_{He does not shy away from her touch, not now, the morning the Stark retainers are going off to fight Black Walder Frey’s men, going off to scorch the snake’s nest to keep little Walda Frey on her seat. His intent is to sack the Riverlands again, and with children occupying half the lordships in the Trident, it falls to the little bird, the de facto head of House Tully, to respond.} 

_{Which means it is his duty to once again act as her Commander, to help protect her mother’s lands as he had helped her win back her father’s.} 

_{(Sansa already gave him her favor the night before. But he does not scoff when she pulls a ribbon from her hair and ties it around the leather strap securing his pauldron, cups the burned half of his face. Calls him ‘love’ in the company of others, when she should not.)}

_{This is the first time they will be parted, as lovers, by the war. His lady is sadder, but wiser, and the Warden of the North; Lady Stark can only show her affections, but not her fear, in the face of any of her men, him most of all.} 

_{He will show her the same courtesy.} 

_{"I promise."}