Princess in The North

Chapter 9: Pregnant

“Where’s my wife?” Robb asked the maester. “Jon just told me. She fainted.”

“Congradulations is in order, Robb.” The maester told him. “Your wife is pregnant. She is on bed rest for the rest of the day.”

Robb nodded, he looked like he was going to walk away, so the maester put his hand on Robb’s shoulder.

“I don’t believe she’s ready to believe that she really is pregnant. She seems to be in shock.” He told Robb.

“Are you saying that she’s upset about it?” Robb asked.

“She didn’t say much, my lord.” The maester told him.

Robb rubbed his lips together, thinking. “I guess I’ll find out for myself.” He began to walk towards their room, and walks in to find Ella laying on her back, in her cream colored shift that exposed her arms, and only stayed up from two small strips of cloth that went over her shoulders.

At first Robb wasn’t sure that she was really asleep, so he slowly walked up to her. She looked deeply asleep, and seemed to be very cold; there was gooseflesh was visible on her arms. Her hands were placed delicately on her stomach. She truly looked like a sleeping princess. 

Robb sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, placing his hand over hers, and finding her hands very cold. He looked towards the window to see if it was open, letting the cold air in. It was. Robb stood up to close the window, hoping to make Ella more comfortable. She was having his baby. They were having a baby. There was going to be a little baby crawling around Winterfell. Robb was terrified, but he was excited as well. He loved his littlest brother, Rickon, though he could get on Robb’s nerves at moments--Robb hoped it would be different if it was his child.

Robb decided in that moment that he would do whatever she wanted. He would be there for her however he could. He hoped that she would want the baby as much as he did, even if she was as scared as he was. He would be there for her, and their baby. Always.

XXX

“Do you want this baby?” Robb asked that night. Ella was already laying in bed. She was sent to bed rest for the rest of the day. She didn’t feel too great after fainting, so she didn’t fight it, otherwise she would have, and she would not have let them keep her there.

“I love children.” Ella replied softly. 

“Then why are you fighting it?” Robb asked.

“Are you saying you’re excited? Your first child when we are barely more than children ourselves?” Ella asked.

“We are both old enough to be parents.” Robb told her, slowly walking towards her until he was standing in front of her. “We’re older than many people who get married.”

Ella paused. “Then see this from my point of view.” She sat up, folding her legs under her. “I rather like my body how it is. I like being able to run and fit in all my dresses perfectly, and I am rather happy with how I look.”

“As am I.” Robb agreed, sinking to his knees by the bed.

“And it’s all going to change.” Ella told him, touching her waist. “Do you see this waist? It’s not going to be here in a couple months. I was old enough to remember Myrcella’s birth. I was around my mother constantly, doing whatever I could to make her more comfortable. Her back hurt, she was on bed rest for the last month of her pregnancy. She couldn’t be around certain foods without being sick. It’s like your body is fighting you. You don’t have to deal with that, Robb. I do.”