The ride to Riverrun was hard . The wind was blowing and the men starving . It was silent , no one was talking , only the wind could be heard and occasional sobs coming from Catelyn . Thessana wanted to tell her that Bran was alive and that he was going North to Jon but she couldn't . Like she couldn't show her relief about Rickon . She needed to act as a mother who lost everything . But as a queen she had to control her emotions which was a blessing during this time . She didn't talk to Robb since Harrenhal and didn't have any intention to . Even if her son was alive , Robb was a foul and couldn't be excused . Tommen was riding with Talisa , his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched . He was getting on her nerves but said nothing to him and pretended not to see him . Riverrun was near a river but the sun wasn't shining . The sky was grey almost black . She wanted the sun , she wanted to be carefree , wanted to be a child raised in the sunny field and lakes of Asgard . But at the same time , she liked the idea to be a runaway , hiding in the woods or lying to protect her child . After she let Rickon to the care of Oberyn , she noticed that her magic was getting powerful and that she could do more things . Like levitate objects or even fly . The first time she noticed it , she was scared . She woke up at the middle of the night , floating over her bed . And one big change was that her magic was sometimes taking control over her , especially when she was feeling strong emotions . She stopped as the people in front of her done the same . The horses needed to drink and rest a bit . She jumped out of her horse and sat on a rock next to Catelyn . She was making a prayer wheel , probably for Sansa and Arya . Talisa came towards her and looked at them shyly .
"Can I help you , Lady Stark ?"
"No ." answered harshly Catelyn , not even looking at her .
"I'm sorry I should .."
"You can't help ." cut Thessana . "Because a mother makes one for her children to protect them .."
"Only a mother can make them .." added Catelyn .
"Why don't you make one your grace ?" asked politely Talisa , looking at Thessana .
"Why ? I don't have any children left ." snapped Thessana . Talisa looked at her feet , unconfortable .
"You've made them before , Lady Stark ?" asked again Talisa , eager to make a good impression on the two women .
"Twice ."
"Did they work ?"
"I prayed for my son Bran to survive his fall … Many years before that , one of the boys came down with the pox … Maester Luwin said that if he made it through the night , he will live . But it will be a very long night... So I sat with him all through the darkness , listenned to his ragged little breaths , his coughing and whimpering .."
"Jon ..." said Thessana . It wasn't a question . Never Robb faced a disease like that and she remembered well the childhood of Bran .
"When my husband brough that baby home from the war , I couldn't bear to look at him . I didn't want to see those brown stranger eyes starring at me … So I prayed to the Gods . Take him away . Make him die . He got the pox . And I knew I was the worst woman who ever lived . A murderer . I condemned this poor innocent child to a horrible death , all because I was jealous of his mother . A woman he didn't even know . So I prayed to all Seven Gods . Let the boy live . Let him live and I'll love him . I'll be a mother to him . I'll beg my husband to give him a true name , to call him Stark , to be done with it . To make him one of us ..."
"And he lived ?" asked Talisa , with a smile .
"And he lived ..." agreed Catelyn . "And I couldn't keep my promise . And everything that happens since then , all those horrors that happened to my family... All because I couldn't love a motherless child ."
Talisa's smile faded as tears rolled on Catelyn' cheeks . Thessana said nothing , looking at the trees , hypnotized by the movements and soft sound of the leaves made by the wind . She wanted to tell Catelyn that she wasn't the worst woman who lived . Thessana felt like she was that kind of woman because she was lying to Catelyn . She was looking and letting her weep for her dead son without telling her the truth about Bran .
"Why don't you weep for your lost children your grace ?" asked Talisa .
"Why don't you shut your mouth ? We lost this war the day Tommen married you but you keep wandering around , trying to be the nice girl . I don't give a fuck about you or what you're trying to do . I want you to leave . Each breath you draw in my presence annoys me . I want you to stop poisoning my air with your toxic presence . Am I clear ?"
Talisa just left without a word and Thessana looked back at the trees .
"You should be careful Thess … The Gods punish us .. All the time for our actions ." whispered Catelyn , resuming her work on the prayer wheel .
"I don't believe in Gods anymore . The only person that can save me is myself ."
Catelyn looked at her with big sad eyes but said nothing . After an hour they rode back on their horses , right to Riverrun .
