Chapter 24: Pain

There is an early morning chill in the air but it's nice and warm in bed with Brandon's hands roaming a crossed my body as we continue to kiss first sweet loving morning kisses that have intensified into long burning needy kisses and I cannot get enough of him. Brandon's kisses feel healing.

"This is hardly fair." Brandon says he is holding himself up on his hands and knees not wanting to put any weight on my stomach. "You cannot keep kissing me like that when I cannot have you it is too cruel." He tells me making me laugh. He rolls over laying down next to me and its my turn to climb on him.

"I cannot help it, it's hardly fair that I have this longing for you while I am all large, fat, and swollen." I pout.

"Believe me wife you still entice me." He promises with that usual smirk I lean down kissing him again my hands cup his face I am grateful for every moment with the man I love, the man I thought I lost.

"I love you." I mutter against his lips and feel his smile after a few more moments of our wonderful exchange he pulls away.

"I love you too." He promises sitting up and pulling me into his lap he bends to put kisses across the top of my stomach.

"I love you too baby." He promises my stomach before kissing it again he could not look at my belly without smiling.

I remember telling Rhaegar I was pregnant with Rhaenys, my handsome groom looked up only briefly from the scroll he was reading and nodded. He told me he was pleased I was fertile and already be with child and at the time I was so happy to have pleased him.

Brandon was not pleased he was overjoyed by my pregnancy; he was already so in love with our baby and it only made me love him more and hand caressed his hair as he laid kisses across my stomach as he made oaths to protect and love our baby as he did every morning.

He straightens up looking at me with this blissfully happy smile.

"Marrying you is the best thing anyone has ever forced me to do." He says kissing my head and rubbing my belly I lay back against him giggling as his arms wrapped around me. I was so very content in his arms I did not want to get dressed and have to go about our daily routines apart.

"I will do anything to protect you and the baby, will you ever feel safe here again." He says so seriously I turn to see the softness in his eyes I can see the guilt he feels.

"I always feel safe with you. This is our home the Boltons cannot take that from us." I tell him and he proudly smiles.

"I am so happy you think of Winterfell as your home." He says earnestly.

"Well I do have a wolf pup in my belly." I remind him Dorne would always be my home to but in truth my children and I did have a life here and I loved that.

My hands move over his as he holds me. "It's over now isn't it?"

"Almost Barbery moved her men north Manderly is bringing an army to meet them I would have went myself, but I would have never made it in time. She is the last of the strong rebels and this whole thing will be put to rest." He promises. "There will be a meeting with my banners before they go back to their homes."

"I will talk with Luwin and make sure-"

"Catelyn can do that I want you to rest as much as possible and save your strength especially because I want you at that meeting." He tells me.

"Really?"

"It is not Ben's fault it was mine. I should have always left you in charge you match me in paranoia and beat me at wits." He teases. "Until our child is old enough when I am gone winterfell will be left in you charge so you should attend all of my meetings with me." He tells me.

I smile and turn to see those eyes I love. "I never thought I would meet a man outside of Dorne who treated me like an equal and I love you all the more for it Brandon Stark." I promise.

"I love you Elia Stark." He says and I kiss him.

"I like how that sounds on your lips." I admit.

Brandon has breakfast brought to our room so we can have a little more time together before I go to wake the children and he goes to see Benjen.

"I think he is getting angrier by the day." Brandon admits annoyed but also worried he loved his little brother dearly and so did I.

" He was not happy to see me yesterday." I admit while we eat.

"He usually likes you better than me." Brandon said surprised.

"He is not going to like either of us while he feels we are babying him, perhaps we should bring him someone he would not mind being taken care of by." I asked.

"Who did you have in mind?" Brandon asked curiously.

"Berena Hornwood." I tell him watching for his reaction.

"I hardly think you need to be managing a betrothal between the Tallharts and the Hornwoods right now."

"What about the Starks and the Hornwoods? He likes her I know he does and since both you and Ned married foreigners your bannermen might like you to marry Benjen to a northerner.

"Lord Hornwood is a good man, see if the match has been settled for the girl and I will see if he wants to marry her."

"They will want to know what will become of him." I remind.

"Let me talk to him about that." Brandon says and by the way he says it I know he already knows what he wants for his brother.

"I thought Rhaenys would like to ride her pony?" Brandon askes carefully watching my reaction.

"Be very careful with her, and make sure you spend time with the boys, or they will be jealous." I remind.

"Of course, and I have had Luwin find the family tree for you." Brandon tells me.

"Why?" I ask.

"For Baby names." Brandon says simply.

