"We don't have much time now, "Trout muttered softly to the Lady as they walked the edge of the river. The smell, although revolting to the pregnant women offered her a small glimpse into freedom from the castle walls. And there was another reason, as she looked to her right the silent blonde handmaiden finally looked up.

"No, it's like everyday they grow nearer, I can practically feel theirs breaths against the nape of my neck." Elaine remarked, she visibly cringed as well. Her once vibrant blue eyes were not muted, under eyes darkened and lips chapped. The redness around her eyes had faded but faint traces still remained, she'd finally stopped crying in her sleep that morning and Victoria thought it was time they'd gotten her some fresh air. She couldn't imagine the pain her friend went through, watching a family member die, no matter how close, was never an easy toll. For the past few days Sir Trout had taken it upon himself to keep the ladies well fed and hydrated.

Elaine was right though, they'd been under Stark watch since the execution, it was like every corner they turned a soldier adorned in silver and navy roamed them. Victoria had been too preoccupied with her departure and the state of her dear friend otherwise she would've set holy hell on Robb.

"Not long now, soon enough they'll be mountains between us." Victoria said and she could practically taste the scorching sun and soft sand.

"Gods allow us." Elaine said softly, her stomach tightened at the thought. She knew that Lord Stark would send a howl so loud across the lands that even they would hear it. She wondered what the repercussions would be but it silenced when she remembered how no one she held even a small amount of love was in the north. Her true family, the one that mattered was here, promising new adventures and safe havens.

"It won't be God that bring us back, Lord Monterroso is far from that." Sir Trout jokingly stated.

"After we arrive, I'd like to see Trystan, and my Uncles," Victoria stated.

"There's no doubt in my mind they'll be waiting for you on the walls," Sir Trout said confidently. "As for me, well I won't say no too the heat flaring my skin as long as there's seawater in the distance."

Victoria smiles, fondly reminded of that as well, Sir Trout was often uncomfortable in his heavy garments, preferring the soft linens that were common amongst knights far south. She could see them walking the beaches at sunrise, speaking about their days and worries. Her child running ahead, basking in the sea, soft giggles running through the gentle air. Sir Trout taking the young child under his wing, showing them the beauty in swordsmanship.

Her breath is harsh as she practically kicks at the cold water that this river has to offer, fury rises in her chest and she nearly wants to scream in these woods. She can't however, one scream of hers and Stark men will come running through the woods, courtesy of the King himself.

"We should head back, I'm sure the Kings'
men are not far away." Elaine mentions, she turns back to the castle, her eyes are dark. She thinks of her own anger, her hatred for this place and it's inhabitants. Her blood may have been birthed as cold as the north but now it was as hot as the Dornish sands, it ran with the fury she now had for her father, her Lady, and every other person the Starks had betrayed since becoming kings once more.

"Soon, first we have this." Sir Trout lifted a tiny scroll from the inside pocket of his cut and passed it to his Lady.

She took the opened scroll, excitedly ready to read. Sir Trout had left late in the night to retrieve it from a town a few hours away, he had become quite good at deceiving northern soldiers no matter how closely they watched them. The Starks currently believed that the Dorne's walk was near the castle walls and hopefully they would keep it this way, for the time being men did patrol much of the Tully estate and it's surrounding trees but fortunately it was easy to pick apart where they neglected.

Victoria felt like the parchment burned her with excitement, this was it, she thought to herself, her destiny was sealed in these words. She would touch land the north for some time, possibly never again. Her child would never know this frost, would never walk these woods, possibly never feel this level of chill. She felt the minimalist of pity for the life she'd rob them of but now here, with eyes everywhere patrolling her steps and suspicions around her she devoured every statement.

Her breath was quick and rapid at first, every word seeming to stab into her heart and then slowly it dawned on her, this was genius. A smile overcame as she read the end, her Commanders lasting words.

The winter sun will be in her rightful place soon enough.

She looked up at the pair of blondes expectant looks, and handed the scroll to the knight.

"The Tower's they'll be there, it's genius."

Trout grinned, a rare expression as he saw his Lady gleefully pat a hand on her concealed belly and weight be lifted off her shoulders. Elaine as well, she had skimmed most of it, her mind was elsewhere. She read the words and her lovers rough voice speak them, saw his warm embrace comfort her. She remembered their last night together, how he'd kissed her under the protection of a tent and promised repeatedly that they would not be separated for long. He did this for his country, for his lady, but he did it for her just as much.

