Princess in The North

Chapter 14: Fight

“Oh gods. Oh gods.” Ella cried, looking at the marks she had been counting since her last moon cycle on a piece of parchment. 

“Are you all right?” Catelyn said, walking into the King and Queen’s tent.

Ella flipped the piece of paper over, and stood up. “Yes. I am completely fine.”

“What are you looking at?” 

“Nothing. It’s just paper.” Ella told her.

“It didn’t sound like just paper.” Catelyn replied. “You can tell me. It’s not good keeping everything inside you.”

Ella paused for a long moment. “I think I might be pregnant.”

Catelyn stepped towards the girl. “Sit down.” She told her. “How long has it been?”

“Over two months.” Ella told her. “I promised Robb I would tell him but if I do he will send me back to Winterfell.”

“Because that is the safest place for you.” Catelyn told her. “He just wants to protect you and your child.”

“But my place is here, next to him. Advising and letting him know of the weaknesses I know of. That is my place.” Ella told her, rubbing her temples. “I don’t want to leave him here.”

“You love my son, don’t you?” Catelyn said.

Ella nodded. “I do.”

“Then you have to do what is best for all of you. Tell him, maybe stay another month, but it will be best for you to be around people who can help you. Get a midwife. Get seven, you’ll need it.” Catelyn told her. “My girls will help you however they can. You can take Snow with you if you want.”

“His name is Jon, Lady Catelyn.” Ella told her, her voice getting a bit harder. “And yes, if he agrees, I would love to bring him with me. But he can make his own choices.”

“I meant no offense.”

“I know you didn’t.” Ella said. “But he is a person, even if you do not like him, you don’t have to be unkind to him.”

“Of course, your grace.” Ella knew what that meant. She had heard it enough. It’s what people said to her mother. To her father. It meant that they would agree. It meant that they would lie. It meant that they stopped listening to whatever royal that was speaking.

XXX

“Robb?” Ella asked when she was putting on her nightgown that night.

“Yes?” He asked.

“I think I’m pregnant.” She told him, not facing him. She knew what he would say. She knew what he would do. He would leave the tent. He would get an entourage to lead her back to Winterfell. To keep her and their unborn child safe from harm

“What?” He was out of bed in an instant and standing behind her, stark naked. “You’re pregnant?”

“Please don’t send me to Winterfell. Not yet.” She finally turned around to look at him, and the look on his face was pure joy.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“As sure as I can be.” She said. “Please don’t--” But he cut off her request with a kiss. Ella knew that this is the happiest he had been in months.

There were good and bad moments during everything. Even in a time of war, with people dying, and him losing his father, he still was happy with the prospect of Ella having his child. He was happy. So happy. Ella could feel it in his kiss. Ella could feel it in his touch. How he pulled her to him before pulling away, smiling.