Ok so I've had a few reviews talking about how 'canon' this story is, so I thought I'd make everyone clear on what this story is and what I'm like. I like canon, I think it's a good story to tell and I'm looking forward to the final 2 series of the show. This fic is an adaption of Canon adding in another Stark character who is younger than Robb. Please remember that when he's at war he is under Robb's command and going against that command is treason, which Ned would have drilled into Torrhen is unacceptable, while all other POV's that are barely affected by Torrhen's immediate actions hardly change. I understand the fact people think it's too close to canon because it is, and if you don't like it I can't force you to read this, but I urge you to keep with me as it will slowly diverge in the first part of the story. I have brief plans now up until the end of series 6 of the show and I know where this story is heading, and to get there I need to follow certain plotlines of the show. If that means people lose interest and I'm writing for 1 person or 1000 then so be it, I'll carry on until the end of the series. But please remember it's a canon fic, while some bits might change, as it stands on Series 1 Episode 10 I feel like I've changed all I can while making Torrhen non-overpowered, non-arrogant in his abilities and I feel like I've made him a believable Second Son. If anybody has an idea of how to improve this fic then I welcome the reviews and I will happily answer my thoughts as long as they aren't too spoilery. But reviews such as the one by Droosh calling this story uninteresting because it's following canon is quite hurtful, luckily I'm made of thicker skin and I'll carry this on for the people that actually enjoy it, and hopefully I can keep the followers that think it isn't so interesting. I'm not going to pretend I'm a fantastic story writer, I almost failed my English exams at GCSE after all, but I'm trying my best so please at least for this first fic give me a little slack.
Like always, I only own Torrhen, nothing else belongs to me unfortunately.
Torrhen rose to the sound of scratching and the cries of a raven at his window. Rising out of his bed he put the Stark leather armour that was on the edge of his bed on and walked out towards the courtyard. Finding the Raven again, he walked towards it, until the bird flew off again, landing on the stone Direwolf on the right hand side of the crypt, where all the Stark Kings and Lords were buried. Frowning, Torrhen followed the raven, as it flew in to the crypts.
Walking past famous Stark Kings such as Brandon the Shipwright, Brandon the Burner, Edric Snowbeard and Brandon Ice Eyes, Torrhen followed the raven further. Reciting the names as he went such as Walton the Moon King, Benjen the Bitter, Benjen the Sweet and Edwyn the Spring King. Until he got to Torrhen Stark, the King Who Knelt, stopping and taking in his namesake.
"A brave man" Torrhen remarked, before fallowing the noisy raven further into the crypts, into the part which held the Wardens of the North after Aegon's conquest. Seeing his grandfather's tomb on the left, and his Aunt Lyanna's and Uncle Brandon's tomb, he noticed that the raven had stopped in the clearing up ahead that was to be his father's when he died. Walking timidly towards the clearing, Torrhen turned a corner and saw a figure in the shadows.
"Who's there?" Torrhen called to the shadowy figure. Saying nothing, the figure just walked slowly towards Torrhen until he was illuminated by light, and Torrhen gasped as a pale, dead looking Eddard Stark was in front of him, looking him up and down Torrhen noticed his father was in the same sort of leather armour as he was in, but it was blood stained. Looking up he noticed a long scar on his neck, and his eyes looked dead.
Panting, Torrhen sat up. Gathering his surroundings, he noticed he was in a different room. "Riverrun" He whispered, remembering the 'Battle of the Camps' as it had come to be known, where the Northern Army had slaughtered the besieging Lannisters, between that and the Battle of the Whispering Wood, all of Jaime Lannisters forces had either died or scattered, mostly died. As Torrhen sat up and looked out of the window he noticed he'd slept in late, and hurried about getting ready for the day. Not finding Robb he ended up outside the castle, confused at all the soldiers, servants and lord bowing their heads and saying "My Lord" too him, but not meeting his eyes. After walking for a few minutes he came to a clearing where he heard his mother's voice.
"We have to get the girls back. And then we will kill them all." Catelyn said. Torrhen walked over to them and saw his Mother and Brother in a firm embrace.
"What's happened?" Torrhen asked, as they both turned to him, tears in their eyes.
"Father…" Robb started, before choking on his words and turning to the hill behind him. Torrhen looked at his mother questioningly.
"King… King Joffrey cal… Called for your father's death." Cat struggled.
Torrhen felt as if he'd been struck by a thousand punches. "He's… He's dead?" He asked, as timid as a new born. Catelyn nodded before crushing him in an almighty hug, sobbing her eyes out as Torrhen started crying in to her shoulder.
"I swear it, on the old gods and the new I will make them pay, I will make them all pay." Robb said darkly, still looking to the horizon.
"We all will." Catelyn sniffed, calling silently for Robb to join them, and the three Stark's at Riverrun embraced each other, mourning Ned, yet fierce minded about the destruction that they would bring those who wronged them.
