Author's Note: I just wanted to put a short snippet in here about my edit on the previous chapter. Robb has installed Lord Rodrik Harlaw as Lord of the Iron Islands as opposed to granting the Islands to the Tullys or Mallisters.
Now back to your regular scheduled programming...(cue Game of Thrones theme song)
By the time Robb's fleet had returned to Westwatch-by-the-Bridge, the Wall was on full alert. He did not delay at Westwatch, riding with all haste for the Shadow Tower with Brynden Tully and Ser Garlan and ten thousand men. Lord Jason Mallister and Ser Davos Seaworth were tasked to organize the men that fought in the Iron Islands and retask them across the Wall.
Robb charged the men to march onwards to Castle Black as he, the Blackfish and Ser Garlan stopped at the Shadow Tower to be met by Ser Denys Mallister at the gates. Ser Denys was Lord Jason's great-uncle, and was the grizzled old Commander of the Shadow Tower. His grimness however did not bode well for Robb as they strode into the castle together.
"Jon Snow returned only a few hours after your fleet set sail for the Iron Islands, Your Grace. He was feathered with arrows and near death, but he has been nursed back to health. There are claims he betrayed the Watch to the Wildlings, and has been detained in a cell at Castle Black by order of Acting Commander Thorne." Ser Denys growled as he and Robb stood in the courtyard of the Shadow Tower. A heavy snow was falling that capped everyone around with a crown of white, Robb himself brushed his upper lip in thought.
"And what word did Jon bring back?"
"He says that Mance Rayder leads an army of one-hundred-thousand for Castle Black, and that the Others march behind him. The White Walkers. Snow counseled to let Mance pass and admitted to laying with a wildling girl. Thorne wishes to execute him for breaking his oaths, but Maester Aemon has so far been able to keep him from doing so. He knows that if Jon Snow dies by the Watch, your fury will know no end."
"He was right. Have my army been fortifying the castles along the Wall per my command?" Robb asked, turning on his heel to walk back out of the southern gates of the Shadow Tower where the rearguard of his host was still marching east for Castle Black. The Blackfish and Ser Garlan sat mounted, waiting for Robb.
"Aye, Your Grace. Most of the castles have been garrisoned by your men, we thank you."
"The Watch can thank me by not having my brother executed." Robb said coldly, mounting his horse with skilled ease.
"Prepare for battle, Ser Denys. Death marches on the Wall." Robb warned, before turning his horse to gallop east with the Blackfish and Ser Garlan Tyrell in tow.
It took Robb the better part of two days to reach Castle Black, fighting against a fierce snow storm that felled just under a dozen of his men and over twenty of his horses. Robb himself felt ill when he rode into the courtyard of Castle Black to be received by Ser Alliser Thorne, Acting Lord Commander, and a number of other men of the Watch. Robb knew that Thorne hated his family, for Alliser had fought for the Targaryens during Robert's Rebellion, and that loyalty had sent him here to the Wall.
"Your Grace." Ser Alliser greeted with a stiff bow, Robb ignored him and instead turned to Maester Aemon and the very fat young man who tended to him.
"Maester Aemon. I wish to see my brother at once." Robb declared, pulling his riding gloves off.
"Of course, Your Grace. He has been detained in an ice cell."
"An ice cell? Who gave that order?" Robb raised his voice, turning on the assembled command of the Night's Watch who shamefully avoided his eye and looked to Thorne, who all but gulped as he stepped forward to face the Young Wolf.
"I did. I am Acting Commander and the bastard broke his vows to the Watch. He laid with the enemy and is probably leading Mance Rayder right to us!" Robb shook his head in disbelief.
"Jon was shot by over three arrows, he could have ridden to the Last Hearth, he could have ridden to any of my bannermen in the North and they would have taken him in. He rode here, because he believed in his vows. If you are so ignorant as to think that he intends to betray the Watch, then I do not believe you are fit to be Acting Commander." Robb stated, turning his back on Thorne who paled at Robb's words as the men of the Night's Watch all looked at Thorne.
"Tarly. Show His Grace to Jon Snow." Aemon commanded of the man who attended him. Robb then turned his gaze to the boy. Lord Randyll Tarly's eyes looked back at him, but instead of anger and irritation, the eyes looking at him now glinted with a warm curiosity.
