"So... I'm a knight now", I said while rubbing the spot Robert had smacked me on the cheek after the knighting. Aura or no, pain still hurt.

"Looks like it", said Robert with a grim, "come and dine with us! You and Ned are the man, and woman, of honor today!"

Oh, what the hell. "Sure, why not? Lead the way."

As we approached the main camp I was greeted by the other knights and Lords of the rebel alliance. I didn't recognized anyone and there was no Sean Bean lookalike as a reference point.

"Ned! Here's the other hero of the battle!" Robert said while approaching a man with somber features, a somewhat long face and shoulder length black hair.

Ned Stark for his part nodded in acknowledgement to him before letting out a small smile. "Good to see you're well Robert." Turning to me he appraised me up and down, not in lust but to take my measure. "You were the one to suggest to close the gates."

Robert seemed surprised by that admission, and I nodded. "Better to deal with the army here without giving them the opportunity to retreat than let them retire from the fight and meet up with reinforcements later. Though I'm wondering how we're keeping all those people prisoner."

"There are ways", said an elderly man at Ned's side, "and conventions we uphold to so such things are possible without further bloodshed. Of course our total fighting ability will take a slight hit in order to contain the prisoners, but we are still in a much better situation than the enemy who basically routed."

"Hmm, well I know how to fight but I'm not well versed in war", not even my old man memories were a help there other than giving me a list of 'war crimes'. Things that people often did in wars to the detriment of the smallfolk that, in another world, people realized that it was a needless dick move.

Who knew huh?

"You claim to come from the Riverlands, didn't you?" Said another middle aged man, "where exactly did you come from?"

"There's a small village named Clover Ford on the river that goes north of Stoney Sept. I meet with some of the Riverlands banners camp in between Pinkmaiden and here."

"There should have been soldiers from that village from a lord of a small keep if I remember correct. Why did you came only now?"

"My father was sick at the time and I had to take care of him, being the only family he had and at the time I had no interest in the war. When he died though I decided to make a name for myself in the war. Lots of opportunities all told, and I rather not associate myself with the Mad King."

There were nods all around the table before Robert dragged me to seat at the place of honor at his left where Ned was at his right. "Now, a toast to the two heroes who made this decisive victory possible! To Ned and Rose!"

The Lords and Knights rose their cups and I raised mine before taking a small sip at the wine.

Too strong for my taste, I'm more used to watered ale for alcoholic drinks while my old man memories wasn't much of a drinker either. Still it was only polite to finish the cup. Eventually.

The whole table became silent for a few moments, and I'm fairly sure I knew some of the things that was going through the head of those men. Things like 'how come Robert knighted a woman', 'is she really a witch' and 'dear gods if she snaps we're all dead'. Surprisingly, it was Ned Stark who broke the silence.

"I heard the rumors, and it's hard to argue with the evidence", Robert grunted, "and eye witness of Robert himself, but can you truly do what those rumors claim?"

Looking at the table I saw a small knife, a loaf of bread and a pewter plate. "If the Lords and Knights present permit a demonstration?" I said while picking up the bread and the plate. I stared at them for a few instants, before jamming the bread into the plate and making a clear hole with the food, before tossing both pieces to Robert for him to inspect it.

He looked suspiciously at the bread, taking a tentative bite of it then put his finger through the hole of the plate. "Seven Hells, it's one thing to see it from the bell tower of the sept, another it is to see it face to face. I'm really glad you're on our side."

I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Since when did you discovered those... abilities of yours?" Asked another noble on the table.

"A few years back. I had to defend myself and those abilities awakened themselves on me. I don't know how or why though. One instant I'm down, the next I have super powers."

The noble nodded, and my old man memories supplied to me that often magic in ASOIAF is mysterious and unreliable, so they won't expect me to extensively know about aura, much less expect me being able to unlock it in other people. Of course some greedy moron would ask that anyway, this is ASOIAF after all.

"Do you have any plans after the war?" A knight asked, trying to sound casual and I could feel all eyes turning to my side all at once, even Ned Stark.

