Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or anything related. It belongs to George R.R. Martin, the creator of this wonderful universe and David Benioff and D. B. Weiss who created the show.
01x06: A Golden Crown.
Chapter Twenty-One: Wildling Attack.
"Not too fast," Robb called watching with a smile as Bran rode about on the house, he was pleased to see his brother so happy after the last couple of months; he had hated seeing Bran so down about everything. It had taken a while for the saddle that Tyrion had given them to be prepared and a horse to be trained but now Bran could go riding just like everyone else and didn't have to rely on Hodor to carry him about.
"Come on, Dancer," Bran shouted happily urging his horse forward, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt this normal and that he didn't have to rely on anyone else to do things for him. The chestnut horse spurred on and did as it was told, it trotted through the forest around the area where they had spent the morning; it was a nice day and the first time in a while that everything felt so relaxed.
"When are you gonna tell him?" Theon asked watching Bran before turning to Robb, it hadn't taken long for the news of the attack on Eddard to reach Winterfell. Quite a few of the Stark guards had been killed in the attack on Eddard by Jaime Lannister, and it didn't help that the news that Catelyn had taken Tyrion had been the cause of this.
"Not now," Robb replied softly, he didn't want to upset Bran with news of their father's attack, especially given that he had no idea what was going on right now. Things were complicated enough and Robb wanted to wait and see what happened next before he made any rash decisions; he didn't want to take a course of action that he might regret.
Theon frowned at Robb's words, he had thought that his friend would do more to stand up for those who had been slaughtered by the Lannisters instead of cowering away.
"Blood for blood. You need to make the Lannisters to pay for Jory and the others," Theon insisted knowing that Robb was making the Starks' look bad by not stepping up and defending his family when they needed him to do so. If he was in Robb's position, then he wouldn't hesitate to step up and defend his family if someone had tried to do that to his father; he would make sure that they paid for even thinking they could get away with attacking him.
"You're talking about war," Robb said shaking his head, he didn't want to get in over his head and an act of war would not go down well with anyone; he was needed here and he was sure that his parents had everything under control. Robb wanted to prove that he could handle running things, he wanted nothing more than to be prepared for whatever came next and rushing into things wasn't going to help him or his family.
"I'm talking about justice," Theon insisted wanting Robb to understand what was being said, he had noticed how distant things had become since Robb had married Sanira. He didn't like the woman that he had married and Theon knew that it was only a matter of time before people turned on Sanira because she was half-Lannister; a day that Theon couldn't deny he was looking forward to.
Something was brewing anyone could see that and the Lannisters were going to be in the centre of it; everyone was going to turn on the Lannisters trapped in the North.
"Only the Lord of Winterfell can call in the Bannermen and raise an army," Robb stated, he had no rights to do such a thing and he wished that Theon wouldn't suggest it; he had noticed recently how eager his friend seemed at conflict. It was hard enough sometimes with Sanira and Theon disliking one another, it was no secret that Sanira didn't approve of his friendship with Theon because she thought he was trouble.
"A Lannister put his spear through your father's leg. The King-slayer rides to Casterly Rock where no one can touch," Theon argued with a shake of his, it frustrated him greatly that Robb wasn't going to do anything. It wasn't right that Jaime Lannister would get away with what he had done, there weren't any signs that King Robert was going to punish his good-brother for what he had done to his best friend.
If Eddard was going to have justice then it had to be Robb that got it for him, people would fight for Robb and Theon would follow him to the ends of Westeros.
"You want me to march on Casterly Rock?" Robb asked knowing how stupid that would be, there would be an army waiting for them and Tywin Lannister would make sure that King Robert sided with him over the Starks. The last thing that Robb wanted was to bring disgrace on his family, he had to focus on what was happening here and keep a close eye on what was going on in the capital.
He would make a decision when something else happened and not before, he had spoken with Maester Luwin who had agreed that this was the best course of action before he did anything.
