Tyrion II

Tyrion had ordered the men he was with, as well as Lord Lydden's men, to cross the Blackwater Rush and to set up camp near enough to the Tower of the Rush that they'd be able to see if Lord Lolliston tried moving Jaime to King's Landing. He was hoping the presence of his men alone would be enough to prevent that from happening, as he didn't know what would happen if they did try moving Jaime and he had to choose whether to order his men to attack or not. He felt that either option he chose in such a situation would be the wrong one. Ravens flew from the keep and Tyrion had little doubt that Lord Lolliston was reaching out to everyone who could possibly aid him.

The riders he sent back to Deep Den must have made good time because nine days later a single rider, whose horse appeared near exhaustion, had found their camp. This single rider came with news that had Tyrion wondering what he had gotten himself into. He was to hold camp outside of the Tower of Rush and that he would be shortly joined by Gregor Clegane and his men. They would be the first of many men to come, for it seemed his father had called the banners.

From what Tyion was told, first his father had written to Lord Lolliston to release Jaime and had been refused. Then he had written to Edmure Tully, the new Lord Paramount of the Trident, and demanded that Edmure command his vassal to release Jaime. His father had been refused again. And so his heavy-handed attempt at diplomacy was over with and, feeling that the Lannister name was being slighted, Tywin Lannister called his banners for war.

And now Tyrion was going to have to play nice with the Mountain, a man whose anger and brutality were known throughout the realm. A man who only one person had any control over, and that was Tywin Lannister. A man whose groin was eye level with Tyrion. He doubted he would have any sway over what the Mountain did or did not do. More than likely he would be tip-toeing around the giant of a man so as not to fall prey to his temper.

A day after being told of the expected arrival of the Mountain, two riders raced out of the eastern gate of the Tower of the Rush. They were likely heading toward King's Landing, to make their case before the King, if the man wasn't already on the march in this direction. Tyrion didn't know why his father had placed him in such a position but if he wanted to show he was a worthy heir, he needed to do as commanded.

The wait for Gregor Clegane wasn't long, which meant he had likely been heading this way sometime around when Tyrion had been at Deep Den. He came with a little over two hundred men, though it was easy to spot the man called The Mountain That Rides. He was a few inches short of eight feet tall, and likely weighed over four hundred pounds without his armor. The plate armor he wore was thicker than some shields, and from what Tyrion was told there was a layer of chainmail and a layer of leather underneath. At the man's hip was a greatsword and on his back was a shield that was taller than Tyrion was..

This was a man that would be difficult to kill even if all the man did was stand still. No sword would be able to penetrate the outer layer of plate. Hell he doubted even the quarrel of a crossbow could penetrate the Mountain's layers of armor to cause any significant damage; at most a bruise if the crossbowman was lucky. Tyrion was positive that if Gregor wanted to kill him the man didn't even need a weapon. One punch from a meaty fist would likely cave Tyrion's skull in, whether the fist was armored or not.

Bronn let out an impressed whistle. "That's one big fucker."

"Show some respect. That's the most dangerous fucker in Westeros," Tyrion said.

Gregor pulled his horse to a stop in front of Tyrion and clambered down from his monster of a steed. "Imp."

If any of House Lannister's other vassals had called him that and not something befitting his status, he would have rebuked them. For the behemoth of a man standing in front of him he'd make an exception.

"Ser Gregor," Tyrion replied with a nod of his head. "What news do you bring from my father?"

"He set out from Lannisport with over 20,000 men several days ago. Three thousand calvary should be here in fifteen days, the rest of the force about three weeks after."

Three thousand men would be enough to start a proper siege, which Tyrion suspected was what would be his father's orders. Edmure Tully wouldn't be happy about it, and neither would the King, but between the two of them Tully would likely be quicker to respond.

"Lord Tully will not be happy when he hears," Tyrion pointed out.

"That's why your father sent 15,000 men under Lord Brax down the River Road."

House Tully would view the army moving near Riverrun the much bigger threat and likely wouldn't find out about the second army until it was too late. No one would ever accuse Tywin Lanniste of being a poor military commander.

