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Chapter 13

The Lone Wolf

Robb rushed in all haste uncaring of the anxious stares of the men in his army. None dared to say a word or get in his way, not with Grey Wind menacingly marching by his side.

His heart was beating faster with every passing second, as he saw the dreadful tent up ahead.

He was through its entrance in mere moments and saw a small pair of eyes filled with pain widen upon witnessing his arrival.

"Arya!"

His little sister who had been hanging near death for the past three days looked at him with a fleeting hope as he rushed towards her side.

"Robb...is that you?" she whispered weakly, as Mya who stood in a corner alongside Talisa watched tears freely falling from their King's eyes.

"Yes, Sister. It is me" assured Robb sadly, even as he gently grasped the weak hand that she raised towards him.

"It's not a stupid dream...is it?" questioned Arya in a voice barely above a whisper, making Robb smile briefly as he gently rubbed her hand with his own.

"No, I am not a dream. You are safe now with me, Sister" promised Robb, as Arya saw a huge direwolf walk towards the lower end of her bed and nuzzle against the sheets covering her legs tenderly.

"Greywind?"

The wolf gave a soft growl and looked at her intently as if answering her question which made her tear up as Robb gently brushed her hair affectionately.

"It hurts, Robb" she whispered miserably and in deep pain, making Robb wish he had the chance to again brutally kill the monsters who had tortured his sister in a manner like this.

"I know and I am sorry. Truly I am for not being there to save you or Father, but I will look after you now. No one will harm you until I am alive. Jon will also not let anyone hurt you ever again" swore Robb with tears falling from his eyes,

"Jon? He's here too?" asked Arya with barely concealed hope and joy in her eyes,

"He came for us, Arya. Our Brother came South to save you and Sansa, he is fighting the Lannister's and burning their lands as we speak. His heart will explode once he hears we have you back" said Robb happily,

"I...want...to...see...him...one...more...time...before...I...die...and..tell...him...I...am...sorry...for..loosing...Needle" whispered Arya as she cried out in pain making Talisa and Mya quickly arrive by her side.

"You're not going to die, Arya! Do something!" cried Robb desperately towards the two ladies, and felt his heart shatter when he saw the despair in Talisa's eyes even as she gave Arya a portion of Milk of the Poppy to reduce her pain.

As Arya drifted off to sleep, Greywind howled sadly making Robb feel great pain somewhere deep within his chest.

"We have done all we can to treat the external wounds the Princess has suffered, Your Grace. However, she has also received wounds within her body. She is bleeding internally, we are doing everything we can but only a miracle can save her now. We cannot move her to Riverrun as you suggested earlier as her condition is too fragile, we will be lucky if she survives or at best hangs on for another week or two at the maximum" said Talisa regretfully,

Robb wanted to cry out in anguish and sheer rage but was stopped from doing so upon the sudden arrival of Edmure Tully.

The Tully lord looked equally sad upon again seeing the worsening situation of one of his nieces and the despair in the eyes of his nephew and King.

He only regained some of his strength as Bryden Tully arrived by his side and looked sympathetically at Robb who only then noticed a letter in Edmure's hands.

"We have news from King's Landing, Your Grace"

(A Week Earlier)

Theon Greyjoy had never been more afraid as the walls of the Red Keep got closer and closer.

All around him, King's Landing was on fire.

For Stannis Baratheon's fanatic army had broken through the gates and were carving a bloody slaughter through the streets. Not even losing thousands of their own to wildfire had stopped the Stag fighters.

The Imp-Tyrion Lannister had fought heroically to defend the doomed capital with its City Watch until they were overrun.

Most of Theon's comrades had fear in their eyes as they saw the sheer destruction fearing they would meet their doom in this dying city tonight. Only the Smalljon's courage alongwith the Hound's guidance made them push on deeper into this hell.

What is dead may never die.

Theon couldn't help but remember his own House's words and it gave him the strength he needed as he gripped his crossbow tightly as the main gate to the Red Keep was surprisingly open as many of the City Watch defenders were fleeing inside the Castle to save their lives. Needing every fighting man they could get in the current situation, the Lannister and City Watch officers manning the Red Keep kept the gates open.

Upon witnessing the Hound leading a decent group of men carrying the banners of the Crownland houses made them allow Theon's group passage much to his never ending surprise. Alas, it was soon turned to despair when the gates were closed down as soon as their group entered inspite of the cries of hundreds of smallfolk who sought the same safety.

