The idea of fighting someone seemed to thrill Robb's men immensely. And the thought of fighting a wildling king and all his men delighted the northerners even more. Some of Robb's men were a bit lebih skeptical, thinking that he should not waste his newfound army where they would be of no use in the fight for the Iron Throne. That was when Robb had announced that it was not about the Iron Throne. It never had been. It was about justice. And he refused to wait for Tywin Lannister to act anymore. It was his turn to do something.
"My guess is that they will be severely outnumbered oleh us", Roose Bolton said. They were still discussing the plan, hours and hours after Robb's encounter with Jon. It was already getting dark.
"Outnumbered, aye, but I don't think severely. According to Jon, Mance Rayder has a very large army of his own", Robb pointed out. "It makes no matter. We are the ones with the disciplined army. That will help."
"And what will we do after the battle is over?" Catelyn asked. She had been included in the meeting, but had been quiet for most part.
"You will go to Riverrun. With luck, Brienne is there with Sansa and Arya", Robb said. But he doubted it. "And I will take the fight to Casterly Rock.
"And if anda lose?" Catelyn asked.
Robb turned to look at her coldly. "That is why you'll be staying at Riverrun."
"Is this all? I would very much like to go to supper", the Greatjon announced.
"Almost", Robb said, placing a piece of paper on the table. "My wife is with child, but should something go wrong with the pregnancy, atau if I... if I die without a successor, I have named an heir. I will not let the North go to the hands of Tyrion Lannister, now that he's married my sister."
"And who is it?" Catelyn asked. She already knew the answer, deep down.
"My brother, Jon", Robb said. "The document, if needed, legitimizes him and makes him a true heir to Winterfell. He will rule as a lord, atau maybe even as a King in the North, way better than some distant relative who has never set foot in the North."
Roose Bolton rose his eyebrows, the Greatjon scratched his beard and Galbart Glover merely stared, but Catelyn was the one to speak, as Robb has expected: "He is not a Stark."
"He will be once I make him one."
"I cannot accept this-"
"I have not asked for your permission, mother", Robb snapped. "I don't have to. This is not up for discussion. I've signed the paper, and lord Bolton will keep it aman, brankas in case something happens to me. All of anda here shall beruang witness to my words, and are in duty to make sure that should I die, Jon is the one to inherit."
"Yes, Your Grace", Roose Bolton said, taking the paper in his hands. Everyone else seemed contempt with the matter, but the look on Catelyn's face was one of pure fury. Robb paid no mind to her as he stood up. "That'll be all." with that he walked out.
Robb had not forgotten his makan malam plans with Jon, but he walked over to the King's Tower to make sure his wife was alright. On the way there he saw Ghost and Grey Wind run around the yard. Just like they had done as pups. And much like Jon and Robb had done as children.
The guards opened the door to the room, and Robb walked in just in time to see Talisa segel the same letter she'd been menulis the hari before.
"Tell your mother I say hello", he berkata stiffly as he closed the door after him. How much do anda really know about her, Jon had asked.
"I already did", Talisa smiled at him. "You will be dining with your brother tonight, yes?"
"Yes", Robb nodded. Suddenly he didn't feel so at ease around her as he'd done before.
"What did anda talk about, in the meeting?"
"Nothing, really. Just battle plans. When the fight starts, I'm sending anda over to the Last Hearth. You'll be aman, brankas there."
Talisa nodded uncertainly. "You look troubled."
Robb stayed silent for a moment before speaking: "Do anda cinta me?"
Talisa stared at him blankly, as if she hadn't understood the question. "Do I cinta you?"
"Yes."
"Robb, I... I swore a vow to you, I wanted to marry you, I do, I cinta you-"
"Jon berkata that-"
"Jon is jealous", Talisa snapped. It was the first time Robb had ever heard her raise her voice. He looked at her in confusion.
"Jealous of what? Of anda and me? But he barely even knows you, why would he desire to-"
"You know very well that that is not what I meant", Talisa said. "He didn't know anda were married. He thought he could have all this time with you, unshared time, with his beloved brother. He doesn't like me. No lebih than your mother does. Finally something those two can agree on."
Robb berkata nothing. He merely walked over to her and placed his hands on her cheeks. "I cinta you."
"I know anda do, my king", Talisa berkata after a moment of silence. She touched his cheek softly before withdrawing. "Go on, he's waiting for you."
"I never thought, that hari when I berkata goodbye to anda at the gates of Winterfell, that... that things would end up like this", Robb took another sip of his cup of wine, his head already swimming. "Bran and Rickon dead, Arya missing, Sansa married to the Imp, and father..." he bit his lip. "This is not how it was supposed to go."
"I know", Jon said. He wasn't nearly as drunk as Robb was. "Bran wanted to be a knight. As did Arya, probably."
"I know", Robb echoed his brother. They were sitting oleh the small meja in the room, the meja set for only the two of them. They were sitting so close that their elbows bumped every time they moved a little, but neither of them minded.
"Talisa, she... she keeps menulis letters. She says she's menulis her mother, but.... she wrote her mother only a few days before we reached the Twins."
"Perhaps she's lying", Jon said, careful of the words he chose. He didn't want to upset Robb.
"And who do anda propose she's menulis to, then? A secret lover?"
"I have no idea why she'd been in any need of a secret lover. She has you", Jon said, but as the words came out, they sounded a bit stranger than he'd intended.
