"The guards will be fine." Gray told his wife when he entered their chambers. Juvia was waiting for him, seated by the end of the bed. "Fean will take longer to heal, but eventually he will be fine."

"Good." Juvia sighed in relief and watched while he took off his coat. "What about the men who attacked us?"

"Two survived." Gray said and went to sit next to her. "Father wants to take care of them first thing tomorrow morning. Deserting from the Night's Watch is punishable by death."

She flinched. "Is it really necessary?"

"It's the law." He told her and she nodded. Gray hated the executions, he hadn't done it himself yet but he accompanied his father since he was ten. It was the downside of ruling. "Now that we are home and everyone is taken care of, can you tell me how in seven hells you know swordplay?"

Juvia sighed. "You weren't supposed to see that. No one did."

"Why not?" Gray raised an eyebrow.

"Fighting skills aren't really what men look for in a wife." The blunette told her husband. "It's not a desirable quality and Uncle was very specific about what qualities men looked for in a wife."

Gray frowned. "If he didn't want you to learn, how did you?"

"Juvia's cousin." She smiled fondly. "We did everything together as we were growing up, he is just one year older, you see? Until we were around six or seven, we were allowed to play together and then everything changed." She looked up to him. "Juvia had to learn how to be a proper lady and Gajeel-kun needed to learn how to be a knight."

"I see."

"The only time we learned anything together was when the Maester taught us history, literature, etiquette in general. Juvia got really bored, what she had to learn was so much less interesting than what he learned. Juvia complained to Gajeel-kun and he came up with the solution: he would teach me what he learned, he didn't like the other boys he fought. Juvia was ten." She snorted softly. "Gajeel-kun didn't like many people. Still doesn't."

Gray's lips curled up a little. "But he likes you."

"Yes." Juvia nodded. "He started to teach me, then."

He narrowed his eyes. "You didn't get that good with a little boy teaching you."

"No." She chuckled. "We managed to hide for a year until Uncle caught us. He got so angry... Juvia wasn't supposed to be learning that, what if she got a scar? It would make it harder for a good match when she grew up." Gray nodded in agreement, even he had been shallow about her looks when he met her. "He forbade Juvia to keep practicing with Gajeel-kun. A few days later, he came to me and told me he wanted to see what Juvia could do. Gajeel-kun told him Juvia was the only one he could spar with, the other boys weren't as good and he didn't have the patience for them."

"He wanted to see what you were capable of." Gray guessed

"Yes." She nodded. "So he did. He asked for a couple of other boys to be there as well."

"You threw them to the ground."

"Both, but not Gajeel-kun. Juvia was never able to beat him." She sounded annoyed, she knew it was childish but he always taunted because of that. Returning to the story, Juvie kept talking. "Uncle was pleased with Juvia's skills and he said he couldn't waste it. Juvia began to be properly trained by a private teacher so no one would know about it."

"To not ruin marriage proposals."

Juvia nodded. "I was allowed to spar with Gajeel-kun but we couldn't be too rough, Juvia couldn't get a scar under no circumstances."

Amused, Gray commented. "Perhaps that's why you were never able to beat your cousin."

After a moment's thought, Juvia smiled and kissed his lips. "Perhaps. Thank you." He gave her a kiss, then. "That's the story."

"Well, I never saw it coming." Gray was frank. "It is unusual to see women who can fight. I have a friend who does, but she wears armor all the time, she's a knight in everything but doesn't have the title. I guess I formed an image in my mind about women who can fight."

"Juvia doesn't blame you." She shrugged. "We are very few yet."

He hummed in agreement and after a moment he said. "I have to see what you are capable of." She raised an eyebrow and he rolled his eyes. "Yes, I've seen you today with those men but I would like for you to spar with me."

She was surprised with his request. "Oh. I... I still would like to keep this a secret."

"I don't mind if people know you can fight, but if it's what you want." He shrugged. "Winterfell is big, there are quite a few large rooms we could use."

"When?"

He thought it over for a moment. "In two days. Tomorrow I will go with Father to the execution, I'd rather not spar after."

"Or course." She took his hand on hers. "Shall we go to sleep?"

"Yes. It's been a tiring day." He leaned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

#

Gray felt like a teenager sneaking around with a lover in the halls of Winterfell, especially because his wife was having a fit of giggles while he held her hand, guiding to the room he had prepared for their sparring session.

Once they arrived to the chambers, he shushed her by pressing her against the door and giving her a kiss. "You were being too noisy. Don't you want this to be kept a secret?"

She was still giggling. "Juvia couldn't help it. We are adults but Juvia felt like a naughty child running to do something her parents disapprove of."

He rolled his eyes playfully. "We don't have too much time." Juvia nodded and Gray stopped pressing her against the door. He took a few steps to get the swords he had left there earlier close to the fire and his heart almost stopped when he looked back at his wife. "What the...?"

Juvia was pulling her dress up, he could see she had pants underneath and when she finally had it off, she also wearing a grey linen shirt. She moved to place her dress on a chair next to a window and with the light coming in, he could see her breasts through the fabric. The tight leather pants weren't helping his thoughts either, teasing her beautiful curves. It was stupid get hot and bothered with just the tease he was seeing when just the night before he had his lips on every inch of her naked skin that he could.

"What are you wearing?" Gray asked and Juvia looked his way.

"If you want to see what Juvia is capable of, seeing her in a dress won't be any good. Juvia could trip." She told him checking if her braid was properly tie by its end – she usually had her hair loose so he assumed the braid had the same purpose as her pants: practicality. "Juvia can fight in a dress but she'd rather wear pants for it."

"I see." Gray nodded and gave her a sword, losing no more time. "I got those earlier: the children practice with it."

Juvia frowned in confusion. "Juvia hasn't practiced with a sword like this since she was twelve, at most."

"I don't want neither of us hurt." He shrug. "I assume your skills will be the same whether you wield a sword with a proper edge or not.

"You assume right." Juvia held the sword and started to move it around, feeling the weight to get used to it while Gray watched with interest.

Every move she took with the sword, he'd make too when unfamiliar with the blade. When she waved it around, he could see she was shown how to get a good feel of it by an experienced warrior. He never doubted she was telling him the true story, but he could clearly see she knew what she was doing.

"Hm." She hummed when she stopped. "The weight is similar to Juvia's sword."

Gray's eyebrows shot up. "You have a sword."

"Yes." Juvia nodded.

"Why I've never seen it?"

Juvia chuckled. "Because until three days ago you didn't know Juvia knew how to fight and the sword is hidden in Juvia's trunk, under all her dresses."

"Oh." He nodded. "Makes sense."

