A/N: Well Loves, here is chapter 11! This took quite a bit of thought and scene IV gave me quite a bit of trouble in the beginning (you can't even guess how many versions of it I made). Thank you to everyone who has subscribed and reviewed, it means so much and really does encourage me to keep going.

Mid-terms and spring break are coming up here shortly, so it may be two to three weeks until chapter 12 appears. Thank you for your patience with this chapter and your kind words of encouragement. After 3 years of writers block I'm starting to get my sea legs once again.

I present to you: Chapter 11

A/N 1.5: Thank you to those who corrected my spellings, I have gone through and fixed the ones that were pointed out. Sometimes I forget to name check after I get dialogues out (I write it out as the actual conversation plays in the background)

I

"I mothered more than just rebels, a fact you seem to have forgotten." Catelyn said with a disheartened sigh. If she only closed her eyes she could remember what it had been like back safe in Winterfell. Her children gathered around her at table, their warm smiling faces looking at her even as snowy drafts blew through cracks in the stone. Gods how she wished there was some way to set it right.

"If I trade the King Slayer for two girls my bannermen will string me up by my feet," Robb said, the frustration clear in his voice as he shook his head. The weight of the furs on his shoulders served to remind him of everything that now weighed on him. He leaned back against the table, wincing at the pull in his stitches. One way or another, she was always on his mind.

"Then trade the Lannister girl!" She hissed.

"That isn't going to happen," Robb said measuredly. This was not a topic he felt like getting into with his mother. Sura was his prisoner, and he would be damned if he let the Lannister's have her back. Even if she wanted to leave, she knew far too much. Their entire war effort would be foiled and they would all be killed if Tywin learned what she knew.

"You want to leave Sansa in the Queen's hands?"Catelyn started up again, working herself almost into hysteria, "and Arya? I haven't heard a word about Arya. What are we fighting for if not for them?"

"It's more complicated than that. You know it is." Robb shouted in return to his mother. Had she been paying attention to anything that was going on around her? The soldiers out there were no longer fighting to save their Liege Lord - Ned Stark was dead - they were fighting for their independence from the Crown. No amount of his mother's pleading was going to change that circumstance. At his unwavering look, Catelyn seemed to shrink.

"It's time for me to go home. I haven't seen Bran or Rickon in months."

"You can't go to Winterfell."

"Beg your pardon?" Catelyn was taken aback by her son's sudden rebuke.

"I'll send Rodrick to watch over the boys, 'cause tomorrow, you'll ride to the Stormlands."

"Why in the name of all the gods would you," she began in exasperation, when her eldest son quickly cut her off.

"Because I need you to negotiate with Renly Baratheon." His eyes searched hers for support and understanding, "He's rallied an army of one hundred thousand, you know him, you know his family."

"I haven't seen Renly Baratheon since he was a boy! You have a hundred other lords," she started again. Seeming almost desperate not to be given the assignment. But the King in the North had made up his mind.

"Which of these lords do I trust more than you? If Renly sides with us we'll outnumber them two to one," he had an excellent point, "and when they feels the jaws beginning to shut they'll sue for peace. We'll get the girls back, and then we'll all go home. For good." It was a pleasant fiction, one that could become reality if everything went in their favor. For that to happen Robb needed Renly and his men.

"I will ride at first light." Catelyn conceded, seeing the truth in her son's words. Embracing his mother, Robb kissed her forehead, wishing they could go back to simpler times.

His forehead still resting against his mother's, Robb whispered reassuringly to her. "We will all be together again soon, I promise."

Stepping out of the embrace, Catelyn took a moment to take a good, long look at her firstborn. Tall and handsome, he had become quite the man over the last several months. Responsibility had a way of doing that.

"You've done so well, your father would be proud." Lady Stark could not hide the pain or anguish in her voice. It was the first she had even referred to her late husband. The wound was still deep for both of them.

"Give Lord Renly my regards," Robb said sadly over his shoulder as he began to leave the tent.

"King Renly," she said, rolling her eyes and emphasizing the man's title, "there's a king in every corner now."

For several moments after Robb had gone, Catelyn stood completely still. Her heart ached desperately, she felt sick with worry for her daughters and she was worried sick about all of her sons. Robb may have been named a King, but he was her eldest son. She inwardly bristled at the thought of the Lannister girl still at his side, unchecked and unchallenged in her absence. So Catelyn decided that something needed to be done.

