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Slightlynerdy

Wolves and Hounds.

Chapter 14.

The din of hooves pounding against the cobbled road reverberated through his skull. He howled woefully at the riders, urging them not to go towards the two looming towers that were stark black against the rising sun. A deep howl responded to him, his brother… He raced towards the lines of the two legged creatures sat on the four, sniffing and tasting the air. He darted amongst the legs of the horses, startling the dumb animals causing them to almost toss their riders off their backs. He could smell his brother's scent even more now. Near the front of the human pack. Darting between wagon wheels and marching men he reached the front of the lines. Grey Wind… Robb…

Tarynn woke in a cold, feverish sweat. Clutching her chest as if she had been stabbed, she gasped for air. Her mind was a blur of scenes, scents and noises.

What's happening to me?

She looked down at her hands and for an instant she thought she saw dark brown paws, a shudder rippled through her.

Tome?!

She stood, shaking from head to toe. Quietly she went to where Arya lay, sleeping as soundly as a babe. She crouched and shook her baby sister, "Arya… Arya… Wake up. We need to move on". Arya opened her sleepy grey eyes, looking up at Tarynn with sleep induced confusion. "We need to get to Robb."

After they had packed up their small camp, they led the horses to where she knew Sandor was keeping watch. He had been up most of the night, only sleeping when Tarynn woke up to feed Edmon, He was sat on the fringes of the clearing, head lolled to one side, Edmon slept soundly in his arms. Tarynn thanked the old gods that she had woke when she did. Anyone could have snuck up on them since Sandor had fallen asleep. She let Stranger go and the big black warhorse went over to his master, nickering softly and biting the hair on the top of his head.

Her love woke with a grunt, cracking one eye open to see who had disturbed his slumber. He pushed the giant horse's snout away with one arm before looking down at his snoozing son. Tarynn smiled faintly, she enjoyed watching Sandor interact with Edmon, it was as if he was a natural father, her heart clenched whenever she thought of the very real possibility of having to take Edmon away from him, or abandoning Sandor all together just to save her status. She shook her head to clear her mind of negative thoughts, but she knew that when it came down to it she would have to put Edmon and his future before anything else. He was what was important.

"I don't understand why you leave Edmon with that monster. He's dangerous." Arya scoffed and kicked the dirt, "He's a murderer."

Tarynn shot Arya a warning look, she knew that Arya didn't know that Edmon was Sandor's son and that it was best she never knew, but it still hurt. "He isn't a monster. He saved me… He saved us. And I needed to sleep so he took care of Edmon."

Arya looked up at her, "I see the way you look at him Tarynn… Do you like him?"

Tarynn's gaze softened slightly, she ruffled Arya's messy brown hair, "He is our protector and he has done nothing to make me doubt him. I suppose I like him well enough."

Her little sister appeared satisfied with Tarynn's answer, clearly suspicion had been erased from her mind.

"You ready to move on?"

Tarynn turned, accepting Edmon from Sandor's outstretched arm and nodding. "Yes. The camp's packed."

Sandor tilted his head slightly, a wry half grin coming to his face, "Good. Seems like you're eager to get to the Twins."

"Of course I am… My brother and mother will be there and it's been a long time since I've seen them last. So much has changed…"

Will they even recognise me? The last time either of them saw me I was little more than a girl. Now I am a woman. I have witnessed people die, I have killed people myself, I have gone through the pains of childbirth. I hardly recognise myself anymore… So how will they?"

She bit her lip, and glanced over at Arya who had stalked off and was idly kicking the stump of a tree.

"Look, I know you miss them, and want to see them again but…" Her gaze snapped back to Sandor, fixing him with a cold stare, "But what about us? What about the fact I'm Edmon's father? What if… What if your brother wants to execute me?" His voice was low and rough.

She hadn't thought of that. Technically Sandor was an enemy of her brother's. He would still be regarded as Joffrey's dog, and he had still committed monstrosities in the illegitimate ruler's name. She balked at the idea of her little brother cutting the head of the man she loved, but she knew that she had to go to the Twins, she had to see Robb and her mother. She had to let them know that she was still alive, that Arya was too, that mother had a grandson and Robb a nephew . She also had to trust in her abilities to persuade Robb to spare Sandor's life.

