"Fear cuts deeper than swords boy, how many times much Syrio tell you before you remember this." Syrio Forel said as Arya once again dropped her wooden swords. "Do not be afraid of my attacks, meet them with courage."
Tyler smiled as Arya picked up her sword, she had the same stubborn commitment as Rickon but she was better paced, she knew to conserve her energy. This was the second time he had watched them training and Tyler was secretly getting hints at how to train a swordsman better. Syrio was a master, the moves that he sometimes used to teach the girl a lesson were perfectly executed as if he had done them a million times and more. Tyler wondered if he might make a useful sparring partner but knew it was a wasted thought, he was Aryas now.
When they took a small break Arya ran to where Tyler sat and sat cross legged in front of him. "Do you think you could beat Syrio?" She asked bluntly.
"No I don't think so, he is the best swordsman I've ever witnessed, and I've yet to see him at his best." Tyler said truthfully.
"When Lord Stark leaves for Winterfell I go with him, we may yet find out who is better ser knight." Syrio said with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Father said that Robb said you were the best swordsman he had seen." Arya said, her voice salted with admiration.
"Well, Robb has never seen Syrio fight." Tyler said teasingly. "Have you been to see him since he arrived?"
Robb had arrived with his army three days past and made camp outside the city walls. Eddard had gone down to see him himself and told him not to abandon the camp as Tywin was out there with an army somewhere. When Robb had arrived Ned went back to court and commissioned a knight named Ser Beric Dondarrion to go to all of the high lords in the south and request aid against the traitor to the realm. Tyler was confused that this had not been done weeks ago, now Robb's forces were vulnerable to an attack from Tywin's much stronger host.
"No, Father says it's too dangerous, Sansa wanted to see him and Father forbade it, she wasn't very pleased." Arya said.
"Your father is right, Robb is in much danger until reinforcements arrive. The garrison at Storm's End will likely be first. Ser Courtnay Penrose has already sent word." Tyler said confidently.
"Will there be a big battle?" Arya said with wide eyes.
"Aye, that's the way it's looking." Tyler said solemnly.
"Please don't let Robb or Jon or Father die." Arya said a bit quieter.
"I will do all I can to keep them alive Arya but I am just one man." He said honestly.
"I know." She said before she stood back up and gripped her wooden sword again.
Tyler suddenly felt hungry and waved them goodbye before moving through the hallways to the dining room, he found Sansa sitting at the table feasting on cheese and apples with Septa Mordane sitting in the corner weaving together some kind of shawl or scarf. Tyler sat at the table and saw Sansa look into his eyes and smile as her face slowly went red without her knowing, Tyler smiled back and filled a hunk of bread loaf with cold, salted beef and began eating slowly and politely.
"Are you enjoying your knighthood Ser Tyler?" He heard the septa say suddenly.
"I suppose I am, so far it seems no different to living. People treat me with a bit more respect though." He said. "Plus it helps that I am no longer called Hill, bastards are not usually well liked in these sorts of circles."
"You are one of the few knights in Westeros that is actually worthy of the title." Sansa said suddenly.
"I thank you Lady Sansa." He said with a smile
"Will you be returning to the north with us?" Sansa asked nervously.
"My knighthood is sworn to you father and brother's service Lady Sansa, my place is wherever their place is."
"Good." She said shortly. "I look forward to returning home."
"As do we all my lady." Tyler commented.
Lady Sansa was struggling to think of something to say when a crash from behind her disturbed their meal. Jon had barged through the door, his face was ashen and his eyes were scared. Tyler rose swiftly and walked up right next to him.
"What has happened Jon?" He asked quietly.
"Father needs you." He whispered. "Right now." He added even quieter.
"I regret I cannot finish my meal with you Lady Sansa. Perhaps another time." He said, she was about to answer but Tyler had already followed Jon out the door.
Ned's office was not very far and the boys were there within a minute, Tyler struggling on his leg as he closed the door behind him. "Sit down Tyler." He said, his voice a mixture of anger and sadness.
"What is the problem Lord Stark? Has something happened to Robb?" Tyler asked as fear crept into his voice.
"Theon sent me a raven, Tywin Lannister attacked Robb's forces along the Blackwater Rush. The men of the west pulled back rather quickly despite their superior numbers, Robb was last seen fighting in a circle surrounded by enemies." Ned said, nearly whispering by the end.
"A son for a son." Tyler said distantly.
"I'll not give him Jaime." Ned said strongly. "But I will not allow my son to be at Tywin Lannister's disposal. I want you and Jon down there now and I want you to bring Robb back no matter what the cost. The trial is not for another four days, try and be back by then Tyler, please." He said.
The stress was obviously destroying the Lord Regent, he seemed so frustrated and angry at that moment that Tyler found it hard to be confident in him for a few seconds. I have a duty. Lord Stark was depending on him and he would not fail. He would never fail the Stark's for the life they had given him.
"Your son will be saved Lord Stark." Tyler said before he limped out of the room.
Ned's voice cut him off at the doorway. "And Tyler?" Tyler turned to look at his stern and unmoving face. "Do not think that you have missed out on our discussion about your little visit to Joffrey." Tyler heard Jon chuckle in the corner before he continued his departure.