"Fucking hell, he's starting a war," Bronn said.

Gregor grinned at that, and Tyrion had to stop himself from shuddering at how sadistic the man looked.

"Two of Lord Lolliston's men rode hard for King's Landing a few days ago. I suspect the King will send some men to try to get us to stand down and to bring my brother to the city."

"I'll take care of any men the King sends."

With those words, the Mountain climbed back onto his horse and led his men farther east, past the camp Tyrion and his men had made. On the plus side, Tyrion likely wouldn't be having too much interaction with Ser Gregor. On the down side, the man was likely going to murder whichever men the King sent this way, causing this to escalate even more.

"If you want me to fight a war, my pay goes up," Bronn said as they watched the Mountain's men ride by.

"Stick with me Bronn, and you'll have your gold and more."

"More eh? What's more than gold?"

"Serve me loyally and I'll grant you a keep of your own. A Lannister always pays their debt."

If war was indeed starting, Tyrion wished it would hurry up already. Sitting stationary at a camp was one of the most boring things Tyrion had ever done in his life. There were no books to read and no whores to lay with, and the nearby villages were too small to provide either. He kept his men from wandering into the villages and causing problems, and tried to do the same with the Mountain's men, though with mixed results.

Their scouts detected men from a few Riverland houses coming from the north. The first group was about 150 men from House Shawney of the Stoney Sept, who had apparently seen the Mountain from a distance and turned around and rode back the way they came, not that Tyrion blamed them. Another group of thirty men was detected coming from the northeast but they were intercepted by a rider and changed course to head west. Tyrion suspected they were joining up with the first group. The Mountain didn't seem concerned with these groups, and Tyrion figured if those Riverland men didn't get a large enough number to attack soon they would miss their chance once his father's men started arriving.

And miss their chance they did as fifteen days after the Mountain arrived, scouts saw two non-Riverland groups approaching them. From the west came the 3000 cavalry sent ahead by his father and led by Ser Adam Marbrand. From the east, marched a small column of Gold Cloaks, with men in silver armor, who flew the Stark direwolf, riding behind them.

Tyrion had no chance to even process the arrival of the Gold Cloaks when the Mountain and his men made their move. Whatever hopes of resolving this without bloodshed was ruined the moment the first arrow flew as the Mountain sprung his ambush. He could only watch from afar as Clegane cut through Gold Cloaks as if they were butter. The Stark men were on horses and better trained. They put up more of a fight, but in the end their forces were overwhelmed and they fled in all directions. Clegane's men hunted down as many as they could but some of the Gold Cloaks and Stark men were able to flee from the battle, maybe eighteen to twenty-five total if Tyrion had to guess.

Ser Marbrand had ridden up next to him and watched the end of the ambush with a blank face. After several minutes of standing next to the man on his horse, Tyrion turned to the copper haired knight, craning his neck to look at the man.

"Ser Marbrand, it is good to see you again," Tyrion said, choosing not to acknowledge the ambush he had just witnessed.

"And you as well Lord Tyrion. I have news from your father."

Tyrion couldn't hide the grimace at those words. Ser Marbrand dismounted his horse before reaching into his left gauntlet and pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment. He handed it to Tyrion, who opened it already knowing what it would say.

"My father wants us to start a siege on the Tower of the Rush," Tyrion said as he looked over the words. He made eye contact with Ser Marbrand. "Likely a short siege."

Ser Marbrand didn't respond, and instead went back to his men and started giving instructions to his men to form a perimeter around the Lolliston keep, just out of the range of any bowmen. Tyrion hoped that Lord Lolliston would come to his senses and release Jaime soon. No doubt the Riverland lord was hoping his fellow Riverlanders, or even the King, would come to his aid, but the chances of that happening were less and less every day the 17,000 men his father commanded marched down the Gold Road. Tyrion doubted his father would spare any person in that keep if he had to take it by force to get his son.

Robb VI

After the Harvest Fest had ended, Robb had spent a few days talking with Lady Mormont and Lords Karstark and Manderly, to work out the requests each of them had made.

