CATELYN

More and more were arriving at Riverrun, not only refugees from the east, but also soldiers from the east, the north, the south, and mostly the west. The first to arrive were Maege Mormont's eight hundred men, driving thousands of cattle before them. The other lords of the North were still on the march, but ravens had been sent. They were coming.

The new truce caused many troubles. The bloodshed of the war so far had caused a bitter hatred to grow between the different sides, and the Lannisters were encamped at a safe distance from Riverrun. But despite that precaution there had been fights. Some between the common soldiery, and some duels between knights. The only thing keeping some measure of peace was the stream of refugees, speaking about endless columns of the dead, marching, always marching. Along the Riverroad. The populations of whole villages fled before them, even those who had lived through the Mountain's horrors.

News had come about this most terrible knight as well. Of his whole army, only one still lived, he was nearly mad with fear, driven on by the singular desire to remain alive. He claimed that the Mountain had been slain, by a lady in black. To prevent the spread of rumours Tywin Lannister had the man executed for cowardice, a choice Catelyn did not entirely agree with, but she saw the reason behind it. If the common soldiers found out that they were fighting an enemy who could slay such a monster, there could be a panic.

She had spent much of her time speaking with lord Tywin, discussing, trying to find out what sort of peace might be made. There was some progress, but several difficult points still remained.

"The lords of the North and the Trident desire some sort of compensation for the war, before they will willingly bend the knee to your grandson, and my son will renounce his royal title."

"The dead march through the Riverlands, my lady, and the king's forces will aid in their protection. Once this enemy is defeated, we will wage war against the Iron Islands, and second sons of houses that suffered in this war will receive lordships there. "

"The Iron Islands? Why the Iron Islands?"

"I offer my apologies, my lady, I had assumed that you would already be aware. Winterfel has been taken by the Ironborn. A messenger arrived this morning bearing the news."

Fallen? The great castle? No. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be. Bran and Rickon, were they safe? Had they escaped? Were they captives? Had they been murdered? And Theon, did he know? Had he betrayed them?

"I, I wish to retire for now."

"Of course, my lady, shall we continue our discussions tomorrow?"

Catelyn rushed back to the castle, to the sept. She had to pray. Her poor sons. At least lord Lannister had promised to free her daughters, as soon as it was possible to bring them here safely. But now her younger sons, both left behind, where she expected them to be safe. Behind thick walls and high towers. But those treacherous ironborn had taken it. She was no general, but she knew that taking it by storm before ravens could be sent would be impossible. It meant only one thing. Treason. And who else could have done that than always-smiling Theon?

Her immediate instinct was to ride towards Robb, to go north and to save her sons, but she knew that she couldn't. Not now. Not with the dead marching. Not now that her daughters would almost be free. Sweet Sansa and unruly Arya. She loved them both, and longed to hold them in her arms again.

As she sat praying she heard someone approach. A boy said: "My lady, your brother requests your presence, at the Solar's balcony."

Slowly she stood up. She had to be strong. Strong for Robb, for Bran, for Rickon, for Sansa and for Arya. But also for Edmure. He needed a strong person by his side.

Edmure Tully, lord paramount of the Riverlands, and her brother, stood at the balcony. His fingers white as he grasped the railing. He stared to the east.

"Edmure? What troubles you?"

"That troubles me.", he answered, pointing to the east.

Catelyn looked, she saw the road, and in the distance. There she saw it. Like a snake appearing, coming ever closer, a tidal wave. She knew what it was, she had seen armies march before. But this was an army of darkness. The dead were coming to Riverrun. Her eyes drifted closer, to the bridge. On the castle's end a palisade had been erected, along with towers for archers. The bridge was of solid stone, making demolishing it exceedingly difficult. Therefore, it had been decided to make it the battlefield.

"They will be here in two hours. Do you think that we can stop them, Cat?"

"I think that they can be. Robb is two days' march from here, and he brings most of his army. If we can hold out until then, they will be defeated. You can hold this bridge, or this castle, and they will be driven back into their graves."

An hour later a messenger had arrived, a young man, obviously smallfolk, but riding a simple horse. He carried a letter, sealed with a wolf's head. This letter had been received by the gathered lords, who were preparing their armies for battle. It was written in a peculiar script, ornate letters more suited to a tome than to a letter spelled out the message.

"We, Sybille von Carstein, countess of Sylvania, grand duchess of Talabecland, baroness of Waldenhof, lady of Halberstadt, cordially invite the leaders of the army gathered at Riverrun to meet with us under flag of truce as the sun reaches its highest point. We desire to meet you at the center of the bridge that lies between us to prevent unnecessary loss of life. Both parties will be limited to the number of five. If you agree to these terms, inform our messenger. If you do not agree to these terms, we will not show mercy."

