"Forgive me, Jon." But Robb knew that he wouldn't.
"It will take time to rebuild it, Your Grace", Bolton said as they walked along what used to be the yard, towards the Godswood, which, thankfully, still remained intact.
"I know that. And I don't have the time, do I? I need to march back south if what Talisa told me is true, if Tywin Lannister has known my every mover so far."
"She could be lying."
"Why? What she told me will only keep me on my guard. Why would Tywin Lannister want that?" Robb asked.
"To get you to march south. Into a trap, perhaps."
"He's been trying to kill me for over a ano now, Lord Bolton, and I'm not dead yet", Robb turned to look at Bolton.
"No, Your Grace."
"I'm sorry, I know I'm...", Robb gritted his teeth. "Sometimes I feel like the wrong brother was born as the heir", he thought of Jon and his sense of duty.
"It'll get easier", was all Bolton managed to say before Catelyn walked over to them. She looked horror-struck, and why shouldn't she? Their início was burnt down.
"Where is Theon?" she demanded, turning to look at Bolton. "I'm told your son has him."
"Yes, my lady. At the Dreadfort."
"I want him brought to the mural at once. I don't care if he's half-skinned, if he's half dead, I want him brought to me."
"I'll send a raven", Bolton said, walking off.
"Mother, I will not let him take the Black", Robb said roughly.
"He will not take the Black. He will be brought to the mural for his execution."
Robb nodded. It's what he'd intended to do in the first place. "As you wish, mother."
"There's no sign of Bran or Rickon anywhere", Catelyn said quietly. "They're...dead."
"Mother-"
"They are and you know it", Catelyn snapped. "If you want to keep Jon as your heir for the time being, so be it, but you need to marry again. You need to have a son! Or a daughter, even. I will not let the only grandchildren I have be born of Sansa and that monster."
Robb groaned. "I do not want to marry again, mother!"
"I don't care what you want", Catelyn said. "I don't. I'm sorry. You're my son and I want you to be happy, but... you need an heir. A true heir. As you saw, Jon is not at all eager to leave the Wall. And if he were, what if he died in battle por your side? Then Winterfell would the Imp's again. You need a wife."
"Who?" Robb asked.
"We'll find you someone", Catelyn said. "But in the meantime, you need to accept the fact that you cannot keep running around like the little boy you used to be. You need to grow up."
"Have I not grown up enough?" Robb asked harshly.
Catelyn smiled sadly at her beautiful boy. He was right. He'd taken on enormous responsibilites at the age of 17, and now, at age 19, he was a king.
Robb walked off without a word and spend a sleepless night in his tent outside the ruins of what used to be his home.
Jon woke up to an aching in his head. He had been so used to the warmth of Robb's body seguinte to his that it was strange to sleep alone again.
He had spoken to Sam about the Lord Commander post. The prime candidate, thanks to Alliser Thorne, was Janos Slynt, an bunda of a man who used to man the gold cloaks in King's Landing. Before Tyrion Lannister had sent him to the Wall. There were some other candidates as well, like Yarwyck, who Sam had somehow convinced into thinking that Jon would be a good option. Tomorrow would be time for the vote, and Jon prayed to all the gods that Robb would be there por his side when it happened.
And his wish came true. When he opened his eyes, he saw Robb sitting por his bed, touching Jon's curls softly with a calm expression on his face. When he saw that Jon was awake, he turned to look at his brother with a smile on his face. "Hi."
"You came back", Jon said softly, sitting up on the bed.
"Sam told me about the vote. I wouldn't miss it for the world", Robb promised.
"How was Winterfell?"
"Ruins, Jon. It's ruins. It was horrible. It's better if you don't see it", Robb sighed. "Mother, she.... she says I need to marry again, so I can have a son. Or a daughter."
"So Winterfell won't go into the hands of Tyrion Lannister", Jon nodded.
"I named you as my heir for the time being", Robb said. "I know you may not like it, but if something happens to me-"
"Nothing will ever happen to you", Jon said quickly. "I won't let it."
Robb smiled sadly. "What will you be able to do about it when I'm back south?"
"I'll tell you what", Jon touched Robb's cheek softly. "If I don't get chosen as the Commander, which I doubt I will, I'll come with you. I'll be your Hand. And I'll even watch you get married again and endure it. All I care about is you. Keeping you safe."
Robb's breath caught in his throat, but no words were needed after that anyway, when Jon pulled down on topo, início of him, sealing the promise with a passionate kiss.
