If she closed her eyes, she could have nearly swore she was in Dorne at the edge of the river.

Victoria breathed in the taste of the salty water, the faint smell of trout just on the cusp of her tastebuds. She could nearly see it, the beautiful ancient castle that sat waiting to protect her, large boarders holding her and her child safe. The sounds of distinct tongues and friendly relatives coming together to rejoice her safe return.

She could nearly see it, had it not been for the shivering cold that went through her body.

A disappointed sigh escaped her lips as she stepped away from the water's edge, her brown eyes glossed over the lingering day. "It's not the same."

"Nothing ever will be, my lady," Sir Trout responds in a low tone as he too seemed to step back in time.

"With the look in your eyes, I can only assume how glorious the castle is," Elaine noted by their side.

"It is, why did I ever leave? If I had known then what I know now, I'd have thrown myself over the cliffs then come back." Victoria's tone was depressed, pretending like this water was the turquoise sea she'd come to only see in her dreams as of late.

"Perhaps we should go back, I can smell the fish from here. Supper will be ready." Elaine changed their topic and gently helped her lady over the rocky terrain and back onto the trail they'd been walking.

The sounds of boots and swords crashing against metal alerted them, and Sir Trout went to place his hand on his sword when they rounded the corner and were met with Lord Karstark and his men.

The old fool attempted a smile, although the hollows on his eyes prevented it entirely. Victoria pretended not to care, this man had lost quite a lot in this war, and the Starks had been less then kind about it. She'd heard his anger from more then one person.

"Lord Karstark, what a delightful surprise." She welcomed him, suddenly feeling Elaine shrink behind her. Her arm reached out, intertwining their forearms to show her support.

"Lady Valiente, I was told you'd gone for a walk, perhaps we could speak. I've quite missed your company." He responded, eyes trained solely on the brunette and not on his daughter.

Victoria was taken aback, his request was quite...odd. They'd had numerous conversations over the past weeks, often at the table surrounding the rest of the lords and at their war meetings. He'd come looking for her purposefully, in the woods much less.

Her instincts told her not to be threatened, and Sir Trout seemed to disagree by the groan that left his lips of disapproval. Still, she smiled and nodded her head, they were in castle sights.

"I'd be delighted to have a companion, Lady Elaine has to prepare my bath for the night." Victoria excuses her handmaid whose grip instantly slips with relief.

Victoria sees the few Dornish soldiers that had followed them step up and the blonde is quick to walk their way.

"Let us walk," the Lady states, and an arm is offered by the old Lord who guides her further from the castle and distance from the rest of their group. She takes notice how they move further from the castle walls and deeper into the country side of the river lands, but her demeanor does not change as she has no fear in her heart.

"Quite a surprise, turning back instead of forward." She guess this must be what the Lord wishes to discuss and decides to say the words first. The gentle murmurs she'd heard since they'd arrived, sighs of disproval and overran less then happy gazes many Northerners gave told her that eventually she'd be having the conversation.

"Yes not ideal given the circumstance, how will we get back? How will we take back the land Tywin Lannister has no doubt already reclaimed." The Lord spoke back, eyes sets on the foliage, his face was unreadable and voice low.

"Not easily, but I suppose the King has a plan for that... or at least theories," she bitterly added the last words knowing fully well that Robb had about as much thought about how to return as he did with the two Lannister boys locked away in a tower.

He scoffed, the first real sign of distaste the Lord had shown in their brief walk, "it seems to me he's got his head in other areas." Victoria lifted a brow at the crude remark but Lord Karstark simply eyed her back and matched her curious gaze with his own, "we both know what's happened. Ever since, his grace, married that little whore all he's done is give her leeway. She's taken care of those lannisters better then most of our crew and this return... it's done nothing but ruin us. Winterfell's gone, we've lost more men then we can afford... gods, I lost a son to this bloody thing and for what?"