II

Sighing, Robb stared down at the map in front of him. Hoping that maybe, if he stared long enough that the answers to all his questions would spring forth from the page. What was he supposed to do? Which strategy kept the most people alive? War was an exhausting business, one that he truly hadn't been prepared for. Robb was so absorbed in his thoughts that it took Theon clearing his throat several times before the young King was ripped from his reverie. Glancing up at his friend, he nodded a small greeting.

"Your Grace, some of the men are complaining about the Lannister girl."

"Complaining?" Robb said in incredulity. He had heard no such complaints, "She saved my life. Do they want me to chain her beside her father?"

"They don' trust her at your side," Theon said in exasperation. "She killed good men." Robb provided only silence in response. This was an argument he had heard before. "She's been able to slip past her guard more than once and gotten to her father without so much as anyone noticing. She's dangerous."

"I will consider it." Robb hissed dismissively to his once best friend. They had both changed quite a bit since this war had started. It had only served to drive a deep wedge between them. At one time they had been as close as brothers and Robb would have gladly accepted his company, but now they were two completely different people. Rubbing his hands over his dirty face, Robb stared down at the map again.

What did they expect him to do?

III

Candlelight danced off the wall, the city had fallen into a quiet nighttime hum. There were so many things to do and so many more to worry about. Between the trouble with the Starks, his nephew's stupidity, and his brother's imprisonment Tyrion was exhausted. The documents Robb had sent, giving his terms of surrender, had made no mention of Sura. The uncertainty of her safety worried him, she was a very valuable piece in this game.

He knew his niece was no fool. She'd spent days on her grandfather's knee, listening to his war stories as he played out ancient battles on a map. She was clever and she was smart, qualities he credited himself with teaching her, and if all else failed her exceptional ability to lie would be her saving grace. So absorbed was he in his own thoughts, Tyrion did not even notice Lord Baelish enter the room.

"I don't appreciate being made a fool of dwarf!" Lord Baelish bellowed as he approached. Tyrion simply looked at him. "If Myrcella marries the Martel boy she can't very well marry Robert Arryn. Can she?"

"No. Afraid not, sorry about that."

"And Harrenhall? That's off the table as well?" Baelish did a poor job of hiding his disappointment.

"Yes, I fear so. Sorry about that too."

"Leave me out of your next deception." Little finger spat feeling thoroughly embarrassed and repulsed.

"That's a shame, you were to be the centerpiece of my next deception. My brother Jaime rots in a Northern Stockade. I would see him, and my niece, released. That's where you come in." His voice was measured, lacking all excitement of energy. It was as though his mind was still very far away. Of course there were many things on the dwarf's mind. He was running the damn kingdom while trying to keep his family alive. His head was constantly pounding.

"Robb Stark will never release the Kingslayer." Baelish uttered the words rather definitively, and for a second Tyrion wondered whose side he was really on. Of course, the answer was the Baelish was on whichever side was best for Baelish.

"No he won't, but his mother might. How would you like to see your beloved Cat again?" Wide eyed, Baelish just stared at him. Petyr's boyhood affection for Catelyn Tully was legendary, and Tyrion was using that to his advantage. Before an answer could be given, Brom's shoes scuffed the stone and announced his presence. Turning his attention for the Master of Coin, Tyrion called over to Brom, "Find him?"

"Oh aye. And he has company." The mercenary chuckled in poorly hidden delight. "Filthy old stout, I almost hate to interrupt."

"No you don't."

"No I don't," Brom agreed shaking his head, and with that he turned and walked out of the room. For a moment there was only silence, Lord Baelish was watching Tyrion closely, and with a small smile, the dwarf set down his book, hopped to his feet and waddled from the room. Hoping against all hope that at least something decent would come out of this plan.

In the meantime, he had a Kingdom to run.

IV

Having been removed, rather harshly, from Robb's tent, Sura lead towards where her father was being held. As they moved deeper into the camp, the voices of the dead and dying began to creep into her mind until the cries reverberated in her mind.

Like bees they all milled about their duties. Drones for the Queen of War, she thought unhappily as she was tugged across the sloppy ground. Her arm ached from the way the soldier held her. Did they expect her to bolt? When she protested, the burly, cold eyed guard squeezed harder. It's a wonder he didn't break her arm. Repeatedly she searched the passing soldiers for Rowan, but he was nowhere to be found. Utterly alone, she was half dragged to her new holdings, and tossed inside.