"You're not a boy anymore. They attacked your father. They've already started the war. It's your duty to represent your House when your father can't," Theon argued annoyed that Robb wasn't changing his mind, he remembered a time when Robb would have easily agreed with him about this. Being married had changed Robb for the worst in Theon's opinion, he had hoped that his friend wouldn't change after marrying Sanira; he doubted that he would ever change when he married some Lord's daughter.
"And it's not your duty, because it's not your House," Robb snapped annoyed that Theon wanted to push this, he wasn't going to change his mind and nothing could make him do so. The two were silent after Robb's words, both of them annoyed that the other couldn't see their side of things; they had no idea what was going to happen but their friendship was changing.
Robb looked around and frowned as he realised that he could no longer hear Bran urging his horse on, he couldn't remember the last time that Bran had rode past them in the last few minutes. Getting to his feet, Robb tried to see where Bran had gotten to; he couldn't believe that he had allowed his brother to disappear like that when even on horseback he was still paralysed.
"Where's Bran?" Robb asked feeling worry fill him, he would never forgive himself if something happened to Bran while he was meant to be watching him. He doubted that their mother would be happy and Robb knew that she would find some way to punish him for what had happened; things weren't going to be simple in anyway when Catelyn did return.
From what everyone knew she was on the road with Tyrion as her prisoner and this had led to Jaime Lannister attacking Eddard in a bid to get him back. Theon frowned at Robb, the words that had been spoken earlier still ringing in his mind; why did everyone feel the need to remind him that he wasn't a Stark.
He would inherit his father's lands one day and Theon would be proud to do so however the more that he thought about it, the harder he found it to even remember the family that he had left behind.
"I don't know. It's not my House," Theon sniped back before getting to his feet and walking away, he didn't look back as he headed away from Robb and into the forest.
"Robb?" Bran called looking around the clearing where his horse came to a stop, he frowned wondering where his brother was; he hadn't meant to rid this far out and break his promise to take it slow. This was the first time that he had ridden a horse since he had fallen and Robb had wanted him to take it slow; now he was far away from his brother and there was no sign of him.
Movement behind him made Bran turn around, he stared frightened as a woman stepped out of the bushes; he felt sick and he wished that he hadn't gone so far before now.
"All alone in the deep dark woods," the woman cooed stepping towards him, her eyes sweeping the area surprised that he was all alone; he was just a child but that made this all so much easier. Bran sat straight in his horse, he was Lord Eddard Stark's son and he wasn't going to let some wildling woman scare him and he hoped that someone would find him soon.
"I'm not alone, my brother is with me," Bran replied knowing that Robb would be looking for him, he wouldn't be long now that Bran was sure and this would all be dealt with. Out of the corner of his eye, Bran spotted two wildling men appeared from the forest around them; he clutched on the reins and hoped that this would all be over soon.
"I don't see him. Got him hidden under your cloak?" a wildling man joked moving forward, it was just their luck and just what they needed with everything that was going on. They needed a horse and now there was one before them, they just needed to get rid of the boy that was riding on it; he wanted to get this over and done with quickly.
"Oh, that's a pretty pin. Silver," the woman said eyeing the fancy clothes that Bran was wearing, she didn't understand these Southerners and their obsession with fancy clothes with the winter upon them. Bran glared at her, he shifted in the saddle and wondered when Robb would get here to save him; he wasn't going to be able to fight the three of them off and he would likely to get hurt if they pulled him from the horse.
"We'll take the pin. And the horse. Get down… Be quick about it," the second wildling man ordered wanting to get away from here, he doubted that a boy like this would be out here alone for long. He doubted that they would win a fight with such poor weapons against the sword of whoever came for the boy on the horse; they would die and he wasn't going to die for the brat.
"I can't. The saddle, the straps," Bran whispered ashamed to admit his weakness, he didn't want to tell them that he couldn't move his legs. It was likely to get him killed and Bran hated his infliction and he wished that he could remember the fall and why he had slipped off that tower; he cursed how his life had worked out like this.