With the encouragement of his mother, who told him he needed to not only start acting like the Stark in Winterfell but trust in his own instincts, and without reaching out to his father, Robb had decided to give House Karstark the three thousand gold they were seeking to build the small port at the mouth of the Grey. The Karstarks would have four years to pay the amount back before interest started getting added. Some of that money was given to Lord Manderly, whose shipbuilders would build two trading cogs for the Karstarks. The rest would go toward builders to build the piers and warehouses that would make up the port, as well as the road that would connect it to Karhold. Not to mention they'd need a tavern or two for sailors to feast and lodge at when they docked, and where there were ports there were whores, so a brothel would probably be needed as well.

For Lady Mormont, House Manderly would pay for their shipbuilders to build her house two new longships. They would be built outside of Torrhen's Square and then sailed down the river to Blazewater Bay, and then north from there. Lord Manderly also promised to find qualified sailors from White Harbor who would move to Bear Island and sail these ships.

In order to get House Manderly to build two longships for House Mormont, Robb had granted White Tower to Ser Wendel Manderly. As was previously pointed out, the land and people already served House Manderly, so it wasn't like doing such a thing was actively boosting the strength of the house. Although he had told the rotund knight that he expected him to marry and produce heirs so there would be no issue of lordship of the keep in the future. The man was already in his early 30s and took after his father in his weight, but even with that Robb was sure the man could find a suitable match.

It was nine days after the three remaining noble families left Winterfell that they received ill news. His father had been attacked in the capital by Jaime Lannister and had been heavily wounded, and several of the house guard who had gone to King's Landing with his father were dead. That was shortly followed by a raven with a warrant for Jaime Lannister's arrest.

The news had an effect on all of them. Arya was angrier than normal. Jon threw himself into his duties of helping train the house guard. His mother had wanted to head to King's Landing, but Robb had told her Rickon wouldn't do well down there and she couldn't leave her youngest without his mother at the moment. He didn't know how long she would choose to stay at Winterfell before making the trip to the Capital.

He himself felt uneasy about the entire situation. He wrote to Steward Tallhart of Moat Cailin and asked how many men he had to guard the southern pass and the response was that he had maybe forty. That wasn't nearly enough, and so he wrote to Lords Hornwood and Manderly, asking them each to supply one hundred bowmen to Moat Cailin's defenses. Lord Manderly and his retinue were probably still several days from White Harbor, but he knew Ser Marlon Manderly had been left as castellan and would do what needed to be done.

He also messaged the more northern of his lords - Karstark, Mormont, Umber, the Mountain Clans - with the command to start rallying their men. Likely the ravens would reach Karhold and Bear Island weeks before Lord Karstark and Lady Mormont's retinues did, they'd even reach Last Haerth before the Umbers who had left Winterfell two weeks ago. If things went well, the gathering of men would be disbanded as Jaime Lannister faced justice. If the Lannisters caused trouble, then Lord Karstark and Lady Mormont would be reaching their homes only to turn back around and march back to Winterfell with hundreds at their back.

Like every other night after dinner since the ravens about the attack on his father, Robb found himself in his father's solar with Jon and Theon.

"We should march south," Theon insisted. "Fully call the banners before it's too late."

"That's getting ahead of ourselves," Jon countered. "You're already doing more than enough. The northern lands already having their men gathered will cut off weeks from when we'll be able to march should the need arise."

"It will still take over a month for the Karstarks to get here, even if they have all their men gathered and ready to march. Then another month until even the first of our men reach Moat Cailin. By the time we actually enter the Riverlands, almost three months will have passed."

Theon was eager for war, to prove himself in battle as their fathers had one, or failed to do in Theon's case, a decade ago. Jon, like usual, was more level headed in his advice. So far there was no reason to call the banners properly. Nothing that required them to march south with the full might of the north behind them. Yes the Kingslayer had attacked his father, but the King had issued a warrant for his arrest and the man would either be executed or sent to the Wall.

Still, Theon made good points. The North was vast and even if the northern houses marched with all their men the minute he called for them, it would be months before they made their way out of the Neck and into the rest of Weteros. If something did happen it could be over with by the time the North arrived.