An hour later Tyler was standing outside the tavern that he had found Bronn inside and the sellsword was standing quietly and patiently as Tyler explained what they needed to do. Jon found him there.
"So what I need from you is to find every available, capable sellsword in the city and tell them they will have a big payday for a quick job. We need to leave well before nightfall." Tyler finished.
"Aye ser, you'll have your men at the Gate of the Gods within the next two hours." Bronn said bluntly before he sped off.
"Is all well with your father?" Tyler asked Jon as they walked towards the gate.
"Aye, he is stressed and depressed. He feels he has put our family at risk for the sake of his honour." Jon said, shaking his head.
"There is no such thing as personal honour when it comes to justice; he is doing the realm the biggest service imaginable. The people may not realise it but my family is the most dangerous thing for Westeros, your father has spared them much pain and suffering." Tyler said honestly.
"I just hope that Robb is alright." Jon said with a dark face.
"Were there any more details?" Tyler asked suddenly.
"Oh shit, yes of course. Theon said that they saw Robb surrounded by Ser Gregor Clegane, The Mountain tha..." Jon began saying.
"I know who he is Jon, I fought with him once. Carry on." Tyler said swiftly.
"...Right. Well, Greatjon Umber tried to lead a charge to save him and ended up blocking the Mountain from the rest of his host. When Tywin retreated the Mountain was left alone and he was forced to flee with Robb into the Kingswood. Theon sent parties out to watch the tree line; if he had emerged we would know about it."
Tyler thought for a little while before saying. "Theon is in charge now?" He said, astounded.
"No Theon did that as soon as the wounded men were seen to. Then Roose Bolton named himself unofficial acting commander of the host. Starks and Boltons have no great love for each other." He finished solemnly.
When they reached the gate Tyler was surprised to find Sandor Clegane there, apparently waiting for something. "Clegane." He said politely. "To what do we owe the pleasure."
"You take pleasure from seeing me your either blind or your head's fucked, little knight." The Hound said in his raspy voice.
"Either way, what are you doing here?" Jon asked.
"A dog needs a master, you seem a capable and strong man, plus I've heard you're deadly with that sword and you've had to use it more than anyone can believe." The Hound said quietly.
"You? Want to fight for me?" Tyler said, taken aback. He began howling with laughter but when he saw the scowl on Sandor's face he wiped of his grin and quieted down. "I'm sorry Sandor, it's just I can't believe it. You're Joffrey's shield are you not?"
"Was." He said, sniffing. "Until his family got themselves out of power. I just want to fight, that's all."
"I believe you. Normally I'd be more wary in situations like this but we need every sword we can get." Tyler said, Jon shot a look at him but Tyler stared him down. "You will be fighting your brother, is that a problem?"
The Hound grinned bigger than Tyler had ever heard of him smiling. "You just made my summer Ser Snowblade."
The camp was just outside the city walls. Tyler, Jon, Bronn and the Hound all made their way on foot to where Roose Bolton, Greatjon Umber and Theon Greyjoy all waited for them.
"Lord Eddard sent a raven that you'd be coming and here you are." Roose said almost inaudibly as he walked off ahead of the group towards the big command tent behind him.
Greatjon Umber came up and clapped a hand on Jon Snow's back. "I've never heard of no snow in the capital." He said, as his laugh boomed out over the whole camp. "Come along, you can tell us about all these southern girl's you've been stabbing."
"Come, Tyler, the quicker all this is done the better." Theon said urgently.
They all followed Roose's lead into the tent and Tyler left Bronn outside with the Hound and all the sellswords, along with the fifty Winterfell men that Ned had given Jon. The command tent was smaller than Tyler expected but it reminded him of the North, grey and brown everywhere and all the principal bannermen of the Starks surrounding a circular table. The only food that Tyler saw in the room was being shoved down Wyman Manderly's throat, roast chicken with hundreds of different sauces, bread, and sweet cakes surrounded his section of the table where others had maps and letters. Greatjon Umber moved to stand beside Lord Rickard Karstark of Karhold. Maege Mormont sat fingering the top of her spiked mace next to her fearsome daughter Dacey. The woman of Bear Island looked sad and grim, it was clear to Tyler that their loyalty to Robb was genuine, whereas Lord Bolton and Lord Karstark had a look of simplicity and ease. Greatjon was fiercely loyal to Robb as everyone had learned when Grey Wind took his fingers and his son Smalljon was fiercely loyal to Greatjon. Wyman Manderly was too focused on his chicken to care, which left the Glovers. The lord of Deepwood Motte Galbart Glover and his brother Robett, they were stone-faced hard men, not particularly large in size but fierce looking none the less. They are soldiers; they will follow orders and live their lives. Tyler decided.
"My lords, Eddard Stark has commanded me to find Robb, I mean to do so by nightfall tomorrow. Any men that you could see fit to lend me would be a great help." Tyler said as the silence settled among the lords.
"Nightfall tomorrow?" Lord Karstark said with a laugh. "The child is overconfident I'd say." He said turning to Roose Bolton.
