Hey everyone! This is my very first FanFiction so please don't judge if it's bad haha! Hope you enjoy it and please review! Also...NO SPOILERS in the reviews or comments please for those who haven't read the books or finished the show, whatever the circumstance might be.
The King in the North
"You should see Volantis. It's so hot and humid...much different from the north," Talisa spoke, her hands rested on her cheek as she smiled lovingly up at him. Robb grinned down at her as he placed his hands at the end of the table.
There was laughter and joy among them and he had ignored everything else but the sound of her voice. Literally, everything else. He didn't even notice the song that played while they spoke.
The Rains of Castamere.
But Robb was too distracted by the woman who was in front of him. The woman sat in her seat and leaned her head upward to get a good look of Robb. She continued to speak. Talisa sat there so regally, looking every inch of a queen.
My queen, Robb thought.
In his opinion Talisa looked much more beautiful than Cersei Lannister, the queen regent. In his opinion any of Walder Frey's daughters would be much more fine than Cersei Lannister who held his sisters as his hostage. Talisa was far more beautiful than any girl in the north as well. When Robb was younger Jeyne Pool, one of Sansa's closest friends had kissed him and confessed that she had liked him. He would do nothing however. Robb never pursued Jeyne Pool. He thought it was a bit odd considering she was Sansa's friend and Sansa was his sister. When King Robert came to visit the north, which seemed like ages ago now, the princess Myrcella Baratheon sat across from Robb at the feast. She would girn at him often and giggle, doing girlish things. Talisa was far more beautiful than Myrcella Baratheon. First of all, Myrcella was far too young for him but she was a Lannister. A child made of incest from Cersei and Jamie.
That instant at the thought of Jamie Lannister, Robb grimaced. His own mother had set him free. But now was not a time for that. All was forgiven for now. There were other matters at hand anyways.
He smiled upon Talisa's features from her sun kissed skin to her blackish brown hair that flowed down her back like an never ending water fall. So beautiful. Robb often wondered what their children would look like. Would he or she have Robb's features? Would Robb have a sun with his Tully hair but Stark features, or perhaps a daughter to resemble her mother and his wife.
Eddard.
They were going to name their child Ned Stark after his father. Robb could only think of what his father would say. He'd be so happy, and he damn well knew that he would. Robb hadn't told his mother about the pregnancy yet. He decided that he's surprise her after the wedding so good news would follow after this. In the first time in a long time, Robb finally felt like he was going somewhere with the war. He wanted to taste victory and he wanted to see the gold in Casterly Rock not for the things it would buy him but rather the look on Tywin Lannister's face when he realized that he, the young wolf and the King in the North had taken his home.
More than anything however, he wanted his family to be reunited again. He wanted to have his child with his beautiful wife Talisa and show it off to the world. Robb wanted his mother to carry it and he wanted to have Sansa hold it. Once when they were younger, Sansa had often spoken of how excited she would be if Robb ever had children. She said that he'd make beautiful children if he had a beautiful wife. He did. If only Sansa could meet Talisa and espeically Arya. Arya would like Talisa for her strong nature. Robb wanted his brothers, all three of them to meet his wife and hold his baby as well. He wanted to fill Bran's eyes with joy and young Rikcon as well. Robb wanted so badly to see Jon again. They would greet each other and call themselves Stark and Snow, then he'd introduce him to his wife and child and Jon would be happy for him.
"...Robb?"
Talisa's voice drew Robb back to reality.
"Yes my love?"
"Are you alright?" she laughed.
"I'm fine...I was just thinking."
"About what?"
"Well when the war is over I want you to present out child to the north. They will have celebrations for the baby boy or girl that will last a week! Then I'll have my sisters back and we'll visit my brother Jon at the wall or have him visit us...I don't know yet. After that maybe I'll find Bran and Rickon then we'll all be together again."
Talisa grinned up at him and nodded her head, "Yes. You'll have your family Robb. Your mother and your siblings along with myself and our child. I promise you."
Robb was about to speak once more when he was interrupted by Lord Walder.
He then realized that the music had stopped even though he paid no mind as to what they were playing. Everybody in the hall took their seats once more as if it were all rehearsed. Odd. Robb didn't think anything of it however.
"Your grace."
Robb stole one more glane at his wife and flashed her a dazzling smile as she did to him not a second or two later. He then turned to Walder Frey and and gave the lord a small yet polite smile. Things were going well for once.
"I feel I've been remiss...in my duties. I've given you meat, wine, music but I haven't shown you the hospitality you deserve," he chuckled with a raspy voice at the end of his sentence. "My king was married and I owe my new queen a wedding gift."
Robb continued to stare at Lord Walder Frey, wondering what he meant. A wedding gift? Surely this was odd. But of course, Robb didn't think much of it.
