"That had to be the first time I ever saw your father nearly piss himself from fear, can't say I couldn't blame him though— the shrub really did look like cougar." Commander Monterroso joked with the daughter of said man.

Victoria belted outed a cackle, her head falling back and shaking her head profusely at his words. "I cannot believe my father kept that story from me."

"I would have if I was in his shoes, can you imagine going home to your child only to tell them that you are back early because you were scared. You would have likely dragged him back out there!" Monterroso joked back and the Dornish soldiers that had sat beside them all laughed as well.

Robb watched this, noticing how bright and supple Victoria's cheeks were getting the longer she sat with nearly every man that had come. They were out in the open air, sitting around a fire near the Valiente camp and most of the men were unpacking the food they had brought, cooking it under the raging fire and handing out plates to the starving soldiers, all alike. Most of the Stark bannermen eventually gave in and took a seat beside foreign men and it seemed like all was going well. Even Lord Umber was now sitting beside the charismatic Commander and belting out cackles as he told stories of older men. Robb had realized soon after that Victoria had always been an outsider and in this moment the roles had been reversed only she was much better at owning it. He stood off to the side, sitting on one of the logs alone with a cup of ale and his eyes never leaving his gorgeous women.

Someone sat beside him and his eyes finally broke away, finding his mothers blue eyes concentrated on him. "You should go sit with them, speak with them and ease their worries about Victoria becoming Wardeness in the north."

"She looks very happy, I don't want to disrupt that." Robb admitted, he was slightly wary to greet the southerners. It was clear they cherished their young Valiente Lady as much as the father which obviously meant he needed to live up to their standards and at the moment his head wasn't entirely in the place to impress.

"How would you know?" Lady Stark questioned, she teetered around the idea that had been plaguing her mind. She didn't blame Victoria for keeping the child from his father but still enough time had gone by and it was now time he knew what he was really fighting for. A wedding in Winterfell would have been beautiful but now it seemed that they would need to make it in the middle of a war which wasn't entirely bad. Catelyn however knew that first they would need to get the pregnancy discussion done and over with and if Victoria was not going to take the first step then she would push Robb. Her sons eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she explained as minimal as possible. "Have you asked her how she feels since the war has begun? Have you two even spoken in private about any of this? It is her father in prison Robb as well, that's not something she has taken lightly."

Robb looked at his mother and awaited the rest of his words because he knew there was more— there was always more when it came to Catelyn Stark but alas his mother simply looked away and pursed her lips. She was right of course there was times he had taken plenty notice of Victoria's silent moments and the way her hands seemed to rub together as well as her apprehension lately. Robb knew that matters needed to be discussed before things took a turn for the worst but he had no idea in what way the discussion would go. He pressed his lips together and nodded, "tomorrow mother, tonight she enjoys the company of her people."

Catelyn didn't say anything else and they focused their attention to the brunette who seemed to be privately talking to the Commander.

"How are the children?" She softly asked, remembering her Commander had two young children who were roughly around the age of her cousin Trystan.

"I doubt they'll ever get used too all the land your fathers blessed us with, everyday is a new adventure for them." He details and his smile lifts as he speaks about them despite the obvious pain in his eyes. Victoria brown eyes soften as she knows exactly what he thinks, Dominic Monterroso had lived a hard life growing as an escaped slave turned pirate now Commander. He'd thought all the hardships of life at sea had ended the moment his life had been devoted to the Valiente and it did appear that way when he met his wife but sadly things seemed only to be an illusion. Soon after giving birth to her second son the mom and beloved wife had fallen ill and died shortly after leaving the two boys in care of their devoted father. He had help of course the wet nurses and maids were there every step of the way but he was determined to do his best. This was very likely the longest he had gone without his children.

"I'm so sorry," Victoria had admitted as her heart had pained. "I know your sons mean the absolute world to you and I've dragged you into a war—"

"All for a good cause m'lady," Dominic cut her off. He smiled and looked away from her watery eyes to the blonde who was sitting next to her loyal knight finding that although it peered she was eavesdropping he could tell she was just paying attention to the Dornish women. He saw how tense her fists were and her blue eyes seemed hardened as she awaited for any action, her devotion was commendable and exactly the way Marcos had wrote to him, he could see why Victoria had kept her close. The blonde was very aware it seemed as suddenly her sapphire like eyes met his own in the same moment her name was found in his head, Elaine was indeed very intriguing as she shared no peak into her thoughts when her eyes blinked in his direction and then blinked back to Victoria.

