From Winter to Summer and Winter Again 4

Part 11

Rain poured heavily upon the Northern camp. In the distance, the growing sound of thunder increased with occasional flashes of lightning. The gods enjoyed tormenting the North's camps while in the South. The passing moments intensified the showers as the clouds spread darkness over the Riverlands.

Rhaenyra's hand curled her hand against the curtain opening to her tent. The mist of the rain greeted her as she attempted to see passed its thick pour. With a sigh, she turned to Catelyn. "He has been gone for too long." She pushed a hand through her dark hair to rest it against her shoulder. "He could have sent Umber to greet him but no." Catelyn giggled in her seat, dropping her sewing beside her.

"It has not been that long."Rhaenyra shut the opening, tying it to the post tightly. "You know how he is." Catelyn stood to stand by the small fire that centered the mock quarters. The flames offered warmth and light giving the room an orange hue. Rhaenyra's violet eyes focused on the dancing licks as Catelyn added another log to burn. "Robb places family before all, he needed to ensure your father's accommodations are alright."

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, walking to the cot in the corner. She sat at its edge, "I did not wish for him to come. But he insisted saying he should join both his family in their celebrations." She placed her hands against her stomach. Her father remained in Herranhal following his marriage to Walda Frey. Rhaenyra was grateful for his departure, feeling secure in his absence. His proximity brought consistent unease only causing a dire need for Robb's reassurance.

"Stop fretting," said Catelyn. She clasped her hands together eyes glancing around the simple tent. "I find the absence of my grandchildren is quite," she paused to return to her seat. "Odd. Your tent during the battles seemed to hold so much life, the simplicity of this one's furniture saddens me somewhat." Rhaenyra laughed at her comment, reaching forward to grab her hand. "I know this tent is temporary but I miss them."

"Your uncle is with them, they are fine and safe at Riverrun. Don't worry." She knew her good mother needed comfort in her stresses. Rhaenyra understood, briefly thinking of her dead brothers-in-laws. They were the last children Catelyn departed from, Rhaenyra shared her concerns.

She dropped her hand to return it to her belly where her babe insisted on kicking about. With a sigh, she rose from the cot to stand beside the fire. Her child's kicks intensified as the fire beckoned as it always did. Rhaenyra tilted her head, watching the flames dance in motion. "Hello," she turned her head quickly to see her husband walk in. She smirked to him, grabbing a discarded towel left on the cot for him.

Rhaenyra laughed as she pulled against his wet hair, "You smell of wet wolf," she whispered. Robb shook his head earning a scream from his wife as water sprung off him. She placed the towel over his face and head. "Stop!" Rhaenyra squealed through laughter.

She pushed the towel against his head to reveal his face. Robb kissed her, "You said I smell of wolf." Rhaenyra twisted her face, finding his beard to match in wetness. She continued to dry his hair, her eyes meeting his. She stood against the tip of her boots to kiss him once more. Robb shifted to remove his drenched cloak, Rhaenyra moved her fingers between his to help. He smiled at her before snapping his head to the shifting curtains at the entrance of the tent. His hand instinctively went to his sword's hilt.

"The rain will cost us another day," complained Roose Bolton as he entered the tent. Beside him walked Edmure who ignored his King and Queen to stand beside his sister.

Robb sighed and brought his hands to cover his wife's. "Frey will wait. He knows we're coming." Rhaenyra's fingers stopped struggling to untie the cloak.

Catelyn rester her hand against her brother's shoulder as he sat beside her. "Lord Walder is prickly by nature."

Rhaenyra scoffed, "He is naturally unpleasant. I've seen wet shits I liked better than Walder Frey. I haven't even given him the honor of meeting me and yet here I am hating him."

"Lord Frey will take this delay as a slight," Catelyn's eyes held concern. She sat taller in her seat as she continued to watch her son and his wife.

Edmure broke his eery silence, " He can take it as he likes. He's getting the wedding he wanted."

"He's getting a wedding. It was an heir he wanted." Rhaenyra's hands went to her abdomen as if trying to protect the child growing within.

She swallowed heavily, "We best get some sleep, we have an early journey." Her family trickled away at her command, leaving her and Robb blissfully alone. Rhaenyra's eyes met his before she jumped to wrap her arms around his neck. Her lips met his heatedly before she blindly lead him to their shared cot. He carefully hovered above her, his lips moving from her lips to her neck. Rhaenyra laughed as she pressed her hands to his chest finding him to still be wearing his armor.

Moments later, Robb laid his head on his wife's chest. He listened to her steady heartbeat while his hand rubbed against her lower belly. Rhaenyra's fingers moved through his curls, her eyes struggling to remain open. She felt her child kick within and Robb's hand retracted quickly. He lifted his head from her breast to sit up straight. His blue eyes never left her belly as he watched their child's foot press against her skin. The small outline earning a beam of a smile from their father.

Robb rose from the bed, beautifully nude. Rhaenyra could not help but follow his figure as he walked to the corner of the room. He stood before his desk to quickly search for letters that needed responses. Rhaenyra caught the glimpse of one's seal, its pinkish seal contrasting against the grey of the others.

She sat straighter in the bed, not bothering to shift the blankets to cover herself. Robb turned to bring the letter to her. He stopped, "You know if you don't put clothes on, I can't promise I won't attack you again."

Rhaenyra scoffed, "I attacked you." He sat beside her holding the note from her brother. She took it, eagerly waiting to read of her brother's next tortures. It was pure nonsense, his letter merely was an update on his life at the Dreadfort. A pure bore compared to his last few notes. She rolled her eyes at the mention of his new lover. "Can you hand me that board?" Robb did, she furiously wrote her own life update which she always dreaded doing. She signed the letter with her name and titles ending it with a Valyrian phrase, Volar Dohaeris. She loved her brother but she needed to remind him of his place in the war.

Robb tilted her board toward him, "All men must serve?" Rhaenyra nodded before rising from the bed, she swiftly readied her letter to be sent. "I didn't know you spoke Valyrian."

"I don't." She poured the grey wax over the edge of the parchment. "My brother Domeric was quite fond of the two phrases Valar Morghulis and Valar Dohaeris."She pressed the seal of her house into the wax before turning to face her husband, "Ramsay needs a reminder the crucial part he plays in this war."