The Second Stark
Season 2 episode 2: Strength of the pack
Lyra Waters (15 years old)
Lyra loved her cabin. She remembered stumbling upon it a year ago, she had been starving, freezing, wounded. She did not think she would make it, she had been out living in the woods for a whole year before she finally found her sanctuary. Whoever it was who lived there last left the bow she still used to this day behind. She had no idea if the previous owner died, left, was mauled by a wild beast, all she knew was that nobody came for days. She gave up worshipping the seven when her mother died, but she said a silent prayer to the mother when she found the cabin. Of course it wasn't the way she had it now, she had found new furs for the bed, built the fireplace, and gathered and traded for all the food she had. However, the cabin had saved her life.
She rode atop her black horse slowly trotting along through the thick foliage. Sansa Stark was sitting behind her, a fur blanket Lyra had brought was around her shoulders, due to her green dress being in tatters. Lyra had a respect for Sansa, who had managed to survive the vipers nest of King's Landing. Lyra knew firsthand how hard that was to do. She had spent the first 13 years of her life there, and it made her skin crawl when she had to set foot in Flee Bottom again.
William Stark had gone ahead with Norvern, to make sure no Lannister troops were ahead with Norvern. He had taken with him 'Ice' his father's valyrian steel greatsword, which he had not let go of since they got out of the city. She guessed it held substantial sentimental value to him, a last memory of his father. She guessed she could understand, she had nothing left of her father… and would never have anything of him. She didn't mind that one bit.
She looked back and saw Sansa twiddling with the string of her bow. She smiled, she knew the poor girl was still in pain, she didn't tell her in the Red Keep in order not to cause her or Will to panic, but the girl's foot was broken. Lyra had seen enough injuries in her life to know a broken foot when she saw one.
"I can show you how to use that if you'd like." She asked the younger girl.
Sansa's head shot up, and she started apologizing. "I'm sorry for touching it, I was just-."
"It's fine, it's fine. Like I said, if you want I can show you how to use it, it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it." Lyra told her, remembering teaching herself how to use the bow.
The young Stark's hands wrapped the fur around her body tighter, it was getting dark now, with the sun just beginning to set. She shook her head. "No, no it's alright. I… I wouldn't be any good at it." She said.
"How do you know that?" Lyra asked, spurring the horse along.
Sansa shivered as the wind passed by, "Because, well I've never tried anything like that before. I wasn't meant to be a warrior."
Lyra laughed, "Ha, do you think when I was growing up I thought I'd be able to shot an arrow through a man's neck by the time I was 15?" She asked the Stark girl.
Lyra pulled the horse to a stop, they were about another mile from her cabin. Will had told them to wait around a mile out for him, while he and Norvern made sure the area around the cabin was clear of enemies. Lyra carefully helped Sansa down from the horse. The young Stark let out a small gasp of pain when she felt her foot hit the ground, but Lyra carefully escorted her to a nearby tree. She helped her sit down, and stretched out her leg.
Lyra did what she did every night. She gathered some wood from the surrounding areas, and brought it back near Sansa and the horse. She formed a small fireplace, and took out one of her knives. She smacked a rock against it, causing small sparks to fly from it. Eventually they caught onto the bundle of leaves and wood she had collected, until a fire managed to burst to life.
"Haha! Lyra strikes again." She said happily, sheathing her knife and tossing the rock aside.
She felt the flames warm up her hand, and after a long day of riding it felt great. She looked over to Sansa who was hungrily leaning her hands over the fire. "Are you warm enough? We should only be here for a little while, Will should be back soon." She explained.
"I'm alright, thank you." Sansa said kindly.
Lyra nodded back at her, and relaxed in front of the fire. William Stark you better not do anything stupid, she thought to herself. Will had tendency to do that, in the short time Lyra had known him she had learned that. He liked to do incredibly brave, honorable, stupid things. She remembered watching him on the King's Road, the whole royal escort. Will would always be riding between his father… and hers. He would make the two men laugh, he would talk to them about the realm, and yet he was humble. He wasn't like the other posh nobles that she knew, he was human. Although seeing him flirt with the princess Myrcella almost made her throw her lunch up.