He paused to kick a piece of dead wood deep into the forest, it felt like all his anger and exertion went into the little action as when he turned back he stopped and look at her. His eyes were rimmed red, black purple splotches coated the surrounding skin and his grip on her shoulder shook and trembled. Victoria swallowed thickly, he was confession something to her now, she could tell by his desperation and the way he quickly flinched behind them to the soldiers far off. "How did you know it was time to rebel?"

Victoria cocked her head and narrowed her eyes, this was certainly... odd? Her lips moved to speak but she had no real answer? How did she know that it was time to further her own agenda? Everything had certainly taken a turn when Robb married the nurse but had that truly been the straw that broke the camels back? A deep no resonated within her chest and she pondered that same question. Her stomach suddenly revolted and she knew her answer, it wasn't the lies or the anger, it wasn't their failed relationships or even the death of her father that pivoted her choices far from the Stark's ways.

She swallowed them lump in her throat, something begged her not to speak the words but she owed it to this man who'd been honest with her, to at least one person. "It was my future, that was it. I knew whatever happened after this war was over would not have a thing to do with the Starks. It took a lot of strength and frankly faith but I did what I had to do to know that I would not look back and regret my influence in this era. One day our children will look back at this time, and I want mine to know that I did what I had to do."

Lord Karstark seemed to understand her words but not their full meaning and nodded his head, she too seemed as lost in his reaction. A low and slow rumble escaped his lips and he looked back, "best we get back, the days almost over."

Victoria couldn't help but feel she was missing a massive amount of the conversation they'd just had, the hair on the back of her neck stood straight and she felt as if staying in the woods was best because things would change when they got back but one look at Karstark and she knew there was no choice in the matter. The Lord had made his own decision as she'd spoken, something she wasn't keen on discovering.

|•|•|•|•|

"Victoria! Victoria!" The urgent whisper shook her out of a sweet dream, shaking the walls of her quaint sanctuary until she now saw darkness and blonde streaks of hair clouding her vision. "You must get up!"

Victoria pulled herself up, hands clawing at the daft bed as she lifted and groaned, "what's happening? Elaine, why do you look frightened?"

"They've taken Sir Trout, thrown him into the cells below the castle, they're outside your corridors under the kings orders. Our men are holding them off but for only so long." Elaine whispered urgently and set her skills below her side of the bed.

Victoria stood, at the mere mention of Sir Trouts name she was ready to take arms, she whirled towards the door intent on showing the king his own form of wrath.

"My lady!" Elaine yelped and stopped her, hands holding the thick fur coat of her fathers. "You're nearly nude!"

Victoria followed her eyes, she was right, the thin nightgown barely concealed the nipples of her breast and much less the now peaking belly. She took Elaine's help and tightened the coat around herself following the sounds of her man refusing to let loose.

When she turned the corner the steaks and valiente soldiers stopped their fighting and she huffed, "take me to him now."

They opened the wall blocking from coming and going and she stomped down it with such a ferocity no one attempted to lead her.

No one had to tell her where the King would be, she could nearly sense it. Elaine's patter of feet kept up behind her, breath shaky, the soldiers had come to her first, fearful in their tones she'd known that only one person could tame the beast that threatened.

Victoria meanwhile had her mind preoccupied, there would be little that could Robb could say to explain this, and once she'd known her knight was secure then the king would answer her wrath.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FUCKING MIND ROBB STARK!" She roared as soon as she entered the great hall, her eyes found the entirety of the Starks, Lord Tully, and even Lord Bolton but she cared little for all of their presences.

Collectively everyone but Robb and Victoria in the room felt the thick tension, none of them had ever seen her so angry and relentless, she was always selective with her words but the cursing told them they were in for a hell of a meeting.

Victoria crossed her arms and searched the rest of the room, finding Sir Trout in chains. He was wearing sleeping attire and his face was stained with streaks of blood and black charcoal, she raced towards her and pulled him out of their grasp. "Release him! NOW!"

Her hands dropped to his face, coarse hairs that covered his stern jaw felt comforted against the soft digits that pressed with comfort. "Are you okay, Sir Trout? What happened?"

