Robb leapt forward suddenly from his bed, then winced clutched his chest in pain. He looked down and saw bandages wrapped around the wound he had taken during the raid. They were stained with blood. He still felt woozy, and also abnormally warm, but he forced himself out of bed.
The tent opened up to reveal Lord Goren, shaking his head "What the hell do you think you're doing my lord?"
"Getting up, and leading an army" Robb groaned as he lurched from the bed to the chest containing his clothes.
Lord Goren, a big red haired man, strode in shoved Robb back onto the bed with little effort. "You can barely stand and you just keeled over like a rundown breeder bitch… you're staying here 'till the healers say otherwise".
"You and the bannermen did declare me King of the North" Robb said, he tried to make it sound menacing but it came out as a groan.
"You're right. You're staying here 'till the healers say otherwise… your majesty" he smirked and pulled up a chair.
Robb edged himself up into a sitting position "What news?"
Goren took a deep breath "Well, you've been out cold for the better part of three days now. The arrow didn't go all the way through but we got it out easy enough. Though the healers say an infection has set in, so like I said, stay down. As for other matters… we got word that the attack on the Lannister supply line went well, we joined with the Riverlords last evening and made on a push on the frontline. We didn't get all of the bastards and they're still controlling a fair bit of land, but we've made progress".
Robb silently cursed himself for being unable to lead his men during an assault; he shook his head "What of Theon and my mother?"
Goren shifted uncomfortably "Catelyn Stark made it through fine, by last accounts she should be meeting with the Baratheons within the next couple of days… as the Greyjoy… no word my lord, yet the Ironmen have kept up their raids along the Westerlands and there are rumors they're preparing to assault the Shield Islands".
Robb frowned. "The Iron Islands aren't hard to reach from the Riverlands. We should have something… anything… within four days, and it's been five."
"There has been talk my lord… some of the bannermen think the boy has thrown his lot in with his House" Goren said, with some distaste.
Robb raised an eyebrow. "If I recall you were never too fond of Theon being close to the Starks Goren".
"And I despise hearsay born of petty grudges more boy" the old man rumbled. "I may not approve of the young Greyjoy but… it would seem harsh for him to just up and betray you after everything".
Robb shifted his position again. "I need to see the maps; we have to keep pressing the Lannisters"
"I'll I have it all set up in here by the afternoon… now if I have to tell you to stay in that blood bed one more time you'll be fighting off more than an infection" Goren warned, but still smiled.
Robb admitted defeat and swung his legs back into the bed. Goren stood up and put the chair back before leaving the tent. As he left he saw Lord Neron and Lady Fiela standing with a couple of the healers.
Neron, the younger of the two but sporting several scars, turned to Goren as he approached "How is he?"
"Stubborn" Goren grumbled. "But determined. He still looks weak; I think the fever might have returned". He looked at the Fiela standing with the healers "What's the word?"
Fiela, an older woman whose dark hair was beginning to grey, shook her head dismally "We don't have enough medicine to help him fight it off himself, and we don't have the right medicine to fully cure it".
"What are our options?"
Fiela shrugged "We can wait an extra day until the supplies we took from the Lannisters reach us. Or we could send him to Seagard, they should have the right medicines there".
"That's half a day's ride from here" Neron pointed out.
"He is in no state to travel far" one of the healers joined in. "It would be better to wait for the supplies and hope there is enough there to help".
"In the mean-time?" Neron looked to his fellow bannermen.
Goren straightened himself "Our King wants the maps brought to him so he can acquaint himself with the latest positions".
Fiela nodded and walked away with the healers. Neron looked like he wanted to say something more but turned away and headed over to his men. Goren rubbed his head, trying to think what they might do if help did not arrive soon, or if Robb died before any help arrived.
Winterfell
Bran held the transcript taken from the book in his hands. With Maester Luwin's help he had managed to translate all of it as well. They had decided that it was a prayer asking for guidance and protection. Why it was inscribed into the book was unknown, it was old and a copy of the original which was long since lost. Bran did not care however, because he felt that by having this in front of him, he could help his family, his home.
The door was pushed opened slightly. Bran turned to see Summer tilting his head around the door. Bran smiled and gestured for the wolf to come closer. The wolf all but bounded over to Bran's lap, placing his head in the right place for his ears to be scratched.
He laughed a little and obliged Summer. The wolf was bigger now, as was Shaggydog. Bran usually heard some of the servants' remark on the odd sight of seeing children with such big beasts.
"Do you think I'm crazy?" Bran asked the wolf. Summer tilted his head towards his master and made a small whining noise.
"Lots of people are crazy" a voice came from the door.
Bran turned and saw Osha standing there, she moved closer "But being crazy doesn't mean you're wrong".
He looked back at the transcript. Maester Luwin does not fully believe me, and it must seem strange to all the servants.
"Any other stories you have Osha?" he asked randomly.
"Plenty" she moved to her usually place on the bed. "Heard that some other tribes had seers… people who saw hidden truths in their dreams".
"Is that why you accepted what I said about my dream?"
She nodded, then looked over the paper Bran was holding "What do you plan to do with that then?"
In truth, Bran had no idea what to do with the prayer "I'm not sure. I just feel like I need it… that it's important to have".
"If it's a prayer of the Old Gods… why not say it in front of the weirwood" Osha suggested "Where else would it be said?"
Bran nodded. It made sense. Then the door was pushed open again by Luwin, whose face was grave.
"What is it maester?" Bran asked, fearing news from the battle.
"We have received a raven from Fenrian Keep on the south-west coast" Luwin opened up the letter, "Ships bearing the banner of House Greyjoy have been spotted heading towards the Neck, while greater numbers are continuing up the coast".
Bran felt his heart skip a beat. House Greyjoy… is Theon among them? "Have they sent any word about intent?"
Luwin raised his eyebrows "Forgive me my lord but, I believe the sheer numbers of ships clearly speak the intent".
"What's the Neck?" Osha asked.
"A stretch of swamp land connecting the North to the Riverlands, and effectively the rest of the southern lands". Luwin explained "If the Greyjoys secure the Neck they effectively cut off supplies from the North whilst also preventing Robb from falling back to defend against any attack".
Bran clenched his fists "Why would Greyjoy attack us if they're already fighting for independence?"
Luwin sighed "Balon is one to hold a grudge. And while no one may want admit it, if Theon has joined with his family on this he may want to carve a name for himself. What better way than to bring the House that held him hostage to its knees?"
"Haven't we got men to fight back?" Osha said, with rising anger in her voice.
"Most went south with Robb" Bran said "Very few villages would have full barracks, let alone a town or castle".
"My lord, we should be prepared for full scale attacks along our coast… and perhaps even an attack on Winterfell" Luwin said.
Bran merely nodded again, and with that Luwin left to carry out whatever plans or defenses that was necessary. Osha remained and made her were over to Bran and Summer.
"Maybe… a prayer wouldn't hurt our chances" she said, her eyes flicking to the paper.
Summer then nudged Bran's hands, he smiled at how perceptive the wolf was.
"If you would get my cloak Osha?" he asked, wrapping up the parchment.