"I do believe this is what King's do," Ser Trout jokingly noted as he sat, elbows against the tables of Lady Valiente's chambers. Elaine was seated beside him, the blonde also comfortably adjusted as hot bowls of food were placed in front of them. They could see an array of vegetables and fish in their bowls, a courtesy of the river lands they were currently housed under. Once they'd arrived and settled in Harrenhal the gracious lord of House Tully had sent them wagons of food, and now with the rations the Dornish army had sent it seemed they would be having a well deserved feast.

Or in Victoria's case, a well fed strategy meeting with her advisors. Her Lord Commander was not the only one with dangerous tasks, while the man had quietly left her loyal knight has made it his mission to secretly gather as much information from out of territory as possible. He sent ravens from small towns to Dorne, often communicating with her family and then the Lord Commander who had specifically told him when and where to send ravens. Now that he was safely nestled away in Dorne there was no chance of words falling into the wrong hands.

Elaine on the other hand had been given the task of gathering as much gossip and information from inside the Stark camp as she could. Her face may have been associated with Lady Valiente but that did not mean it would stop most commoners of speaking. She made it a habit to go down to the kitchens and help, or walk through the camps and just train her ear to catch any if not everything.

The kitchen maids sat their plates down silently, bowing out of respect for the gracious lady before turning and leaving, allowing them the freedom to speak.

Victoria had raised a brow at Ser Trouts comment but not said anything until the door was shut and Dornish soldiers guarded them.

"This is what anyone with an army and a war does, Ser Trout, now shall we get to why we are here." Victoria questioned.

"The Lord Commander arrived to the boarders of Dorne safe, not a man lost. He says maidenpool was still warm." Ser Trout responded, smirking as he did so, noticing the air of relief Lady Elaine released and Victoria lips pulled to laugh.

"Bloody oaf, could have gotten himself caught." She muttered lightheartedly, her hands reached over and clamped into Elaine's. "Rest now, he is the only man who could have done that."

"Apparently he stole a ship, claimed it sailed from Essos, and was not noticed until he got to Dorne. Your cousin, Lady Amina, spotted him before the ship was able to dock." Ser Trout detailed, he placed an opened scroll on the table, the seal broken with his name implemented at the top. She ran her hands over the panther striking that had snapped.

"Amina is at the boarders?" She said in awe and glee, snapping open the rest to read.

Ser Trout shuffled in his belt and pulled another out, this scrolled unopened for Elaine. He set the paper in her hands and smiled softly.

Victoria read through most of what Trout has already said, finding that her Uncle Oberyn resides in Valiente castle as well, and was proud of her decision. It noted nothing to do with her pregnancy as she'd wish to tell him that in person, but did note that her uncle would aid in her eventual escape.

"So I take it there is no plan, just yet?" Victoria looked up, going onto the next topic.

"Unfortunately that has yet to be established, the Lord and I had discussed a ship as well, it's too dangerous to travel with you on foot. We could sail through the west and never be noticed, land in Oldtown and rest. We would avoid Lannister territory that way." He concluded.

"Clever, I like it. Although that would mean we'd travel on foot the rest of the way." She noted, remembering the boarders were a days ride at best, and they could be in Starfall sooner then anticipated.

"Your Uncle could help us with that, I'm sure he has some influence still in the Citadel." Trout offered a resolution.

"What would I do without you?" She hummed happily, smilingly brightly. And then looked back to the other side where the blonde was biting into her bread, looking at them both fondly. Victoria's hand reached out and clasped around their both, "what would I do without either of you? I'm sorry, I've made our lives like this, but I hope you can understand and forgive me when we are back in our lands as champions. My child will thank you for the justice you've brought us."

"Lady Valiente, I am forever in your debt for what you've done. There is no need for your thanks, once we are in Dorne again, and you are safe it will be more then enough." Trout flipped his palm and held her hand in his own for the first time, squeezing softly as the softness of her skin felt like a strange contrast on the rough skin of his own.

"And as I've told you once and time again, I am with you now and always." Elaine notes as well, tenderly squeezing the lady's hand. She breathed deeply and then straightened her back to repeat her own findings. "There's not much talk from the commoners, most Lords have peacefully accepted what happened. Most of the high lords actively anticipate you choosing their sires to marry, some have nearly fought over the discussions. None of them suspect a thing. The only worry is of the Lannister's, apparently now that they have the Tyrell army at their back they feel invincible."

"The Lannister's forgiving nature is something to talk about." Victoria noted in between swallows of her food. Her shoulders rested and she decided that was enough, "very well, I suppose all we can do is bid our time well, listen for anything particularly interesting and remain hopeful."

"Yes, my lady," Trout and Elaine both responded.

