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Chapter 24: The Wolves Will Bow to No One
Sansa sat silently, staring aimlessly. All the while her food grew cold below her. Icy blue Tully eyes shimmered a million colors with each passing second. No tears, only fears. Her silence and depression was beginning to scare Arya, whom of which sat on the opposite end of the table, fork in hand and knife in the other. The two Stark girls sat with their direwolves at their sides, protective and loving. They knew no harm would befall them as long as their direwolves stayed with them, but the fear was still there and alive. Especially to Sansa. Her whole life was spent curtsying and crochet, but recently, she'd killed some men, alongside her younger siblings.
All three of them had killed in self-defense. To her, it didn't matter the reason behind the killing; it didn't wash the blood from her hands. She could tell herself over and over that she had to do it, but that still didn't take the image of dying men from her mind. She'd done it; she'd killed. She'd watched their eyes widen with surprise and guilt? She watched the light disappear only to be replaced with the dark void that death seems to be. She'd seen it and now it wasn't leaving her alone. Oh how she wished to be free of these horrible images.
The Queen was off doing queenly things, such as ruling the kingdoms in her son's stead since Joffrey decided to join the fight himself. Sansa felt a smile spread across her face. Joffrey could die on the field of battle. A giggle, unbeknownst to her escaped her lips gaining Arya's attention once more. Arya frowned at her sister, wondering if she'd gone mad yet. Suddenly, the young Stark got an idea and she knew that there was nothing that Sansa could do to go against it. She shot to her feet, pushing her chair away.
"Sansa." Arya said with a flat tone. "You're going to learn how to dance."
"Naruto." Sasuke rushed up to him a strange look wrought across his face.
The prince did a quick look around to see if he was clear or not. Finding his troops spread out through Tumbleton's defenses, he looked to Sasuke with a look of defeat.
"Don't tell me what I think you're going to tell me." The Baratheon leaned against the stone walls of the South Gatehouse.
"Lord Randyll Tarly is on his way here with a tenth of you Uncle's forces." Sasuke quickly said. "Just about ten thousand men are charging for you right here and now."
"Gods, why so many?" Naruto sighed in exasperation. "Did you get far enough to see what they were planning?"
"It has to do with your Uncle Renly wanting you." Sasuke shrugged. "He wants you alive; as for the rest of your troops, I don't know."
"Do you have any idea of what to do?" Naruto asked. "I just…I don't know if we can fight ten thousand men. If you haven't noticed, we have only about four hundred and fifty troops and no other Lord in the Royal Army has answered our calls for reinforcements."
"I know, I know." Sasuke growled. "Let me think, Baka."
Lady Taerina suddenly arrived, worried and distraught. At her sides, the rest of Naruto's battle companions stood. Taerina walked ahead of the troupe and handed Naruto a parchment.
"A raven." She said. "From Storm's End. Your Uncle Renly has made his first move."
"To where?" Naruto asked with narrowed brows.
"He's split his force into tenths; each heading to different castles and towns bordering the Reach and the Westerlands and Crownlands." Lady Taerina sighed. "And Lord Randyll Tarly is on his way-"
"To Tumbleton, as we speak." Naruto finished, shooting to his feet. "I know. I'm having a bad feeling about all of this. Why did he wait so long to move his forces?"
"Maybe because you made the first move?" Bran asked, getting everyone's attention. "You attacked Tumbleton; the gateway from the Reach into the Crownlands. Certainly that means something for his forces."
"So he was just waiting for us to make the first strike?" Naruto ran a hand against his face.
"I say we continue to give them what they want." Bran smirked.
"What?!" The battle companions were completely caught off guard.
"I'm saying we meet them in the field of battle-" Bran was suddenly cut off by the resident Summer Islander.
"Brandon, I mean this with the highest respect; but are you mad?" Jalabhar asked exasperatedly. "They have ten thousand men on their way."
"I know that. I not deaf." Bran sighed. "I have a plan. We cut them off, little by little. You see, because we are such a small force, they'll never expect us. We'll sneak into their camp with relative ease."
"And what do we do while we're in their camp?" Ser Delran asked, clearly catching on to what the young Stark was saying.
"We cut the head from the snake." Bran's smirk grew to a deadly size. "If our previous battles were any merit, defeating the leader sends the troops in a fray. You can even get deserters to fill the empty ranks."
"I was just about to say the same thing, Bran." Naruto smiled, stretching his arms and back. "Bran you and Jalabhar along with the best archers will have to run overwatch. Mayra and the knights are going to be with me as we sneak into the camp tonight."
"Lady Taerina, Ser Delran, stay with the troops and fortify Tumbleton." Naruto made quick orders. "Sa-"
Shit. Sasuke. Naruto thought, quickly keeping to himself. Make sure you keep up that genjutsu thing. Whatever it was.
"I don't know if I can continue that." Sasuke took a deep breath. "I didn't even know I can use genjutsu in this state."
Just do what you can, Sasuke. Naruto took a deep breath and sighed. That genjutsu thing was extremely helpful.
The Prince walked off as his battle companions dispersed. Clapping his soles against the stone steps, Naruto took in the image of Tumbleton. Large houses and small houses along with the main keep in the center. The victory was rather simple. They cut through the defenses like a hot knife to butter. The men surrendered within an hour of the siege. If Naruto wasn't in a depressing predicament, he would have laughed at the memory. The lord collapsed to his feet and begged not to be killed in a rather comical way. Nonetheless, Naruto had them under his watch and the original garrison was now being used by him.