She pulled out the letter he had given her, that if he died, was to be given to his mother and brother. She was running her hand over the direwolf seal, when Sansa spoke.
"So… what was it that you wanted?" She asked her curiously.
Lyra jumped from the surprise and looked up at her. "What do you mean?" She asked.
She shifted as much as she could without moving her foot. "You… you said you didn't think you'd be able to shoot an arrow through a man's neck by the time you were 15. So… what did you want?"
Lyra leaned against a tree and sighed. "Well, I wanted to grow up, marry a handsome prince, live in a castle, have four kids, and help out all the poor souls of Westeros." She said, laughing at how silly she sounded.
Sansa let out a small laugh as well. "Well, that's what I thought I wanted… but now i… I don't know. After what happened in the city i… I don't know what I want."
Lyra sighed, she did feel bad for Sansa. Will had told her about her before they left the cabin. She had told her, that Sansa was always the perfect lady. She wanted to marry a strong, handsome warrior prince, who would sweep her off her feet, and give him strong children. Sansa had endured the new King's wrath, and the queens. Lyra knew personally, the extent of Queen Cersei's wrath. She would not wish it upon her worst enemy.
Lyra moved over next to Sansa, and looked at her with a fond smile. "I remember when I was little, my mother would sing at taverns in King's Landing. She was the best minstrel in Westeros, every man loved her, every women wanted to be her. I would always be there with her, collecting any money she made, and even helping her sing now and then. We stayed at the finest inns in the city, it was fantastic." She said fondly.
She didn't know why she was sharing this all with Sansa, she had known the girl all of a few hours. However, she saw herself in her, despite the fact Sansa was only 13, two years younger than she. She fondly remembered her dreams of having a prince sweep her off her feet, and carrying her away to a life of luxury. She knew her dreams were foolish now, in Westeros that never really happened to any young girl. The last two years by herself had taught her, that nobody was going to provide for you forever. Eventually you needed to start doing things yourself, no matter how high or lowborn you are.
Sansa smiled, and asked further, "What about your father? What was he like?" She asked.
If anyone else had asked, Lyra probably would have cut their tongue out. However she couldn't help but smile at the sight of Sansa smiling. She had done nothing but sulk, and shiver during their ride. However, she didn't want to talk about her father. She maintained her smile, and laughed back at the young Stark.
"Alright, alright I'll tell you. Let's hear about your family though, I've heard some from Will, what about you?" She asked avoiding the question.
Sansa smiled more, it was a nice sight. "My family was perfect, even Arya made me-."
Lyra heard the leaves behind her rustle. She quickly gripped Sansa's arm. "Shhhh, you hear that?"
"No, what is it?" Sansa asked, her voice suddenly fearful.
Lyra raised up and quickly grabbed her bow from the saddle of the horse, and notched an arrow into it. She heard the leaves rustle again, and shot an arrow straight into the bush. It was just beginning to darken out, with only the light of the fire to help her see.
"Aye! Lyra, you almost killed me!" She heard a voice shout from the bush.
Will almost made Sansa jump into the air when he and Norvern crawled out of the bushes. His armor still stood, but his other clothes were in tatters. Norvern's fur was mangled with dirt and leaves, and he looked nearly exhausted. He had his father's greatsword still on his back, but Will did not look much better. Lyra could easily tell her hard breathing was due to his ribcage still not healing fully from the crossbow bolt wound he suffered.
"Will!" Sansa yelled trying to get up, no doubt to hug her brother.
She get up and almost fell back down from pain in her foot. Luckily Will managed to catch her. "Easy Sansa. Now come on you two, we need to get out of here now!" He said lifting Sansa up onto the horse with ease.
Lyra was going to have none of it. She had contemplated going with Will and Sansa to find the rest of their family. She hated to admit it, but… she didn't want to leave Will yet. She had spent all the time healing him, spending time with him and getting to know him. She couldn't see herself leaving him. However, a part of her was scared to leave her cabin. It had provided her so much sanctuary over the last two years that she loved it. The cabin had saved her life when she was almost dead, and she was going to see it one last time.