"I won't let him. I won't let anyone harm you. I promise."

"Will you tell them? Will you tell them about us? About how I'm Edmon's father… Would they let you marry me?" His eyes burned into hers, betraying his pain and emotions. She couldn't hold his gaze.

"I'm sorry Sandor… I… I just don't know."

He dropped his voice, low and husky, "Do you love me?"

She scoffed lightly, "You know I do… I love you."

"Then why is that not enough? Stay with me… We can run away, make a new life… Raise Edmon together."

"Sandor, we're in the middle of a war."

"People survive wars, we will survive this war… Elope with me Tarynn."

She shook her head firmly, tears threatening to form in her eyes, "I can't… Not yet."

His countenance changed from hopeful to gloomy. He turned his back to her and began walking to where Stranger munched on the grass peacefully. "Fine. We better get moving then."

Arya returned to her, her eyes fixed on Sandor's back as he walked away. "What did he say to you?"

Tarynn glanced down at her younger sister, "Nothing that he hasn't said before…" She paused, inhaling deeply and looking down at Edmon nestled in her arms. His large blue-grey eyes stared up at him, trusting her to make the right decisions for him. To keep him protected. "Come on Arya, we need to get moving. I want to make it to the Twins before sunset."

When they crested the hill Tarynn saw what she had been waiting for these past few months. Tents had been pitched wherever there had been enough space with campfires dotted in amongst them. She could hear the raucous noise of celebration and men drinking. She breathed in the heady scent of burning fires mixed with pungent alcohol.

"They're celebrating the wedding."

She spied Winterfell flags mixed in with other northern standards that she could only just remember off the top of her head. Her brother had amassed quite the army.

"We need to get into the main hall."

"And how do you expect to do that? They're not just going to let us waltz in."

"I know that…" She looked back at Sandor, fixing him with a hard stare. "But what choice do we have? We've come so far… Arya, with me."

She nudged Maiden forward, descending into the rambunctious army camp. She noticed a couple of the sentries look her way but they were too busy downing their mugs of ale to care too much about a few non-threatening riders. They delved further into the camp, she eyed the drunken soldiers and in the back of her mind wondered what would happen if someone launched a surprise attack. Nevertheless, Sandor, Arya and herself including Tome, moved on without pausing. They had almost reached the main building, the sounds of singing, laughing and toasting emanated from the other side. There were two guards posted at the main door, the crests on their chests revealed them as Frey men.

"Halt! What's your business here." The man drew his sword out of his scabbard slightly, his pose threatening. Tarynn looked at him before handing Edmon over to Arya and dismounting. She approached the guard and he withdrew his sword completely, pointing it towards her chest.

"I am Lady Tarynn Baratheon, sister of Robb Stark, king of the North. I demand that you let me through."

The man laughed, hard and callously, "You expect me to believe that, get back to wherever you came from, wench."

There was a twinge in her heart and she could feel the rage bubbling up inside of her. She clenched one of her fists, the other gesturing Sandor to dismount as well. The guard waved his sword in front of her idly, she could see it in his eyes that he was well prepared to run it through her if he had to.

These men must have undying loyalty to their Frey master.

She stared at the man, unflinching and unmoving. Sandor moved past her, pulling his own grey iron sword from its scabbard and brandishing it at the guardsmen.

"It's in your best interest to move aside." His voice was muffled, due to the cloth wound round the bottom of his face to hide his scars, but fierce and harsh. When the men did nothing but hold their ground, Sandor swiped at the man who had laughed at Tarynn and with the sound of slicing flesh he toppled to the ground, his body going one way, his head the other.

The other guard balked, and throwing his sword into the dirt, turned and ran. Sandor wiped his blade clean on the leather jerkin of the man he had just beheaded.

Tarynn exhaled, "Well that's one way of getting in."

Sandor looked back at her, "I wasn't going to wait for all eternity, I asked him to move and he didn't. Besides, now there is one less Frey bastard littering the earth." She pushed past him, feeling his hand rest fleetingly on her upper arm before letting go and allowing her to throw open the doors to the hall.

