A Mother's Love

Janna was nearly asleep, the rhythmic sound of horse's hooves padding on the ground below her, the motion of the horse almost like a mother rocking her child. She leaned back further against the warm, fur covered chest behind her to get more comfortable. Her eyes felt heavy and she was tempted to let them finally close, knowing that the arms that encircled her would never allow her to fall.

"Janna," Robb whispered, his head leaned down. His breath warmed the side of her neck, forcing an involuntary shiver to come over her. "We're nearly at camp now."

Janna nodded lazily and yawned, bringing a closed fist up to her mouth to smother the sound. "How long have we been riding?"

"Nearly a day," said Robb quietly. "Mother should have already arrived at The Twins by now. We will meet halfway - Gods willing she'll arrive with good news."

Lady Catelyn had gone to negotiate with Old Walder Frey. Janna knew from stories of him as a child he wouldn't be a pleasant man - she had never heard a good tale about Late Lord Frey. Janna, too, prayed for good word to be sent.

"He would be a fool to refuse my King," Janna encouraged, a small smile on her face. "The old man will grant you passage, Robb. If not we'll beat his bald little head like a war drum and go through after."

A breathy laugh left fell from his lips, and Janna felt the scratch of his beard when he leaned closer to her than before, his lips on the shell of her ear. "Your tongue's grown sharper than my blade of late, Janna."

"War does that, I suppose," Janna quipped. "As does sitting on a horse for hours on end."

"Aye," Robb chuckled. "I supposed it does."

Finally, long after night had fallen, they reach a place to make camp. Robb climbed down from the horse, then turned to lift Janna from the beast as if she weighed no more than a feather. His hands were strong, but firm on her waist, and he didn't release her until he was sure she had her footing. His warm hands ran from her shoulders to her elbows and then back again.

"We'll camp here for a few days, let our troops rest while Mother charms Lord Frey. You will be in my tent," Robb told her gently, "separate cots, if you wish it."

Janna's cheeks burned with the heat of a thousand fires. "What is your wish, my King?"

"My wish is for you to be safe and happy behind the walls of Winterfell," Robb admitted quietly.

Janna felt her shoulders drop - did he not want her here with him to witness his wins and help him recover from the losses of war?

"Oh," she breathed. She could find no other words.

Robb's smile lengthened as he continued to speak, his eyes glazed by an emotion Janna couldn't name. He was looking at her, but she suspected his mind had traveled back to his home.

"My wish is for you to bear me many sons and daughters and sit beside me in our home, to grow old with me. Janna Stark, Queen in the North."

Janna felt herr throat tighten at his words, but could not fight the beaming smile that threatened to split her face. "Your wish is for us to wed?"

"Of course it is," Robb hummed.

Janna reach her hands up to his face, stroking his thick beard with the tips of her fingers. Tears collected in her eyes, and as hard as she tried to blink them away, a few found themselves down her cheeks. Janna lurched forward and Robb responded quickly, his arms wrapping themselves around her with vigor. Without a care as to who was watching Janna pressed your lips to his hungrily.

Robb tasted like pine, wild and enduring through even the roughest storms. His lips were what Janna imagined the feel of clouds would be like, soft and gentle with her, but she knew, like the rolling thunder, those lips could command the tens of thousands of men that followed them to slaughter any enemy that stood before them.

Janna felt a heat in her chest as he gripped her tighter, his gloved hand twisting itself in her hair, tugging the ends of if slightly. A groan left Janna's throat, and when she heard it she pulled back slightly, embarrassed at her indecent behavior.

"Robb, I-"

Robb cut her off with another kiss, this one much shorter, but still the emotion lingered. "Stay with me this night, Janna. Not as your King, but as your future husband."

Janna's breath failed her as her brain turned to mush. "I will."



Catelyn returned to camp late the next night, her heart heavy like a stone in her chest. She dismounted her horse and strode to the tent she knew her son was in, stopping when she heard the familiar laugh of a woman inside.

Janna.

