The Crossed Rose - GoT - R.S.

Broken promises, kept vows

"We have the Lannisters on the run." Lord Bolton said. "If you march all the way back north now, you'll lose what you gained. My boy would be honoured to bring you Prince Theon's head."

There was a second of consideration for Robb and, even though one look at his eyes told Dahlia he wasn't happy with the arrangement at all, he agreed.

"Tell your son Bran and Rickon's safety is paramount." He decided, his brothers' life at the forefront of his mind even through his hazed mind state. "And Theon... I want him brought to me alive. I want to look him in the eye and ask him why. And then I'll take his head myself."

"As you wish, your Grace." Lord Bolton bowed his head then.

Robb nodded, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he sighed heavily.

"Now, all of you... Leave." He said.

And without another word, Lord Bolton, Catelyn and Dahlia moved to leave the tent and give Robb some much needed alone time. Before his wife could leave, however, Robb reached a hand out and grabbed her arm to stop.

"No." He said, his voice sounding far less threatening now and sounding much more like the voice of a boy. The boy who had marched down south to save his Father from the Lannisters' claws. "Stay with me, love. Please."

That hadn't been a King commanding his Queen. That had been a boy, asking for a friend's comfort. That boy was the boy who had started the war, but that boy was no more, however, killed to give way to the man. To the King. To the Young Wolf. And Dahlia had watched that transformation up close. She had seen nothing but the boy for a while, but soon, Robb started to show her the man. And Dahlia had fallen in love with him. Boy or man, she had fallen in love with him. She had married him. Promised, as a Queen, to support her King. Promised, as a wife, to aid her husband. Promised, as a woman, to love her man. But now, Robb was no King nor husband nor man. Now, Robb was a boy and he needed Dahlia to just be his comfort. So that was what she would be.

"Of course, my love." She smiled a little. "As long as you want me."

And, with that, Catelyn and Lord Bolton were out of the tent. While they walked out, Robb and Dahlia didn't move. It wasn't until the flap of the tent fell down again that Robb pulled Dahlia into his lap. She didn't even fight, just allowed Robb to wrap his arms around her and nuzzle his face in her neck.

"I should've listened to you..." He mumbled, as Dahlia sighed running her hands over Robb's curls. "You told me to send someone with him. My Mother told me not to send him at all. My Lords told me it was a stupid idea. I refused to listen. It was dumb of me. I should've listened to you. I should've listened to all of you."

"Love..." Dahlia whispered, continuing to caress his hair as she spoke. "Oh, love, it's alright. You made a choice, as a King."

"And it was the wrong one."

"Maybe." Dahlia nodded. "But it's done. And what is done cannot be changed."

Robb practically whined at those words, squeezing Dahlia in his arms again as he nuzzled his cheek against her shoulder. He was upset. Very much so. Dahlia could tell he wanted to be angry at Theon, and he probably was. But he also felt betrayed. He had trusted Theon. Against everyone's advice, he had trusted Theon. And then he went and proved all of them right - he went and stabbed Robb, his best friend, on the back. And now, Robb would have to face them all with that knowledge. The knowledge that he had ignored them all and chose wrong.

"If I'd known..." Robb mumbled. "Oh, love, I should've known, shouldn't I?"

"No." Dahlia shook her head. "There was no way you could've known. He grew up with you, love. We all thought he was more Stark than Greyjoy. It came as a surprise to us all."