Later that night there was a feast for all the Lords of the North and Riverlands that had travelled to Riverrun. Torrhen sitting next to his mother as Robb was with his most important lords. The food had been cleared and now a debate on what to happen next had begun. Torrhen thought it was too overwhelming and just wanted to go to his rooms and cry his eyes out over his Father's death, but propriety wouldn't let him. Torrhen noticed Gregor Forrester sitting with Rodrik over in a corner, their house still not big enough to be considered important even with Torrhen's betrothal to Talia.
"The proper course is clear" Jonos Bracken, a Riverlord, was saying to the group. "Pledge fealty to King Renly and move south to join our forces with his." Renly had amassed the strength of the Stormlands and the Reach, rumoured to be some 100,000 strong.
"Renly is not the king." Robb announced to his bannerman, old and new.
"You cannot mean to hold to Joffrey, my lord." Bracken argued. "He put your father to death."
"That doesn't make Renly king." Robb told him, before speaking to the rest of the Lords. "He's Robert's youngest brother. lf Bran can't be Lord of Winterfell before me, Renly can't be king before Stannis."
"Do you mean to declare us for Stannis?" Bracken asked him.
"Renly is not right! lf we put ourselves behind Stannis…" Galbert Glover, sat next to Gregor Forrester, shouted.
"My Lords. My Lords!" The Greatjon bellowed. "Here is what l say to these two kings." He said, before spitting on the floor. "Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should they rule over me and mine from some flowery seat in the South? What do they know of the Wall or the Wolfswood? Even their gods are wrong!" He announced causing a healthy laughter from all the Northern Lords, Torrhen included. Continuing the Greatjon bellowed. "Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we bowed to and now the dragons are dead!" Unsheathing his sword and pointing it towards Robb. "There sits the only king l mean to bend my knee to - the King in the North!" The Greatjon roared, bending his knee towards Torrhen's brother. Robb looked like he was thinking for a minute, before standing up facing the Greatjon.
Torrhen was shocked, is this really happening? He wondered. His thoughts were answered as Rickard Karstark stood up.
"I'll have peace on those terms. They can keep their Red Castle and their iron chair too." Lord Karstark said, before unsheathing his sword and bending the knee towards Robb as well. "The King in the North!"
Theon stood up at that moment. "Am l your brother, now and always?" He asked.
"Now and always." Robb replied.
Theon took out his sword as well and bowed before Robb. "My sword is yours in victory and defeat, from this day until my last day."
Torrhen decided this was his time to stand up. As another Stark male, the room went eerily quiet as all eyes were upon the two brothers, it had happened numerous times before where younger brothers became jealous of their kingly elders. Torrhen wasn't that way inclined. "You're my brother, I'll follow you to the seven hells if you asked me too and wouldn't question a word." He announced. Unsheathing his sword Torrhen bent his knee before his brother, staring him proudly in the eyes and bellowed. "THE KING IN THE NORTH!"
"The King in the North! The King in the North! The King in the North! The King in the North!" The Lords all chanted, taking out their swords and kneeling before Robb. Torrhen carried on proudly, only noticing his Mothers slight grimace out of the corner of his eye.
The Lannister War council was in session, and it wasn't going well. Tywin was stood in the corner, not looking towards anyone else in the tent. "They have my son." He said.
"The Stark boy appears to be less green than we'd hoped." Tyrion commented.
"I've heard his wolf killed a dozen men and as many horses." Said Leo Lefford.
"ls it true about Stannis and Renly?" Asked Addam Marbrand.
"Both Baratheon brothers have taken up against us. Jaime captured, his armies scattered. It's a catastrophe. Perhaps we should sue for peace." Kevan Lannister said, looking towards Tywin's back. Tyrion intentionally knocked his goblet on the floor of the tent, smashing it in the process.
"There's your peace." The dwarf said to the council. "Joffrey saw to that when he decided to remove Ned Stark's head. You'll have an easier time drinking from that cup than you will bringing Robb Stark to the table now. He's winning – in case you hadn't noticed."
"I'm told we still have his sisters." Kevan said.
"The first order of business is ransoming Ser Jaime." Lefford announced.
"First we must return to Casterly Rock to raise –"
"They have my son!" Tywin shouted. "Get out, all of you." Everyone went to leave the tent, and Tywin sat down in his chair, looking towards Tyrion and saying. "Not you."
Tyrion sat down reaching for the wine flask, which Tywin grabbed quickly, halting his son before pouring him a drink. "You were right about Eddard Stark. lf he were alive, we could have used him to broker a peace with Winterfell and Riverrun, which would have given us more time to deal with Robert's brothers. But now – madness. Madness and stupidity." Tywin said, slamming a message down on the table. "l always thought you were a stunted fool. Perhaps l was wrong."
"Half wrong." Tyrion told him. "I'm new to strategy, but unless we want to be surrounded by three armies, it appears we can't stay here."
"No one will stay here. Ser Gregor will head out with 500 riders and set the Riverlands on fire from God's Eye to the Red Fork. The rest of us will regroup at Harrenhal. And you will go to King's Landing." Tywin told Tyrion.
