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.

Sequel to Lady of Winterfell.


Chapter Six: Fleeing Like A Rat.

Clutching at her red skirts as she hurried down the passageways that would lead her to safety, Arlenna did not dare look back knowing that at any moment that the armies outside could breach the walls of the place she had once called home. There was no way that she was going to stick around and be captured by them, she knew what would happen to her and she would not allow it.

She was a Lannister, a Lioness of Casterly Rock and she would not allow these Northern heathens to come and take her against her will. The fact that she had murdered her late husband and had lost control of Aeredale would not be the last thing that she was remembered for; she doubted that the fact that she was their Queen's mother would help her now.

Sanira was dead and Arlenna was sure of that fact, however the sight of the Stark banner did little to ease her mind; surely there were no Starks left in the North now. The young boys had been murdered by the Greyjoys, the eldest daughter was married to a Lannister and the youngest one had been lost during the securing of the capital against her traitor father.

"My Lady… what about our defences? Who will lead us?" the Maester called after her, he hurried down the passageway attempting to catch up with her and make her see sense. They were undermanned as it was and moral would drop should the men learn that she was fleeing; she was the only Lannister around since the others were at the capital for the royal wedding.

Arlenna scoffed at that, she ignored the Maester as she continued down the tunnel knowing that her escape was finally in reach; she would be free of the Rock in a matter of moments. Not that she would tell her brother that she had fled, but someone had to bring him the news about what was happening here; she would not stay here to be raped by men not worthy to polish her shoes.

"My Lady," the Maester pleaded, he grabbed onto her arm to try and stop her from leaving only to be met with the end of a dagger that Arlenna had on her person. The Maester stumbled back from the attack and fell to the ground, his eyes filled with fear as Arlenna paid him no other mind and continued on her way to freedom not caring that the old man had been hurt.

Clutching at his wound, the Maester climbed back to his feet and shook his head before making his way back along the tunnel; mumbling to himself as he went about how he prayed to the Gods that she was captured. It had been bad enough housing the woman who seemed to think that she was the new Lady of Casterly Rock and demanded to be treated as such; a position that no one had held since Lady Joanna had died.

"Where is Lady Arlenna?" one of the guards asked, he had been sent to ensure the lady was safe while they waited for reinforcements; if they wanted to survive then they needed to make sure she was safe. It simply would not do if something happened to her during the siege; it was not a safe time for a woman to be wandering around and they needed someone to give the men orders.

"Fleeing like a rat from a sinking ship," the Maester informed him bitterly, he shook his head moving past the guard knowing that Lady Arlenna was the least of the problems now. It seemed as if the North had risen up and had come to avenge their fallen King and Queen; their only hope being that help would arrive before the army outside breached their defences.

The guard stared after the Maester realising that they were all on their own, there was no Lannister at Casterly Rock to lead them and there was no way help would arrive in time. He hurried towards his commanding officer, there was still time for them to act before it was too late; the army at their door would not wait forever.

Whispering the news that Arlenna had fled from the castle, the guard shared a look with his commander who nodded his head knowing that this could only end one way. There were many men here who did not deserve to die this day, there was no way that they could fight back against the armies at their door and who wanted to die for a Lord that was not there.


"Casterly Rock has surrendered," Stannis mused almost unable to believe that it had happened as quickly as it did, it was certainly not what he had expected when the decision had been made for them to lay siege to Casterly Rock. He had at least expected for them to try and resist until help came or news spread about what was happening; their letters had been intercepted meaning that right now King's Landing was unaware of what had happened here.

Stannis sat back in his chair and eyed the map before him, it would not be long before news spread of what happened here; they needed to ask fast to capitalise on what they had just done. The wedding between Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell would take place in a matter of days, it was the distraction that they had needed to take Casterly Rock and Tywin would certainly be distracted with keeping his grandson in line. From what Stannis knew, Joffrey had become something of a monster that no one could control even Tywin was struggling; he had hidden in his chambers cowering like a maid while his army had fought at Blackwater.

"Our next move must be carefully decided. Tywin will seek to strike back once he learns what has happened here," Robb said knowing that news that his plot to murder him and Sanira had failed would soon follow after this. The need to secure the Vale was urgent, they needed to make sure that there was no way that a surprise attack could be directed at them from behind before they made their way onto the capital. Their element of surprise had served them well so far and Robb was unsure just how to proceed, he did not want to lose the progress that they had made; they might win every battle but they needed to secure the war if they did not wish to end up like the rest of the Starks that had come South and perished.

"We need to sure up what we hold now. To outright attack King's Landing is foolish when the North had issues of its own," Stannis suggested knowing what was on the younger King's mind. They held the North and the Riverlands right now, the Westerlands were in disarray especially now they held Casterly Rock; the attacks from the Ironborn and Ramsey Snow were their next order of business as well as securing an alliance with the Vale. Should things take a turn for the worst while they marched South then they needed to make sure that the Lannister and Tyrell army would not be able to attack them from behind.

"Dragonstone is lost to me right now. We cannot allow the same to be said about the North, the Riverlands or our hold here," Stannis stated with a frown, the place might not have been his first choice but it had been his home for as long as he recalled. It was the seat for the heir to the Iron throne and for the longest time, Stannis had resented Robert for giving him Dragonstone while Renly had become Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.

The fact that he had all but lost it when he had been defeated at the Battle of Blackwater had made him even more convinced that their next move had to be a defensive one. They had taken Casterly Rock from Tywin, he would no doubt seek revenge for such a move and the first place he would strike would be to take the North from Robb via Ramsey Snow. The Bolton line continued through him and the promise of legitimization would certainly be attempting one for the Bastard son of a traitor; he would seek to gain what he could not have while his father was alive.

"What of the Vale Will Lysa Arryn not join us?" Stannis mused thinking of the woman that currently held the regency there, she had not played her hand yet and he wondered if she even would. Since the start of the war, the Eyrie had been entirely neutral in all that had happened despite the fact that Robb was Lysa's nephew and it was claimed that the Lannister's had been the ones to poison Jon Arryn to keep their secret. The decision to not go there and seek aid had been a promising idea especially when they had marched on Casterly Rock but if they wished for a chance to unite the Kingdoms against the Lannisters then it was time for the Vale to fall in line.

"My aunt has been written to several times and does not respond. Short of sending an envoy to her, I know not what to do," Robb said shaking his head, he had never met his mother's sister but he knew that if they hoped to succeed then they would need help. The Vale could not remain neutral forever, they would need to pick a side in the war and Robb could not shake the feeling that there was something more at play in the Vale that might turn the tide against them.


Please Review, Favourite and Follow xx