~~~
SILVER HAIRED GIRL
~~~
VALENCIA SLEPT SOUNDLESSLY IN HER BED. Her face was pressed into her pillow, her lips gently parted and her charcoal curls fanning around her head like a halo. A single arm draped over her middle, Robb lying behind her, his face lying on the warm skin of her back while Valencia laid on her stomach.
Although she hadn't grown fond of the cuddling, she didn't mind the warmth Robb brought her cool skin, especially on Winterfell's coldest nights. As usual, Robb would be the one to roll over and huddle against her while she normally slept on her stomach, facing away from him. But on nights like tonight, Robb would wrap and arm around her and remain close while they slept.
Though tonight was different, for Valencia's dreams came to play.
The heat was the first thing she felt within her dream. She stood in a long path, men and women either walking or riding past her. She became increasingly warm, sweat forming in thick beads across her brow and upper lip. There were men garbbed in leather, whips in their hands, the whips hitting the backs of the slaves. Long grass, double her height surrounded her, waving in the wind, the short wisps gently brushing her body. Horses passed her and her eyes followed them, but suddenly the khalasar halted.
She looked around the crowd, seeing them all turn their heads to a singular person. Valencia spun on her heel and pushed herself through the crowd before her dark eyes landed on a fair skinned woman.
Daenerys Targaryen.
The Targaryen Princess was seated atop a silver horse, the same colour as Daenerys' hair. She rode beside a withered knight Valencia had never met, nor knew of. His aged face was turned towards the young woman, he spoke words Valencia could not hear.
Then, the Princess turned and met Valencia's eyes.
Pain slammed inside Valencia's mind, scraping inside her skull like a hot knife in butter. Images scratched within her head. A man, with black, oily hair braided down his back with heavy bells and cooper skin invaded her view. Valencia stood on a cliff, beside Daenerys who was stripped naked, bent over and sobbing. Valencia felt pain erupt between her legs as the Targaryen Princess cried even harder.
Valencia forced herself away from the cliffs, the pain ringing so hard through her head that sleep drifted from her.
Valencia shot awake, her breaths rigid and harsh. Sweat broke out onto her skin, and her body rolled onto her back before she sat up at an accelerated pace. Her breathing came heavy as pain continued between her legs.
Wincing, she kicked the blankets and lifted her night dress, revealing blood pooling between her thighs. Cursing mother-nature, she forced herself out of bed, groggy with sleep and only now did she see the blood that stained the linens of her bed.
Her pain swept away the remembrance of her dream.
Embarrassment pulsed through her, she didn't want Robb to see her moon-blood, especially this early in their marriage. And now, those who would become aware of her moon-blood would realise that she was not with-child, which would become an embarrassment to Robb, for not getting her pregnant already.
Deciding to clean herself up first, Valencia approached the dresser and struck a candle to light, illuminating the room with gentle candle light. She glanced up through the mirror and turned her body, twisting so she could see the damage done to her nightdress. What she saw both sickened her, and annoyed her greatly.
A thick pool of blood had stained the back of her dress, glowing a deep red in the dim light of the room.
"Valencia?"
Fuck.
The Princess turned, her hands drifting to her behind, hiding the blood from Robb who was now wide awake. "Why are you up?" He asked, lifting from his stomach and rubbing his eyes free of tiredness.
"I...well, I was hungry," she lied, rubbing the back of her neck as her feet awkwardly crossed over. Robb frowned but shrugged, pushing himself up. Valencia felt the burn of anxiety the moment the blankets lifted, revealing the patch of blood where she had lain. Robb froze at the sight.
Silence bubbled between them. Robb staring at the patch while Valencia tried to not die of embarrassment. Robb cut the silence with his blue eyes meeting hers, "are you alright?"
Valencia nodded frantically, pressing herself against the dresser, a wave of cramps slammed into her belly. She had to refrain from wincing at the throbbing pain. Robb then slid from the bed and approached her, "I'll wake one of the servants to draw you a bath," he left the room after throwing on a shirt.
Valencia's cheeks were bright red, redder than her maidenhood between her legs. She prayed that Robb didn't wake up and see her blood, but the Gods were cruel and of course he had seen. Another wave of cramps bit into her stomach viciously, pinching the skin so tightly Valencia had to hold onto the dresser for support. She yearned to sit and pull her legs to her chest to hopefully relieve herself of the pain, but she feared to get anymore blood on the furniture.