Robb turned to look at him with a soft smile on his face. "You've always been kind to me, Jon. You've always...", he left whatever words that were on his mind unsaid, taking another sip of his wine instead. Gods, he was drunk. "Don't let me go back to my chambers after this. It won't do any good for your men to see me drunk on my detik night here." he laughed a little, drinking again. "Gods, what if Talisa has taken in a lover? What if the baby isn't even mine.... Mother would have her executed, I know she would. What do anda think?" he turned to look at Jon, a bit too quickly. His head swam and for a moment he saw Jon in two. Only too late did he realize that he'd leaned way too close. Their noses were almost touching. Why wasn't he moving away?
"I think...", Jon swallowed, the intimacy making him feel all sorts of things he wished he wouldn't feel. Not towards him. His brother. Robb... "I think that if she doesn't want you, she's a fool."
"I've been a fool, too", Robb leaned even closer, pressing his forehead against Jon's. "I was a fool to betray Walder Frey's trust in the first place, I was a fool... I was a fool when I let anda leave that hari in Winterfell. I'm sorry", he grabbed the front of Jon's shirt, gripping it tightly in his fist. "I'm sorry. I should have told anda to stay with me. Where anda belonged."
After a moment of silence he added: "Where anda still belong." He leaned back a little to look into Jon's eyes, those dark eyes that he'd always loved. And to his confusion, he saw Jon leaning a bit closer, as if to... to ciuman him? And he wasn't pulling away.
But then Jon stopped, inches away from Robb's mouth. "You're drunk."
"Aye."
Jon leaned backwards, grabbing Robb's arm and pulling him up with him.
"What are anda doing?" Robb asked, basically slurring because of the wine.
"Here...", Jon dragged him over to his tempat tidur and tossed him on it. "You can sleep there."
"No, I'm not going to sleep in your bed."
Jon smiled sadly, moving to blow out the candles. And when he turned back around, Robb had already fallen asleep.
Jon listened to his brother's even breathing. He'd let it get too far. Gladly for him, Robb would probably remember nothing the selanjutnya day. atau so Jon hoped. If only he could forget just as easily.
Jon had spent his night sleeping on the cold floor. atau trying to sleep, lebih like. Most of the night had been spent in him thinking about Robb and these newfound feelings of his. What were they about? There was no mistaking what he'd almost done last night. He would have kissed Robb. And Robb, he hadn't pulled away. But Jon knew that it had only been because of his brother's drunken state. Had he been sober, Robb would probably have punched Jon across the jaw for trying such a thing.
He heard a groan to his left, and turned around to see Robb stirring on the bed. He rubbed his eyes, sitting up. "Gods, my head...."
"It looks like your hair got drunk last night as well", Jon smiled a little. Robb's dark curls were a mess.
Robb ran a hand through his hair and then turned to look at Jon with a sweet smile on his face.
Gods, how handsome he is, Jon found himself thinking. Before he turned away, refusing to believe these thoughts he was having.
"Did I do anything embarrassing last night?" Robb asked. "I can't remember much."
Jon felt a wave of relief. That meant he wouldn't remember Jon's attempt to ciuman him. But at the same time he felt a bit disappointed.
"Jon, I remember", Robb's sharp voice made him turn around in alarm; to meet those blue eyes in his stare.
"Robb, I...."
"I know Talisa might be having an affair", Robb interrupted. "I know that. But anda mustn't tell anyone. Above all, anda mustn't tell mother."
Jon's expression softened. Robb meant that he remembered their talk about Talisa. "I won't tell anyone, I swear."
Robb nodded, trying to stand up from the tempat tidur only to lie back down, groaning in discomfort. "My head is killing me."
"Do anda want me to get anda something? susu of the poppy? I'm sure Maester Aemon has something", he walked over to Robb, and without stopping himself, placed his hand in Robb's curls, tugging them softly, as if to give him comfort. A brotherly gesture, to anyone else. But to him....
"I don't need a Maester. I have a hangover", Robb chuckled softly, sitting up again. He tried to get up from the tempat tidur on his own, but Jon placed his hands under Robb's arms, steadying him as he stumbled upwards.
"You shouldn't let me drink so much", Robb berkata softly, turning to look at Jon's face.
"There was no stopping you. anda know there never is. You're as stubborn as Arya", Jon smiled, just taking in the sight of his brother that he loved way lebih than he should.
At this Robb smiled, detaching himself from Jon's grip. He tried standing alone for a few seconds, and when he came to the conclusion that it was possible, he touched Jon's cheek briefly before heading for the door. "I'll see anda later."
"What are anda going to do about Talisa?" Jon asked quickly.
"I don't know. Not anything... yet", Robb forced himself to say before walking out of the room, closing the door after him.
Jon sighed. If Robb refused to do something about that woman, Jon would. And unfortunately for him, he knew just the person who could help him.
When Catelyn Stark had opened the door for Jon, her eyes had gone narrow, her mouth had been turned into a line of disapproval, but she had merely nodded and let him inside. Probably because the guards at her door were watching the scene in curiosity.
"I must say, I did not expect this... visit", Catelyn berkata as soon as the door was closed. "How may I help you, Jon Snow?"
"I know anda despise me", Jon turned to look at the woman. "I know that. I'm not here to change that. I'm here about Robb."
"Is he alright?" Catelyn asked, for a moment letting her guard down for her motherly instincts to take over. "He spent the night in your room, didn't he?"
"Yes, but that's not the point. He thinks Talisa has taken in a lover."
Catelyn's face shifted in a second. Her mouth fell open and her eyes went wide. Gods be good, if she'd ever catch that woman alone again... "What... what makes him think that?"