Fox Company wasn't going to be refilled any time soon, using deserters and traitors of the crown. Naruto didn't know if he could trust the Lord of Tumbleton yet or his troops, but he was leaving Ser Delran and Lady Taerina for that specific reason. That lord was mighty terrified of the two veterans. Naruto just hoped that the lord didn't do anything ridiculous while he was gone. If that was the case, the prince knew that he could trust Ser Delran to 'remove' the lord the moment he becomes a liability. Naruto continued along, bored look on his face.
"Naruto." A voice came from behind. The prince shot around, spinning on his heel.
"Mayra?"
"I wanted to talk to you…" She trailed off.
"Sure, anything you need."
There was an awkward silence. There were some Fox Company members watching them with awkward looks. She took a deep breath, her brown eyes scanning the various men and women walking past them.
"In private?" Mayra sighed. "Please?"
"Alright, alright." Naruto smiled, enjoying her distress.
The two walked side-by-side, parting the troops as they passed them by. Mayra though wanted to get closer to him. She couldn't save him before, so she was going to make sure she wouldn't fail him again. The prince continued his walk towards the keep. If he was intending to talk in his chambers, she didn't know if she'd be able to control herself. Her heart was racing. She bit her lip, wiping some stray dirt on her brow. Her boots clacked against the cobblestone road.
How did he recuperate so fast? Mayra thought to herself. He looks as if everything that's happened hasn't affected him.
She walked along, twiddling with her thumbs and fingers, waiting for the right moment to say something. Oh, she berated herself. Something? There has to be more than just something. She needed to let him know that she had no idea that everything was going to collapse and fall to shit within a matter of hours. She frowned to herself. She was going crazy lingering too much on what happened in the past. But one thing was for certain; being locked in a cell wasn't the best experience she's had. She was hoping that she doesn't end up sleeping on a damp stone floor again.
She shuddered softly. There were a few leering bandits in the dungeons with her. She was certain they would rape her down there. With the looks they gave her, she could see the lust burning in their eyes. She forced those images from her mind. She eyed her surroundings, watching the back of Naruto's hair wave in the wind. She couldn't stop staring at him. She couldn't stop loving him. She groaned getting the prince's attention. Once the two made eye contact, she shut quiet and looked away, still following him with a steady pace.
It didn't take long for her to realize that she was in his chambers within the keep. He sat in his seat watching her with amused eyes. A small smirk grew on his face when she realized that she'd been staring off into space like a fish out of water. Hell, she felt that she'd laugh if she wasn't so flustered in his presence. She stared into his oceanic sapphire orbs, wondering why he was so enchanting. So much so, she nearly forgot what she wanted to talk about.
"Naruto…" She trailed off, walking towards the window overlooking the city. "What am I…to you?"
Robb sat ready, hand wrapped around his sword and a glare spread across his stern face. The greatest battle of the war as of yet was at hand. He had finally pulled Lord Tywin into his trap. The Lannister was below, waiting at the vanguard of his forces with a not so worried, but not so confident, look. His troops, all twenty thousand of them, were setting up defensive positions. Lannister pikemen were already moving into position.
He watched them, falling into their formations. It was a little strange to the Stark. Pikemen to the front forming square formations. Behind them, Lannister longbowmen were running into position. If his pikemen were any indication, Lord Tywin was expecting Robb to charge in with his cavalry like he usually did. Robb though, wasn't about to do that and risk his life and the lives of his closest friends and trusted battle companions.
If there was one flaw that Robb had managed to piece together; the Lannister pikemen were lacking shields and while their pikes were indeed pikes, they weren't 'pikes'. He could still hit them with his archers, drawing them closer to him. Once they were within his grasp, he and his cavalry could swoop in and crush them. All he had to do was get his archers in position. Another problem though, his archers had shortbows while the Lannisters had longbows. It would require some maneuvering to get them into place, but he felt that he could do it.
"Lord Umber." The king said. "Bring some of your toughest and fastest riders to draw the attention of their archers."
"As you command, your Grace." The Umber bowed his head slightly.
With a great cry to go with his name, fifty riders shot forth, speeding towards the Lannister lines. They stayed out of range of the pikes, but still close enough to be deemed targets. They rushed past the Lannisters, getting the front line's attention. Robb felt the corners of his lips curl. He'd caught their attention. A wave was made, bringing up Lord Nestor Royce to the King's side.
"Bring our archers up to the helm as fast as possible, while our cavalry distracts their front." Robb quickly said. "Their target will be the pikemen. Archers we can handle."
"Understood your Grace." The Lord Yohn nodded to his king. "Archers! Front and Center!"
The cavalry turned round-about, rushing back towards his lines. His ice-blue Tully eyes raced back and forth watching the distance for signs of the rest of the Howling Wolves. He was extremely clear, as clear as one could be, about being secretive and making sure they weren't spotted. Closing in Tywin and his host was the most important part of the strategy. He needed the old man boxed in with nearly nowhere to run. Once the siege of Harrenhall begins, and is won, everything will fall into place. He took a deep breath, his body shaking in excitement for what was to come.