Strong women always found each other wether it be through friendship, time, or blood, he thought and was suddenly reminded of something very important.

"Speaking of good causes," he changed the subject and immediately went to the belt on his armor, opening the small compartment that held something so important a certain brunette had nearly sewed it to his skin. He produces a letter, a white parchment with the Martell symbol closing it and the Valiente Lady's name on the opposite side. He flips it around to the hand of said girl, "your cousin Amina asked me to give this to you, said a raven was not reliable enough. She asked me to eat it had we been caught and I would be lying if I said that wasn't partly to blame for my smooth voyage."

He passed the letter over and Victoria think of her cousins, otherwise known as the Sand Snakes they were her Uncle Oberyn's bastard daughters from various women that he had raised with his paramour Elaria. The groups of girl had been raised as if they were highborn and had been taught everything, even some things men were only seen fit to accomplish. The group of women excelled at it all and had included Victoria in some of their affairs as she grew with them. Each of her cousins had been special in their own way but none more so then her cousin Amina, the smartest and wisest of the sisters she was the one who had been her companion day in and out whenever she returned to Dorne. Amina Sand showed her danger less then her sisters but she was not to be underestimated and if she had sent the letter well guarded it was likely for a very good reason.

Victoria took the letter and gripped it tightly, "I should read these words were there are no wandering eyes."

Commander Monterroso nodded, "and burn it once you're done."

|•|•|•|•|

She twists and untwists the beads in her hands, or as they were commonly referred to Mother of Pearls, but to her the person who had given them to her were of much more value. Her Uncle Oberyn has gifted them to her before she'd parted Dorne for the last time, and with this gift he had bestowed another, although this was spoken in her ear.

"Dorne will always be in your blood, as is the venom to a Snake. Despite you not being birthed from me child you are one of mine. Forget your title, forget your name, forget pride— none of it matters if your life is on the line. If need be fight like a bastard with nothing to lose, like a Sand Snake who'd been prepared for this."

Her hand twists repeatedly with the valuable jewels and she knows that they two were only meant to symbolize his words. They were only meant as a reminder, of his words and his promise. She closed her eyes and squeezed the cold pearls to her palms as she dropped the letter addressed to her in the fire. It'd been only a night since receiving the parchment and yet she hadn't burned it the moment her eyes had set upon the last word because truth be told she hadn't comprehended.

It had taken her a full night, under the light of a dim candle had she repeated the words and slowly accepted the fate sealed in them. It had been Amina's words, her handwriting and even her sealed kiss in one of the corners but even so she could only see her Uncle Oberyn in them.

"What did the note say," Ser Marcos had interrupted her silence his armor clashing together loudly interrupting her train of thought and bringing her back to reality.

Victoria did not take her eyes off the burning note for one second, watching as it was reduced to ash and any possible leak as well. She would hold the words written in the letter close to heart, and would not tell a soul, just like she had been asked. I can't say."

And when the letter had been reduced to nothing did she look at her Knight and for the first time kept her face void of any emotion. The words written meant more then anything she could have imagined, they were a bond of blood and one could never forsake blood. Although she could feel the words pressed to her lips and despite the fact they would mean nothing to Ser Marcos she still wished to say them to someone but alas she would satisfy her urge with simply stating them to herself.

Amina had been chosen.

Ser Marcos chose not to press the issue as he had known for far to long matters with the Martells and Valientes were between them and them only, everyone else would be tagged by the snake or mauled by the panther— even a loyal guard. And judging by her clutch of Martell pearls he knew this too be big. He decided to speak on another topic however, one that would hold more importance. "There has been word from Kings Landing, a raven was sent."

"Why would they send a raven?" Victoria's confusion was met with a blank stare as the Knight could not answer her question. Her hands immediately hid the pearls and prepared to leave.

"Lady Stark was already dispatched to see it as well as Lord Stark, we should hurry." Ser Marcos hurried her.

She nodded and left her tent, "have you seen Elaine?"

