In the clear space of land between the Wall and Mance Rayder's wildling army, twelve souls came together to sign a historical treaty that would forever change the relationship between the free folk and the Westerosi. Among the twelve were: King Robb Stark, Lord Brynden 'The Blackfish' Tully, Lord Commander Donal Noye, Maester Aemon, Ser Denys Mallister of the Shadow Tower, Cotter Pyke of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, The King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder, Tormund Giantsbane, Sigorn the new Magnar of the Thenns, as well as three Clan Chiefs from the Hornfoots, the Ice-River Clans and the Giants.
Samwell Tarly had drafted the treaty under explicit wording from Maester Aemon and King Robb. It had gone between both camps once, before everyone agreed to the signing. It was a historic day as the black brothers watched from the mouth of the tunnel, and the wildlings watched from the tree-line. Robb and Mance were the first to pen the parchments with their names and titles, shaking hands after they did so. Tormund and Donal Noye went next, until twelve names adorned the parchment. Mag the Mighty had been unable to grip a quill, and so Mance signed his name for him with Mag's consent.
For a few moments, the men and Mag the Mighty lingered as the treaties were carefully rolled up, one being given to Mance and the other being given to Donal Noye. They chatted amicably amongst themselves until Robb felt Grey-Wind stiffen by his side. He did not tend to go anywhere without his direwolf, and by now most people were used to it. Robb himself turned to kneel by Grey-Wind who growled slightly before whining, his tail rising into the air in a half-wag. Robb looked up to where Grey-Wind was staring to see nothing but white snow.
White snow flecked with two spots of red that were moving closer and closer to them. Robb stood up in alarm when he realized that he was looking at his brother's direwolf. Grey-Wind howled once before charging off with all speed to greet his estranged litter mate. The smokey-grey and white wolves rolled in the snow, watched by an amused Robb before they both came over to him panting.
"Jon will be happy to see you, boy…" Robb smiled, scratching Ghost's ears.
"Keep the peace," Robb ordered of Mance Rayder as the two men prepared to part ways again after that. Robb's army had been preparing to march south for home, Mance's army was to begin settling No-Man's Land for their own with promise of supplies from Robb once he returned south.
"Keep your word." Mance Rayder said in return. The two men nodded to each other once more before turning their heels and marching their separate ways.
When Robb returned to Castle Black with the wolves in tow, he had been unsurprised to find Jon with Ygritte in the store room that was serving as her cell. When Jon had sensed Ghost, he had all but cried tears of joy as he reunited with his wolf.
"I missed you, boy…" Jon said, wrapping his arms around Ghost's neck, to receive a scratchy lick on his cheek in return. Robb, who stood in the doorway with Grey-Wind turned to Ygritte who was staring at Robb with a look crossed between fear, respect and curiosity.
"You really wan' me to come and be in your lands? With him?" she couldn't help but ask Robb who turned to a blushing Jon with a raised eyebrow.
"I said that it was his responsibility to ensure that you adhered to our laws if you choose to come south. If you do, then you must realize that Jon will not be a crow, nor will he be a wildling. He will be a lord in my service, and if you are to be together it means that you will have to adopt the customs of Westeros and the North. I am of course willing to allow you to come south, but only if you swear to Jon that you-."
"I swear." She interrupted quickly "I need-…I canno' be in the North anymore. She runs in my veins, aye…but I want…want what we had in that cave, Jon Snow." She said, turning her gaze to Jon who smiled slightly.
"Now I think I'm going to vomit." Robb teased, causing Jon to shoot him an angry gaze.
"Your Grace, I beg of you…to allow me to bring Ygritte south with me. She will be in my custody, and I will ensure that she understands our laws now." Jon said, to Robb from where he was kneeling by Ghost and Ygritte. Robb sighed and rolled his eyes, turning to walk out of the room as he spoke.
"Gods…fine…but if anyone asks, you tell them I gave you a hard time about this. You had to beg and plead and cry, and I only relented after you groveled like the little pup you are…" Robb's rant faded the further away he got, leaving Jon and Ygritte to smile shyly at each other.