"You guys wait here, there's some things I need to grab some things from the cabin." She said, but she was grabbed on the arm by Will.
His grey eyes met hers, Why do his eyes have to be so bloody handsome, she thought to herself. "Lyra… you don't wanna go back there." He told her.
"What do you mean!?" She demanded straight away.
His eyes fell, and Lyra didn't want to believe what it meant. "Lyra, it's not important. We need to get out of here now-."
Lyra didn't give him the time to finish. She turned and ran in the direction she knew her home was. She heard Will tell Sansa to wait near the horse, and he took off after her. Lyra didn't look back once, she vaulted over trees, ducked under branches, leaped over puddles, and ran, even when her legs began to waiver. She tripped once over a tree root, tears starting to stream down her eyes. She could smell smoke…
"Lyra hold on! Stop running!" She heard Will right behind her. He grabbed her arm, and tried to help her up.
With tears in her eyes, she ripped her arm away from his grasp. "NO! Leave me alone Will!" She screamed at him with tears swelling up now.
She ran, and ran, and kept on running, willing her legs to move. The smell of burning embers became more and more pungent the further forward she ran. She finally passed the river where she had cleaned Will's clothes the day she brought him back, when she saw the giant orange flames. She burst up the hill, and her legs finally gave out. She fell, with streams of salty tears running down her cheek. As she watched her home, burning to the ground.
"Come on, there isn't anything else useful here," a gruff voice said. Lyra looked and saw at least 15 soldiers dressed in crimson and gold armor, staring out at the flames.
"Lannisters'…" Lyra growled, reaching for the hilt of her dagger.
Just as Lyra got to her feet, one thing on her mind, a strong pair of arms wrapped around her and tackled her into the bushes. Will held his hand over her mouth as Lyra whipped her arms in every direction possible to escape. It was no use, Will's grip was to strong this time, from behind the bushes the two of them sat there, watching her home burn. The tears started again. Lyra couldn't control them, she cried. Will removed his hand from her mouth, but she did not take her eyes of her burning home.
"I… am going to kill, every, last, one of them." She said her fist shaking in anger.
"I know. We are Lyra, we are going to kill every last one of them." Will softly said into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
Lyra hugged him. She had nothing else that she wanted to do right now. The two of them both, had lost something important to them at the hands of the Lannister's. Losing her mother was not enough, the Lannister's had to take Lyra's home to. She was done running away from them. She was done avoiding them, she was going to kill every blonde haired, green eyed bastard she could get her hands on.
But for now she was crying. She cried right in William Stark's arms. She looked back up at him, and matched her blue eyes with his grey ones. "How far is Riverrun?" She asked, composing herself.
"About three days hard ride, but we only got one horse, it would take us up to a week at the pace we were going it'd take up to a week." He told her, and she didn't like the answer.
She wasn't crying anymore. She wouldn't cry anymore, it made her look weak. She had one thing on her mind, getting to Will's brother, and helping them both get their justice against the lions of Lannister. It was time for the strength of the wolf pack to strengthen.
She removed herself from Will's arm and looked out towards the flames. She spotted that the Lannister men had tied horses to a nearby tree. She looked at Will and back over to the horses, he nodded, he seemed to understand what she wanted to do. She held up two finger to him and the two of them silently crept forward. When they reached the horses, they got spooked and started to move restlessly.
Lyra didn't waver, she did what she did whenever she encountered a wild animal. She gently stroked its fur, and spoke in a soft voice. "Ahhhh it's alright. I'm a friend, I won't hurt you." She said to the two creatures quietly.
The horses like most animals, seemed to understand her. She smirked and looked over to Will. She nodded her head up, and the two of them silently mounted the two brown horses. When they were both mounted they rode. They rode hard in the direction they had left Sansa. Will rode next to her silently, knowing better then to try to talk to her now.
"What's the nearest stronghold to here?" He asked her.
She would let that question slip, "Harrenhall, from Harrenhall how far to Riverrun?" She asked.