"It's a bastard sword, in case you are wondering." She informed her husband. Bastard swords had slightly longer blades than longsword, but they remain light enough to be wielded one-handed and to a woman, it made more sense for her to have it as a weapon of choice. "Juvia named it Water Claw, there are waves carved on the hilt because of Juvia's House." House Lockser's sigil was four dark blue waves going right on a lighter blue background – not the most fearsome sigil, but beautiful to look at. "Juvia would've never guessed how prophetic her naming was. She didn't even dream about Uncle's plan to marry us, yet."

"What do you mean?" Gray frowned.

"Juvia's sigil are waves, meaning water. Your sigil is a direwolf, wolves have claws." She shrugged. "Water Claw."

It made sense why she would find it odd. "That is a very odd coincidence." He cleared his throat. "I will want to see that sword when we retire for the evening, but right now we should be sparring." Juvia nodded and took position, Gray took a few steps behind and did the same. "Let's see what you can do."

#

It had been a while since Juvia had sparred with someone else other than her former teacher or her cousin so fighting with her husband was both new and exciting, especially because she knew how good she was and by the way he was frowning, he wasn't going easy on her just like she wasn't going easy on him.

If he wanted to see what she could do, she'd show him.

He was even more handsome while focused, she could feel herself throb a bit between the legs whenever their bodies pressed against each other and she noticed how his eyes went down to her chest when she was against the light and he could see the outline of her breasts. She noticed it when she had put on the shirt earlier but decided to keep it on, she was going to practice with her husband, it wasn't nothing he hadn't seen before.

She shouldn't want him the way she did just because of their sparring session, yet, she hoped night came soon so she could have him.

They were both panting, muscles aching but having fun.

With a swift move Gray finally managed to disarm her, the sword fell with a loud clinking noise, Gray tried to pull her to him but Juvia fought him and both ended on the floor just a few feet away from the fire.

His body was weighting on hers, making her prisoner and Gray put his sword on her neck, pressing it strongly enough to let her know he meant it. Juvia lost no time in quietly get the small dagger she hid on the side of her pants.

"Got you." Gray panted, looking rather smug.

She grinned, as breathless as her husband. "Did you?"

Gray felt something pressed on his side, right under his ribs, and he looked down only to see her holding a dagger. If it were a real fight, he would get to slit her throat, yes, but she'd stabbed him in retaliation.

She'd die and bring him with her.

"Where did you hide that?" He was both surprised and thrilled at her skills, she could see. When she had told him about what she could do, he wanted to test her himself so he could see how much she knew. "This is fighting dirty."

"This is fighting to survive." Juvia shrugged, both still pressing their blades on the other.

With his body pressed against hers, she could feel he enjoyed their sparring just as much as she did and the tension only grew when moved slightly, both aware of his 'problem'.

Juvia didn't know who moved first but the next thing she knew, the sword and the dagger were forgotten next to them and they were kissing rougher than ever before. She was already on fire, their little sparring session somehow made her want him so strongly she couldn't breathe.

Gray pushed her legs apart and settled his hips there, their pants the only thing between them, She pulled his shirt and they stopped kissing for a moment so he could take it off, throwing it on the floor somewhere.

Locking their lips together once again, Gray pulled Juvia's simple shirt from inside her pants, his hands going underneath the fabric, one staying on her stomach and the other up to cup her breast. Juvia's hands started to roam on his back quite enthusiastically, wanting to just touch his naked skin. Gray's hands went down started to unlace Juvia's pants but the groaned in frustration when he tried to pull the leather but it was difficult.

"Seven hells." He muttered, annoyed, making his wife have a fit of giggles as he tried again. "Why the fuck did you wear pants today of all days?"

"Get off Juvia." The blunette said between giggles and pushing him away. Gray frowned in confusion but did what was asked and removed himself from her, lying on his side next to her. Juvia quickly kicked off her shoes and pulled her pants down, kicking them away.

Gray's eyes darkened when she kissed him and pushed him to lie on his back, to his surprise. Juvia started to grind herself on the growing bulge inside his pants while Gray's hands went to her hips and up under her loose shirt, pulling it away so she was completely naked on top of him.

With her hands on his chest for support, Juvia kissed him once more and caressed her way down to untie his pants, her hand slipping inside, curling it around his shaft and sliding her sex over it at the same rhythm as her hand. She had learned how to touch him from the few weeks they had been intimate and his moan was her reward.

"Juvia." Gray pleaded after a while; his hands went to her breasts and Juvia nodded, knowing what he was asking for without actually voicing it.

Guiding him to her opening, Juvia sank in on him slowly and moaned when Gray pinched her nipples. She stayed still for a moment, even though it didn't bother her anymore, she still needed a few seconds to get used to the feeling.

Her husband waited patiently lips on her own, down to her cheek, jaw, anywhere he could kiss while his hands caressed her breasts and stomach.

Moving her hips up and down, Juvia sighed with the new sensations. During their time together she had never been the one on the top, Gray always took charge before he was even inside her.

Gray's hands went to her hips and then he was seated, helping her stay at the same rhythm, his mouth going straight to her breast, sucking a nipple. Juvia moaned loudly, her hands going to his hair. She rotated her hips a little and it made him brush a spot inside her that made her falter her moves and a startled squeal from her.

"Fuck." Gray groaned, his teeth nipping on her breast harder than any of other times they had been together. One of his hands found its way to her hair, fingers close to her scalp where her braid hadn't start – some locks of her hair fallen from the braid.

Juvia moaned loudly when Gray's hand went between them and his thumb started to caress her above where they met, roughly and sparking a fire inside her. "Oh. Oh, Gray-sama." She panted, nails digging on the skin of his back and managed to kiss him, a rough meeting of lips, her hips moving fast. "Gods."

"You..." He groaned pulling her hair again so he could bite on her neck. Juvia was surprised with how much rougher he was that day – before, he had been the sweetest and he was still clearly watching for positive reactions, but that afternoon it seemed he was letting himself be rougher. He had just seen she could take care of herself, he had seen she wasn't a fragile woman, that she wasn't helpless. He knew she could take it.

It came as a surprise to her when she felt the new but now familiar sensation of her lower stomach boiling up – Gray had made sure he'd pleasure her with his fingers before he slid inside her and he was quite skilled but she had never felt that with him inside her. It had felt good, she enjoyed it but her body was still getting used to it.

She was panting, holding on to him a hand going from his back to his hair where she grabbed it, pulling it so she could kiss him again. Gray kissed her, biting her lower lip and the action made her get even wetter between the legs. "Oh, gods."

"Juvia." He muttered when she kissed his jaw and down to his neck – she too was biting rougher than before, she was sure both of them would have marks from that afternoon. "Fuck."