"Greyjoy, Owen, Lucas- you take half of our men with the Hound into the Keep to find Lady Sansa. I'll take the remaining half and open the gates by butchering the defenders soon. Till then I will pretend to join them in defending the Red Keep's gates to gain their trust to strike at the right time" commanded Smalljon quickly,

"Works for me, Giant Cunt" replied Sandor crudely, earning a gruff nod from the Smalljon.

"You know where she is, Clegane?" asked Theon hesitantly,

"I have a rough idea, a lot of fuckers will be in the way. Hope you green boys are ready to kill and be killed" grunted Sandor, as he unleashed his sword and marched forward.

"Let's go" ordered Owen Norrey, earning a nod from Lucas Blackwood who gathered a few swordsmen and crossbowmen making Theon follow after them. While the Smalljon and his group rushed back towards the Walls and gates to join the Keep's defenders.

Theon's first opposition was a group of Lannister guardsmen who stopped them from entering one of the Red Keep's entrance earning a snarl from the Hound.

"The Queen has commanded no one enters the Keep, Clegane. There were reports you fled the battle as well, what are your intentions?" asked the Lannister Captain suspiciously, even as his men raised their swords.

"Fuck this!"

Theon barely managed a blink before Sandor brutally chopped of the Captain's head instantly. Even the Lannister guards were horrified over the abrupt murder. On instinct, Theon had swiftly raised his crossbow alongside Lucas Blackwood as they both struck two of the guards right in the chest making them fall down like flies.

Sandor growled in anger and was about to charge the remaining three Lannister guards when the Stark and Vale crossbowmen finished them off with deadly bolts from their weapons before they could reach the Hound.

Together they then charged through the defenseless entrance with the giant form of Sandor Clegane leading them on with his bloodied sword.

They soon came upon another group of guards, the Hound was certainly not built for deception and did what he did best. The beastly warrior roared and started hacking limbs and heads as the Stark and Vale men joined the butchery.

Only Owen Norrey managed the Hound's brutal efficiency as the Mountain Clan Warrior slaughtered the guards without mercy. Within moments, the enemy group lay dead on the ground.

"Saw your Stark girl in her chambers last, stupid girl refused my offer to take her North to her family" commented Sandor bitterly,

"The Lady must have been afraid, Ser" defended Lucas Blackwood,

"Stupid move, you dumb cunt. Stannis will not be any better for her once the flaming fucker and his men breach the Red Keep" replied Sandor angrily,

"Could she have been moved elsewhere?" asked Theon, trying to bring the group's attention back to their objective.

"She was earlier taking refuge in the Queen's Ballroom alongside Cersei and her noble women. I figure that's where the golden shit Jofferey would have ran back to. It would be heavily guarded, what do you want to do?" asked Sandor, looking at Theon seriously.

"We are too few to split off into different groups. Let's stick together, strength in numbers" suggested Lucas,

"Except for Jace and Sandor, the rest of us don't know the lay of the Red Keep. Take us to her chambers first, if she is not there then we charge to the Queen's Ballroom" decided Theon,

"I hope you're ready, Squid" was all Sandor said, as he lead them further ahead.

Three of their group fell in the next battle in another corridor as Lucas also took a nasty slash to his back from a dying Lannister guard before he fell. To the Blackwood's credit, the boy insisted on carrying on even as he was bleeding from the wound.

Theon realized why the Hound was feared as the large and fierce warrior cut a bloody swath through everyone that got in his way. If not for his strength, he doubted their group could have gotten so far- loathe as he was to admit.

Maybe the promise of a thousand golden dragons they had assured the Mad Dog in doing this task was also another incentive for the infamous Clegane Warrior. Theon could only wonder how Robb would take to the promise they had made the monster on his behalf, but that would only come later if they succeeded and made it out of this city alive.

He and Lucas peaked around the corridor and spotted a set of guards at another corner who looked quite nervous themselves. Nodding to each other, they aimed their crossbows and dispatched the two enemies silently earning an appreciative grunt from Sandor.

In a few minutes, they had reached Sansa's chambers but not before losing two more of their diminishing group with barely ten men remaining among their squad.

To their despair, the chamber was found to be empty.