"She's menulis letters constantly. She says she's menulis to her mother, but she just wrote her mother a few days before your brother's wedding", Jon said, feeling guilty for betraying Robb's trust, but it must be done. "Something is off, and Robb's refusing to do anything about it without proof."
Catelyn sighed, sitting down on the nearest chair. "I warned him of this. He barely knows the woman."
Jon chuckled a little at this, making Catelyn turn to look at him. "What?"
"It's just.. I berkata the same to him", Jon smiled a little. "Robb is a good man. He's a good king, a smart king. But when it comes to this, he refuses to see."
"We must make him see, then", Catelyn berkata firmly.
"And if it is true? If Talisa has been cheating on Robb? If the baby isn't even his?"
"Then she must be exiled back to Volantis. Or... executed."
"Robb would never kill her", Jon said. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"You didn't see how easily he killed Rickard Karstark after he betrayed his trust. He is his father's son. He'll do what is right and honorable. No lebih and no less", Catelyn said, turning to look at Jon. "As I said, we must make him see the truth."
"I already tried talking to him", Jon said.
"I will, then", Catelyn stood up from her chair. "Thank anda for coming to me with this, Jon."
The fact that Catelyn used his birth name was not lost on Jon. He gave the woman a smile and a nod of his head before leaving the room. Had he done the right thing?
Come nightfall, he realized that he had not. He had been in his room, membaca a book about the White Walkers to somehow prepare himself when the door burst open and Robb appeared at the doorway. He slammed the door closed after him, bolted the door and then grabbed Jon oleh his collar, pushing him against the dinding of the room. "I told anda to tell no one!" he shouted. "No one. And anda told the one person who would do most damage! anda betrayed me."
"I was thinking of you", Jon said, pushing Robb and himself off the dinding slightly. "You were never going to look into this, anda were never going to punish Talisa. Because anda cinta her, probably, atau because you're so scared that we're right!"
That's when Robb did it. He punched Jon across the face, causing him to fall to the floor. "You had no right. It was not your secret to tell. And to my mother... was this all some sick trick to finally get her to accept you?"
Jon stood back up, looking at Robb, trying desperately to get him to see the truth without doing anything he might regret. "It was not about her, it was about you. I want anda to be happy."
Robb was about to meninju, pukulan Jon again, he could see it from the way his body moved, but Jon was faster than him. He grabbed Robb's fists in his hands, and without thinking, without stopping himself, leaned forwards and kissed him.
For a moment neither of them understood what was happening, but since it was already happening, Jon thought, he might as well make the best of it. He angled his head slightly to the side, opening his mouth, deepening the kiss, trying to get his brother, who still remained completely still, to feel something.
After a few detik Robb pulled his head back slightly, staring at Jon in shock. Their lips were still almost touching, and for a moment Jon thought he'd lost Robb forever, especially when Robb twisted his fists away from Jon's grip. But then Robb took Jon's face in both his hands, a look of utter confusion on his face. But Jon took this as an invitation and leaned back in to ciuman him. And this time Robb kissed him back, moving one of his hands to tangle in Jon's hair much like their tongues were now tangled together. Jon had no idea how this had happened, and what would happen next, but soon he found himself pushing Robb against the wall, straddling his waist in his hands. Robb deepened the ciuman oleh pulling Jon's body closer to his own so that they were chest to chest. And for a moment the heated, passionate ciuman continued with the rest of the world dead to them. But then there was a knock on the door, and their lips parted from each other.
"Jon, it's Sam."
Robb buried his face in Jon's neck for a moment, and Jon wanted nothing lebih than to tell Sam to go away, but then Robb pushed Jon off him slightly, heading for the door.
"Robb..."
He turned back to look at Jon, but the look on his face was unreadable. He merely opened the door, nodded at Sam and walked out like nothing had happened.
"Did anda two have a fight?" Sam asked.
"Of a sort", Jon muttered, his thoughts still lingering on his brother's touch.
If Robb in any way remembered the ciuman that had occurred between him and Jon, he kept his feelings well hidden. The morning after Jon found Robb in the Great Hall, discussing battle plans with Bowen Marsh and the rest. He only gave a small glance at Jon before turning back to the men, and Jon had never felt worse.
The rest of the hari went on as any other day, really. Jon caught a glimpse of Catelyn on the way to her bedchambers, and he walked over to her.
"Did anda talk to him?"
Catelyn nodded. "He wasn't pleased with me to say the least. I don't think I have any room to lecture him, not after the... things I've done."
Jon nodded awkwardly. "Well, he was quite upset with me as well." Until he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me and....
"We need proof", Catelyn broke Jon from his thoughts.
"Aye."
"No one is in their bedchambers now", Catelyn said.
"Robb would kill me if he found out I went through his things", Jon protested.
"The guards will most likely let anda through than me. Just say you're letting Grey Wind out."
"I don't know..."
"Jon, do anda want Robb to be with that traitor for the rest of his life?" Catelyn snapped. This was the lady Stark Jon remembered.
"No", he berkata immediately. "No. I'll go."
And he did. He walked over to the King's Tower, got past the guards and looked around the room. The tempat tidur sheets were a mess, the furs as well. That made Jon wonder, had Robb and Talisa....
He brushed those thoughts aside, turning to the meja tulis, meja at the other end of the room. Most of the papers on it were maps, all Robb's belongings. Then his eyes caught a glimpse of a small box on the bottom of the last drawer. He grabbed it only to find out it was locked. That must be Talisa's. Not caring about what they would think, seeing the box broken, Jon slammed the box against the stone wall, successfully breaking the lock. Talisa probably never expected anyone to go through her things.