When Robb had put out a call for any men in his army to join the Night's Watch, he had not expected many to take up arms, but was greatly surprised at the number that did. They were mostly commoners, commoners who had experienced war and battle and had not yet had their fill. Of the great army Robb marched to the Wall, he left almost a thousand men behind of their own free will to take black.
Robb met Donal Noye in the courtyard of Castle Black, and for the first time since Robb had met him, the grizzled old blacksmith was smiling.
"You've done a great thing here, you know." Donal stated as he slowly walked Robb out of the gates of Castle Black, where Robb's massive host of men were falling into rank and preparing for their march home.
"I could not have done it without your word, Lord Commander." Robb said in return as the snow crunched beneath their feet and Robb approached his horse that was waiting for him beside the mounted Garlan Tyrell, Brynden Tully and Jon Snow, who had abandoned the black cloak of the Night's Watch for his old cloak lined with grey and white wolf's fur.
"Take care of yourself, Snow. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a shame to see you go. You were a good lad, a good ranger. They never appreciated you here for it." Donal Noye said to Jon, extending his remaining hand to shake Jon's.
"And you, Lord Commander. I can think of no-one better to lead the Watch now than you." Jon smiled in return, causing Donal Noye to give him a nod of thanks. Robb, who had by now mounted his horse, turned back to Donal.
"When I have returned to King's Landing, the Watch should expect an influx of recruits. Prisoners of war from my campaign. Do not grow content here, Lord Commander. Everything we've achieved in the last few days has been for a purpose. The Others will be upon us soon, and when they are, we best pray to the all the Gods that we are ready."
"Bring that girl and her dragons, and I'm sure we will be." Donal grunted. Robb sighed, giving Donal a nod before turning to look at the road ahead, Ghost and Grey-Wind were waiting for orders from their Masters before they would lead the host forth.
"See you in a year and a half, Donal." Robb said, before whistling loudly and sending Grey-Wind and Ghost off in a gentle trot that he and Jon joined in. The army followed behind them, the banners of a grey wolf upon a white field flying proudly amongst the thousands of men.
"When we return to Winterfell, I will legitimize you and name you Warden of the North in my stead until Rickon is of maturity and capability to accept the role. He will serve as your ward and squire while Bran serves as the Lord of Winterfell and Lord Paramount of the North. I know that you three will do me proud in holding the North." Robb said to Jon as their army marched for warmer climates.
"You know I would serve Bran with all my heart, but am I truly the best Warden of the North you can appoint?" Jon asked reluctantly, causing Robb to sigh.
"Yes, Jon. You are. Bran will be a great lord, but his legs…he can never lead men again. The Warden of the North is a military title, and I need a strong commander to hold it. More over I need a strong Stark commander to hold it. When Bran has a son, the title will revert back to him. And you…you, I will reward with a great castle in the North." Robb said with a smile as snow fell heavily on his shoulders.
"Which castle?" Jon asked curiously.
"That is up to you, what you name it. I have given order for the Dreadfort to be razed to the ground, the lands will fall under the domain of Winterfell…until I grant them to you. You would be close to Bran, you would have your own lands, your own castle, and your own House. You would be a Lord in my service. Its what you've always wanted, and what I always wished you could have. You are my brother, my blood. You are all I have." Robb said imploringly to Jon who sighed, shaking his head.
"A week ago…I was set to die freezing in a small room I couldn't even lie down in. Now…I'm about to be Warden of the North. This is a…funny life we live." Jon commented causing Robb to chuckle.
"Now you know how I felt when I had to claim the Iron Throne. Come on, let's pick up the pace. I want to get to Winterfell as quickly as possible, before Mother learns that Bran has gone North."
"Aye, but Robb…what of Ygritte…will…will the other lords accept me if I take a wildling as my lady." Jon asked, as though the question pained him greatly.
"Will she accept being a lady in the first place?" Robb asked in return, causing Jon to sigh and rub his brow.
