Robb had intended to make his way to the royal chambers and get some much deserved rest before the day that was to meet him tomorrow, but he had not gotten further than the drawbridge of Maegor's Holdfast when a young squire dressed in Lannister red ran up to Robb, soliciting a crazed response from the four guards that had been standing watch in the courtyard, who leapt into action and restrained the boy and shielded the King before he could get anywhere close to Robb.
"Stand down! By the Gods, Stand down!" Robb ordered over the panic as the young squire looked like he was about to vomit and then faint from fear.
"Release him."
"Your Grace- he is a Lann-…"
"And a squire, Harrion. Do we harm squires when they have done us no harm?" Robb asked his guard, before looking to the young Podrick Payne curiously as his men sheathed their swords and released the squire.
"I know you, don't I? The Imp's squire." Robb asked the boy, to receive a nod and stammering response.
"Y-yes, Your Grace. L-Lord T-t-tyrion has awoken. I was t-told by the Maesters t-to bring word at o-o-once." Robb sighed and nodded, this was a matter he needed to see to before he left King's Landing. The imp had shown Bran a kindness, he had been attacked by his own sister and nephew, and from what Robb had been told he had even organized and led a formidable defense of King's Landing before being overcome by Robb's army, perhaps there was use for the half-man after this war was over.
"Very well, bring me to him. Harrion, Arthor, follow." Robb commanded to two of his guards who nodded their heads. It was foolish for Robb to have been walking alone, he realized that now, for Podrick could have easily been someone else who had intended Robb harm. As smart as he was, Robb was making many mistakes that threatened his life and the lives of his family. His first mistake had been to send Theon to his father. He hoped that he had not made another by leaving his Northmen in the West without his command.
Tyrion Lannister had supposedly been acting as Hand of the King, which meant that Robb followed Podrick Payne to the Tower of the Hand where his own father had been staying when Ned Stark was captured for treason. The thought incensed Robb, along with the thought that his father's men had been murdered in this very castle.
"Lord Varys is currently with him, Your Grace." Podrick said quietly, opening the door for Robb who walked in with his two Northern guards to see a brutalized Tyrion Lannister lying in bed with the Eunuch speaking softly beside him.
"Your Grace." Varys said with a deep bow to Robb who inclined his head once. He had little love for the Spider, but the man had pledged loyalty and had brought him word from the west. The Greatjon had heeded Robb's orders and continued in seizing castles and mines of the Westerlands, Roose Bolton was marching North with 2000 foot and 500 mounted riders to garrison and begin a siege of Moat Cailin and await reinforcements from Robb. Tywin Lannister was raising men to return to the Westerlands and intended to leave Amory Lorch as castellan of Harrenhal. Information that all proved incredibly useful to Robb's war plans.
"Lord Varys. You may remain, if Lord Tyrion has no issue." Robb declared walking further into the chambers of the Hand to stand beside Varys looking down at Tyrion with a hint of sympathy at the man's wounds.
"King of Westeros, eh?" Tyrion rasped at Robb, attempting to smirk before grimacing in pain.
"You fought with bravery, Lord Tyrion. And you were betrayed by your own family, as I am sure Lord Varys has told you by now." Robb stated plainly, causing Tyrion's features to darken.
"Why should I believe either of you?" Tyrion asked in anger, causing Robb to raise an eyebrow.
"I believe the better question is why should I? I could have you join Cersei or perhaps even Joffrey on the block tomorrow, but Lord Varys persuaded me otherwise. You did my brother a kindness in Winterfell, and your men say that you fought with honor. I don't intend to punish you for this, Tyrion Lannister." Robb said, causing Tyrion to look up at him curiously.
"What could you want from me, Lord Stark?"
"You will refer to His Grace as King, Imp!" barked one of Robb's guards, causing the three other men in the room to glance at him.
"My apologies, Your Grace. What could you want from me?"
"Heal. Wait for my return, and when I do, assist me in bringing this realm to peace for the winter. Serve me well, and serve me loyally and I will name you Lord of Casterly Rock."
