Among the Starks, after they learn of Ned's death.
JON V
He swung, and swung, and swung again. His sword danced from left to right, from right to left, from left to right again. Each time, it was stopped by the trunk. Marks were left by the steel in the wood of the tree, and the tree left its marks on the steel of the sword as well. At each swing, Jon allowed a gasp, a shout, a cry to escape. He struck wood with steel again and again, until he couldn't feel his arms anymore, and then he kept striking it.
After another blow, he burst into a sob, and fell on his knees, his sword, now ruined, still in his hands, the damp ground wetting his pants. His father was dead, executed as a traitor. He should have been there, at King's Landing, but no, he wasn't. Instead, he came here, to tell his brother to not march on the capital, thinking it would ensure their father's survival. How wrong he was. Lord Eddard Stark died because of him.
He believed Tyrion and Margaery Lannister when they said they would save his father, make sure he would come back to them alive with his sisters. He couldn't believe it when they received word of his death. Jon had thought it was a mistake first, but the messenger was very clear. Lord Eddard Stark was executed on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor by King Joffrey, sentenced to die for treason. That was his fault. He told Robb to not march south, to let the Imp deal with his nephew and make sure that their father would come back. He could never forgive himself for that.
"Jon Snow." He turned to look at a young page with the Stark sigil on his arms. "Lord Stark summons you to his solar."
Robb Stark, Lord of Winterfell. Jon knew it would happen one day, but no so soon. He didn't think he would see that day before many years, and yet it had come. His brother was Lord of Winterfell. He was no longer the bastard son of the Warden of the North, but his bastard brother.
"I'm coming." Jon stood up, the lower half of his clothes all wet. He went to his horse and rode back to Moat Cailin.
Jon had left the northern camp that stretched all around the northern side of the ancient fortress. He couldn't stay there any longer. He needed time alone, to vent his anger, his frustration, his despair, away from the prying eyes of the men and women of the North.
They had to travel through the camp to go back to Moat Cailin, and on their way all the people turned their heads to look at him. Some had expressions that showed sympathy, but most displayed accusing looks. How could Jon blame them? He was the one to advise they should delay their advance on the south in the first place. In the eyes of many people from the North, he was no better than a traitor, and to the opposite of what people thought of his father in the south, the Northerners may not be wrong.
Jon spoke to no one on his way to Robb's solar, and no one talked to him. He wasn't only the bastard of Winterfell right now. He was the son who sent the man who sired him to an early grave. For the first time in months, Jon wished he had taken the black. The only person who didn't turn his back on him was Ghost, wandering by his side. No one would dare anything against him while Ghost was around, but Jon didn't take any comfort in that. He arrived at the top of the Gatehouse Tower. A guard opened his brother's solar and he entered.
Robb was standing beside his desk, but he wasn't alone in this room. Lady Stark was there as well. There had been many times when Jon felt ashamed, like he was nothing, when Catelyn Stark looked down on him, but he never felt like he deserved it more than today, and the way she looked at him was worse than she ever did before. She looked at him as if she actually wanted to kill him, and Jon had no doubt that she wanted him dead right now. Ghost bared his teeth. Jon looked at his brother. Robb had taken their father's face, the face of the Lord of Winterfell. He tried to not show his emotions, but Jon wasn't a fool enough to believe his brother didn't feel their loss very painfully.
"Sit, Jon. We need to talk."
Robb's voice was sure, but his breathing was obviously controlled. Jon did his best to do the same, though he wasn't as forced to look strong as his brother did. As Robb once told him, Lady Stark said he would never, and could never, be Lord of Winterfell. He had more freedom to display his true feelings than Robb ever could. Jon obeyed his brother and lord.
"I asked you both here because we have important matters to discuss," his brother began.
"I agree," Lady Stark said. Jon said nothing.
Robb took something on his desk. It was a large piece of paper, a parchment made for long letters, missives that would be carried by horse and not by raven. Lords used them only for very important and secret messages.