"Bloody cunts," he grunted and a small smirk lifted to her lips as she knew he would be quite worse had it not been for the colorful language. "I went to the bloody latrine and these fools attacked me."

Victoria huffed in annoyance and she looked at both the soldiers that held him in place, one has a black eye and the other's got a bloodied lip, they'd definitely met the wrong person to try and take down. Her foot swirled around, hand gripping tightly with her knights arm.

Robb was still, a deep breath escaped him as he took in the Dorne born, her eyes were as fierce as the sun on an external summers day. She curled her lips and went to strike again when he spoke, "not until we talk."

"Fuck you! There we've spoken, now let him go!" She snapped and helped her dear companion over towards the line of her soldiers; she was careful to make sure there was no extra cuts and bruises. After having Elaine take him she saw the blonde now shaking, her eyes rimmed with fear. A gentle smile lifted into her lips; briefly her rage turned into confidence and she could tell that the King was damned for the night. The women said no more as her hand maid seemed to breathe slower and so she turned back.

"Hurting me is one thing, that I can handle but when you take the people I love and throw them in chains..." she breathed before a real threat escaped her lips, holding onto the curve of her hip instead of fisting her hand. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Our soldiers saw you talking with Karstark yesterday evening, they said you ran off into the wilderness for quiet chitchat... did you know?" He questioned.

She was confused, cocking her head and looking towards the rest of the group for answers. Catelyn wouldn't look her in the eye, Talisa seemed tear stained and frightened, the other men were void. "Know what? WHAT?"

Robb stayed silent, and she knew he was trying to determine wether she truly knew or was as clueless as she felt. The resentment boiled inside her, "we're leaving! I'll burn a trail through Westeros if I have too but you'll never touch my men again!"

She whirled around and meant business, ready to once more slap him in the face in front of his wife and mother, seeing her nails dig into his bearded jaw and seeing blood.

"Victoria!" Robb matched her tone in voice and roughly stated, "did you conspire with Lord Karstark to kill the Lannister boys. "

Victoria whirled and said, "what plan?"

Robb stepped back, allowing her to see the bodies of two little boys dead on the ground. Her breath stopped and she couldn't help but walk towards them, her heart dropped the closer she came until she passed right by Robb and Talisa, she bent down and pulled a finger through their cold skin. The softness of their cheeks were cold, purple blotches peaked from there jacket Her eyes stung as she swallows the lump and said softly, "so that's what he meant."

"You knew?" Robb questioned and she looked up to the person standing at the boys heads, Lord Bolton seemed not phased by dead bodies. His lips curled and he seemed indifferent.

She lifted herself and turned walking towards Robb and singling him out from his protection. "You think I wanted them dead? Little boys? Are you mad!"

"Why wouldn't you," he pointed out. "They were lannisters."

"They were little boys first! Children who had no say in distant families fight!" She pushed a finger into his chest, eyes were solely on her. Talisa from the side moved to walk forward but Catelyn held her back, this was a lover's quarrel and although they were no longer together there was as much passion between them as before.

"And you hated them just as much as Karstark, despised them even."

Victoria crinkled her eyes, narrowing them, she shoved with all her might into his chest until he stumbled back, "do you not remember my cousins? Elia my aunt? My mother and I? I nearly died because of an issue I had nothing to do with, mother and her cousin were killed for something they weren't involved in! How could you think I could do that! How could you think that of me!"

He stayed quiet, analyzing her eyes. He could always tell wether there was lies or truth but now there was nothing but scalding anger, something that a liar could not conjure.

"What Karstark did was of his own avail, he took matters into his own hands but murdering children would have never crossed my mind. And for you to not consider what I've been through, what I've had to endure... you never truly knew me. This conversation is over, never take my people again without speaking with me."

She walked past him and signaled for her soldiers to walk back, but was stopped when Robb grasped her wrist and turned her back, "truth or lies, I no longer care. I'm tired of being undermined by my people, now it is time for consequences."

Victoria snatched her arm away and pushed him back, sneering with as much malice as a predatory cobra, "I have never been your people."

