Salutations! I am happy you all been able to join me for the next twenty or so minutes.
Chapter 21: North and South
Arthur
He stood by her side, yet, she never woke. "What's wrong with her?" He asked the Maester, the man sighed and shrugged his arms.
"She isn't in danger of harm, though ending her life would be merciful. She seems to be in a comatose state, she cannot hear or speak." He wanted to throttle the man, he was infuriated that the fool would even suggest ending her life when she could wake at any moment.
Bran was this way, and he still woke up after quite some time. Mya can do the same, so this man didn't know a thing about being merciful, he glared at the Maester who stood with an uneasiness before he turned his eyes back to his wife.
"Leave me." He commanded and the Maester scurried away.
Once they were alone, he reached over and put a hand on Mya's. "I know you, Mya, you are strong, you'll come back from this... My love." He whispered as his voice began to crack, fresh tears started to fall down his face as he watched his wife, departed from their son who died before he could breathe his first breath.
It has been seven days since the Freys and Roose Bolton betrayed his brother. Seven days since he hunted and interrogated those that had been responsible for the slaughter of his family and people.
In response to the Red Wedding, he hunted down every member of House Frey's vassal families from House Goodbrook and Haigh. Each one was eliminated, their small holdfasts were torn down by brick and wood. And House Frey? He trimmed the lot of them down to five and the many women Walder and his sons begot to this world.
Olyvar Frey, the only one he liked was spared, made the new Lord of the Crossing and, unfortunately, stripped of everything but the bridge, they are now vassals to House Mallistetr.
Ludd Whitehill, Rodrick Ryswell and his two eldest sons, Roger and Rickard. All four were found and executed, their sons will either bend the knee to him or face their late lord's fates, including the Lady Dustin, her force was the first to surrender to him once the fighting was done.
Yet, no mercy would come to for House Bolton. Through some interrogation on the Greatjon's part, Locke shared some unpleasant information to them about Ramsay, other than that he was an insane murderer.
Ramsay never marched to retake Winterfell, he went there to burn it, it wasn't the Ironborn who slaughtered everyone within Winterfell. Ramsay was the cause of it, he burned his home and had taken captive of Theon, flaying the other Ironborn who helped Theon take it.
Having asked some of the men, he found out that this Ramsay had forcefully married Lady Donella Hornwood to claim Hornwood lands. Then the numerous missing men and women around Bolton land over the past three years. It all seemed so connected now, and House Bolton will pay for each life lost.
"Arthur?" He turned away and watched the door open, he saw it was Arya.
His sister had been whisked away by Dacey during the massacre, he thanked the heir to Bear Island for protecting his sister, they brought Brynden and Edmure back with them and an additional 500 men.
"Arya, come in." She silently walked over and took a seat near him, "I assume you were sent here, by our followers? My cousin from Dorne? Or you?" He asked Arya, she sighed and nodded her head.
"All of them, actually, Edric and Uncle Brynden wants to know what's happening next, Arthur, and, we need justice." He heard her say to him, and he does understand but he wants Mya to be alright, he wants his wife at his side when they go home and not left in the South and alone.
The arrival of House Dayne, of his cousin and those of High Hermitage, were a godsend. They pulled his people out of a tight spot and avoided annihilation, he is grateful to him but he needs time to wait on his wife and not on all of his enemies.
He has the men he needs to take back the North, especially since the Ironborn are still fighting over the Seastone Chair.
Edric Dayne is a young man, looking more Targaryen than Dayne with pale blond hair, dark-blue eyes that seem almost purple. He is a young and shy Lord but polite and greeted him with a good-natured attitude though he couldn't return the favor, his brother and his brother's mother and son had died.
"Arthur, I wish Mya would wake up too, I truly do but you have to be focused," Arya said to him and he was surprised, Arya was never the wise one, she'd be stomping her feet as she had done when Bran was tossed out that window to stay at her families side.
This Arya is somewhat broken, but, made wiser than their late brother who wanted nothing but to go home.
"When we pass through those gates, it will be to bury our family rather than unite it." He whispered as he stroked Mya's cheek, "How can I enter without her, without... My darling son, taken before he could breathe." The sobs returned as tears ran down his cheeks once more, it didn't last long before he was slapped across the face.
"You think I am not hurting? That mother and Robb being killed didn't mess with my mind? We have to turn that pain into our strength, Arthur, Gendry said it, and I am sure as the Old Gods are powerful that Mya thinks the same." Arya ranted, gripping the bedsheets as she shouted at him, he sat there, like some wounded animal. "You are going to get up and lead, Robb wanted that for you and I want it, too. Arthur, you have to be our leader, here and now." She added and he allowed the silence to reign over his body.
Yet... He got to his feet and left to convene the Lords in the Late Lord Frey's hall where Robb had been killed.
The many Lords and few Ladies waited for him, he took a seat and cleared his throat while taking in the people he is going to be forever responsible for. These men and women came to fight for justice, then independence, then for vengeance. And kinship, as he considered Edric who sat beside his kinsmen he brought from Starfall and High Hermitage.