Her thighs were hurting, she had difficult to breathe, her breasts stung and so did her neck because of Gray's teeth and fingers but Juvia couldn't stop, not when she could feel her lower stomach start to stir, her blood boiling. "Gr-" She moaned into his ear, nibbling the earlobe. "Gray-sam-ah. Please." She whimpered.

Thank the gods he knew what she was asking for. He stopped rubbing her clit and pinched it rather roughly instead, shocking Juvia with the stinging sensation that turned into pleasure and suddenly her whole body tightened, every inch of her body exploding in pleasure. She let out a loud moan, not even having the chance to try and hold it back, the sensation being a surprise. Her nails dug into Gray's back, her body arched back and she felt in the back of her mind Gray's face between her breasts, kissing the mounds, his hands on her hips kept her moving while Juvia whimpered when the feeling prolonged.

Gray's own pleasure didn't take long to be reached, she felt his hands tighten on her hips, Gray's lips searched for hers in a desperate kiss and Juvia swallowed his groan when he stilled her, himself buried to the hilt inside her and she felt his release in her.

The kiss turned desperate to slow, his hands lightened the grip on her hips, Juvia's nails no longer sunk on his skin but both still felt as if their bones were made of mud.

A hand on her ass and the other on her back, Gray started to pepper kisses on Juvia's jaw, her throat, cleavage while Juvia sighed, her own hands on his hair which she used to lock their lips again after a few moments.

Using her knees for support, Juvia raised her hips enough so he could slip out of her, making him groan and Juvia smiled into the kiss.

She was about to go lie on the floor next to him but Gray's arms tightened around her and he brought her with him when he lied down. She rested her head on the crook of his neck and closed her eyes.

Juvia knew they needed to get up, knew she'd get colder because of the layer of perspiration from her body even if they were just a few feet away from the fireplace, she was completely naked atop of her partially naked husband since he still wore his pants and boots, she knew they had to clean themselves but she just wanted to lie there with him for a few moments.

Caressing her back slowly from her ass to her back, Gray was almost making Juvia purr and if that happened during the night, she'd be halfway through falling asleep.

They couldn't, though. There was no way someone didn't hear them, they were rather loud, and they needed to return to their daily activities soon.

"Juvia guesses we are husband and wife all the time now." She whispered and looked up just to see her husband frown in confusion so she clarified. "It's the middle of the afternoon, we agreed to be friends during the day."

"We are really good friends, then." He smiled when he heard her laugh and hide her face on his shoulder. "I think we are husband and wife and we are friends all the time."

"Good. Juvia can live with that." She trailed from his shoulder to his neck with kisses. They stayed in silence for a few moments before Juvia sighed. "We have to leave the room, people will be looking for us."

Gray snorted, caressing her naked back slowly. "We got married recently and we are both missing. Trust me, they will know we aren't in any danger."

Juvia kissed his lips and got up, her muscles still feeling like jelly, her husband following a second later tucking himself back inside his pants. Juvia grabbed her dress to put it back on, well aware her husband's eyes on her. She looked over her shoulder, curious. "Gray-sama?"

He snapped eyes back up from her naked back to meet her eyes. His cheeks reddened a little – they had just made love and touched each other virtually everywhere yet he still blushed. "I... uh... I can see everything better in the daylight." Gray cleared his throat. "So... I was... seeing."

"Oh." It was her turn to blush and she put the dress back on. She'd need to go to their room to clean herself between the legs before she went downstairs since the room they were in didn't have a basin with water. She had started to button her dress when she noticed some of her hair came out from her braid during their activities, most likely their lovemaking because of Gray's fingers. "Juvia's hair must look as if she had a fright."

"A little." Gray chuckled.

Finished with the buttons, Juvia undid her braid and passed her fingers through the waves. "Gods, everyone will know, just one look and they will know."

"We weren't quiet." Gray agreed and when Juvia looked, he already had his shirt back on. "And we've been gone for a while. No one will say anything to us, though." Juvia grabbed her pants and shirt from the floor while her husband took the swords and her dagger. "Next time we do this, no pants, please. It made difficult to... to have it removed."

"You've never had to fight while wearing a dress, Gray-sama, it's awful." Juvia chuckled.

"Thank the gods for that; I'd look hideous." Gray snorted and Juvia giggled.

"What did you think of Juvia's skills?" She wondered while folding her discarded clothing. "Satisfactory?"

"Everything that happened in this room was far more than satisfactory." Gray said and was very amused when Juvia blushed. It was quite a beautiful view. "It makes me feel better knowing that if we are ever in trouble, you will be able to take care of yourself. Again, that is."

The blunette stepped closer to her husband and tip-toed to give him a peck on the lips. "Juvia might not look it, but she is rather tough."

He hummed in agreement. "Better have the element of surprise. Sometimes it is good to be underestimated."

Gray walked towards the door and missed when Juvia's smile faltered with his words; her Uncle had told her almost the same thing months before when he arranged the marriage. No one would suspect her when the time come.

She prayed everyday it never did.

#

"I thought it was time for me to ask how are things between you and Juvia-chan" Gray felt his father slap him on the back and looked to his right to see the older man grinning "but if castle whispers are to be believed, you two are getting along very well."

Gray felt his cheeks reddening with his father's implication. "I don't know what you mean."

Silver chuckled. "I mean that you two went missing after lunch, some servants heard very interesting noises coming from the locked chambers, Juvia-chan's hair is no longer in a braid, you look too satisfied, your pants are dirty as if you sat on the floor for a while and there's a considerable bruise on your neck I am sure there's nothing to do with this morning's sword practice."

His hand went straight to where he remembered Juvia had bitten him a couple of hours before. He pulled the furs closer to him, trying to hide it. "Shit." He tried to clean his pants using his hands, his furred cape shielding his movements from view. "Seven hells."

Laughing, Silver patted his son's back again. "Don't worry, son. It is a good thing you two are doing so well and no man will judge you for wanting to enjoy married life, Juvia-chan is a very pretty girl. I have heard some of the guards referring to her as the prettiest woman they have ever seen."

"I don't want people meddling with my life more than they already do." Gray groaned. "I hate it when people know my every move."

"You are a Fullbuster, son. Heir to Winterfell and the North." Silver told him. "Everyone wants to know your every move." He became serious. "I am truly glad this match is working, Gray. I was afraid my decision to marry you would bring you unhappiness."

Gray's expression softened a little with his father's worries. "You didn't. Juvia is... remarkable. We became friends during the past couple of months, she's strong and sweet, we get along greatly."

"I am relieved." Silver sighed. "I must say I really like her as well, she is here for roughly two months and she already acts as if she's been here in the North her whole life. Even the servants like her."

"I know." Gray's lips curled up a little. "She has a way about her."

