In the end, or at least so he was told, as his memory was always hazy and his brain inevitably a kettle drum of pounding pain after a berserker rage, it took a score and a half of men with shields, Jon Snow assisted by Ghost, and the Greatjon to contain Lohgun after the foe between him and Riverrun's moat broke and yielded. For a long while the wildling's bloody body lay in the mud, the direwolf occasionally licking the gore off him like some gruesome treat, and he watched the siege towers turned enormous torches burn through the night. Around him Northerners and Riverlanders slowly brought order out of the chaos; securing the Westerlander encampment, herding and looting the captured Lannister bannermen, tending the wounded, stacking and looting the dead, tending the horses, drinking pilfered spirits, laying claim to nobles worth a ransom, eating, rejoicing, mourning, gambling, praying, crying. At last Lohgun bestirred himself, sitting up and stretching; a battle won did not make a war. The young lord had done well, but someone with a trained eye needed to watch over him.
"Where's Robb?" he asked.
"Inside Riverrun. Paying his respects and hopefully finding how much help we can expect from our allies," Jon answered.
"We need to make sure ravens fly to Fairmarket and the Twins. Roose needs to get moving if we're to trap the gold shitter; and, we haven't had heard word from Willam in three days," the Badger complained as he stood up.
"Relax Lohgun, someone'll take care of it." Jon Snow replied casually, looking up at his mentor. "Besides, the birds won't fly until daylight."
"This isn't a game, boy, this is war. A war we need to win if Ned is to get justice," the wildling snarled.
A scowled immediately slipped on to the youth's face. "He was my father,"Jon challenged.
"Then come on," Lohgun said, lowering a helping hand, "Do your duty and make him proud."
They clasped hands and the Badger helped lift the bastard to his feet. Without a word they tromped across the hells strewn landscape toward the wood planks offering the only way over the moat and into the bastion of the Tullys, Riverrun.
At dawn, horns blew from the other side of the Red Fork, in the only Lannister stronghold left untouched by the night's assault. From behind the parapet atop Riverrun's sandstone wall, which he shared with the Lord of Winterfell and a smattering of lords, Lohgun watched a force of infantry, cavalry, and camp followers begin to march out of the palisades. They headed east beneath the Red Ox banner of the Prester's towards the River Road and presumably the safety of Tywin Lannister's host which lay beyond the Trident.
"How many?" Robb asked.
"Four thousand foot, my lord," Tytos Blackwood answered. "Evenly mixed between spear and bow; and say half a thousand horse, mostly Tyroshi freeriders."
"Is Lord Medger still guarding the near ford?" the young lord queried.
"Yes, my lord. With a hundred or so," Perwyn Frey replied.
The Lord of Winterfell nodded at his personal companion. "Ser Perwyn, please inform his lordship he is to cross the Red Fork and shadow. Only shadow, mind you, these Westerlanders. And ask Lord Jason to have his eagles cover the perimeter. I dare say his discipline is probably better right now than the Greatjon's," he ended with a terse chuckle.
A haggard, petulant Edmure Tully interrupted to announce a grievance, "Nephew, the Mallisters are my banners for me to command. I ask that you kindly remember that," he said haughtily.
Ned's imposing mask of ice instantly slid naturally over Robb's features at the challenge. "Go, Perwyn," he told his designated messenger, and another Tully bannerman. The young man saluted and darted off. The Lord of Winterfell then turned to address his potential rival for command. "And a good thing too, Uncle, that your loyal Mallisters, and Freys as well, choose to join me in coming to your rescue. We rejoice in the great victory earned against the vile Lannisters by our combined force of arms. A victory that freed both you and Riverrun. A victory which could not have been won without your banners."
"Yes, and …" Edmure started to say.
Robb cut off his uncle ruthlessly. "Yet Tywin Lannister still leads a great army across the Riverlands, your lands. I mean to destroy him, make no mistake about it, Uncle, justice demands it; but I shall need your full hearted support to do so. Can you grant me that?"