Robb returned not long after, his hair messy from sleep. "They've put the bath in your old room, I thought you would like some privacy," he said softly. Valencia nodded and grabbed for a robe, quickly tying it around herself and exiting the room.
She followed the old path to her room that was suspiciously close to Robb's and entered quietly, her bare feet cold on the ground. Inside her old room was a tub of steaming warm water, a servant who looked as tired as Valencia stood nearby, her arms clasped in front of her. Valencia felt a pang of guilt for having the girl woken up so early to tend her needs. "Go back to sleep, I'll handle it from here." The servant girl's eyes widened, and she left without question, leaving Valencia alone to deal with her embarrassment.
She tore off her robe and turned to the water, she didn't strip of her nightgown but instead lowered herself into the bath, still completely dressed. The nightgown hung off her body in the water that warmed her skin soothingly. It smelt of lavender soap, a gentle combination though potent considering petals of the lavender flower floated atop the water.
She soaked in the water for what felt like hours, ignoring the sloppy feeling of blood leaving her sex, and the painful tearing in her uterus. The water soothed her ache, dulling it for a short period, but the throbbing remained, even if it was reprimanded to a light throb.
A knock at the door came, tearing Valencia from the warmth of the bath. "Yes?" She called, suspecting it to either be the servant girl, or Robb. It was the latter of the two.
Robb at first didn't seem to realise that she was clothed inside the bath, and instantly looked down the moment he stepped through the door. "Apologies, my Lady. I came to bring you some new nightgowns. I wasn't sure if you wanted white again, so I brought you black and white." He approached the bath, head down and arms full of undergarments and nightdresses. Valencia swooned at his caring ability to help her during this time.
"Thank you, Robb," she said gratefully. He nodded, setting the clothing down before leaving the room. A few moments later, Valencia exited the bath, discarding of her bloody nightgown, she dried herself before changing into a black nightdress, pressing a cloth in her undergarments to conceal the blood for the rest of the night.
Deciding to leave the bath, she returned to her room with her remaining clothing. Upon opening the door, she was welcomed by a strange sight. Robb, changing the linens on his bed. Valencia felt another flush of embarrassment in her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she announced, her head down.
Robb spun around after draping the skins over the bed, "what for?" He asked turning around and sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I did not mean to bleed so much," she admitted shamefully, "nor cause you any trouble."
Robb was quiet for a few seconds before he opened his mouth, and laughter came out between his lips. Startled, Valencia looked up with a frown, "why are you laughing?"
"I do not care, Valencia," he admitted laughing as he did so. "I care if it brings you any pain, so, is it? Bringing you pain?"
Valencia wanted to lie and say it didn't, but already, her hormones were becoming wild. She nodded as tears pooled in her eyes, "it really hurts," she whimpered childishly. Robb's lips formed into an amused smile before he outstretched his hands, beckoning her to come towards him. She did so without complaint.
The Princess took Robb's hand without hesitation, and he gently laid her beneath the blankets, pulling the furs up to her chin. He laid beside her, lying on his side, his eyes boring into her own. "Where does it hurt the most?"
Valencia pouted and withdrew the furs from her chin, exposing her torso and lower abdomen, she pointed a slim finger to the spot of her lower stomach. She watched as Robb pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and rested a warm hand on her belly, his fingers beginning to tenderly massage her aching body.
The Princess released a sigh of relief, finding comfort in the pressure of his fingers. She sunk into the bed, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply before exhaling just the same. "Congratulations," she sighed, "you're already surviving my first moon blood."
Robb chuckled and circled his fingers around her flesh, "just get some sleep," he soothed.
Valencia nodded and rolled her head to the side, indulging in Robb's soft fingers and even breaths. Although she didn't know Robb all to well, she definitely trusted him. Throughout their time together and their marriage, he had not yet proven untrustworthy, or manipulative, or having the traits of a liar. In some ways, he truly was his father's son. And Valencia respected that more than anything.
Before sleep took her over, Valencia opened her eyes, watching Robb's face form a concentrated look on massaging the pain from her stomach away. She felt guilty for the way she treated him, how she wasn't doing the one thing a woman was supposed to do in her world. Provide him a child, and here she was, on her first moon blood in their marriage, thinking of the child she could have had if she had lain with Robb like she was supposed to. Valencia wondered whether Robb thought this as well. Had he put off having children because he knew she didn't want to? Was he truly that selfless. Guilt gnawed at Valencia, anger at herself for being so selfish and only wanted the things she desired when Robb wanted a family of his own. Valencia truly felt selfish for what she had done.