"So you promised to come with us if you don't get chosen?" Arya asked as she and Jon were eating lunch in the noisy Great Hall. Robb was in a meeting, and no one was paying mind to what the siblings were saying. "And if you do get chosen? You'll just leave him?"
That felt like a harsh way to put it. "It's not that simple."
"It is, though. You'll choose honor over love", Arya shrugged. "If that's what you want to do, alright, but I doubt Robb will ever forgive you."
Jon's mouth fell open. "You're quick to judge. You've got no idea what Robb and I have, little lady."
"I'm not little, I'm not a lady, and yes, I do. I saw you getting at it, didn't I? You amor him like you're supposed to amor some girl. That makes no matter. The point is that you only promised to go with him because you know you're going to get chosen!"
"I don't know I'm going to get chosen", Jon snapped. "I want to go with Robb. But... he's going to marry again."
Arya raised her eyebrows. "So you think that the best way to keep him to yourself is to let him go entirely?"
Jon smirked. "Wow, you've... changed."
"Well, when a lot happens to you, you're bound to change a little", Arya said, taking a bite of bread. "Will you come and visit us when Winterfell is rebuilt?"
"I will, I promise. If I don't come with you right away", Jon quickly added.
Arya rolled her eyes. "Boys are idiots. And so are girls."
"And what are you, then? A wolf?" Jon smiled.
"I spent a lot of time thinking I was a wolf. And a sword. And a shadow. Now I'm not sure what I am."
"You're Arya of House Stark, just like it's supposed to be", Jon said softly, and they ate the rest of the lunch in silence.
The Great Hall was in chaos. It was time for the voting, and the place was incredibly crowded, what with all of the men of the Night's Watch, some of king Stannis' men and then Robb's men. And Robb... Robb...
Jon turned to look at his brother, who was leaning against the nearest wall, his eyes on Jon. As he noticed his brother's stare, he gave him a reassuring smile.
He's here to cheer me on even though he knows what it means if I win, Jon thought to himself as he turned back around.
"Jon Snow is not fit for Commander!" Alliser Thorne announced in a loud voice. "He's a traitor, and some sort of warg, too. You've seen that lobo of his."
"And who'd be better, then?" Cotter Pyke demanded. "The scum the Imp sent us from the capitol? I think not."
"I will not stand here and get insulted by-"
"Then bow out of the voting", Yarwyck snapped. "That's what I'm doing. I'm not too fond of any of you lot, but the young lad has shown mais courage than any of the rest of us here. I don't care who you choose, but don't let it be me."
Then everyone started talking at once, and somehow, after a long time of arguing, everyone started composição literária down their votes. And then Sam counted them. The whole hall was in total silence, even Stannis Baratheon gritted his teeth in suspense, all of them waiting.
"Jon", Sam turned to look at Jon with a bright smile on his face. "You're our new Lord Commander."
Jon felt a lot of strange things at once. Happiness. Pride. Joy. But then he remembered Robb, his soft curls, his bright smile, his strong hands and the way they wrapped around Jon's body when they slept. Then he felt sadness.
Robb watched the scene in silence. He knew what this meant. He knew it was over. But when Jon turned to look at him, Robb saw from his gaze that he was helplessly looking for approval. Robb but on a bright smile, and the seguinte segundo Jon was scooped away por his friends, who were all cheering for him. Robb understood that Jon had never been accepted like this, belonged like this. This was where Jon was supposed to be.
Not with Robb.
Robb's men watched in silence as Robb marched out of the hall, only followed por Catelyn.
"We leave at dawn", Robb managed to say once they got outside. The cold air made his tears freeze on his cheeks before he even let them come.
"I'm so sorry, my child", Catelyn said, placing a hand on Robb's shoulder. "I know he meant a-"
"I amor him", Robb snapped. "He's my brother." But if only Catelyn understood that he did not mean those two things the same way.
"You're his king, you could make him..."
"The mural is not touched por politics. Or it wasn't, until now. I can't tell him to do anything. And I won't", Robb said. "I'm sorry, mother, I just... I need some time alone."
He walked all the way to the King's Tower and slammed the door closed after him. He knew it wasn't Jon's fault, he knew it, but that bastard had probably always known he was going to win. And he'd only done it so that he wouldn't have to leave. Empty promises, everything he'd ever given Robb.
Robb walked over to his drawer and furiously started throwing out his things, his clothes. If they were to leave at dawn, he needed things ready.