"I received this an hour ago. It came from White Harbor. It was sent from Dragonstone by Stannis Baratheon. I think you should know about this before anyone else does, though the word of it will spread soon enough."
He handled the letter to Jon. He was surprised that his brother gave it to him first and not to Lady Stark, but he took it without a word. Perhaps it concerned him, though he didn't see how word from King Robert's brother could concern him. He took a look at the message written down on the paper, and it wasn't long before air left his lungs.
To all noble men and noble women of Westeros,
All men know me for the trueborn son of Steffon Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, by his lady wife Cassana of House Estermont. I declare upon the honor of my House that my brother Robert left no trueborn heirs, the boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl Myrcella being born of incest between Cersei Lannister and her brother Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Let all true men declare their loyalty.
The members of House Lannister made themselves guilty of crimes without numbers and will be judged accordingly to the laws of Westeros for treason. Among the crimes held against them will be the murder of the Hand of the King Lord Jon Arryn, conspiracy against our late king Robert, the murder of the Hand of the King Lord Eddard Stark, and treason for supporting the bastard born of incest Joffrey. I attaint Ser Jaime Lannister and his sister, Cersei Lannister, them and their children. Any who shall support them in any way will be considered traitors to the Realm and face judgement from the rightful king.
Done in the Light of the Lord, under the sign and seal of Stannis of House Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.
Jon looked at Robb. His face was deadly serious. "Is it true? Are we sure of it?" Jon asked.
"I don't see any reason to doubt Stannis's word." Jon neither. Their lord father always told them that Stannis was a just man, hard but just. He wouldn't lie about this, not if Cersei Lannister's children were his brother's children.
Jon gave the paper to Lady Stark who read it very quickly. She looked lost in her thoughts after that, then she looked up to her son. One word came out of her mouth in a whisper. "Bran."
Robb stared at his mother with a questioning look. She explained further. "Back at Winterfell, I inspected the tower where he fell. I found a blond hair on the floor." She looked in horror at her son. "Where was the Kingslayer when it happened?"
Robb frowned, searching his memories. "I don't know. I don't remember."
His brother looked at Jon, asking him the same question. "I have no idea. I don't remember seeing him at the hunt. I remember Lord Tyrion was there, but I didn't see Ser Jaime."
"The hunt?" Lady Stark asked. "Your father was hunting with the king." She addressed Robb when she asked this question, but didn't deign to wait for an answer. "Was the Kingslayer with him? He's a kingsguard. If he was with you, he should have been there to protect the king."
Robb was still searching his memories. "No, he wasn't there." Robb looked up, his eyes wide open with realization. "I remember now. He stayed behind, in Winterfell. He was in the castle when Bran fell."
Robb looked at him mouth wide open. Jon was speechless too. He thought that Cersei Lannister may have been behind Bran's fall, but not for this. He believed that maybe Bran had surprised her discussing about Jon Arryn's death, like Lord Tyrion and Lady Margaery suggested, but he never thought about this eventuality. Cersei Lannister and Jaime Lannister, together, as lovers?
Jon heard the sound of paper being crumpled, and he noticed Lady Stark crushing Stannis's message in her right hand. Her knuckles were white from the effort. Slowly, she loosened her grip and let the paper fall on the desk. Jon never saw her that angry. Robb looked furious as well. His fists were clenched. Jon realized that his own hands formed into balls as well. He spoke once with Jaime Lannister, and the knight mocked him for going to the Wall. If he had known what he did to Bran back then…
"I'll kill them all." It was Robb who spoke. "Everyone of them. I will kill them all."
Robb's face betrayed no doubt, no afterthought, no hesitation. He had a murderous glare.
"My boy. They have your sisters," Lady Stark said softly, calmly. "We have to get the girls back."
"It's true, Robb. We need to save Sansa and Arya. They're in danger," Jon supported.
"And then we will kill them all." Catelyn Stark's voice had turned to ice as quickly as it had softened to calm down her son. Jon saw how cold she was. "All the Lannisters. The queen. The Kingslayer. Their son. The Imp. ALL the Lannisters."
