Robb's POV
He could hear the noise of the largest city in Westeros before he saw it. It had taken a few days before he could leave Pyke for the capitol, then a couple of weeks for the trip. Before he left he had sent his father body back to Winterfell via Torrhen's square under the guard of Lord Umber and Maege Mormont. He was looking forward to seeing his sisters again even under these circumstances he just hoped they were coping okay. He wasn't worried about Arya even though she was younger, as she had fire in veins and could handle the news he hoped, but Sansa was one to keep her emotions nearer to the surface and with her impending marriage to the Heir of Highgarden he wondered just how she was coping.
HE wondered if she was really happy to be leaving to go so far south further away from her home, he wouldn't be there for the wedding either now as his duties in the North were preventing it, news from beyond the wall was grave. Instead he had sent a letter to Highgarden request he meet Wilas in the Capitol before Wilas escorts Sansa back to Highgarden for the wedding where he had asked his Uncle Edmure to give her away. It had meant to be Father meeting Wilas to approve of him but now that duty fell to him as Sansa's older brother and new Lord of Winterfell.
Oh Winterfell, he longed to be back there, searching for Bran, or checking up on Rickon, or laying in his bed with his new wife and unborn child but unfortunately duty once again would prevent him from doing that he had to stay in the Capitol for another 2 weeks for King Renly's wedding then he would have to head back North, maybe sooner if more grave news came their way.
Riding down the King's Road he could now see the top of the Red keep and then the sound of horses approached bearing the banner of House Baratheon of King's Landing.
"Lord Stark, I am here to escort you to the King, he requests an audience at once, a raven from Castle Black has arrived that needs your urgent attention," said the lead rider obviously of the Kingsguard as he was wearing a white cloak, but he was one he did not recognise.
He turned to Harrion Karstark on his right, "You lead the rest of the party into the city, I must go meet the King right away,"
After following Ser Daemon through the city, he was taken to what he assumed was the King's Solar and let inside.
"Ah Lord Stark, good to see you, although I wish this meeting was under better circumstances," Renly greeted, getting up from his desk as soon as he entered.
"Thank you, Your Grace. So do I, and Robb please, I'm not sure I am ready for that title just yet I am not my father," he admitted solemnly looking away.
"And I am not my brother, I never thought I would be king, sure I wanted it and I thought I was ready for it but as soon as I got it I wish I could have given it away. It was your father who taught me being a king is a burden not a privilege and he was right, the same goes for being a Lord of a great house. Your father taught you well, you will do him proud I have no dealt about that."
"Thank you your grace, I assume you want my report on the Ironborn rebellion."
"Yes, but that can wait for the Small council in a few hours which you will be attending, as there are many matters that you need to be made aware of. Chambers had been made up for you and I assume you want to spend time with your sister's, Arya has been running more wild ever since the news and Sansa has mainly kept herself to her room, Margery has been talking to her but she won't see anyone else, I don't even know if those 2 have talked to each other."
"Yes I wish to see them, and I will stay here till your wedding then I must leave, I must seek out one of my banner men Howland Reed, he has information I need." Said Robb, hoping the men he had sent into the neck had found him and would bring to him to Moat Catlin where Robb could meet him.
"Of course but unfortunately news has reached us that could change this you may need to leave before my wedding but we will discuss during the small council meeting, for now go off and find your sisters" Renly ordered friendlily, opening the door and ushering him out.
He found Sansa where the King had said she would be, in her chambers alone. He gently knocked before entering and when Sansa saw that it was him, she had launched herself of her bed into his arms.
"Robb it is so good to see you," she cried into his shoulder, "I'm so glad you're safe, how's Rickon and is there any news of Bran."
"Rickon was okay when I left Winterfell, but he took mother's death hard, Roslin has been looking after him and he has stuck pretty close to her as far as I know, It's good Practice for her since we have one of our own on the way." He noticed Sansa's expression brighten more at the mention of her going to be an Aunty and she hugged him again before letting him continue " and sadly no, Bran and the Reed kids are still missing, I am going to speak to their father maybe he knows where they have gone and there is more I must ask him about," he stopped himself not wanting to mention any more about his father's message about Jon in his letter. He ruffled her hair suddenly a noticing a rather beautiful silver hairnet with amethysts in it.
"Sansa, where did that hairnet come from was it a gift?" he asked concerned thinking there could be another boy in her life that could put in jeopardy the betrothal between her and Wilas.
"Oh you like it, a merchant delivered it to me, his ship came from Gulltown. A letter came with it, from Aunt Lysa bearing her condolences for the loss of mother, obviously it was sent before father died," Sansa explained.
"That's nice of her, I haven't heard anything from Aunt Lysa or the Vale it has been a closed region as far as I know. Anyway I know you may not want to talk about this but Wilas is here in the capital after Renly's wedding you will be journeying back with him to be married in Highgarden, unfortunately cannot be there Uncle Edmure will give you away instead. I'm sorry but my new duties require me up North."
"I understand, Robb, I wish you could be there but after losing Mother and Father that is the least of my worries, I just wish they could be there. Do you know what Wilas is like?"
"I've heard his is a king and intelligent young man, a few years older than you, he loves his animals he raises many horse and bird apart from that all I know is he has a bad leg due to an incident in a tourney match between him and Oberyn, I must go find our sister before the small council meeting I have been invited to, any idea where she could be?" he asked sceptically.
"You know Arya, she could be anywhere probably running around the halls with Prince Trystanne or the Sand snakes. Maybe with Syrio Florel practising sword."
It had taken much longer to find Arya then it had Sansa, she was not with Syrio and Prince Trystanne was in his quarters. He finally found her after wandering around the Red Keep for an hour; he heard running footsteps and girls laughing. He turned around to see Arya and 2 of the Sand Snakes, he couldn't remember their names, sprinting out from a door that he suspected led to the cellars or the castle kitchens.
"Arya!" he shouted, "I've been looking for you!"
"Robb, you're here, I need to talk to you in private now!" she demanded dragging him by the arm away from the others to her room.
"Arya, what's up, I'm sorry I was not the one to tell you about Father and Mother," he apologised sorrowfully, wishing duty hadn't caught in the way of family, remembering his mother's words.
"That doesn't matter, they are dead!" she howled as loud as a wolf, "There is nothing you can do about it, nothing anyone can do about it, and nothing will bring them back. We can only avenge them, who killed father, you have already killed the person who murdered mother?"
"Arya I don't know, I wasn't there, no one saw, I came back to the tent and he was dead with an axe in his back murdered by a lone raider it looked like, the guards didn't even hear or see anything, but this isn't the only thing you wanted to ask me is it?" he realised noticing the intrigued expression on Arya's face.
"Have you ever heard of the faceless men," Arya demanded rather forcefully.
"Not really, all I know is that they are an assassin guild across the narrow sea, rumours have that their members can change their face and that they can kill in mysterious ways but I think it is all a load of lies to scare people, why do you ask. If you think they had something to do with Father's murder you are wrong, it was those blasted Ironborn and they will pay. Where did you even hear about the faceless men anyway?" he questioned, suddenly wondering why she was asking about them, what had she heard, was it from Prince Obneryn or the Sand Snakes.
"That's what I need to tell you, I was in the cellars underneath the castle where the dragon skulls are now stored, I ran there when the King told me of Father's death. I hid in a skull when 2 people entered down the stairs, I recognised the voice of one but couldn't place it and he stood in the shadows but the other person I saw was Varys the old spymaster, isn't he wanted as a traitor. I heard them talking a death of someone and faceless men being the cause of it and a lady trying to reclaim the throne. I later realised the voice was Prince Oberyn."
At that he laughed, his sister was so wild, she must be having a lot of fun with the sand snakes, " That sounds like a fun game, I must tell Pricne Oberyn that his daughters see him as a villain," he snorted, it sounded just like Arya to play a game where a female was trying to claim back the throne.
"Robb, I am telling the truth this wasn't a game or a dream it was true, could the murder they were talking about be father, they mentioned it would weaken the 7 kingdoms.
"Arya, Oberyn is our Ally and soon to be family after your marriage to Prince Trystanne in a few years. If there were people down there it can't have been Varys, everyone knows him around here. He would have been caught and executed, someone of that couldn't have snuck past the guards."
"You never believe me, nor did father when I told him of 2 men I saw down there before King Robert died," she roared, shoving him, then running out the door and slamming it behind her.
Arya was defiantly a wild one. Jon was always better at getting through to her then he was.
The Small council was one of the most boring places he had ever been, he was glad this was just a one off. It had only been going for an hour; he had given his report of the Ironborn rebellion mainly about the Final battle on Pyke and his small team that had raided the castle. Then it had moved onto more trivial matters before getting to the more important and vital news and information that he was waiting for. Next to him sat the other advisor Prince Oberyn but he was on the council fulltime, next sat the buffoon Mace Tyrell who kept agreeing with whatever Renly said never questioning it. Then came his Tyrell's Bannerman Lord Rowan whom unlike his Liege lord was smart and calculating. Roose Bolton the master of Whispers sat silent and restrained, obviously listening intently but never offering much in return except when called upon. The new Grand Maester Gorman Tyrell sat on the right of the new hand Lord Beric Dondarrion. Robb had only met him a few times before this, he was battle hardened and honourable, he cared about the small folk but he was not his Father which was obvious to anyone, there was also the new master of ships Lord Monford Velaryon and at the head of the table was the King himself.
"Now we have those out of the way, come more urgent matters, news of the last Greyjoy retunignt he the seas of Westeros is concerning, I have already asked Lord Paxter Redwyne and Lord Tyrion to step up naval patrols of their coastlines. Baelor has sent me a message saying a few ship captains that are left have deserted the islands but many just want a peaceful life after what the last war cost, he will do everything in his power to ensure Euron is caught. Lord Bolton what news do you have concerning this matter?" Renly asked.
"Your grace, my sources report that Euron has around 15 ships, maybe 20 if more have deserted. My last news were that his ships were just North of Cape Kraken but that is 5 days old. Lord Patrek Mallister has sent 20 of his now 30 ships up there to scout but they are probably long gone," finished Lord Bolton.
This was when he cut in, "I will send a raven to Bear Island where 35 of the ships I received were placed, they are being used the control wilding raids but I will get them to send some ships down to Cape Wrath as well, I have another 40 ship in White Harbour if they are needed," he told them.
A few more points were thrown in before the Targeryean girl was brought up apparently she was last seen in Pentos but has since disappeared, no one can find her or her dragons.
The last matter was the one that concerned him greatly, new from the wall. Apparently they had received 2 letters in the past fortnight the first from the Steward Bowen Marsh reporting the rumoured desertion of Jon snow and the assumed destruction of the Jorah Mormont's great ranging, It meant the already depleted Night Watch had even less to defend the alleged gathering of a wilding army led by former Night Watch member Mance Rayder. The second letter had only arrived today, from Measter Ameon. The news was that Bowen Marsh had taken the bulk of Castle Black's remaining forces west where they believed the wildings were attacking, but Jon Snow had returned apparently he was undercover as a wilding on orders of the Halfhand. He brought news that a force would attack Castle Black from the southern side and open the gates for the Large wilding army. They were trying to get south of the wall because the others had returned.
At that Lord Tyrell had laughed and so had Lord Rowan, commenting that it sounded like "Children's stories." Before Robb could snap back at them the king had beaten him to it.
"Enough, you all saw the hand that Ser Allister Thorne presented, Lord Eddard warned us this could be true, Lord Stark trusts his half-brother, which means we should to. Lord Stark is leaving in a day to prepare the North forces to reinforce the Nights watch," King Renly clarified, "The small council is dismissed!"
Yes he would be once again leaving his sisters, he would be meeting Wilas tomorrow, he had already given Sansa and Arya letters from Father, he prayed they would be okay. Leaving the chamber he went to get some much needed rest.
Author's Note
Sorry it has taken so long, I have had a lot on, hopefully it won't be as long next time. I plan on finishing this story in a few chapters and starting a sequel. Let me know if people want that. Please read and review