Roose held a finger to his lips. "Let us see how brave Ser Snowblade intends to accomplish this, my best hunters haven't found Gregor Clegane; what makes you think you can do it within hours?"
"There is no think involved Lord Bolton, I know I can do it within hours. Your hunters have not found Ser Gregor because they do not know him. I did once, I can cage the mad dog." Tyler said confidently.
"I would still like to know your pla..." Roose Bolton began saying.
"Will you give us the men or not!?" Jon said with his voice raised. "My brother is out there with the Mountain somewhere getting god knows what done to him."
"What will it be my lords?" Tyler said looking around at them.
"Aye, Dacey take ten of your best swords and go with Tyler and do as he says." Maege said almost instantly.
Greatjon shot Smalljon a look and he rose to leave the tent. "He'll not let you down boy." Tyler nodded his thanks.
Rickard sent his captain of guards with a scowl on his face and Galbart and Robett Glover both came forward. "We will each bring ten men." Robett said to Tyler.
"We'll rescue Robb lad, have no fear." Galbart said tenderly to Jon.
Wyman Manderly perked up and shouted for his captain of guards. "Send thirty men to rescue Robb; I want to know our leader is in good hands." None of them say lord, they do not know if Ned or Robb is lord. Tyler chuckled to himself.
"No men from you Lord Bolton? Is that what I understand?" Jon said to him calmly.
Roose almost scowled but he held it back. "My men are scouting in the Kingswood as I already said, if you need so much more go and find them!" He said as he stormed out of the tent.
As the Hound was rounding up all the men gathered Jon and Tyler sat having a drink of water. "I love the camp atmosphere." Jon said suddenly.
"You could stay? It's just as easy for me to pick up your duties in the city." Tyler suggested as he took another swig.
"I may just think about that..." He said, his voice trailing away as if he were dropping to sleep. Tyler chuckled and looked up to see him staring intently over the camp. In the near distance Tyler spotted a healer woman tending to a man with an arrow in his thigh. The girl was beautiful but the mud and blood did her no favours but Jon was completely captured with her. Jon did not even seem like he wanted to hide it. "By the gods."
"Aye." Tyler said as took another swig. Jon turned to him confused. "She's pretty." Tyler said with a chuckle.
"Pretty? Look at her, she's beautiful." Jon said distantly.
"Go and talk to her, tell her to come stay in your tent for the night." Tyler said instantly.
"Should I?" Jon said carefully, then he clicked. "What do you mean tent?"
"If you don't stay at the camp now, I will." Tyler said giving the girl a glance to annoy Jon. "I can rescue your brother without you just as easily. I have no fear of Ser Gregor Clegane."
"Why not?" Jon asked suddenly. "I mean you keep saying you know him but what do you know?"
"Ser Gregor is a human only in appearance, he is an evil twisted creature with an evil soul and a lazy conscience. He lives for chaos, blood and death. He doesn't fight for gold he fights to kill. My father figured out how to leash him, by keeping his bloodlust sated. The Mountain has been destroying my father's enemies for years. This task of keeping Robb as a hostage with no contact to my father will bore him. But he will wait in the woods until the lion clears away the wolves for him, and I know where he will wait, because I fought there with him when I was fourteen years old." Tyler finished meekly, he did not want to say the last bit but it slipped out.
"What happened?" Jon asked carefully.
"A man came to see my father when I was ten years old, he was old but not yet in his elderly years, about your father's age; perhaps older. But he came to my father seeking private audience. He told him that he was Tytos Lannister's bastard son, my grandfather's bastard son. He claimed that he had all the smallfolk of Lannisport and Casterly Rock ready to follow him and destroy my father and his family. I only learned all this because I was hidden in the chest at the head of my father's table in his solar. Anyway, the moment my father got up and approached him in anger I heard the cloth touch the steel. So I busted out of the box, surprising both of them, I grabbed the man's hand and wrestled the knife from him. Tywin beat him and said he would have him hanged. The next morning he was freed by a group of warriors, the guards chased them off and that was the last we saw of him for some time. But A Lannister pays his debts and eventually four years later word reached us that he was living in the Kingswood with a small army in an abandoned ruin of a fort. So father sent the Mountain and he sent me with him to show me how real battle was done. We cleared out the bandits quite easily but the man was not there." Tyler paused and took another drink, breathing slowly. "A warhorn sounded somewhere through the trees and the man returned with a larger group of men carrying some banners of some outlaw lord or another. We tried to defend the ruin, but there were too many openings. I begged the Mountain to surrender, that we might be spared. I was younger then, far more naïve. He laughed and told me to stick at his side. I rallied the men and we all followed him into the fray, he was a madman, he killed damn near all of them and we just picked up his leavings. I killed a few to be sure and I kept my pace with him but he was unstoppable that day. It's his favourite story to tell, no doubt if he's stuck in the Kingswood, that's where he's going." Tyler said, staring out into the trees before looking back at the small group of warriors assembled.
"Are you ok?" Jon asked suddenly.
"I am in command of all these men; if they die I am responsible." Tyler said, letting fear shadow his voice.
"Then do not let them die." Jon said with a chuckle, grabbing the cup.