"Robb?" She mumbled, the said man tore his gaze from her belly and met her eyes.
"Yes?" He responded, his warm hand splaying on her stomach.
She swallowed nervously, "do you want children?"
The question seemed to catch him off guard, and for a moment his movements halted, but continued as soon as they stopped. "At some point, but maybe not yet. Besides, you and I are not ready."
Valencia nodded, "I was just thinking of how selfish I've been by denying you of children all because I do not want any as of yet."
"You aren't denying me of anything," corrected Robb. "And you aren't selfish, we both don't want children yet. We are still young, and we don't need to be pumping out heirs just yet."
Valencia broke into laughter, "pumping? Gods be good."
The Lord of Winterfell grinned, "you should go back to sleep, I mean it this time," he said using his other hand to run through her hair soothingly.
Before Valencia could fall asleep she asked him one more thing. "We can be friends, right? We don't have to love each other?"
Robb nodded, continuing to stroke her head. "I'd be honoured to be your friend."
Valencia weakly lifted the corner of her lips into a tiny smile, before she closed her eyes that weighed more than lead, sleep was quick to take her.
When morning had arrived, Valencia and Robb broke their fast in the main hall together. Both of them laughing and jesting while eating their food happily. Their conversation was light and happy when Robb spoke his next words. "What would you like to do today?"
Valencia, who snacked on a small plate of berries tilted her head up in thought. "I'm not sure, what would you like to do?"
A mischievous glint shimmered in Robb's eyes, "how about swimming?"
Valencia burned bright red. Her hand reached for a berry and cheekily threw it at Robb, he caught it swiftly and ate it with a wolfish grin. "How rude of you," she said teasingly, finding no rudeness in him at all.
Robb laughed and leaned back in his seat, his eyes still connected to Valencia's. "But what would you like to do?"
The Princess' genuinely thought for a moment, before recalling how she tore up most her dresses and ordered burned them. Not to mention she was already in dire need of some new ones, and she had some left over coins she had been given by her father. But would Robb really want to come dress searching with her?
"I need some new gowns," she announced, "you wouldn't mind coming to Winter Town with me, would you?"
Robb instantly shook his head, his thick curls shaking. "No, I don't mind at all. Do you want to leave after breakfast?"
Valencia smiled and nodded a yes, and before long, she changed from her day gown and into a riding one with leather pants, a long slit was between her legs in the riding gown which was the colour of a pastel green.
While she readied herself, Robb waited for her at the gate, Grey Wind by his side. They decided at breakfast to just walk through Winter Town, considering it was right outside the gates of Winterfell.
The town itself was organised neatly in rows of cottages, taverns, a brothel and a few homes in general, a loud market stood not to far from the main road leading to Winterfell's gates. Robb, with a smile guided Valencia through the muddy streets, the few people that were out and about greeted both their Lord and Lady with a smile.
Once they reached the clothing stalls, Valencia paced up and down, inspecting the material, embroidery and jewels she could have sewn on. So far, not much was catching her eye. Robb stood alongside her, and though she enjoyed his company, she could tell he wasn't very interested in dress shopping.
"Sorry if this is boring for you," she apologised as she took a piece of silk between her fingers, inspecting the black fabric with interest. "I'm sure that you'd rather spend your day doing something else rather than shopping." She placed the fabric down.
Robb shrugged, "I don't mind," he reached over and took the dress she had just placed down. Grasping it between his fingers he asked, "do you like this gown?"
Valencia couldn't lie, she did like the dress. It was a beautiful gown, with long flowing sleeves with silver trimming around the neckline and sleeves. She wanted it, but didn't think she had enough money to purchase such an elaborate gown. "It is nice," she admitted, "but it's too much," she reached for the gown to put it back, but Robb withdrew his hands, shaking his head.
"I'll get it for you."
Valencia shook her head, "no you won't. I don't need it." The last thing she wanted was for him to waste his money on her, despite how flattered she was by it.
Valencia tried to take it from him one last time, but Robb pulled back yet again, "what kind of husband will I be if I can't even spoil my wife?" Valencia's cheeks ran red. In a good way.