"I have some plans, but nothing concrete." Was all I would answer.

"Bah! Stop interrogating the woman, she's not a doll to be paraded around and a normal lady for you all to try to sink your fangs on her!" Said Robert while fetching a pitch of wine.

"You're only saying that so you can get under my dress."

"Is it working?" He said while wriggling his eyebrows and I laughed.

"No, but I appreciate the thought."

"Explendid! Here, have some more wine!"

It was really transparent what he wanted to do, so I made sure to only very sporadically sip my wine. Different standards or no, I don't want to wake up with a hangover next day on Robert's bed.

I'm not that kind of girl.

~~O~~

March resumed and we went towards the north towards the Trident in order to meet with the rest of our forces and to march on the Kingsroad towards King's Landing.

A significant portion of the enemy army was still held by some of our forces. Apparently Robert managed to make some of them defect and joined our army. How he pulled that one off I will never know, though the rumors has it that he promised not to unleash the Bloody Rose, the Witch of the Riverlands on them.

My very first dreadful nickname, yay!

Preparations complete, we marched towards the crossing of the Trident when we saw the army of the enemy on the horizon.

"So... how do we go about it?" I asked Robert, as he insisted for me to accompany him during the march at his side.

"Scouts said they have a big army, but not big enough to trap us with our back to the river." He said behind his helm. "We should be able to cross our entire army before they arrive here. You're not good at command, are you? Or large scale tactics, right?"

I shook my head. "I know how to fight and kill, but my father never had the opportunity to show me how to fight alongside other people. Of course, even I know that with my abilities I can quickly reach behind the enemy lines and cause untold chaos on their rear. The Stony Sept wasn't a good indicator of my full capabilities since the enemy had plenty of places to hide and run. In this open terrain I should do much better."

I could feel Robert's grin behind his stag horned helm. "Oh, I have an idea or two on how to best use your abilities."

We watched the other Lords and Knights give their orders, and I did a light bow to Ned who would command his own forces. The same with Jon and Denys Arryn.

"Rose, can you promise me something?" Suddenly said Robert with a grave tone.

"What is it?"

"Let me have Rhaegar. The other commanders and soldiers can also manage to spot and even kill him with a bit of luck, but you're the only one that I know for certain can find and kill Rhaegar whenever you wish. So I ask you, let me have him."

I paused for a moment to think, before nodding. "Alright, I will take it as a personal favor to you though. Of course, if I see you fighting him and by some miracle you're losing, I will kill him myself and steal your kill. So for your sake you better not embarrass yourself."

He laughed, loud and hard. "Hah! Winter will freeze my balls seven times over before that happens, but if that's the case I will be in your debt."

"We have a deal then", I said with a grin of my own. "Say, if I happen to find you two fighting do you mind terribly if I make sure you two aren't disturbed?"

"Oh no, by all means please help yourself."

"Hmm, anything else I need to know? People I shouldn't kill or something?"

"It's a good bet some of the kingsguard will come to protect that damn Dragon", he snarled the last word, "if you find Ser Barristan the Bold please spare him. He's alright."

"I have no idea what he looks like."

He stared at me like I was crazy. "Where you living under a rock all those years not to know about Ser Barristan the Bold?"

"Smallfolk, remember? I might have heard of him before, but I never seen him."

Robert sighed. "Then just knock out any kingsguard you see. They wear white cloaks and white armor, should be rather distinctive."

"Got it. Any other requests? Should I bring you wine during the battle too? Perhaps a pair of beautiful twins to celebrate the victory later?"

Once more he laughed. "Just do your thing, 'Bloody Rose' and I will be happy. Though if you just so happen to come to my tent draped only in your cloak with a glass of wine I'm not complaining."

I hid my blush by pulling over my hood, readying myself for the battle. "It still not working."

"Hah, I wonder what would convince you!"

I shrugged. "Make me queen?"

Once more he laughed, but he didn't retort because we had to finish some last minute preparations.

Soon, the battle of the Trident would start.