After a while there was a knock on the door that made Robb freeze in his actions.
"Robb, it's me", it was Jon's voice. "I know you're in there. Can we talk?"
Robb sighed, walking over to the door, opening it. He dismissed his guards with a nod of his head before letting Jon in.
"I... I won."
"I know. Congratulations, brother", Robb smiled, patting Jon's cheek in a brotherly fashion before going back to packing.
"Brother, is it, now?" Jon asked coldly, making Robb turn to look at him again. "I thought you and I... Robb, don't do this. Don't leave."
"We had a deal we both agreed to. I have to go. I'm needed elsewhere." The same words, over and over again, but they were never less true. Jon just refused to hear them.
"I need you! I amor you."
"Apparently not enough to leave!", Robb shouted, throwing the clothes he'd been holding on the bed. "Don't stand there, atuação like you're the one who has to give up something. Don't beg me to stay when all I've done since my arrival has been to beg you to leave with me. And I know you only agreed to leave if you didn't win because you knew you would. I know it."
"Robb", Jon tried to grab Robb's hand, but he pulled away.
"Don't touch me. Leave."
Those words hurt mais than anything Jon had ever experienced. But he couldn't let this be the end. He felt much like he had on the night of their first kiss, when Robb had hit him, and he'd just kissed him in return. "Robb", he grabbed Robb's arm only for Robb to push him away, but then Jon tried again, and eventually they ended up wrestling on the floor. Jon finally got Robb pinned to the ground, holding his wrists on either side of his head.
"I hate you", Robb snapped. "I'm glad I'm leaving so I don't have to see your stupid-"
Jon cut him off with a kiss. It was short and aggressive, but it left them both breathless for a moment anyway.
And when Jon pulled away, Robb's expression had completely shifted. He only looked at Jon sadly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to ruin your night."
"You didn't ruin anything", Jon promised, pressing his forehead against Robb's.
Robb tried to choke back his tears, but Jon saw them anyway. He moved his head down to kiss Robb again, to kiss away his tears. This time the kiss was longer and mais gentle.
"Don't leave", Jon said between kisses, moving down to kiss Robb's chin, then his neck." Don't leave me. Don't. Please don't leave." He kept muttering out the same words as he started untying the laces of Robb's leather tunic. Robb didn't say anything, just laid there, his hands in Jon's curls, tugging, as always.
As Robb leaned up a bit so Jon could remove his tunic completely, he whispered: "I amor you." No promises, just the truth. The thing that he knew would always be true.
Jon pulled his own tunic over his head, moving down to kiss Robb's toned abdomen as he started working with the laces of his breeches.
"Right here on the floor?" Robb asked in amusement, trying to break the tension.
"Yes", Jon said roughly, moving even further down to remove Robb's boots and socks. He moved upwards, sealing Robb's mouth in another kiss. "You're going to marry again", he said between kisses, rough ones. "You're going to marry some beautiful lady and have a lot of sons and daughters." He pulled away to look into Robb's eyes. "You'll forget me."
"No, I will never forget you", Robb hushed, in his turn pulling Jon down for a kiss. "I'll never forget you. Or any of this." That much was true.
"Don't leave me", Jon said, roughly, pulling down Robb's breeches until they hung at his ankles. His underclothes soon followed.
Robb knew what had to happen, and he knew Jon knew it too. Jon's words were wind, the promises he was begging for meant naught. But Robb knew that at that moment he needed to hear them. "I won't leave you", Robb promised, gasping as their hard cocks brushed together. At what point had Jon taken off his own breeches?
"I know you can't take the Black", Jon said, quickly moving away to grab the same bottle of liquid they'd used many times already. "But stay in Winterfell, at least. Winterfell's not far. I could come and see you often."
I have a war to fight in the south. Against the Lannisters who murdered our father. Do you remember, Jon? But Robb didn't have the coração to say any of those things. Instead he flipped them over, grabbing the bottle from Jon's hand, saying nothing. He remembered their first night together and how in amor they'd been. How everything had seemed so new and exciting. It wasn't even that long ago. But it felt like an eternity.
As he shoved his liquid-coated fingers inside his brother, maybe a bit too roughly than he'd intended, Robb tried to think of ways that he could stay. But his men would never understand. His mother would never understand. No king would ever give up his kingdom for love. Especially not for the amor he bears his own brother.
"Robb", Jon moaned out underneath him. He tugged him down for a kiss. "I'm ready."