"She certainly does." Silver chuckled. "But son, on the floor? I thought I raised you more of a gentleman than that." He said in fake disapproval, he was actually proud of his son. "What Juvia-chan must think?"

Gray's cheeks started to burn in embarrassment. "Stop it." He hissed. "It wasn't exactly planned. Things... happened."

"I don't doubt they did." The older Fullbuster snorted. "Speaking of things happening, I got word Ur is back. She arrived last night."

Even slightly annoyed with his father, Gray couldn't help it but to smile. "Oh. That's why you are so annoyingly happy, then."

"Perhaps." Silver shrugged, trying not to smile. "She is coming for supper tomorrow, says she wants to meet Juvia-chan."

"That is good." Gray nodded. "I will let Juvia know." Gray stopped walking when something caught his eyes on the wall. He stepped closer and noticed the sweet aroma, the beautiful shade of blue, the same shade as his wife's hair.

A lonely wild winter rose.

"Oh, we haven't had wild roses in a while." Silver said once he noticed what Gray was looking at. "It looks beautiful."

"It's the same shade of blue as Juvia's hair." Gray looked at his father. "I knew the color was familiar, that's why I like it so much."

Silver looked surprised for a moment. "You are right. I never made the connection before, but indeed, it is the same shade."

Gray plunked the rose from the wall, knowing it wouldn't last long anyways as it appeared to be in full bloom. He smelled it and nodded to himself, his wife would enjoy receiving it as a gift. He could almost see the beautiful smile she would give him.

Silver's chuckle caught Juvia's attention and Gray frowned, making his father say: "Oh, yes. My choice was right."

#

Juvia could smell the sweet scent of the flower her husband had given her the night before; he had been so red-faced it was the cutest thing she had seen in her life when he showed her the winter rose and told her how the shade reminded him of her hair.

He had been right about it: she had placed the rose behind her ear and if not paying attention, anyone could miss the flower.

She searched for his hand under the table and squeezed it, making Gray look her way in question but when she smiled softly at him, he gave her a small smile of his own and his attention returned to his father and Ur Milkovich.

Ur was around Silver's age, pretty and with all the Northern physical aspects, light skin, dark eyes and hair and rough around the edges. Her hair was cut short, which was very uncommon but it only made her look prettier and younger than she really was.

A widower for more than fifteen years, Ur had a daughter from her marriage and an adopted son who was at Dorne, for the moment. According to Gray, Ur was a midwife and nurse who helped the castle's Maester, which was how she met the Fullbusters ten years before.

It was clear by the way her father-in-law treated the newcomer that he was completely smitten with her. Silver was a good man, he joked with the people he loved and Juvia had only seen him being truly serious whenever he had his bannermen around, but Juvia knew he felt lonely.

With Ur in the room, Silver didn't look lonely anymore.

"Next time, please choose a patient who lives closer to Winterfell." Silver told Ur.

The woman snorted. "Yes, Silver. I will refuse a woman who has a difficult pregnancy just not to travel far away from Winterfell." She looked in Juvia's direction and explained. "Lady Smallgrenn had miscarried every time she fell pregnant. This time, she was seven months pregnant when Lord Smallgrenn asked me to stay at their castle, she knew my reputation and since it was a sensible pregnancy, I have been staying at Grennhome until the labor."

Juvia nodded in understanding. "Is Lady Smallgrenn alright? And her child?"

"Yes." Ur smiled. "A little girl, healthy despite the hard labor. Lady and Lord Smallgrenn asked me to stay at least one week after an I agreed just to guarantee there wouldn't have any complications."

"That's a relief." Juvia sighed. "You must be very good at what you do, Ur-sama."

"Just Ur is fine, I am no Lady to be treated so formally." Ur told the blunette. "But yes, Lady Juvia. I am quite skilled. I have been a midwife since I was fifteen, my mother had been one before me and she'd take me to help her. I learned about healing later."

"She is the best." Silver looked very proud of his... paramour? Juvia wondered, Gray was vague about it, telling her he couldn't really explain his father's relationship with the brunette woman. "Everyone wants her to deliver their babies. I told her she would be easier to find if she lived here in Winterfell." Silver rested his elbow on the table and his chin on his hand.

Juvia raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at her husband, squeezing his hand under the table. Had Silver asked Ur to live in Winterfell with him? Gray glanced back and then raised his eyebrows as if to urge her to listen carefully to the conversation.

"And I told you that if I did, many people would be afraid of asking for me here in the middle of the night and it could complicate the mother's conditions." Ur answered Silver without missing a beat.

"Marry me." He asked, dreamily while looking at the brunette. Juvia's eyes widened.

"No." Ur smiled.

Silver grinned. "You will say 'yes' one day."

"But not today." It was Ur's response and when she caught Juvia's expression, she laughed. "Do not worry, dear, this wasn't the first time he asked."

"And won't be the last." Silver made it clear, grabbing Ur's hand and for the first time that evening, Juvia saw the woman blush. "I have been asking her for five years and I won't give up anytime soon."

"Oh." Juvia was surprised.

"Son," Silver said to the younger Fullbuster "when are you thinking on going to The Wall? There has been more deserters the last couple of years than the last decade together and I would like to know why."

Juvia was confused with the change of the subject. "Are you going to The Wall?" She asked, curious.

"Father and I were talking about it this afternoon. He goes up there every few years and we think it is time I go instead." Gray told his wife. "I was thinking about going in six months, perhaps?" He glanced at his father who nodded in approval. "We will see if more men desert the Night's Watch in the meantime."

"You need to be careful." Juvia told him.

"Don't worry. You know I can take care of myself." He said and Juvia nodded. "I think it is getting late, we should all retire to our chambers." Gray let go of Juvia's hand before he got up from his chair, the direwolves that were under the table came from under it. Juvia got up as well and so did Silver and Ur.

Blizzard collected pets from the four while Star sat back, watching them but didn't protest when they caressed the top of her head when they walked past her. Gray whistled and opened the Hall's door to let the direwolves get out to the courtyard.

Once they were in their chambers, Juvia turned to her husband. "Why Ur-sama doesn't accept marrying you father? He didn't seem to be joking when he asked."

"He wasn't." Gray told her. "Ur's first marriage wasn't a good one. The bastard tried to control everything she did, I suspect he hit her too." He gritted his teeth. "She was only married to him for five years but it left a mark. Perhaps she fears my father will do something similar."

"She lives here part of the time?" Juvia wondered.

"Yes." Gray nodded. "It took a long time for him to convince her to stay the night."

"This is... scandalous." Juvia said with caution. "Do you mind your father's relationship with her? You... talked about him and your mother during our wedding night."