They ate in a peaceful silence for a short while, all three equally tired from the long journey and hungry.

A gentle knock on the Lady's chambers had all of them looking at one another, there had been no mention of a guest joining them. Ser Trout stood and opened the door, tense as ever he only relaxed when on the other side he saw the familiar face of a Dornish guard.

"Lady Valiente," Ser Dontos bowed respectfully.

"Yes, Ser Dontos, what is it?" She questioned.

"It's the king in the north, he wishes to speak with you privately? Shall I tell his messenger to go away?" The guard's seems keen on the idea of sending away the northern messenger, and for a moment Victoria ponders the idea. It was later in the afternoon, the sun was just dipping away what could possible be so urgent? Robb had rarely spoken to her in the last few weeks, although she could always feel a careful watch wherever she went.

"No," she surprised the group by lifting her hand and standing from the table. "I'd quite like to hear why the King in the North has urgently asked for me, Ser Trout?"

The knight was quick to stand and followed behind his lady, wary of what was upon her mind.

|•|•|•|•|

"I must admit, I thought I made myself quite clear about our relationship—or lack thereof." The door to the Kings quarters opened for the former queen, the Stark knights avoiding eye contact as he'd referred to her as your grace before realizing his mistake. She hadn't taken much thought to it, although a small grin did appear before it was wiped as her eyes set upon Robb.

He looked at her, blue green eyes blank and he gave her a quick glance over, cannery yellow clothes making her look so foreign. Once all she'd worn were his family colors, and she could have nearly passed for a northerner in the deep blues and greys, but now all he saw was her contrast. Robb thought about all their previous conversations, and he wanted to say something sarcastic or even humorous but all that would have earned him was a snap and likely her exit. He needed to tread lightly, hence why his wife was not present nor where the rest of his men. Vic has always been smarter then she ever led on, and although now she was executing every plan with superiors abilities and monarch like tactics there was still far more she could muster up it he pressed enough

He sipped the wine from his cup, savoring the taste of alcohol and berries, swallowing his pride and sighing softly, "I was hoping we could speak privately."

Ser Trout behind her shifted, hand on hilt and glare on Robb the king knew just how much the man had detested him. Ever since the first time they'd met, Ser Trout with young features, he could still see the intense bitter glare from that moment. Victoria had once told him that the knight only worried for her safety "dornish women were as lucky as stark men when they travelled outside their lands," she repeated in a deeper voice that one time, but Robb had always known better. Ser Trout loved his leading lady like Robb loved her, perhaps much more desperately.

Victoria looked to the knight, his eyes detaching from her former lovers and she lifted a brow, he trusted her however, the rage in heart was much more alive then her remaining love for this king now. She nodded her head to the Knight, "I will be out shortly."

Ser Trout bowed, "my lady."

The knight exited, closing the door behind him, leaving Victoria to look back towards Robb who walked towards the table with the wine chalice. "Would you like to to take a seat and a drink?"

"Neither," she responded abruptly, her elegant dressed swayed as she made her way to the table centered with scrolls and the map. "What is it you'd like to speak of, Robb, I have matters to attend."

Robb ignored the last sentence, he looked at her suspiciously, "I've never known you to decline a drink."

Victoria although a bit baffled by his sudden interest was cool, she blinked once and allowed an explanation to escape, "I need to be at full capacity if something were to happen, numbing myself would not help me or my army."

Robb presses his lips together, refusing to state that she no longer had an army, just a group of guards that kept them at a distance. Instead he filled his cup once more and walked towards her, choosing to stand a bit aways, "I hope your enjoying your side of the castle, my men tell me you and your men are quite comfortable on the best side of the castle."

"Maybe you should have thought of strategy instead of luxury," she hummed and inclined her head towards the fireplace. He doesn't say a word, leaving her to wonder why now she's chosen not to fight. The tables have stopped turning and she's landed on the winning side.

Robb drinks from his chalice, savoring the bitterness and wondering if it was a mistake to ask her to his chambers. He knew Talisa had been wary, her eyes had fought the hesitance as he'd kissed her but this was something he had to do. The scrolls had brought new light to his past indiscretions, and perhaps a new mindset—although now it might have been too late.

"I have some news I'd like to share with you," his way of speaking made her eyebrows raise, she expected him to yell, or anger to raise from his voice but it was almost as if he'd brushed off her words. She was baiting him, an angry Robb she could hate, one who wanted to start throwing his authority around was as easy as taming a wild horse. A sympathetic and cautious one, who wanted to speak about their past was dangerous for her, she still loved him enough to blindly accept.

Victoria took a cautious step away, "what is it?"