Thor threw the book his mother gave him earlier and looked at Loki , sat still on his bed . Since several days he looked cheerful , calm . Thor thought that soon he will vomit rainbows . Himself was a bit worried because of the war Robb and Thessana were involved in but Loki didn't seem to be bothered by it . He must have met a girl thought Thor , this idea making him giggle .
"You look happy brother , what's new ?" asked Thor , with a smile .
"Nothing just … Nothing really .."
"Mischief again uh ? Don't get anyone killed this time !" said Thor , his laugh still echoing against the walls once he was gone .
"Oh brother , that's the whole plan actually ..." whispered Loki .
Thor wandered in the palace , bored and not knowing what to do to wait until dinner . He could ask Sif to train with him but he wasn't in the mood . His feet took him to the library without him noticing it . It was once , he was surrounded by the books he realized where he was . He laughed about how absent minded he was but then asked himself why Loki would spend so much time here . He knew that the last table in the corner of the last raw of books was his special spot and nobody could go there . Knowing that Loki was still in his rooms , he went there and saw all the books on the tables . Most of them were about Westeros and their traditions . And all those books were opened at the page about the guest's rights . Thor read all about it , really interested about that special tradition .
"What are you doing Thor ?" asked Loki in a cold tone .
"Oh just reading some stuff … Why are you so interested about Westerosi' traditions ?"
"They are so different about us .."
"Well, if you want my opinion , somebody must be really stupid to not respect those guest's rights . "
"Don't tell me you believe that ?"
"Loki this is an old tradition made by old Gods . Of course I believe it . Anyway even if I don't believe it , never I will invite someone in my house to kill him . Must be twisted to do that .."
"Or really clever ."
"No trust me . Only a mad man could come up with that kind of idea .."
Loki said nothing and put the books back in order , turning his back to Thor .
"Hope you're not planning anything like that .."
Thessana look at the dead body of late Lord Hoster Tully , in the little wooden boat , covered by his banner . They let the boat flow on the stream while Edmure was trying to fire it with an arrow . But he couldn't reach the boat . People started to whisper in anger while Robb tried to hide his laughter . Thessana and Catelyn looked at him and he stopped immediately , giving a signal to Brynden . Catelyn's uncle took the bow and arrow from Edmure's hands and , after putting the arrow in the fire , succeed in reaching the boat . Fire start consuming the boat and the dead body and Catelyn let a tear roll on her left cheek . Catelyn went in the castle to grief her father with Brynden , Tommen joining them .
"I thought maybe we could do something for Rickon … I don't know put in a little boat a sword or a banner with a direwolf to represent him ." said Robb , looking at Thessana .
"Maybe you should have protected your family better instead ."
And she left in the woods . She was angry . Her magic was once again taking the control . Anger was the key and she had to control that and not be controlled . She liked the woods because of the dense vegetation and the tall trees . She sat on dry leaves , opened her arms , palms up and closed her eyes . She could feel the flow inside her moving fast , fluctuating with her emotions , getting slower as she calmed down . She thought about Robb , Tommen and Talisa and the flow rushed in her veins , giving her goosebumps . She concentrated even more , trying to find a balance between the calm she needed to control the magic and the anger that gave her energy . And she felt herself levitate . She opened her eyes in shock and felt hard on the ground . She let out a curse and tried again . After an hour , she succeeded in flying over the ground but only for a few seconds . She wanted to try again when she felt magic around her but not hers . She closed her eyes and let herself disappear to go where it came from . She appeared in the castle in front of a room . Tommen's one .
"Look I did not pay you to fall in love . He is a Stark and he needs to die . I don't care about your feeling Talisa . Actually I did not know that a wench could have feelings ..." said Loki , looking at the room . Riverrun was as ruined as The Twins .
"I can't betray him … I don't think I can do this anymore ." whispered Talisa .
"But you will do it ." stated Loki , cupping her chin . "You will do it , it was the plan . You will shut your pretty little mouth , go to the Twins with the Starks and watch them all get killed . You will not be harmed . And after you'll be my queen .. I don't think you planned finishing your life like that when you started being a whore ."
"What about the current queen ?"
"What about her ?"
"Thessana will never let Robb or Tommen or anyone get killed . She could kill all of us before the Freys even move the little finger ."
"That's right she's getting powerful , I can feel her . This is quite impressive . But I know her . If she understands that her life is at risk and that she can't do anything for her family she'll flee . Simple as this . As I said to Lord Frey , she's a survivor , as long as her own safety isn't in danger , she don't care . Did you know that she survived a Jotun' attack when she was a baby ? "
"It's going to be a blood bath and not only Starks will die ..."