"Like I said, about three days if we can ride hard. Sansa's hurt, but she'll be able to keep up." He told her.
Lyra nodded, the thought of her home in flames was still etched into her mind. She knew that the new King in the North, would be happy to see his brother and sister again. She also knew now she couldn't leave the Starks. If not for Will holding her back, she would have done something incredibly stupid. She was good with a knife, but even she wouldn't have been able to kill that many by herself. She doubted she even do it with Will's help.
"So are we heading to Riverrun then? You'll come with us to my brother?" Will asked of her.
Lyra's eyes were fixed on the road in front of her, her face deathly calm. "Yes, I'm going to help you kill every last Lannister we can get our hands on." She said in a voice laced with venom.
She didn't look over at him, but she knew he was smirking. That stupidly handsome smirk he got when he was pleased about something. "Alright Lyra, it's almost time for you to meet my brother. The new King in the North." He told her.
"Yes, the King in the North." Lyra said with a smile mirk returning to her face.
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Arya Stark, Second born daughter of Eddard Stark (11 years old)
Despite how she always acted, Arya was starting to hate having to act like a boy. She had to walk out into the forest whenever she had to take a piss, she had to hide whenever she washed. The worst was Gendry knowing that she was indeed a girl. Gendry seemed like he would keep a secret well enough, but the fact someone knew bothered her. Yoren had told her the day they started their journey that almost any of the men and boys with them would turn her in for a pardon, or even just a hot meal. She laid awake late at night, thinking about her siblings, whenever she closed her eyes she would see her father's head rolling from his body again, and she couldn't stand that. Hot Pie, Gendry and Lommy offered her some company, but it couldn't beat the company of her brothers, more particularly Will.
It had always been her Will, and Jon Snow. Bran and Rickon were always too young, Robb hung out with them when the boys trained, and Sansa was busy off being a lady. Will had always snuck her out of lessons with her Septa, he would come to her lessons, and tell Septa Mordane that mother or father requested her presence. However in reality, he and Jon Snow would take her out riding, or take her to the practice arena to watch them practice. Will had been the one to help Jon get her Needle. It was Will who put in the order to Mikken the smith to have it forged. She had not seen Will since the last morning they all had breakfast together. From what she heard on the streets of Flee Bottom, he was either dead, or close to it. She even worried to Sansa as well, being in the hands of the queen no doubt.
She didn't have Nymeria anymore, she didn't have her father, she didn't have Will, or Sansa. She was alone, a wolf without a pack. A wolf is only as strong as its pack, and you my children, are one of the strongest packs Winterfell has ever seen, is what her father used to tell his six children. Now Arya had no pack, she was slowly more so becoming Aryi the orphan boy, as opposed to Arya Stark, Lady of Winterfell. She had never wanted to be a lady in the first place, but now she would do anything to be back in Winterfell with her brothers, and she even missed Sansa.
She couldn't sleep. She leaned against a tree, sharpening the edges of Needle with a rock. She heard Gendry and Hot Pie snore near her, but she didn't lose concentration.
"Joffrey, Cersei, The Hound, Ilyne Payne. Joffrey, Cersei, The Hound, Ilyne Payne." She said quietly to herself as the edges sharpened.
In between her chips, Arya heard a spine that sent a chill down her backs. The galloping of hooves. The young Stark shot to her feet and started to breath heavy. The gold cloak man had warned that he'd be back after Yoren threatened him. Gendry shifted on the ground and rose. He yawned and rubbed his fist in his eyes.
"Ahhh, what are you doing? It's so late, Yoren will have your head if he catches you." He informed her.
"Shhhh, do you hear that!?" She whispered quietly.
After a moment she watched his eyes widen, and she realized she had heard the sound. Gendry quickly tried to shift awake Lommy and Hot Pie, but was unsuccessful. He turned his blue eyes back to her.
"We need to go find Yoren!" He urged, before grabbing Arya's arm and taking off in a run.