"She's assisting Commander Monterroso and the rest of the army in settling down, they've brought Maester Calderon with them and he's not quite used to the weather." He responded and the two shared a smile, they knew the Maester was a kind man but he loved to complain sometimes. Still his blue eyes dropped from her gaze to her stomach, "best you go see him about your—"

She nodded and swallowed thickly, "probably for the best, all this stress can't be good."

"No, it can't." The knight agreed and the two presses past the soldiers with silence.

Victoria decided she would go see the Maester after finding what was in the note, Maester Calderon had always been a kind man to her. He would likely help her if she asked and considering as of late her sleep was becoming shorter perhaps he could recommend something. Her mind rounded back to the idea of the scroll from Kings Landing and she debated over just what could be in it. The last letter she had received from her father had been months ago, long before he had been imprisoned and she highly doubted they were allowing him the privilege now.

In all honesty worst case scenario never surfaced her mind until she heard the screams.

And then it all came crashing in.

Catelyn Stark's screams of pure insanity were heard across the men's grunts of approval or the sharpening of the tools, the stampeded of the horses and even the loud river near them was no match for the Stark women's screams which could only mean one thing— someone had died.

Victoria was running as fast as she could in her dress and boots, she pushed men out of the way and shoved over the burly men who were too slow to get out of the way. Eventually it was too much and slow so Ser Marcos began to take lead and push the men himself, both were wild with fear. Victoria neared Robb's tent where the flaps were open and she could just make out a crowd of men. She didn't care however, not even when some of the Lords walked out with their heads low. Briefly she did notice Robb running off into the woods but she has no will to console, she just needed to know what was happening.

Elaine ran out from the tent, her eyes were red and she was shaking but she stopped in front of her lady and held her in place. "Victoria— please don't go in there."

"What?" Lady Valiente's eyes were wild and darkening, she dug her fingers into the blondes arms and shook her head. "No, are you mad? What's happening! Let me in!"

"No, no Victoria it's not good for the baby." Elaine whispered although she assumes her lady would not have cared if she yelled it to the world in that moment, certainly not after she found out was in the scroll. "You have to think about the baby."

Ser Marcos caught up then and he distracted the blonde as he came close, "what in the blood hell is going on, Elaine?"

Victoria took the moment where the blonde began to explain and shook her arms away, managing to escape and come closer to the tent. She was met with the Lord Commander of her armies, and he too looked disturbed. He stood in her way and immediately attempted to clear his emotions, "My Lady, I think it's best if we talk in your tent."

"No, no! I am not a child. I will find out now!" She yelled and moved around him into the tent.

And that's when she finally began to understand.

Catelyn was crying, her handmaids around her and a few of the Lords were silent. Catelyn small cries were muffled by the white handkerchief she held over her mouth. She did not even look up when the brunette came in, nor did anyone else which made it fairly easy for the brunette to find the scroll. It was sitting on the table where the map of Westeros was. Victoria took a shaky breath and decided that she needed to know. As she took steps towards the scroll she had an inkling that whatever was written by some foreign Maester would completely change her life in a simple second.

"Victoria—don't," Catelyn brittle voice startled the brunette as she now held the small piece of parchment in her hand. She stood and wiped away the tears, moving aside her handmaid. "If you read what's in there you'll—"

Victoria did not need to hear the end of Catelyn's sentences as she drifted off because she knew exactly what they were all trying to do. Monterroso, Elaine, and Catelyn were all trying to save her and the child from pain. It also meant that the scroll was going to destroy her from now onwards.

And she had to know why.

She couldn't help it and despite the pleads she pushed the scroll open and read the words written.

In some strange way she knew exactly what was going to be in the scroll, she had known it from the first scream but even so it hit her like a knife swinging through its victims. It dropped from her hands as the words fell and the crumpled parchment made the words no longer visible. The words however had now been read and the actions had been taken.

Lord Eddard Stadk and Lord Ricardo Valiente have been publicly executed for their treasonous crimes against the crown as commanded by King Joffrey Baratheon.

Victoria looked up, eyes tearful and lips shaking as her mind raced onwards, far too fast for her to keep up. She was hearing her father in her head, the last words he'd spoken to her replayed as she could see him hoisting himself to his beautiful black horse and smiling. She would never see that again, never hear her nickname come from his lips, never feel the warmth he embraced her with and never know love like her father had for her. Her mind reeled on and she remembered her dream with her children, seeing her father teacher them all how to ride in Dorne and loving them just like he loved her. His last words had been about her strength, about his Winter Sun's ascent into a northerner but how could she be that now with him gone? In many senses he was her whole world and now that had been snatched away from her.