Suddenly he heard a smack then it was followed by his mother's voice.
"Robb!"
He turned around and found Roose Bolton rising from his seat as he ran from his mother or perhaps he stumbled out of his seat. Robb wasn't quite sure but what he was sure about was the events that took place next.
Lothar Frey moved from his spot where he stood close to Talisa's seat as he pulled a knife out of his pocket. Talisa was still sitting there as she looked at Walder Frey with a questioning look on her face. Even then she still looked every inch of a queen.
Lothar Frey took his knife and stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach.
My baby.
NO.
Robb's eyes widened. He could hear the gasps of the Northmen who were his banner men and sworn lords. They were just as shocked as he was to find their queen being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach.
"Ah! AH!" Talisa screamed as she watched in horror. Her baby was being torn inside of her. She clutched her stomach while still screamed as Lothar Frey stepped away. She then reach with the other hand that didn't clutch her stomach for the table as if she were attempting to have it support her.
When Robb finally snapped out of his trance he understood. They were going to be slaughtered. He attempted to make a move toward his wife but an arrow was in his back.
"Argh!"
This can't be.
His Northmen rose from their seats, horrified as their king was shot with an arrow. They noticed as did Robb that the musicians from the top of the hall were attacking them with crossbows.
As his lords and banner men of the north rose, they were quickly seated again. Freys surrounded. Robb saw one of his sworn lords having his throat cut open as he attempted to stand. Others were being stabbed in the face, the neck, the arm, the back. Anywhere at all.
Another arrow came along with pain. Was it pain for himself or the pain for his people? Robb did not know. He could barley stand.
I must fight.
The another came once again and this one took him down as he landed with a thud to the ground. He winced in pain as he heard the sounds of his northmen fill his ears. The screams and the cries all. From the corner of his eyes he saw Talisa rise from her seat but failing to continue to stand as she fell to the ground in another scream.
My love. No. Stop it. Why.
His mother...where was she?
Robb did not know but he could hear bodies falling to the ground.
Run mother, run. Please.
Greywind...where was his direwolf? So that was why Lord Frey demanded that they leave him outside in a kennel or a cage. Whatever the case Robb did not know. He just didn't want to displease the lord for all that he has done to him. But now...he had taken everything from Robb.
He lay in the ground as he closed his eyes.
Was he going to die? Robb did not know. But what he did know was that when he closed his eyes he saw Jon and him playing in the training grounds of Winterfell as young boys, he saw Sansa as a baby when she just came out of their mother and Robb smiling up at her. That was the first time he had the right to call anyone sister. He could remember Arya and him as he taught her how to ride a horse and he saw Bran and Rickon as young boys so desperately wanting to become like himself and Jon.
Robb imagined their father speaking to him once again with his wise words and telling him stories of his past and stories of war. Ned would tell Robb about his aunt Lyanna and his uncle Brandon and his desperate attempt to save Lyanna. He cried out in pain even though he was sure that nobody could hear him. He wanted it back. Robb wanted his family back, his father, his wife, his life. He would give up his crown and let someone more worthy wear it.
Perhaps Rickard Karstark was right. He was not fit enough to be a king. Robb would be known as the king who lost the North. No...Theon Greyjoy took that from him. He wondered where Theon was now. Did he know what was happening to him? Did he even care? No, Theon wouldn't care. He was Iron Born and Robb was a Northerner.
Finally, he opened his eyes and looked up. Just in front of his was Talisa. Her stomach was bloody and cut open, her dress the color of the crimson red of House Lannister. Why didn't he notice? The Rains of Castamere was playing. But he was distracted by Talisa's beauty and he still was until his very last breath.
My wife.
Robb tried to pick himself up but he failed.
Suddenly the sounds of the screams and cries of his lords and northmen stopped. Walder Frey spoke again.
"The King in the North arises."
He didn't care however. He finally reached Talisa as he forced himself to lean upward and ran his hand onto her stomach. Dead. Her body was cold and lifeless. The eyes that greeted him every day was now lifeless. Those were the same eyes that looked upon him not only a few minuets ago. Maybe one or two...he didn't know but things were so perfect just a few moments ago. Now she was gone.
He clutched her dress and looked into her lifeless eyes. He lifted her head from the ground and held her in his arms for one last time. Not only was she gone but so was their baby and the would have been heir to the north.
"Lord Walder!" he heard his mother's voice.
Robb made no effort to look at the commotion. At least his mother was still alive. He continued to look upon his dead wife while listening to his mother speak.
"Lord Walder enough. Let it end! Please! He is my son...my first son. Let him go and I swear we will forget this. I swear it by the old gods and the new, he will take no vengeance!"
No mother, save yourself. I am truly gone now.
