Hi everyone.
Chapter 11: Partings
Robb
Taking advantage of an old path into the Westerlands was a boon to his forces, and Stafford Lannister will suffer for it.
A smile crawled its way onto his lips when he heard Grey Wind, Lady and Dusk howl out. They attacked first, and now he would too.
"The King in the North!" Theon cried out, and others followed his example as the Northern Army circled in on the Lannister Camp before any defenses can be made.
The horses rode in like thunder, stomping on the rested and drunk and incompetent. Cutting loose the horses and utilizing the wolves caused Stafford's own horse to trample tents and men alike, he and his force of six-thousand would close the gap and route Stafford's entire army.
It seemed to have worked well. The number they lost was small, whereas the Lannister lost the entire force that either died, scattered to the winds or have surrendered to him and his men. Dawn shone itself after five hours of fighting, a new day has joined and the old was cast aside to rest.
The battle was a success with all things considered, except with the loss of Stevron who died of his wounds an hour after the battle. Stafford had fled and he sent a hundred to apprehend them. He, he was walking the camp with some of his lords, Roose Bolton and Theon and Uncle Brynden being some of them.
"Five men dead for every one of ours. We have nowhere to keep all these prisoners, have barely enough to feed our own." Though the Lord of the Dreadfort was right, he won't be so cruel as to execute soldiers that have surrendered though his brother would have otherwise.
It's been some time since their father was murdered, he found where he was buried and had his remains returned home to be put to better rest. Arthur and Arya wanted blood, that much was clear and Lady Mya has taken to being beside his mother's side along with a resistant younger sister. He put Arthur in his group of personal guards, with Theon, Dacey and Smalljon Umber and others that are around his age or above.
"I'm not executing prisoners, Lord Bolton." Roose looked at him with those pale eyes that scared him, they're too damned cold looking.
"Of course, your grace. The officers may be useful, some even being privy to Tywin Lannisters plans." He doubts it, if it were true then these men wouldn't be in this camp meant for training recruits. "Maybe even Lord Stafford when he is captured." He hummed, the man might have something.
"Who is chasing him?" He asked, mainly because he didn't exactly assign a certain officer to pursue the man. Roose sighed, and Theon was unsure.
"... The Dread Wolf, Robb."
Seven Hells.
Arthur
It was in the shadowy part of the woods where a man in Lannister gear was thrown at the hooves of a horse, on top of that horse was Arthur.
Arthur has gone under a change since the war for independence began and the war for his father's freedom had ended, he's fought in a number of battles that liberated much of the Riverlands besides those controlled by Tywin Lannister at the current time.
Now Robb has turned his sights west to Tywin's homelands, they would pillage and conquer as Tywin and his dogs had done all throughout the Riverlands months ago. Just last night is the first of many battles to fight, and he will take everything that Tywin and his brood had taken from him.
"Stand up! Little Kitten." He insulted the man before him, cousin to Tywin Lannister. "Earn your freedom, fight me." He dismounted and gave the reins to Gendry who has taken up a spot as a personal companion. He unsheathed his blade, the bloody sword being pointed to the man below.
Stafford spits on his boots, scoffing at the notion of fighting him.
"The Dread Wolf. Hunter of Lions. Kings Scar." Stafford spoke the titles he earned like they were poison, "Enjoy hunting men through woods and hills with those beasts, do you?" the Lannister gestured to Dusk and Lady who growled viciously like they were offended by insults.
"A wolf is only as strong as its pack, lest it is struck by other animals. Lions should know that better than most, now arm yourself." He threatened.
By the end he and his men left Stafford headless, the man didn't put up much of a fight and he's taken yet another trophy. For every member of House Lannister that he's slain in combat, only two in his collection being Stafford and his boy, Daven who he slew in another battle. He put the head on his saddle and urged his horse and company to get back to camp, knowing his brother is going to be angry with him yet again.
Robb Stark. King in the North. King of the Trident. The Young Wolf. His brother is a master of the sword, bested by few like himself. Him, Robb, Arya and Lady Stark swore vengeance on House Lannister for their actions against House Stark, House Baratheon, and the North. Arya is determined to fight, choosing to wear men's clothes and training with the sword. The wolves grew with them, getting larger than a small pony.
Robb has been worried for him, worried that he has become cold and asked; since he hates Lannisters so much, what is stopping him from killing Jaime? He would say that he would be hanged, it would bring harm to Sansa but Robb disagreed and said something else is stopping him from doing it.
And his brother is right.
