Robb crumpled the letter in his hand as he stared at the wall of the tent, anger brewing inside of him like a winter's storm. Talisa, laying on the bed, writing a letter of her own, looked up at the sound of the parchment crinkling. She stood and walked to him. "What is it, Robb?"
"They married my sister to the Kingslayer." He said through clenched teeth. Talisa remained silent and rubbed his back slowly. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry, Robb."
He turned to her, fury in his eyes. "Is that all you have to say? They married Sansa to the fucking Kingslayer!"
Talisa took a step back from him. She had never seen this side of him. He never lashed out like this. His eyes softened the longer he stared at her, the fire in them simmering to mere embers. "I'm sorry."
She placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "It's okay, my king. You're worried, it's understandable."
He ran a hand through his curls and strode out of the tent to find two of his bannermen standing guard. To one of them, a Bolton man, he said, "Fetch my mother at once."
"Yes, King Robb." He answered obediently.
Robb walked back in and sat down at his desk. Talisa stood behind him and asked, "Is there anything I can do?"
"Dress. My mother is coming." He said, not looking at her. She hurried to find proper clothing. Robb un-crumpled the letter on the table and flattened it as best he could. He turned his head when it was announced that his mother was entering.
Catelyn Stark stood just inside the tent and looked at her son. "You called for me?"
"Look at this." He said, offering her the wrinkled parchment. She walked forward and took it from his hand. She had to read it twice to understand what it had meant.
The Wolf is in the Lion's den. The Kingslayer has a wife.
"Who sent this?"
"Varys? Littlefinger? I haven't the faintest idea." Robb said. He didn't care who sent it, he was just glad someone had.
"We must make for Casterly Rock. We can cut them off before Jaime reaches it with Sansa."
"We'll never make it in time, Robb. We have Edmure's wedding tomorrow." His mother replied.
"Fuck the wedding." Robb grumbled. "Tell Edmure I am sorry but this is more important. I'll find him another wife."
"Walder Frey, Robb…you've crossed him once already." Catelyn warned.
"I'll deal with Walder Frey." Robb spat. "If I have to kill the whole lot of them, I will! Sansa is my only priority."
"What of the war?"
"Fuck the war!"
He sat down, fuming. He placed his elbows on his desk and put his head in his palms.
"Robb, we can't take Casterly Rock. That's why we needed Walder Frey in the first place." Catelyn said slowly, standing on the opposite side of Robb's desk. She looked at Talisa, who gave her a look saying that the King in the North couldn't be reasoned with.
"We don't need to take Casterly Rock." An idea sprung in his mind. "We'll take Lannisport. When the Kingslayer sends his guardsmen and bannermen to reclaim the city, I'll sneak into the castle and slay Jaime Lannister myself."
"That's dangerous, Robb. You don't know if he'll do that. He'll know it's our men attacking and he'll know why we're there. Not to mention he'll know we're coming before we're even halfway there, they have scouts all over the westerlands. We may be caught between Tywin Lannister's army and the sea if he sends his men from King's Landing."
"It's my decision, Mother." Robb warned. "None of this would be happening if you hadn't released the Kingslayer in the first place."
She hung her head and bowed herself out of the tent without another word. As the tent flap closed, Talisa came to her husband's side. She took his hand and he looked up at her. She said quietly, "Perhaps your lady mother is right. Crossing Walder Frey again…"
Robb cut her off, "To hells with Walder Frey. I've crossed him for love once before and I'll do it again." He kissed the back of her hand. "He's a feeble old man, I'll deal with him after I remove the Lion's claws from my sister."
Dawn broke the next day and Robb broke his fast with his Northern advisor. "We march on Casterly Rock today."
Roose Bolton, sitting on his right, looked at him and asked, "Why the Rock?"
"They married Sansa to the Kingslayer. They ride for Casterly Rock soon. If we can cut them off before they reach the Rock, we will kill the Kingslayer and rescue my sister easily."
"And if we miss the Kingslayer's party?" Roose asked, giving Robb a calm and calculated look.
"We sack Lannisport."
"How do you propose to do that? Lannisport is the second largest city in the kingdoms and our army has halved since the Karstarks left. We need Walder Frey as an ally." Roose said. "Edmure should marry the Frey girl and you'll have the army you need to take the Rock as planned."
Robb set his fork down and stared at his advisor. "My sister has been married against her will to a Lannister. I will not allow it."
"You're acting irrationally. You march on the Rock with a small army and Tywin Lannister will send red cloaks from King's Landing to stop us before we even reach our destination. It's two weeks from King's Landing to Casterly Rock. We are at least three weeks."
"And what if they delay leaving King's Landing? They will have to pack their belongings and arrange for them to be brought along. It took my father nearly a week to leave Winterfell after accepting the position of Hand of the King."
"They may take a few days, but if Sansa pushes to leave, her lord husband will oblige."
"You don't know the Kingslayer."
"I met with him after he lost his hand. He's a changed man." Roose's demeanor hadn't changed throughout their conversation and Robb gave him a long, hard look.
"He's still a Lannister. All of them are dangerous." Robb said, standing. "We march on Casterly Rock. This morning. Prepare the army."