Before they could discuss it further there was a knock on the door.

"Enter!" Robb called.

Maester Luwin walked into the room, holding a folded piece of parchment in his hands. He bobbed his head at the three pairs of eyes looking at him.

"Pardon my lord, but we just received a raven from Riverrun. Given the unrest, I thought this shouldn't wait until morning."

"You thought right," Robb said, standing up and moving to take the message. He unfurled it and read the words to himself, his brows furrowing at what he saw.

"What is it?" Jon asked.

"It's from my uncle. Jaime Lannister is held prisoner in the southern Riverlands but the keep is surrounded by Lannister men. Tywin Lannister has called his banners and is marching on the Riverlands."

The eyebrows of the other three went up at his words. Robb turned and looked at Jon and Theon.

"Looks like your debate on whether to call the banners or not is no longer needed. Tywin Lannister has made the decision for us. Maester Luwin, let the ravens fly; the North marches to war."

Theon grinned at him, while Jon looked worried. Maester Luwin bowed low and rushed from the room.

That night Robb was unable to sleep, and despite Wynafryd's attempt to initiate sex, something he had been more than willing to engage in during the weeks after finding out of her pregnancy, for he found her even more beautiful now that she was carrying his child inside her, he was too far in his thoughts to even get an erection. He was going to be marching to what could very well be the start of another rebellion, this time led by the Lions instead of the Kraken. To some men the thought of going to war would not only not prevent them from getting hard, it would even excite them even more. Robb found he was not one of those men.

The next morning before they could break their fast he called everyone to the solar; Wynafryd, Jon, Theon, Ser Rodrik, Maester Luwin, and his mother. He had told Wynafryd about the raven last night and his decision to call the banners, but his mother and Ser Rodrik were still ignorant of it all.

"Last night we received a raven from Uncle Edmure," Robb explained, looking at the two who didn't know. "The Lannisters have called their banners and are marching on the Riverlands."

Ser Rodrik cursed and tugged at his whiskers while his mother gasped, a hand going to her mouth in shock.

"The King won't stand for it," his mother said, her words muffled behind her hand.

"After receiving this message, I told Maester Luwin to message our vassals and call the banners."

His mother gasped again and looked around the room. Ser Rodrik was nodding his head, agreeing with the decision, and the others were already aware.

"Robb, surely you aren't serious."

"The Lannisters threaten the Riverlands. Not only are they your home, they are ruled by my uncle and your brother. By the old gods and the new, it is my obligation to lend aid to my family."

"You don't mean to lead the men do you?" his mother asked.

Robb gave a resolute nod. "I am the same age my father was when he called his banners in rebellion against the Mad King. If I call them, I must lead them or my vassals will consider me weak and never respect me as the Lord of Winterfell."

His mother opened her mouth to respond but he didn't give her a chance.

"Ser Rodrik, with the leading members of the house guard, you are to gather the men around Winterfell and train them; pikes, spears, and bows. We have several weeks until the Karstarks arrive, I expect you to use that time wisely. Jon, you will take over the training of the new guards. If we are to go south, I want Winterfell well protected. Theon, you will lead our hunters in the wolfswood. We'll need more meat to feed the men who will soon be gathering outside these walls. Maester Luwin, whatever salves, poultices, and other medicines you can make, we'll need lots of it. Wynafryd, mother, we will need plenty of cloaks and banners, if you could lead the ladies with making them for us."

He received a nod in response from them all, except his mother who stared at him with wide eyes. He looked at her, imploring her to accept his words. She had told him to trust his own instincts, now he needed her to trust his instincts as well.

She gave him the smallest of nods but it was enough for him. He let out a soft sigh of relief. This would be a lot harder if he had to fight his mother every step of the way.

He would need to speak with Mikken about making the weapons needed to equip such an army. His father had sent a message a few weeks ago with the news that he had hired a blacksmith apprentice to assist Mikken in his duties. He hoped whoever this apprentice was they would be arriving shortly. They would need all the help they could get because the North was marching to war.