"Fucking hell, Cersei must have dragged her back to ballroom. The mad cunt would like to take the little bird with her to the Stranger once Stannis storms this Castle" cursed Sandor,

"Nothing's changed. We push on to the ballroom, lead us there. We have come too far to run away now" said Theon bravely,

"Those might be your last words, Greyjoy" said Sandor with a bitter growl, but still did what Theon asked as he lead them towards the heavily guarded position.

Thankfully, they didn't lose anymore men despite encountering two more skirmishes with the Keep's defenders.

Their luck didn't hold out for long as they finally arrived at the ballroom and saw nearly twenty guardsmen defending the entire corridor. All heavily armed and Lannister loyalists who would die than let anyone reach the Noblewomen and possibly Cersei if she was in there with her bastard sons.

Their group paused abruptly and stayed out of sight looking at each other knowing they were outnumbered two to one. Most if not all of them may not walk out of this fight alive.

"We swore to King Robb that we will get his sister back or die trying. It's time we honor that oath" whispered Theon grimly,

"Then let's do this, Greyjoy!" replied Owen Norrey bravely, earning an unflinching nod from Lucas and the rest of their men.

Sandor merely nodded at them as Theon and Lucas both jumped out in the open and dropped the first two Lannister guards with their crossbow's. As the bodies fell, the rest of the guards were alerted to the attack as Sandor Clegane and Owen Norrey unleashed fearsome roars as they charged into the frey followed by the rest of their squad.

Theon and Lucas also switched to their swords on their belts and joined the melee.

The second son of Tytos Blackwood parried a powerful swing from the first guard that attacked them and was sunk to his knees with the force of the blow. But it allowed Theon the momentary chance of slipping past the attacker and jab his sword through the man's exposed armpit making him cry out in pain. Together, they hacked the guard brutally to death.

A firm kick from behind made Theon go crashing away to the ground, by the time he turned back he saw a large Lannister guard had parried away Lucas's sword and chopped the boy's head off as the lifeless body of the Riverlander fell to the ground.

Roaring in anger, Theon barely avoided the next strike the Lannister guard had aimed to cut him in half. Grabbing a dagger from his back, he threw it at the man and watched him flinch in pain as it struck his right arm. Not wanting to waste the chance, he charged down the larger man and shoved him to the ground before angrily stabbing his sword multiple times in the Lannister guard's face.

With the man dead, Theon moved on to the next enemy about to murder a Vale Knight. He stabbed the unaware Lannister guard from behind before wrenching his bloodied sword back to turn towards the next enemy.

He saw Owen Norrey expertly parry twin strikes from two Lannister guards with his dual axes before side stepping a little to slash their throats with brutal efficiency. The Hound was even better as he hacked their enemies to death without mercy, the rest of their men weren't so lucky as nearly half of their group was already dead on the floor.

Unwilling to lose the battle, Theon dodged a strike by ducking below and stabbed his attacker through the gut before another strike slashed at his left arm making him cry out in pain and crash to the ground. He would have lost his life at the next killing blow had Owen Norrey not thrown one of his axes straight into the Lannister guard's head about to end Theon's life.

The Mountain Clansmen paid for that noble act as another enemy near him used that momentary distraction to stab the Northerner through the upper portion of his chest. Owen paid the man for the assault by stabbing his remaining axe through the Lannister guard's skull.

Theon rushed towards the Northerner's side as the Hound and three of their remaining soldiers from the Vale battled the last seven Lannister warriors bravely.

"I'm not dead yet, Greyjoy! Let's storm the door and get Sansa!" grunted Owen painfully, as he wrenched his axe free from his dead enemy's skull.

Theon sadly looked at the decapitated corpse of Lucas Blackwood nearby.

Loyalty and Honor.

He hadn't known the boy long, but the young Blackwood had lived upto his House's words. Theon couldn't help but wish he could do the same for his own someday.

Steeling himself, he and Owen started hacking at the door and heard multiple shrieks and painful screams from the woman inside.

Desperately they renewed their efforts and broke the door in a couple of more moments only to find many women lying dead in the room. They were horrified to find an older man with a greatsword murdering the ladies of the court in cold blood. Owen threw his axe instantly and struck the man's ass with deadly accuracy making him fall to the ground.

Before the man could recover, Theon had rushed inside to stab him through the neck from behind earning another round of shrieks from the terrified women.

He must have looked crazed covered in blood as he looked at the women, even as Owen yelled out Sansa's name as he wrenched his axe from the dead man's body.