He said nothing and walked around the table, away from her, she breathed a sigh of relief when he wasn't looking and pulled her thin coat closer around her waist, hiding the bump that had begun to grow. He knew nothing, she told herself, holding the food rations in her camp had assured that the northerners would never suspect but perhaps she hadn't been cautious enough.

He lifted the two scrolls, and slid them across the tables towards her, words in a mans writing were scrawled across and she was quick to snatch them up.

The first told of the younger Stark siblings, Bran and Rickon had not been found, although being dead was not necessarily the first thought the north was growing colder and two young boys were not well suited to survive such conditions unless properly cared for.

Robb's eyes never strayed from her slender frame, she could feel them boring into her skin like a mosquito in the mist of summer, although this one she begrudgingly agreed would be a pleasant touch. She became distracted with the idea and suddenly lost her place; rereading the words once more of the scroll and allowing a gasp escape.

"Winterfell—" she murmured, her eyes going wide and looking up. Her heart tore; Winterfell had been as much home to her as the shores of Dorne and nothing was left but ashes.

"Theon," Robb spit the name of his childhood friend like vile rising from his throat. Victoria felt his anger as much, she'd loved the iron born like a brother she never had and yet he'd betray them so easy, it was tragic.

"Gods be just he will receive his own one day." Her words were meant as reassurance for both him and her, as much anger invoked in her tone as the kings.

Robb nodded his head, her brows eyes had softened in a way he's rarely see now and almost afraid to shatter the illusion of nostalgia he moves onwards. "There's something else, you'll understand more if you read the next scroll."

Victoria briefly thinks things could not possibly get worse, surely the Gods would show a bit of mercy but as her eyes read the words she feels a hint of sadness and her breath is slowed. "Gods have mercy on his soul, I'm sorry for your loss, how is your mother."

Robb seems barely fazed by this and Victoria knows he knew little of Lord Tully but blood called no matter how far it strayed and at the moment his was slowly dying out. He blinks and his composure is strong, "not well; as you can imagine it's not the easiest of news given all that's happened."

"I can only imagine, I haven't seen her since the kingslayer incident, i shall visit and pray with her." Victoria briefly questions if this is what he needed. Catelyn had made it clear she wasn't overly fond of Robb's new wife and the dornish women had always been like a daughter. Despite the current circumstances she would try and be strong for the Lady of the north.

"Before then, there is something else."

Victoria nodded her head, sensing that whatever Robb spoke of next was the real reason he'd asked of her presence. It must have been something, there wasn't much that could surpass death and theon's escape.

"Go on," she waved her hand.

Robb sighed, he'd been mulling over the ideas since itd occurred to him, specifically her reaction. She seemed to be in good spirits, despite the small snaps she'd thrown his way there was no clear anger, and yet he still felt like prey anticipating a predator. She was petite, thin frame and hands no bigger then brans perhaps, and yet a slight fear overcame him. This women in her silks and floral scents was as dangerous as a Lannister army behind their shields and swords. The armor was her words, and the sharp sliced of swords was her carefully articulated words.

He breathed lowly, "I'm taking our troops back, to Riverrun. My mother deserves to see her father off properly."

Victoria kept her silence, and if he had any idea of what passed through her mind he certainly made no indication of such. Robb was planning on retreating to make better plans, the south and boarders of Kingslanding were upon them, the real battles were coming. He'd easily won battles on lands he'd known as a child, cold wastelands not fit for southern armies, but in the lands where the air was as thick as blood, and the earth was flat enough to see for miles it was almost like he was going in blind. Her army was more suited then anyone else's and they'd already taken up camp on the other side of Westeros.

Victoria however decided to focus on another side of things, "you realize how poorly this will reflect on us? How already your Lords are angry for your marriage. This will not end well."

"After everything I've put her through, my mother needs this." It was almost as if he were to be pleading for her agreement, making plausible responses.

Victoria although agreeing on that much of his reasons know that if she didn't tell him the truth then someone else would, in a much more heinous fashion and his response would not be a good one. She lifted her brow and simply stated, "is that all?"

Robb looked at her, knowing exactly what those three words and silently acknowledging the excuses he too was making. She sighed however and stood, pulling at her dress, "well if that is all, I believe you have some lords to attend too and I will offer prayer with your mother."

Robb was nearly reminded of their time in Winterfell, when they'd split duties and together take responsibility over their castle—this time however there was no spark or fire that attached to them, just a cold front. As relieved he was to have confided in his former lover there was not much else, if she approved or disagreed it was above him. She was nearly the one commanding and he was following along.

Victoria left his chambers with a quick step, finding Ser Trout's eyes with a quick nod. Once they were nearly out of the guards hearing she managed to whisper, "it's become unstable now, things are about to combust."

|•|•|•|•|

Tbh I'm not ready for the red wedding...