Jon sat on the bed, looking in the box. There were scrolls of parchment filling the box. Jon opened the first one, and what he read surprised him to the core.
It was a letter from Tywin Lannister, thanking Talisa for her valuable information concerning Robb's decision to march back North, and he encouraged Talisa to keep up the good work. There was the Lannister segel at the bottom, broken. This was a letter addressed to Talisa, written oleh Tywin Lannister.
Talisa wasn't having an affair; she was spying for the Lannisters. This was much lebih than Jon had expected. He looked through the rest of the letters as well, dozens of them, all from Tywin. He was way too preoccupied to hear the door open. Only when he felt a pisau at his throat did he look up.
Talisa was staring up at him with cold eyes, nothing like the way she'd looked at him when they'd first met.
"Put those down."
Jon placed the box and the letters on the bed, standing up carefully, Talisa's pisau still at his throat.
"You're spying for Tywin Lannister. You're a traitor."
"And no one's ever going to know", Talisa said. "I'll cut your throat right here, right now."
"And what then? anda can't possibly keep up with this. I'm not the only one who suspects you. Should I die now, you'll have to run away."
Talisa's eyes narrowed. "Robb loves me. He'd never let any harm come to his precious queen, atau his unborn child."
"Do anda even care about him? Did anda ever? Is the child even his?"
Talisa berkata nothing, just pushed Jon against the tempat tidur roughly, the pisau still at his throat. "What do anda think?"
"I think that you're not as clever as anda think anda are", Jon berkata softly. "Robb suspects you, too."
"Maybe I'll kill him, too. Cut his pretty little throat in his sleep. How would anda like that?"
At that Jon pushed Talisa off of him, causing her to fall to the floor, the pisau out of her hand. But before Jon could grab any of the letters and run, Talisa had sat up again and driven the pisau through Jon's hand, the one that had been reaching for the letters.
Jon groaned in pain, but pushed Talisa off of him again when she was ready to strike again. He tried to get hold of his own knife, but Talisa had already stabbed him again, this time in the leg. She was just about to stab him right in the jantung when someone grabbed her oleh her arms and pulled her up, causing the pisau to fall to the floor. Jon looked up in shock to see Robb holding Talisa in place, look of pure hatred in his eyes. But to Jon's relief, the look wasn't directed at him.
"My king", Talisa smirked in a mocking manner.
"Robb, she's a spy for the Lannisters!" Jon shouted, trying to stand up. The pain in his leg was distracting him from talking. "Robb, I..."
"We need help!" Robb shouted, and soon enough the guards were at his side, taking Talisa in their arms.
"Take her to a cell. Lock her in and make sure she stays there", Robb said, and the guards followed his instructions without question. Robb, on the other hand, sat on the floor, leaning over Jon, placing his hand on the wound in his leg, trying to stop the bleeding. With his other hand he held Jon's bleeding one.
"You're going to be okay", he berkata softly, but the look on his face was unreadable.
"I know", Jon said. "Robb, I'm so sorry..."
"You had to do what anda had to do to protect yourself", Robb said, momentarily letting go of Jon's hand to grab the sheets on the bed, tearing them in his hands and tying up both the wounds.
"I don't mean that", Jon said. "I'm sorry I was right."
Robb sighed, smiling sadly. "Let's get anda to Maester Aemon..."
It took a while for Jon to realize he was awake. The susu of the apiun, poppy had made his pain go away, but had caused him to fall asleep almost immediately. When he opened his eyes, he saw Robb standing in the chair selanjutnya to his bed, his hand running through Jon's curls. When he noticed that Jon was awake, Robb smiled. "Hi."
"Hey", Jon tried to sit up, but he was still a bit weak from the milk. "What happened?"
"I read the letters. Talisa is still being held captive. We're not sure what to do with her.... Mother, she.... she came here", Robb smiled a little. "She made sure anda were alright, even checked your wounds herself. She's grateful. As am I."
"Don't", Jon berkata quietly, pulling away from Robb's touch. "I don't want anda to pity me."
"I don't pity you", Robb berkata in surprise. "Jon, that's not what this is. I'm not here to pay some debt. I'm here because you're my brother and I love....", he paused, turning to look away.
Jon turned back to look at Robb. "You kissed me back last night."
"Why did anda do that?" Robb asked in frustration. "Why did anda ciuman me? I'm your brother."
"I could ask anda the same thing."
"I just felt like it...", Robb berkata softly, placing his hand back in Jon's hair. "There, I berkata it. anda kissed me first."
"I kissed anda because I wanted to. I've been wanting to for a while. I just never realized it before."
Robb chuckled. "Is that why you're not sure whether anda actually liked that wildling girl?"
Jon smiled. "Probably."
Robb smiled back for a moment before turning away. "We can't, Jon. I'm a king, and you're a brother of the Night's Watch. A man. And my brother. oleh blood. I know the Targaryens wed brother and sister for many years, but this is different."
"I know", Jon said. He hadn't expected anything.
"Do anda want me to leave? After... after we deal with the wildlings?"
Jon shook his head in surprise. "No. No, I don't."
"Will anda come with me, then?" Robb challenged, tugging at Jon's curls. "Will anda come back South with me, be my Hand?"
"I don't know", Jon said. "Robb, I don't know. It's all so complicated right now. I'm... I'm tired."
Robb nodded, and to Jon's utter surprise, leaned forwards to place a ciuman on Jon's cheek. It was a quick brush of lips on skin, but it meant a lot to Jon.
