The Crossed Rose - GoT - R.S.

Rains of Castamere

Robb wasn't sure where to focus his attention at the moment. Everything was happening too fast and it was too much at the same time. He had just managed to get Dahlia back inside the chambers they had been sharing at the Twins, but, with each passing moment, her groans and whimpers of pain were growing louder and more frequent. Willaman had said just outside the door, deeming it inappropropriate for him to be in the room while his sister - apparently - gave birth and Robb knew he shouldn't be there either. His mother had told him so. She had tried to prepare him, that much was true. He still remembered sitting down with her one night as he asked question after question about what he should do when the time came.

Catelyn had laughed gently then, thinking it endearing that her son was so worried for his wife and what she would be facing soon, but she also knew the truth and the truth was what she gave him.

"You can't do much, really, my dear." Catelyn had said, much to Robb's displeasure. "All of it is all Dahlia. She will be the one suffering through it all so she can bring into the world your babe."

"But there has to be something I can do." Robb frowned. "To help her, mother. It hurts, does it not? I remember how much you hurt when you had Arya and Bran and Rickon."

"It does hurt, my son, but that is something that us women have to endure and that is our burden alone to carry."

"I don't like this." Robb shook his head. "I want to be there for her."

"No." Catelyn had said then, sternly. "You are not to be in the room when the time comes."

"Why not?" Robb had asked and he was sure he had sounded like a boy when he whined. "It's my wife, mother. It's going to be my babe."

"And as much as it hurts you, it is not appropriate for you to be inside at that moment." Catelyn had insisted. "Dahlia will be far too vulnerable. Far too exposed."

"That's why I need to be there."

"No. That's why I need to be there. Maybe one of her sisters if she so wishes. Or Lady Jeyne. Women Robb, like her. And a Maester. Not you."

"I don't like this at all."

And Robb still didn't like it. In fact, he liked it even less now that there was no Maester around and his mother wasn't there, or Lady Jeyne. Lady Jeyne should be here, Robb thought. She had had the chance to be there. Why wasn't she?

That was when he heard. The commotion downstairs, the sounds of war that he was all too accustomed to, even though he didn't particularly enjoy that fact. He could hear men screaming, roaring before charging. He could hear blood being spilled and he could swear he heard crying as well, but the one thing he knew he heard was the music still playing loudly over it all.

The Rains of Castamere, he recognized the tune. And, as soon as he did, it all started to make sense.

This was a trap. This whole wedding had been a trap from the begging. The Freys had betrayed him, probably thinking he was about to lose the war and they had picked the wrong man to marry one of their own to. But they hadn't done it alone. The Lannisters had orchestrated this whole thing and just as he had done to House Reyne a few years before, Robb knew Tywin Lannister was about to slaughter any and every men from his army that he had brought to this damned castle. Himself included, and, most likely Dahlia and their babe.

"Robb..." Dahlia whimpered again, her pained voice and tight grip on his hand possibly the only thing that managed to get him to stop about whatever was happening in the dining hall to look back at his wife instead. "Robb..."

"Shh..." He cooed, gently, unsure on what to do, but brushing a strand of Dahlia's hair out of her face as he helped her lay more comfortably in her bed. "Shh, it's alright, my love. Shh..."