"We'll defeat them." Robb whispered to himself. He turned his head to his battle companions, crown waving in his hair before resting snug on his head. "We will defeat them; all of them. None of us are dying today."
He turned his head back watching the arrows fly. Almost a hundred pikemen were defeated within seconds. Robb shivered, feeling a strange explosion of power within him. Grey Wind growled softly, barring his teeth, clearly ready for the battle coming up. Before he could do anything else, a soft hand rested on his shoulder. It was none other than Lady Dacey Mormont of Bear Island. The lanky beauty of House Mormont gave her king a small courageous, reassuring smile that brought all kinds of emotions to writhe within the King in the North.
He could hear the whistle clear as day. The battle was at hand and the pikemen were already beginning their advance. A quick motion of cloth and hands, Lord Nestor got the message and signaled the retreat. Suddenly, Lord Tywin made a change in formations. His troops began to spread out, slowly encompassing all that Robb could see. The ranks were coming close to his hidden troops. The fields around Darry had forests and tall grass, but the farther the Lannisters spread, the less Robb had to work with. He grabbed a banner from one of his banner carriers and waved it mercilessly, hoping his troops in hiding would get the message.
Lord Tywin was clearly confused by this, but went along, believing the message to be a morale booster. Within seconds, Lord Nestor arrived, sweat pouring down his cheeks. Behind him, archers and the cavalry contingent arrived shortly after. They were tired and the archers were already empty of arrows. Robb felt defeated already. His eyes trailed up, watching his archers draw their swords and join ranks with his infantry and swordsmen. His cavalry contingent was beaten up and rather bloodied. He'd made a mistake bringing only his personal company and two others. There were more Lannisters than he'd thought.
I hope the siege of Harrenhall is going far better than this. Robb thought wistfully.
This was going to be far more difficult than the Battle of the Whispering Wood. There, he had all sorts of advantages that the Lannisters didn't have. But now, he was meeting Lord Tywin on open field. No longer was he chasing Lord Tywin across the land, wearing him down through attrition, but instead, he was mad enough to challenge the battle-hardened veteran in real, open combat. He was mad enough to challenge the man who forced House Rayne into extinction. In Robb's worried mind, this was the first real battle he'd fought in the entire war. Every other battle was used as a ruse to pull someone from Tywin's host. But now, the tables have turned and their forces were matched. Robb couldn't lose here. He just couldn't.
Shaking his head, he could see Lannister men-at-arms taking place over the pikemen at the front lines. This was more than perfect. Instead, this was the exact tactical blunder that the Stark was hoping Lord Tywin would make. Of all things, Robb was surprised that Lord Tywin would change his vanguard. That could only mean that Tywin believed that he would try to do another distraction trick like he did with the cavalry. No; Robb never used the same trick twice when it came to Lord Tywin. Robb took a deep breath keeping his eyes on the small flashes of light coming from the trees and tall grass.
His troops were finally in position and were awaiting his orders. He released his held breath when Lord Tywin's host stopped spreading ranks. He was wide and open ready and ripe for the taking. Robb couldn't stop the growing smile on his face. Lannister banners spread out like a small sea of red and gold. No matter the size, Robb was finally certain that he can win this. He turned back to his battle companions and yelled with as much power as he can manage. They exploded in excitement, drawing their swords and weapons. They repositioned themselves, gearing for the greatest battle they've fought up to date.
"They have lost their vanguard!" Robb roared. "Charge!"
Robb slapped the reins and sped forward, the wind blew through his auburn hair. Behind him, his companions rushed alongside him, making sure they didn't lag behind their King. He held the banner in his left hand as steady as possible, keeping the sigil of House Stark strong and ready to strike. He turned his eyes to see the positions he'd taken and watched the leaves and tall grass rustle. He was ready; they were ready. He hoped that Tywin was ready; for that old man was going to have his arse handed to him on his silver platter.
The vanguard was coming close. So close in fact, Robb could feel time slow. Next to him, Grey Wind's teeth shined in the rays of the sun, looking ready to dig into flesh of man. The sweat drops forming on the Lannister footmen could be seen as clear as this day. He could feel the small wisps of cold pinching his cheeks and nose. Everything was thrown into perspective within a few short seconds. Like never before, Robb saw his life flash before his; from training with Jon as children all the way to learning his father was murdered. His father was murdered.
Rage filled his veins. The memory of his anguish and his pain rushed forth with new vigor almost as fresh as the day he first felt it. He came to remember his sisters and brother were hostages of the Royal Family. They were held against their own accord and the only way he was going to get them back was if he surrendered and let the North fall back onto its knees to these lords. His glare deepened as he neared the front lines. He didn't want justice.
He wanted revenge.
Not a second to waste, Robb punched through the front line, trampling over at least ten of Tywin's swordsmen. Grey Wind was huge now, easily plowing through the line of shields and swords. The King in the North drew his longsword and swung down with the power of the gods, digging his blade through the skull of two unprepared swordsmen, spraying their blood onto their friends' faces. He was on a mission. He was going to exterminate the Lannister military machine here and now. Tearing the blade from the dead Lannister, Robb shot forth, swinging in all directions, killing and deflecting to the best his rage would allow.
"Onto me!" Robb roared over the explosion of battle. "Companions, onto me!"