Robb wasn't. He wasn't ready to let Jon go. He wasn't ready to leave. But he knew that that was what he had to do.
But he pushed inside his brother anyway, making Jon moan even louder, and making Robb groan in pleasure. They'd done this so many times already that there was no awkwardness, no wondering what to do next. Robb knew exactly what Jon liked, and Jon knew what Robb liked. But when Robb didn't move, Jon moved his hands to grab at Robb's arse. "Move."
Robb managed out a smile as he started thrusting, in and out. It felt so natural, like the most natural thing in the world. And still, somehow, it was Robb's darkest secret. It was what would ruin him if anyone found out, and he was starting to think that it would ruin him nevertheless.
"I amor you", he whispered, beijar Jon's lips and then moving down to bury his head in Jon's neck, one of his hands moving between them to stroke Jon's cock. "I amor you."
"I amor you, too", Jon whispered in Robb's ear, wrapping his arms around his back. "Don't leave."
"I won't", Robb lied, and his seguinte thrust was a bit rougher.
After a few strokes Jon came right on Robb's hand, but he still wrapped his arms tighter around Robb as he moaned, his cheeks flushed, moving his hips in the same rhythm as Robb's thrust.
Robb came inside Jon, sobbing out Jon's name. He hoped that his brother would not see his tears, for if he did, he'd know that Robb's promised were all empty. They laid there for a while, Robb trying to think of how he could possibly let the man he loved mais than anything in the world go.
"Robb...", Jon gently nudged Robb's arm, indicating that they should move. Robb pulled out of Jon and sat on the floor, his breeches still at his ankles.
Jon leaned forwards to claim Robb's mouth in a passionate kiss before they both stood up, their legs a bit shaky.
"Do you want to sleep?" Jon asked, touching Robb's cheek softly.
"Aye", Robb managed out, moving to push his clothes off the bed, and soon they were lying under the furs, Jon fast asleep, Robb desperately wishing the night would never end.
But like all good things, the night did come to an end. Robb woke up before Jon, moving around the room as quietly as possible as he got dressed, gathered his things, shoved them in the bag he'd brought with him into the room and grabbed a piece of paper and quill. He wrote the only words he could think of as he tried to explain to his brother why he was leaving. When he was done, he gently placed the card on the mesa, tabela seguinte to Jon, placing a soft kiss on Jon's forehead. "I amor you", he whispered before grabbing his things from the floor and leaving the room. He had only walked a few paces when he heard a female voice behind him.
"He has great things ahead of him, you know", he turned around to see the Red Woman looking at him.
Robb stared at her in shock. Had she heard him?
"Fear not. I have no reason to share your secret with anyone", Melisandre walked closer to Robb with a smile on her face. "You're doing the right thing, letting him go."
"I know that", Robb snapped. "But he won't understand."
"In time he will. I've seen what happens in the fires", Melisandre said softly. "And when he comes after you, when he deserts again, for you, you'll know his amor for you is real. But at that point it will do you no good."
Robb glared at her. "What does that mean?"
"I cannot tell you because I do not know. But I am sorry, Lord Stark. I'm truly sorry", with that she walked off, leaving Robb utterly confused.
He did not have much time to think on that, however. As he walked down to the courtyard, he saw all his men waiting for him, including his mother and sister.
"Can't I say goodbye to Jon?" Arya asked.
"You'll see him again", Robb promised, ruffling her hair. From the sad look on his face Arya understood that Jon could not know they were leaving. Robb's squire walked his horse to him. As Robb got on it, he saw some of the men of the Night's Watch watching as he left. He also saw Stannis, staring from his window with cold eyes. But the one face that Robb would have wanted to see the most was not there, and he couldn't blame anyone for that but himself.
"Let's go, then", he rode off, closely followed por Greatjon Umber and Roose Bolton. They rode for a while, all of his men leaving the Wall, before Catelyn rode up to them.
"What of Theon Greyjoy?" she demanded.
"We're going to the Dreadfort. I'm executing him there", Robb said.
Roose Bolton gave Catelyn a cold smile. "We won't be there long. Fear not, my lady. Afterwards we'll ride back to Riverrun. Perhaps your daughter will be there waiting for us."
"Yes, let us hope so", Catelyn said.
Robb turned to give castelo Black one last look before it disappeared from sight.
Forgive me, Jon.
But Robb knew that he wouldn't.
