The boat slid across the dark mirror of the lake, sending ripples out across the water. He stroked Shield's fur as he stared ahead towards the other bank. He wasn't sure about this, but Cregan assured him that they were safe. Cregan and another green man were gently pulling the oars, through the lake. At the same time, Malissa sat at the other end of the boat, looking around excitedly. This was her first time off the God's Eye, even if they were only going to the shore and back, and it was all new to her. She leant over the edge of the boat and traced her fingers through the water.

He thought about what he had seen. Robb was in the south, the Mountain was coming, and he had to make amends for what he'd done wrong. Sansa. How had he not thought of her? Had he been so consumed by his anger? He looked down at his claw; the mass of scars on his palm and the back of his hand, the fingers that would barely open. It was part of him, but he'd let it become him. That was his mistake, and only he could make amends for it. He couldn't make it right, Sansa would never get her hand back, but he might be able to make it better. He could start now at least, and he would start at Riverrun.

Before he'd come to the isle, all he'd wanted to do was be at Robb's side, and help him, fight with him. But Robb understood. Robb knew. Just because they were twins didn't mean they had to be with each other. He didn't need to be the darker side of Robb. Being his twin, he could be where Robb wasn't. Robb had realised that. He'd known it from the beginning of the war, when he'd sent Tristan against Lord Tywin while he led the main strike against ser Jaime. While Robb had ravaged the Lannister lands, Tristan had been able to rush home and save Bran and Rickon. And when Robb had been injured, Tristan had been able to come and hold the reigns until he recovered. And while Robb was away at war, his lands weren't defenceless.

The boat gently juddered to a halt on the sand, and they all disembarked.

"Which way?" The other green man asked Cregan.

"Over there, not far." Cregan pointed to where a copse of bushes grew out into a wood.

He nodded and headed in that direction, marching with purpose.

Tristan turned to Cregan and Malissa, Shield leaping out of the boat and bounding over to him. "So, this is goodbye," he said. Malissa slammed into him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"I'll miss you," Malissa said, squeezing him tightly around the middle.

"I'll miss you too, Malissa," he replied, hugging her back. "But I have to go now."

"Can you come back and visit?" She looked up at him, pleadingly.

He glanced at Cregan, who stood to one side, leaning heavily on his staff. "I don't see why not," the elder shrugged.

"I'll visit," he told her. "And remember what we talked about. When this is all done, perhaps we can seed new weirwoods in this new kingdom."

"Let's not think of dreams yet," Cregan cut in before Malissa could answer, though Tristan saw the excitement in her eyes at the comment. "For now, focus on what you've learned, remember how to tame your anger, to control it, to accept what you did wrong and walk a better path."

"I will," Tristan promised.

"Then go with the grace of the gods," he said and held out his hand.

Tristan took the hand and stepped away from Malissa, and Shield stepped up and pressed his muzzle against her chest. She giggled and hugged Shield too. "Look after him Shield," she told him. He growled, and Tristan scratched him between the ears.

"Goodbye, both of you," Tristan said. A rustle made him turn. The green man was returning, a small bundle in his arms. "Is that a…"

"It is," the man said quietly. He held the bundle of rough cloth out. A small pink arm poked out from the clothes.

"His name is Robin," Cregan said, stepping up and pulling the clothes back to reveal the baby wrapped up beneath. "I saw him getting left there," he added.

"Can I see?" Malissa asked.

"You'll have to hold him while we row back," Cregan told her, ruffling her hair.

"Who would abandon their son like this?"

Cregan looked at him, his face hard. "Don't go looking for them, don't punish them," he warned. "I watched the mother leave him from the trees. She did not bear this child by choice. He was fathered by the war, and she lacked the means to care for him. That's not something your family has had to comprehend. She will feel the guilt of this choice for the rest of her days. But we'll care for Robin. Leave her to rebuild her life, help if you can, but do not punish. Your path is over that way," he turned and pointed up the coast. "It will take you to Riverrun."

Tristan nodded. "Thank you, Cregan."

Cregan smiled at him before turning to Malissa and the other man. "We should go." They all made their way back to the boat. Malissa took little Robin, cradling him carefully as Cregan and the other man took the oars. He raised his hand to them and waved as they pushed off. Malissa waved back furiously, smiling at him as they made either way back to their island home.

Tristan took a breath, hitching his cloak about him against the cold, turned, and started walking.

The sand was soft under his feet as he walked, and as he walked, he thought. He didn't have any money, or anything of value on him to trade for a horse, was he going to walk back to Riverrun? It was doable. He just had to find the trident, or it's tributaries, and follow them along until he got to the castle. How long would that take? Weeks? At least he had Shield, he could hunt for the two of them. They wouldn't go hungry at least.