For a few months he grew a strong bond with Jaime, he taught him and believed in his aspirations to become who he wants to be. When he attacked his father has cracked that shell, and learning that he almost killed Bran because of the truth worsened that fractured bond, damaging it. Yet he cannot look at Jaime, nor bring a weapon to end him for all the good it would do him, but it would also hurt Sansa who is still captive.
"Arthur!" He perked his head up, seeing Greatjon and Rickard approaching with a group of soldiers behind him. "You are to bring the captive to the King, at once." He was told and he nodded and kicked his black steed forward into a trot towards the largest pavilion where Robb is seated.
Robb
He was planning for the next step in their invasion of the Westerlands, which is the Ashemark and ruled by House Marbrand.
After that victory comes the seat of the Crag which House Westerling rules and they will have large portions of the West and the Golden Tooth. His eyes lingered onto Casterly Rock, an impenetrable fortress to many but he has the men to take it, and if not then he will bleed the West dry of grain and gold.
"My King!" a messenger came in and knelt, "Lord Arthur Snow is outside and waiting for the word to enter." He nodded and the man left.
His brother was still in his armor, bloodied and in his hand was a bag that carried the head of Lord Stafford. He sighed disapprovingly, shaking his head as his brother's face became hard and got to one knee and setting the head on the ground. The lords gathered watched as he and Arthur stared at one another, knowing that upon hearing Stafford had fled that the man was to be captured, not killed and Arthur had disobeyed the order.
He cant be lenient, not on anyone who disobeys the command of a King. Nor can he be seen as weak.
"Explain yourself?" He asked in a low voice, Arthur looked up with the eyes of a Dayne.
"Like what- " He isn't playing Arthur's games, not today after their victory over House Lannister.
"You know I wanted him alive, and yet you slew him. Are you a wolf or a rabid hound?!" He said, his voiced raised to seem kingly to his lords. Arthur, his brother knelt his head instead of speaking out of turn and he felt bad for chastising him for doing what they have come to do in the south. "Everyone, out!" He commanded and everyone left the room and to their posts.
He and Arthur were alone now, and putrid head that was red with tufts of gold hair springing from the open bag. He sighed and knelt by Arthur, his head was still lowered and he stared at the form for a long moment before roughly pulling fool to his feet and forcing his blood to look right at him.
"The time of mourning is done! Hear me? Father is gone, you have to stop this- " Arthur swatted his hand away, his brothers face contorting in anger.
"Isn't this what we are fighting for? Vengeance? For you it is being some King, for me, it is to bring the Lion to heel under the jaws of the Wolf." He was surprised, did his brother really believe that or is he simply too tuned to getting his hands bloody with the lives of Lannisters.
"You want to murder them all, I do too. Yet, brother... We can't risk any harm coming to our sister." Arthur huffed and turned, but he won't be ignored, "And headhunting any and all Lannisters and those who serve them won't quicken the end of this war, it will only inflame it." He added. He wished war was easier in this way, that he could eliminate an entire family and win. It isn't and he cannot fight knowing Arthur thinks this as well.
"Alright." Arthur muttered, "But the moment I can, we slay Joffrey and the Queen. No exceptions." He and Arthur had a small standoff right then, eyeing one another until he outstretched his hand and clasped it with Arthurs. A deal struck because he also intends on dealing with Joffrey, himself.
"Done."
Arthur
He left Robb with a cooler head, and with his trophy but swore to Robb that it would be the last one before he got his hands on Joffrey and Cersei.
Robb had confided in him that not long ago, a day or two before leaving Riverrun that Theon advised that they get the Iron Islands on their side. Robb is inclined to let their friend leave for Pyke, but he is somewhat at odds with it and so will Lady Stark for that matter when she hears of it.
He doesn't trust Theon, in fact, he trusts the man at his back in any dangerous situation. Yet Balon is unrelenting, a brutish man who holds a grudge something fierce. His and Robb's father fought on Pyke, fought and killed Balon's sons and for that was hated by all on the Iron Islands.
Its an omen in sending the lone wolf back to his pack, peer pressure is too great and he and Jon knew this better than anyone. He fears that Theon won't return and Robb disagreed when he confessed this, saying that Theon is a brother to them and deserves some trust lest they be no better than the Lannisters.
On that, he left Robb, not interested in arguing a point to a man who's made up his mind.
"You're back!" He was embraced by Mya, she pressed her lips to his and the two soon became entangled in the cot he had, enjoying each other's warmth after such a victorious battle though Mya would have joined in the fight as Gendry has, Lady Catelyn didn't approve of it.
Later on when they were finished, he and Mya were huddled together with the furs over them and her head on his chest, both in deep thought.