"I believe you are forgetting two other men in my way…" Tyrion commented wryly as he forced himself to sit up in his bed with great pain. He gazed at Robb Stark with great doubt, he knew the boy vaguely from his time Winterfell. It seemed he was truly his father's son, except blessed with an ability to overlook his honor when the situation called for it. He could rule well, Tyrion knew that. But would he really sacrifice his family? Tywin…Tywin had always made it clear that he wanted him dead…and Cersei…Cersei had ordered his attack. The only one he had love for was Jamie…
"Your father is about to engage my forces in war, and has less than thirty thousand men under his command. I have twenty thousand Northmen in the West, eleven thousand Riverlanders to the north-east, and I have sent half of my infantry and a quarter of my mounted force to join them yesterday. Tomorrow I march out with fifty thousand men. You are a learned man, Lord Tyrion. I have over one hundred and thirty thousand men united under my banner. Your family's reign is over. If your father surrenders, I intend to offer his imprisonment in Dorne to Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn along with that of Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch. Your brother has two choices…taking the black or the block. You are the only Lannister left, and I am not of a mind to extinguish a House root-and-stem when you can be made of use. Think on my offer." Robb said, nodding his head to Tyrion before turning to leave.
"Your Grace…there was a man in my service, a sellsword named Bronn-." Tyrion called, causing Robb to turn back and nod slowly.
"Aye. My men arrested him trying to flee south after the city had been taken. He is currently set for execution."
"I ask for his clemency. He has served me well, and only acted on my orders. Please." Tyrion asked, leaning forward in bed despite his injuries, causing Robb to sigh.
"He will be held in a cell until I have returned to establish my reign. And you, boy." Robb said, turning to Podrick Payne
"Remove your surcoat if you are to continue serving Lord Tyrion, or else you will likely be mistaken again for a Lannister man. I do not want your blood on my hands, are we clear?" Robb asked, causing Podrick to nod vigorously.
"Your Grace…I have...news that will trouble you greatly." Varys told Robb as they left Tyrion alone to walk down the steps of the Tower of the Hand together.
"Gods…what now?" Robb asked tiredly as they emerged out onto the open-aired complex of the castle.
"I am told Lord Tywin marches out from Harrenhal at dawn tomorrow…and there is a rumor that he has secured the allegiance of one of your generals and Northern Lords. To whom this traitor is I cannot say, but I am actively working to find out." Varys explained causing Robb to furrow his brows, feeling as though he had been stabbed in the gut. One of his own men, his lords, his vassals…and he was too far away from his Northmen to do anything, leading an army of southerners.
"But…the grave news comes from further North…" Varys said with a noted tone of discomfort as Robb stopped in his tracks to face him.
"Out with it, my lord. I do not enjoy the suspense."
"Theon Greyjoy…has been reportedly seen hanging the burnt and crisped bodies of two young boys from the walls of Winterfell…" Robb was frozen, unmoving as his ears filled with a loud buzzing and his heart seized in his chest.
Gods…Bran…Rickon…
"NO!" Robb's scream of brutally enraged grief caused Stark guards to rouse and rush towards their King from around the near vicinity. Arthor and Harrion kept them all back as Robb held Varys' lapels.
"This cannot be true!" Robb shook Varys who shook his head with deep sympathy.
"I am sorry, Your Grace…Ser Rodrik Cassel is gathering a small host of Glover and Tallhart men to retake the castle." Varys said quietly, causing Robb to push the eunuch away and storm towards Maegor's Holdfast. His heart began to race further, and he stumbled within the holdfast to place his hand against the red stone wall to steady himself as he took ragged shaking breaths. His baby brothers…he had failed them as he had failed his father. Robb shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut as tears gathered. He slammed his fist against the stone to let out another roar of anguish. The men who had initially gathered stood around awkwardly, not knowing what to do as word spread amongst them of the deaths of their little lords.
Dacey Mormont and Smalljon Umber, two of Robb's most trusted lieutenants and closest friends pushed their way through the gathering mass of soldiers to support their King.
"Be gone, all of you! The King grieves and needs not your prying eyes or whispers!" Dacey called, turning fiercely to glare at the men as she had a soothing hand rubbing Robb's shoulder. Dacey's words sent the men scrambling as Robb shook his head.
"Boys…only boys…how could he do this…? To them? To us? We raised him like a brother…" Robb muttered quietly causing Dacey and Smalljon to frown at each other.
"Robb…what will you do?" Smalljon asked after a while, causing Robb to raise his head with a black fury.
