The Winter King
Author Notes:
Chapter 07: The Young Wolf
Lady Catelyn Stark waited away from the battlefield awaiting news of her son. The plan was in motion to strike a critical blow against the Lannister's.
It was a mother's worst fear to hear the news of her child's death.
"My lady." Ser Rodrick said.
"I'm fine. Just nervous." Lady Catelyn Stark said.
At that moment, horses appeared from the brush wearing Stark banners. Robb and Harry were in the lead.
"By the time they realized what had happened it had already happened," Robb said.
"The Lannister's supplies have been destroyed. They've lost more than half their forces with our night raid. And we got someone of great value to the Lannister's" Harry said as he throws down a man in Lannister armor.
"Jaime Lannister." Catelyn Stark said in shock.
"Kill him, Robb. He took down ten of our men." Theon Grayjoy shouted. Many men shouted in agreement.
"No. He's worth more to us alive than dead." Robb said as he studies Jaime Lannister.
"Well now, how about we settle this like the old ways. Is that how you Northern's say it. I fight for House Lannister, you fight for House Stark. One on one, let's settle the war right now." Jamie said with a smug look on his face.
"If we did it your way Kingslayer, you would win," Robb said not raising to the bait.
"Men, be proud, the Lannister's have felt two crushing defeats against the might of the Northern Army!" Harry shouted as the men shouted and cheered.
"That was a brilliant move, Harry," Robb said.
"You did well to correct my mistake before the battle began," Harry replies.
"The South has shed Northern blood far too much and we always have to pay the price for their luxury life. No more, let the South fear the North as they should. We will crush the Lannister's army once again in the field of battle!" Harry shouted.
The men cheered as everyone could feel the momentum growing in their favor.
Lannister Camp
"Twenty thousand dead in a single night." Tywin Lannister said in anger as he looks at his war council. Among them were his cousins and younger brother. Among them was his youngest son. The 'disgrace' of the family yet he was surprisingly well in his first battle.
"We were caught by surprise, my lord…" One of his commanders said.
"Spare me the details. How bad is the damage?" Tywin Lannister demanded.
"I went around to check. Almost our entire supplies were destroyed during the night. We will not have the supplies to go further north. Food and water are also an issue." Tyrion Lannister said.
"Tell me, how come not a single sentry sounded the alarm until the enemy was halfway to the center of our camp?" Tywin Lannister demanded.
"Were they drunk?" Tyrion said in a mocking tone.
Tywin would have snapped at his youngest son, but the comment did question if his men were indeed drunk.
"Robb Stark has stopped our advancement into the Riverlands. The Tully's have joined his caused and are heading west." Kevan Lannister reported. "They'll reach Jaime's position any day now."
"Give the order for Jaime to fall back. I don't like this." Tywin Lannister said.
The tent opens up and a Guardsman walks in.
"Apologizes my Lord, however news just arrived. Robb Stark has attack Jaime Lannister forces and routed them. Nearly fifteen thousand men were killed."
"And my son?" Tywin Lannister demands.
"He was captured, my Lord."
"The attack last night was a rouse. They didn't want us to go reinforce Jaime. He was their real target." Tyrion said.
"Nothing in our scout reports suggested they were moving against Jaime." Kevan Lannister said.
"They have my son!" Tywin Lannister shouted. "Get out, all of you."
Northern Army Camp
"Stannis Baratheon has a rightful claim to the Iron Throne." One of the Northern Lords shouted.
"Renly cannot succeed to the Iron Throne just as Bran cannot succeed me as Lord of Winterfell while I'm alive," Robb said in agreement.
"My Lord, my lords." Lord Jon Umber said as he walks forward. "Here what I say to those Southern Kings!" He spits on the ground. "Why shouldn't we govern ourselves? It was the dragons we bowed to and now the dragons are dead. There…!" Jon Umber said as he pulls his sword out and points at Robb Stark. "There sits the only King I will bend my knee to. The King in the North!" Jon Umber declared. He bends his knee and places his sword in front of him.