Sir Trout nodded, he looked once more at Victoria who's now radiant expression nodded his way, "destroy it and tell the others."

No sooner had she said the words and already the paper had been shredded with his bare fingers and then thrown into the river.

|•|•|•|•

Their walk back to the walls of Riverrun was shorter then the departure, no sooner had they come into sight had Stark soldiers taking positions around them.

Victoria bit her tongue from allowing angry words to spew, she would not let anything ruin her current joy. The idea of of a few comforting nights rests no longer seemed like prison and the idea of suddenly enjoying the amenities Lord Tully promised her became appealing, that is until her former betrothed appeared.

He was waiting for her in the corridors before her quarters, she noted the navy blue color to his eyes this time, and the way his beard had grown considerably.

Every ounce within her wanted to be as impolite as possible, instead she merely stopped at an appropriate distance and spoke, "what do you want, Lord Stark."

She knew the dig at his former title stabbed at him, how she refused to bow or curtsy his way like most was deplorable but quite frankly, everything he'd done to her was just as bad.

"You should show respect, he is a King," Lord Bolton noted, standing beside him like a bird whispering in his ear.

"Why?" She curtly responded back, locking eyes with Robb as she spoke. "He is not my King, and he is not my Lord. He has not shown me nor my people respect, we on the contrary did everything to ensure that his people survived. We fed them, we empowered them, and we helped them survive with numbers and yet all we have received in return was lies, betrayals, you name it. So tell me why I owe your King respect, this isn't even his home. So no, I will not show him respect by calling him a false name, I will not poison my tongue by speaking lies simply to pet his ego and I will not bow to a man I do not respect. I am more then a Valiente, I am a Martell as well, unbowed, unbent, unbroken. That is words of royalty, that is the blood of actual power. I am closer to King blood then any your ancestors have been for centuries."

Every word was tactful, stained with all her madness and anger brought on over the months. She felt the very ground under her feet shake the longer she spoke. She saw it in his eyes, the way they transfixed on her face. Robb may have stayed silent but that stare raged at her.

"Where did you go." He simply asked.

"On a walk, even murderers deserve to breathe fresh air," she muttered in a sarcastic snap, "and now if you'll excuse me I'd like to return to my cell."

"I have called a meeting," he stopped her.

She pursed her lips, "of which I hold no interest in attending."

"You will if it stops you from marrying my uncle."

This peaked her interest, whatever action she had placed into walking away came to a half and a brow lifted, "continue..."

"I propose a truths between us and the Frey's have one of his daughters marry my uncle, and in exchange all is forgiven and we cross the twins. Lord Frey gets a finger on another powerful house that I still rule 10x over, and we cross where the real fight begins." He states.

"And what's this to do with me? Lord Frey and I have no quarrels, he's sent letters with propositions of marriage to his sons for me, I could accept at any time I want. Your Uncle waits for any indications that I will marry him. It seems to me that this is another disadvantage for me." She remarks, although she's already made her mind up but she wants where him say it, to beg for it. She wants to hear the words spew from his own mouth. "What do you need from me?"

Robb's jaw tightens and Lady Valiente knows she's son this yet again, a King submitting to a Lady is unheard of, yet here he is.

"I ask of you," he swallows thickly as the word is foreign to a king, "please turn my uncle away, refuse his advances once and for all. He wants to marry you, he thinks he could love you if only given the smallest of chances. If you turn him away then he will have no choice but to agree with me."

Victoria allowed her eyes to look him and down for a silent moment, her lips twitched into a coy smirk, the fool had given her so much more then he'd anticipated. She could see he was wondering if the idea of marrying Lord Tully had ever truly been considered, but there was no longer deciphering of her looks for him. She was a closed and locked away book now for him, or perhaps she'd always been and delusion had been his own translation.

"Alright, besides I never want my children to know this side of the world much less live in it." She walked past him, eyes brushing away and the excitement almost clouded her judgment.

She was one step closer to freedom.

|•|•|•|•|

She felt like dancing as she approached her corridors, like pins ran up her arms and through the palms of her hands. Trout and Elaine both seemed just as happy as they kept in stride.

Elaine softly muttered, "what will you say to Lord Tully?"

Victoria smirked and softly responded, "I've rejected mens advances and proposals for years without my fathers hand in things, this will be easier then anything else I've done."