"And do what?" Tyrion asked.
"Rule." Tywin announced. "You will serve as Hand of the King in my stead. You will bring that boy king to heel, and his mother too, if needs be. And if you get so much as a whiff of treason from any of the rest – Baelish, Varys, Pycelle…"
"Heads, spikes, walls." Tyrion interrupted. "Why not my uncle? Why not anyone? Why me?" He asked Tywin, surprised at the command.
"You're my son." Tywin said, announcing it as if it were the only reason in the world worth giving, before getting up to leave the tent, leaving Tyrion to think upon his new mission.
Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea was conducting a funeral for her late Husband, Khal Drogo. Standing regal as her bloodrider Rakharo picked up three dragon eggs from a chest, that she had received as a wedding present.
"ls this your command, Khaleesi?" Rakharo asked, to which Daenerys nodded, letting Rakharo put the eggs on the pyre.
Ser Jorah Mormont, an exile from The North and Daenerys' faithful sword stepped towards her. "Drogo will have no use for dragon eggs in the Night Lands. Sell them. You can return to the Free Cities and live as a wealthy woman for all your days." He told her
"They were not given to me to sell." She said.
"Khaleesi, my Queen, l vow to serve you, obey you, to die for you if need be, but let him go, Khaleesi. l know what you intend. Do not." He begged, as Daenerys was planning to join Drogo on the pyre, joining him in the Night Lands.
"l must. You don't understand." She told Jorah.
"Don't ask me to stand aside as you climb on that pyre. l won't watch you burn."
"ls that what you fear?" Daenerys asked, kissing him tenderly on the cheek before turning to the rest of the Dothraki and Lhazareen that had gathered by the pyre."You will be my khalasar. l see the faces of slaves. l free you. Take off your collars. Go if you wish, no one will stop you. But if you stay it will be as brothers and sisters, as husbands and wives." She told them powerfully. A few left at those words. Staring at Mirri Maz Duur, the witch that had stolen both Daenerys' husband and son from her, she commanded Jorah. "Bind this woman to the pyre. You swore to obey me."
Jorah nodded and did as he was bid. Dany turned again to the crowd around the pyre. "l am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen of the blood of old Valyria. I am the Dragon's daughter. And I swear to you that those who would harm you will die screaming."
"You will not hear me scream." The witch shouted from the pyre.
"I will." Dany said shortly. "But is not your screams I want, only your life."
Grabbing a torch Dany set the pyre alight, a spectacle that involved two circles surrounding the structure that held both the witch and Drogo. Mirri Maz Duur started incanting some form of spells, before she succumbed to the flames eating away at her flesh, and started screaming loudly, making everyone but Dany uncomfortable.
Feeling the time was right, Dany walked towards the fire, stepping over the flames as if they were nothing to be scared of, climbing on the pyre and letting herself be engulfed by the flames.
The next day, Jorah went towards the pyre followed by Rhakaro and a few other Dothraki, in order to find out if anything was left, waking up the Dothraki and Lhazareen that remained. As the smoke clearedhe saw Dany sat cross legged, hunched over and naked as the day she came in to the world, but with three baby dragons crawling over her body.
"Blood of my blood." Jorah whispered, bowing before her. And Dany stood up looking towards her khalasar, who all kneeled before her, no longer Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, but Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons.
I know the older parts of the Crypts are flooded, but I thought that the crypts would more likely go outwards in as the years go by, meaning that from when they started burying Stark Kings in the crypts they'd start at the entrance, hence I went in a form of Chronological order with former Starks based on the lineage shown in CK2.
And so goes Season 1. I'm going to take a small break, as my DVD's are back at university and I haven't seen Season 2 in a while so I need to refresh myself, but I'll hopefully have the next chapter up soon.
Thank you to everyone that's reading this, I know I went on a mini rant at the start of the chapter but everyone reading this is important to me and I want to please you all, even though that probably isn't possible. A special mention has to go to Brandon of House Stark, who has reviewed constantly and been a great source of motivation. As well as RHatch89 who has only not reviewed once (I think that's because of my quick uploads more than anything though).
C.E.W – Very good ideas there, I like the idea of the group forming although whether I do it and whether they will be the people involved I don't know, but thank you!
Brandon of House Stark: I've seen every spoiler! I just didn't want to spoil anything in the story for those who haven't seen them! Thanks again for the review, it really means a lot.
Sceonn: I understand that, as much as I'd like Torrhen to go and spread his wings more he's still a 13 year old boy, no matter how talented in battle the age will still affect him as proven by Robb's inability in the books. Torrhen is good for following orders at the moment, with the occasional good idea for planning so I need Robb alive.
Droosh: Think I've answered your review before, I wasn't just singling you out but your review was the one that got me needing to say something. True divergence from canon will happen later, but even so there will still be canonical events happening as Torrhen can't affect everything at once.