The Crossed Rose - GoT - R.S.

Whispering Woods

Dahlia felt weird. As she sat on her horse beside Lady Stark, staring out into an unnervingly quiet wood - Dahlia supposed it wasn't called the Whispering Woods for nothing - she felt something deep in her stomach. She wasn't sure what it was - nervousness, apprehension, fear... Maybe a mix of the three. She wasn't sure why she felt it either. After all, sure she had been betrothed to Robb, but she had met the boy not two days ago. Could she be worried about him? No, she thought. It was definitely about Olyvar, right? Who had been thrusted into his first ever battle as the squire of Lord Stark. Or maybe... It was just an overall dread for the war as a whole. After all, should her Lord Husband-to-be lose his battle, it meant the Lannister would win. And being the girl about to wed the enemy, she feared for what the Kingslayer could do to her.

"He'll come back, Lady Dahlia."

Lady Stark's voice was the sound to bring Dahlia back to reality. Across the silent clearing they were in, the sweet words from the woman sounded almost too loud. Still, Dahlia turned around to face the Lady Stark.

"I know, my Lady." Dahlia said. "I have faith in Lord Robb."

Lady Stark sent Dahlia a bitter-sweet smile. Because she knew. Of course she did. The words that came out of Dahlia's mouth were sweet, but not for a second genuine. And Lady Stark couldn't blame her for it at all. She had been in her position before: betrothed to a man she didn't know, having to comprehend all the feelings inside of her when she watched him ride into battle. She was a Lady and she had a duty to her husband, she knew. But should he die... What would be of her? Would she raise her baby alone? Would that be better than being the wife of Ned Stark?

She hadn't had the chance to figure it out, however, because Ned had returned from his war. And, for a while, Catelyn had wished he had been killed. Surely it would have been a lesser shame than having his bastard son running around their castle and growing up with their son. But Catelyn was a Lady and she had a duty. Family, duty, honor. Those were her words and she would live by them. No matter how much it killed her, she would live by them.

And, now, as she watched Dahlia Frey struggling to keep her emotions under control inside of her, she knew she would do as duty asked of her as well.

"I know the feeling." Lady Stark spoke up then, her voice soft and gentle as she urged her horse forward just a bit so it was standing right beside Dahlia's. "Waiting for them to return is almost worse than watching them go."

"Have you done this before, my Lady?" Dahlia whispered, her eyes set on the woods in front of her, hearing the clashes of swords and yells of pain and whines of horses as she tried not to think too much of it.

"Yes, sweetling. I have." Lady Stark nodded, her eyes also not looking at the girl beside her as she spoke, clearly trying to avoid thinking about her eldest son going off to battle. Clearly trying not to think of his boy dead. "I have waited for my father, I have waited for Brandon Stark, I have waited for my husband."

"And now, you wait for your son." Dahlia mumbled, flinching a bit when a scream of agony echoed through the woods.

"And now, I wait for my son." Lady Stark nodded. "And if I must be frank, I have never known greater distress."

"My apologies, my Lady." Dahlia said, finally turning to look at the woman beside her only to notice she was already looking at her with a smile.

"You have nothing to apologize for, sweetling." The Lady Stark said. "If, anything, we should be the one apologizing to you. Taking you away from your home and your family only to thrust you in the depths of war for a house you don't know and a husband you have never asked for."

"I have always known I would be married off, my Lady." Dahlia shrugged quietly. "Of course I dreamed of a galant prince, or an honorable Knight. I mean, which girl doesn't? But... Your son... I mean, Lord Robb he... He seems galant enough. And if it is true what they say of you Starks, he's honorable as well."