"I'll come back in a little bit", Robb promised as he stood up, walking to the door. Jon suddenly thought of something he had to tell Robb, but before he knew it, his eyes were shut and Jon was asleep.
"My guess is that they will be severely outnumbered oleh us", Roose Bolton said. They were still discussing the plan, hours and hours after Robb's encounter with Jon. It was already getting dark.
"Outnumbered, aye, but I don't think severely. According to Jon, Mance Rayder has a very large army of his own", Robb pointed out. "It makes no matter. We are the ones with the disciplined army. That will help."
"And what will we do after the battle is over?" Catelyn asked. She had been included in the meeting, but had been quiet for most part.
"You will go to Riverrun. With luck, Brienne is there with Sansa and Arya", Robb said. But he doubted it. "And I will take the fight to Casterly Rock.
"And if anda lose?" Catelyn asked.
Robb turned to look at her coldly. "That is why you'll be staying at Riverrun."
"Is this all? I would very much like to go to supper", the Greatjon announced.
"Almost", Robb said, placing a piece of paper on the table. "My wife is with child, but should something go wrong with the pregnancy, atau if I... if I die without a successor, I have named an heir. I will not let the North go to the hands of Tyrion Lannister, now that he's married my sister."
"And who is it?" Catelyn asked. She already knew the answer, deep down.
"My brother, Jon", Robb said. "The document, if needed, legitimizes him and makes him a true heir to Winterfell. He will rule as a lord, atau maybe even as a King in the North, way better than some distant relative who has never set foot in the North."
Roose Bolton rose his eyebrows, the Greatjon scratched his beard and Galbart Glover merely stared, but Catelyn was the one to speak, as Robb has expected: "He is not a Stark."
"He will be once I make him one."
"I cannot accept this-"
"I have not asked for your permission, mother", Robb snapped. "I don't have to. This is not up for discussion. I've signed the paper, and lord Bolton will keep it aman, brankas in case something happens to me. All of anda here shall beruang witness to my words, and are in duty to make sure that should I die, Jon is the one to inherit."
"Yes, Your Grace", Roose Bolton said, taking the paper in his hands. Everyone else seemed contempt with the matter, but the look on Catelyn's face was one of pure fury. Robb paid no mind to her as he stood up. "That'll be all." with that he walked out.
Robb had not forgotten his makan malam plans with Jon, but he walked over to the King's Tower to make sure his wife was alright. On the way there he saw Ghost and Grey Wind run around the yard. Just like they had done as pups. And much like Jon and Robb had done as children.
The guards opened the door to the room, and Robb walked in just in time to see Talisa segel the same letter she'd been menulis the hari before.
"Tell your mother I say hello", he berkata stiffly as he closed the door after him. How much do anda really know about her, Jon had asked.
"I already did", Talisa smiled at him. "You will be dining with your brother tonight, yes?"
"Yes", Robb nodded. Suddenly he didn't feel so at ease around her as he'd done before.
"What did anda talk about, in the meeting?"
"Nothing, really. Just battle plans. When the fight starts, I'm sending anda over to the Last Hearth. You'll be aman, brankas there."
Talisa nodded uncertainly. "You look troubled."
Robb stayed silent for a moment before speaking: "Do anda cinta me?"
Talisa stared at him blankly, as if she hadn't understood the question. "Do I cinta you?"
"Yes."
"Robb, I... I swore a vow to you, I wanted to marry you, I do, I cinta you-"
"Jon berkata that-"
"Jon is jealous", Talisa snapped. It was the first time Robb had ever heard her raise her voice. He looked at her in confusion.
"Jealous of what? Of anda and me? But he barely even knows you, why would he desire to-"
"You know very well that that is not what I meant", Talisa said. "He didn't know anda were married. He thought he could have all this time with you, unshared time, with his beloved brother. He doesn't like me. No lebih than your mother does. Finally something those two can agree on."
Robb berkata nothing. He merely walked over to her and placed his hands on her cheeks. "I cinta you."
"I know anda do, my king", Talisa berkata after a moment of silence. She touched his cheek softly before withdrawing. "Go on, he's waiting for you."
"I never thought, that hari when I berkata goodbye to anda at the gates of Winterfell, that... that things would end up like this", Robb took another sip of his cup of wine, his head already swimming. "Bran and Rickon dead, Arya missing, Sansa married to the Imp, and father..." he bit his lip. "This is not how it was supposed to go."
"I know", Jon said. He wasn't nearly as drunk as Robb was. "Bran wanted to be a knight. As did Arya, probably."
"I know", Robb echoed his brother. They were sitting oleh the small meja in the room, the meja set for only the two of them. They were sitting so close that their elbows bumped every time they moved a little, but neither of them minded.
"Talisa, she... she keeps menulis letters. She says she's menulis her mother, but.... she wrote her mother only a few days before we reached the Twins."
"Perhaps she's lying", Jon said, careful of the words he chose. He didn't want to upset Robb.
"And who do anda propose she's menulis to, then? A secret lover?"
"I have no idea why she'd been in any need of a secret lover. She has you", Jon said, but as the words came out, they sounded a bit stranger than he'd intended.
Robb turned to look at him with a soft smile on his face. "You've always been kind to me, Jon. You've always...", he left whatever words that were on his mind unsaid, taking another sip of his wine instead. Gods, he was drunk. "Don't let me go back to my chambers after this. It won't do any good for your men to see me drunk on my detik night here." he laughed a little, drinking again. "Gods, what if Talisa has taken in a lover? What if the baby isn't even mine.... Mother would have her executed, I know she would. What do anda think?" he turned to look at Jon, a bit too quickly. His head swam and for a moment he saw Jon in two. Only too late did he realize that he'd leaned way too close. Their noses were almost touching. Why wasn't he moving away?