I take his hand. "You want to name it after your father if it is a boy, you just have not said so because I cannot name our baby after my father. The warden of the north needs a Stark name I understand that, and I am happy with it." I promise.

"How do you do that?" He asked taken back.

"What?" I ask confused.

"How do you make me fall more and more in love with you every passing day." He asks getting up.

"What are you doing?" I ask as he walks around the table to me.

"I cannot stand it anymore." He says he picks me up in his arms as though I am as light as a feather and not the boulder, I feel like. "MY wife is beautiful, wise, and kind and I must satisfy her." He says caring me back to the bed making the heat between my legs rise again. He lays me on the bed so carefully before pulling up my night gown.

I cry out a desperate whine as his lips find my most intimate parts. No matter how many times he does this I cannot get use to the pleasure it provides the sensation of his roaming hands, the tingle of his beard.

Before I can stop them my hips buck at the movement of his tongue it only makes Brandon moan and pull my hips closer to him as he sucks harder doubling his efforts. One hand slip from my him to rub against my entrance. "Brand-on ah!" I cry as I get closer to my edge it as came on so sudden, but Brandon is an expert when it comes to my pleasure, I sometimes think he knows me better then I know myself. "I need you; I want you; I love you!" I babble right before I hit my peak my vision blurs as this rush off feelings as all my urges are satisfied.

Brandon has stood and is just staring at me I watch him for a moment with lidded eyes until I realize how hot I am and pull at the loose ties of my nightgown that easily gives way and freeze my breasts to the morning air they always have never filled quite like this when I have been with child before I wonder to my self if they will stay like this as Brandon steps forward between my legs. I am still panting to catch my breath. As I feel his hands slowly moving up my ribs.

"Be gentle." I tell him they are incredibly sensitive he nods running his hands over them messaging them gently and soon I am moaning again.

"Say it again." He tells me I look up his eyes are as dark as the night sky.

"Say what?" I ask hazy with pleasure.

"That you need me and want me and love me." Tells me with a deep breath never taking his eyes off me. I hold his stare.

"I need you; I want you; I love you Brandon." I promise he growls longingly in response his hands go down to my hips and he starts rubbing himself against my entrance.

"I need to at least feel you." He tells me he does not say it as a question, but he is still waiting for my answer I nod easy agreement. He moves against me still in his trousers he pulls my legs around him and rubs against me making the most amazing friction he bends over to take one nipple into his mouth gently licking and sucking at it before moving to the next one my hand fists into his hair as I find my bliss again I fall against the sheets watching him docile as he picks up the pace and ruts against me.

I find myself moving against him and crying out again his trousers from rubbing against me, are wet now and it feels as though the fabric is not they're at all and it is wonderful. I feel the heat rising in me again as he continues moving at a punishing pace. I watched the lusty desire ridden look on his face and it was the last straw as my climax came crashing like thunder, I cried out for him and he continued trying to find release.

"I want you; I need you; I love you Brandon." I told him again and finally his own orgasm hit he braced himself against the bed frame.

I patted the bed next to me and that was all the invitation he needed to flop down beside me.

It had been since before he left that we were together. He made me forget how big I was getting, how fat my ankles were, and veiny my arms were and every other thing about myself that annoyed me was gone while I felt desired and pleasured by Brandon.

"I should not have done that I am sorry." Brandon says brushing through my hair.

"Why?" I ask cuddling against him.

"Your caring my child I should not tire you with my desires." He says.

"I am so happy to carry your child Brandon I am. But I have never had intimacy like this with anyone else and I will not lose it, I cannot." I tell him softly.

"I would never let that happen." He promises.

Finally, we have to get up and dressed and part for the day, but I take the happiness with me as I go about my day. I am absolutely in love with my husband and caring his child. Luwin, Nan, and Catelyn would ask thousands of questions about how I was feeling and give me even more advice about how to make sure my pregnancy went smoothly. It could be a little draining at times, but I knew it came out of a place of kindness and concern.

Baby was our little Jon's new word and he said it constantly. Rhaenys wanted a little sister more then anything in the word when Aegon was asked he said he wanted a nice dog which made everyone laugh.

Luwin was concerned of the kings wraith that because of the up rise in the north we missed the scheduled treaty and it would have to be redone. No words on the fact Robert did nothing for the North in it's time of need. This did not surprise Brandon or myself but it did seem to surprise Ned. Now Jon Arryn and Brandon were arguing over ravens about when and where the treaty should happen. Brandon would not have me travel until after the baby was born but Jon wanted it to happen now and it seemed they would fight about it until our baby was born. I longed for my brothers, but I would not endanger my baby either.

