Five
Stannis sat staring at the Young Wolf ignoring the arguing going on. His advisors wanted Robb Stark arrested for declaring himself king while the northerns argued for some form of independence and he was starting to get a headache from the arguing. He wouldn't fault the boy for doing what he had to, his father was falsely imprisoned and executed and his sisters were either prisoners or missing. Add in the way he fought and Stannis did not want to make an enemy of the boy especially when he had helped them fight off Lannister forced and gods knows he already had enough enemies with Tywin in the wind who knows where.
"Enough," Stannis yells slamming his fist down on the table and he almost jumps when Freya growls from beside him.
"Your Grace to allow," one of his men starts only to be interrupted.
"I will not execute a boy for doing what he had to for his family," Stannis declares, "Honestly can anyone here say they wouldn't have done the same. If you wish for his execution you would have to wish for mine."
That seems to silence everyone in the room and he is thankful for the short reprieve. He hears a snort and sees Carina looking at him with a smile like she had known this would happen. He needs to shorten the number of people in the room otherwise nothing would get done and there were other threats to contend with.
"King Robb choose two of your bannermen to sit with you for negotiations and I will choose two as well. Too many voices isn't getting us anywhere it seems," Stannis offers.
Robb stares at the Baratheon king and keeps glancing from him to his sister and back. The man hasn't turned down anything yet but he knew to be a strong king he would have to be king of all seven kingdoms and Robb he didn't truly want to be king but he also wasn't going to give it up without anything in return. He signals for Maege Mormont and Rickard Karstark to remain and everyone else to leave. He watches as Stannis chooses for not only Carina to stay but Davos and another man, Foxglove if he remembers correctly, to stay. Silence fills the council room until finally it is the chosen few left and he hears Stannis let out a sigh.
Robb is trying to reconcile stories he has heard about this man. His mother called him a kinslayer but his mother's words weren't one he could trust. His father always told of a man who didn't want for much and was loyal but he had been slighted by Robert. His father had also been intending to declare for Stannis and his sister loved him. It was a confusing thing and he knew Karstark and Mormont could help him out with these talks.
"Right you know I can't very well let you be king," Stannis starts and he hears Karstark bristle, "I never said I wasn't willing to concede certain things Lord Karstark."
"I want to hear from the she wolf," Maege says sending a smirk to Carina and Robb groans.
"Of course you do woman. Everyone knows she fostered with you for three years," Karstark scoffs.
"Yes she did and I hope you are not suggesting our princess is weak. Or has losing your sons made you mad," Maege bites back.
"Both of you shut up," Robb yells Grey Wind growling in both their faces.
"She is to be my queen do be careful with you words," Stannis says looking at Karstark who seems to back down.
Maege seems to watch this all before turning to look at Carina. The girl had been her charge for three years and she was a fierce one. She knew that Karstark was trying to see if she was broken but Maege knew better and she could see that her king did as well. But promises only went so far the northerns needed more she knew that and so did everyone in the room.
"Stannis, us northerns don't trust words. They want action which means we will have to marry," Carina says already knowing this would happen.
"And I want Lannister blood," Karstark reminds the room making Robb want to have Grey Wind rip his tongue out.
"Get in line Lord Karstark," Carina hisses at him, "I am the one that was their prisoner for two years do not presume you are the only one to have lost something. I am sorry my mother was a fool and caused the death of your sons but do not think me weak."
Karstark stares at her and Robb, Maege and Stannis all believe that they will need to intervene when the man lets out a laugh. Carina smiles at him and he turns to see he rest of the room looking at him as if waiting to strike.
"Oh calm down. I just want to make sure she isn't stupid like her mother or weak and broken. You would have done well married to a northern girl," the Lord acknowledges.
"May we get back to the matter at hand now?" Stannis asks, not seeming surprised.
"Make your negations and we might agree," Robb says wanting to see what the man has to offer first.
"Long ago a pact was made that should a Targaryen and a Stark marry then the Stark's would be made princes and princesses. A vision showed Carina that Jaehaerys Targaryen and Sara Snow had a child from which the current Stark's are descended. Add in I technically have some Targaryen blood. I am willing for the Stark's to not only be wardens of the north but princes and princesses of the north," Stannis starts and Robb hums because it's a good offer.
