This chapter is a rewrite of 'ACOK: Catelyn III', and begins when Catelyn starts to chastise the Baratheon brothers for what she perceives to be their petty argument. The chapter goes from their to an alternate ending I've written. Hope you guys enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim any ideas, places, or characters from the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series. Cheers
This will not do. Catelyn had been observing the exchange between Renly and Stannis nervously. Both brothers were challenging the other openly. Stannis naming Renly a usurper, Renly claiming none wanted Stannis as king. She needed to stop this. "Listen to yourselves! Have-" But Catelyn was cut off, as she herself listened to a noise in the distance. Hooves? Unmistakable was the sound of a group of horses galloping. Catelyn turned her head to observe another group of men riding fiercely towards them.
"Swords!" Both sides had drawn steel, prepared to fight the newcomer. But as they approached closer, Catelyn could make out the banner being carried by one of the group. The unmistakable blue backdrop, with a silver falcon and crescent moon. No.
"You said there were none who wanted me as king, Renly." Stannis remarked crudely. "I present a contradiction to your claim." Catelyn had hope he would not show, but her fears had come to pass. Olyvar had come to Storm's End and not King's Landing, and as he rode up alongside of his king, she could see the confusion on her nephew's face.
"Aunt Catelyn? Why are you here?"
"What's this, a falcon chick is your best supporter?" Catelyn didn't have time to respond before Renly began mocking his opponents once more. "Have you fallen so low you must rely on a child, Brother?"
Olyvar seemed to pay no attention to Renly's jab, instead focusing on Catelyn, awaiting his aunt's answer. "I've come as Robb's envoy, looking to parlay an alliance with Lord Renly. The North desires an alliance with the southron lords to protect against Tywin Lannister."
"A folly, I assure you." Stannis Baratheon spoke once more. "Your son is a traitor who should have had the sense of his cousin. His day will come, and the North will bend its knee again."
"That we can agree on." Catelyn was furious with the assessments of the Baratheon brothers, both so eager to dismiss the North and to continue their petty squabble. But in her anger, her eyes fell from Renly to Olyvar, who was looking at both stags with a cool stare. It seemed as if he was no longer holding a grudge against Robb for their scuffle, which Catelyn was grateful for.
Olyvar began speaking with a cold voice that reflected the look in his eyes. "I would have thought you would have had the sense to join on King Stannis' side, Renly. Have you not been informed of his findings? The findings of my father?"
"What? That Joffrey and Tommen, along with your precious betrothed, are bastards?" Catelyn saw Olyvar's hand twitch in the direction of his sword at the mention of the princess. "Yes, my brother's raven made it to me. But I am curious. What proof he can conjure to make it believable?"
"Do you name me a liar?" Stannis responded angrily.
"You only name yourself as such should you not give any of us reasonable doubt." Renly said simply.
"I took my suspicion to Lord Arryn's father for investigation." Stannis replied.
"And not to our dear brother?"
"You know as well as I that Robert would not have listened to me about the matter." Stannis spat. "He would have written me off as self-serving. It was better to have Lord Arryn tell him. Robert loved him more than he loved either of us."
"And not Jon Arryn is dead. A shame, you sharing your suspicions likely got him killed." Renly turned to Olyvar. "How does that make you feel, Lord Olyvar? The fact your king got your father killed?"
"Lord Renly that is enough!" Catelyn would not have her family insulted in front of her, and took action, forcing eyes of all that were present to the Stark banner. "I have come here in an attempt to parlay, but you will not see reason. Is it not clear that the Lannisters are our real enemy? Should we not align ourselves against them?"
"What a shame. Your king causes your father's death, and now you've lead your troops to their death in his name as well." Renly's hand went into his cloak, causing Stannis to reach for his sword. But before he could draw, Renly revealed a peach, holding it out in a charitable expression. "Would either of you like a peach? They come from Highgarden, simply exquisite taste."
"I've tasted one before, Lord Renly." Olyvar said coldly as Renly took a bite. "I must say, it did not agree with me."