Luwin had handed me a scroll and the family tree as I was going to visit Benjen. I laid the family tree out over the bed so we could look at it together.

"We have a name for a boy but not a girl, what do you think?" I asked I wanted Benjen to feel important and have something to do.

"I think you should not call your baby Myriame." He teases.

"Noted." I say opening the sealed scroll while Benjen looks to the family tree.

Really was I surprised you were unable to make it to the treaty. Everyone was surprised. Still I have been told your in a delicate state. Continue to take care of yourself and let me know if there is anything, I can do for you. Until I see you again, I will miss you. Everything if you need it.

Prince Doran Martell

The message was simple, we would have to see him soon because no matter how much I wrote of my love for Brandon Doran would not believe it till he saw it.

"Lonnel is bad too but I like Cregan!" Benjen said snapping me out of my thought.

"Girls names." I remind.

"What will it be called if it is a boy?" Benjen asks.

"Rickard for your father." I tell him he frowns and looks down at the family tree.

"It's supposed to be an honor." I tell him he does not look back at me. "I thought we could combine our mothers names for the girl but I cannot get it right either Lyenza or Lorarra what do you-" I start I look back at him. To see he is violently picking at his family tree.

"Benjen stop it!" I tell him grabbing his hand and pulling it away to see he was picking at his sister's name to try and remove it.

"Papa would be here to meet his grandchildren if it was not for her." He mutters.

I sit on the side of his bed and kiss his head. "Blaming her will not make the hurt go away trust me." I tell him softly he nods wiping his eyes.

"I am so glad your my sister Elia." Benjen whispers.

"I am lucky to have such a good little brother to look out for me and defend me, and to fight my enemies both real and on fabric." I tease making him laugh.

He looks to my letter. "Is it poison?"

"No, it's from my other brother." I promise.

"How did you know?" Benjen askes softly.

"I knew Oberyn would look out for me, but dried red viper poison turns red when it gets warm, I only had to press it near a candle to see the truth." I told him he nods Oberyn was an expert in poison after studying at oldtown until he got bored.

Benjen points to a name. "Raya, that makes me think of the sun." He says happily.

"I really like that." I tell him I know I have to ask Brandon what he thinks but as I walk around Winterfell, I am smiling thinking we have our names Rickon or Raya.

I am on my way to do the books before checking on the children when I hear the clacking of shoes coming towards me, I turn to see Catelyn hurrying at me with a wide smile on her face. She joins are with me before whispering in my ear.

"Lord Manderly is here and so are the prisoners, shall we see if the woman who tried to steal both our husbands is there?" Catelyn askes.

"You must pretend to not be so pleased." I tease her making her giggle.

"I will do my best she promises as we walk out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard, the wind is blowing wildly.

Out of a carriage steps the woman who tried to steal my husband from me whose brother in law took our home and tried to kill us, tried to do all sorts of horrendous things. When I first met Barbery she was a vision of beauty now her hair whipped around in the wind as panic set in on her face.

To my surprise after her the guards forced out another woman a little older than Barbery but also fairer, this woman was even less composed as she held tightly to a small boy with jet black hair an clear Bolton eyes.

I realized she was Bethany Bolton Roose's widow and the boy she clutched onto was Rooses son Domeric. She followed her sisters agreeably enough until the guard tried to take her boy from her. She screeched and yelled and hissed as her boy screamed Barbery tried to go to her sister's aid but was held back by guards.

"Leave him with Hope Bethany don't let his last memory of you be like this!" Barbery told her sisters as mother and son weep.

I found myself in a rage going down the stairs.

"Careful Elia!" Catelyn reminded as she followed.

"Stop that at once!" I ordered the guard.

"Lady Stark these are prisoners." The guard reminded everything was so hard now that our master of arms was dead the position had to be filled so Winterfell could run smoothly once more.

"It's a mother and a child, they can room together." I order.

"Yes, my lady." The soldier says Barbery's mean eyes only glare at me but Bethany looks at me tiredly with the eyes of a frightened mother unsure of what would happen to the thing she loved most her child. I have been her before.

"Thank you." Bethany says softly clutching her boy.

I only nod stopping one of the guards. "Who told you to separate the boy from his mother!" I asked knowing that pain.

"Lord Stark." He says simply and I found a great rage growing in me.

Thank you for reading and thanks for all the amazing support and kind words you have given me I really appreciate it and it helps me keep witting. I hope you enjoyed this chapter let me know what you think!