"Tarly? Of Horn Hill?" Robb asked the man as they walked alone to the ice cells of Castle Black.
"A-aye, Your Grace. S-Samwell Tarly, son of Randyll. Do-do you know my family?" the Tarly man asked nervously, causing Robb to raise a confused eyebrow as they walked.
"Your father has fought loyally for my cause. I have named him Governor of King's Landing in my stead." Robb said in what he thought was a compliment, only to see Samwell's face darken.
"I did not mean offence…?"
"You've given none, Your Grace. My father and I…are just not on the best of terms. There are a number of ravens waiting for you, Your Grace. From Highgarden, King's Landing and Riverrun." Samwell said rather more formally, before stopping before a cell. His voice warmed with friendly affection and concern when he unlocked the cell door to greet Jon Snow, who looked up in great surprise to see Robb.
"Robb!" Jon exclaimed trying to rise and failing from his weariness.
"Jon." Robb went to the man who had grown up as a brother alongside him and assisted him to his feet.
"It is my royal order than Jon Snow be released from his cell at once."
"Your Grace…the Watch is beyond the words and orders of royalty…" Samwell said reluctantly as he helped Robb by taking Jon's other arm.
"Oh are they? Well they seem perfectly happy to accept the orders of royalty when it gives them lands and men. The hypocricy will not stand while I am here. So long as my men garrison the Wall, the Night's Watch is under my dominion. Help me take Jon to his chambers."
"You've changed." Jon commented later that night, propped up on his pillows in bed, a fire roaring in his chambers as Robb sat by his bedside.
"Have I?" Robb asked with a half-smile
"I suppose we all did when father died…" Jon commented sadly, before running a hand through his long, dark hair. Robb had yet to tell Jon of his true parentage, and resolved that needed to be one of their topics of discussion that night.
"You've become a lot more commanding, you have a much larger presence now. You are the King I suppose. I can't believe I left you as a little heir to Winterfell, and now you are the King of Westeros." Jon said with a shake of his head. Robb himself shrugged.
"Father was taken…I had to march out…I wish-…I wish you could have joined me, Jon. I needed you. All I had was Theon." Robb said softly, causing Jon to bow his head in shame.
"I tried to come, Robb. I did. But my friends-…they stopped me. They were right…I made oaths to the Night's Watch…I would have been beheaded as a deserter. Probably by you!"
"I would never have done that to you, you know that. Still. I am King now, and there is much for us to discuss…it was hard enough to rule the North, but now I have Seven Kingdoms to worry about. Jon, listen. I need to know what happened North of the Wall. If I intend to defend you agaisnt Thorne, I need the full story." Robb's declaration earned a sigh from Jon who paused for a moment before beginning his explanation of events following Qhorin Halfhand drafting him into his unit to kill a group of Wildling scouts. Jon told Robb of his inability to kill Ygritte, of how that led to the deaths of three of the Watchmen and the Halfhand and Jon's capture. Jon spoke of how the Halfhand wished for Jon to infiltrate Mance Rayder's army and learn of their plans, Robb heard of how Jon scaled the Wall with Tormund Giantsbane, and of how Jon had escaped only to be shot full of arrows by the girl he had broken his Night's Watch oaths with.
"Well…hell hath no fury, I suppose…" Robb commented wryly, earning a bemused smile from Jon.
"Then you returned…and you counseled Thorne and high command to let Mance pass. Why?"
"I've seen them, Robb. The White Walkers. They are not a story, they are not a song…they're real…and they're coming for us. I swore to protect the realms of men, the Wildlings are no different from us. Rougher, yes, but they were just on the wrong side of the Wall. They don't deserve to die because of an age old rivalry." Robb sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"The Long Night truly approaches…" Robb sighed, leaning back in his chair "Damn that Jojen Reed."
"What?" Jon asked in confusion. Robb sighed, before leaning forward to clasp his hands together and explain the visions of Jojen Reed, of Jojen's claims that the Starks were wargs, and of how Jojen saw that Jon and Robb needed to unite with Daenerys Targaryen to save Westeros from the blight of the White Walkers.
"Daenerys Targaryen? The Mad King's daughter? Why in the Seven Hells-?"
"Because she has three dragons. And because…because she's your aunt, Jon."