"Ahh, but you are young." Renly whipped his mouth with the back of his hand after throwing aside his fruit. "If only you were going to live long enough to truly enjoy life. Winter is coming, after all." Catelyn did not take kindly to the words of her house being used by another, but held back her protest.
"Who's to say I won't?" Olyvar shrugged. "The battle is not yet fought. Perhaps I will survive to see you tomorrow yet."
"If that's the case, I'll be sure to have Ser Loras see to it that you are brought before me on your knees." Renly said confidently, further earning him Catelyn's ire. That is the third time you've threatened my family, Lord Renly. But to Catelyn's surprise, Olyvar was smiling, dropping the cold demeanor of his mentor in favor of the smiling face Catelyn knew from his time spent at Winterfell.
"I feat that will be a mistake, Lord Renly. I'm not much of a gardener, but I do think I can put a flower in the ground if it was required of me." This seemed to be the wrong thing to say, as Renly's usually fair face scrunched up at the threat that was aimed at the pride of his Rainbow Guard. "Besides, roots don't reach into the sky, where the falcon dances."
"Enough, Olyvar." Stannis' authoritative voice silenced the young boy, although it did not remove the smirk on his face. He is playing a dangerous game. Catelyn understood that the numbers were still in Renly's favor, even with an extra twenty thousand joining Stannis. The younger Baratheon still had four men for every one the elder had. Yet Stannis did not waver. "We are not here to be childish. I'll give you until sunrise, Renly."
"For what, might I ask? The time to bring forth my entire host and crush you and your ward, who is an even bigger fool than you?" Renly's word had finally cracked Stannis' composure. Catelyn watched as he pulled his sword from the scabbard, and felt as heat radiated from the steel. It was bright, forcing Catelyn to shield her eyes with her hand as she left her horse lean back.
"You have mocked me for the last time, Renly. I will not allow it again!" Stannis thundered.
"Sheath your sword!" Brienne the Blue called out, drawing her own sword and moving between the Baratheons. But Catelyn watched Olyvar draw his blade as well, preparing to defend his liege. She couldn't help but to feel a sense of pride in how he looked the part of a knight proper, sword and shield drawn in defense of his king. If only Robb was his king.
"Enough! Can't you see this is exactly what the Lannisters want?" But none paid attention to Catelyn's pleas of reason. Just like they had not in Riverrun, when she simply wanted her girls back and for peace to return.
"I warn you one final time, Brother. Strike your banners and come to me before the dawn. I will forgive this betrayal, and reward you with Storm's End, as well as name you my heir until I bare a son. If not, I shall destroy you without mercy."
Renly laughed. "A pretty sword and a loyal ward. Do you think this will save you, Stannis? Against all that Highgarden and the Stormlands have to offer? Even your wife's own house joins my side. Pray, what chance have you to defeat me, let alone destroy me?"
"You will see at dawn, Renly. If you choose not to yield, you will see." The Lord of Dragonstone sheathed his bright sword and turned his horse to ride off.
"I do hope your new god is merciful, Stannis." Renly called to him as Stannis' men rode alongside of him to Storm's End once more. Only the lingering red priestess remained amongst them, giving Renly a confident look.
"Look to your own sins, Lord Renly." With that, she turned her horse to follow, but not before she threw a look in the direction of Olyvar, a look the boy and Catelyn did not let go unnoticed. Her nephew stayed behind as his king rode away, looking at Renly.
"I pray I may have a moment with my lady aunt. I have gifts to give her." He did not bow to Renly, but addressed him in a kindly matter as he sheathed his sword and lowered his shield. Catelyn was confused with what he was speaking about. Gifts? What gifts?
"I suppose I can allow it. What kind of a king would I be if I didn't allow a man to hold council with his family before battle?" Renly's voice was full of disdain as he looked from Olyvar to Catelyn. "Perhaps you can speak sense to the boy. I pray you return to my camp in the evening, Lady Stark. And hopefully you bring Lord Arryn along."
