A/N: Last chapter before Xmas guys, hope you enjoy it! Comments would be appreciated as ever.

Hope you all have an amazing Xmas and I will try and get you another chapter before the New Year!

:)

Twenty Three

Theon

I felt almost guilty for grinning like a child as we rode into Winterfell as I could practically feel Sansa's apprehension rolling off her as we came into the yard. I was down from my horse in an instant, going to help her down and squeezing her shoulders reassuringly as she offered me her thanks. Lady Stark was hurrying down the steps then and I let Sansa go, watching as she walked forwards and was caught up in her mother's embrace at once. I imagined Robb and her other siblings would not be far behind and felt the smile on my face again. Best I go now before I got caught up with them, no doubt they would convince me to come and share a glass of wine with them and I didn't want to waste precious time. I had promises to keep.

I slipped away after handing the reigns of my horse to one of the stable boys, heading down the familiar streets of Winterfell towards the Morton's home. I wondered if Karina would be in or if she would be with the Maester. She was keen to carry on with her skill as a healer despite all the horrors she had witnessed during the war. It might be better if I saw her father alone first anyway. If I saw her I would not be able to resist pulling her into my arms and claiming those lips that with the luck of the Gods I would soon be able to call mine. I knocked sharply at the door when I arrived and waited, impatiently shifting from foot to foot before the door was finally wrenched open.

"Theon!" Karina's father said in surprise, "Or should I say Ser, the King has told me of his intentions, you must be thrilled"

"Thank you Ser Barnard," I smiled in response and he stepped aside to let me enter.

"I wanted to thank you, for all you did to try and save Coran," he said gravely then.

"I am only sorry it wasn't enough," I told him honestly and he nodded his head heavily.

"Would you care for some wine?" he asked and I swallowed hard.

"No thank you," I replied, "there was a reason I came … an important reason"

"Go on," he encouraged, fixing his eyes that were so like Karina's on me.

"I have come to ask for Karina's hand … I have come to care about her very much, admiring her from afar," I said, somehow managing to keep the shake from my voice.

"You're too late," he said.

"I'm sorry?" I asked evenly, my heart pounding in my chest. What did he mean? Surely he hadn't married her off already? Surely she wouldn't have gone?

"Karina is no longer my concern," he said coldly, "she broke certain promises to me and now finds herself dishonoured with a bastard in her belly … do you still want her hand?"

"Yes," I whispered, my head spinning and I saw him frown slightly; "yes … I want nothing more …"

I turned to leave then, crashing out of the house and sprinting down the winding streets towards the keep, knowing that if her father had ousted her she would have gone to Robb. My head was pounding, spinning with the news I had just been told. Ser Barnard had no idea that he had just made me the happiest man in the world. I knew that Karina would likely be hurting from her family's rejection but I felt like screaming in happiness. She had my child inside her. I was going to be a father. Everything I had ever dreamed of would soon be in my arms and I could not wait to feel her familiar warmth and curves under my touch and breathe in her familiar scent.

She was descending the steps of the keep when I entered the courtyard and I flew towards her. Her beautiful eyes were welling with tears as she launched herself into my arms and I held her so tightly against me that I was surprised she could breathe. Gods. She was in my arms. This time I would never have to let her go. Her or our baby. Our baby. My head spun as I pushed her back slightly, seeing the slight apprehension in her eyes. I didn't want to see that. I wanted happiness to shine from every part of her. My head bent down towards hers then and I claimed her lips, kissing her with everything I had, feeling her respond to me. She pulled away all too soon then and the look of worry still hadn't left her eyes.

"Theon …" she breathed, "I …"

"I know," I cut her off, pressing my lips to hers again and kissing her deeply.

"You know?" she murmured against my lips.

"I know," I repeated, "I know Nina …"

"They hate me Theon," she whispered, pulling away from me.

"I love you," I told her, the only words I had, "I love you and I cannot wait to make you my wife"

"Theon … the baby …" she started, her eyes wide.

"I know," I said again, "we will have to do it soon … now … Gods, yes … now!"

"Now?" she questioned me.

"Tonight," I said, meeting her gaze, "marry me tonight …"

"I have to see them, to explain … now you're home I can tell them the truth," she said.

"Do you want me to come?" I asked, knowing it would do no good to argue with her.

"No," she shook her head, "no … Gods no, my father would kill you"

"I'll be right here when you come back," I promised.

"Tonight?" her lips quirked up slightly.

"Tonight," I said firmly, "I will ask Robb and Jeyne to witness it, I can scarce believe you will finally be mine completely"

"I have always been yours," she told me and I couldn't resist kissing her again.

"I love you," I said meaningfully.

