Southern Comforts of Winterfell
Chapter1
Sons and sons
A light snow was falling over Winterfell. A summer snow by all accounts, a common occurrence in the North of Westeros. People shuffled, others worked and some wailed. It was a day like any other. The arrival and departure of missives via ravens was not anything out of the ordinary either, but today one of those letters would change the fate of the North more specifically the heir of Winterfell Robb Stark.
The North and all who called it home were enjoying a well earned peaceful summer following The rebellion against the tyrannical Targaeryans and putting down the honourless iron-born rebellion. Word from the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands Hoster Tully had arrived. Every few moons the two lords paramount would send each other reports enabling their shared trade routes and allied ventures to work. Todays however had a different message.
Lord Stark of Winterfell
Dear son and daughter. I ask a boon of you.
I know what I ask is not easy to ask of any parent.
But I ask that you allow me to foster my eldest grandson
Robb
I fear I have failed in the raising of my own heir whom I wish
To have fostered in Winterfell.
It is so that I ask a chance at redemption with your son
and hope you can ingrain the proud strength inside
Both of you
Into your brother
Family. Duty. Honour.
Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun
Lord and lady Stark were surprised by the demands. Both knew lord Hoster to be a proud man for him to send such a message meant it was impossible to refuse. Ned as he liked to be called wanted his son to be raised in the North so that he could know his land and people but he also understood the worth of fostering and the good graces of his goodfather and his bannermen Robb was second in line to Riverrun after all. Cat was less inclined to see her son go at his young age of 8 but happy to have her brother with them. She'd raised Edmure nearly herself when her mother had passed and she knew him better than anyone having him in winterfell would be easily accepted. Lord and lady discussed the matter for hours before compromising on Robb fostering for two years until his 10th nameday and a year for Edmure. They sent the raven and announced their children, ward and bastard. Robb was the first to react complaining about having to leave his brother and new best friend Theon forgetting his sisters. Lord stark stared his emotional son down and gently explained the duty asked of him. Robb nodded and accepted it, never one to disappoint his father. Sansa started crying she didn't want her big brother to leave. Unable to be consoled lady Stark took the child to her nursery where she would sing her to sleep.
Robb, Jon and Theon ran off to the godswood where Jon finally spoke "Robb beg your mother to let you stay you can't go, you can't!" Jon shouted. In many ways Robb was all Jon had and if he left Jon would be alone.
"Don't worry baby brother by the time I comeback I'll be the greatest warrior in the world just like father when he fostered in the Vale and beat the sword of the morning." Robb said boastfully. "And then we'll go to the other side of the wall and conquer the savage lands like Daeron the young dragon. I'll be Robb The young wolf and you can be my squire Jon the pup and Theon, the flag bearer."
Both Jon and Theon chased after the heir of Winterfell with intent to do bodily harm. Until they found some sticks to play fight with. Jon and Theon ganged up on Robb only for Theon to betray jon and escalating the play fight into an all out skirmish.