"We will destroy the Iron Islands…" Robb stated through gritted teeth "The future of Westeros will never suffer their ire again…Dacey, find Varys. Tell him to get word to Ser Rodrik Cassel somehow…I do not want Winterfell taken until I am back in the North…I want him to take his forces to Moat Cailin and attack the Ironborn from the North, it is the only way Moat Cailin is vulnerable. Word must also be sent to Lord Howland to have his crannogmen bleed the Ironborn." Robb stated as he marched up the steps of the holdfast, his heart hardened again by the tragedy that faced him. Dacey nodded and turned at once to find the Spider and deliver Robb's orders. Smalljon stayed by his King's side.
"I must-…I must speak with Sansa…" Robb said, his lip trembling "Jon…find me a personal guard for the remainder of our time in this shitheap of a city. Trusted men." Smalljon nodded at once and left, leaving Robb outside Sansa's chamber doors. The Wolf King shook his head as tears once more welled in his eyes before raising a weary hand to knock on his sister's door.
"Enter!" came a hesitant call in response, Robb entered to see Sansa hastily tying on a robe over her nightclothes, though she visibly relaxed at the sight of her elder brother.
"Oh, Robb! Its just y-…what's wrong? What's happened?" Sansa asked, paling when she saw her brother's teary eyes.
"Robb?" she walked forward, her voice tight with anxiety.
"Sansa-…" Robb began, before a half-choked sob cut him off. Robb bowed his head as a tear trailed down his cheek. With great difficulty, Robb told Sansa of the fate of their baby brothers. Sansa's features broke as she collapsed to her knees, unable to process the fact that their precious baby brothers, who had harmed no-one and were the joy of the Stark family had met such a horrible death. Robb himself picked up Sansa to hold her as the two oldest Stark siblings grieved together.
"Kill them, Robb." Sansa pleaded into her brother's chest as she clutched his tunic "Kill them all." She sobbed causing Robb to take a deep breath and nod darkly.
"Sansa, you have to go back to Highgarden with Ser Loras and Margaery. You must stay safe for me, for mother." Robb told her a long while later when he rose to leave. Sansa could only nod, silent tears still filling her eyes.
"Is mother-…is she-…?"
"She is fine. She is with the Greatjon." Robb said, remembering with a pang that one of his Generals was a traitor. He quickly shook the notion of the Greatjon betraying him from his mind, he was Robb's fiercest supporter. He could only think of three Houses off the top of his head that would dissent: House Bolton, House Dustin and House Ryswell. Thankfully most of that force had been sent North to garrison near Moat Cailin…
But if it was one of the other Lords, then Robb faced a serious problem in which his army could be attacked by their own supposed allies. Robb needed to march at once…
"Sleep, Sansa. You have a long journey ahead of you…" Robb said solemnly to his sister, giving her a final hug and holding her shoulders for a moment.
"Father-…did he-…did they make him suffer?" Robb asked her quietly, causing Sansa's features to tighten in anger as she nodded.
"Kill him, Robb. Put his head on a spike and let it rot until the end of time!" Sansa demanded almost hysterically, causing Robb to rub her back soothingly.
"His death is at hand." Robb promised, before leaving his sister's chambers to wearily make his way to his own. Outside Sansa's chambers Robb met four men that Smalljon had assigned to him as his personal guard for the night. Robb said nothing to them as they walked with him to stand outside his door.
"Rest well, Your Grace. We will protect you." Promised the commander, receiving only a nod from Robb in response. The Young Wolf entered his chambers to be met with the sight of his betrothed walking towards him with a look of sad sympathy on her face. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him comfortingly and whispering her condolences as Robb held onto her for dear life and wept.
Margaery spent the night with Robb, only to comfort her King and assist him in regaining his composure before he faced the day he had tomorrow. Robb's head was resting on her breast and her hand was running through his hair as they laid on the royal bed together. Robb shook his head slightly, staring into nothing.
"I trusted him…I trust everyone too easily…" Robb croaked, causing Margaery to gently shush him.
"You are a good man, Robb Stark. You saw the best in him, as you see the best in everyone. You are a believer, an optimist, even though you disguise it beneath your Northern grimness. It is why I love you. If you feel that the Iron Islands must fall…then I support you…but don't do it in Bran and Rickon's name…" she said, causing Robb to close his eyes and silently accept her advice. She was right, he realized. She was going to be right very often in the life they would share.
Author's Note: Do leave a review!