His cry fell onto deaf ears. His cavalry was bogged down by the sheer number of infantry in their way. No second was spared; he was in the middle of a battle. Turning his attention to the center of the pikemen formation; Lord Tywin sat on his high horse. Robb gritted his teeth. A man-at-arms got too close to the Stark for comfort. Feeling an explosion of strength within him, he reached down and lifted the man by the throat. Lannister troops backed away from Robb slowly giving him a large open space to work with. He could hear them screaming that he was beginning to turn into a wolf. Oh how he enjoyed that.
I'll give them a wolf. Robb whispered. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as power exploded from within him.
The soldiers were about to rush at him, but something huge got in their way. Many were forced to the ground, the entrails pouring from the holes that once made their stomachs. In the wake of their blood and mist stood Grey Wind. His eyes were no longer a shimmering bronze-gold, instead they were icy blue, like the King in the North's. Grey Wind rushed forward, using his size and strength to his advantage against the smaller men that he faced. With a simple head-butt, he sent a Lannister serjeant flying into a group of men.
He shot around, slashing his tail about, denting one of the Lannister helmets. Robb was serious about slaughtering the Lannisters. Grey Wind jumped, digging his claws into the shoulders of another Lannister serjeant, tearing the man asunder. But Robb wasn't finished. He was far from finished. As Grey Wind, he feasted on a dead Lannister before creeping his head back releasing a bellowing howl that echoed throughout the battlefield, clearing the land of all sound of battle. As Grey Wind, Robb turned to see Lord Tywin reach worriedly for his arming sword.
"Reposition-"
The Lannister cried out, but was quickly cut short. An arrow lodged itself into his steed, knocking him from his seat of command. Lannister heads turned in all directions, wondering where the arrow came from. Little by little though, the Lannisters were pelted by Northman arrows that punched through their armor. The trees and grass rustled, revealing the forces of Lord Umber and Lord Nestor coming up from the flanks. Grey Wind let loose another howl signaling the order to charge.
Forcing his mind back into his normal body, Robb smirked darkly as the Northmen charged down from the flanks. The look on Lord Tywin's face was more than just perfect. His personal knights fell victim to the Northman arrows puncturing their armor, digging into their flesh. The Lannisters were caught in his ruse. Somehow, Lord Tywin never expected a strategy like this. It didn't matter; Robb was going to have his victory on the field and he was going to get his family back together again. This time, he wasn't going to mess up and let anyone through his fingers.
With a slap of the reins, he shot forward. His steed stomped his hooves into the faces and chests of Lannister footmen should they get in his way. He wasn't going to miss his chance. Not now, not again. Robb jumped free from his saddle once he took notice of one of the pikemen rearing up for an attack. While he was rather lucky, his steed wasn't. The pike tore into his horse, killing it in an instant. Grey Wind though, rushed up to the scene and sunk his teeth into the man's throat, ending his life just as he ended Robb's horse.
The King in the North snapped back to reality, remembering that there was a battle still being fought. Drawing his sword he clashed with a Lannister serjeant trying to give commands. Robb grabbed the man by the neck and hurled him to the ground. The serjeant reached for his sword with a great confusion springing across his face. Robb dug his sword into the man's chest, ripping and lacerating his flesh. The Stark quickly turned on his heels, sword awash with blood and swung it down onto the spine of another unsuspecting footman.
"The King in the North; kill him!" The rest finally took notice of him over the chaos that ensued.
With another look around of the battle at hand, he realized that his troops were doing a damn good job at distracting and boxing in the Lannisters. These swordsmen were running toe-to-toe with his dismounted battle companions. One by one, they fell victim to the vicious strikes and attacks that the Northmen had at their disposal. And for that, Robb knew that this battle was in their hands. Clashing his blade with another, Robb ducked and weaved between each attack, throwing punches and kicks trying to get a rise out of the knight that decided to challenge him.
"You're a lot younger than I thought." The knight spat. "To think someone like you can fight."
"You mustn't have taken into consideration what I'm called." Robb growled, putting all of his weight into the sword. "I'm the Young Wolf."
The two shot back from each other, pacing back and forth waiting for the other to make the first move. Neither were going to make it that easy. Oh, but Robb just knew that the Lannister pride would break the mold. Two men-at-arms rushed at Robb, intent on protecting their knight-lord. The Stark shot ahead, sword rushing above, digging into the Lannister helmet. With his blade stuck, Robb drew his dagger, all the while twisting and weaving. The man-at-arms swung, trying his best to strike Robb down.
Robb saw him coming from a mile away. He ducked, dropping to a knee. Just as the footman came into range, Robb let his grip go, forcing the man to the ground as well. The footman struggled to get away. He backed away but Robb grabbed him. The Stark wasn't about to let his target get away. He jumped into the fallen footman, dagger in hand with his other wrapped firmly around the man's throat. Robb held steady, prepared to do the deed, but he locked eyes with the soldier below.
He wasn't a man, nor was he a seasoned veteran. He was just a boy, no older than he. Blue eyes locked with green, but Robb wasn't about to regret what he was doing. He shot his dagger down, plunging the blade into the boy's chest. Blood sprayed to his cheeks, spraying his face. The boy's eyes rolled away hiding into his skull.