"I think...", Jon swallowed, the intimacy making him feel all sorts of things he wished he wouldn't feel. Not towards him. His brother. Robb... "I think that if she doesn't want you, she's a fool."
"I've been a fool, too", Robb leaned even closer, pressing his forehead against Jon's. "I was a fool to betray Walder Frey's trust in the first place, I was a fool... I was a fool when I let anda leave that hari in Winterfell. I'm sorry", he grabbed the front of Jon's shirt, gripping it tightly in his fist. "I'm sorry. I should have told anda to stay with me. Where anda belonged."
After a moment of silence he added: "Where anda still belong." He leaned back a little to look into Jon's eyes, those dark eyes that he'd always loved. And to his confusion, he saw Jon leaning a bit closer, as if to... to ciuman him? And he wasn't pulling away.
But then Jon stopped, inches away from Robb's mouth. "You're drunk."
"Aye."
Jon leaned backwards, grabbing Robb's arm and pulling him up with him.
"What are anda doing?" Robb asked, basically slurring because of the wine.
"Here...", Jon dragged him over to his tempat tidur and tossed him on it. "You can sleep there."
"No, I'm not going to sleep in your bed."
Jon smiled sadly, moving to blow out the candles. And when he turned back around, Robb had already fallen asleep.
Jon listened to his brother's even breathing. He'd let it get too far. Gladly for him, Robb would probably remember nothing the selanjutnya day. atau so Jon hoped. If only he could forget just as easily.
Jon had spent his night sleeping on the cold floor. atau trying to sleep, lebih like. Most of the night had been spent in him thinking about Robb and these newfound feelings of his. What were they about? There was no mistaking what he'd almost done last night. He would have kissed Robb. And Robb, he hadn't pulled away. But Jon knew that it had only been because of his brother's drunken state. Had he been sober, Robb would probably have punched Jon across the jaw for trying such a thing.
He heard a groan to his left, and turned around to see Robb stirring on the bed. He rubbed his eyes, sitting up. "Gods, my head...."
"It looks like your hair got drunk last night as well", Jon smiled a little. Robb's dark curls were a mess.
Robb ran a hand through his hair and then turned to look at Jon with a sweet smile on his face.
Gods, how handsome he is, Jon found himself thinking. Before he turned away, refusing to believe these thoughts he was having.
"Did I do anything embarrassing last night?" Robb asked. "I can't remember much."
Jon felt a wave of relief. That meant he wouldn't remember Jon's attempt to ciuman him. But at the same time he felt a bit disappointed.
"Jon, I remember", Robb's sharp voice made him turn around in alarm; to meet those blue eyes in his stare.
"Robb, I...."
"I know Talisa might be having an affair", Robb interrupted. "I know that. But anda mustn't tell anyone. Above all, anda mustn't tell mother."
Jon's expression softened. Robb meant that he remembered their talk about Talisa. "I won't tell anyone, I swear."
Robb nodded, trying to stand up from the tempat tidur only to lie back down, groaning in discomfort. "My head is killing me."
"Do anda want me to get anda something? susu of the poppy? I'm sure Maester Aemon has something", he walked over to Robb, and without stopping himself, placed his hand in Robb's curls, tugging them softly, as if to give him comfort. A brotherly gesture, to anyone else. But to him....
"I don't need a Maester. I have a hangover", Robb chuckled softly, sitting up again. He tried to get up from the tempat tidur on his own, but Jon placed his hands under Robb's arms, steadying him as he stumbled upwards.
"You shouldn't let me drink so much", Robb berkata softly, turning to look at Jon's face.
"There was no stopping you. anda know there never is. You're as stubborn as Arya", Jon smiled, just taking in the sight of his brother that he loved way lebih than he should.
At this Robb smiled, detaching himself from Jon's grip. He tried standing alone for a few seconds, and when he came to the conclusion that it was possible, he touched Jon's cheek briefly before heading for the door. "I'll see anda later."
"What are anda going to do about Talisa?" Jon asked quickly.
"I don't know. Not anything... yet", Robb forced himself to say before walking out of the room, closing the door after him.
Jon sighed. If Robb refused to do something about that woman, Jon would. And unfortunately for him, he knew just the person who could help him.
When Catelyn Stark had opened the door for Jon, her eyes had gone narrow, her mouth had been turned into a line of disapproval, but she had merely nodded and let him inside. Probably because the guards at her door were watching the scene in curiosity.
"I must say, I did not expect this... visit", Catelyn berkata as soon as the door was closed. "How may I help you, Jon Snow?"
"I know anda despise me", Jon turned to look at the woman. "I know that. I'm not here to change that. I'm here about Robb."
"Is he alright?" Catelyn asked, for a moment letting her guard down for her motherly instincts to take over. "He spent the night in your room, didn't he?"
"Yes, but that's not the point. He thinks Talisa has taken in a lover."
Catelyn's face shifted in a second. Her mouth fell open and her eyes went wide. Gods be good, if she'd ever catch that woman alone again... "What... what makes him think that?"
"She's menulis letters constantly. She says she's menulis to her mother, but she just wrote her mother a few days before your brother's wedding", Jon said, feeling guilty for betraying Robb's trust, but it must be done. "Something is off, and Robb's refusing to do anything about it without proof."