A warm, bubbling feeling arose within her belly, stirring a mixture of happiness and lightness within her. Robb always managed to create those feelings in her, whether it be by his kind words, or his warm glances. He tore away the cold winds of the north and replaced it with a gentle heat the sparked a fire beneath her skin.
But despite Robb's easy kindness, her heart still belonged to Jon Snow.
"I fear you may spoil me to much," she chuckled.
Robb smiled and reached for her hand, taking it in his gently. "I'll do so gladly," he responded beginning to escort her up and down the stalls, waiting for her to pick out anything she liked.
After a lengthy browse, and more insistence from Robb for her to pick out anything she liked, Robb bought her three new gowns, as wells as some accessories to go with them. Valencia refused to let him pay anymore, and soon enough, the two were heading back to the castle. Robb held in his hands the three bundles of cloth wrapped around the gowns.
"I was thinking," Robb announced, "you haven't gotten much time to know my mother. And she is very keen on meeting you properly. Perhaps you could accompany her, she's been with Bran for weeks all alone," he suggested.
Valencia chewed on her bottom lip and nodded, "I'd like that, no mother should be alone while he child is suffering," she replied with a gently smile.
Robb returned the smile. "Thank you, this means a lot to me."
After she put her things away in her room, Robb excused himself from her presence to take care of Rickon who had been for weeks now sobbing and weeping over the absence of his mother. Valencia soon made her way to the room holding a unconscious Brandon Stark.
"Lady Stark," greeted Valencia from the doorway, young Bran still asleep in his bed as a weeping Catelyn sat beside him, her fingers weaving through straw, creating a circle symbolising the Seven Gods.
Catelyn's eyes met Valencia's and she quickly stood, "I-um, I'm sorry I could not attend your wedding."
Valencia shook her head, gesturing for her to sit back down, "there is no need to apologise, Bran needs you, much more than a silly wedding." Catelyn sniffed and sat back in her seat. "Robb asked me to be with you," Valencia admitted moving around to see Bran, she gazed at the dark haired boy, he seemed so gentle.
He looked thinner than the last time she had seen him. His cheeks were hollower, dark bags residing underneath his eyes, the skin around his face was pulled back, showing off his growing bone structure.
"He's a strong boy, I can tell," Valencia spoke locking eyes with Catelyn. "I cannot imagine how you must be feeling, it is a terrible thing to see a child suffer."
Catelyn nodded looking to Bran, his frail figure hidden by the furs on his bed. "I have been praying to the mother, begging her to give your child back to you. I hope she listen's," Valencia said moving around the other side of the bed, she pulled up and chair and nestled herself in it. She leaned forward on the bed, clasping her hands together beginning to pray for young Bran.
It felt like she had been there for hours, her tiny whispers of prayer could barely be heard by Catelyn who every now and then would glance to the kind girl.
Maester Luwin than came in as nightfall approached, interrupting the light conversation between Valencia and her mother-by-law. Luwin entered the room quietly, he approached Bran quietly and pressed the back of his hand to Bran's forehead, feeling his temperature.
He sighed heavily, "it's time we reviewed the accounts, my Lady. You'll want to know how much this royal visit has cost us."
Valencia saw the pent up emotions inside Catelyn begin to flurry out. "Talk to Poole about it," her voice announced, barely above a whisper.
"Poole went south, my Lady," Valencia responded gently, her hand reaching across and taking hold of Catelyn's.
"The Lady Valencia is correct, we also need a new steward. And there are serveral other appointments that require our immediate attention."
Catelyn trembled in rage, "I don't care about appointments," she cursed bitterly, as her firstborn entered the room. His blue eyes looked from maester Luwin, to his mother and brother, than to his wife who met his warm gaze.
She sent him a gentle look before his mouth opened, "I'll make the appointments," he announced. "We'll talk about it first thing in the morning."
Luwin nodded, his eyes looking to his Lady grimly. "Very good, my Lord." He then bowed to both Catelyn and Valencia, bidding them a farewell before leaving, the heavy chimes of his chains following behind him.
No movement was made in the room, all was still, as the tension of rising emotions bubbled between Robb and his mother. Valencia watched as Robb moved to the side of the room, grasping the shutters and opening the window. A gust of fresh air wafted inside the room, along with the painful howl of Bran's direwolf, who he hadn't named. "When was the last time you left this room?" Robb asked glancing back to his mother.