"She's not the type for dresses and dances and the like, but I believe she wants to be with me, and I want to be with her…if it means I cannot accept your titles then-…"
'Shut up, Jon. Firstly the lords will always be disgruntled about my decisions, especially this one. You were a bastard after all. But I care not for their rumors and their words, what I care about is who will serve me well in bringing peace to the realm. I know its you. Just promise me…that you will bring Ygritte into line. If she attends royal functions, she must look and act like the wife of the Warden of the North." Robb declared clearly as they got ever closer to the lands of Last Hearth.
"Yeah, that's not going to happen. That's part of the reason I love her. She will not make a scene, I promise you that much."
"Jon, this isn't a negotiation. I'm serious. I may have won the throne and most of the Kingdoms stand behind me, but these years after my victory will be the most precarious. I must be careful, and I need you to do the same." Robb ordered of his brother, who sighed and nodded.
"I serve you, Robb. I will. For father, and for the love I bear you."
"Not too much love, I hope. I have a Princess-Consort waiting for me, it would be most inappropriate if I ran off with my bastard-brother to live a life of leisure and romance." Robb teased causing Jon to roll his eyes.
"Careful. I might steal you away one day for real, and then you'll be sorry."
"I see why mother was always so worried about us now…" Robb said after a moment
"Yes, we do make quite a lot of these jokes about running away together…" Jon commented thoughtfully, before the Stark men both laughed heartily together.
Robb's army finally arrived at Winterfell, where they would rest for a short while before Ser Edmure Tully would lead the Riverlords home, Ser Garlan Tyrell would do the same for the Reachmen, and Lord Bryce Caron for the Stormlords, all in an effort to gather a last great harvest across Westeros before the Others descended down upon them. The Southern Lords having seen giants and direwolves and other creatures long thought lost to myth and fable, readily accepted the words of their King when he said the Long Night was coming. After all, Robb had united Westeros when five Kings had ripped it apart.
While Robb knew that the lords needed to return to their castles, he also knew he needed to maintain a standing army for when he inevitably sailed across the Narrow Sea to free Daenerys Targaryen. And so like he did with the Night's Watch, the Young Wolf put out a call to the soldiers of his army who wished to continue fighting under his name to remain behind in Winterfell. The Northmen who had gathered to the Lord of Winterfell from all over the great region, who had followed Robb Stark even after their lords had dispersed home, loyally stayed, giving Robb almost 5500 of his own countrymen.
The Rivermen, common soldiers and men numbered around 4500 men who were given leave from the knights and lords they served to remain behind with their King.
The soldiers of the Stormlands, who were hardy folk that championed Robb Stark following the loss of their Lord Paramount numbered just over 3000, while the Reachmen brought the greatest strength to Robb's new host with 12, 000 Reachmen electing to stay behind and serve under the direwolf banner. Though his army was now only at a fifth of its strength that it had been during the War of the Five Kings, it remained a united standing army of Westeros.
Due to their parents and siblings being present and able to hold both Last Hearth and Bear Island respectively, Robb's two very best friends, Smalljon Umber and Dacey Mormont, elected to accept his offer to become courtiers in King's Landing and generals of his army, as well as remain by his side through the adventures he would undertake. Brynden Tully left with Ser Edmure when the Riverlords marched home but he promised Robb that after he had married Tyta Frey and settled the Twins with his own men, he would make haste for King's Landing to serve on Robb's Small Council.
Slowly the Lords who had loyally followed Robb began to make their way home, and Robb began to feel the pressure shoulders ease more and more with each train of men that left Winterfell.
He stood watching the last train of soldiers led by Ser Garlan Tyrell from a window in his father's solar, which…he knew was his solar now, but could not help but still think that he was intruding on his father's space. Jon and Maester Luwin were both standing behind Robb, waiting for him to speak.
"What news of the Dreadfort, Maester?" Robb asked, still looking out the window at the banners of House Tyrell fading away.
"Harrion Karstark has sacked the castle and freed the servants of House Bolton, all of whom were either deeply traumatized or deeply sadistic. Lord Harrion had to put a few to the sword. At any rate, anything of value is being sent to Winterfell for you, and I am told that Harrion razed the castle to the ground." Luwin reported, clasping his hands in front of him, his great sleeves covering his fingers completely.