"Theon?"

He blinked in surprise when a familiar auburn haired girl emerged from the frightened group of women and stared at him in shock. Tears arrived in her eyes upon seeing him but for some reason she remained rooted in her spot even as the remaining ladies cowered away from the two Stark invaders.

"It's me, Sansa. Robb sent us to save you" said Theon reassuringly, as he extended his hand towards her.

"Come with us quickly, Lady Sansa. Before it's too late" urged Owen worriedly,

Sansa wept in sadness and joy as she rushed into Theon's arms making him wince in pain as she crashed into the wound he had suffered on his left arm. The Stark girl didn't realize it as she clung to Theon as if her life depended on it.

"Sansa, we need to go now!" said Theon urgently, making her finally break the hug and give him a nod.

As they were about to depart, she asked them to stop which made Theon look at her worriedly.

"Grab this man's head! He is Ilyn Payne, he executed Father and was about to kill us on Cersei's orders to prevent us from falling into enemy hands" said Sansa coldly,

Theon was shocked not just over the ever gentle Sansa's decision but also over the fact that he was the one who had dealt the killing blow to the executioner of Lord Eddard Stark.

Owen merely nodded in righteous fury as he chopped dead Ilyn's head and grabbed it in his left hand.

They rushed out of the doors and Sansa was shocked upon witnessing the carnage outside, but even more so when Theon and Owen barred the ballroom's door preventing a few of the ladies that wanted to follow them.

"They will only get in the way!" opposed Theon fiercely, and gave a heated glare which silenced any further word from Sansa on the matter.

A bloodied Sandor walked towards them holding his bleeding left arm making Sansa gasp in shock.

"You came back for me?" asked Sansa in disbelief, earning a curt nod from the Hound in return making her tear up.

Theon was disheartened upon seeing the Hound was the last of their group still standing apart from Owen and himself. The rest of their men alongside Lucas had perished in battle, but so had all the Lannister guards making the sacrifice not be completely worthless.

"Let's go" he ordered sadly,

By the time they came outside the Keep fighting two more skirmishes, Smalljon and his men had already engaged the remaining defenders in an effort to open the gates once more to secure their escape.

"Owen, stay and protect Sansa! Clegane, they need our help!" said Theon urgently, earning quick nods from the two men.

Sansa looked at him worriedly and he could only offer her a weak smile before charging forward with the Hound and took down two men with his crossbow before dropping the weapon completely and switching to his sword.

He saw a group of Valemen trying to open the gates and decided to join their effort as the Hound rushed to Smalljon's side where the enemy was fighting bitterly.

Rolling over the ground, he avoided a strike that would have taken his head off before slashing wildly at the Lannister guards knees making the man crash with a painful scream, Theon stabbed him through the back before moving on the next enemy.

Probably the fact that he was fighting to save his life and that of Sansa, he fought madly despite the fear burning within his heart.

He slayed three more men before reaching near the gate and joined the Valemen. Before he could aid them in their efforts to open the gates, he heard several roars from their back and saw a group of Lannister's charging at them.

Grabbing a spear in his left hand from a nearby dead soldier and his sword in his right arm, Theon stood his ground and was joined by two Vale Knights even as his wounded left arm throbbed in pain from the weight of the weapon.

He made the pain worthwhile by rushing forward and stabbing the spear through the first attacker before parrying the sword of another one. With a primal roar, he kicked and pushed the enemy a little away before swinging his sword to slice his neck.

"We hold them here!" he yelled, earning roars from the two Vale Knights who fought bravely against the onslaught.

Side stepping another strike, Theon kicked the next enemy's knee making him lose his balance and get a sword stabbed through his bowels. To his dismay, the man shit himself as he died creating an awful stench.

Together, he and the two Vale knights slew five more men before a flurry of arrows came down upon them.

The first of the Vale knights was hit by one arrow straight through the neck, while the second got two pierced in his chest as he was tackled down to the ground by two more enemy guards. Yet even as the Vale Knight died, he took one of the enemies with him by stabbing a dagger in the guard's neck as his final act.

Theon himself took an arrow to his back making him cry out in pain as he stumbled forward giving another enemy the opportunity to attack him. He grunted in more agony as a spear slashed at his injured arm grazing it badly before he tackled the attacker to the ground and buried his hands into the man's eyes making him die screaming.