"I love you too," she finally smiled properly and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Karina

"A Greyjoy bastard," my father stated as soon as he opened the door and I flinched.

"Not a bastard," I said calmly, "not come tonight"

He narrowed his eyes at me then before stepping aside to let me in. I knew he didn't want to but I also knew that he would like it even less if anyone else heard our conversation and he knew I was much too stubborn to keep quiet. If he had slammed the door in my face then I would have screamed my explanation through the wood for the whole of Winterfell to hear. I was done feeling ashamed. What Theon and I had done was foolish and reckless but I loved him and I would be damned if I let anyone make me feel ashamed of that fact.

"Say your piece," he folded his arms and stared coldly at me, "and then you can leave"

"Can I sit?" I asked and he nodded curtly.

I sat myself down in a chair then and took a few steadying breaths. After a moment my father moved himself to sit next to my mother who was being uncharacteristically silent as she continued on with her needlework, determinedly avoiding looking at me. I came to the conclusion that she was pretending that I was not even present and I could not deny that that hurt in more ways that I thought possible.

"What I did … what Theon and I did … it was reckless but you have to understand how much I love him, how much we love each other," I started and my mother's hand twitched slightly. I knew she was listening to my every word even though only my father was looking at me. "I had feelings for him even before we marched but I swear nothing happened … nothing happened for the longest time. Coran …" I swallowed hard, "Coran tried to keep us apart but in the end even he knew that it would be impossible … he knew that we loved one another"

"Don't bring your brother into this, he no longer has a voice of his own," my father snapped.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I'm merely trying to explain … I never meant to fall in love with him, to give him my honour and break my promise but when Robb sent him away I couldn't bear the thought of him going without knowing how much he meant to me. I was too craven to admit that I loved him then, I couldn't say the words to him so I …"

"Let him ruin you," he spat.

"It's wasn't like that," I shook my head, "I sought him out … I know it was wrong but I couldn't help it. I felt guilt for so long and when he came back I pushed him away. I wanted my feelings for him to disappear but when Coran was killed I needed him more than anything … after that I couldn't fight it anymore, I didn't have the strength nor the will. Theon wanted to marry me then, he had been begging me for months but I refused … I didn't want to marry without your permission. It was never meant to be like this. Theon was supposed to come back and ask you for my hand but … I never dreamed that I would fall pregnant or that you would find someone else for me. It kills me that you're so ashamed of me, that I have brought shame on you but I can't regret Theon. I am sorry it happened like this but I won't apologise for being in love nor for carrying his child because it means everything to me. I love him and we are to be married tonight, I would love for you to come but I understand if you don't. One day I hope you can forgive me but if it isn't today then I will not be surprised. I love you both … truly … I hope you will come …"

Neither of them said a word and I sat there in the painful silence for what felt like an eternity before I could stand it no longer. I rose to my feet then and looked between them, seeing my mother still avoiding my gaze and my father's eyes drop to the floor when they met mine. I had no way of knowing what they were thinking and I had said everything I felt I could to make them understand. The rest was up to them now. I had a wedding to prepare for.

Catelyn

They were all preparing for Theon's unexpected nuptial's so I finally had a moment to get Sansa on her own without arousing suspicion. I brushed her hair back from her face and glanced in the mirror only to see her big, blue eyes staring blankly. I wondered if she was even consciously in the same room as me as I worked on her hair. I wasn't sure of the best way to bring up the subject of Petyr but I couldn't just ignore it. She was my daughter and I needed her to know that she was safe now and that I would never let anything so awful happen to her again.

"Lysa wrote to me," I said and Sansa flinched slightly, "she told me about Petyr …"

"Don't," Sansa snapped her eyes to mine, "don't say his name … please …"

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"I don't want to think about him anymore," she said firmly.

"What he did to you was wrong, and it was not your fault," I told her.

"Please … mother …" she looked pained and I hated not being able to make it stop.

"I'll say no more," I promised her, "but if you ever want to speak with me you must"

"I will," she met my eyes and I smiled for her.

I tied her hair in place then and she smiled at me in the mirror, I could see that it took her a lot of effort and I wished I had the right words to make it all go away. Never as a mother had I felt more helpless. Even when my girls were captive I had released the Kingslayer to free them. A foolish move that Robb had been furious about but at least I felt like I had done something to help them. Even at that damned wedding when Robb was laying there with arrows in his back I had managed to grab Walder Frey's young wife, thinking that I could bargain her life for my son's. Now though I had nothing. No words nor actions could help Sansa, I realised that now. I could only hope that now she was home she would be able to find some sort of peace. I had already made Robb promise not to betroth her to anyone yet after what she had had to endure at Joffrey's hands. Thankfully he had agreed and I had not had to tell him the true reason I wanted her to stay here with me.