Catelyn sighed, sitting down on the nearest chair. "I warned him of this. He barely knows the woman."
Jon chuckled a little at this, making Catelyn turn to look at him. "What?"
"It's just.. I berkata the same to him", Jon smiled a little. "Robb is a good man. He's a good king, a smart king. But when it comes to this, he refuses to see."
"We must make him see, then", Catelyn berkata firmly.
"And if it is true? If Talisa has been cheating on Robb? If the baby isn't even his?"
"Then she must be exiled back to Volantis. Or... executed."
"Robb would never kill her", Jon said. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"You didn't see how easily he killed Rickard Karstark after he betrayed his trust. He is his father's son. He'll do what is right and honorable. No lebih and no less", Catelyn said, turning to look at Jon. "As I said, we must make him see the truth."
"I already tried talking to him", Jon said.
"I will, then", Catelyn stood up from her chair. "Thank anda for coming to me with this, Jon."
The fact that Catelyn used his birth name was not lost on Jon. He gave the woman a smile and a nod of his head before leaving the room. Had he done the right thing?
Come nightfall, he realized that he had not. He had been in his room, membaca a book about the White Walkers to somehow prepare himself when the door burst open and Robb appeared at the doorway. He slammed the door closed after him, bolted the door and then grabbed Jon oleh his collar, pushing him against the dinding of the room. "I told anda to tell no one!" he shouted. "No one. And anda told the one person who would do most damage! anda betrayed me."
"I was thinking of you", Jon said, pushing Robb and himself off the dinding slightly. "You were never going to look into this, anda were never going to punish Talisa. Because anda cinta her, probably, atau because you're so scared that we're right!"
That's when Robb did it. He punched Jon across the face, causing him to fall to the floor. "You had no right. It was not your secret to tell. And to my mother... was this all some sick trick to finally get her to accept you?"
Jon stood back up, looking at Robb, trying desperately to get him to see the truth without doing anything he might regret. "It was not about her, it was about you. I want anda to be happy."
Robb was about to meninju, pukulan Jon again, he could see it from the way his body moved, but Jon was faster than him. He grabbed Robb's fists in his hands, and without thinking, without stopping himself, leaned forwards and kissed him.
For a moment neither of them understood what was happening, but since it was already happening, Jon thought, he might as well make the best of it. He angled his head slightly to the side, opening his mouth, deepening the kiss, trying to get his brother, who still remained completely still, to feel something.
After a few detik Robb pulled his head back slightly, staring at Jon in shock. Their lips were still almost touching, and for a moment Jon thought he'd lost Robb forever, especially when Robb twisted his fists away from Jon's grip. But then Robb took Jon's face in both his hands, a look of utter confusion on his face. But Jon took this as an invitation and leaned back in to ciuman him. And this time Robb kissed him back, moving one of his hands to tangle in Jon's hair much like their tongues were now tangled together. Jon had no idea how this had happened, and what would happen next, but soon he found himself pushing Robb against the wall, straddling his waist in his hands. Robb deepened the ciuman oleh pulling Jon's body closer to his own so that they were chest to chest. And for a moment the heated, passionate ciuman continued with the rest of the world dead to them. But then there was a knock on the door, and their lips parted from each other.
"Jon, it's Sam."
Robb buried his face in Jon's neck for a moment, and Jon wanted nothing lebih than to tell Sam to go away, but then Robb pushed Jon off him slightly, heading for the door.
"Robb..."
He turned back to look at Jon, but the look on his face was unreadable. He merely opened the door, nodded at Sam and walked out like nothing had happened.
"Did anda two have a fight?" Sam asked.
"Of a sort", Jon muttered, his thoughts still lingering on his brother's touch.
If Robb in any way remembered the ciuman that had occurred between him and Jon, he kept his feelings well hidden. The morning after Jon found Robb in the Great Hall, discussing battle plans with Bowen Marsh and the rest. He only gave a small glance at Jon before turning back to the men, and Jon had never felt worse.
The rest of the hari went on as any other day, really. Jon caught a glimpse of Catelyn on the way to her bedchambers, and he walked over to her.
"Did anda talk to him?"
Catelyn nodded. "He wasn't pleased with me to say the least. I don't think I have any room to lecture him, not after the... things I've done."
Jon nodded awkwardly. "Well, he was quite upset with me as well." Until he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me and....
"We need proof", Catelyn broke Jon from his thoughts.
"Aye."
"No one is in their bedchambers now", Catelyn said.
"Robb would kill me if he found out I went through his things", Jon protested.
"The guards will most likely let anda through than me. Just say you're letting Grey Wind out."
"I don't know..."
"Jon, do anda want Robb to be with that traitor for the rest of his life?" Catelyn snapped. This was the lady Stark Jon remembered.
"No", he berkata immediately. "No. I'll go."
And he did. He walked over to the King's Tower, got past the guards and looked around the room. The tempat tidur sheets were a mess, the furs as well. That made Jon wonder, had Robb and Talisa....
He brushed those thoughts aside, turning to the meja tulis, meja at the other end of the room. Most of the papers on it were maps, all Robb's belongings. Then his eyes caught a glimpse of a small box on the bottom of the last drawer. He grabbed it only to find out it was locked. That must be Talisa's. Not caring about what they would think, seeing the box broken, Jon slammed the box against the stone wall, successfully breaking the lock. Talisa probably never expected anyone to go through her things.
Jon sat on the bed, looking in the box. There were scrolls of parchment filling the box. Jon opened the first one, and what he read surprised him to the core.