Gray shook his head. "Anyone can see he loves her and she loves him. He was devastated after my mother's death and the only woman he showed any interest was Ur and as long as she makes him happy, I support it. I don't care if they are not married, or if it's scandalous." He hesitated. "Do you?"

Juvia shook her head and stepped closer to him. "Juvia thinks people find love when we least expect to."

Looking straight into her eyes, Gray nodded. "Yes, they do."

"When there are no obstacles, better not to fight it." She gave him a knowing look, not at all being subtle.

Gray snorted softly. "We'll see."

#

Six months into their marriage and Juvia couldn't be happier about her new life. Her husband had become her best friend, she was happy he wasn't as uncomfortable as before when she twined her arm with his, once a month at least he would tell her they needed to spar to keep her in form (those encounters usually ended like the first one). He allowed himself to laugh more, to touch her.

Silver was the father she never had, always complimenting her, asking for hugs and siding with her whenever his son was around just to rile him up. Ur stayed a lot at the Castle and Juvia developed a fondness for the woman as well, she was harsh and straight to the point most of times but she also had a heart so big she could fit a thousand people.

A certain morning Juvia woke up emptying her stomach on the chamber pot and noticed her husband had already left their room. Juvia usually woke up when he did and she thought it was strange, especially since the night before she was so tired she slept before he even arrived.

Once she stopped feeling sick, the blunette thought it over for a moment to gather her symptoms and try to figure if she could possibly be getting sick.

The moment she realized what could be happening to her, her eyes widened and she asked for a chambermaid to please, fetch Lady Ur as she luckily had slept in the Castle the night before and for her to have her medical bag with her.

It couldn't have passed twenty minutes when Ur knocked on the door, worried. "Have you sent for me, Juvia?" She had lost the formality when Juvia asked her to. "Are you feeling well?"

"I..." Juvia gulped. "I think perhaps I am... pregnant." She whispered the last word.

"Oh." Ur sighed in relief. "I thought you might be miscarrying. You finally realized, huh?"

"What?" Juvia blinked in surprise. "You... knew?"

"I had a strong suspicion." The brunette chuckled. "I have been doing this for more than twenty years, Juvia, I know what a pregnant woman looks like." She opened her medical bag and started to look for something inside. "You look tired all the time, your dresses are tight around the breasts and I have overheard the chambermaids wonder how long you do not have your moon blood."

Juvia was shocked; she should've realized all the things Ur had mentioned but she had been clueless.

"How many times did you have your moon blood since you got married?" Ur asked.

"Four times." She told the older woman after thinking for a few moments.

Ur hummed in agreement and took a small flask from the bag with some herbs, as much as Juvia could see. "Were they all as they always have been? Same amount of time?"

"Yes. Juvia can't recall thinking anything was amiss."

"Good." Ur said and gave Juvia a basin. "I need you to piss here and in a few minutes we will be certain if you are with child or not."

Wide eyed, Juvia nodded and took the basin; it was time to find out the truth.

#

Gray threw a stick to Blizzard's delight and the direwolf ran to get it; it was funny how while Star was a wolf through and through, Blizzard reminded him of ordinary dogs sometimes, especially because Blizzard was still young and full of energy.

Since Juvia had slept late, Gray decided to take a walk outside the castle just so Blizzard could get more place to run – around that time he usually escorted Juvia to the godswood every couple of days so she could pray. He was getting worried about his wife, he had noticed she had been looking more and more tired; not once she complained about it, though. Perhaps trying to look strong?

He didn't like it either way. He'd keep an eye on her and if in a few days she wasn't better, he would talk to the Maester.

"Gray-sama." He heard her voice and looked over his shoulder. Juvia was coming his way, her dark blue coat tight around her, her hair in its usual waves and somehow she seemed to be glowing, especially since she was grinning and her smile was beautiful.

"Good morning." Gray told her and turned around in time for her to wrap her arms around his middle. "Oh, did something good happen today or are you hugging me just because I let you sleep in this morning?"

Juvia was radiant when she looked up to him. "Juvia got sick this morning and-"

"Wait, what?" The playfulness was gone from him and was replaced with worry. "What do you mean you got sick?"

"Juvia got sick this morning and it got her thinking about why she was sick." She kept talking. "Juvia thought of a possibility and called Ur-san for a confirmation and... she confirmed it." The blunette smiled and took Gray's hand with hers, placing it over her stomach. "Juvia is pregnant."

Gray blinked fast while he processed the words. She wasn't sick, then, she was... pregnant. With his child. He was going to be a father.

"You are pregnant." Gray repeated dumbly, looking down to where their hands rested on her stomach. "Pregnant."

"Yes." Juvia chuckled. "We are going to have a child."

"We are going to have a child." He repeated again and looked up to meet her blue eyes. "That's... we are having a child."

"We are." She nodded, her smile widening. "Ur-sama tells Juvia we have around seven months until it arrives."

Seven months would pass in a blink of an eye, he had been married for six months and it felt as it had been just a couple of weeks before. His heart was beating fast inside his chest, he was starting to sweat because as they spoke, their child was growing inside Juvia's stomach.

He was scared about being responsible for another life, but he was also... happy.

Gray's free hand cupped Juvia's cheek and he kissed her lips, out where anyone could see like he never done before but he didn't care. He had just found out he was going to be a father, he thought people would understand the impulse.

"You are pregnant." He finally smiled when their lips unlocked.

"Yes I am." She giggled. "And Juvia is very happy about it."

"So am I." Gray told her. "Father will get very silly about it, I am sure."

"Juvia doesn't doubt that at all." They looked down when they felt Blizzard try to get in the middle of them – Gray had forgotten about the direwolf – and he was so big Juvia had to take a step back. Blizzard looked at Juvia and suddenly Gray was afraid he would jump on her. Usually he stayed put, but he had seen his wolf jump on Juvia on more than one occasion. "Good morning, Blizzard." Juvia scratched the wolf's head.

"Blizzard, no jumping on Juvia, alright?" Gray walked around the wolf who tilted its head. "No jumping." He looked at his wife. "Do not let him jump on you under no circumstances, he doesn't know his size, he still thinks he is a pup and he could harm you or the child without meaning to." He put his hand back on her stomach.

"Of course." Juvia answered him and they were both surprised to see Blizzard sniffing Juvia's stomach, as if curious. "Do you think... he knows?"

"It's too soon. Right?" He asked and Juvia shrugged, not knowing the answer. "Let's get inside and tell my father. You will become his favorite person in the world now." He smiled when his wife chuckled.

#

As predicted, Silver was over the moon with the news and told Juvia how she had made one of his dreams come true. Juvia wrote to her uncle to tell him about the news and received a letter from him, congratulating her on getting pregnant so soon. Juvia didn't like the sound of that at all but pushed the thought away.

