Robb Stark was the very centre of Joanna's world. She had no regret to proclaim it. Robb was and will forever be the only man she's ever loved. He was her first kiss. As she idly rubbed her stomach thinking about the child they would soon have, her mind dwindled to the very first time they meet.

How his piercing blue eyes captured her soul and those Tully locks of him drove her near mad. Her mother would often lecture her about love and lust. Given the marriage she had with Robert, Cersei always hoped that her daughters and sons would receive so much more than what she was given. That they find a partner who would go to the ends of the earth to make them happy. Who'd sacrifice themselves at just the chance to see them grin.

She wanted her children to have the love she and Jaime shared. Of course not with each other, but the depth of intimacy. Joanna was raised in a too dysfunctional family.

Her father and mother were twins sneaking around dark corners to plough each other while the man she was forced to believe was her father eat, shat and fucked himself into an early grave. Hells! She couldn't even look up to Tyrion as a marter for love. He who spent his days and nights in and out of brothels. There weren't too many women in their family to tell her stories of great love escapades so she had to settle with whatever was presented to her.

Early in her life she was breed to believe that marriage was only for a political and power strength. It even sounded wrong for her, to marry for power and not love though what did she know about love? She loved her siblings and despite their flaws, she did love her family but she never knew what it was like to be in love.

She'd ask Petyr Baelish if the young girls in his brothel ever fell in love to which he would only grin and say "Princess, in this world there is no room for love. Not for others and sometimes not even yourself."

She thought long and hard about what he'd said and it stuck by her. The day she was informed that she was to marry the eldest son to Eddark Stark her body froze. She expected to happen but somehow it still sent a shiver down her spine. She felt like she was spiralling down a bottomless pit to which there was no escape.

For a month as they travelled North she wondered what he was like. Was he old or young? Shy or overconfident? Her greatest fear that he was a madman like the ones in her life. Men like the Clegane brothers, Baelish and unfortunately even her family. Who saw her nothing more than a piece of meat to throw onto bed.

So imagine her surprise when she met Robb Stark. On the first time she spoke to him she visited the crypts beneath Winterfell out of pure curiosity. He had no reason to be kind to her - he even swore that die that she would never meet the same fate as his aunt Lyanna. They built their relationship brick by brick. She witnessed him go from a boy to a king and now a father and she loved everything about him. From who he was to who he had become

Even at his worst of moments she loved him.

"I can't believe you went behind my back. Robb, I'm exhausted from fighting." she spoke turning herself around to see his eyes looking back at her. They lied in their bead, bodies bare as she rested her head on his chest. Robb's hand tracing patterns on her back that seemed to soothe her aching body.

"Joanna, we need the men. This was is coming to an end and I can't risk my sisters life. We need to get Sansa North." he replied. Joanna bit at the bottom of her lip knowing that she couldn't argue against him. She feared for Sansa's life every day and she could see Catelyn, Arya and Robb praying everyday that they would never hear news of Sansa's death.

not like Ned's execution.

"I know, it's just of all people why him?" he responded to his wife. In truth Robb was worried about Joanna's health. She looked pale in her face and the bags under her eyes becoming more and more evident. She would always radiant and beautiful to him but somehow it seemed like she was losing the light inside of her. He needed his family back and needed to take care of his love.

"It's already been arranged. By morning they will probably already be here."

The Freys. Joanna had never been one to judge people by their house names but she had a deep mistrust of the Frey family. She was not deaf to the whispers of their jealous, barbaric and crude manners. How the arranged marriages between young girls who hadn't even bleed yet. Now she was expected to lay her trust in the hands of them -

it seemed too wrong.

"What about Shae's men? Her and Roose Bolton will be travelling back won't they?" She desperately asked

"They will make up for what we lost but we lost too many men thanks to my uncle. Even if he have the Lin and Bolton army back it can't make up for the Starks Edmure cost and the Karstarks." Joanna remained silent as she inhaled the scent of his chest. She was far too tired to carry on with his reasonings.