It was too late, screams started to echo throughout the dark night. Screams came from every direction as men tried to fightback the assault. Arya couldn't count how many there were as they ran in the direction of Yoren. Two gold cloaks stood in the way of them as they tried to make their way towards the inn, Gendry ducked a sword blow and plowed the man into a nearby tree. Arya was small enough that she easily ducked a sword blow from another man, and without hesitation she took Needle and jabbed it right into the man's armpit. Will had told her that every armored man had a weak spot there, and it was deadly if you hit the right spot.
Apparently Arya found the correct spot, because the man's crimson blood splattered over her hands, and Needle came out of the man coaxed in blood. The blood was sticky and hot on Arya's hands, and she looked at it in horror. Will had told her that he prayed she would never have to kill a man, because killing your first one was probably the hardest thing someone would have to do in their lives. Will always said he remembered his, it was a wildling man, who had once attempted to attack them while their family was out on a ride.
However Arya had already killed someone before this. The memory of the stable boy from King's Landing haunted her. However seeing the man gargle on blood and die right before her feet, made her feel even more conflicted. Perhaps it was because it was her first kill in a battle.
Apparently she stared at her hands in horror for too long, because Gendry had to shake her from her trance. "Hey! In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a battle and their looking for us!" He said gripping her arm and dragging her away.
She kept Needle out, despite the battlefield around her becoming a blur. Gendry dragged her all the way to the Inn. They found Yoren, but he was not in a favorable position. He was fighting more than five gold cloaks by himself. He had a crossbow bolt in his shoulder, and blood trickling from all parts of his body.
"Come on you cunts! Is that all you've got!? Did Tywin Lannister not shit enough gold for you to receive proper training!?" He egged them on. He eyed Arya for a moment, long enough for him to give her a nod, a nod to run.
However Arya couldn't, he stood rooted to the spot as the men attacked Yoren. He didn't get knocked down easily. He took three of them down with his sword before one finally stabbed a spear into his stomach. He clutched at the hole in his gut, and fell backwards. Gendry grabbed her arm again.
"Come on we need to run!" He yelled pulling her in the direction they came from.
"HALT!" Voices yelled, and suddenly, she counted 10 gold cloaks surrounding the two of them.
The five remaining that had killed Yoren, all face them with combinations of spears and swords. On their other side, two men with crossbows aimed their way stood, along with three more men with swords pointed. Fear rushed through Arya's body, she has had men trying to kill her for a few days now, but this was nothing like it. She swallowed hard as she stood back to back with Gendry, one hand on his arm, the other clutching Needle so hard that her knuckles were turning white.
"There is only one god, and his name is death. And there is only one thing that we say to death!" Her water dancing teacher's voice said in her head.
"Not today." Arya whispered clutching Gendry's arm.
She was about to accept her fate and go out like a real wolf, fighting and taking down any enemy she possibly could. However something stopped her.
"AOHOOOOOOOOOO!" A loud howl came from somewhere close.
Every Lannister froze in their tracks and looked up towards the sky and in the trees and brush for where the source of the howl came from. Arya didn't know what came over her, she screamed and bolted for the man holding a sword straight in front of her. She stabbed needle through the man's neck, splattering his blood all over his white armor, and over her!
"ARYA NO!" Gendry yelled, as the man that was next to him, raised his sword to end Arya's life.
"YOU LITTLE-." Was all he got out, before out of the brush jumped a great wolf.
The beast tore at the man's neck killing him before he even hit the ground. Arya watched in confusion as the beast ended the man's life. A Lannister with a crossbow raised it up, ready to shot the beast, when an arrow whizzed through the air at the speed of wind and entered the man's neck, ending him before he hit the floor! Arya was snapped back to reality when she heard a man advancing on her from behind, she whipped around and jumped back just before the man's sword entered her neck. He swiped downwards and she ducked and rolled to the side.
The wolf had moved on to another man, Arya could hear the screams. However the beast wasn't going to save her from the man who stood in front of her with his sword coming down on her. She closed her eyes, ready to accept death, when the sound of steel on steel snapped her eyes back open.
She recognized the one blade. A grey blade with a direwolf's head carved into the hilt, she could very faintly in torch light, make out the words 'Winter is Coming" imprinted onto the steel.
"Will?" She asked weakly due to fatigue.
