to each other through the camp and to his tent.

“Well,” Robb said as we walked into his tent and he smiled towards me, “How does my Queen wish to spend her wedding night?”

“With her husband,” I breathed and he smiled brightly and we both started to remove each other’s clothes, “I am yours,” I said and Robb cupped my face, “And you are mine.”

“Aye,” Robb breathed and then pressed his lips against mine and picked me up, carrying me over towards his bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We should set the siege lines one thousand yards from Harrenhal,” Lord Bolton suggested as we watched as the men marched on towards Harrenhal, another place where Lannister men were hiding out.

“There won’t be a siege, the Mountain can’t defend a ruin,” I said, the Mountain being a knight that once lived at King’s Landing, the older brother to the Hound.

“The Mountain will defend whatever Tywim Lannister tells him,” Lord Bolton said and I saw Jessica, my wife of three days, trot towards us as a wolf, she was next to Cynthia and Grey Wind wasn’t far behind.

“The Lannisters have been running from us since Oxcross,” I said and sighed, “I’d love a fight. The men would love a fight. But I don’t think we’re going to get one,” I said as I looked at what looked to be an abandoned Harrenhal.

As we rode on towards Harrenhal, Jessica ran up towards me and growled, I stopped and commanded everyone else to stop and then climbed down from my horse and threw my fur cloak over her. The men around us and myself watched as she changed to human and walked a few steps towards Harrenhal.

“What is it?” I asked and Cynthia growled, “Jess.”

“Blood,” she said and then looked back towards me, “We smell blood- And a lot of it.”

“What does that mean?” Lord Bolton asked and Jessica sighed.

“I don’t know,” she said and looked towards Cynthia, who whined and then looked towards Grey Wind, “Let, Cynthia, Grey Wind and I go on ahead, we’ll look around and howl when it’s safe-“

“No,” I said and Jessica sighed, “I won’t go-“

“Your Grace,” Bolton said and I sighed, “It’s a good idea.”

“Not-“

“Robb,” Jessica breathed and I looked at her worriedly, “We’ll be fine.”

“Don’t take too long to howl,” I growled, not liking this idea at all.

“Of course,” she said and nodded her head and then smiled towards me. We watched as she changed back to a wolf, I took my cloak back and wished my wife, Cynthia and Grey Wind good luck.

The three of them ran ahead and we watched as they disappeared into Harrenhal. I don’t know how long I waited for the signal, it felt like forever, even though it wasn’t really that long. However, the howl did come and my men and I marched forward.

The battle began and at the end of the battle of Harrenhal I looked at the horror of the dead bodies of men and horses scattered around the streets of the great castle of Harrenhal.

“Two hundred Northmen slaughtered like sheep,” Lord Umber said as he looked at the massacre

“Where is Jessica?” I asked and looked around, not find my wife, “Where is she?”

“Robb,” I heard and turned to see Cynthia looking at me.

She nudged her head for me to follow her and my eyes widened and my heart stopped at the thought of her being hurt. I followed Cynthia outside the walls and found my mother and the nurse that has been with us, Talisa, with Jessica, who was leaning against the wall.

“Jess,” I breathed and she looked at me and I saw that her once tan skin was very pale, “What’s wrong?”

“She was just getting sick of the smell of all that blood,” Cynthia said and I stood in front of Jessica and placed my hands on her neck, she was sweating.

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s with child,” mother said and I shot my head around and looked at my mother, “I know the pain, the symptoms and the look of a woman with child and Jessica has it.”

I looked back at my wife; she was holding her stomach, “Jess.”

“How long have you been getting sick, Jessica?” mother asked and my wife sighed.

“Almost two weeks now,” she said and I looked at her wide eyed, “It could be anyth-“

“She’s with child Robb, your child,” mother said and I nodded my head and looked at Jessica

“I’m not pregnant,” Jessica said and I looked back at her, “I-“

“You are,” mother said and then stood next to Jessica, “Tell me, have you been having odd dreams-Nightmares maybe?”

“How did-“

“You are with child, my dear,” she said and I looked towards Jessica to see her eyes widen and she looked down.

“You’ve been fighting too,” I realized, “You are not to fight anymore- Not when you’re pregnant, Jess.”

“Robb, we-“

“No!” I growled and she looked at me surprised, “I won’t put you or the baby in danger, Jessica.”

“Jess, please,” Cynthia said as she hugged her friend, “Come, let’s find somewhere for you to rest.”

“But I’m fine-“

“Please Jess,” I said and Jessica looked at me and then sighed.

“All right,” she said and I gave her a small smile and walked with her into Harrendal, where the men had begun to take care of the dead.

“We’ll find you a bed to lie down in, Jess,” I said as Jessica nodded her head and followed me into the castle.

We found a room and I laid Jessica down in the bed, she still looked a little pale, yet her color was slowly coming back. Soon she fell asleep and I sat on the bed next to her and just watched her, thinking it over in my head how she was with child, my child.

I must have been watching her sleep for some time because the sun had set and Cynthia had started a fire in the fireplace. There was a knock at the door and Lord Bolton walked in with two slips of paper in his hand. I sighed and then stood up and walked over towards him.

“Let me guess on which one is the good news?” I asked and he looked at me sadly.

“Word from Riverrun and Winterfell,” he said and my eyes widened a little.

Lord Bolton explained to me on how my mother’s father, my grandfather was dead, died in battle and Winterfell was burnt down. The Ironborns were all gone by the time that Bolton’s bastard son reached Winterfell and I already knew from Jessica that my younger brothers were dead. There was no word on where Theon was and I knew that I needed to tell my mother of this news.

I looked back towards my sleeping wife, ‘…I need to tell her the news as well…’