"What's wrong with you? You some kind of cripple?" the first wildling taunted moving closer to Bran and the horse, they just needed to get him off it and the sooner that happened the better. They didn't have time to deal with the child and the wildlings wanted to get as far South as they could get; start new lives before the real threat arrived.
Wrinkling his nose at the term that the wildling man had used, Bran tried to not let it get the best of him; he hated to think of himself as a cripple even if he was.
"I'm Brandon Stark of Winterfell and if you don't let me be, I'll have you all killed," Bran demanded trying to sound brave like his father and Robb did when they gave orders, he hated the term cripple and he would never like it when people called him that. The three wildlings didn't hide their amusement at his order, they weren't going to just let him ride off and tell people that they were here so that they could end up dead.
"Cut his little cock off and stuff it in his mouth," the second wildling spat stepping closer, they were all standing pretty close to Bran now and only had to reach out to touch him. Fear filled Bran as he stared at the wildlings, he didn't like this and not even his name seemed to scare them off; he was a Stark and he doubted that it would be long before they attempted to remove him from the horse.
"The boy's worth nothing dead. Benjen Stark's own blood. Think what Mance would give us," the woman bargained with her companions, she could see the possibilities and there was no doubt the boy could be useful. However, before any of them got a chance to react, the second wildling pulled out his dagger and used it to cut the straps on Bran's saddle; he accidentally sliced through Bran's leg and frowned when the boy made no noise of pain.
"Piss on Mance Rayder and piss on the North. We're going as far south as south goes. There ain't no white walkers down in Dorne," the first wildling said spitting on the floor, he wanted little to do with that man and he was a fool if he thought that he would win the war that he was starting. The woman sighed doubting that this was going to make their trip any easier, she didn't think one horse between the three of them would get them far and they would have to steal more if they wanted to make if that far.
Unnoticed behind the wildlings, Robb crept into view and stared horrified at the scene before him; he was never going to let Bran ride in the woods again if this was the trouble he got into.
"Drop the knife. Let him go and I'll let you live," Robb ordered pulling out his sword, the wildlings turned to face him before the first wildling raced towards him in an attempt to deal with Robb before he caused them any problems. Robb had little difficultly dodging the axe attack and made quick work of the wildling by slicing his throat; he dropped to the floor before the woman charged at him.
Avoiding her attack, Robb grabbed her by the hair and spun her around just as the second wilding pulled Bran from his horse and held a dagger to his neck leading to a stand-off between the two of them.
"Drop the blade!" the wildling snarled making sure to keep a tight hold of Bran, his eyes fixed firmly on Robb and the woman knowing that he had already lost one companion today. Tears filled Bran's eyes as he stared across the clearing, he couldn't believe that he had gotten them into this mess and he hoped that his brother had some sort of plan.
Staring at his brother and then back at the wildling, Robb slowly sets down his sword not wishing to see Bran get hurt; he didn't release his hold on the woman knowing that he wouldn't let her go yet. Just as Robb looked back at the wildling an arrow pieced the wildling's back and he released Bran before dropping to the ground dead.
The woman could only stare as she realised that she had lost both her traveling companions to these lords and she was now their prisoner, she kept silent as another man appeared from the forest. Theon smiled to himself pleased with how he had dealt with this, he looked down at the dead wildling knowing that he had arrived just in time before Robb got Bran killed.
Releasing his hold on the woman, Robb moved to make sure that Bran was okay while Theon drawn his bow on her; he kept a close eye on the woman who was looking anywhere but that them.
"Have you lost your mind? What if you'd missed?" Robb demanded turning on Theon, he couldn't believe his friend had taken such a risky shot when the wildling had been holding Bran. Theon only glared in reply, that was some thanks for saving Bran and he almost hadn't come back to help search for the younger Stark boy.
"What are we going to do with her?" Bran asked eyeing the wilding woman, they couldn't just let her go and he didn't want to see any more people die today. Robb stared at the woman, he had a feeling that he had the perfect idea on how to deal with her.
Sorry no Sanira in this one, she was busy speaking with Maester Luwin ;-)
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