After a month of the discovery, Gray told her he would be going to The Wall sooner than what they had stipulated. He thought it over and he decided it would be best it he went during the beginning of her pregnancy than to risk going later and missing the baby's birth.

Grudgingly, Juvia accepted his logic and even though she would hate to be without him for two months, she'd rather have him there when she went into labor.

She had just found a small bump on her stomach when Gray was set to leave. He had told her he'd be back before she knew it, his hand gently on the top of the newfound bump. Juvia cried when she kissed him good-bye and must've told him a hundred times to be careful while he repeated the words to her and asked her to promise to be safe. He kissed one last time and left.

Silver and Ur kept her company whenever they could and Juvia didn't feel as lonely as she would have, except during the nights when she missed Gray's arms around her. She didn't feel as lonely when she felt their child move for the first time and every time after that.

The feeling was overwhelming, it was something so unique she couldn't really explain. She knew her baby was there and she hoped it felt how much she already loved it.

Two months later when Gray finally returned, she ran to him – as well as she could with her growing stomach – and honestly didn't care if half of Winterfell was watching, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug and kissed him. She was happily surprised when he hugged and kissed her back without caring who saw.

"Juvia missed you so much." The blunette told him in a whisper.

"I missed you too." He told her and then looked between them to her slightly large stomach. His eyes widened and he put both his hands on the protuberance. "You... When I left I could cover your stomach with just one hand, now..." He was impressed. "You are looking pregnant, now."

Juvia giggled between happy tears. "Yes, I am. This is what happens when you leave for two months." Still a bit fascinated by her stomach Juvia had to gently take his hands on hers. "Let's get inside, your father is waiting for you and Juvia bets you need some hot food and a bath."

"I do." He looked up to her face and then back to her stomach before hesitantly look up again.

"Don't worry, you can ask Juvia whatever you want. And touch Juvia's stomach to your heart's content." She promised. Juvia knew her husband was man who needed to see to believe and when he left, as much as he understood she was pregnant, seeing it had made it real and Juvia was sure he would take a while to examine her body changes.

That night, when they finally went to bed, Gray pushed her nightgown up and his eyes roamed over her figure, trying to figure out what else changed beside the obvious.

He gently put his hands on her stomach. "Have you felt it yet?"

"Yes." Juvia told him in a whisper, happy to see him there with her again. "If you are lucky, maybe you will too." He looked up to her, curious. "It is very faint, but Ur-sama have been able to feel it, Silver-sama felt once too." Just as she finished talking, Juvia felt the baby and moved Gray's hand to where the feeling had come. "Anytime now." It took a few seconds, but the baby moved. "There. Did you feel it?"

"Yes!" Gray was clearly trying to contain his excitement. "It was faint, but... yes. Was that it?" Juvia nodded and Gray grinned. He leaned and was about to speak when he looked in Juvia's direction. "Can it hear me?"

"Ur-sama says no one knows but it doesn't hurt to try."

Gray mulled over that information and nodded before leaning again towards her stomach. "Sorry I haven't been around, I was traveling. But don't worry, I am back to take care of you and your mother."

The blunette couldn't have hold the tears even if she wanted to.

At that moment, her husband whispering about his travels to her stomach, her baby growing strong inside her stomach, Juvia couldn't be happier.

A week later, everything changed when a raven from her uncle arrived with a message.

It was time.

#

Juvia had just finished throwing up for the third time in the past hour when she decided she had to do it at that moment or she would never have the guts to do it.

The letter she received the day before had been clear: her uncle told her it was time she did what she had been sent to do: kill the Fullbusters. It couldn't be traced back to her or her uncle, though, so her orders were to put poison in the wine as no one would think it was strange for her to deny drinking it – her sense of smell had heightened a lot during her pregnancy so she hadn't drink wine in months.

She grabbed the small vial she had kept in her trunk for months and left the chambers, shaking and feeling very faint. It was time she'd put her family above anything else.

Juvia found her husband and her father-in-law enjoying a bit of midday wine at the dining hall. She felt her heart break when she caught Gray's eyes and he smiled when he saw her approaching, getting up to greet her, a hand going immediately to her stomach. Juvia's eyes watered and Gray's smile was gone in a second.

"What's wrong?"

"Juvia... Juvia needs to tell you something." She said in a whisper, looking down to the floor. She felt Gray gently pull her towards the chair he had been sitting a few moments before. When Juvia looked up, she could see both Fullbusters were looking at her with concern written all over their faces. Without saying a word, Juvia put the small vial on the table and started to cry, her hands on her swollen stomach, feeling her child; she hoped they didn't hate it like they would hate her.

"Juvia?" Gray was clearly panicking by seeing her cry like that – he had never witnessed her crying like that before. "Juvia, what is that?"

"Juvia-chan, what is going on?" Silver asked gently. "What is this vial?"

"Poison." She managed to say between sobs. "Juvia was supposed to put it in your wine."

#

Gray kept staring at his wife while she cried as he tried to understand what she had just told them. Did she just say there was poison inside that vial? Did she say she was supposed to pour in their wine?

Was his wife trying to kill him and his father?

"What do you mean, Juvia?" Silver's voice was hard as steel, then. "Who told you to put poison in our wine?"

"Uncle." She said in a small voice, looking down to the floor and Gray couldn't look away from her, not yet. "That is why he wanted Juvia to marry Gray-sama, so she could..." She didn't finish, didn't have to.

Gray finally spoke. "You were sent here to kill us." The moment he had said the words, the numbness he had been feeling, the confusion, turned into a hot ball of anger inside his chest. "You were sent here to kill us?" Gray yelled, angry.

"I..." Juvia opened her mouth to speak and looked up to her husband, but she paled when their eyes met. "Yes." Her admission made Gray grit his teeth.

"Why." Silver said, clearly controlling his feelings. "Why would your Uncle want to kill us?"

Juvia's arms tightened around herself before she answered, crying again. "He said the North needs new guidance and there's a war coming." She sobbed. "He said we needed to be on the right side."

"Whose side?" Silver pressed. "Who will take over the North if we die?" Juvia sobbed, but Silver pressed again. "Juvia, who?"

"Invel Yura." She managed to say and Gray wanted to punch something. "Him and Uncle have been planning this for two years."

"Why get pregnant if you...?" Silver started to ask but he realized the answer before he finished the question. "It is a Fullbuster. They would marry you to Yura. He'd raise the rightful heir while ruling in its name and then usurp the title of Warden of the North. Am I right?"

"I don't know." Juvia told him. "Juvia was just supposed to put the poison in the wine."

"Why didn't you? You've had the opportunity." Silver asked. "Why, Juvia?"

