Father,

I don't know how to tell you this, so I suppose I will just start at the beginning. Jon got engaged to Rosalynd Karstark and I don't think I have seen Winterfell so excited since the visit of the king. Mother wouldn't admit it aloud, but I know she was far from pleased about Jon's betrothal and began taking Rickon on long rides. I saw no harm in it, since we have watch towers and Shaggydog was always with them for protection, yet now I wish I had insisted on some guards going with them as well.

Mother and Rickon and Shaggydog were out on their usual morning ride and nothing seemed amiss in the usual light snow. Grey Wind howled out of nowhere in a way I've never heard before and I noticed Ghost had thrown his head back in one of his eerily silent vocalizations, which meant something was terribly wrong. We rushed in the direction we had seen Mother ride and were met with the sight of carnage. Several wildings lay dead or dying with their throats ripped open or limbs torn off and Mother and Rickon were bleeding heavily on the ground beside Shaggydog, who was barely alive with too many arrows to count lodged in his black body. He looked up at Grey Wind imploringly and my direwolf mercifully ended his brother's life so he wouldn't linger in painful death.

I tried to stop the bleeding for Mother and Rickon as best I could before I rushed them to Maester Luwin. He gravely told me all he could do was make sure they died without any more pain, for they'd lost too much blood. Rickon passed away first as he clutched Shaggydog's body to him, too weak to manage more than a simple good bye.

Mother's last words were: "Tell your father to remember our agreement. I fought as hard as I could to to stay, but my time is up. I don't want him to mourn me forever, wolves shouldn't be alone and winter is coming. That means you need someone too, my son..."

Maester Luwin advised we bury them at once, so I allowed him to prepare their bodies and they were to rest beside grandfather. I've commissioned the mason to carve their likenesses out of stone, just like all the other Starks who are down in the crypt. Jon and Rosalynd have postponed their wedding for a proper mourning period, as is only fitting.

Jon says none of this is my fault, that I couldn't have known this would happen any more than I could have convinced Mother to take some of the men with her. He may be right, but the pain and guilt I feel for this happening when it was my duty to protect against something like this has left a wound in my heart.

Robb set down his quill, vision blurred by tears as he choked back a sob. Grey Wind nuzzled him and he jumped when there was a knock at the door. "Yes, what is it?"

"Tamesys Mormont has arrived with some prisoners for the Wall from Bear Island, my lord."

"Thank you, Ser Cassle. Send her in." He quickly rubbed his eyes.

The door opened to reveal a dark brown haired woman Robb had met a handful of times before and found her attractive though five years his elder. She was the third daughter of Lady Mormont and stood as tall as he did, a trait all women from her house seemed to inherit. Grey Wind gave a happy bark and pounced on her before Robb could say anything. She laughed and wrestled the direwolf to the ground like it was child's play, which considering the rumors about how Mormonts fought bears for fun could be entirely true.

"Grey Wind, come here." He managed to say at last and Grey Wind obeyed.

Tamesys approached and enveloped him in a hug. "Ser Cassle told me what happened, I'm so sorry for your loss."

Something broke inside of him and he started to cry, vulnerable and exposed like he hadn't been since a child. He felt ashamed for such lack of composure, yet couldn't stop the tears. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this, Tam."

"Don't you dare apologize for your grief, you've been bearing it by yourself for far too long." Her arms tightened around him as he sobbed harder.

"It's all my fault... I should have..."

She shushed him gently and her fingers ran through his hair. "There was no way you could have convinced your lady mother to take extra men with her. Northern women like our lady mothers laugh when we try to talk them into something when they've already weighed the risks and made a choice."

He felt himself smile a little in spite of the tears. "My lady mother would be honored to be called a Northerner despite being a Southron by birth."

"As far as my family is concerned, she earned it long ago by being as strong and fierce as any of us she-bears."

"Thank you, Tam." He wiped his face dry with the palm of his hand. "Your words have helped me greatly."

"I may not have lost a close family member to death yet, but I know what it feels like to have a hole ripped in your heart." She said almost too quietly to hear.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know how my lady mother became the leader of Bear Island?"

"Your cousin went into exile instead of facing punishment for selling people as slaves."

She nodded solemnly. "He betrayed us all and left Bear Island in near ruin. I was only eleven at the time and I'd always enjoyed his visits before he went off to fight in the Greyjoy Rebellion, but after he returned with his new bride everything changed."

His heart clinched. "You almost sound envious of her."

"I was just an impressionable child then, not even old enough to have had my moon's blood yet. Dacey on the other hand was of marrying age, which my lady mother did suggest to Jorah since he didn't seem all that impressed with his other marriage offers. I knew I didn't stand a chance against beautiful women who could have heirs, but that's all in the past now regardless of what might have been."

"Nothing is stopping you now. You could go after him." He heard himself saying as if from far away, wondering what would possess him to say such a thing, his heart screaming at him he was ruining his chances with her.

She held his gaze for so long he became uncomfortably aware he was much more affected by it and her closeness than he ought to be. "I no longer have any reason or desire to do such a thing."

"Why not?"

"I thought that was obvious."

He stared at her as she smiled at him. "But I'm younger than you are..."

"Does me being older bother you?"

"No, but I just cried weakly all over your shoulder. Wolves don't shed tears."

"I disagree, since Grey Wind's face is as wet as yours was. Your shared tears aren't weakness, they show you feel pain that can make you stronger and wiser."

He glanced at his direwolf to see she was right and looked back at her. "You think our parents will agree to our marriage?"

"My lady mother will be so overjoyed one of her daughters wants to follow regular tradition, I don't doubt she'll approve."

"My lord father has always liked your family, so he would at least consider the idea."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and pulled away. "I will let you write to him and ask. I am going to go see about a bath."

He watched her leave and refused to let himself picture her without clothes. Gods knew his leggings already pressed uncomfortably against his nether regions, he didn't need more problems. He sat at his desk again, picked up his quill and read the letter over before he added:

Tamesys Mormont arrived as I wrote this letter to you and she offered me words of comfort with a gentleness I didn't know she-bears were capable of. She also took me aback by indicating she was interested in me, something I wouldn't have ever expected even though I've found her increasingly attractive since becoming a man. She thinks her lady mother will approve of a union between our houses and I was wondering what your thoughts were on the matter. House Mormont have always been good allies of ours and if I could choose my bride, I would like it to be Tamesys. I know that's not usually how it works for the first born, that is why I'm asking for your opinion.

Your son,

Robb.

He sealed the letter with his own hand and took it to Maester Luwin, who tied it to the leg of a crow and Robb watched the bird fly away with a mixture of hope and sadness in his heart.