"Good. Rickon will come with Jon, mother, Arya and I to King's Landing for the wedding. Ser Rodrik will be named castellan. You and he will remain in Winterfell with a full garrison and lead the harvest until Rickon and mother return to be the Starks in Winterfell. When Bran has returned from the North, I want word sent to King's Landing straight away."
"Of course, Your Grace."
"I wish for you to send a raven to the Citadel as well, Maester Luwin. I wish for them to elect a new Grand Maester, and I wish for your name to be put forward. If I am to rule this country, I can think of no man better to advise me than the man who advised me since I was a boy." Robb smiled, turning to face Luwin who paled at his words.
"Your Grace, I am honored…but my place is here at Winterfell…with Bran…"
"I have a feeling that Bran will be just fine. Please, Maester Luwin. Heed my word, and after you have done so, gather the household in the courtyard. I wish for them to bear witness to something." Robb said with a half-smile at Jon.
"Jon Snow. Unsheath your blade." Robb commanded of his brother as the two Stark men faced each other in the courtyard, the household of Winterfell gathered around to watch what was about to happen. Rickon was practically hopping up and down in Osha's arms with excitement. Ser Rodrik Cassel was tugging on his whiskers in thoughtful pride, and Maester Luwin simply smiled. Ygritte herself failed to fight a smile as Jon withdrew Longclaw from his scabbard.
"Kneel and lay your sword at my feet." Robb said, causing Jon to sigh slightly before doing so with a half-smile.
"Pledge me your service and your fealty."
"From our first days to our last, we are brothers. I pledge you my sword, I swear you my service so long as I have breath in my body and blood in my veins. If there is anything you would ask of me, my King, I will abide."
"Rise, Jon Stark of Winterfell, Warden of the North." Robb said, holding out a royal decree of legitimization. Jon looked up to Robb with shining eyes before rising to accept the scroll.
"Thank you…" Jon whispered, before the two brothers embraced in a hug.
That night, Winterfell and the 26, 000 strong host outside its walls enjoyed a feast in honor of Jon's legitimization and title. Robb himself sat in the Lord's chair in the great hall, trading japes with Smalljon Umber as Jon was congratulated over and over again by those in the castle.
There was only one person he wanted to speak to, and she was hiding in the back of the great hall talking to Osha and tugging uncomfortably at the dress she was wearing.
"Oh come off it. I know that's warmer and more comfortable than the rags of dead animal skin you stitched for yourself." Jon said approaching Ygritte, who turned to scowl at him.
"You know nothing, Jon Snow."
"Its Stark now." He smiled.
"Eugh." Osha grunted in disgust at the romantic tension she was witnessing, before walking away to leave Jon and Ygritte alone.
"So you're a kneeler now. How did it feel?" Ygritte asked, causing Jon to roll his eyes.
"You know…Robb's been nothing but gracious towards you. He let you come with us, he's letting me court you-."
"Court me? What the fuck is court?" Ygritte asked incredulously causing Jon to sigh before smiling.
"He's letting us marry…if we want." Jon explained quietly, placing a loving hand on Ygritte's arm. She glanced back at Robb before looking up to Jon in disbelief.
"Aye, I know he said that, and I hear you say it now, but still I don't believe you. You southerners would never accept a free woman for a lady." Ygritte insisted, picking up a goblet from the tray of a passing servant and taking a deep swig from it.
"I don't have any lands to my name now, no people to look after. I command the Northmen now in Robb and Bran's names. I'm a fighter, and so are you. In title we might be lord and lady, aye. But we'd be so much more than that. We'd be each others…and we'd be free. Robb is my brother and loves me enough to let you be here. I don't want us to-."
"Shut up, Jon Sno-..Stark." Ygritte sighed, leaning forward to kiss him "I won't kneel for nobody, I'll say it now." She said, placing her hands on the back of his neck.
"That…is not going to work." Jon sighed, causing Ygritte to engage in yet another short argument with him.