Robb's POV
We were not a mile from them as the sun came up. My men were beginning to encircle me, and with one look over my shoulder, I saw Ana pull away. She had kept up better than any of them.
"We need more than 20 to stay with her," I called over my shoulder.
"Good luck with that," Theon laughed.
I turned a steel glance towards him until Will chimed in, "She won't have it. We'll do better to keep her safe by beating them."
I knew he was right. She would throw a fit, but still, leaving her and my mother with such limited protection made me uncomfortable. I looked back at her just to see my wife once more before pressing on; Ana's blond hair was caught in the wind as she came to a halt at the side of the forest just before the clearing we were galloping through. Her face was red from riding and her eyes bright as she watched me with confidence.
Turning back, I led our men towards where Jaime Lannister would be. They knew we were coming by now, but I could see the shock in the eyes of the men in front as our 18,000 came storming toward them.
It seemed chaotic when we caught our first glimpse of them. The men were not fixed in place, shouting at each other, just finding where to stand as arrows began to reign down and yet we were already about to break.
For a moment, the noise disappeared as I cast a look at the faces in front of me; most of all, I saw the fear. The fury within me melt, knowing this was not their choice, but as I got closer, as the swords and spears raised, those feelings fell away, replaced by the adrenaline that came with the clashing of steel.
My sword cut upon the first man quickly. Raising it above and striking with a swift motion, I cut through several men before finding myself having to move more evasively on horseback. In something beginning to feel like a rhythm, I brought my sword down repeatedly, clearing my path through.
My guard was close at hand. Willem looked far more comfortable, turning his horse through the people below us, navigating and cutting through, seemingly impervious to the throngs below him.
My horse cried out in pain as a sword cut upon his shoulder, just missing my own leg. He was beginning to buckle as I swung to the side, dismounting. I kept my shield raised as a blow reigned down, crunching into the direwolf shield. Instinctively, I swung my sword around, catching the man as he tried to regroup. He fell back, and Grey Wind leapt on him, tearing into flesh.
Stepping further into the melee, the blows kept falling down on me, but I was able to block every one. I could hear the splintering of my shield as sword finally reached past the metal. My arm was burning from soreness, but an energy coursed through me in a way that I'd never felt before. Even with the pain, I kept pushing, kept fighting, kept ignoring the screams that rang in my ears as my men and I tore apart the Lannister men.
Pulling my sword out of the back of another man, I saw Jaime Lannister ahead. He moved easily through my bannermen. By the time I had cut through two of his, he had cut through five of mine like they were nothing. They fell aside, screaming with faces so distorted by pain, collapsing to the ground at angles no person should have achieved.
I raised my sword, blocking his thrust. Almost instantly, another blow came; I raised my shield just in time to stop the blade and swept my sword back across to him. The Kingslayer met it with equal force. I lifted my elbow into his neck, stunning him momentarily, but he still moved quicker than any man on the field.
After stepping back once, he had his sword lifted again, coming towards me as we crashed steel upon steel until he started to get the upper hand, pushing me back. I kept my footing until stepping onto a body. I pulled my shield in front of me, blocking his blow as I tried to catch my footing.
The Kingslayer brought his sword down again, but another sword caught it from the side, pushing him away. Looking over, I saw Theon stepping in front of me. He cast an eye back, making sure the Kingslayer hadn't wounded me. I nodded to him, but as I did, the Lion's sword was coming towards my best friend.
"Theon!" I exclaimed.
He turned as I threw my shield at the Kingslayer. He tried to dodge it, having it only hit his arm. I stood quickly, going on the attack with Theon, continuing to push back the Lannister's eldest son. As Theon held the Kingslayer's sword, I brought mine up, threading it through the pair. He managed to step aside before I could cut off his hand, but from the lion's yell, I knew I drew blood.
We kept pushing him back, further and further, until finally, he was the one losing his footing. With a slight stumble, I thrust my sword, knocking the Kingslayer further off balance. A moment later, Theon hit him again, knocking one hand from his sword until my final blow made the sword drop entirely. Grey Wind was on the Kingslayer's chest a moment later, growling, waiting for my command.
As I looked around, the sky was starting to lighten. The field and woods were filled with bodies, largely Lannister bannermen while my men greatly outnumbered our opponents who were still standing.
"Grey Wind, to me," I said as the Greatjon walked towards Jaime Lannister.
"Take him," I called to Lord Umber and stepped away to survey the field.
"You'll need a new horse," Will commented.
"I almost needed a new head," I returned, glancing towards Theon.
He shrugged, "I almost needed one too."
"Thank the gods I don't owe you anything then."
Theon laughed as I took a step towards him, hugging him.
"I missed my brother," I stated.
"I missed mine too," he returned.
"This is touching," Jaime Lannister said from behind us.
I cast a glance over my shoulder, staring at him icily as my blood began to boil, but said nothing while the Greatjon tussled with him, dragging him away. I gave my men orders to get our people reorganized and begin taking care of the wounded. We would be marching as soon as they were ready.