Catelyn sniffed, "I have to take care of him."
"He's not going to die, mother. Maester Luwin says the most dangerous time has passed."
"What if he's wrong? Bran needs me," Catelyn objected tears beginning to pool in her eyes, Valencia felt like she was intruding but she remained, wanting to comfort her mother-by-law in any way possible.
The howling grew louder.
"Rickon needs you, he's six. He doesn't know what's happening. He follows me around all day, clutching my leg, crying."
The wolf howled louder and Catelyn cried out, "close the windows I can't stand it! Please make them stop!" She wailed beginning to weep again, Valencia moved closer and wrapped her arms at Catelyn. Catelyn began to sob into her arms, while Robb saw something in the distance.
Flames.
"Fire, you both stay here. I'll come back," he exclaimed racing out of the room, Valencia frowned slipping away from Catelyn and looking out the window, a small building was alight. She swallowed thickly as Catelyn moved next to her.
"I hope no one was inside," Valencia gulped seeing the building begin to crumble. Catelyn nodded frantically beside her, as the smell of horse engulfed the room.
"You're not supposed to be here," a soft voice said, Valencia and Catelyn spun around. Their eyes going wide at the man who stood at the end of Bran's bed, his eyes darting between them and a sleeping Lordling. Valencia instantly pushed in front of her Catelyn, protecting her fiercely.
"No ones supposed to be here, it's a mercy." He unsheathed a small knife, glittering with gems, shimmering in the light.
"He's dead already."
He then lunged for Bran, Catelyn let out a wail as she dove for him. Valencia threw herself into to Bran, covering his body from the man, but Catelyn had charged at the stranger. He spun her around and forced the knife to her throat, but Catelyn grabbed the blade, the metal cutting into her palms like butter. She let out a pained cry and moved back, slamming herself and the man into the wardrobe. She bit down onto his hand, the man cried out. He threw her to the floor, his eyes set upon Valencia and Bran.
Valencia glared at the man as she stood from the bed. He lunged for her, only for Valencia to counter with a heavy swing of her leg, plunging her foot into his stomach. She stole the knife from him and gripped him around the neck, pulling his back against her chest.
Valencia then proceeded to stab him multiple times into the chest, over and over again. But he continued to fight, slamming his head into her chin.
Valencia stumbled back, the knife slipping from her blood coated hands. He elbowed her in the stomach pushing her to the ground, she landed on her back, then head first.
For a moment, pain erupted into her stomach and head, bursting like a dam, flooding her entire body in a burning flame. She cried out, cradling her stomach. It didn't help that she was bleeding which only made the pain worse.
She heard the heavy breaths of the dying assassin, then the clatter of a knife. Valencia had just reopened her eyes when a blur of brown lunged over her and tore into the assassins neck. Bran's nameless direwolf's teeth dug into the mans neck, earning painful screams, but the direwolf did not let up.
The direwolf ripped out the mans throat, the wolfs snout covered in blood as it crawled onto Brans bed, lying beside him.
Valencia looked to Catelyn, who seemed just as shocked as Valencia was. She moved closer to her mother-by-law, blood pouring from her palms, ignoring the pain in her body, she took Catelyn's injured hands. "My Lady, your hands," she whispered as the blood began to stain Valencia's already blood ridden hands.
Catelyn shook like a leaf, trembling as she looked between the dead body, Valencia and Bran.
Not understanding any of what just happened.
The bursting of a door startled both women, the younger of the two jumping back as Robb's auburn hair came into view. His blue eyes widened in horror between the dead man on the ground, his bleeding mother and in-pain wife. "Mother, Valencia," he sighed in relief racing to them. He carefully helped his mother to her feet while she winced at the deep cuts in her fingers. Next, he bent down and looped his arms around Valencia, standing her to her feet. He cupped her cheeks warmly, "are you alright?" He asked, staring into her eyes.
Despite her pain, Valencia nodded weakly. "I'm fine," she lied, ignoring the hurt within her belly and back of the skull. Robb raised a brow as the clinking of maester Luwin's chains rang into the room. Robb was hesitant to pull away from his wife, but he needed to see if his brother was alright.
And when he did let go, Valencia felt her insides pool with disappointment. For deep down, she wished for Robb to continue to hold her as tenderly as he had.
Jon Snow would have.