"I'll have peace on those terms!" Another Lord said as be pulls out his sword out and bends the knee.
"The King in the North!" As more bannermen shouted as they pull out their swords and bend the knee.
"I will always be your brother Robb, both on the battlefield and off the battlefield," Harry said as he bends the knee.
Robb looked somewhat startled but stood up strong as more and more men knelt before him.
"Harry, you have a keen eye for strategy. Where should we move to next?" Robb asks.
"Both Stannis and Renly have must a great force. Stannis has about forty thousand at his back while Renly has over a hundred thousand. I advise moving close to Riverrun, there we can regroup with the Tully's and get supplies. Our men fought great, but we need to make sure our supplies aren't going too disappeared. Besides, we have a valuable prisoner we need to make sure he doesn't try to escape. Best to have him watch by more eyes than have him move around." Harry said.
"We want a battle." One of the Lords said. Many shouted in agreement.
"Oh, I'm sure one is going to present itself. Our scouts have reported a training camp a day ride. I'm sure we'll have time to teach the Lannister's all about how we Northerners take to trespassers." Harry said.
"A training camp," Rob said.
"Couple scouts reported it. I would suggest we attack at night. When most of the men are tired and their sentries will not be fully awake."
"Take out their sentries the best you can," Robb said.
"Oh, I got a good plan for that. But I'll need Grey Wind." Robb smirks as he realized what Harry was planning.
"Give them hell." Was the only thing Robb said.
Harry said nothing as Robb walked out. Knowing where he was heading, Harry followed.
Harry wasn't disappointed as he went into the Kingslayers pin. Harry followed him, making sure Jaime Lannister didn't do anything stupid.
"King in the North. I keep excepting you to leave me in one castle or another for safe keeping, but here you are, dragging me around with you; from camp to camp. Have you've grown fond of me, Stark? Is that it, I've never seen you with a girl." Jaime Lannister said as he sits down in his pin.
"If I left you with one of my bannermen, your father would know within a fortnight, and my bannermen would receive a raven with a message: release my son and you'll be rich beyond your dreams. Refuse and your house will be destroyed, root and stem."
"You don't trust the loyalty of the men following you into battle?" Jaime said as he ponders Robb's meaning.
"Oh, I trust them with my life. Just not with yours." Robb replied.
"Smart boy," Jaime said as he realized Robb was more intelligent than he thought. "What's wrong? Don't like being called boy? Insulted?" Jaime Lannister said as he attempted to get a rise out from Robb.
Harry said nothing as he notices Grey Wind approaching.
"You merely are insulting yourself, Kingslayer," Robb said. "You've been defeated by a boy. Being held captive by a boy. Perhaps you'll be killed by a boy." Robb mocked as Grey Wind entered the pin; the young adult Direwolf was a massive sight. Standing more than three and a half feet tall; Grey Wind filled the space in the pin and Jaime Lannister suddenly looked very frightened.
"Stannis Baratheon sent Ravens to all the high lords of Westeros. King Joffrey Baratheon is neither a true king nor a true Baratheon. He's your bastard son." Robb said informing Jaime Lannister was the recent news.
"If that's true, then Stannis is the rightful King. How convenient for him." Jaime said trying to muster some courage back.
"My father learned the truth. That's why you had him executed." Robb said.
"I was in Riverlands during Stark's execution. I had nothing to do with that." Jaime said.
"Your son killed him so the world wouldn't learn who fathered him. And you… you pushed my little brother from a window because he saw you with the Queen." Robb said.
"You have proof?" Jaime Lannister said but fear was in his voice. It was clear he was afraid. "Or do you want to trade gossip like a couple of fishwives?" Jaime said.
"We've captured one of your cousins in the recent battle. We'll be sending him down to King's Landing with my peace terms."
"You think my father's going to negotiate with you?" Jaime said in a sudden mock tone of voice. "You obviously don't know him very well."
"No, I don't, but he's starting to know me," Robb said.
"Winning a battle doesn't make you a conqueror," Jaime said.