"Be that as it may, I will set an example for anyone else that threatens my reign."

Robb looked back, to Lord Bolton and nodded his head. Victoria bravely breathed deeply and stood her ground as the Lord came to her with an extended hand.

"Will you throw me in the prisons, Lord Bolton, have you finanlly convinced him of flaying my men and I?" She sneered.

Lord Bolton seemed not worried of her sour words, instead gently placing on hand on her arm and turning her towards the courtyard where the rain was pouring. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, "best you listen, Lady Valiente, the King's got worse in mind if you aren't careful."

She knew not wether to take it as warning or threats but nodded her head toward her people who followed before her. Trout grunted with every step but walked near the Lord and Lady, assuring that no harm would come.

They stood under the only canopy that shielded them from the rain, the queen mother and queen came as well, and Victoria only flashed her eyes towards Lady Catelyn who's grim appearance did little to ease her nerves.

Lord Bolton released her and walked into the thick rain, disappearing behind greenery, allowing the Lady to step near Elaine and Sir Trout.

The knight looked her way, the grave look in her eyes made the pit in her stomach sour and both of them grasped Elaine's arms.

"What's going on?" The innocent blonde softly questioned when both of them surrounded her. Often it had been Victoria between them, and she knew that her place would always be to the right of the lady but now it seemed like the roles were reversed. Elaine had once pledged to follow her into death, and now Victoria seemed to honor it.

The sounds of chains became clearer and Victoria's fist tightened around the blonde when both noticed the prisoners.

Lord Karstark was ahead balding and solemn he looked between them all, and for once he met eyes with his daughter. He saw glimpses of her mother, the beautiful women he'd become acquainted with, a life where he was young and they stood mikes from a place like this. The rain poured harder until her face became blurred and he wished she would not see him like this for a moment.

Elaine could see him as a bastard of a father but with his head rolled off he couldn't bear.

Elaine held her breath, tears falling faster then rain as Robb came out from the canopy with a sword at his side. It sounds like the pounding in her ears rivals the rain hitting wet soil as her feet sink deeper into the mud as she bears herself for what no doubt will be torment.

Victoria can only look away when Lord Karstark speaks, she'd the way the man started at his last stamina blood. She knew that resentment well, and she knew his heart begged for forgiveness from his illegitimate heir. He only looked to the king now, although his gaze was no longer kind. "The blood of the First Men flows through my veins as much as yours, boy. I fought the Mad King for your father. I fought Joffrey for you. We are kin- Stark and Karstark."

Robb is stoic, jaw clenched, "That didn't stop you from betraying me. And it won't save you now."

"I don't want it to save me. I want it to haunt you to the end of your days." The Lord reels back, and goosebumps rise onto the skin or Victoria because he wouldn't be the only one tormented with those words.

"Kneel, my lord." Robb states boldly. The stump where the Lord falls to his kneels is thick, and hold his upper body. He's silent, head turned away, "Rickard Karstark, Lord of Karhold, here in sight of gods and men, I sentence you to die. Would you speak a final word?"

There's silence, nothing but wind, rain, and torment sings into the air. It feels as if now Victoria holds up Elaine as much as the blonde has ever held her up, she feels Trout grunt softly with the strength he too exercises to keep them hot afloat. This no longer is a waiting game, the time to act is now, past this death there may be no more harm close to her family. She blows deeply as Lord Karstark makes his final remark.

"Kill me and be cursed. You are no king of mine."

The sword is swung in one definite pull and Elaine cringes away, her head buried itself into the crook of Victoria's neck, unable to see what is left of her last remaining blood. Victoria meanwhile watches, her eyes travel the length that Karstarks head rolls and the slump his body gives out. She remains unmoved, confident now more then ever in what she must do.

Karstark had asked her when she knew it was time to rebel, and it'd come once again.

Trout looked to his lady who's unloved expression shifted to him as they brushed past ever Stark man and consoled their friend.

He knew they could not speak, the very walls had ears but one long look told him all he needed to know.

They would be back in Dorne before the next full moon rose.