Jon looked at his brother, who didn't seem to disapprove in any way. Jon should have approved. The Lannisters just killed his father. They promised they would save him, and they executed him. Your family may think we had a hand in this, but on that they are wrong. I have nothing to see with the attempt of murder against your brother. I don't know who did this, but it wasn't me. Casterly Rock has nothing to see with that.
Tyrion and Margaery Lannister said they would save his father, and they didn't. And yet, Jon couldn't shake the feeling that something in all that was wrong. He reminded himself of all the time he spent at Casterly Rock, practicing his swordplay with Daven or Lucion, talking with Joy, hunting down criminals. He remembered a song. The story is happening in another world. A world where there are magical beasts, where men and women can have magical power, where kings are being advised by mages and witches. The story is about a hunter with such magical power who fell in love with a witch. A woman with dark hair like ravens and violet eyes. For years, they only saw each other from time to time. Finally, they settled on an island called Avalon where they lived together. But then demons came after them and made the hunter's love prisoner. He went after her but lost his memory after a battle. He forgot her. He met another witch, younger, with red hair, and fell in love with her.
There was something wrong. Casterly Rock has nothing to see with that. Casterly Rock had nothing to see with the attempts against Bran's life. That's what Tyrion Lannister told him. Jon never thought a single moment that the small lord lied to him. His father once told him that if you couldn't look into the eye of a man and say that he was guilty, then you couldn't kill him. He tried to recall that day. He had looked straight into Lord Tyrion's eyes. He tried to remember the best he could how they looked like. He asked him the question, if they had a hand in the attempts on Bran, and he denied it. Jon swore he was telling the truth.
"What if they're not all responsible?" he said in a low voice. "What if…?" He realized that Lady Stark and his brother were looking at him with perplexed faces. "I mean… I didn't think… and even now I don't think Lord Tyrion lied to me. He and his wife, I would swear they truly wanted to save Father. What if Joffrey killed him against their will?"
Jon felt he sounded stupid as he spoke, and he didn't wait long to get a reaction from his father's wife. "You dare to defend him after what his nephew did? Your father is dead! Your father is dead, and all you find to do is to defend the man who took part into his assassination?!"
She glared furiously at Jon, and all he could do was to look away in shame. "You told us to wait. You told us to let the Imp save Ned, and he died because of this," she continued.
"Mother, that's enough," Robb said, but Lady Stark ignored her son.
"You went south with the Lannisters. You lived with them. You did what they wanted you to do. You betrayed your father!"
"Mother," Robb warned again.
"It's because of you if Ned died. He welcomed you at Winterfell and you were the cause of his death. You should have gone to the Wall when you were three. He should never have welcomed you in our home and call you son. You're a disgrace. A bastard with no name."
"MOTHER, SHUT UP!"
Robb's voice rang to their ears, and Jon and Lady Stark both turned to him, shocked by what he just said. And just like his mother moments ago, Robb didn't stop.
"If you want to blame someone for Father's death, then blame me! I'm the one who decided to stay here, who decided to delay our march. If someone is to blame for Father's death, it's me."
"But…" Lady Stark began, but Robb didn't let her speak.
"I was the Lord of Winterfell in my father's absence. It was my call to ride south to his rescue, and I didn't. I took the decision to wait, not Jon. The only crime Jon committed was to advise me to delay our march, but it was me who decided of it in the end. Father told me that a lord who doesn't assume the consequences of his decisions is no true lord. So if you want to blame someone for my father's death and to honor his memory, then blame me. I am the responsible."
Robb was shaking when was done with his tirade. Jon saw Lady Stark hesitate. She didn't dare to say something. Jon bitterly thought that she wouldn't hesitate to snap at him when his father just died, but she wouldn't do the same to her son. It didn't matter that Eddard had been his father. The only thing that mattered was that Jon wasn't her son, and Robb was.
"I'm sorry, Robb," she weakly said. The three of them were only people grieving a father or a husband now.
"We were all fooled. The Lannisters fooled each one of us. Jon trusted the Imp, and we trusted Lady Lannister, Mother. We are as much to blame as he is."