"I want you to accompany me in the next battle." He declared softly and she perked her head up in shock, "Soon I should have a helm made for you in the shape of a Stag, like Gendry with his bulls helm. Would you like that?" He asked and she smiled and kissed him.
"I would be glad to follow you to the Seven Hells and back, because where you go... I go, too." She told him and he smiled gladly, wrapping his arms around her and turning them over where he was on top, looking down onto her blue pools and then kissing her fiercely.
He forgot the war in this nigh. If only to surround him in the bliss of having Mya Stone by his side, forever.
Robb
He sat down and accepted the cup from his mother, ready to hear her thoughts about him sending Theon to the Iron Islands.
"You don't want Balon Greyjoy for an ally." The same thing Arthur said to him, like himself when Theon asked back before departing Riverrun. He sighed and rebuked her mother's words, hoping to convince her of his goal.
"We need ships. And Theon said he has 200." His argument was met with a counter, he expected as much because Arthur had done the same not an hour back.
"They say a million rats live in the sewers of King's Landing! Should we rally them to fight?" She shouted and asked him, in another time he might have laughed but now he is more irritated than anything.
"I know you don't trust Lord Greyjoy- " He tried to say that they could trust Theon, Theon is his brother in all but blood. Yet his mother cut him off.
"I don't trust him because he is not trustworthy, your father had to go to war to end his rebellion." He nodded to her response and added a counter.
"Yes... Now I am the one rebelling against the throne. Before me it was father, you married one rebel and mothered another." He pointed out to her, and his mother remained silent because it was true and right now allies can be found of the former rebel in Pyke. Then her face became strong and argued back what he had just said.
"I mothered more than just rebels. A fact you seem to have forgotten." He got it then, what she was referring to and grit his teeth.
"If I traded the Kingslayer for one girl, my Lords will string me up by my feet." As much as it pained him, he cannot do it and should he do so he will lose much support from his allies and give strength to his enemies. That and Arthur and Theon would lay him on his back with their fists.
"You want to leave Sansa in the Queens' hands? I have Arya back to me because of that boy and Lady Mya. Robb, who are we fighting for if not for your sister- " He put his foot down then, couldn't bear to hear another word lest it break down his resolve that he's inherited from his father.
"It's more complicated than that, you know it is!"
Silence comes in like an unwelcome wind. His mother in shock had seated herself, and he regretted telling her the truths that he resisted until now.
"... It's time for me to go home." She finally said and he was afraid, afraid to not have her with him, he could not say it, too cowardly to act. "I haven't seen Bran or Rickon in months." He took in a deep breath and told her no, that she cannot go but for other reasons, "Beg your pardon?".
"I'll send Rodrik to watch over the boys, because tomorrow... You will ride south to Bitterbridge." She seemed confused, of what he meant by that.
"Why in the name of all the gods would you- " She attempted to ask but he cut her off.
"Because I need you to negotiate with Renly Baratheon, now he's rallied an army of a 100,000. You know him, you know his family." His mother tried to fight it, telling him that she hasn't seen Renly since he was a boy and telling him that he has a hundred other Lords to call upon, "And which of these Lords do I trust more than you." He would send Arthur but Renly and his people would see that as a slight, he needed his mother for this.
"If Renly sides with us? We'll outnumber them two to one. When they feel the jaws beginning to shut, they'll sue for peace and we'll get Sansa back from them. After we will all go home, for good." His plans were carefully laid today when he was debriefing with all of his lords when they won the battle. His mother remained strong, after a moment she nodded her head and said she will ride at first light, he placed a kiss onto her forehead and said.
"We will all be together soon, I promise." She parted and with a smile said back to him.
"You've done so well, your father would be... Proud." What she said made him swell, he hoped that is so and his father is looking down on him. Before leaving he turned back to his mother with more to say, for Renly of course.
"Give Lord Renly my regards." His mother was quick to respond back, with more facts for him.
"KING Renly. There's a King in every corner now."
After that he left, there are two farewells to be said tomorrow and he wants to be ready for it.
A/N: Sorry for the wait. I know Theon leaving was episode one of season two, so I combined both scenes.
Anyways I am getting to work on the next chapter, Taking of Ashemark, the numbers on the Lannister side is unknown whereas Robb had the Six-Thousand he had in the Battle of Oxcross. I will still try to make it entertaining or if you guys preferred then I could jump right to the Crag.
On another note I am not adding Talisa in this version, she is instead played by the OG who ruined everything, Jeyne Westerling.
Metal Flash, The third wolf was Lady, Lady survived whereas Arthur was punished. Jaime knows Catelyn resents Jon and Arthur so he is trying to cause a bit of friction.