"I … that is to say … my …" the Tully heir stuttered uncertainly.
"Without nitpicking? Or searching my every order looking for some hidden slight?"
"Well, nooooo … of course not," Edmure hastily agreed. "But a lord has the Gods given right to be heard," he insisted, his tone significantly less strident than before.
A faint smile poked through his icy visage, for Robb knew he had cowed the older man into accepting a subordinate position to his own, "Certainly. And why would I not listen to such sage council? Your banners will be my right hand, my sword arm to slay the Lion."
"Here, here," agreed Tytos Blackwood, an echo quickly taken up by the other lordlings present.
Edmure turned slightly pink, embarrassed, knowing that he'd yielded to the steel reflected in Robb's voice and ice blue eyes. "Thank you my lord, I could ask for no higher consideration," he conceded. "Ahem," he cleared his throat. "Would you care see whether my father, Lord Hoster, is able to receive visitors?"
Robb's faint smile grew openly gracious. "Hard it is to discover my grandfather suffers such grievous ills. Happily will I pay him homage. But a moment first, my lord Uncle, if you please?"
The Heir of Riverrun politely nodded his agreement to the request.
"Harrion, find a boat, perhaps Ser Robin could aid you and see the Water Gate raised too. Go find your lord father and let him know of your brother Torrhen's injuries," Robb ordered, before quickly turning to another of his personal companions. "Jonos," he told a young scion of House Condon, "go across the Tumblestone with Harrion, and find my Uncle Brynden. Discover the number of our casualties and how many Westerlanders he captured. And I'll want to know how soon my lady mother and Lord Hornwood's train of wounded and captured will arrive. Get back to me by mid-day. Go."
The two warriors saluted and left.
"Lohgun?" Robb asked.
"Yes, my Lord?" responded the Lord of Tumbledown Tower.
"Find out the same from Lord Mallister and Lord Umber."
"Aye," the wildling agreed and strode off down the walkway toward the nearest wall tower.
"Thank you dear uncle," Robb said. "Please take me to my grandfather."
Lohgun reported back first. A little over a hundred and a quarter Northerners and Riverlanders had died in the encampment outside Riverrun's moat; along with close to three hundred having received wounds of varying degrees. The Lannister totaled around four hundred dead and over three thousand captured, of whom at least five hundred were wounded. The Westerlander stores captured intact, and a fair amount had been spoiled or burnt because of the battle, would more than feed Robb's army when it headed for the Trident. After relaying the information, the Badger took station, per usual, on the periphery surrounding the Lord of Winterfell, next to Jon Snow and Ghost. While he petted the direwolf, his young friend brought him up to speed on Robb's activities and such not. The only piece of news that brought a chuckle to the wildling was that the ravens sent to Walder Frey announcing the twin victories of Whispering Woods and the Camps, also requested most firmly that the ancient Lord of the Crossing now send his fair daughters Alyx, Walda, Roslin, Arwyn, and Tyta Frey to Riverrun so that Lord Hoster might witness their marriages to the eager Northern grooms.
A little before the sun reached its zenith, Jonos Condon returned with the results of the fight north of the Tumbledown. Five hundred dead Lannister banners and twelve hundred wounded out of near four thousand captured. Brynden Tully, Rickard Karstark, and the old weasel Stevron Frey gave the northern casualties as over one hundred and fifty dead and five hundred wounded. Young Lord Robb ultimately proved less interested in the scope of his tremendous victory than in hearing his mother would arrive in Riverrun before the sun set. Noticing his lord's distraction, Galbert Glover took the lead in returning the general discussion to how quickly Lord Edmure could reconstitute the strength of the Riverlands and how much of it he could add to help cork the bottle Robb intended to trap Tywin Lannister in.