Lady Stark looked down. Jon could tell she was holding back tears, and for the first time in a very long time, he felt pity for this woman who was the mother of his brothers and sisters.
"What are we gonna do?" Jon asked to one in particular.
Robb answered. "Go south. We'll ride to King's Landing, destroy every army standing in our way, and kill Joffrey, and any man who had a hand in our father's death."
Jon looked back at his brother. Robb seemed to wait for something from him. Jon nodded. His brother turned his attention to Lady Stark. "Mother, you can't stay here."
"I know." She tried to straighten herself. "It's time for me to go home. I haven't seen Bran or Rickon in months. They will need me. My place is at Winterfell, not with an army on the march."
Jon hoped that his little brothers were all right. They would surely be better with their mother near them. "You can't go to Winterfell." Robb's word startled Jon.
"I beg your pardon?" Lady Stark asked.
"Ser Rodrik is watching over the boys. They are safe. Tomorrow, you'll ride east for White Harbor. Lord Manderly will have a ship waiting for you there and an escort. You'll sail for Dragonstone."
"Dragonstone? What would I do at Dragonstone? Why in the name of all the gods…"
"Because I need you to negotiate with Stannis Baratheon. Our army is powerful, but we are still outnumbered by the Lannisters and their allies. We will need ships to take King's Landing. Stannis has the royal fleet with him to Dragonstone and his brother Renly rules Storm's End for him. With their help, we will fight Joffrey one to one."
"I haven't seen Stannis Baratheon in years. He was a young man the last time I set eyes on him," Robb's mother protested.
"You know him, Mother. You know his family. Better than most men here."
"You have a hundred other lords. Many fought alongside Stannis during the Greyjoy rebellion. They know him better…"
"Which of these lords do I trust more than you? Do you think I can entrust Lord Bolton, or the Greatjon with a critical mission like this? We need to coordinate our efforts with Stannis. We need him to attack King's Landing at the same time than us. It won't be possible if I don't have someone to talk to him in my name. And I can't imagine someone better to do it than you."
Lady Catelyn Stark was deep in her thoughts. Finally, she sighed in resignation. "I will ride at first light." She came close to Robb and put a hand on his arm. "Be careful."
She left the room, not looking at Jon a single moment, as if he didn't exist. As soon as the door was closed, Robb addressed his half-brother.
"I'm sorry for my mother's behavior."
"She just lost her husband," Jon replied.
Robb nodded. "And we lost our father."
"But she was right. I told you to trust the Imp. If I hadn't, then perhaps…"
"It's useless to think like that, Jon. I said we were all fooled by the Lannisters, and I said it because I believed it." Robb suddenly looked ashamed. "Back at Winterfell, I came to trust Lady Lannister. I started to believe that the Lannisters had nothing to see with the attempt on Bran's life. She told me during a discussion that her husband was unable to order the death of a child, and I believed her, just like that. I should have been more suspicious."
Robb looked straight into Jon's eyes. "It was my decision to stay here, Jon. It's my fault if Father is dead. You're not to blame for a decision I took. Your only crime was to trust the wrong people. But now we know where the Lannisters stand. We're not going to make the same mistake twice. We won't trust a Lannister again."
"No."
There was something that told him it wasn't the right decision, but Robb was right as well. The Lannisters killed his father, and they had his sisters. He couldn't trust them any longer. As hard as it was to accept, the Lannisters were now his enemies. Jon wasn't sure he could face this.
"Robb, perhaps I should go back to the Wall. They were ready to accept me, and we've had no word from Uncle Benjen in some time."
Truth be told, despite Robb's words, Jon still felt that he was responsible for his father's death, and he thought that joining the Night's Watch might be a way for him to atone for that. Maybe no one would want to accept him in the North, and there was no place for him in the south either.
"That's out of the question. I need you by my side, Jon," his brother declared.
"Robb, I told you before everyone that we could trust Tyron Lannister. All your bannermen were there when I said it. They won't respect you if I stay around you."
"You won't stay around me. You will stand next to me. You're my brother."