"You already swore me one oath right here in my castle. You swore by all the gods your son would marry my daughter!" Walder Frey was not a man to cross. His mother was right, as usual.
"Take me for a hostage. But let Robb go!"
Mother no...
"Robb get up!" she pleaded. "Get up and walk out...please! PLEASE!" her voice was now pleading and desperate. He wanted to tell her to be strong and he wanted so badly to tell her that he was her strength but what strength could he possibly wish to have now? He stared down at Talisa. His wife and his child were gone and he knew that he'd be next. There was nothing left for him now. Only his mother remained to him. For all he knew Arya was dead, nobody had spoken about her for ages now. Bran and Rickon were gone and Jon was cast in the wall. Sansa was abused by Joffrey and if Jamie Lannister isn't found safely by his father then she was be dead soon as well. His father was already gone and he had lost the north.
"You lost this war the day you married her," Rickard Karstark's voice played in Robb's head. No. He was wrong. He lost the war the day he decided that he wanted to have Walder Frey as an ally again. He loved her. Too much, yes, but he loved her. Robb wouldn't accept that she was the reason that this was all happening.
But perhaps he was right.
If that were the case however, then he would die a thousand deaths just to be with her.
We follow our hearts wherever it takes us, Robb thought. That was why Jon went to the wall, because he desired it and no longer wanted to be called bastard. That is why Sansa wanted to marry prince Joffrey, now a king. She'd soon regret that but at the time that was so long ago she wanted it so badly. Robb only wished that he could protect her. That was why his mother set free Jamie Lannister, because she wanted to free his sisters and her only daughters. This was the same reason as to why he married Talisa. If their love was his downfall then it was a sweet downfall indeed.
"And why would I let him do that?" Walder Frey spoke once more.
His mother's voice was serious once again. "On my honor was a Tully, on my honor as a Stark, let him go or I will cut your wife's throat!" she threatened Walder Frey.
Robb stole one last glance as his wife.
Goodbye.
He then rose, as he thought of what his father wad told him long ago.
"How can I be brave if I'm afraid?"
"That is the only time you can be brave," he told him.
Even though Robb wasn't there to witness his father's death he already knew that he was brave even then. Though his father was the noble and brave Eddard Stark who led armies and fought wars, he must have been afraid then as Robb was now. But as his father once told him, he must be brave and that is what Robb intended to do. Until his very last breath.
"I'll find another," Lord Walder Frey spoke simply as if it were nothing.
His mother's eyes were in despair. He clutched Walder Frey's wife by the hair but she looked weak and tired. If only he could go over there and hug his mother and free her from her bounds. He would find Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon then bring them all back to her so she could be a full mother again. Robb knew that he was all she had and even though she was his mother he had to protect her now for she was his son and he knew that he wouldn't be able to get through the war without her. Before Talisa his mother was the only one who supported him.
She was his strength...and now he had to return the favor. He had to be hers.
"Mother," Robb's voice was weak.
Catelyn looked upon her son one last time and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She was so strong and Robb could only wish he could take the pain away at last. Even so, he thought that there was no point in living.
Suddenly Roose Bolton grabbed him by the shoulder.
Was he here to save him?
"The Lannisters send their regards," he said with a cold voice.
Had his voice always been so cold and uninviting? Had Roose Bolton always looked so evil and dark? He thought he was his ally. Roose Bolton was a scary man but Robb trusted him and he was wrong. Just like Theon and just like so many things.
Just like Roose Bolton's voice, his knife was cold and sharp and painful. This was the end.
Robb locked eyes with his mother once more and with one look, he said goodbye. She knew that he would understand. In that moment Robb was dying but he felt like crying and laughing and smiling all in one. He was free now. The weight of it all was gone. But his mother remained. He didn't want her to be hurt at all. She cried when she saw him fall.
Don't cry, he wanted to say to her. Please, mother, don't cry.
He felt sorry for her. The worse feeling was when his mother cried or anybody he truly loved or cared for. Robb then fell to his knees. Why was his mother's fate so horrible? He wouldn't want Talisa to be in her place and look upon her son die. So why was his mother going through this?
Catelyn continued to cry over the lost of her son...her first son. Her boy and her king at all the same time.
Robb could feel the room turning and all thoughts were gone. He could barley think. Robb saw images however. He saw images of Grey Wind who had protected him as did the other wolves his siblings got. It was fate that they received them that one day. Robb saw Talisa when they were married and when she had announced their pregnancy. He saw his father and his sibling smiling at him. Lastly he saw his mother embracing her son.
Mother, father, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Rickon, Jon, Talisa, Grey Wind all these faces swirling in his mind as he tried to fight the pain. He was a fool.
The young wolf they called him. They said he couldn't be killed and as Robb finally fell to the ground next to his dead wife and queen he thought, they were wrong.
The King in the North took his last breath.