He glanced down and saw that Shield wasn't there. He frowned, looking around. Where was he? Shield was further back, looking out to the west. "Shield?" His wolf looked at him but didn't come. "What's happening?" Tristan hurried over. "Shield, what's wrong?" But as he approached, Shield started walking away from the beach. "Shield?" Tristan hurried after, where was the wolf going? This was a vague westerly direction, they needed to go north if they were going to go to Riverrun. He tried calling again, but Shield only stopped if Tristan fell too far behind.

They entered the woods by a small cutter's path, moving under the naked branches, crushing fallen leaves. Tristan slowed when he heard cries of horsemanship and the pounding of hooves on the ground. Instinctively he ducked behind a tree. Who was it? But Shield didn't stop, so he hurried after him, looking around all the time. He finally waited for Tristan to catch up at the edge of a clearing, from the sounds of it, that was where the horse rider was. Did Shield want him to steal a horse? That wasn't happening. "Come back here," he hissed, but Shield didn't even look at him.

"Not like that," he heard a voice call faintly, from the far side of the clearing. "Remember, a horse is not a blade. There's only so much you can get out of it from force, if you can work with the horse you'll go faster, safer and for longer."

"Dom?" He whispered. That was part of Dom's riding techniques back at the Dreadfort. He peered around the tree. It was Dom, he was standing, arms folded on the other side of the clearing meanwhile, riding Tristan's horse around in a quick circle, was Elmar. "Dom, Elmar!" He cried, bursting from the treeline.

Domeric twisted towards him, his sword half out of the scabbard before he saw Tristan. Elmar reared up on the horse, lurching forward and clutching its neck for dear life. "Tris?" Domeric asked as Elmar soothed the horse. "You're back."

"And you're here," Tristan replied as Domeric let his sword slip back into his scabbard. They stared at each other for a few awkward seconds, then rushed at each other, coming together in a crushing embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you of course," Dom replied, holding him at arm's length and looking him up and down. "We expected to hear from you first, but… are you all right, you look different."

"Yes," he replied, "you don't." Dom still looked exactly the same, his hair sleek and flowing, his pale eyes and thin face.

Dom stared at him, looking him straight in the eyes, boring in through the windows of his soul. "You found it, didn't you?" Dom said. "You found what you needed to find."

Tristan nodded. "I did. And you waited for me. Why? It could have taken months, years."

"Because you're my friend."

And Tristan knew that was it.

He turned to Elmar, who had dismounted and led the horse over. "You stayed as well, Elmar?"

Elmar nodded with a smile. "Of course. I'm your squire. Master Domeric's been helping while you were gone. But now you're back."

"If Dom's been helping you, then you probably already ride better than I do," Tristan said, smiling down at Elmar and ruffling his hair.

"I doubt it," Elmar said. He looked at Domeric. "Can we give it to him?"

Dom looked at Tristan again. "You're okay?"

"I am, Dom, I promise. I'm sorry it took so long."

"So am I."

Tristan frowned. "Why?"

Domeric smiled sadly, struggling to meet Tristan's eye. "We all saw what you were becoming, Tris. Daryn, Cley and I. We spoke about it, a lot when we saw you falling. We agreed we'd confront you about it once the war was over. But we shouldn't have waited, we should have stopped you from going down this path, then maybe you wouldn't have had to go the Green Men in the first place." He looked Tristan up and down again, then Shield as well. "But I can tell you've changed, you're different from how you've been before." He nodded at Elmar. "I think you can give it to him."

Elmar took a sword off from the saddle of Tristan's horse and held it out to him. "My sword," Tristan held out his hand and took the sword by scabbard and hilt. It felt right and wrong in his hand. This time it would be used for the right thing. This time. "Thank you. Both of you. Elmar, I'm going to be a better master to you. Starting today. And Dom, I'll be a better friend. I promise."

Dom pulled him in for another hug. "So will I, my friend."

"So," Elmar interrupted, "Are we going to go to King Robb now?"

Dom looked at him. "What do you say, Tris. Are you ready to go back to Robb?"

Tristan shook his head. "No. Not yet. There are some more things I have to do. Robb is a brilliant commander with a powerful army. Two more swords won't make him anymore safe. First I need to go to Riverrun."

"Why?"

"Because there's something I need to do there. And then we need more soldiers. Robb doesn't need a few more swords, but some places do, and we can help them. If you'll help me."

Dom grinned. "Always."