A little past noon, Rhaegar Frey, who rode with his goodfather-to-be, Medger Cerwyn, trotted up to the main gate in the company of a Tyroshi. The four hundred or so freeriders who had departed to the east with Ser Forley Prester that morning had had a change of heart and wished to change their allegiance to a different purse owner. Lord Stark readily accepted their change of allegiance, knowing full well that he'd break the mounted sell swords into penny packets and distribute them throughout the wings of his army.
The rusty portcullis of the Water Gate raised slowly, and almost before enough clearance registered above the fast flowing river outside, a smallish boat, rowers stroking hard, shot through the gap, under the arch, and through the wall into the calm of the harbor built inside the giant castle. The precious cargo being delivered included the Lady Catelyn, Brynden Tully, and Lord Rickard Karstark. Tully guards stood on the water steps leading into the water, holding hooks, ready to secure the boat. Robb, with Grey Wind at his side, and Edmure waited atop the quay. The boat rocked slightly as it ground against stone and haulted. The lead boatman tossed a belaying line and then squeaked, falling backwards between the rowers; for the direwolf had decided to give his greeting first and had leapt down the steps, hind legs braced on the lowest stair and fore paws resting on the edge of the bow.
Cat appeared unfazed and stepped over the downed man so that Grey Wind could sniff and lick at her chin. Robb at last called his wolf back and Edmure stepped down, getting his feet wet, to lift his sister out of the boat. Aground, the siblings hugged fiercely.
"Your grief is mine," he whispered in her ear. "The Lannisters will pay in blood for Lord Eddard, Cat, I promise you. He shall have justice."
Her hands tugged at her brother even harder, knuckles going white. "Will that bring him back to me?!" she hissed angrily. "No, it will not!"
They separated, Edmure befuddled by her response and Cat working to hide the anger from having the raw wound rubbed yet again.
Her brother stepped back, sweeping an arm towards Robb, "Your lord son, my lady."
Lohgun could clearly see that her body yearned to rush up and embrace her eldest child out of love, out of relief that he still lived, but she drew a breath, fighting the wetness that shone in her large, beautiful blue eyes and bowed. "My lord, as a mother, I am proud to see you victorious and joyous to see you unhurt."
The child in Robb that still sought his mother's approval clearly puffed up at her praise. He extended a hand to her, raising her back up, and lightly kissed her cheek. "Welcome to Riverrun," he declared. "And to you as well Lord Rickard and Ser Brynden," he added, addressing the two warriors who had just stepped out of the boat on to the water stair as well.
"Thank you, it has been too long. And now, if you will forgive me, I must go see my father," said Catelyn.
"Lord Hoster will rejoice to see you, for sure," responded Robb, stepping back to give her room to pass.
"You've seen him?" she asked.
Robb nodded gravely. "In his solar, but with the sun setting, he's likely gone back to his bedroom." The youth then smiled sadly, "I … I have his eyes."
"Would you … accompany me," she requested hesitantly, moved by a swirling whirlwind of emotion. "Or perhaps Edmure?"
"I shall take you my lady," announced Utherydes Wayn, her father's steward. "Interesting news has arrived and the lords wish to discuss the import of it."
'Not too much if I can help it,' the Badger thought. 'We need to keep moving. Get there firstest with the mostest.'
Concern flashed across Cat's face. "What? Have the Lannister's discovered our ruse?"
"No the plan goes well. I hope to have word tomorrow from Roose Bolton, and the day after that from the Twins. I mean to leave here in three days with anyone who can ride," Robb said with the certainty of youth.
"Then what?" Catelyn wondered, obviously perplexed.
"Lord Renly has declared himself King," Edmure proclaimed.
"In King's Landing?"
"No," said Robb. "In the Reach. It appears he's wed a daughter of Highgarden."
"But what of Stannis?" the Blackfish spouted. "He's the elder brother."
Robb chuckle held a hint of evil and anticipation. "The more the merrier to distract the Lannisters. As Lord Tumbledown told me earlier, we can worry about who sits the Iron Throne once the Direwolf has slain the Lion and all its pride."
Shouts of agreement met Lord Stark's words.