Chapter 14. TALISA

Talisa Maegyr was born a noblewoman from the Free City of Volantis, the oldest and largest of the Free Cities. When Talisa was 12, her parents went to a wedding lasting several days, leaving her with her younger brother. The second day they were gone, it was the hottest day in Volantis, so she and her brother joined the other children to go for a swim in the River Rhoyne. While she was talking with a friend, she noticed that her brother was missing. Eventually, she found him floating face down in the water. Talisa and her friend pulled him to the shore but he was dead. Suddenly, a man with a tattoo of a fish on his face (marking him as a slave) came and pushed her away. Had she reported him, it would have meant death for the slave to touch a noble. The slave kept on pushing on her brother's chest again and again until he was revived. As the slave cradled her brother and calmed him down, Talisa was inspired by the slave's selfless act. She decided two things right there and then: first, that when she came of age, she would not waste her years dancing with other nobles, and second that she would never live in a place where slavery was legal again. To this end, she sought and obtained medical training. Talisa decided she would rather heal people than dance with other nobles and relocated to Westeros, slavery being outlawed in the Seven Kingdoms.

Talisa walks the battlefield in the aftermath of yet another victory by the Northern forces. She stops her cart by a man lying in the mud with a gash on his arm bleeding to death. She sears his arm and makes him drink. His eyes pop open and he looks around. "Am I dead?"

She smiles, "No you are not. You lost a lot of blood."

Talisa moves on to the next man and resets his bones. Then Talisa comes upon a Lannister man unable to move. She examines his foot, "Dam! I'm going to have to remove this foot."

The man sits up, "Please no! No don't!"

"If I don't you will get sick and die…" A man rushes to her side and Talisa looks up. It is the legendary Young Wolf, the King in the North.

"Your grace!" A deep voice warns. Talisa starts to cut, "Why are you wasting your time on the enemy."

"He is not my enemy!" The man screams as she cuts through bone and flesh. Then Talisa closes off the end and gives the man something for pain.

As she works Robb and her sneak looks at each other, "You are very skillful."

"Thank you and you are very destructive!"

Robb smiles, "I'm not the one who started this war."

"So why not end it? From what I hear you got your father back…"

"Doesn't work like that…They start it and I must finish it."

Talisa shakes her head, "Men!" She says packing her wagon.

"You didn't tell me your name!" She just smiles as her cart drives off, "He was lucky you were here."

"He was unlucky you were!"

Robb summons Jon Umber's squire, "There is a young woman, black hair, a healer, from Volantis I think or some city of Essos. Find out her name for me…"

"Yes your grace."

Tara is standing over Talisa as she tends to one of her men, "Can you save his hand?" Tara asks.

"I'm pretty sure."

"Hail the King in the North!"

Tara and those around bow as Robb approaches. "Your grace!" Tara says.

"Talisa Maegyr of Volantis." Robb says in a flirting tone of voice. "You are a long way from home. And that is a story I would like to hear."

Talisa smiles, "I am sure you would." She replies finishing off the bandage. Talisa stands up and looks at Robb, "But I am very busy. Your grace!"

As Talisa walks off Tara looks at Robb and then Talisa. "She is pretty!" Tara says leaning over towards Robb. Robb looks at Tara before walking off.

Tara enters her tent removing her swords and armor throwing it on the ground and drops into the chair. She thought she was over her childish crush of Robb Stark but apparently not. She was still in love with him. Tara sits down and slowly unbraids her hair staring into the mirror. When it came to swords and fighting Tara was always sure of herself. When it came to love, she found herself lacking in a few ways. Tara knew how to feminine, but not to the point of helplessness like she saw in Sansa Stark or women of wealth and nobility.

"Are you alright?" The Question was asked by Gendry who came to see if she needed her swords sharpened.

"Gendry I didn't hear you come in…"

"You're in love with the King in the North aren't you?"

Tara sighs and looks away, "Have you ever been in love…"

"A bastard doesn't consider love in his future…Unless it is with female born bastard…"

Tara looks at him, "You have never been with a woman?"

"No! An unwritten law among bastards. Don't make more bastards…" Gendry walks across the tent and sits beside Tara. "I am no poet, but you are a beautiful woman. And from what I hear you have been offered many marriage proposals."