"Robb…"
"Jon, you will stay. Why do you think I sent Mother away to Dragonstone?" Jon didn't understand for a moment, then he did as his brother explained to him. "I knew she would probably demand that you leave, and probably to go back to the Wall. That's why I want her as far from us as possible, as soon as possible."
"But Robb…"
"I am the Lord of Winterfell now, and I want you with me, to fight with me and to advise me as we ride south on the Lannisters. You know them better than everyone. You spent months at Casterly Rock. You know how they fight, how they think, and you even have an idea of what their strategy will be. Our father is dead. We have to avenge him, together, to bring justice to those who killed him. This is our war. I refuse to let you go to the Wall again. Your place is here. Do you think there's a war more important than ours up there?"
No, there wasn't. "No."
"Good. Then you'll stay. And the day we have Joffrey, you'll be there when I will kill him." Robb had approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Or you will kill him yourself."
Jon nodded. Robb was right. They had to avenge their father, to bring justice to the people who killed him, and they also had to support Stannis. If Joffrey was no true king, then Stannis was the king and it was their duty to help him take the Iron Throne. Their father would have done the same.
"Now, we need to prepare our assault," Robb said.
He turned to a map that laid on the surface of his desk. The crumpled message of Stannis announcing the bastardy of Cersei's children laid at the place where King's Landing was. Robb made nothing to push the paper aside. Jon joined him.
"Still no news from the Vale?" Jon asked.
"Nothing. No reply to our ravens. They may join us later."
Jon reminded himself of something that Lady Margaery Lannister once told him about Jon Arryn's widow. The woman is mad. Even though he wasn't supposed to trust the Lannisters, Jon couldn't get out the feeling that this wasn't untrue and that the Knights of the Vale would probably not join them in their war. He said nothing to Robb, however.
"For now, we have an army at Riverrun, and another one at Moat Cailin. The Lannisters have an army at the Golden Tooth, and another one coming to King's Landing."
"If they're not already there, they will be in the city within days," Jon said. "We won't be able to reach the capital before them."
"What do you think they will do?"
Jon tried to imagine what Tyrion Lannister would do. What orders would he give to his men? What strategy would he take? "For now, they seem to remain in defensive positions. The Golden Tooth is a strong castle. Any man who tries to invade the Westerlands by the east would have to take the Tooth first, and that would mean either a long siege, or an attack that would cost us dearly at best."
"A man on the battlements is worth a hundred men in the field," Robb quoted. That was something their father taught them.
"I don't know, Robb. I don't know how Tyrion Lannister will act. I saw him rule his lands, but he never led a war. The only military operations I saw were against bandits and brigands, and they were small and disorganized groups. That's not the same thing at all. However, the Lannisters know how to fight, that I can tell you. We mustn't expect an army of green boys and old men. The city of Lannisport itself is full of healthy young men. Sailors, fishermen, peasants who can be turn into soldiers at any time. And Casterly Rock had a very strong garrison. They have the military commanders to quickly train new men, and a population big enough to raise another army. And I didn't mention you the Tyrells." Jon pointed to Highgarden. "They can raise even more men. They can send reinforcements to King's Landing. I don't know where they are in their efforts to mobilize right now, but I'm quite sure they already have an army on the march. They could reach King's Landing before us if we don't act swiftly. And if we give them the time, they can probably raise one, two, or maybe three other armies. Their population is even larger than the Westerlands."
"So, we must win the war quickly?"
"Unless we want to face a dozen different armies in the next years, yes. And if we want Stannis to help us with his fleet in King's Landing, then we need to attack before the Redwynes can send their own fleet in the Narrow Sea."
"That solves a problem. We know we must act now before the Lannisters and the Tyrells can do something. We must take them by surprise. A direct march on King's Landing is our best chance," Robb declared.
"We won't surprise them. They'll be waiting for us with an army, maybe two. And if we bring your grandfather's men with us, they might have free reign to invade the Riverlands and attack us from behind. If I had an army at the Golden Tooth and saw Riverrun open before me, I wouldn't let that chance go. They will attack us where we are weak."