"I just want us to rest. Live a normal marriage with no more fear of the next day. I just want peace." she mumbled into his chest. Looking up to him she pouted as he ironically grinned.

These were the moments in which he was reminded why he loved her so. It had nothing to do with her name but her heart. He said it the first time she entered Winterfell and he would say it again but Joanna's heart seemed to gentle and pure for this world.

"I'm so in love with you."

He confessed breaking her silence. Joanna attempted to hide her gorgeous smile but failed horrible as she hid her face in the crook of his neck.

"Stop being so good to me." Joanna laughed

Shae Lin had finally returned and surprisingly with a much more optimistic attitude. She'd spent the entire morning with Bayla and Joanna as they rode around the grounds. War came with such a large cost but one thing it had given each girl was another sister. Bayla arrived as an orphan to Kings Landing until she was fortunate to meet Joanna.

Joanna was never given the chance to have friends before the war and now she had Bayla and Shae who felt more than just friends and allies. They were her sisters. She'd trust them with her life and they the same.

Joanna placed another tart in front of Shae. She woke up early enough to start baking in the kitchen before she would continue training with Arya.

"So was there any luck on finding him?" Joanna hopefully asked Shae about her father. She had gotten word of his escape and recapture but she didn't know the intricate details since Isabella confessed that someone was trying to keep her spies silent.

"Yes, I don't know it will mean for us but he's travelling South with a woman. Brienne of something - I can't remember her house name. But judging by how things are going here I'd say the Kingslayer's presence isn't much needed." She smirked taking a bite of the freshly baked tart.

"What gave it away, our half empty armies?" Bayla teased at the mention of the missing soldiers. Shae took the news of Karstarks execution more pleasant than expected. After all she was the spitfire between them. With a tempter that could scorch any man in close range to her.

"Very funny, but really - Joanna, what's our next plan. What happens now?" Shae questioned.

"As we speak, in a few hours I am expected to negotiate with Walder Frey's sons." Joanna confessed. Shae and Isabella nearly choking on the berries in their desserts.

"What?!" they both yelled. Joanna shrugged as gripped the furs of her husband tighter around her shoulders.

"I know, I know. We spent all night arguing back and forth about it. He really thinks we can trust them."

"Do you?" Bayla imposed. Joanna shook her head. Of course she didn't, but Robb made the decision to negotiate without her. All she could do now is see his plan forward.

"Wait, didn't you say Robb had a brother. Couldn't we ask him to join us with his men at arms?" Shae hopefully suggested.

She knew which brother Shae was referring to. His brother Jon Snow. Joanna listened to many stories Robb and Arya shared about him and from what she gathered he was an incredible swordsman and ally to have but alas...

"I'd be able to trust him and Robb vowed that he would protect us but we can't rely on him. Not anymore at least."

"Why? If we could send a raven to him -" Bayla tried to reason but was quickly answered

"Because he's a man of the Nights Watch. His loyalty are with those who've taken the black otherwise I think we'd have seen him when this war first started."

"So what, we just cross our fingers and hope all things go well with the Freys?" Isabella pessimistically asked. Joanna could see a change in behaviour in her friend and she understood. Bayla felt like she was losing power. Everday she'd been receiving ravens with ears or tongues attached to them. No written letter and no name to place. Her spies were dropping like flies and it made her feel like she had nothing to contribute anymore. Her life revolved around following Varys like a shadow, learning from him so she could become a Master of Whisperers herself but what use could she be if her eyes and ears were being plucked out.

"We joint this cause for a reason. Robb and I are still the strategic masterminds we were when we attacked Jaime's forces. Robb has proven again and again that he has strategy for every move we make. I have to believe that he has a plan for us." Joanna spoke with a spark of hope and optimism. Many things had change over the course of weeks but he was still her Robb and he was still the King in the North.

She had no other choice but to trust his judgement