Grabbing the dead man's spear, he threw it at a nearby enemy who had killed the second Vale Knight and was about to attack him instead. The man died with a painful grunt instantly as the spear punched through his belly.

He saw the archers on top of the walls were now aiming their shots at Smalljon's group supported by the Hound who were holding the bulk of the enemy forces away from the gates. Cursing, he grabbed his sword and rushed up the battlement.

For his bravery or stupidity, he earned another arrow to the shoulder before he murdered the archer who gave him the wound and pushed another off the wall.

Parrying away a sword slash from the next man, he kicked the enemy down into the courtyard. For once, he was thankful for having being forced to take Rodrik Cassel's fighting lessons all these years as they helped him stay alive.

He was grunting in deep pain by the time he dispatched the last of the archers on this battlement atleast and saw the gates were finally open as the Smalljon and the Hound alongwith the last of their men were making a fighting retreat towards the opening.

Their saviors came in the form of hundreds upon hundreds of smallfolk previously left to die outside the gates who now flooded in creating further chaos across the entire courtyard.

"Run, you cunts! Now's the chance!" yelled the Hound, even as he battled two more men.

Theon's left arm and shoulder were throbbing in pain severely, he quickly grabbed a bow and a dozen arrows from the dead archers nearby. Fighting back against the agony of his wounded body and its muscles, he trained a shot and loosened an arrow on an enemy about to attack the Smalljon from behind thereby saving the giant's life.

He saw Owen Norrey making Sansa get on a horse and doing the same for himself.

I have to provide them cover fire.

With grim determination, he set himself upon the critical task by loosening arrows one after another upon every enemy that tried to stop Owen and Sansa. He had never been excellent at melee combat as Jon or Robb, but archery was something that he was good at and he proved his skill by slaying or wounding every enemy that that tried to stop Sansa's escape.

He saw Sansa screaming in horror as her horse trampled upon many of the smallfolk trying to rush inside but Owen was a veteran warrior made of sterner mettle as he never let go of the reins to Sansa's horse and made it charge through the people despite the Stark girl's pleas to stop.

Owen delivered her in the safe hands of the few Valemen still alive who had opened the gates before riding back into the Castle to aid his allies as Theon himself marched down from the battlements.

The Lannister's were fighting back fanatically and few of Smalljon's men fell one after another even as the giant Umber heir and the Hound fought back bravely. They were a little relieved when Owen and Theon joined the frey.

"Smalljon, get out of here with the Hound!" said Owen as he beheaded another guard crudely,

"You're mad if I am leaving any of you here!" replied the Umber giant defiantly, as he punched a guard and struck down another with his sword.

Theon saw more and more enemy forces had swatted aside the civilians and were not about to surround them real soon. The Smalljon and the Hound were their strongest fighters, they would need such men if they had to escort Sansa through the battle filled streets of King's Landing to safety.

I am your brother Now and Always.

Remembering his oath to Robb gave Theon strength as he made his decision.

"Owen's right. You need to go, Smalljon. The Princess's only chance of survival through this battle ravaged city is by having you two giants at her side. I'll hold the enemy forces here for as long as possible with whatever men can be spared" said Theon with a resigned tone,

"I'll stay too. Greyjoy will need the help" replied Owen grimly,

For the first time, Smalljon looked at Theon with genuine respect in his eyes and then saw the bitter reality unfounding all around them.

"Greyjoy, Owen..." whispered the giant Umber hesitantly for the first time,

"Lord Stark was kind to me and Robb is the brother I chose. I'll gladly give my life to protect their family" swore Theon,

"As will I. Tell the King that we fulfilled our oaths to him and shall await him in the halls of the Gods! Greyjoy also killed Ilyn Payne who executed Lord Eddard, take his head back to our King as our final tribute!" promised Owen bravely, as he handed the head of the Royal executioner to Smalljon much to the Umber's shock.

The Hound sneaked a lone glance at the two men before engaging the enemies once more as Smalljon placed his hands upon their shoulders with everlasting pride in his eyes.

"I swear that your sacrifice will not go in vain. Owen, you are a credit to Mountain Clans honor. And Theon, you may have been born a squid...but you are our comrade. I promise I will not let the North forget what you are doing for us today" swore Smalljon grimly,

Owen and Theon nodded as the last of the Stark men still alive also volunteered in this doomed delaying action earning a final respectul nod from the Smalljon before he and the Hound retreated towards the last Valemen protecting Sansa.