Robb seemed to ponder over the map for a moment. "We can leave some men in the Riverlands. Let the Lannisters believe is it empty while we take most of Lord Hoster Tully's army with us. We leave enough men to harass the Lannisters while they march on Riverrun, then we let them set a siege on the castle. We march on King's Landing with the bulk of our forces, defeat the Lannister army from Deep Den in one battle, take the city with Stannis's help, then come back to save Riverrun."
"Do you think Stannis will agree with this plan?" Jon asked.
"We're going to help him to take his rightful place on the Iron Throne. The sooner he gets it, the better. I don't think he will talk against it. If we meet the Lannister army before the walls of King's Landing, he might even come with his own troops from Dragonstone to help us. Even without the Vale, we would have the advantage of the numbers then."
"But King's Landing was never taken by assault. Tywin Lannister took it because the Mad King thought he would help him and opened the doors for him. The walls of the city were never taken by storm. We might need a long siege to take it. Lord and Lady Margaery brought two thousand men with them to the capital. We would need an army of two hundred thousand to take the city, if we believe Father's words. If we linger in a siege, Riverrun could fall before Stannis can sit on the throne, and the Lannisters could then take us by the north through the Riverlands, or the south through the Reach. We'll have no one to stop Mace Tyrell's troops."
"Yes, we will. Renly." Robb pointed Storm's End. "He could bring his men and stop the Tyrell's progression to the city, perhaps even arrive before them. Or he could distract them by invading their lands."
"It won't work," Jon opposed. "The Reach is too large a territory. The Stormlands don't have enough men. The Tyrells can send an army after them and still send another one to King's Landing. The only way would be to stop them on their way to the capital."
"What about Dorne? Do you think we could get help from them? Maybe they could occupy the Reach with Renly, which would give us time to deal with Joffrey along with Stannis's help?"
"I don't know. I don't know what Dorne will do."
"Me neither. It's probably better to not consider them as allies for now. Hopefully, they will fight for Stannis since he is their rightful king." Robb sighed. "You're right about one thing Jon, though. The Reach and the Westerlands have more resources than us. If this war lasts too long, they will have the advantage. We need a quick and swift victory. A forced march on King's Landing, a victory against the Lannisters on the way, we take the city rapidly, we kill Joffrey, put Stannis on the throne, and then everything is over and we can get back home."
"We'll need to win victories on several fronts. In King's Landing, in the Riverlands and in the Reach."
"No, there will be no need for that. Renly and Hoster will only have to delay the Lannisters and the Tyrells, to harass them, to slow them down, just enough to give us what little time we need to take the capital. Once it's done, we can take care of the other armies more easily."
"So, we only have to take King's Landing as quickly as possible?" Jon asked.
"Aye. That makes it simple, isn't it?"
Robb tried to smile, partly succeeding. Jon tried the same without much success. They had a strategy. All they had to do was to win the war now.
An hour later, Jon was standing next to his brother at his war council. All his main bannermen sat around the table. Theon Greyjoy stood on the other side of Robb. Normally, Theon would be the one to be eyed with the most suspicion, but today Jon felt many eyes on him. They blamed him for their lord's death. Men like Wylis Manderly and Galbart Glover looked at him with disdain at best. Roose Bolton's eyes were cold and calm, like always, but Jon felt studied by him, as if he was expecting something.
"My lords, my ladies," Robb started, "You all know by now that Lord Eddard Stark, my father, is dead. Assassinated by Joffrey. A few hours ago, I received this message from White Harbor." Robb showed them the message that Catelyn Stark crumpled only hours ago. The widow was sitting in retreat behind Robb. "It was sent by Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone. And here's what he says."
Robb read the letter, and reactions didn't wait. Rage, outrage, consternation, surprise and disgust all had their place among the lords of the North.
"I say we march on King's Landing right now and kill that monstrosity who sits on the Iron Throne. Then we'll drink in his skull once their Silent Sisters in the south are done with whatever is left of him," the Greatjon roared.