Her brother yelled a battle cry and deflected the man's sword and brought his own across his throat. He brother turned and his eyes widened. "Arya!?" He yelled.
Everything happened in slow motion. As Will reached down to help her off the ground, she saw a man with a spear start to charge him, ready to stab the spear through him.
"WILL LOOK OUT!" She yelled reaching her hand out.
Just as Will turned to block the blow, Arya saw an arrow enter the man's neck and cause him to crumple to the ground. Arya looked over towards the right and a few yards away a girl with a bow was standing there, notching another arrow.
"WILL! Who is it!?" She yelled over to them.
Arya watcher he launch another arrow, killing another man who was advancing towards Will. Will deflected blows and sent men backwards with his sword, while Gendry helped Arya from the ground. Will saw Gendry and his eyes widened. While the girl fire arrows in rapid succession, Will picked a blade off the ground and shoved it into Gendry's hands.
"What do you want me to do with this!?" Gendry asked her brother frantically.
"Stick them with the pointy end!" Will screamed slicing the neck of another soldier.
Arya almost laughed, right there in the middle of the battle. She now knew that the wolf had to be Norvern, Will's direwolf. The men just seemed to keep coming, the girl was running low on arrows, and Arya could see his brother was laboring, and starting to grow tired. Gendry, while he was strong had no experience with a blade.
"WILL! Again, who is it!?" The girl yelled.
"It's my sister!" Will yelled back deflecting blows.
"I thought we already had your sister!?" She yelled back, finally running out of arrows.
"It's my younger sister Arya! Come on Norvern, we're leaving!" Will yelled.
Arya's insides did a leap. Will had Sansa with him to? He had gone and saved her, and now Will was saving her. She watched her brother grab Gendry by the arm after he knocked the helmet off another man.
"You, take my sister and get on that horse! Then follow me, we're getting out of here!" He ordered him.
Gendry didn't argue, he lifted Arya up onto his shoulder with ease and found a nearby horse. He hoisted her onto it, just as Will knocked unconscious the last of the men who had surrounded Gendry and her. Arya had not realized how many men Will, the girl, and Norvern had taken down. She didn't think, she jumped down off the horse and ran to her brother. She hated doing it, but she cried as she crashed into her brother with a hug. She hated crying, it made her feel weak, but now, she didn't care.
"Shhh, shhh it's alright Arya. We're okay, you're okay sister." He said while he knelt down with his arms around her.
"W…Will I... I had to kill them. I… I had to do it, the… they were going to kill Gendry and me, and I had to-." She started before sobbing again into her brother.
"Shhh it's alright Arya, you did what you had to do. Anyone would have done the same." He said, before pulling her back at him.
He grinned his goofish grin, and ran his fingers through her hair. "Arya what happened to you hair? And the smell, ugh it smells worse than the stables back home!" He joked with her.
Through her sobs Arya laughed. "I had to pretend to be a boy. I couldn't take a bath and I had to take a piss out in the woods. Yoren was going to drop me at Winterfell on the way to the wall." She explained to him, as she wiped her own tears.
He nodded his head with a grim look. "Well, we're not going back to Winterfell, but we're going to find Robb. He and mother are most likely at Riverrun." Her brother explained.
Arya hadn't smiled in weeks, but she did then. The thought of seeing her eldest brother and one of her parents was perfect considering what she'd been through. She was going to have nightmares of the men she had to kill today, but at least she had seeing them to look forward to.
"Will! I'm gonna go make sure that there aren't any more around!" The girl with the bow yelled.
Arya nodded her head and turned to Gendry who was watching on silently. "This is Gendry, if not for him, the other recruits would've probably tried to fight with me. He's a friend, a good one." She told him, smiling at the older boy.
Gendry looked at her brother nervously and bowed his head. "My Lord, it's good to meet you." He said in a proper manner.
Will and Arya both managed to laugh at this, which made Gendry's face go red. "Haha, please, there's no need for pleasantries or titles. My names Will, always have been, always will be. I don't like being called 'Lord' unless I have to be. Thank you, for helping my sister." He said holding his hand out to him.