The sounds of battle slowly drowned out. And within moments, time simply stopped. That boy probably had a family of his own, a life of his own. Just like he did. Robb clenched his teeth, trying to fight back the conflicting feelings. But these conflicting feelings suddenly broke, exploding in all directions, revealing an anger he'd never felt before. This boy will never walk this land again. This boy will never kiss a woman. This boy will never see his family again. All because the Lannisters. The Lannisters started this war; the Lannisters forced a spear into his hands and slapped him into armor.
"No." Robb whispered. "No."
Time snapped back. Sounds ruptured, sending Robb into a near state of shock. Soldiers were cut down in all directions with arrows speeding back and forth. Blades clashed, clanging with a shrill, deafening echo. A sharp ring sang in Robb's ears as he came to realize how weak he was being. No time was wasted. He rolled forward, dodging a greatsword with near perfection and great luck. He spun back around, remembering his sword was lodged into the skull of a dead soldier and his knife was protruding from the chest of the boy. He was facing that knight from before.
Robb watched the man reposition. His armor was clearly made for maximum protection with the sacrifice of speed. This was a flaw that he was going to take advantage of. He rushed ahead, dodging a swing from the man's greatsword. In the chaos of his swing, Robb wrapped his hand around the handle of his arming sword. He pulled as hard as he can, but the blade was lodged deep. He bit his lip but with a quick kick to the dead man's head, he pulled his sword free from the corpse.
"Bring it, bastard!"
Naruto sat silently in his bed. Sweat glistened off his body. Muscles and scars trailed up and down his torso. He took slow, deep breaths. His room was filled with a strange heat that he couldn't explain. His blond locks of hair stuck to his skin, thick with sweat. He was calm, and in fact, felt complete again. His rough battle-hardened palms rested, rubbing against his scarred cheeks. Behind him there was a woman, brown hair fallen into a mess covering her face from view.
He bit his lip trying to hold in the deep feeling of regret growing within his chest. Sure Sansa hated his guts for killing her father, but he felt that he was still in love with the Stark. He slept with Mayra anyway though. She was sleeping peacefully hiding her breasts beneath the fur blanket and bed sheets. She looked so different compared to when she's fighting and killing people. She looked euphoric. She was beautiful, despite what most thought of her. Despite what she always thought of herself.
He shivered slightly, staring at her bare, shimmering back. It was then when he realized the scars she had. Some looked harmless while others seemed to be flaying marks. What kind of pain she must have gone through, Naruto wondered. He sighed, lying back into the bed. There was a soft groan coming from his side. Mayra had awoken anyway.
"Naruto…" She moaned. "W-What happened?"
"You know what happened." He smiled softly.
"I know…I just wanted you to remind me." She whispered. "It was better than the first time."
"Is that so?" He asked softly, lowering his face to hers.
"It is." Her face rose in heat; a blush spreading across her cheeks. "You seemed to know what you were doing."
"I had a good idea of what to do this time." Naruto snickered. "I didn't hear you complaining."
"Now why would I do that?" She gave him a feigned look of hurt. "I'll have you know I enjoyed it. Maybe a little more than I should have."
"It's fine Mayra." Naruto leaned his forehead with hers. "We can be together now. Just like you wanted."
"What about your marriage with Lady Stark?" The bastard asked.
"And here I was thinking you were a spy." Naruto frowned.
"Hey." She glared.
"I'm jesting." The prince quickly replied. "I just meant…well…with the gods and man as witness, Sansa and my brother nullified our marriage. She's probably already married to Joffrey by this point."
Mayra looked away, chocolate brown eyes drifted. She wanted to smile and thank the gods, but she could tell that this was still affecting her prince. With a quick movement, she placed her palm on his scarred cheek, rubbing her thumb against the gashes. The boy shuddered into her hand, bringing his own to hold hers. He was and is officially hers and there is no one that could take him away from her this time. She slid against the pillow, her nose sliding against the tip of his. No words were shared before she pressed her lips with his. Mayra relished in the embrace.
Her heart exploded in action when he began to kiss back. She shook and shivered in excitement. He was serious. He leaned over her, blond hair hanging loose rubbing against her cheeks. But she knew she needed to breath. With a reluctant pull at her chest, she broke the kiss. While she needed to stop, Naruto didn't. A moan escaped her lips when he shot down to her neck, kissing and sucking at the skin. Her arms wrapped around his neck and back, holding him in place. His warmth was a warmth that she missed. She didn't care what he'd done, she was glad that he was finally here.
Her chest began to hurt. Her heart wrenched and beat heavier. He is finally hers. She bit her lower lip trying to fight back the tears building in her eyes. Oh, but that could only last for so long. Her tears shot out and she wept. Naruto sprang up, wiping the sweat from his brow and gave her a rather confused look. She sat up wiping the tears from her cheeks. She gave him a longing look with shimmering brown orbs showing all the love she's managed to harbor for him. Naruto's lips slowly curled. To Mayra, his sapphire blue eyes began to glow. His eyes held depth before, but now she felt she was lost. Oh well; she didn't want to be found.
She got ready to catch him into another kiss, but it seems that Naruto beat her to it. His hands shot to her cheeks, caressing her with as much care and a loving softness that she couldn't explain. His lips captured hers and she wanted to stay like this forever. His hands roamed from her cheeks and lowered to her chest, grasping her breasts, wrapping perfectly around their plump form. She moaned at the action, biting his lower lip to show she was enjoying this. Oh she was definitely enjoying this. They broke apart, gasping, eyes locked. Nothing could break this moment.