Many lords approved. Robb waited for the silence to come again. He said nothing, only looked at his bannermen very seriously to make them understand that he demanded silence to speak. The lords progressively turned to silence.
"We're going to King's Landing." Most of the lords approved loudly, but shortly. "I decided to support Stannis's claim on the Iron Throne. He is our king. From now on, we shall address him as King Stannis Baratheon." There were new signs of approvals, but not the same enthusiasm than before. "We're going to execute Joffrey for his crimes and all his accomplices. Then we'll sit the rightful king of Westeros on the throne." Again, there were approvals, stronger than the second time, but lower than the first. "The Lannisters will pay for what they did to my father."
"We should have marched on the city long before," Lady Dustin said. She had arrived not long ago with her men. She wouldn't follow them south, but she would see her men leave Moat Cailin before she returned to Barrowton. "It was stupid to wait in the hope that a Lannister would free Lord Stark."
For a very short moment, Jon had the impression he saw a smile on her face. He chased the idea from his mind. Surely he imagined it.
"So says the woman who arrived late," Theon mocked. That earned him a murderous glare from the Lady of Barrowton.
"Perhaps if the bastard didn't tell us that the Imp was trustworthy, we could have saved Lord Stark," Lord Glover said, glaring angrily at Jon. Now had come the time when he would face the accusations of all the North.
"Lord Glover, Jon is the son of your previous lord. He is grieving Lord Stark as much as I do," Robb interfered. "Lord Stark was his father as much as he was mine. I expected you would show him some respect for that."
"Forgive me, my lord." He still had a reproachful stare for Jon. Robb forced him to show him respect, but not to actually respect Jon.
"Still, Lord Glover has a point," Lady Mormont. "Jon Snow told us that we could trust the Lannisters, and yet here we are, grieving our lord, wading in swamps when we should be smashing the doors of King's Landing instead."
"We will be smashing the doors of the capital soon enough, Lady Mormont. You have my word," Robb promised.
"Still, if it wasn't for Jon Snow and his assurance that Lord Eddard Stark and his daughters would come to us safe if we did nothing, Lord Stark might still be alive. The news of our march on King's Landing could have stopped that boy king from killing Lord Stark," Ser Manderly said.
"I don't believe we can hold Jon Snow responsible for Lord Eddard Stark's trespassing." To Jon's great surprise, it wasn't Robb who spoke. It was Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort. "Even if we had marched south as quickly as we could, we would barely have left the Neck by the time our lord would be dead. That would have made no difference. Ned Stark is dead, there is nothing we can do about it now. Our priority should be to decide what we do next. What do we do to avenge Lord Stark and win this war?"
Lord Bolton looked at Jon in a calmer and colder way than Jon ever witnessed someone look at him. He wasn't sure how to feel about Lord Bolton's intervention. The Lord of the Dreadfort brought back his attention to Robb.
The Greatjon roared. "Well, better to kill some Lannisters than to stay here to talk. Let Jon Snow stand on the battlefield with sword in hand. Whether he dies or survives fighting for his father, that will be enough to amend for his mistakes."
The argument over him was over this way. Discussions about the war followed, and they lasted long, though only minor modifications were made and few details added to the plan Jon and Robb decided together a few hours ago. Jon stayed away from the conversation most of the time, deciding it would be best to not attract attention on him for now. The council was sent away only late in the evening.
Lady Stark left early in the morning, before everyone else. Their army was moving south immediately, and Jon made sure to be ready. As he walked to his horse, he came upon Roose Bolton and thanked him for yesterday.
"There are many people who dislike or mistrust you here, Jon Snow. I suggest you choose your allies very carefully."
Lord Bolton's words sent a shiver down his spine, and Jon didn't linger to talk more with him. There were rumors that he kept skins of his past enemies in a secret room inside the Dreadfort. He remembered that the stories of Boltons garbing themselves with the skins of the Starks they killed in battles scared Bran.