Catelyn rode with Olyvar to the camp he had set up for his forces, which was nearby to Storm's End. "Nephew, how wonderful it is to see you unharmed." She embraced her nephew with eagerness and joy after they had entered his tent. "Gods, you've grown taller."
"I keep hearing that." Olvyar said, a bit of blush coming through his cheeks. "If I had known you were here, I would have sent for you."
"That hardly matters now." Catelyn sat on one of the chairs set up in the tent, which was quite plain in comparison to Renly's own. It seemed as if her nephew had been raised with modesty in mind, at least in regards to war. "Stannis and Renly are committed to this battle. The folly of it all."
"Perhaps we can avoid battle all together." Catelyn looked at her nephew, intrigued. "I've come up with a plan to destroy the Lannisters first. We need only abandon this siege and lead Renly's host up the Kingsroad. We can drop them off at King's Landing, or even better, at Tywin Lannister's feet at Harrenhal."
"A dangerous gamble. I fear for Sansa and Arya's safety in the capital when it comes under siege." The thought of her girls enduring the siege, the possibility of what could happen. Such thoughts had haunted Catelyn's dreams for many a night, as well as her pleas to the Mother to keep them safe.
"Aunt Catelyn, Tyrion Lannister allowed me to meet with Sansa before I arrived here. She is well." He added quickly, holding his hand up to silence her. "Lord Tyrion has promised to keep her safe from serious harm. Should the Red Keep come under siege, I have his assurances he will find a safe place for her to hide."
"Do you trust him?" She asked with uncertainty.
"Yes, I do." He knelt as he took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "He's told me that Arya has escaped Cersei's clutches. It's likely she's fled the capital."
"What?!" She could not help but let out a shrill shriek. "Arya isn't in the possession of the Lannisters?"
"That's what Lord Tyrion has told me. I've sent men back up the Kingsroad to see if she may have escaped the capital. From my understanding, a company of the Night's Watch left the capital on the same day as Uncle's death-"
"She may be with them." She didn't need her nephew to explain any further. The gods are gracious! "She will be on her way to Winterfell as we speak."
"Aunt Catelyn, if we find Arya, I have instructed my men to secure her and bring her to the Eyrie for safe keeping." The boy said seriously, yet possessing a smile. "She will be safer there. Not even the Lannisters can breach it."
Catelyn wanted to disagree with him, but she knew he spoke truth. Bringing Arya to Riverrun, in the middle of Lannister and Stark hostilities, would only put her in further danger. The Vale was the safest place in the Seven Kingdom's now. She would be safe there with Lysa and Robert, especially now that Olyvar had asserted his rule. Even if she wanted more than anything to have her daughter back in her arms, Arya's safety was paramount.
"Ah, I nearly forgot." The boy rose quickly and walked to the opposite side of the tent. "The other gifts that I have for you." Catelyn watched as the boy tossed back a fabric that way laying on the table before picking up something that looked quite large. Only after he turned did she identify the object.
"Ice." She breathed as Olyvar returned to a knee, laying the ancestral greatsword of the Starks on her lap. Her hands shook as she gripped it, the blade that Ilyn Payne had used by Joffrey's command to take her husband's life. She felt happy to have it, yet haunted at the same time.
"I also bare another, sadder gift." Her eyes left the greatsword and met the sad brown irises of her nephew. "Lord Tyrion agreed to hand over your lord husband's bones to me as well. I have arranged for them to be taken to Robb at Riverrun."
She pulled him into an embrace quicker than lightening could be shot from the sky. "Nephew, I cannot find the means to thank you." She would have like to keep expressing her gratitude in words, but she felt her voice break and tears fall from her eyes. She was tired, so tired. But a great weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, a genuine smile graced her lips.
A/N: Despite my personal feelings about Catelyn, I feel that despite her flaws she is deserving of some sort of happiness. But after Ned goes south, she never seems to find that moment of happiness or peace. So just for now, I feel like I can reward her with that in the form of Ice.
And so, we're almost there. The meeting many of you have been speculating on; Olyvar and Melisandre. Should be fun, right?
Reviews are always welcome. Thanks guys and gals :)