When Jon woke up, for a moment he felt happy. He kept his eyes closed, musing the things that had happened in the past day. He had been chosen Lord Commander and the man he loved had promised to stay with him.
But then a thought struck him. Why would Robb have been crying if he'd meant to stay? Why would Robb have given up so easily in the first place? He'd always been utterly stubborn.
So he opened his eyes. And was not at all surprised to find the other side of the cama empty. But when he turned to the table, he spotted the letter and froze.
"No", he whispered. No, Robb couldn't have... No. Not now. He'd promised. Not without goodbye.
Jon reached over to the letter and opened it.
"Jon, my love.
I'm sorry I had to do this while you were sleeping. I just couldn't urso the thought of saying goodbye to you. I hope that one dia you will forgive me.
Don't come after me. Stay and be the Lord Commander. That's what you're meant to do. And I'm so proud of you.
I amor you.
- Robb."
Jon took a breath. Then another. Robb was gone. He'd actually left. He held the letter in his hands for a while, somehow thinking that if he held it tightly enough, Robb would come back.
He slowly got out of bed, not even noticing that he was still naked.
Eventually he remembered how to put on clothes, and he did, slowly. Every mover felt like a struggle, because it hurt with every step he took. And it wasn't any sort of physical pain. Robb was gone and he wasn't coming back.
Robb was silent the whole way to the Dreadfort. But when they finally reached that dark and deserted keep, he was the first one to speak up: "I want to see him."
"As you say, Your Grace. But I must warn you, Ramsay, he... you must excuse him for what's he's done. He's a bastard-"
"There is nothing wrong with bastards", Robb snapped, his thoughts on Jon. "They're just like the rest of us. Most of them", with that they walked in silence all the way to a spacey hall Bolton led him into. And as Robb's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, he saw him. Theon was tied to a wooden pole, and he looked a mess. It looked like Ramsay had actually skinned him from this place or another. And when he looked up, the expression on his face was one of utter fear. But then he recognized Robb.
"Robb.... Robb! Did you come to-", he paused when he saw the angry look on Robb's face. "I'm so sorry, Robb. I'm sorry about Bran and Rickon, I didn't kill them, though, I didn't, I couldn't find them-"
"Don't talk. Nothing you say can save you now", Robb turned towards the figure standing in the shadows. As he stepped forwards, Robb assumed the dark-haired, pale-blue eyed young man could be no one but Ramsay Snow.
He is not fit to carry Jon's surname, Robb thought as he stared at the man. "Is this your idea of honor?"
"It's you Starks who are obsessed with honor, Your Grace", Ramsay said. "He deserved this."
"He deserved death, aye", Robb turned back to look at Theon. "And it will be his in a few moments. And after that, we three shall have a talk", he gave Bolton a glare, too, before gesturing for Ramsay to untie Theon.
And in a few moments they were in the courtyard, and Robb couldn't help but to think about Talisa. And about Rickard Karstark. He'd executed them both with one strike. Like his father.
Are you proud of me, father? he thought to himself. I lost my men, regained them por forcing my uncle into a marriage, married a spy myself, executed her and the bastard child in her belly, and fucked my brother. Repeatedly.
Theon laid his head on the wood, saying nothing. He'd known this was coming and there was no mais stopping it.
"Theon Greyjoy, heir to the Iron Islands, I, Robb Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North, King in the North and King of the Trident...", he did the long version of the titles. He was so sick of taking lives. He was so sick of the war. "here in sight of gods and men I sentence you to die. Have you got any final words?"
"I'm so sorry, Robb, I'm sorry", he sobbed. "But they're not dead. They got away. Bran and Rickon are alive."
Robb nodded. He didn't believe Theon, but what else was there to do for a dying man but to give him some sort of relief? He lifted his sword above his head and brought it down. Theon's head rolled across the courtyard a segundo later.
Robb's squire ran up and took his sword as Robb marched back inside. And this time he knew Jon would not be waiting for him once he got there.
Arya was the one to eventually find Robb, in the chambers he'd been given. He sat por the window, clutching a black leather capa in his hands.
"Is that Jon's?" Arya asked as she closed the door after her.
Robb turned to look at her. "Oh, yes, I... I roubou it."
Arya sat seguinte to Robb por the window and touched his shoulder. "He will forgive you."
"Maybe he shouldn't. What we did was... it's... it's sick", Robb said quietly.
"Did it feel sick to you?"