As the enemy forces tried to pursue the Umber giant, Owen and Theon alongwith the last seven Stark guards got in the way.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with a Greyjoy" grunted Owen with a thin smile, as both he and Theon jointly blocked an enemy's strike before stabbing the man clean through the chest together earning a smirk from the lone Greyjoy.

"How about side by side with a comrade in arms?" asked Theon, making Owen's smile grow more.

"Aye, I could live with that"

The last of King Robb's commando force fought like demons by killing a dozen enemy men one after another and buying valuable time for their Princess's escape.

Their fate however was sealed as they too fell in quick succession with Theon witnessing Owen getting stabbed by four enemies from multiple directions, the Mountain Clansmen roared a primal death cry as he sliced the throats of the two in front of him who had dealt the mortal blow and was only silenced when he was at last beheaded by the others enemies at his back.

Theon himself had slain or severely wounded atleast seven more men and was the last man standing from their rearguard before he was struck by two arrows to the chest making him fall to his knees.

He saw the archers on the other battlements were about to deliver the killing blow even as his vision was fading.

I have kept my oath, Robb. I leave the rest to you. Win for all of us, Stark.

"What is dead may never die" whispered Theon with a resigned smile, as a volley of arrows descended upon him and he knew no more.

(Present Day)

Ser Bryden and Lord Edmure witnessed the tears that fell from Robb's eyes as they finished reporting the news they had received from Smalljon Umber.

Sansa's rescue from the capital was a great victory, but judging from their King's heartbroken gaze and tears- the price had been too high.

"They kept their oaths" whispered Robb miserably, earning a grave nod from Ser Bryden.

"They did, Your Grace. Most of the commando unit perished in this suicide mission, but their sacrifice helped us rescue Sansa from the Lannister's. Smalljon has already landed with her in the Vale alongside the Hound, while Dragonstone is being sieged by good portion of Lord Karstark's fleet while Rickard himself is with a Strike Fleet near King's Landing for any opportunity to attack" reported the Blackfish solemnly,

"The price of this victory was too high. I lost two good brothers in arms- Owen Norrey and Lucas Blackwood, my best friend and brother in all but blood- Theon, and more than 80 loyal men. I am glad their sacrifice was not in vain but the price was too high" lamented Robb bitterly, as he clenched his fist in grief and anger.

The King became somber upon remembering how Owen Norrey had been the second man to volunteer for this suicide mission right after the Smalljon bravely. Of how Lucas Blackwood had promised to rescue Sansa even at the cost of his life.

Of how Theon had sworn himself to him, stood by his side loyally even when all those around them doubted or ridiculed him for his Greyjoy blood, how he had given Robb good counsel with the Vale fleet, how his best friend had never hesitated when he asked him to save Sansa and died fulfilling that order.

"May the Gods bless their souls for they were truly loyal men who fulfilled their promise even at the cost of their lives. They will be remembered and honored" promised Robb sadly,

"We have news of the City as well, Your Grace" informed Edmure, making Robb look back at him.

"Last reports say while Stannis captured the Walls, the Lannister-Tyrell army arrived in full force a little later. Currently, we assume Stannis is busy trying to defend the Walls while also trying to storm the Red Keep to destroy the Royal Family" informed Edmure,

"That will tie up the Lannisters and the Reachmen in the Capital a while longer if Stannis's military prowess is to be considered. Tywin will throw every man he has at King's Landing to save his family in the Red Keep which will increase his losses, I doubt Stannis will survive the onslaught for long but it does give us a opportunity to raid the Westerlands and the Reach with impunity as per my plan" said Robb, earning nods from his two Uncles.

"Lord Edmure, order Smalljon to prepare a large escort to take Sansa back to Winterfell so she can reunite with our family and be safe there. Then the Umber heir is to rejoin our campaign with all haste, I will atleast save one of my sisters from further danger" decided the King,

The Tully lord nodded with determination before Bryden raised another question that troubled all three men greatly.

"What of Arya?" asked the Blackfish sadly, and the deathly silence from Robb made the two Tully's more worried until their King finally spoke after several long moments.

"Bring Jon here as fast as possible at all costs, Lord Royce is to take over his command in the Westerlands with additional reinforcements. Arya wants to see him"

(Westerlands)

Jon found himself back in the familiar courtyard of Winterfell. He knew it to be a dream when he saw it was entirely deserted and made his heart quicken as a pack of crows flew above its walls as a wolf's painful howl echoed throughout the Castle.