Gendry hesitantly shook Will's hand, and Will laughed at his nervous look. "Ha, we'll have to work on that. Keep that blade Gendry, you'll need it. I assume you want to come with us?" Will asked.
Gendry nodded, "Yes My Lo-. Will, I have nowhere else to go, and you saved us, I owe you for that." He said.
Will nodded with a grudging respect. "Alright good, we'll be glad to have you on. Now take Arya onto that horse. Find that girl who had the bow, her names Lyra. She's saved me and Sansa's lives, you can trust her. She'll take you back to where we left Sansa. I need to do something here quickly." He explained to the two of them.
"Sansa is with you!?" Arya asked relieved at the prospect of her sister safe, despite how much she annoyed her sometimes.
Will nodded, and smiled, "Yes, Lyra and I saved her from King's Landing." He said.
Norvern nipped at his hand and Will pulled it back and looked at his wolf. "Ow! Oh yes, and Norvern helped out as well." Will said trying not to laugh.
Gendry and Arya both managed a laugh. "What are you going to do here?" Arya asked her older brother.
Will looked over at the wagon that Yoren had been hauling with them. "That cart has ravens and ink in it. I'm going to send a letter to Robb, to let him know we're coming."
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Robb Stark, King of the North and the Trident, firstborn son of Eddard Stark (17 years old)
Robb had never expected to find himself in this position when he was 17. He expected himself to still be in Winterfell, learning from his father, and growing up with his brothers and sisters. However, the young wolf learned recently that sometimes to survive in Westeros you need to grow up fast. He didn't have his father anymore. His one brother was supposedly dead, and his two sisters were being held by the queen. Now he was leading his council of generals inside the Riverrun war room. He was in the top seat with the Greatjon Umber was on his right, along with Roose Bolton, Rickard Karstark, Theon Greyjoy, and his mother.
Grey Wind stood in the front of his tent, guarding the door, while Robb closely examined the map laid out in front of him.
"With the Kingslayer's army defeated and him as our prisoner, Tywin Lannister has the last Lannister host. He is entrenched at Harrenhall." Roose Bolton informed him.
"What are the defenses of Caterly Rock? How many men does it have?" Robb asked the lord of the dreadfort.
"A few thousand your Grace. However the Rock can be held by a few hundred men against thousands. We also do not want to risk Tywin Lannister bringing his host to cut us off. We need to deal with him before we attack the rock." He explained in a calm voice.
"Well he has his hands full, Stannis is attacking from Dragonstone. Also, Renly Baratheon has gained the support of the Tyrell's and commands an army of more than 100,000 strong." The Greatjon Umber informed the council.
"Why not try to negotiate with Renly? Stannis will never help us and allow you to remain the King in the North. Renly is more reasonable, and we may be able to forge an alliance." Bolton suggested to him.
Robb had to think hard about this. Stannis was a hard man, who would not recognize his claim. However he has heard of the Tyrell's lust for power, and the he had never heard much of Renly Baratheon. Robb heard from his father that he had only been a boy when the iron throne was won from the Mad King. The thought of the Mad King reminded him he had Jamie Lannister as prisoner. However the Lannister's also had Arya and Sansa in King's Landing, so he did not have much room to work.
He looked over his council, and sighed. "Whatever we do we need to be careful. The Lannister's have my sisters in King's Landing. We have the kingslayer. If we were to march on Casterly Rock, or even try to go and negotiate with Renly, if Tywin Lannister caught wind, who knows what they'd do to them." Robb told them, paining at the thought of his sisters.
Lord Karstark spoke next. "Your Grace I urge you, let us send the Lannister's a message! Let us send them the Kingslayers head on a plate! After that we merge forces with Renly, and then we save your sisters from King's Landing!"
Before Robb could intervene, his mother spoke up with venom laced into her voice. "Are, you, mad! One of my children are already dead! I wish the Kingslayer dead just as much as you, but if we do that, the queen will mount Sansa and Arya's heads up on spikes!" She argued to the Lord of Karhold.