They left in the middle of the morning. Jon rode with Robb at the head of the column as they followed the Kingsroad through the Neck. At some point, while Robb was riding in the middle of the column to discuss with his bannermen, a man with brown-dark hair, green eyes and a chiseled beard approached Jon. A shield made of the finest ironwood displaying a tree with a sword in the center was hooked to his saddle. Jon knew this man. He knew him very well. He reminded him of someone he missed.
"I heard Galbart gave you a hard time yesterday," he told Jon.
"Nothing to worry about. He was quite civil," Jon replied.
"I talked to him, Jon Snow. I think he will show you more respect in the future. All of us will."
"I don't think they will forget how I defended the Lord of Casterly Rock when every one of them said we couldn't trust him."
"This isn't your fault. Lord Tyrion seems to inspire loyalty and trust to people around him. My daughter would probably have done the same in your place, and she's not easily manipulated. She wouldn't have reached her actual position if she was."
"Are you worried about her?" Jon asked the lord.
"Aye, I'm worried. But I believe she will be all right. Margaery Lannister trusts her, and she must know that Mira is very loyal. She has nothing to fear from her. Anyway, what harm could a handmaiden do?" Lord Gregor Forrester asked, probably not expecting an answer.
"Don't you think she could have problems? What if she tried to help you from where she is?"
"I think she will be wise enough to keep a low profile. My wife prepared her for this life. And she will know that there isn't much she can do for us. Though she could come in handy if negotiations are needed at some point. Lady Lannister might see a northern lady in her household as an asset." Lord Gregor sighed. "And well, if things go south for us, at least there is someone in my family who will be safe, in the south."
He smirked. Jon nodded. He didn't want something bad to happen to Mira. She had been his only link with the North at Casterly Rock. She was kind and good, and helped Jon a lot when he arrived. He would never forget that. She said that they would meet again before he left, but Jon was afraid now that this day would never come. He wouldn't go back in the south after the war. He couldn't. Mira would marry Willas Tyrell within the next months. As for himself, he didn't know where he would be in a few months. If this war was over like he and Robb hoped, he would probably be back in the North at this time. What he would do next, he had no idea, but one thing at a time. First, they had to win this war.
Jon had gotten to know Lord Forrester and his eldest son, Rodrik, who came with him as soon as he arrived at Moat Cailin. He transmitted them the message that Mira gave him, and they were very glad to receive news from her. Lord Forrester had been very kind with him, especially. He said Mira mentioned him in her letters once, to tell them he was at Casterly Rock now.
"You said that Mira accompanied Tyrion Lannister and Margaery Tyrell to King's Landing, didn't you?" Lord Forrester asked.
"Aye, she did."
Lord Forrester didn't seem happy. "Another delay for her wedding. Though if it is celebrated during this war, I doubt that I'll be able to attend it."
"Do you think the Tyrells will still want to marry Willas to her, now that they're at war with us?"
Lord Gregor seemed to think about it for a moment. "I don't think they will break the betrothal. From what she told us, Willas Tyrell wants to marry her because he loves her, and he's only a nephew of Lord Tyrell. That's not as if they could make a strategic alliance by marrying him to someone else. They already have the Lannisters with them. They don't need more allies. She will marry him soon. I just wish I could be there for the ceremony. My first child getting married, and my wife and I wouldn't be present."
"If this war ends quickly, my lord, you might see in King's Landing when we take it," Jon offered.
"You're right. Maybe I'll get to see my daughter sooner than I thought."
Indeed, that was something Jon didn't think about before. He was riding towards King's Landing, and Mira was in King's Landing. If she didn't leave the city too early, he might see her again. Maybe Mira was right. We'll see each other again.
I have a tendancy to believe that Robb wouldn't hold Jon responsible for their father's death. The Starks are, after all, the most functional family in Game of Thrones, witht he fewest conflicts among siblings. Arya and Sansa didn't turn on each other in the show, despite the doubts they had, and I don't believe that Robb would believe that Jon would try to get their father killed. The Starks remain the most united family, where betrayal among themselves is unbelievable. "The lone wolf dies, the pack survives."
Please review
Next chapter : Margaery