She got up from her vanity then and stood facing me, my daughter who had had to grow up far too quickly and endure horrors I could only imagine. If I could take it all away from her I would but I couldn't no matter how much I wished for it. I could only be here. Be her mother. I stepped forwards then and folded her into my arms without a word. She clung to me and I willed myself not to cry. I had to be strong for her even though it was killing me.

Theon

She looked so beautiful when she rounded into the Godswood on Robb's arm. Her smile was breath-taking and I could still barely believe that this was happening. I was finally fulfilling the promise I had made to myself all those months ago after we had made love to one another for the first time. She was to be my wife. A few simple words and an exchanging of rings and we would be as one forever. I took her hands and she beamed up at me. There was a slight hint of sadness in her eyes and I knew the absence of her parents and her brother were weighing on her mind. I was beyond angry that her mother and father had not come. Coran would have. He wouldn't have liked it but he would have come for her because she meant the world to him. Her happiness would have meant more to him that any feelings of doubt he had about me. I liked to think that he had known how much I loved her, I knew it was him who had sent her to me on the day he died. He may not have done had he known just how far we had taken things but he had and I clung to that as we began to recite our vows.

They were simple but beautiful and when I slid that ring onto her finger I could have punched the air in triumph. She was mine. Karina was mine. Karina Greyjoy. Soon to be a Lady in her own right once Robb made good on his promise to knight me. We would move out of the keep as soon as one of the empty houses in the surrounding square was made habitable. Robb had been more than generous and Jeyne has seen to it that the men and women who had fixed up the nursery for the future heir of the North were putting everything in place to make it perfect for them. I couldn't wait for us to be in our own home but for now we were staying in the keep and it was there I led her, Robb and Jeyne following us at a distance. There was to be no feast and no bedding ceremony. Our wedding had been kept as quiet as possible on purpose. If no one knew exactly when we had married then no one could question when our baby had been conceived. I led her up the stairs then, my heart pounding as I thought of her. My wife. My wife with my child inside her. There was no sign yet but Karina was certain and she knew what she was talking about. I ushered her into our rooms then and closed the door firmly behind me before turning to her, seeing her already untying the laces of her dress.

"I love you," I told her, working on my own clothing.

"I love you too," she told me, letting her dress drop before unlacing her shift.

I pulled off my boots then and tossed them aside before unlacing myself as her perfect body was bared to me. I was so hard, so desperate for her but I managed to contain my longing, walking towards her and running my hands down her sides to her hips before meeting her eyes. Her own hands wandered up my chest as we continued gazing at one another the contact only broken as our faces moved towards one another so we could kiss. She tasted just as good as she always had and I guided her slowly to the bed, still working my lips with hers as I lowered her down onto the sheets and furs. When she was laying down I shifted myself above her, still not breaking our kiss as I pressed my body against hers, groaning into her mouth as I was reminded of just how much I had missed being entwined with her. She wrapped her legs around my waist then and rocked her hips, encouraging me to join us as one. I did as she wanted, not needing her encouragement to slide into her perfect warmth.

She moaned into my mouth as I began to thrust slowly, her lips leaving mine and her breath coming sharply as I continued on. One of her hands came up to cup my cheek then and I let one of my own mirror her movement, my eyes anchoring hers as I continued rocking into her, her own hips moving up to meet my pace. There was so much I wanted to say to her, so much love inside me for her that I wanted to burst, but I couldn't find the words as her pleasure surrounded me. She gasped out my name as I felt her tightening around me and I groaned out, willing my body to hold on and finish her completely before I spent myself. Somehow I managed it, feeling and hearing her reach her peak before I too reached the highest heights and spilled myself inside her. I rolled away at once, not wanting to collapse down against her now I knew that our baby was growing inside her. I let my hand come and rest on her stomach then and her own came to lay across mine as we both tried to steady our heavy breathing.

"Are you pleased?" she asked me after a moment.

"Pleased?" I raised my brows, "I have you laying here as my wife with our child safely inside you, I would have to be mad not to be pleased"

"You're so different Theon," she breathed.

"In a good way?" I asked teasingly and she smiled widely.

"In the best way," she said and I leant in to capture her lips.

"I know today wasn't the wedding you must have dreamed of … but you know I will love you more than any other man ever could," I said seriously when I pulled away.

"I know," she smiled again, "and I love you Theon … today was perfect in its own way, I just wish that my parents had come … that Coran was here …"

"I miss him too," I kissed her forehead soothingly, "but he was there Nina … I know he was"

"Thank you," she breathed, her eyes finding mine, "I couldn't be happier to finally be your wife."

A/N: Yay they're married!

Merry Christmas guys!

:)