"Because Juvia loves you, both of you." She cried harder. "She could never do it."

It was as if something woke up inside Gray when he heard her say those words. It wasn't as if he didn't know her feelings went deeper than friendship, but hearing it when he had just found out the truth behind their marriage made his stomach turn in anger.

"You love us?" Gray hissed. "How can you...? You just said you were sent here to kill us." Juvia didn't look up from the floor and it was making Gray even angrier. "Juvia, look at me." He said between gritted teeth and after a moment, the blunette did what asked, her eyes were red with all the crying. "Are there any more secrets? Have you lied about anything else?"

She shook her head. "No. This... this was Juvia's only secret, there's nothing else."

"Good." Gray's voice was cold turned to his father. "What are we going to do with her?"

"What do you mean?" Silver frowned.

"I mean what are we going to do with her? She had poison with her and confessed there is a plot to kill us."

"What do you want me to do, Gray? Throw her in the dungeons? Lock her in her room?" Silver asked, livid. "She never went through with the plan, she came here and confessed. She didn't really do anything wrong."

"She didn't?" It was Gray's turn to be livid, yet angrily. "She has been lying to us for the past year, conspiring to kill us-"

Juvia said, shaking her head. "No, Juvia didn't. She hoped she never had to-"

"Do not speak to me right now. Or ever again." Gray glared at her. "I don't want to fall for any other lie you might tell and I might do something I probably shouldn't but want to."

"Gray Fullbuster!" Silver yelled, cutting his son's rant. "I know you are angry but you will remember you are speaking to your wife and the mother of your unborn child and you will not threaten her. If you are not going to be reasonable, leave."

Gray's eyes didn't wander off his wife, Juvia's arms were above her stomach as if she wanted to protect it in case of an attack. She was crying quietly and he could see how terrified she was.

He had scared her.

"Fuck." Gray said in a mix of frustration, anger and hopelessness before he left the room, slamming the door behind him, the loud noise startling the blunette.

Silver sighed once his son left the room and looked at his daughter-in-law. "I apologize, Juvia-chan. You caught us off guard, we would never have imagined..."

"I know." Juvia whispered. "I don't blame him for being angry. Or you."

Silver sighed. "I am not angry, I'm... surprised you didn't told us sooner."

"Juvia thought Uncle would change his mind, she thought he wouldn't go through with this. She hoped... she hoped that letter would never come." She told her father-in-law in a low voice. "She didn't want to tell you and start a war if he decided against it."

"I understand." Silver felt a migraine coming. "Now that we know, though. We will have to deal with this, Juvia. Do you understand what that means?"

Juvia nodded, her blue curls bounced. "Uncle need to be dealt with."

"He does." He hesitated. "I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave the room whenever we talk about any plans on how to proceed."

"Yes, Juvia understands." Without her previous agility, Juvia took a moment longer to get up from the chair, her hand on her stomach.

"How did he even convince you to do this?" Silver asked, curious; she didn't seem the type to be a murderess.

"Juvia's House words are 'We Live For The Family' and she always lived by that. He told Juvia how she must honor those words." She told him. "Uncle didn't realize this is Juvia's family now."

#

Silver sighed heavily when he saw his son at the tree line outside Winterfell, using his sword to hit a large tree; he must've been doing it for a while, the tree was in a bad shape. Blizzard was a few feet away, seated and looking at Gray, curious to why the human was attacking a tree.

"Gray." Silver called and Gray stopped hitting the tree for a moment to look at his father, resuming the attack a second later. "Gray, we need to talk. I gave you the hour to calm down."

"Where is she?" Gray asked panting between blows.

"I sent her to her chambers." The older Fullbuster said. "She was shaking like a leaf and I wouldn't want her to faint and hurt herself."

The words made Gray stop hitting the tree but he didn't turn to look at his father. "I would never hurt her."

Silver nodded. "I know."

"I only said that... I don't even know why." Gray said and hit the tree again. "I am just so fucking angry." He turned to Silver looking as angry, frustrated and heartbroken as Silver thought he'd be. "I never saw it coming, father. She could've killed both of us and I wouldn't have seen it coming."

"No, she couldn't." Silver told his son. "I do not think Juvia could've gone through with it even if she didn't love our family. You told me she can fight and I can see her killing to protect herself or others, but murder? No, not her."

"This is crap." Gray's sword hit the tree again. "She had a long time to tell us, to..."

"She hoped her Uncle never asked it of her to go through the plan." Silver told him. "You know her, by now, you know this is something she would think."

"Oh, do I? Do I really know her?" Gray finally turned to his father and he pointed the sword to Winterfell. "I just find out the woman I'm married to and is pregnant with my child has been hiding the fact her Uncle has been trying to decimate my family. For all I know every single thing she told me, is a lie. Every story, every childhood memory." Gray breathed deeply, dropping his arm in defeat. "How can I trust her after knowing that? How can I even look at her?"

"Gray, do you know how difficult her choice to talk to us must've been?" Silver stepped closer to his son. "You think she betrayed us but she didn't. She betrayed Jose Porla, her uncle, the man who raised her, the man who is her family." He put a hand on Gray's shoulder. "The man who was her family. She had to make a difficult choice and she chose us." He hesitated, knowing the topic was frail at best. "Son, it is okay if you are hurt because the woman you love kept secrets from you; important secrets and you feel betrayed."

Gray took a step back. "I don't love her." He shook his head in denial. "She was just my friend, we were just friends. Not anymore."

Choosing to drop the subject of his feelings for the moment, Silver pointed. "You will have a child with her in just a few months, son. You will have to be friendly to her, if not for Juvia, for the child."

"Perhaps." Gray admitted. "But not yet. I can't yet."

Silver nodded after a moment, Gray was hurt and he wanted to lick his wounds. Silver couldn't blame him, Juvia's revelation was a surprise even for him; his son, who had fallen in love with the girl, would need some time to see things in a different light.

Gray needed time to think straight again.

"I think we should call the bannermen." Silver told his son. "We must deal with Porla and Yura before they try anything else."

The slightly change of subject from his wife to possible battles made Gray's body relax a little. "Yes. We need to make sure there are no other plans to kill us."

Nodding, Silver walked to where Blizzard was and petted the grey direwolf. "I will go back to the castle. Do you think you will take much longer out here?"

Gray shook his head. "I'm still angry but now I need to think."

"I see." Silver sighed. "Go back inside when you thought enough."

Gray nodded and Silver walked back to Winterfell, already planning on summoning Ur, he needed her around.

#

"You should eat another piece of bread, Juvia." Ur suggested, cutting a rather large piece of the sweet bread. "You barely ate the eggs."