"Boss! We need you now!"
"Gods damn it, Ser Warne!" Naruto shot around. "What is so important-?"
"Bran! He's gone mad!"
Naruto and Mayra gave each other worried looks. The two sprang from the bed, throwing on leather breeches and their tunics. Mayra ran across the chambers and tossed Naruto his bastard sword, all the while wrapping her knife bandolier across her chest and waist. The two moved quickly, with a swift experienced and masterful grace. Within seconds, they walked towards the door, opening it to reveal a sweat-faced Jalabhar and Ser Warne. The two of them looked like they'd just been through a crucible. The two battle companions sighed and led two lovers along. Across the main keep, Fox Company soldiers could be seen running about, excitement in their steps. Mayra gave Naruto a look that spelled worry. Whatever this was, it now had their undivided attention.
The troupe rushed through the halls before finally coming to the oaken doors. Warne gave Jalabhar a wary look, but the two opened the doors revealing a large crowd of Fox Company troops and shimmering gold. Gold?! Mayra thought with fear. She shot forward ahead of the rest of the group. She pushed through the soldiers of their company before finally coming to the scene. There was a boy, lying on the cobblestone square with a busted lip and a dented bull helmet wrapped in his hands. Next to him two women of Fox Company were tending to his wounds.
But that wasn't what got her attention. It was the young Stark standing with a bloodied sword and Summer standing next to him. In front of the two Northerners, there was a team of five Gold Cloaks. What the hell are Gold Cloaks doing this far from King's Landing?!
"How DARE you come here and try to take one of our brothers?!" She heard Bran roar. "I don't care who sent you! Be it the king or the gods themselves! You won't lay another finger on him, or ANY of us!"
"By orders of the King, traitor-spawn!" The lead Gold Cloak spat, sword in hand. "You've injured an officer of the law; you are under arrest and we'll be taking that bastard as well!"
"Like I said, rather clearly." Bran growled. "You won't be taking any of us!"
Naruto arrived next to Mayra, an amused look on his face. Mayra looked to him and nearly felt the urge to slap him across the face! How could be so nonchalant about this?! Bran was about to commit murder! Naruto gave Mayra a look that spoke of no argument though. With that the girl stayed quiet and looked onward to see the fight at hand.
The Gold Cloaks spread around, keeping on their toes. They were taller and wielded longer swords. Size meant nothing though. Bran was a testament to that fact. While most men in the company were six feet or close to it, Bran was a meager five feet. Even then, he used his smaller size to his advantage. The boy stayed steady with Summer growling menacingly at the four Gold Cloaks. They were outnumbered.
"Do you fools know who I am?" Bran asked darkly.
"No." One of the Gold Cloaks laughed mockingly.
"I am Brandon Stark of House Stark." Bran smirked. "Here are my words; The Wolf Will Bow to No One!"
Bran rushed forward, surprising the Gold Cloaks. With a speed far beyond their own, the young Stark shoved his blade into the first man's gut, releasing his intestines and bowels; showering the square, painting it red. The man fell to his knees, screaming in an abhorrent horror. Behind the Stark, Summer rushed ahead, teeth barred and claws ready to maul. The wolf rammed his head into the nearest Gold Cloak, denting his armor. He jumped up, using his hind legs to his advantage and pounced, jaw agape. The direwolf's mouth was so large, he engulfed nearly half of the man's torso in one go. Mayra could hear the man screaming within Summer's mouth. She turned to see Naruto laughing along with countless company troops. Eyes went to the battle companions to see that they were just as weary of this show as she was. Jalabhar was more distraught by this than the others.
"You come here." Bran roared, ripping his sword from another Gold Cloak's chest. "To take our friends from us and expect us to lay down our weapons and let you do so? You expect me, a Tully and a Stark, to let you tear apart our family? Lannister scum; I'll kill you where you stand and send your heads back to that shit-stain of a King you swore fealty to!"
Mayra looked back to Naruto to see his smile drop. He was thinking something but he just wouldn't say it. His arms dropped to his sides. His blue eyes began to shimmer when realization began to form on his face. Mayra knew that look perfectly. Naruto jumped forward, hand wrapped around the pommel of his sword and walked side-by-side with Bran.
"What is so interesting of this bastard that my brother wants him dead?" Naruto asked the lead Gold Cloak.
"None of your concern; Monster!" The leader spat once more.
If anger had any substance, Mayra was certain this is what it felt like. It radiated all across the square. Her brown eyes shot to the direwolf Summer to see his teeth glimmer in the afternoon sunlight. The wolf was hunched over, ready to pounce. But it was from Bran. Bran? Her eyes widened with complete uncertainty. He's truly snapped.
"You bastard!" Bran drew his bow faster than any man Mayra had witnessed in her life.
An arrow was knocked and with a draw faster than light itself, Bran let loose. The arrow sped across the square hitting the Gold Cloak so hard, he flew back, arrow nailing him to the wall behind him. Bran took a deep breath, steps leading him forward. The last two Gold Cloaks looked at Naruto and Bran near panic. This fight was over. There was no need for senseless killing. Not anymore. The moment she stepped from the mold of soldiers, the battle companions joined her, more than ready to put a stop to this. Why none of them did anything beforehand made her wonder though.