Picking up my shield, I stared for a long time at what was left of the direwolf upon it. In the center, the metal had been hacked away with the splinters of wood coming through. Sword slashes marred the rest of it, and I finally began to feel the aches shooting down my arms and the heaviness in my legs.
The cries from those around me were duller now. It was not the height of pain but the misery and for many, pleading for death to take them quickly. The excitement was all gone now, replaced with a sickening feeling growing in my chest.
Will brought over a new horse and said the one thing that pulled me from my thoughts. "Robb, I think we should go back to see my sister."
I could still hear the cries and see the blinding image of steel clashing against steel as I rode towards Ana and my mother, but it faded when I saw her brown eyes brighten when they fell on me. My mother closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief, while Ana came running to me. I had barely dismounted when she threw herself into my arms. I wrapped them around her tightly. She pulled just an inch back and cupped my face, pulling me into a kiss.
Her tongue met mine as I let myself release all of the tension I was feeling into that kiss, drawing her as close as my armor would allow. She tasted of Winterfell. For as long as I closed my eyes, we were there again, wrapped up in each other, and the only tension that existed was from me wanting to take her to bed.
"Are you hurt?" she asked.
I caught her lips once more before finally opening my eyes, coming back to reality. "No, none of the blood on me is mine."
I ran my hand along her soft, fair cheek as she dipped her head into my hand, kissing it. After a moment, Ana stepped aside and let my mother take her place, hugging me. I could see her troubled gaze, both happy to have me back and concerned for everything I had seen. I knew she would ask me about what happened, but it could wait until after one thing was taken care of.
"Bring him forward," I called over my shoulder once I had stepped away from my mother.
There was no question to whom I was referring. As the Kingslayer was pushed down to the ground before my feet, I stood in front of him with a sword, wondering if this was how my father died, unceremoniously cut down in front of those who hated him. But those people in King's Landing had no reason to hate him. The thought of it made my fingers grip tighter around the hilt of my sword, growing white. I wanted little more than to take this man from the Lannisters so they might understand what it was like to lose family.
"Lady Stark," he said and with an appraising grin turned to my wife, "My Lady Samelson."
"Stark," she corrected him, her expression sharp.
He just kept the smile upon his face, "I always forget."
"Just kill him, Robb. Send his head to his father," Theon spoke up, encouraging me to do exactly what I wanted.
I could already hear Ana shifting behind me. I knew what she was say, and although I hated it, I knew it to be true.
"He's worth more alive to us than dead," I stated, beginning to turn away.
"We could end this war right now, boy, save thousands lives," the Kingslayer spoke up. "Swords or lances, teeth, nails – chose your weapons."
I wanted to. There would have been nothing more appealing than to cut his throat, but knowing how I fought today, I was disappointed to reply with the truth, "If we do it your way, Kingslayer, you'd win. We're not doing it your way."
He looked almost impressed by my honesty, but his opinion mattered little. All I could think of was all the people who were dead or dying on the battlefield and the fact that I had sent 2,000 men to their graves in facing Tywin Lannister.
Theon tried to glorify it, but there was nothing glorious about what had happened. It seemed death was rarely swift on the battlefield if today was any indication. I could feel that sickening feeling creep back into my chest as I thought of their faces and remembered the cries and twisted agony on the men who I had just left in the woods.
"One victory does not make us conquerors. Did we rescue my sister from the Queen? Did we free the North from those who want us on our knees? This war is far from over."
Ana fell into step with me as I turned away.
"We'll go further into the Riverlands to better ground as soon as our wounded are taken care of," I stated, walking briskly away from the center of the activity.
"Robb," Ana reached out, but she could not take hold of my arm.
I kept pace well ahead of her until we were far enough away from everyone. "I want to rip his head from his body."
"Robb," she whispered again. Her eyes were soft with sympathy, staring intently at me.
"And, I know, I know none of it will bring back my father, but I want them to feel the pain every bit as much as I do." I could feel my face contort as I struggled to keep from yelling out loud.
She reached out a hand to my face, but I did not want the comfort now, pulling away from her. I was furious and disgusted, knowing I'd let those men die. I could still feel the tension from the battle, the fear and adrenaline, and all that mixed in with the screams of dying men, knowing I had sent 2000 of my own – of my father's men – to die. Would he have done the same?
"We need to get your armor off," she stated.
"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at her. Of all of the things she could say…
"I'm hoping if we take off this hard shell you might remember that you don't have to be iron as well."
"I do for them."
"But not for me," she answered.
I looked to the ground, letting out a sigh, before I met her eyes again, "I am not ready to be soft, Ana."
"Well, when you are, I will be waiting," she replied and sat down on the ground.
I did not want to walk over to her, to sit, to take comfort in her yet, but seeing her there, watching me with an expression that expected nothing but was simply waiting, I found myself breathing just a little easier.