Robb's heart panged at the mention of his little brother. Will had always been the glue that held the Stark children together. He had an amazing blend of intellect, and strength. He knew his duty, but always put family above it. He had told Robb that his dream when he grew was to do nothing but marry a pretty women and serve him as an advisor and general. He wanted only to serve the North, and be with his family. Robb had always admired that most about his little brother. He, Jon Snow, and Will would always be together with Ser Rodrick. The amount of times his brother had made him laugh when he was upset was astronomical.
He wished so much that his brother were here now. He would calm his nerves, and help him with these hard decisions.
Lord Karstark had lost to much at the hands of the Kingslayer, he wanted his vengeance. "I've lost two of my sons! What right do you have to deny me my justice!?" He yelled at his mother.
Again before Robb could chastise his general his mother spoke. "You all named my son the King of the North! That means my daughters are the princesses of the North, and my son that was murdered was the prince of the North! You should be fighting for them as well!" She yelled.
That was true, Will would technically have been heir to the North if he were here, since he did not have any sons.
"And what of my sons! Do their lives-." Lord Karstark started.
The young wolf had finally had enough, and slammed his fist onto the table. "THAT IS ENOUGH! I'm tired of your petty arguing, Lord Karstark I promise you will have your vengeance, Mother I promise you that-."
They all stopped and looked up when they heard the tent flap fly open. Robb looked up and Olyvar Frey his squire came in, with a letter in his hand. "P… pardon me Your Grace, but a letter has arrived for you." He said advancing towards him.
"Who is it from?" Robb asked taking the letter from him.
Robb froze in his tracks when he saw the direwolf seal on the wax of the letter. Could it be a letter from Winterfell? Had something happened there with Bran and Rickon? His generals all looked over to him, and he saw his mother's apprehensive eyes staring at the seal. Surely she thought the same thing that he was.
The new King in the North tore open the seal, and he read to everyone in the room.
To his Grace Robb Stark of Winterfell, the King in the North.
King in the North eh? It has a nice ring to it. Robb it pleasures me to write you this letter. It was not easy, and I've had some massive help, but I escaped from King's Landing. I was wounded several times, but I'm a Stark of Winterfell, it'll take a lot more than a few Lannister's to take me down. I'm so sorry brother, that I could not save our father, it'll haunt me to the end of my days, thinking that I could've done something to help save him.
However I hope I did his memory some justice with my actions. I made my way back into King's Landing, with some help from Norvern and some new friends, I escaped with Sansa. She injured her foot in the escape but other than that she is safe, and anxious to see you and mother again.
A few days later we were on the road, and I managed to find Arya. She was disguised as a boy with a band of Night's Watch recruits. We found her while the recruits were under attack by gold cloaks. She's safe now, still wild as ever.
So now we're on our way towards Riverrun, it is about three days ride from our current position. By the time this letter reaches you we should be about another days ride. Sansa and Arya both send their love, and can not wait to see you and mother again.
Send mother my love as well, and tell her I am sorry I couldn't save father as well. I'll see you soon brother, and we'll have justice done to the Lannister's together.
Signed, William Stark, second born son of Eddard Stark.
He finished reading and looked up to his generals. His mother looked like she was about to burst into tears. He looked over to the Greatjon Umber, his right hand, and his most trusted general.
"Lord Umber, take 25 men with you and start scouting towards the south. Find my brother and my sisters and help them get back to camp." The young wolf ordered.
The Greatjon nodded and bowed. "Of course Your Grace, I'll in find them, you can count on me." He bellowed before leaving the tent.
He looked to his generals, and smiled. "Well gentlemen, it seems thanks to my brother the Lannister's no longer have any leverage over us."
It was time for the Stark pack to finally reunite.
A:N) So thank you all very much for reading this chapter. I wanted in this chapter to get Arya's scene in, because she will be here for a majority of the story. I hope you like Lyra's pov as well. I also wanted to have Gendry join the group as well, seeing as he and Lyra are half-siblings.
So if you guys have any questions feel free to ask me. I really hope you guys enjoyed this, the next update will come within the week.
So as usual guys remember "Winter is Coming" –domgk115