"We would still have to answer to you?" Robb asks, getting a look in response.
"Yes Young Wolf you would need to answer me. Also I am willing to reduce taxes almost completely for the north for the next five years if you are willing to trade. I've talked with a member of the Iron Bank who is willing to work with us if we can offer to trade wood and other things Braavos does not have in abundance," Stannis says, "Also you get out of your betrothal to House Frey. That idiot was technically a bannerman of your grandfather and as such shouldn't have demanded anything for you to cross."
Robb shares a look with both Karstark and Maege knowing they had thought the same. He puts it down to having just found out that his father was imprisoned and sisters were hostages that he didn't stop to think. If he had thought he would have never accepted because Frey was bound to Tully, another thing his mother should have thought of he is sure.
"And what about my justice?" Karstark demands.
"We don't have Tywin or Jaime Lannister but we have Tyrion and Kevan. Carina has asked for leniency for the Imp," Stannis reveals making the northerns look at her.
"He was the only one that tried to help. He tried to stop the beatings and even once tried to negotiate with you but Joffery and Cersei found out and destroyed the letters so instead he just did his best to help me," Carina tells them.
Robb doesn't like the imp and he is sure the feeling is mutual but even Jon had said that Tyrion had seemed different. He admits that he let his anger get the best of him back in Winterfell and Tyrion had been kind to Bran, not to mention his mother having kidnapped the man with little evidence except the word of Littlefinger could have made him cruel and instead he was kind. He runs a hand over his face and sighs.
"My mother," Robb starts pausing for a moment, "My mother is being held at Riverrun and I cannot be the one to hold her trial. I know she needs to face her crimes and that she was wrong but I cannot do it."
"Gods how could she have been so stupid?" Carina asks shaking her head.
"She was desperate," Stannis answers and then elaborates, "I'm not saying she was right just that she was desperate and had lost her husband and her daughters were being imprisoned. Though a highborn lady like her should have known that daughters would never be traded for a highborn son. No offense darling."
"That's the point. Only the north and maybe Dorne hold women in the same regard as men and she knew that. It was part of her stories that we didn't need to defend ourselves because the men would," Carina spat out angry.
Carina stops when she hears Freya start growling and knows she needs to calm down. A part of her understands but another part just wants to shake her mother. Her mother was the reason Sansa had been so naive to the point she refused to fight back, thinking the men would save her. Carina loved her brothers but she knew that there was only so much they could have done and the south would not have been willing to release two highborn girls for a highborn son, they would have been insulted at the offer.
"Let us wait for the trial of Catelyn," Maege suggests, "The woman isn't a threat at the moment, imprisoned in her childhood home under guard. Tywin Lannister is a threat."
"So is the dead," Carina says, "Robb told me you don't believe the stories of the Wildlings or Jon but have you ever known Jon to lie. There is a reason mother hated him, it was because he was too much like father. And we all know how honorable father was but we need proof."
"You want me to send our brother to find a wright?" Robb asks surprised.
"Do you remember the stories about the Night King? Because I do and I know the story, the true one of the Night King and the Long Night. Bran the Builder had two brothers. One was in love but his love died and in his grief he went to the far north seeking the Children of the Forest. Only what became of him was a monster, cold lifeless and undead. Bran and his other brother, Torrhen, amassed an army and allied with the Children.
They couldn't kill their undead brother, the Night King, but they were able to bury them in a deep sleep. As protection Bran and Torrhen both married a Child of the Forest and then Bran used blood and magic to create the wall. He used the same magic on Winterfell, it is why Stark's have always been told that there must be a Stark in Winterfell and it's said that only someone with Stark blood can kill the Night King," Carina finishes the story.
Robb believes her, he even believes what Jon had said but it's more complicated than believing words and she is right, they need proof. He knows she wouldn't be suggesting sending Jon into danger if it wasn't needed. Carina loved Jon just as much as he and Arya did so she would not suggest this unless it was necessary and she was right they needed proof otherwise lords and ladies thought them mad. No one wanted another mad king not after Aerys and definitely not after Joffrey so Robb nods his head agreeing to the plan and hoping it is enough.