After a brief discussion it was decided that it would be better to meet this Sybille von Carstein. Not even the maesters knew such names, or what seemed to be titles, indicating that she must be from a far away land. But perhaps it was possible to reason with her, and the discussion soon turned towards who would form the negotiating party.

Finally, four men and a woman set forth under the dark clouds to go onto the same bridge where the hasty alliance had been made. Catelyn herself rode in the middle, flanked by her brother Edmure and Tywin Lannister. They in turn were flanked by two of the greatest knights of the realm. Ser Jaime Lannister and Lord Jason Mallister, who carried the banner of truce.

From the other side, Catelyn saw five horses approach, each with a rider. Four of the horses were nothing but bones, but the central one, it was different. A large black beast with fumes coming from the nostrils, and dressed in plate armour like a wealthy knight. One of the riders carried a large black banner, showing a wolf howling to a black moon, below a scroll which read: "VON CARSTEIN"

The others were all knights, in full armour. Except for the lady. She was relatively short, compared to her knights, but what was truly strange was that she rode the horse in a way that Catelyn had never yet seen. She sat sideways on some strange contraption of a saddle.

As they got closer she could see their eyes, all of the knights were fully helmeted, and armed as if for war. For a moment she feared a trap, but was distracted by the burning fires that she saw behind the visors. They reminded her of what she had seen in her poor Ned's skull, but fiercer, as though there was some dark intelligence inside them. But even that wasn't as frightening as the woman. She might have been only small, but her skin was too pale, and her yellow eyes seemed to burn right through them. She was unarmed, dressed in black, and seemingly in perfect control. Her four knights stopped, while she continued, alone before the party of five.

And most disquieting of all, she smiled kindly: "How good of you to come here. I so hate to have to use violence vhen there are other ways to resolve a conflict. I am perfectly villing to make peace, in trade for certain concessions of course. But first, let me introduce myself, I am countess Sybille von Carstein, but you may address me as "your ladyship"."

Gruffly Edmure answered her: "And I am Ser Edmure Tully, and these are my lands. I don't know who you think you are, but I will not let my people be butchered."

"Oh, but do not vorry yourself over that! I have no intention vhatsoever to create a massacre. I desire to live in peace, surrounded by loyal subjects.", she answered, in her strange accent.

Tywin jumped in: "You speak of concessions, what kind of concessions do you desire?"

"Ah! A businessman. Might I ask you your name?"

"Lord Tywin Lannister, of Casterly Rock. Warden of the West."

"Excellent! My demands are perfectly reasonably, as you vill see.", she answered, producing a map of the Seven Kingdoms.

"Now, as you vill be able to see, I desire only these lands here, enclosed by ze Trident in ze north, ze Red Fork in ze west, ze sea in ze east and as a southern border this Blackvater Rush. I vill call it Transfluvia."

Catelyn looked in astonishment. This woman was claiming the heart of the Seven Kingdoms, carved from the Riverlands and Crownlands. And, very importantly, including King's Landing.

"And why should we grant these lands to you?", Catelyn asked.

"For very simple reasons, lady, ehm, I fear that I haven't caught your name yet."

"Lady Catelyn Stark."

"Very vell, lady Catelyn Stark, lord Tywin Lannister, sir Edmure Tully. I presume that you have children? Do you have any plans for them? Take for example you, lady Catelyn Stark. I have been told that you have two daughters. Tell me, vhat have you planned for your youngest, for example?"

This turn in the conversation surprised Catelyn, she hadn't expected Arya to come up. "She, eh, she will be a lady, married, and she will have children of her own, to bring her joy."

"And vould you already have arranged for this marriage?"

"Yes, I have, but I don't see how this is important."

"Oh! But it is very important. So, you see your dear daughter sitting in her husband's great castle, surrounded by her children. Vhich castle vill she have?"

Catelyn looked down, to avoid the yellow eyes. "None yet, he is not the firstborn son. But lands will be created for them in the North."

"So, why do you marry her to this landless man?"

"To secure an important alliance. To pass a bridge so she and her sister could be saved."

"Vell, now I vant you to imagine her future if you choose var. She vill not live in a castle, she vill not have children to enjoy. She vill live a life of suffering. She vill know only pain. I vill find her, and I vill take her. I vill break their bones, rend their flesh and drink their blood. They vill be begging me for mercy, and I vill not grant it. Only because you decided to resist my perfectly reasonable desires. So, think clearly. I expect your answer before midnight tomorrow, as I understand that there might be a need for communications."