Maybe they wanted this to happen…but maybe not in the way it did. Mayra stopped just at Naruto's side.
"This is Bran's fight." Naruto held his hands out.
"But, Naruto-"
"Mayra." The prince gave her a dark look. "Leave him be."
"Summer; sic them." Bran roared.
The wolf wasted no time and rushed ahead, digging his teeth into one of the remaining Gold Cloaks, ripping his armor and skin, tearing him asunder. Bran shot around and with a swing of precision, he beheaded the other Gold Cloak. His blood shot up like a geyser, raining upon the Stark; whom of which, seemed to relish in the blood. He turned to the remaining Gold Cloak and pressed his sword against his neck.
"I recognize you." He said loudly enough so everyone could hear. "You're Janos Slynt. You held my father's head like a damned trophy."
"Alright, Bran. That's enough." Naruto held out his hand. "We need answers from him."
"I-It's Lord Commander-"
"I don't give a fuck what you are!" Bran rammed his pommel into the Lord Commander's gut. "Naruto has questions and YOU will answer them!"
"Why are you after one of my men?" Naruto asked calmly; the battle companions gather around, while Jalabhar took Bran's sword.
Mayra sighed softly. Good thing Jalabhar was here. But back to the interrogation at hand, that bastard was none other than a boy named Gendry Waters. Not only was he a bastard, he was Naruto's half-brother! All eyes turned to the boy to see his shining blue eyes that seemed to be an exact copy of Naruto's. It seems that Joffrey was off to kill every single possible competition for his throne. Mayra processed that into one thing and one thing only; Joffrey will try to kill Naruto as well. Judging by the look Bran was sporting, he'd come to the same conclusion.
"What's to stop Joffrey from going after Naruto, huh?!" Bran shot forward a dagger in his hands. "You can't let them have your brother!"
"Bran, calm down!"
"Let me go!"
"Brandon, please, just calm down!"
Ser Warne and Jalabhar wrapped their arms around the irate Stark who just wouldn't give up. Mayra bit her lip looking back and forth, heart racing. Bran was going to do something horribly wrong; something that she knew he was going to regret. Eyes were shooting back and forth, heads were twisting in all directions. No one knew what to do. If Joffrey didn't have Gendry's head, that would be taken as a sign of defiance. No; she had to do something! Without another word, she turned on her heels and drew a knife.
"Mayra! What the hell are you doing?!" Bran screamed.
"I'm doing what I have to do!" She bent down to one of the Gold Cloaks near Gendry and sliced through his neck, butchering and cleaving through the flesh before finally removing the head from the body. She removed the helmet and smiled softly when she realized that she'd chosen the right corpse. Blue eyes and black hair, almost similar to that of Gendry's and Naruto's. She walked over to the congregation built around Lord Commander Janos Slynt. The man felt that he was about to scream when she sheathed her knife. With a flick and a strong pull, she removed the arrow from Janos' shoulder.
"Has Joffrey ever seen this man before?" The Lord Commander shook his head erratically. "Has Joffrey ever seen Gendry before?" The Lord Commander shook his head, but it seemed that he was finally catching on to what he was saying. "If you dare say no to me, I'll be having your head too. Don't fear Joffrey. Fear the Fox Company. After this, don't ever think you can order us around. We no longer answer to the King. We answer to Prince Naruto and him alone."
"Now get out of here." She glared, pointing in her lover's direction. "Before he changes my mind."
Robb rushed along the field of battle, the Howling Wolves at his back and countless Northern Lords and Riverland Lords. Lord Tywin was on the run back towards Harrenhall. Just as planned. He couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. He drew his sword, slapping the reins of his warhorse. The sun was falling and nighttime was upon them. That meant Lord Tywin had two choices; rest and die, or run and die. Either choice made Robb a happy King. Nevertheless, the Lannister decided the latter of the two and continued his tactical retreat.
Oh Robb could already see the Stark banners waving over Harrenhall. Oh how he could see Lord Tywin's head, along with every other Lannister decorating the gatehouse on spikes. He gritted his teeth; the excitement and rage finally beginning to peak. Grey Wind let loose another powerful howl; this time, instead of signaling a charge, something else came from the dark woods that began to surround the Kingsroad.
Wolves and dogs of various sizes and strength appeared behind Grey Wind. They all ran together speeding across and past the trees, dodging and jumping over fallen trees and logs. Leaves and branches rushed past them, slapping their cheeks and faces, but that wasn't going to be enough to stop them. Nothing was going to stop them at this point. They sped across the fields. Lannister Banners could still be seen in the dying light of dusk. Not only that, but the flames and burning braziers of Harrenhall were in the distance.
Banners of blue and white along with pink and red could be seen. Lord Royce and Lord Bolton did what they were tasked to do. They succeeded in what they were tasked to do. Robb turned his head to Owen Norrey, the archer of the battle companions and gave the Mountain Clansman a quick nod. The man simply smiled and drew an arrow. With a quick motion, another companion lit the tip on fire. He turned to the sky and pulled the drawstring back. With a deep breath, he released the drawstring, sending the arrow into the sky. Smoke trailed after it like a shooting star.
