The next time Catelyn would see her son she would be ridding up to him surrounded by Tyrells. Loras unhappily rode the whole way with them to protect them she believed more so to protect his sister then her the northern woman who helped take him from Renly. And with the Tyrells the whole of the Reach came to their side. On the other side of Catelyn was another Tyrell. Margery a 'girl' of 16 with her dress practically open, she wasn't exactly the women she had wanted for Robb but she was there best offer.
They came along the king talking to a foreign beauty he seemed so very beguiled with Catelyn had to clear her throat to get his attention but first her eyes went to Margery who seemed as calm and lovely as she had the entire ride.
"Rob." Catelyn said to stop Robb from talking more to this girl.
"Mother." He called back with a smile embracing her, Catelyn smiled too if only for one moment leaving it all behind the whole world and war, she was back with her eldest child and he was healthy and safe, she had to tell herself that the Tyrell girl would make him stay safe and healthy, at least the backing of her family could.
He noticed The Tyrells on either side of her and then their banners.
"Robb, this is Loras Tyrell." Catelyn introduced Loras looked the king up and down, maybe some would find the grisly man handsome to him he seemed more barbaric, kings should look like Renly calm, kind. "My King." Loras finally uttered and the words hurt, but his grandmother was right Renly would be killed long before he could rule. Renly would have made a good king he knew it, but to take the throne meant spilling blood something the young wolf didn't shy away from.
Robb looked from Lora's to his mother shocked.
"And Lady Margery Tyrell, his sister. Your new future bride." Catelyn said and in all his disbelief her eyes told them they would talk later.
"Your Grace. You can not understand how honored I am to stand beside you, for our houses to stand by each other. To be yours." She said softly as if to feign innocence but there was nothing inherently innocent about how she said 'yours'. Margery's eyes turned to Talisa waiting to be introduced.
"Right, this is Lady Talisa." Robb introduced. Lady Talisa kept her head down. "She's been helping with the wounded she's been…very…helpful." Robb said awkwardly making Catelyn look at her son asking the Gods where this boys brain has gone.
The Tyrell siblings shared a glance missed by both the wolves. "Lady Talisa." Catelyn said, and Loras and Margery repeated the greeting Margery with a large welcoming smile as if she was not the new girl at the camp.
Talisa nodded in respect. "Lady Stark, Lady Tyrell, Ser Loras. " Talisa said simply.
"Lady Talisa?" Catelyn asked.
"Myger." Talisa replied simply, she couldn't help but look at Lady Margery she was beautiful and to be the king in the norths wife. She already felt defeat.
"Forgive me I do not know this name." Catelyn said trying to keep up appearances.
"It's an unusual name here. " Talisa said softly.
"Not unusual in valantis though." Margery added.
"No, it's not." Talisa agreed beautiful and intelligent the future queen of the north seemed to be. "Excuse me my ladies, your grace." Talisa said before running off.
Then it was just the four of them when Robb noticed all the Tyrell men with all the Tyrell gold and wheat.
"A gift from house Tyrell, these men were sent to protect me and your mother on journey to you, the Tyrell army and the armies of the reach wait with my father for your orders." Margery said.
A plan hit Robb and he went strait to his tent and his mother and to Catelyn's surprise Margery followed as well. Loras tended to their horses.
"My Lady I doubt the plans of battle will interested you that much." Catelyn said kindly.
"Oh, I am so grateful for your care Lady Catelyn, but I am all to excited to see the young wolf work." She said as they went that way. "I know I may not be the wife you would have wanted for your son, but I want to be good to him, and I want us to be close." The younger woman said her voice like honey. Catelyn smiled slightly. "I want that as well." She said they both entered after Robb who was already at the board grabbing more wolf pieces.
"How many?" He asked barley stopping.
"Grandma says they can spare 70'000 away from Highgarden, 70'000 roses." Margery said as lovely as ever but her point evident.
"Apologizes my lady, I do not believe we have Roses, I will commission some for you." He promised Margery looked him up and down he was handsome, and as true and noble as she had heard, that didn't matter right now making him king of more than a land of ice mattered now.
"How very kind, I know my arrival and our recent engagement must be a shock to you, I hope I am not a disappointment." She told him looking down.
"Of course, not Lady Margery, I am happy to join our houses, in the mean time my I ask you to let my sigil represent your family until we have one made for you?" Robb asked she had to smile, he was good at talking better then she thought a northerner would be. He was feigning calmness well, breathing seemed hard right now how fast things were moving but that is what he did, breath in and out it was his focus.
"I suppose it's fitting, two houses joining for the greater good of the seven releams.
He added the extra wolves to the Reach.
"I was told the Tyrell's have 100,000 men?" Catelyn said.
"We must protect the reach." Margery reminded.
"Mother, 70'000 is more than enough, to surround Harenhal, and then, take Castle Rock."
"Oh Robb!" Catelyn said looking over the plans. "you've done it."
"Wait, why Castle Rock?" Margery asked.
"It's the Lannister's seat." Catelyn said not paying the girl much mind.
"Yes, but it's just a castle with money inside, the Lannister's aren't there, not the ones that matter, turn that to kings landing." Margery said.
"No, I need those Lannister's well and good to give me all I demand." Robb said with a small smile. "I need to send your father a raven telling them to move, the faster we do it the faster the war ends." Robb promised.
"Our father will take no orders from you for our men until you have married my sister." Loras said Barging in.
"The closest Godswood with a weirwood tree is almost nights ride from here." Catelyn said closing her eyes. Everything was happening so fast.
"We head back to the vale just a small party the rest stay hear with Umber, I'll send a Raven to your father before we go, by the time he moves his men, I will have married your sister." Rob promised.
Loras looked at Margery before nodding. Robb went off to speak with his men, Catelyn excused herself as well Margery went with Loras as he got the horses.
"He's not taken with me." Margery said matter of factly.
"He is going to marry you does it matter how taken he is?" Loras asked.
"He needs to be infatuated with me so I can have control over him." Margery responded.
"I think, you want more then just control over him, I think you want him." Loras said smiling making his sister smile too. "And you don't?" She asked he gave her only a stern look in reply.
I promise the chapters will get longer. Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading.