Well, it has taken me less time to update. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter. As always, I sincerely appreciate the time you take to leave a review and even read this.

Also, I wanted to thank whomever nominated my story for the Game of Thrones Awards 2014 (organized by Maddie Rose, and you might want to check that out). I really do not know how these things work but it's really nice that you think this story is worth of even being nominated for any kind of award. (Besides, it's the first time I get nominated for anything I've written!)

Chapter 44 : Claw The Way Back

As punishment, many of Stannis' men who had offered resistance were forced to take the Black. Jon reluctantly welcomed the new hands that would help built everything back up, but as he believed in honor, he saw little of that on men who worked just because they feared death. Still, that did not mean he wasn't grateful for the new strength, since many brothers had perished during battle and since the White Walkers had been seen for the first time.

Robb overlooked the mass of men moving from one place to the other, busing themselves as it was expected from them. They were to leave next morning to travel south and finally join Randyll Tarly to attack King's Landing once and for all.

"Aye," Greatjon replied with delight in his gruff voice when Robb informed the news. "We will finally show them the North is strong. We will rule like we should've. Like the Gods always wanted."

"We'll need to keep our strength. They might not be many, but the city is strong and they will want to wear us out-"

"No one can tire us out! Much less scrawny little southern boys and their whores!" Greatjon bellowed and some men laughed quietly at the words.

The corner of his mouth tilted up despite his worries. He was glad his men were in a good mood. It gave them new hope and kept their spirits up. Robb of course felt lucky and as if all the praying his mother had done was paying up. They were about to embark on the last part of war, but that did not mean it was about to become easier or less gruesome.

"As I was saying," he continued with the deep commanding voice Jon had told him was new, a voice much too similar to their father's – hard like steel, but honest. "We will need our strength and attack at once. They are waiting for us. They have been waiting and they'll be ready. Surprise and deceive will not be our allies, but strength and unity. We're not like them. We will win, because it's our right. Only the strongest survive hardships like winter. No other but us know this better."

The men were ready to fight. Robb believed it had more to do with the years they had spent away from their homes and families, from a proper bed and good food on their plates, between men who rarely cleaned themselves and horses with a smell that clung to their noses for days. He himself missed his bed in Winterfell next to the lush curves of his wife, even if there weren't many memories he could miss given that since he had been named Lord, everything had been difficult in his life.

As Robb walked across the courtyard with Grey Wind at his side, he saw Jon stalking his way from the cells in which they kept the prisoners, including the feisty injured red-headed girl Jon seemed so fond of.

Robb couldn't help but grin at the sulking expression on Jon's face.

"Something wrong with the prisoners?"

Jon shot him a look. It was as if years had not gone by them and they were back in Winterfell, being children who discovered women for the first time, like the big breasted daughter of the cook who was so enchanted with Jon, to Theon's annoyance.

"She's a pigheaded woman."

"And you blame her?" Robb quipped, hurrying himself to catch up with his brother. "If you treat a lady like that-"

"She's no lady. And I should not worry about her."

And it was then Robb realized what upset Jon the most was not that the girl was stubborn or that she pushed the limit of his patience. Ygritte, as he had learned the girl was named, upset Jon because he had made a promise and she made him want to break it. Jon was loyal, and now as Lord Commander, he was not about to go against the vows he had taken. He had faced the same situation back when he had met Dany, but things had turned for the better for him.

"Jon," Robb called as his half-brother tried to avoid his gaze. True, they had been apart and become men away from the other, but underneath the hard exterior they wore, there was some of their shared childhood left. They knew each other's tender sides, the ones manhood had hidden behind shields so they wouldn't be harmed. "How could you be angry at her when it's you the one who wants to change her nature?"

"Do you think I should've let her die?" Jon spat behind clenched teeth, anger just barely below the surface.

"You saved her for a reason. But I wonder why you are now denying such. And you can't look at me and tell me you haven't broken a rule before." It was a glint of shame what Robb saw in Jon's face, but they both knew even good, honorable men sometimes fell victims of their own desires. If their father had betrayed his wife once, how could they who were still green be stronger than him? And if Catelyn Tully had forgiven her husband, then why couldn't they received the same gracious gesture?

"I'm the Lord Commander now. I saved her for the memories of what could have been, but I have no right to go against our rules." With that, Jon started his way back to the Black Castle, but he had not taken more than five steps when Robb interrupted him.

"You are my brother, even if you don't recognize me as one anymore. And as your older brother, I tell you, Jon, you don't need to make yourself pay for the mistakes of your parents. It's not your right to punish yourself. You don't need to suffer."

"What do you know about that? You made Father proud with every word and every achievement. You have a mother who loves you unconditionally. And now you have a wife, an heir and kingdoms waiting for you."

It was as if finally the bitterness of their differences was dripping into the words. Robb was no fool to believe they had been treated as equals, but it was how things worked, no matter if he felt the same blood ran through their veins. They were different. They always would be.

"And yet, unlike any of you I had no say in any of that. My life was planned from the very first breath I took." Robb approached Jon and clenched his jaw. "You had freedom and decided to give up on it. I've only known duty and I have followed each order. I'm making my rules now."

Jon looked at him with his dark eyes, those who were like Father's more than anyone's. It had always made him jealous that Jon looked more like their father, that anyone could tell he was Eddard Stark's son. He had to show it every day with actions.

"I'm sure you can work this out, Lord Commander. We'll be out of your lands soon."

After a mournful intake of air, Jon's demeanor changed. "I wish I could join you, brother."

"I wish you could've, but you left before you had the power to do so."

Each placed their right hands on the other's left shoulder. "You're my brother, now and always."

"Now and always."

-o-

Not four days since their departure Robb received news from Cracklaw Point. Apparently Tywin Lannister had grown tired of waiting for an attack and decided to take the initiative by sending five hundred Unsullied to fight against the Young Wolf's allies in the Crownlands. The results of what the Lannisters, the remaining Tyrell's forces and the Unsullied had done were clear.

"It's as if they had vanished," Rickard Karstark said looking sullen. "They had no chance against the eunuchs. And if their work and speed say anything, they will be hard to beat."

"It's said the Lannisters also used wildfire to burn anything that remained," Galbart Glover added.

Robb leaned back on his chair, his fists clenched as he tried to figure out what his next strategy would be. If they continued their way to Dorne, it would be too late to stop Tywin and his new army if they were already on their way north. It seemed the best choice was a siege, surrounding the Crownlands and attacking on all fronts at once, forcing them to divide their strength. If they managed to force them to follow those plans, Robb was sure they would result victorious.

"We'll take Harrenhal and fight from there."

"Your Grace-" one of his men started but Robb only stood up, ignoring him.

"We will burn our way through if we have to." Robb looked over his men, but not looking directly at any of them. "Unsullied might not feel pain, but that does not make them immune to fire or drowning."

"A trap?" Greatjon asked in an unusual low voice.

"Send a raven to Randyll Tarly and inform him that he must attack when we are two days away from Harrenhal, and drive them directly to us." He started his way out of the tent. "They will come, thinking we are waiting for reinforcements. Only half of us will reach Harrenhal. The other half will be waiting on the south side of the Gods Eye."

"That's suicidal!" Lord Karstark exclaimed from his place.

Robb was already out, gladly welcoming the cold breeze of the night. His gaze lifted up to the small bright dots blinking weak light away. He had no time to keep avoiding a direct confrontation with his enemies. Until that point, everyone believed he had the upper hand but him. Now that it seemed the Lannisters had raised with new strength, he was ready to show them who would prevail.

All this made him wonder if this anxiety and uncertainty had been what pushed his father away from the throne. Ned Stark had told him that he had been the first to arrive to the Red Keep, he had seen Jaime Lannister sat on the Iron Throne, and instead of claiming the title of King for himself, his father let another man to take it, a man who had clearly failed in his mission.

What man was ready to be king? None of them had been groomed to take the position unlike Targaryens were. Robb had certainly never seen his future with a crown on his head back when he was just a boy. Did blood mean anything? If so, at least Starks had once been royalty and maybe the Old Gods would guide him. Mayhap Dany's tender hand would also show him what she had learned. Unfortunately, neither of them were raised by Kings or Queens, and they would need to pave their own paths.

Only one thing Robb knew with certainty: he would sit in the Iron Throne, because he would defeat those who had wronged him and his family.

-o-

"Are you training him like some hawk?" Theon wondered as he peeled and cut chunks of an apple while he sat on a rock.

Robb cackled and whistled loudly. Rhaegal spun in the air, a loud wail coming from his throat making Theon wince. The dragon dive towards the ground and landed gracefully close to them. Despite its size, Rhaegal had grown to be the sharpest of the three dragons, but that also made him more dangerous in his eyes.

With gloved hands, Robb held the dragon's head. He looked into the bronze orbs as he did with Grey Wind when he had trained him. Between master and beast there had to be trust, but with dragons there had to be an understatement of who was the master.

"I'm training him. Yes." Robb patted the dragon's head and offered him a large piece of raw meat.

Theon pulled a face as Rhaegal cooked and almost swallowed the entire thing.

"Are you going to ride it?"

Robb pondered on the idea. It occurred to him that there were advantages to it during battle, but he was meant to ride a horse and stay on the ground. He spoke little valyrian and, honest to only himself, he feared to be high above ground. The earth always called him, and he feared not the fall, but the need to jump.

"No. That's why I'm training him to follow my instructions."

"Eh, seems like a stupid beast to me. Don't think he'll remember every order."

It was Grey Wind the one who snarled, showing his long fangs. Robb's faithful direwolf was almost as big as a horse, probably the largest of his siblings. This only seemed to feed the tales among people who told Grey Wind grew stronger with the blood of his enemies.

Robb called for Grey Wind and Theon hurriedly stood up.

"King of the North and the beasts, more likely."

"If you spoke to them half as nicely as you speak to the young maidens, then perhaps they wouldn't have it against you."

Theon faked a laugh. "Glad to see your humor hasn't sour, Your Grace."

Robb smiled and whistled again, this time in two sharp sounds that Rhaegal understood as his cue to fly again. "Shoot an arrow," he ordered to Theon.

"What? At him? He'll eat me alive! With my boots on! Is that why you let me come with?"

"Just shoot it. He won't do anything to you."

Theon did what he had been asked and soon heard as Robb shouted the word dracarys. The dragon burned the arrow midair, turning it to nothing more than dust and ashes. Apparently, the King in the North was doing a fine job training his beasts and leading his army. Now they only had to replenish their supplies before heading to Harrenhal.