She couldn't bear it, she didn't want to live without her father, without the only man she had ever truly trusted. She wanted him back but there was no undoing now, he was gone and simply accepting that was not something she was willing to agree upon.

So as she looked up and her silence continued she found Catelyn reaching for her and Elaine pushing past the other maids to her aid. For a moment she briefly wondered why they were being so brash with her but then she felt her knees give up and her eyes start to give away.

She hit the floor with a loud slap and the world went dark.

And as the screaming voices fades away and so did she a brief thought past her, could this be the tragic end to the Valiente dynasty?

|•|•|•|•|

Emotional pain was not suppose to burn, it was only suppose to be felt within like the soul sucking out of a person heart. Emotional pain was simply in someone's head which is why Victoria found it odd when she awoke and her entire body withered in pain.

The lower part of her body was practically screaming, a pulsing sensation then crashed against her like tormenting waves against sand. Her eyes popped open and her legs stiffened as she sucked in a breath and reached out to her stomach.

Elaine was immediately there, reaching out and softly speaking, "My Lady, can you speak? Tell me what is wrong?"

The blonde was significantly worried now, as was everyone else. She'd assumed that once Victoria awoke they would be dealing with her pain but never did she imagine the lady would be withering like this. When she reached out to touch her, the normally tan and glowing skin was now soaked in sweat and burning.

Victoria held in her screams with shaky breaths and pushed the blankets aside, "what's happening!"

She shoved them away until all she could find was her soaked dress filled with blood and any remaining blankets sticking to her legs. And again she was aware of the pain that swept her stomach when it rushed forward once more and she kept back into the pillow with pain. She drew out a heavy breath and once more attempted to lift herself as now the pain was beginning to make her legs shake and she yelped in pain.

"Oh no," Elaine muttered and quickly darted to Ser Marcos who was standing by the entrance in pure shock. It seemed like Elaine was the only one who managed to have a steady thought process as she shook the knight who couldn't stop staring at the Dornish women covered in blood. "Go get the Maester the Lord Commander brought." Ser Marcos did not move, his eyes only trained on the brunette who was shaking and crying hysterically, her weeps were very low but even so he could see she was distraught. Her hand lifted and he could see It was covered in blood and her anguished cry was all his attention could focus on.

And then Elaine slapped him out of it, the blonde taking her hand and slapping him against the cheek hard enough to get a reaction. Marcos blinked as the throbbing from her palm brought him to her blue eyes and she narrowed them, "get the Maester! NOW!"

He couldn't even think about how he should have been angry or maybe even thankful she'd set his mind straight as immediately he turned and ran out.

Elaine took in a deep breath, she'd been in this mess before, many times. Being raised in a whore house taught her to prepare for things like this and as she came back to the women's side she knew exactly how to phrase the words despite her own throat wishing not too.

Victoria was attempting to clean off the blood on her legs and ripping at the stained fabric, throwing it off the bed with small yells following. "No! No! What is happening! What's wrong! No no! Why is there so much blood!"

Finally Elaine knew that there was no sensible way of speaking and in her hysterics it was best to quickly tell her. She keeps onto the bed and reached for the brunettes hands, stopping their fuss. "Victoria! Victoria! You need to stop! Listen to me!"

She managed to get her hands under control long enough for the brunette to tame and soft whimpers to exchange the hysterics. Her skin was still very hot, and her face showed the aggressiveness of the situation but her voice was innocent and her eyes were wide with tears when she spoke, "what happened?"

Elaine bit back tears as she too wishes to cry relentlessly but knew it was her duty to be the sane one and deliver the news. "You've lost the baby, I'm so sorry."

And again Victoria felt herself succumb to a soul sucking ache that was nearly as real as the throbs that latched our at was once in her belly. She fell in resignations against the blondes chest and cried, yet again she felt defeated as there was nothing she could do. Her father was gone and now the child she had come to love before birth was as well.

|•|•|•|•|

I originally intended for this to be the last chapter but there was too much to cover also my sweet baby lost her child.