Tara grunts, "From men who want my gold or my lands…Not because of who I am as a person. Men don't want a woman who can outfight and out think them…"

Gendry strokes her hair, "Well if I were a man of means I would want to get to know you. And if the King in the North can't see your worth then he is the King of Fools!" When Tara looks at Gendry he withdraws his hand, "I am sorry if I was out of line!" He says standing up.

Tara smiles standing up and kisses Gendry on the lips, "That was for your kind words…" She says and leaves the tent.

Robb is walking with his father Eddard Stark, his squire Olyvar Frey, and Roose Bolton. Talisa walks up to Robb, "Your grace!"

"Lady Talisa! My father Eddard Stark…You know Lord Bolton and this is Olyvar Frey my squire…"

She bows to them all, "I hear you are going to the Crag…"

"You heard right!"

"I am running low on supplies if you would get some from the Maester there it would be appreciated."

"Why not come with me and speak with the Master yourself…"

She smiles, "Alright!"

Roose Bolton looks at Olyvar Frey, "Your grace is that wise?"

"Leave us!" Eddard Stark says. He waits until they leave. "Have taken leave of your senses?" Eddard asks.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw the way you looked at that girl. You are promised to Walder Frey's daughter…"

"I know! But a man cannot help who he falls in love with…"

Meanwhile Talisa is packing her things and when she turns Tara is standing behind her. "Oh wow! You are tall!"

"I have seen the way you look at Robb Stark." Tara says.

"I beg your pardon!"

"You heard me! I…I love Robb Stark, but all he sees me as is a friend. And as his friend I asking you to move on. He is a King and is promised to someone else."

"I don't think it's any of your business."

"Maybe not, but if he pursues you he can make an ally into an enemy…I am a romantic myself. I believe in love at first sight it happened to me. If you truly love him let him go." And before Talisa could reply Tara walks off.

"You have been quiet." Robb says to Talisa on their way to the Crag.

"I am thinking about leaving."

"Why?"

She sighs looking at Olyvar Frey, "Because I don't want to get in the way or cause you problems…"

Robb stops her and looks at Olyvar, "Leave us!" Olyvar and his men obey, then Robb kisses Talisa on the lips, "That is how I feel about you. Tell me you don't feel the same way."

Talisa's lip quivers, "No I don't!" She says and walks off.

The men at the Crag surrender and the Maester supplies Talisa with what she needs. Robb leaves a thousand men to keep the Crag and imprisons the soldiers there. Upon returning to camp Robb learns that Jaime Lannister tried to escape and killed Rickard Karstark's son Torrhen Karstark.

"I want his bloody head!"

"And you will have it Lord Karstark! Be patient! I need him alive for the time being. In the meantime for his attempted escape and killing Torrhen Karstark twenty lashes to administered by Lord Karstark!"

Rickard Karstark leans in close to Jaime Lannister who is on his knees between two men, "I'm going to enjoy this rich boy!" They strip Jaime and tie him to a post. Rickard takes his time with each lash. Jaime had refused a bit to bite down on and doesn't make a sound throughout the entire ordeal.

Afterwards Robb is alone in his tent and Talisa comes to see him, "I have come to say goodbye."

"Do you have to leave now…Stay and talk with me for a few minutes…" They talk about family and common interests then Robb kisses her and they make love on the fur skins that line his tent for a floor. Olyvar Frey is watching. Two days later Talisa and Robb marry in secret, but again Olyvar Frey is watching from behind a tree. He goes to the raven keepers and sends a Raven to the Twins.

"What in the seven hells were you thinking!" Eddard yells in Robb's tent. Catelyn, Sansa and Jeyne Pool are there as well.

Robb stands holding Talisa's hand. "With all due respect father I am the King in the North."

"A King should keep his word…"

Catelyn grabs Eddard's arm, "What's done is done…And by now Walder Frey has heard of this…"

"May the old and new gods help us!"

Sansa and Jeyne welcome Talisa as a sister and the Queen in the North. Catelyn is standoffish of Talisa but eventually is won over. Eddard gradually warms up to Talisa over time.