With perfect precision, Robb watched a wall of fire shoot from Harrenhall and into the sky. The Lannister banner continued to move though, bringing more happiness to Robb's heart. This was where Tywin's vanguard was; his most loyal and toughest soldiers. This is where Tywin is. This is where this war ends! The flaming arrows landed, killing and setting Lannister banners on fire, giving more light to the darkening battlefield; or slaughter field, whichever one decided upon. Robb drew his sword, releasing the most animalistic roar he could muster.
The Northmen behind him roared with so much passion, Robb was certain even the Lannisters in King's Landing could hear them. This war was going to end before it could even really begin. Robb turned down to Grey Wind and the two locked eyes. No words or gestures were made, but Grey Wind knew exactly what he wanted. The wolf used his strength to his advantage and released yet another howl before disappearing, moving as swift as the winds. His howl was followed by almost a hundred separate howls. Behind Robb, the Northmen could be heard laughing and cheering on the canine army speeding ahead of them. Within seconds, the sea of wolves collided with the Lannister's rear. It was like music. Their screams were so loud and numerous, their screams were far louder than the beating hooves of his cavalry.
Time sped up, almost like a blur. He rushed passed his men like a grey and brown flash. Within seconds, he plowed through the broken rear guard. No time was wasted as the rest of his forces smashed through the remainder of the Lannister rear. Blood and fire rained upon the battlefield. Men and beast tore through the retreating Lannisters like locusts to a field of wheat. There was no way that they were going to lose this battle. There was no way in seven hells that Tywin could win. He was outmanned for once and he was tired.
Robb rushed to the front, sword swinging viciously with a powerful, terrifying accuracy. His battle companions merged together, forming a massive wedge. Like any wedge, he easily cut through the Lannisters, forcing his way towards Lord Tywin and his high horse. Lord Tywin could see him. Robb felt that this was it. This was going to be the end! He was going to finish this once and for all! He couldn't stop. He couldn't slow down his racing heart. Another swing and another dead man-at-arms. Robb wasn't going to let this chance slip from his fingers.
He punctured through the final line of defense. Lord Tywin is in his grasp! Robb rushed forward, his horse butting heads with Lord Tywin's. The lucky bastard took one of his men's and thought that he could escape. Robb won't have any of that. As the two horses keeled over, neighing in pain, Robb spun around, sword ready to cut the head from the snake. What he didn't expect though, was the Lannister to shoot around and clash his blade.
"The King in the North." Lord Tywin said with a condescending tone. "Fancy to find you here."
"The pleasure is all mine!" Robb kicked the old man back, cocking his arm for another strike.
Lord Tywin ducked and rammed his fist into the self-proclaimed King. He stumbled and backed away, bringing his sword to guard. The Lannister gave the Stark a dark smirk. Robb was now on the defensive. The tables turned too quick. Lord Tywin shot forward, sword glinting in the moon-light. Robb dodged swinging his sword around. Tywin parried, leaving Robb open. Tywin shot forward, sword pointed. It seemed over. It seemed like all was lost.
"NO!" Robb caught Lord Twyin's blade.
Tywin's green eyes sprang open with surprise. Another shout left the Young Wolf's lips and before the Lannister Lion could react, his sword was no longer in his hands, and now in the Stark's. Tywin growled. Dodging and weaving between the Stark's swinging blades. Tywin had to admit; the Stark was far better with a sword than he thought; but he surely wasn't unstoppable. With a quick thought, Tywin shot forward and tackled Robb to the muddy dirt below, ramming his fist into the bearded cheeks. Over and over, he punched the Stark.
For an old man, Robb was completely caught off guard by his strength. Robb watched with a busted lip, broken nose and black eye, as Tywin drew a dagger from his belt. Robb took a deep, painful breath, awaiting the inevitable. He raised his arm, dagger shimmering in the moon's shining light. Suddenly, his arm was grabbed and twisted in a painful direction. The man roared in pain before he was pushed off of Robb's body. The Stark sprang to his feet. It was none other than the ever loyal Dacey Mormont. She held her shoulder, nursing a disgusting wound; in her side was a crossbow bolt lodged rather deep. She looked at him with longing eyes, but before the young King could say anything, she shoved a sword into his hands before turning to fight the battle at hand.
"Go, your Grace!" She screamed, almost begging. "Defeat him!"
He took a deep breath watching Lord Tywin try to twist his arm back into place. All around him, his troops executed the plan with perfection. The gates of Harrenhall opened releasing hundreds of Valemen and Riverlanders, rushing out to meet them in battle. Tywin's vanguard was smashed, punching it into a giant bubble. All he needed to do now was kill Tywin. Kill Tywin. Kill Tywin.
Robb kicked the Lannister back, breaking his guard and brought his blade around, slashing the Lannister across the chest. Tywin roared out in pain, stumbling away. He punched Tywin square in the face, breaking his stance completely. He was broken! Robb shot his arm around, slashing Tywin across the face, blood sprayed in all directions, dirtying his rather clean sword. Robb kicked him to the ground, sending him in a wild frenzy to escape.
Fuck! Robb felt his body freeze.
"Robb!"
He could hear her screaming his name, pleading. Little by little, the night grew. He couldn't feel his legs, he couldn't stand. The moon began to fade; fade into nothingness. The darkness is coming as it always did. Pain couldn't be felt, nor could the cool breeze of winter.
Numb. He felt numb.
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