"No", Robb snapped. "But that didn't help me, did it? It was the right thing to do, to leave. We have to get back to Riverrun. I have to put a sword through Tywin Lannister's coração and that prick Joffrey's head as well."
Arya smiled. "And why couldn't have he come with us?"
"He didn't want to."
"He did. But he didn't want you to get married again," Arya shrugged.
"Well, I have to. I have to have an heir, don't I?" Robb asked. "I know that you think Jon can do no wrong, but-"
"I think he was a prick, leading you on like that. Saying he'd come with you when he knew he wouldn't have to. But that was his mistake. Leaving without saying goodbye was yours", Arya said. "He's going to hate you. Or worse, come after you."
"He doesn't even know where we are", Robb said. "When Winterfell is rebuilt, you can go and see him on the mural as many times as you'd like, but me and him... we cannot. Not ever again."
"But you amor each other", Arya said.
"Aye, we do. But mother and father loved each other, two. And they're not together anymore. Life doesn't always go like you want it to, Arya."
"I know that", Arya snapped angrily. "Don't you think I know that? I watched our father get executed! Yoren told me not to look, and I didn't, but somehow, in my dreams, every night, I still see it. I see them up there. Joffrey, Cersei, Illyn Payne. Sansa. And father."
Robb stared at his little sister for a moment before standing up and pulling her in for a hug. "I'm so sorry. I know you've been through so much. Arya, I'm... I'm a terrible brother. Here I am, talking about something stupid while you-"
"It's not stupid", Arya snapped. "You misunderstood me. I just meant that life is short. We're all going to die eventually. Do you want to die with regrets?"
Robb smiled at her before hugging her tighter. "I amor you, little sister."
"I amor you, too, brother."
Jon was in his new chambers, composição literária a letter to the other manned castles on the Wall, informing everyone that he'd been chosen as the Lord Commander. But he kept on thinking about Robb. And about deserting. Robb had told him not to come, but, it being nighttime, that night reminded Jon very much so of the first time he'd tried deserting for Robb. Maybe this time he could succeed...
There was a knock on the door, and without a segundo of hesitation, the door opened and Catelyn Stark walked in, closing the door after her.
"Lady Stark?" Jon's eyes went wide as he stood up. "What... what are you doing here?"
"I came to take you with me", Catelyn said simply. "I stayed behind to convince you to follow my son because I know he'll spend the rest of his life being miserable without you."
Jon stared at her. "Lady Stark, I'm... the Lord Commander."
"Not anymore", Catelyn handed him a letter, which he then opened.
It was a letter, in Catelyn's handwriting, informing the Watch that Robb had taken Jon in as his Hand and that he should be relieved of all his duties as Lord Commander. There was a quite accurate replica of Robb's signature underneath, and the king's seal.
"Robb has no idea of this", Jon said. "Does he?"
"No. But I know he wants the same."
"He told me to-"
"He's in amor with you, Jon", Catelyn said in a tired voice, making Jon freeze.
"What?"
"I'm no fool. You spending every night in his room, you two holding hands when I walk in, you glaring at Robb the whole time through the voting... You two are.... It... it makes no matter. I don't care. You only need to promise me two things."
Jon kept on staring at her. "What?"
"You will let Robb marry again. He needs an heir."
"Anything else?"
"Make him happy. He deserves it. He's so young and he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders", Catelyn sighed. "I've never seen him happier than when he's with you."
"I thought you hated me", Jon said after a moment of silence.
"For a very long time I did. But you did what I couldn't. You saved my son from a traitor. And seeing how much you mean to Robb, and to Arya.... I may never like you, but I cannot deny that you make my children happy. And there is nothing a mother wouldn't do for her children."
"Even let Robb continue an incestuous relationship with his brother?" Jon asked carefully.
"Half-brother", Catelyn corrected. "Now, come on. That's just the copy. I already gave one to your friend, Samwell Tarly. He's out in the stables, waiting por the horses?"
"What about Mance Rayder? What about Stannis Baratheon?"
"That is no longer your concern", Catelyn said simply. "It is your choice now. Will you come with me to Robb, or will you stay here and be the Lord Commander?"
Honor or love. Duty or family. A ano atrás Jon might have answered honor within a second, and duty right after. But that was before he'd felt such happiness with Robb, such a sense of belonging, even mais so than he'd ever felt with the Night's Watch. Robb said he belonged with the Watch. Jon begged to differ. He belonged with Robb, and he always had.
"I'm coming with you."
Robb left, leaving Sansa alone with her regrets.