It was a letter from Tywin Lannister, thanking Talisa for her valuable information concerning Robb's decision to march back North, and he encouraged Talisa to keep up the good work. There was the Lannister segel at the bottom, broken. This was a letter addressed to Talisa, written oleh Tywin Lannister.
Talisa wasn't having an affair; she was spying for the Lannisters. This was much lebih than Jon had expected. He looked through the rest of the letters as well, dozens of them, all from Tywin. He was way too preoccupied to hear the door open. Only when he felt a pisau at his throat did he look up.
Talisa was staring up at him with cold eyes, nothing like the way she'd looked at him when they'd first met.
"Put those down."
Jon placed the box and the letters on the bed, standing up carefully, Talisa's pisau still at his throat.
"You're spying for Tywin Lannister. You're a traitor."
"And no one's ever going to know", Talisa said. "I'll cut your throat right here, right now."
"And what then? anda can't possibly keep up with this. I'm not the only one who suspects you. Should I die now, you'll have to run away."
Talisa's eyes narrowed. "Robb loves me. He'd never let any harm come to his precious queen, atau his unborn child."
"Do anda even care about him? Did anda ever? Is the child even his?"
Talisa berkata nothing, just pushed Jon against the tempat tidur roughly, the pisau still at his throat. "What do anda think?"
"I think that you're not as clever as anda think anda are", Jon berkata softly. "Robb suspects you, too."
"Maybe I'll kill him, too. Cut his pretty little throat in his sleep. How would anda like that?"
At that Jon pushed Talisa off of him, causing her to fall to the floor, the pisau out of her hand. But before Jon could grab any of the letters and run, Talisa had sat up again and driven the pisau through Jon's hand, the one that had been reaching for the letters.
Jon groaned in pain, but pushed Talisa off of him again when she was ready to strike again. He tried to get hold of his own knife, but Talisa had already stabbed him again, this time in the leg. She was just about to stab him right in the jantung when someone grabbed her oleh her arms and pulled her up, causing the pisau to fall to the floor. Jon looked up in shock to see Robb holding Talisa in place, look of pure hatred in his eyes. But to Jon's relief, the look wasn't directed at him.
"My king", Talisa smirked in a mocking manner.
"Robb, she's a spy for the Lannisters!" Jon shouted, trying to stand up. The pain in his leg was distracting him from talking. "Robb, I..."
"We need help!" Robb shouted, and soon enough the guards were at his side, taking Talisa in their arms.
"Take her to a cell. Lock her in and make sure she stays there", Robb said, and the guards followed his instructions without question. Robb, on the other hand, sat on the floor, leaning over Jon, placing his hand on the wound in his leg, trying to stop the bleeding. With his other hand he held Jon's bleeding one.
"You're going to be okay", he berkata softly, but the look on his face was unreadable.
"I know", Jon said. "Robb, I'm so sorry..."
"You had to do what anda had to do to protect yourself", Robb said, momentarily letting go of Jon's hand to grab the sheets on the bed, tearing them in his hands and tying up both the wounds.
"I don't mean that", Jon said. "I'm sorry I was right."
Robb sighed, smiling sadly. "Let's get anda to Maester Aemon..."
It took a while for Jon to realize he was awake. The susu of the apiun, poppy had made his pain go away, but had caused him to fall asleep almost immediately. When he opened his eyes, he saw Robb standing in the chair selanjutnya to his bed, his hand running through Jon's curls. When he noticed that Jon was awake, Robb smiled. "Hi."
"Hey", Jon tried to sit up, but he was still a bit weak from the milk. "What happened?"
"I read the letters. Talisa is still being held captive. We're not sure what to do with her.... Mother, she.... she came here", Robb smiled a little. "She made sure anda were alright, even checked your wounds herself. She's grateful. As am I."
"Don't", Jon berkata quietly, pulling away from Robb's touch. "I don't want anda to pity me."
"I don't pity you", Robb berkata in surprise. "Jon, that's not what this is. I'm not here to pay some debt. I'm here because you're my brother and I love....", he paused, turning to look away.
Jon turned back to look at Robb. "You kissed me back last night."
"Why did anda do that?" Robb asked in frustration. "Why did anda ciuman me? I'm your brother."
"I could ask anda the same thing."
"I just felt like it...", Robb berkata softly, placing his hand back in Jon's hair. "There, I berkata it. anda kissed me first."
"I kissed anda because I wanted to. I've been wanting to for a while. I just never realized it before."
Robb chuckled. "Is that why you're not sure whether anda actually liked that wildling girl?"
Jon smiled. "Probably."
Robb smiled back for a moment before turning away. "We can't, Jon. I'm a king, and you're a brother of the Night's Watch. A man. And my brother. oleh blood. I know the Targaryens wed brother and sister for many years, but this is different."
"I know", Jon said. He hadn't expected anything.
"Do anda want me to leave? After... after we deal with the wildlings?"
Jon shook his head in surprise. "No. No, I don't."
"Will anda come with me, then?" Robb challenged, tugging at Jon's curls. "Will anda come back South with me, be my Hand?"
"I don't know", Jon said. "Robb, I don't know. It's all so complicated right now. I'm... I'm tired."
Robb nodded, and to Jon's utter surprise, leaned forwards to place a ciuman on Jon's cheek. It was a quick brush of lips on skin, but it meant a lot to Jon.
"I'll come back in a little bit", Robb promised as he stood up, walking to the door. Jon suddenly thought of something he had to tell Robb, but before he knew it, his eyes were shut and Jon was asleep.