Catelyn had known the girl her whole life, and had even began to care for her. Robb was fond of her, she knew, and it made the words she had to say taste even saltier in her mouth. Catelyn swallowed down her nerves and called for Robb to meet her outside the tent.

It was only a few moments she had to wait, before her son came forth, his shirt thrown on haphazardly and his hair mussed. Catelyn knew what had happened and nearly cried.

"My son," she started. "We have been granted passage by way of The Twins."

Robb gleamed and Catelyn saw, for the first time since their journey started she saw true hope in his eyes. "Mother, I could never thank you enough."

"Robb, there were conditions to our passing," Catelyn admitted. "Lord Frey's conditions were that if he let us pass you'd repay him by marrying one of his daughters."

Robb's smile faded considerably, slowly forming a deep frown to match Catelyn's own. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Robb. It was the only way."

Robb stared behind her into the dark before he began to pace, his hands moving to run through his hair. "Damn that Frey bastard," Robb whispered hotly.

Catelyn sighed. "Do you truly love her?"

"Janna?"

Catelyn nodded shortly. "Yes, Janna. Do you truly love her?"

"More than anything," Robb responded without a thought.

"Then I will marry one of his sons in your place." Catelyn stepped in front of Robb to stop his mindless wandering, her hands resting on his shoulders. "If it is her your heart truly desires then you shall have her."

"Mother, I can not ask you to do that! We will find another way, we have to-"



Janna felt horrible. It was her fault, she knew, as she listened to the hushed voices of Robb and his mother outside the tent.

Everyone had always said she was a stray, taken in by the pack, waiting on her place in the world instead of earning it like everyone else had.

She believed them now.

Janna knew what she had to do. Robb needed his mother - she was more experienced than Janna in most things, knew more about wars and fighting. Janna'd never had to fight for anything in her life, Robb had done so for her since he'd made her acquaintance back in her youth.

I have to, she thought as she stood to her feet and readied herself for what she was about to do - it was finally time to fight.

"I'll do it," Janna said as she stepped out of the tent. "I will marry a Frey boy."

Robb and Catelyn both turned, matching looks of surprise on their faces.

"Janna?" Catelyn said quietly. "Were you listening to us?"

The young woman nodded, a bit ashamed. "I was. I will do it. You will not have to marry a Frey girl, Robb, nor you a Frey man, Lady Catelyn. I am young, a ward of a noble family who's raised me as their own. I will do it."

Robb shook his head with fever. "Absolutely not."

"Robb," Janna said desperately. "You are a king now. You must make decisions best for you kingdom. If you are tied to the Freys this early in your reign then you have no way to secure an even better alliance somewhere down the line with a marriage pact."

"I don't want to secure an alliance by marriage." Robb nearly begged. "I want to marry you."

"Oh my sweet boy," Catelyn said, her voice wavering and tired. She turned her sad eyes to Robb. "Let me do this, Robb. Please, let your mother take care of the only child left in her care. I can't do anything for Arya and Sansa until we get them back, and Bran's still at Winterfell with Rickon. You are here. And you are my son."

Robb's eyes glistened. "Mother..."

"Janna," Catelyn turned to Robb's beloved. "Robb loves you. Let him love you as Ned has loved me. Do not marry a Frey boy. You are a true wolf, through and through. I only ask of you to watch over my sons, Bran and Rickon. And when the time comes look after Arya and Sana. Do me this and I will happily go in Robb's place."

Janna fell to your knees before her, her eyes filled with water. "Is this truly what my lady wishes?"

"It is." Catelyn said somberly.

Janna nodded, and Robb knelt to help her from the ground, his strong arms around her. He plucked Janna up and made sure she were steady before he released her and rushed to his mother, wrapping her in a tight hug.

Robb pulled back, holding his mother at arm's length. "What am I going to do without you?"

"Marry Janna. Raise your sons and daughters as I have raised you. Be the king I know you are, and you will be just fine." Catelyn leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the side of Robb's head. "Your father would be proud."

Robb's lips twitched into a small smile. "I will make you proud too, Mother. I swear it."

Catelyn smothed his hair down, a motherly tenderness in her eyes. "You already have."