It was eerily quiet. The candles flickered ominously on the wall, the only sound that could be heard was a haunting song being played, 'The Rains of Castermere', a Lannister song, in the back of her mind she queried the old choice for a Riverlands wedding. Tarynn hummed to it quietly as she picked her way through the hallway. Sandor and Arya behind her, shadowing her footsteps. She pulled her bow from her back, feeling the need to arm and protect herself from whatever was beyond the great doors. She nocked an arrow and gently, pushed open one of the doors. Something was not right. There was an uneasy feeling in her stomach when she finally caught glimpse of the great hall. She could see her brother. Standing tall in his crown. The boy she had once known was now a man.

She felt something heavy brush against her leg, looking down she saw Tome staring up at her with big blue inquisitive eyes. "Are you ready?" She was still looking at Tome when she whispered her question, but it was directed at the whole group. Sandor nodded, and Arya's eyes narrowed in detemrination. "Keep Edmon safe for me Arya." With a final look at Sandor, she threw all her might at the heavy oak doors.

The noise of the doors creaking open caused everyone to turn a look at her and her small party. Tome bristled beside her, snapping and snarling. The 'Rains of Castamere' came to a halt as she surveyed the room, waiting for someone to say something. Her eyes scanned over the people present, Roose Bolton was there, but there was something not quite right. Something was glinting beneath his clothes, she could see it just below his collar.

"T... Tarynn?"

She turned towards the person who said her name. Her mother came towards her, her eyes wary and uncertain. Tarynn felt a rush of happiness flood through her body. "Mother".

"Stop!" The voice, old and croaky, boomed across the hall causing everyone to stand still. Lord Walder Frey rose from his dusty throne and glared at her, "You are interrupting an auspicious moment, a wedding, between the Freys and the Tullys. Get out of my hall!" The small, aged and wrinkly man bristled with anger.

Tarynn glared back, "I am Lady Tarynn Baratheon, widow of Lord Renly Barathon, mother of his child and sister to the King in the North. Your king." She looked towards her brother who, standing with his mouth slightly open, didn't look very kingly at all.

Roose Bolton stepped forward, his dark and ominous eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke haughtily, "You're not supposed to be… The king… Joffrey…pronounced you missing. Missing or dead."

Robb seemed to snap back into action, "The king? I'm supposed to be your king Lord Bolton."

Shit.

In the space of a few moments, Tarynn's joy turned to ice. It seeped through her pores, slid down her chest, sank in her heart. In a few short seconds, Roose Bolton had pulled out a sword and screamed unintelligible words. She grabbed Arya, pushing her towards a table, ordering her to stay under in before sliding her a dagger that Tarynn had hidden in her boot. She held out her bow and with a swift movement had one of her arrows buried in a Frey's chest. Running past him she yanked it out with a hard crunch before bouldering through the throng of fighting men towards her mother.

"Mother! Mother…" Catelyn Stark grasped onto Tarynn's arm.

"Tarynn… Tarynn, they're going to kill Robb." Her mother's eyes were wild with fear and anger.

"Sandor, stay with my mother, keep her with Arya and Edmon if the fighting gets worse and my brother and I… Then leave. Cut down anyone who tries to harm them. Tome… With me."

"Tarynn…"

"Go Sandor," And without a single look behind her, Tarynn barrelled into the fight, snatching a sword from a quivering squire's outstretched hand.

Her movements were clumsy and inexperienced, she knew that at any moment a seasoned knight could come along and lop her head off, but she needed to save her brother and that was what drove her forward. She slashed, stabbed, and stumbled her way through the bloodied, fighting men, trying to make her way to the dais which she knew was where Robb was holding his last stand. She was afraid. Painfully afraid of what she might see when she reached her baby brother.

She screamed with rage when a heavy, burly man came towards her. Her vision was covered in a red haze as she swiped at the man's arm with all her strength before running him through. Blood splattered across her dress and face. Her sword, no matter how hard she yanked, was stuck in the dead man. She reached down and took her opponent's instead, he would no longer be needing it.

A volley of crossbow bolts showered down on her.

"Fuck!" She charged forward, praying to the old gods, hoping that she was not going to be shot in the back. When she had finally made her way through the carnage, the fighting men around her making good human shields against the crossbow bolts she glimpsed sight of Robb. He looked like a pincushion. Several bolts stuck out of him, his eyes dazed as he slashed and parried at his attackers.