"Sshh .. She felt me . Thess is coming ."
Loki disappeared as Thessana opened the door . She looked suspicious and cocked an eyebrow looking at Talisa .
"Your Grace ?"
"Don't play it smart . I can feel the magic all over the place . It's funny because when I was a child I always thought that my magic was weak . But now , I feel indestructible ."
Talisa stopped breathing as she saw a dagger appearing from nowhere and went against her throat .
"I can kill you without even moving . I understood that my magic is not part of me but more something like … A friend that I needed to trust , a friend that will always walk by my side if I can say so . Do something weird or betray someone of my family and it'll be the end for you . "
She turned her back , ready to go . With a soft gesture of her left hand the dagger appeared in her hand .
"And before even thinking about doing something behind my back , let me warn you . There is no behind my back , I am everywhere ." and Thessana disappeared .
Frigga looked , worried , at the window of her room . The sun went down as she was lost in her thoughts . It seemed like chaos started to spread like the plague in all the realms . Westeros was still torn by the war between the North and the South and now Midgard was fighting a war against a man called Hitler . Frigga begged several times Odin to stop everything , to make peace but he wouldn't hear a thing . Moreover , it seemed like she was losing control over her sons . Thor was becoming more and more reckless and Loki was another man , lost in his schemes . But deep down they were still her little boys even if they were grown men .
"What are you thinking about mother ?" asked in a soft voice Thor .
"About early times when you were all children . I miss your laughs and all of you playing in the gardens … I miss the innocence and the peace ..."
"This is just a bad period but I know , deep down , that it's going to be fine soon .."
"I don't think so , my son … I think this is only the beginning ..."
"Beginning of what ?"
Frigga did not answer , too scared about what's coming next .
Thessana was woken up at the middle of the night by a guard . Robb was asking for her . After putting on her cloak , she left for a cold room where Robb was planning his next move . He was standing , his sword on his belt , looking at two dead bodies at his feet . Catelyn was sat on a seat and Edmure was looking at Robb , waiting for an order . Thessana came closer and saw the two boys , Edmure took for prisonners . They were dead , their eyes wide open like they were judging her . Her hands were shaking and she quickly hide them in her cloak , looking at Lord Karstark coming in with other men , all were in chains . Lord Karstark finally had his revenge after all . She stood and placed herself behind Robb , looking at the men .
"It took five of you to murder two unarmed squires .." said Robb , angry .
"Not murder your grace .. Vengeance !" replied Karstark .
"Vengeance ? Those boys didn't kill your sons . One died on the battlefield and the other .."
"Was strangled by the Kingslayer . They were his kins .."
They were boys ! Thought Thessana , frowning in anger .
"They were boys !" yelled Robb . Thessana looked at him in shock and Robb himself was a little disturbed like the words came out of his mouth without his consent . "Look at them ..." His voice broke .
"Tell your mother to look at them ." spoke Karstark . "She killed them as much as I . "
"My mother has nothing to do with this . It's your treason ."
"It's treason to free your enemies ! In war , you kill your enemies , did your father not teach you that boy ?!"
"Leave him !" told Robb to Brynden who had punched Karstark .
"Leave me to the King .. He wants to give me a scold before he sets me free . That's how he deals with treason . Our King in the North . Or should I call him the King who lost the North ."
"Escort Lord Karstark to the dungeons . Hang the rest ." Everybody looked at Robb with surprise , even Catelyn .
"No your grace ! I didn't kill anyone , I was only watching for the guards !" shouted a young men , desperately trying to save his life . Hang this shit last so he could watch the others die thought Thessana , bitter as she looked again at the dead boys .
"This one was only the watcher . Hang him last so he can watch the others die ." stated Robb then turned his back to sit in front of maps .
Thessana was worried about what happened twice now . Never she influenced somebody's choice like that and it was scary . But now wans't the time to care about that . Losing Karstark meant losing his men so the biggest part of the northern army . Catelyn and Edmure started to try to reason him but Thess could see in her husband's eyes that his choice was made and nothing or no one could change a thing about it . She didn't even tried to reason him knowing it'll be useless . She simply looked at him as he did the same and she left .
Tyrion looked at Sansa , who was silent as always . She was looking by the window probably thinking about her family . Tyrion cleared his throat and as she looked at him he gave her a book about old northern stories .