Gray glanced up quickly just to see Juvia looking up from her half-full plate and shaking her head. "Thank you, Ur-sama, but Juvia is full."

They were seated at opposite sides of the table. It had been ten days since Juvia's revelation and they hadn't spoken a word to each other since, hadn't touched her, hadn't slept next to her. Juvia was quick to disappear every time he came into a room she was already in. Perhaps he scared her more than he thought, that day.

Gray's anger was still there, he looked at her and remembered of the vial and he wanted to kick himself. How did he lower his defenses so much he failed to notice she kept something from him?

One look into her blue eyes and Gray turned into a silly boy who gave her wild winter roses, who let her twine their arms together as they walked outside and who allowed her to kiss him in public.

He couldn't think with her around.

"You had a piece of bread, perhaps one egg and half a glass of milk." Ur told her. "We talked about this, Juvia. You need to eat more."

"I get sick if I do. Juvia will try to have a big lunch." Juvia said, trying to whisper so Gray couldn't hear them, he guessed, when she glanced his way and saw he was watching her. "We will talk later, Juvia wants to go to the godswood, she hasn't been there in a few days." She got up and when Ur made as if she would too, Juvia shook her head. "Please, finish your food. Juvia needs some quiet and she shouldn't drag you to an hour of silence."

"Are you sure, Juvia-chan?" His father asked, worried.

"We are in Winterfell, Silver-sama, Juvia thinks she can go to the godswood without problems." The blunette tried to smile but it didn't reach her eyes, Gray noticed and he bet everyone else did too. "Excuse me."

Blizzard wigged his tail when Juvia passed by him and gave him a scratch on the head and Star did the same – the female direwolf had taken a stronger liking on Juvia since she had gotten pregnant. They didn't even have to get up from their lying positions on the floor for Juvia to pet them.

Once Juvia left the hall, Ur turned to the Fullbuster men. "I am worried about Juvia." Gray tensed. "Since your... altercation" Ur said looking pointedly at the younger man to let him know she was aware of what happened "she hasn't been eating well and she should've been bigger by this point of her pregnancy."

"Do you think she's aware of this?" Silver asked, concerned.

"No." Ur shook her head. "I have seen her try to eat more and her reaction was too visceral and so was the surprise." The brunette sighed. "I have seen mothers whose minds got sick while they fell pregnant. I think Juvia might be one of them, that is why you need to talk to her soon, Gray."

"I..."

"She loves your child, Gray and I see she tries but when this disease takes ahold of you, it is difficult to fight it." She held his gaze. "It is early stages still, she might be able to fight it back. I know you don't hate her, Gray. I know you are just hurt and confused but please, think about the consequences of this long silence."

The past ten days had been horrible for Gray and he could see Juvia wasn't faring too well either. He had been watching her, of course, to make sure he didn't miss any other lies or secrets and he could see how sad she was, even when caressing her stomach.

He missed doing that. He shouldn't, he was crazy for it, but he missed her.

"I will." Gray promised. If it was hurting Juvia and their unborn child, he would speak to her soon. They needed to reach to a common ground if they would remain living together.

Ur nodded in relief and started to talk to his father so Gray lost himself in thought until five or ten minutes later both Blizzard and Star got up abruptly. Gray frowned and it deepened when they snarled lowly before sprinting towards the door, still snarling.

Something was wrong.

He didn't know why, but cold ran down his spine as Juvia's image popped inside his mind.

Gray was on his feet a second later and when his father asked what he was doing, Gray looked over his shoulder and yelled: "Juvia is out there."

He followed the direwolves the best he could as they were much faster but the snarling was still clear. Something was terribly wrong.

"Don't go to the godswood, please." Gray thought and panicked inside his head when the wolves turned in the direction of the godswood, the place where Juvia had gone to a few minutes before.

"No!" Gray was close enough to hear his wife's scream as she asked for help and his blood ran cold. "No! Help!" He heard again.

The gate was closed and the wolves were howling and snarling, without a way to get inside when Gray arrived.

"Juvia!" He yelled, his trebling hands opening the gate and the minute they could pass, the wolves ran towards the screams. "Juvia!" Gray followed the wolves. He didn't have a sword on him, didn't have means to defend himself but it didn't stop him from running to his wife.

Gray finally saw his wife standing facing a man, a shocked looked on her face, her hand on her stomach and she seemed to be bleeding. He only caught a glimpse of the man who had attacked her, his dagger up, clearly aiming for her again, one of his hands holding her dress and the next thing Gray saw was Star jump on the men, followed by Blizzard and the man's screams.

The man released Juvia with the impact, she fell behind and hit her head on a rock, if his eyes didn't deceive him and Gray never felt more afraid than he had been at that moment. "No! Juvia!"

He ran to her, not even bothering to look at the man – the wolves would take care of him. Gray knelt beside her and the first thing he noticed was that she had two dark stains on her dress, one on her shoulder and the other on her stomach.

"No. Juvia." Gray gathered her in his arms, eyes watering when he saw there was a large gash on the side of her head that was bleeding. "Juvia, wake up. Wake up, come on." He put a hand on her stomach and looked down when he felt it moist; he had touched where she had been hurt and the blood there made his eyes widen. "Juvia, please, wake up."

Seeing she wasn't going to wake up, Gray picked her up. She only had a chance if the Maester saw her immediately.

"You will be fine." He told her while taking her in his arms, feeling her blood coming from her shoulder soak his shirt. "You will be fine." The commotion he heard when he grew closer to the gate, made him yell. "Someone get the Maester now!" He didn't stop when he was close to the guards. "Now!" He said angrily and kept going towards the tower.

"What happened?" Silver was coming their way but he halted when he saw his daughter by law in his son's arms, bleeding and limp as a rag doll. "Juvia? What-?"

Gray ignored her father because he spotted Ur just a few feet behind him and she was his best chance. "Juvia was stabbed on her stomach." He didn't stop while talking to her.

The brunette paled but recovered quickly. "Take her to your room, I will go ahead and take my bag." Ur ran ahead of him and Gray looked down to his wife.

"You will be fine." He all but ran upstairs and once they were in front of their chambers, he kicked the door, placing his wife gently on their bed. "Ur is coming, you will be fine. You just need to wake up." Gray told her. "Please, open your eyes." Juvia was so pale, she looked so fragile Gray thought she was dead. "Please, don't die."

The next thing he knew, Ur was in the room, ordering for him to leave, then his father's hands on his shoulders when Gray refused to leave. He fought, but his father managed to take him out of the room when the Maester arrived.

The sound of their chambers being closed echoed inside Gray's mind while he looked down to his hands and shirt covered in blood, looking lost.

"Please, don't die." He whispered.

#

AN: *leaves this here and runs*