The beast cried again and again making him quickly walk towards the direction of the voice to find out what was hurting it.

It took him towards the Crypts of Winterfell as a foreboding feeling started to envelop his heart as the wolf's cries were coming from underneath it.

His eyes widened in absolute shock when he saw Robb and Bran walking towards the Crypts from other directions of the Castle. He wanted to call out to his brothers but no words could escape his throat, and he saw they were experiencing the same unnerving situation.

Unable to do anything but stare at each other, Jon felt the foreboding feeling in his heart grow stronger when he saw a knowing sadness ever present in Robb's eyes which frightened Bran as well.

The wolf howled once again and they were even more shocked when little Rickon and Sansa emerged from one of the doors to walk towards them. They were experiencing the same dream even as all the brothers gazed at Sansa in shock for it was the first time they had seen her ever since she left for King's Landing with their deceased father.

They could see in it in her eyes that she was no longer the innocent girl who had left Winterfell even as she flinched in fear when the wolf howled once again.

Robb took the lead and marched somberly down into the crypt with a haunted gaze making the rest of his siblings follow after him in eery silence.

They marched down the tombs of their ancient Stark ancestors one after another until they reached the last corridor by following the wolf's cries as it became more painful and tore at each of their hearts.

Jon's eyes widened in shock when he saw Arya standing near a tomb with a statue resembling Lord Eddard Stark. Beside her was Nymeria- her direwolf who looked at him with the closest expression to grief. Arya was looking at their father's statue with a knowing expression which made Robb finally fall to his knees in despair.

Bran and Rickon alongwith Sansa teared up when Arya turned towards them and gave them a sad smile.

Jon rushed towards his dearest sister when he saw she started to vanish before their eyes making Bran, Rickon and Sansa follow urgently. Only Robb remained on his knees in despair...

Jon barely managed to wrap his arms around Arya alongside the rest of his younger siblings, but she vanished before they could say anything and her last words spoken in a fleeting whisper haunted his heart.

"I'm sorry"

Robb awoke with a shocked gasp escaping his throat even as Greywind in his tent howled sadly. Tears were freely falling from his eyes over the dream and when few minutes later, he saw a crestfallen Edmure Tully and Ser Bryden enter his tent...he knew it was not one as he clenched his fist bitterly drawing blood.

"Your Grace..." said Edmure in a crestfallen voice, and saw a knowing gaze present in Robb's tearful eyes.

"My sister is dead"

Author's Notes: End of chapter.

A sister saved and another sister lost alongside the deaths of dear friends and comrade in arms. This is a great blow to House Stark and to both Robb and Jon alongside the rest of their family and allies.

There was no way for Arya to be saved after undergoing what she had at the hands of Vargo Hoat's brood, not at her young age. In a way, her desire to see Jon and all her other siblings one last time before dying led them all to have that dream in the Crypts, like Bran and Rickon had with Ned's death originally.

The Lone Wolf has died, but the pack is still alive. Arya was the lone wolf like Lyanna and she fought as best as she could with all her might, unfortunately none of her family or allies could reach her in time. Sansa would have met the same fate if not for the sacrifice of Theon, Owen, Lucas and all their comrades who gave their lives for her.

Theon's death was equally hard to write alongside the others, but I am content that he lived and died by his oath to the Starks. In most stories I have read, he turns traitor and dies as one in brutal ways. But I have a strong belief if some decisions had not been made like in the books or show, he would have fought and died for Robb as he did here.

While writing this, I desperately wanted to not kill everyone who died but at the end knew I had to stick to the vision I had originally planned. Suffice to say, Jon and Robb alongside the rest of the Stark siblings will never be the same again after this and these deaths will have consequences.

Arya never got her dying wish to see Jon before she truly died, if not counting the fleeting last moment in the Crypts.

I don't kill any character without reason or without a realistic situation that I have in mind with the plot, but won't hesitate to do so with the vision I have in mind.

One can only imagine Jon's reaction once he returns next chapter to reunite with Robb and truly learn what has happened to their sister and comrades. The consequences of these deaths will be reflected in the story real soon...I guess this might be one of the rare stories where Arya dies.

Reviews would be appreciated.

Until Next Time,

Blackwolf501