"I thought you would be homesick..."
"Thanks my lord ..."
"I don't want to hurt you Sansa I hope you're aware of this . The only thing I want is your safety .."
"Yes sure ..."
"I think it's time I tell you a story that happened to me . You surely know that your mother took me as a prisoner to the Vale where I had to face a trial by combat . I was adament to chose my brother Jamie but Lady Arryn wanted the trial to be fought the same day so it was impossible for him to come rescue me ..."
"And Bronn fought for you . I know the story ."
"Yes but do you know why did he fight for me ?"
"For the Lannister's gold ."
"Oh no .. Your brother's wife asked him to . Thessana … She wanted to avoid a war or at least have someone who will protect your sister and yourself . I don't know where Arya is but as long as you're my wife Sansa , no one will harm you . I made the promise ."
"Why would she do that ? Why would she trust a Lannister ?"
"She doesn't judge people by their reputation I guess … And she was raised as a soldier even if she had an education . At war , the man next to you is your best friend , your ally . She thinks like that . And I will not betray her . Actually it feels good that somebody stands against the Lannisters for once ."
The sky was dark , wind was blowing and the rain was falling hard . It was the perfect gloomy day for an execution . Thessana , Catelyn , Edmure and Brynden were asked by Robb to come outside to be the witness of Karstark's death . Thessana felt uncomfortable with the silver crown on her head . Robb was adament about it . She had to wear it . She wasn't showing any emotions , looking almost bored to be disturbed only to watch a man die . Robb walked under the heavy rain , his sword in his hands , the fur on his shoulders getting soaked . Lord Karstark was facing him , his hands tied , two guards behind him . He was looking directly at Robb , with a smirk , defying him until his last breathe .
"The blood of the First Men flows in my veins as much as yours , boy . I fought the Mad King for your father , I fought Joffrey for you . We are kins . Stark and Karstark ."
"That didn't stop you from betraying me . And he won't save you now . "
"I don't want to be saved . I want to haunt you until your last days .."
"Kneel my lord . "
Lord Karstark kneeled and looked at Robb , still smirking . Robb was tense with anger and was ready to explode .
"Rickard Karstark , Lord of Karhold , here in sight of Gods and men I sentence you to die . Would you speak a final word ? " spoke Robb in a cold tone .
"Kill me and be cursed . You are no king of mine !"
Robb just cut his head with his sword , letting out a groan as Catelyn looked at her feet . Robb threw his sword and walked past them , to the castle , his fists clenched . Thessana didn't need to talk to him or anything , she knew how he fell . Robb wasn't a killer , he was the kind of man who put everybody in a cell until the problem is solved . But never he would kill someone like that , not even his worst enemy . And in less than 24 hours he had kill with his own hands , five men among whom one was from his own family . He needed support but Thessana wouldn't be the one to give him . Everything happening was his fault , he didn't deserve forgiveness . She looked one more time at Karstark's head while the guards took his body and she left to the castle .
Oberyn walked to the coast knowing that Rickon would be there . Never the boy had seen a sun like that or a beach . After centuries in the North , in the cold and snow , everything was a discovery for him . Nobody said a thing about his coming and Oberyn kept the story vague but mainly saying that the mother had died from an horrible disease and the boy shouldn't be asked any questions . Oberyn's daughters were often with him , trying to cheer him up but Rickon liked being alone with his wolf .
"You know you can have a sunburn , staying all day here . Especially since your skin isn't used to this kind of weather .." said softly Oberyn , sitting next to the boy .
"I'm fine … Shaggydog like it here . He never saw the sea neither .. "
"How do you feel ? Are you happy ?"
"I'm just trying to cope with the fact that I'm never going to see my parents ever again ."
Oberyn said nothing , his words fainting in the air . He knew deep down that the boy was right but listenning to this little child saying it so bluntly was a shock .
"I'm never going to see my parents again , or the North . I like it here though … But I still have this hole in here ..." he showed his chest and looked at Oberyn .
"You miss them it's normal . But at least here you're safe . Your mother sent me a message or it rather appeared in my pocket while I was taking my breakfast . She says that they are marching to the Twins because your father needs Lord Frey's men . She also says that your father and her loves you very much and hopes you're fine ."
"Come Shaggydog let's go in the woods .." whispered the boy , his eyes red . He stood and left for the woods , the direwolf behind him . Oberyn let him go , only wishing to make his pain go away .