For several hours she prowled the small space, fuming. Sura cradled her wounded pride. Furious she let her mind swim through her bloody thoughts. How dare they treat her like that? Didn't they know who she was? Had Robb ordered this? He must have. He was the only one with that kind of authority around here. Why? After everything she'd done for him.

The questions were endless, and her head was pounding by the time a pair of servants delivered her belongings and laid out a small feast on the rickety table. In an attempt to drown out the roar in her ears, Sura motioned for a servant to bring her a drink.

After her first cup of wine she could feel the warmth in her face. The buzzing in her ears was beginning to fade. By her second she was mentally cursing Robb Stark and his stupid war. Being in her father's camp had been tolerable, being in Robb's tent was bearable, but this treatment was unacceptable.

After her third cup she was going through the trunk the servants had brought her, digging through the mass of cloth, her hands grasping for the solid surface that should have met her fingers. With a small cry of distress she wheeled around, rocking unsteadily and nearly losing her balance. It had been a long time since she'd had this much to drink this quickly.

"You!" She said, pointing to the mousy looking slave girl by the firepit, "Fetch me the Squid."

"Greyjoy!" Sura snapped, throwing a deadly look at the confused girl. Without hesitation, the servant girl bolted from the tent, and returned not half an hour later with a response Sura didn't want to here.

"DAMN SQUID!" She roared, hurling her cup across the room. Blue eyes nearly white with emotion, Sura's voice dropped low as she hissed at the mousey girl. "You go back and tell him to come. Do NOT leave until he agrees. Do not make me tell you again. Fail again and it'll cost you your nose!" The terrified girl was gone once again.

Waving at the other servant, who had been silent through all of this, Sura eased into one of the uncomfortable chairs that had been provided for her. Without hesitation the girl provided a new glass and filled it with more wine. Quietly sipping her drink, Sura stared at the flames. The cracking of the twigs echoed, and once again death crept into Sura's mind. There was nothing here but death. All of these soldiers were going to die in horrible, bloody ways. There was no beauty in the guts spilled across the field, men were moaning in agony, just waiting to die. She wanted out of this wretched place.

"Whats this about?" Theon barked, rude as always as he strutted into Sura's new residence. "You summoning me?"

"Elegant as always," Sura said, swirling the liquid in her glass. She gestured to the other servant to pour wine for their guest, despite the fact that Sura would much prefer to run a knife through his heart.

"I need your help," she said with a defeated sigh.

"Oh?" Theon's eyebrows rose in surprise. Of all the scenarios he had thought of, her needing his help had not been one of them. Accepting the wine he took to one of the chairs, setting his heels up on the table, knocking over a plate of strawberries in the process. "And why would I help you?"

"Because you have no real stake in this," Sura said, barely veiling her contempt for his desecration of the strawberries. The islanders were such barbarians. "Tomorrow this will all be behind you."

"Your point?" Theon said as he grabbed a handful of grapes and ate them one at a time. Theon had been able to convince Robb to separate from the blond witch, and he was inwardly pleased with the decline of her situation, but Robb still sent her some of the better food. The flush in her cheeks told him she'd had a few cups of wine already. Her speech was surprisingly measured, and she was still beautiful.

"On the table in Robb's tent is a large leather book. It's mine and I want it back."

"A book?" He openly laughed at her request.

"Yes, a book," she snarled with indignation her eyes blazing with pride. "It is important to me, and I want it back."

"Well," Theon articulated slowly before he drained his glass, taking a long moment to think. Or just simply taking time to torment her. "What do I get in return?"

Part of her could not believe she was about to strike this bargain. The other knew that it was necessary. Certain events had to happen, a single breeze had set the boat off course, another was needed to set things right. Plus, that book was worth far more than anyone had come to realize yet. It was important that things remained that way.

"Bring me the book, and you'll have what you want."

The look in his eyes was all the answer she needed.

Men were such simple creatures.

As always your comments, questions or concerns are important to me! Either leave a comment below or shoot me a message.

Just repeating: Mid-terms and spring break are coming up for me. I can almost guarantee that an update will not come before the 16th.