"Robb!" A man, alerted by her shout, came to engage her in a fight. He managed to cut her arm, opening up a deep wound but she didn't even feel it. Her mind was focused on her badly injured brother as she slashed at her attacker's unprotected face. He crumpled to the ground like a rag doll, drowning in his own blood. Her brother looked at her, the life slowly ebbing out of his eyes.

"Tarynn".

Roose Bolton appeared from nowhere behind him, a cold, callous look on his face. He locked eyes with Tarynn and dragged Robb back up by his collar.

Her scream was inhuman, out of the corner of her eye, she could see a woman cowering under a table. She dragged the woman out by her hair, ignoring her appeals of mercy and stood before Roose Bolton and Walder Frey, the fighting had stopped, concentration was on the stand-off.

"If you let my brother go, then your wife will not be hurt… On my honour as a Stark and Baratheon and on my brother's honour, as king of the north".

Lord Walder Frey laughed in her face, "Your brother has no honour, he dared to back on a marriage pact with one of my daughters in favour of marrying the daughter of a lesser house. I will not be insulted anymore by our fool boy king."

Tarynn gritted her teeth, rage bubbling up inside her, "I'll kill her."

Walder looked at her with filmy hooded eyes before calmly making his decision, "Do it child, I will simply find another."

"Sister…" Tarynn focused her attention on her brother, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Look after Mother." His bright blue eyes looked at her intently before Roose Bolton thrusted his sword through Robb's heart.

"The Lannisters' send their regards."

Tarynn screamed again, this one just as inhuman as the first as she slit Walder Frey's wife's throat open, the hot blood gushing out over her hand. She threw the body down on the ground in front of her, tears pouring down her face. "I'm going to kill you. Every. Last. ONE OF YOU!"

Bolton looked at her coldly, idly kicking her brother's body down towards her, "Kill the wench."

Tarynn wasn't going to go without a fight… She gripped her borrowed sword tightly, preparing herself for the oncoming fight when she felt soft fur brush against her leg. Tome snarled and growled, snapping at Roose Bolton when he attempted to get near her.

"Your wolf can't save you now." Roose continued to stalk towards her and so she began to slowly back away. She almost tripped over something as she did so, she looked down briefly catching sight of her longbow which she must have dropped during the close quarters fighting. Snatching it up in less than a second, she whipped an arrow from her back and nocked it, aiming it at Roose Bolton's cold face. "Put that down girl, weapons are not toys."

Tarynn could feel her heart beating in her chest, knew that all Roose Bolton had to do was wave his hand and the archers above her would shoot her down. But she also knew that he wanted the satisfaction of killing her himself, to tell Lord Tywin Lannister that he had killed not only one, but two defected Stark children that day and to claim that honour for himself. Tarynn wasn't about to give him the satisfaction or the honour.

She changed her target, as much as she wanted to fire a arrow right through Roose's bloody heart, she had to ensure that as many of them as possible died. She loosed an arrow at the old, iron chandelier above them. The chain snapped, causing the fixture with its candles to plummet to the ground below. She gave a low whistle to Tome as she turned her back on the people who had murdered her brother and raced out of the hall. As the chandelier struck the ground, fire burst out, smothering the entire hall in flames. It would not burn down the stone walls, but it would catch fire to everything made of wood which included the floor, tables, and beams. Perhaps it would even bring the whole building down on top of them.

"Tome! With me!"

Tarynn shouldered her way throught the half broken oak door and raced into the cool night air, Tome was hot on her heels. Hot tears blurred her vision as she ran through the fire and the fighting. She reached the edge of the encampment, to the men battling around her she must have looked like a crying whore, running from the violence so they let her be. She scrambled up the muddy hill, her dress ripping as she went. She did not know where Sandor would be, but she knew that he would find her.

She sat down heavily, beneath an old oak tree, pulling her knees up towards her and wrapping her arms around them like she used to when she was a child. Often Gerta would find her like this and comfort her. However, Gerta was not there to comfort her anymore, and Tarynn was no longer a child. Tome looked at her with blue intelligent eyes before curling up beside her, his head resting against her arm. Together they watched the Great Hall of the Frey's burn before them, the howls and screams of injured men filling the night air. Inside that building Ned Stark's heir burned, her baby brother, rage and tears bubbled up inside her.

She would make them pay. She would make them all pay.