"My Lords. My Ladies. After the last few days, I haven't been the successor that you expected of me, as Robb's heir, I am supposed to stand up and be prepared to lead... But I wasn't." He said aloud, the room then became quieter, "I asked for you all to come here, this place, where Robb died and so did many others because I want us all to look at this as our last betrayal. Our last near defeat. And the last brother we see perish in front of our eyes by comrades and friends, even brother's." He continued after letting everything else sink in on them. "I swear to you all that if you follow me, I will trudge through fire and snow, I will have everyone whose betrayed us, those who would have our sons and daughters slaughtered like swine, they will all feel the cold breath of winter!" He cried out in the hall, evoking cries in return.
One by one, each Lord stood up from his seat, declaring him what Robb decided so long ago when he made him a true Stark.
"You have proven your mettle in battle, you can lead an army, that makes you a king for my House to follow, and I will follow." A booming voice spoke and continued, "The King in the North!" It was the Greatjon who was the first, with his monstrous sword.
"We will fight for you, King Arthur!" Dacey shouted, four Mormont men swore in agreement behind her.
"Aye, you might be the King that we need, I am with you, Arthur." Rodrik and Gregor Forrester rose from their seat, he nodded and accepted their service to him.
Rickard Karstark, a man he released three days after the Red Wedding stood up, he deserved to be here and say his piece during this gathering as he takes responsibility in becoming King in the North.
"Your brother was a fool, I won't deny that." He bit down the urge to bite back at Karstark, "But what Roose and Walder had done, he was our King and a Northman, my kin and did not deserve such a fate. When Princess Arya told me of the massacre, I was worried, worried about what had happened to my son in that gods-forsaken farce of a wedding. If it wasn't for you, for young Lord Dayne here, you would all be dead and I would be wallowing in my past foolishness." Rickard continued, his tone becoming somber.
"We have to have a goal, Arthur. No more mistakes or change of plans. We need our King to be stronger than the last." He nodded to Karstark's request.
"There won't be another mistake, I have nothing to lose but the faith you have all put in me. I swear to you all, even you, Lord Karstark, that the North will be united in the days to come." He said to the hall, his voice calming the still angry Lord Karstark and his last son, Harrion. "I have said all I have wanted to say, tomorrow, we go home and throw the Greyjoy and that Bastard of Bolton to the sea!"
His unconscious right hand went to Ice, his brother's sword and now his as well as the responsibilities of being Lord of Winterfell and King of the North.
Tyrion
His father and the King, his nephew had called this meeting. He was purposely late and uninterested in what his psychotic nephew has to say.
Just seven days passed since he's been wed to Sansa Stark, it is a farce of a marriage and he pities the girl for being forced to be his wife. His second wife, though anyone in his family would say otherwise.
It was his father's choice to make Lannister influence strong in the North when the Young Wolf and his brother are defeated. The Tyrells with their infinite ambition had plotted to make Sansa the wife of Mace's eldest son, Willas and they would have gotten away with it too if not for Littlefinger, the weasel let them in on the plan and his father, the ever so murderous-treacherous lion did what he needed to do and quickly found Sansa another husband.
Shae wasn't happy when their, arrangement was announced. His wedding to Sansa wasn't grand, she hated it and so did he until the moment he said the damned words.
His nephew was an idiot, talking his ass off at the feast and though he can't remember it all, he still thinks about how Joffrey insulted him.
Joffrey didn't look so pleased, neither did his father or sister who was also present to this gathering.
"Didn't kill a puppy today, nephew?" He asked Joffrey who had his arms crossed, glaring at him and so did Cersei.
They can glare all they want, it makes him smile the largest smile since his fifth name-day.
His father nodded and Pycelle handed him a scroll only to drop it half-way, he rolled his eyes and wanted to slap the old cretin but fought the urge to do so. He bent down and picked up the letter and unrolled it.
"To the treacherous cravens of King's Landing, your weasels and flayed man failed to destroy us at the Crossing. I swear to reap my justice for the loss and grief I sustained in your plot. The North Remembers, Lannister filth, and no lions will remain roaring when winter comes. Signed by Arthur of the House Stark, the Dread Wolf, King in the North and Lord of Winterfell." He read and he sighed with unease as he put the letter down. "I'll assume your plot to defeat the Young Wolf succeeded, but the Dread Wolf remains quite alive, and furious from this letter." His father narrowed his eyes at him.
"Arthur the Bastard! I want his head on a spike! I'll lead the army and destroy him and bring his whore wife and sister here." The man slew several of his family, Devan, and Stafford, possibly Tion and Willem. Even the Mountain, if that giant can be killed by Arthur, then you have no chance, Joffrey. He thought as his nephew went on his rant.
"Roose and Walder's heads were sent with the letter by a Northman, one which the King immediately had beheaded." Vary whispered to him and he took a deep breath.
Today is all kinds of horrible, isn't it? Tywin cleared his throat and dismissed everyone who wasn't family, so he, Cersei and Joffrey remained.