"Try seven victories. That's better than seven defeats." Robb said with a smirk. He turns around as Grey Wind gets in Jaime's face. Harry was impressed with Jaime for not whimpering like a child. However, it was clear he was frightened.
Harry walks with Robb and the two burst out laughing.
"I wish I could have seen his face," Robb said.
"It was pathetic," Harry said.
"Want to knock out the terms for our peace?" Robb said.
"Might as well," Harry said.
Robb was sitting in his tent with Harry going over what they should begin with. They finally agreed on the basics of their term.
"Your Grace." A Northern said as two guards escort a young Lannister into the tent.
"You're Ser Alton Lannister?" Robb asks the prisoner.
"I am…. Your Grace." He added quickly. Clearly, he was afraid as he didn't wish to disrespect Robb and keep his head.
"I offer your family peace if they meet my terms. First, your family must release my sisters. Second, my father's bones must be returned to us so he may rest beside his brother and sister and family in the crypts beneath Winterfell; and the remains of all those who died in his service must also be returned. Their families can honor them with proper funerals." Robb said.
"An honorable request, Your Grace..."
"Third…" Robb said as if there had been no interruption. "Joffrey and the Queen must renounce all claim to the dominion of the North. From this time till the end of time, we are a free and independent kingdom."
"The King in the North," Rodrick said.
"The King in the North." The rest of the Northern Lords said as they all nod their head in agreement with Robb's terms.
"Neither Joffrey nor any of his men shall set foot in our lands again." Robb declared. "If he disregards this command, he shall suffer the same fate as my father, only… I won't need a servant to do my beheading for me."
"These are… Your Grace, these are…"
"These are my terms. If the Queen Regent and her son meet them, I'll give them peace, fail to do so, and I will spill Lannister blood throughout the south."
"King Joffrey is a Baratheon, Your Grace." Alton Lannister said.
"Oh, is he? You'll ride at daybreak Ser Alton. That will be all for tonight." Robb declared.
Ser Alton Lannister was escorted back to his pin as everyone got up to retire for the night.
Robb walked out to the front of the war tent and look outside. They had fought seven battles. And won every single of them. The Lannister army was now sitting at forty thousand strong. The Northern Army was sitting at nearly eighty thousand strong. That was including Tully's forces which rivaled the Northern Army.
Blackfish proved to be a valuable ally. Having fought in the Robert's Rebellion he was perhaps the most successful battle commander the Northern Army had.
Harry first thought when the North declared Robb Stark as King in the North, the Tully's would attempt to name Hoster Tully as King of the Rivers. Instead, Hoster Tully did something that amazes Harry. He not only accepted Robb's position as King in the North but swore that the Tully's would stand behind the Stark's through Peace and War.
The Tully's were further south than the Northerner's. That meant if any army was to attack the Northern dominion, the Tully's would be the first to take the attack.
That meant the Northern Army had to stand strong at the ready if the Tully's ever came under attack.
"A word, Your Grace?" Theon Grayjoy said as he walks up to Robb.
"You don't have to call me 'Your Grace' when no one's around," Robb said to Theon.
"It's not so bad once you get used to it," Theon said.
"I'm glad someone's gotten used to it," Robb said. It was clear he was having a hard time being King.
"The Lannister's are going to reject your terms you know," Theon said.
"Of course they are. That's not the point." Robb said.
"We can fight them in the fields for as long as we can. But we'll never beat them unless we take King's Landing, and we can't take King's Landing without ships." Robb slowly turns to look at Theon. "My father has ships and men who know how to sail them."
"Men who fought my father," Robb said in a worried tone of voice.
"Men who fought King Robert to free themselves from the yoke of the South, just like you're doing now. I'm his only living son. He'll listen to me. I know he will." Theon said as he paused. "I'm not a Stark, I know that. But your father raised me to be an honorable man. We can avenge him together."
Theon Grayjoy left with Robb's blessing.
"I don't like this," Harry told Robb.
"You advise against it," Robb said.
"Your father once said Balon Greyjoy wasn't a good man nor a good king," Harry said.