They turned the corner, right into the halls of her men, all of her whom had stood guard near her bedroom door, and at the entrance was Lord Tully, beside him a servant holding a tray. His smile as deliriously happy as he took her in, "Lady Valiente, I did hope we could chat for lunch, I'm sure you're famished after your walk."

She resisted the urge to spew the words right then and there, instead curtsying and nodding her head, "I would enjoy that, Lord Tully, please come inside."

He opened the door for her, allowing her and Elaine to walk through the doors. Her room had a beautiful view of the river, likely intentional for this very reason. Elaine worked quickly, helping her out of the black coat that covered most of her dress. She nearly saw the Lord's eyes pop as they took in the black dress, it was long sleeved see through lace for most of her shoulders and collarbones, the rest covered her growing bosom and torso. in intricate details of colored roses. His eyes seemed transfixed on her upper half for a moment until she enclosed her hands in front of the ruffled midsection of her dress that flowed down hiding her legs as well as other secrets.

"Lord Tully, shall we sit?" She asked rather enthusiastically.

He nodded and awkwardly extended the crook of his elbow to her, even though they walked a few feet to where the servant had already set out there lunch. Quickly, he pulled her chair out and helped her comfortably sit down before taking his own.

In front of them she took note of the mint tea, what appeared to be sandwiches cut into elegant small bites and a warmed tomato soup. She took a sip of the tea first, warming her cold fingers as inside her she felt flips happen.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Lord Tully spoke after they'd taken a few bites, "sometimes I wish I could simply sit here all day, from sun up to sundown."

"Yes, it is quite mesmerizing," and she didn't lie, although Riverrun held nothing but a stop to her destination for her she could see the beauty in it. The river soothed her to sleep at night most times, the smell of fresh water although at times repulsive to her sensitivity also seemed to calm her. She imagined doing the very thing he proposed here, sitting all day, allowing the warmth from the sun and the cooled breeze to overtake her. It was a pretty thought, one she could not entertain although she would indulge hike for a moment. "One could very easily see the beauty in this place, the peace here."

She took a spoonful of her soup before he responded, his smile was getting bigger with every encouraging word she said, he was building up the courage. "Could you see a family here?"

"I could see your family here." She responded after a moment, "I could see why generations fought so hard to keep this, moments like these are what make it all worthwhile indeed."

"Very true, if my father were alive he would regale you with stories of the past, but I am not my father, and I don't care about the past that much anymore. I care about the present and future, and what could be our future. I can see us together, you by my side with our children, I could show them a world not of wars or of harsh winters, but of peace and tranquillity, a world Riverrun has always been. It is not your home in Dorne but it is a home, together we can make it possible."

He'd extended a hand to her, open palm for her to take hold of, the acceptance he so desperately wanted and confidently thought he had.

Victoria stared into his hopeful eyes, and for a moment she considered that lifestyle, her hand twitched upwards, she would not love him for a long time, perhaps ever, but she could be happy. Lord Tully was not a domineering man, nor was he a stubborn man, but he was Robb's blood and for that she cut any fantasy short.

"Lord Tully, that is a kind offer, one I'm inclined to accept but you have to understand my predicament. My place is no longer this north, my family awaits my return, the Lannisters conspire to kill me this is not a world you want." She softly rejected him, her hand did lift though, gently touching his palm, "I cannot put you and your title at risk, and I must admit selfishly I cannot be close to the Starks anymore. This would make me family by marriage and it's simply to much to bare. My place is not here, it is in Dorne with my family, finding peace for my father and honoring him. I'm sorry Lord Tully, but I cannot accept this offer. I wish things had been different."

His crestfallen expression did little to change her mind, in fact she felt almost elated to see him leave. She stood and he followed after a dumbfounded moment. His eyes read confusion, and possibly denial but she stared him in the eyes with a soft palm against his cheek, and spoke again, "you will find a women who can love you and all your family. You have no need for a women already tainted in so much blood. She will be kind and beautiful, she will want to be here with you until the end of her days. It is not me however, I am sorry."

Lord Tully squeezed their conjoined palms and her breath stilled as she thought he would lean in to kiss her but instead only whispered, "I'm sorry we did not meet before you met my nephew. I'm sure we could have been happy, but if you change your mind I am here, I'm sure if you let me we could have been so happy."

She resisted the urge to laugh, there would never be any happiness in Westeros again for her, she was sure of it.

|•|•|•|•|

Lol, thank my insomnia, food poisoning, and possible mania for this guys! The Twins are next what do we think will happen?

-Ash🤍🤍