"This is a set back we cannot ignore. Word has already spread of House Dayne aiding the North. Gregor's death was a catalyst." A catalyst, he thought, but of what. He had to think about it for a moment before he suddenly cursed, sending Myrcella to Dorne might have been a terrible idea considering the new events that occurred.
"Surely, House Martell won't rebel, Doran's son is betrothed to the Princess." He reminded everyone, though he is more doubtful of that. Joffrey scoffed uncaringly and Cersei seemed close to being outright furious.
"I am not speaking about Doran... " He heard his father mutter, he knows of whom his father speaks of and he fears the bite of a viper.
He was dismissed after a talk with his father who urged him to bed Sansa, he disagreed and told the man to do it himself for he will not rape her. Sansa was stuck on his mind as he went to find her, to tell her of what transpired at the Twins but he was a bit late as she was seated near a window, dried of tears and smiling a sad smile.
"Sansa," He called out and his wife turned to him, frowning at his appearance in her chambers.
Their chambers, he had to remind himself of.
"I won't ask who told you, how are you feeling? I know the news is, unsettling." He said to her and she shook her head, holding her dire wolf's collar.
"Arthur avenged them, he'll avenge me if the King decides I am not worth the trouble." She said with an emotionless tone, "Please leave me alone, I don't want to be bothered." He stood there, using what courage he can gather to his ability.
"I will not let him do that to you, you will never come to harm, Sansa... Not even by Joffrey."
Little did either of them know, Shae had heard them behind the door.
Jon
Jon winced as he was helped into a shirt by Sam, the wounds were still healing from the arrows that Ygritte put in him.
"The last time I saw them, we were all at the courtyard of Winterfell. Arthur never said a word to me, we said all we needed to before that, but Robb? He said 'Next time I see you, you'll be all in black'. Hard to know we'll never see one another, again." He muttered as he dressed, Sam cleared his throat and shook his head.
"Only one brother is dead, Jon. Arthur is King in the North, now, he might be able to defeat the Ironborn and the ones who betrayed your brother." He smiled, that just might happen, he almost wished he was there with Arthur, he wished he was there to save Robb and everyone who was lost at the Twins. "You loved your brothers?" He was asked and he had to take a moment to answer.
"I was always jealous of Robb, Arthur never cared about being a bastard but I did. The way our father looked at Robb, I wanted that, he was better than us at everything, fighting, hunting, riding, and girls? Gods, the girls loved him." He smiled as he remembered, Robb was always a charmer and talented to whatever he wanted to pursue. "I wanted to hate him... But I never could." He added and Sam said that he hated him, he turned to his friend in surprise.
"Well, you are better than me at everything. Except reading." He chuckled, Sam was right on that one but he does well enough.
When news came of the Red Wedding, he was still resting in bed. He wept upon reading the message about how Robb was betrayed, gutted at their sister's wedding and he feared for his twin only to read it was Arthur who wrote the message.
The letter said something else, Bran and Rickon are alive. Sam also said the same, said that Bran, the Reed children, and Hodor were dead set on going beyond the Wall. He almost wanted to ride out and find them, he couldn't because he wasn't well enough, now he is and he might not get the chance to do so. Everything was in the ravens that Arthur sent him.
Arthur sent him many ravens, he has to find time to read them all unless he is found guilty of abandoning his watch.
"My brother and our cousin from House Dayne, I hope to see the famed sword of Starfall, if I live that long." He whispered solemnly and Sam sent him a sympathetic look.
"You did nothing wrong, Jon, I know it." He wished that was true, he truly did. A sigh escaped him as he left the room.
"I have done plenty of wrong."
Castle Black's become his home over the last couple years since he'd left home with uncle Benjen to come and serve the Realm as a brother of the Night's Watch, yet, Winterfell will always be the place he remembers most when Alliser gets what he wants.
Either way, he prays that Arthur destroys everyone who has attacked their family, those that killed their people and friends, he hopes Arthur reaps revenge on them all.
AN: So ends chapter 21. I hope you all have enjoyed even though it is more filler than anything to some. The next chapter will cover the Siege of Moat Cailin and the addition of Edric's second PoV. Oberyn's first PoV and a PoV from Sansa.
Hear My Fury, Mya isn't dead and isn't out of the story but by the time things come around, things will change. I was hoping some would have forgotten about House Dayne declaring for House Stark/Arthur Snow. A good surprise.
Silver Crow, Indeed, Gendry has died but died a Baratheon with a sword in hand. The Dread Wolf is coming for those he didn't get yet, Greyjoys included. House Whitehill has lost it's Lord and Gryff isn't particularly bright but courageous so who knows.
CEW, Missed your reviews, they were always so thought out. Indeed, Arthur might just get there before the Battle of the Wall, but first comes the ousting of Ironborn and Ramsay and those he is forcing to follow.
Greatthinkingbadwriting, Oberyn's PoV will cover the news from the Twins and Gregor's death.
Sesshyluvhr, I agree somewhat, peace involves a bit of bloodshed or else you'll get rolled over. BUT, Being overly ruthless with little compassion doesn't aid a true cause but hinders it, Genghis Khan ran on ruthlessness and his regime crumbled soon after his death.