Chapter 17 – Defiance

Casterly Rock- 3rd month of 277 – Week 1 – day 6 – Mid morning

The party that rode up to the gates of Casterly Rock, around midmorning, was worn and tired. There were two boys were sagging in their saddles and the two young girls were no better. The eldest of which was struggling to maintain her composure. They were led by an older man, starting to go grey and had 4 men at arms with them.

Brynden Tully dismounted at the gate and led his horse into the small courtyard. He looked at the Gate warden. "I am Ser Brynden Tully, my family and I need to speak with Lord Lannister immediately."

But Tywin was already on his way down to the court yard, Joanna at his side.

"Ser Brynden" he greeted and he frowned at the raggered appearance of the four children behind him. "What brings you to Casterly Rock."

Brynden took a breath "A conspiracy Lord Lannister, against your Ward, Lady Karlyn Stark."

"And a Raven would not have been a better approach?"

"Ravens are watched My Lord." Catelyn stated as she dismounted. "I am Lady Catelyn Tuly. Eldest Daughter of Hoster Tully, and these are my siblings Lysa and Edmure and my father's ward Petyr Baelish. My uncle uncovered the plot and my father ordered him sent to the Wall to keep him silent."

Tywin frowned. "Go on."

Brynden nodded. "My brother is angry with Lord Stark and seeks revenge by having the daughter of house Stark, kidnapped and sold to a… house of ill repute in Kings Landing.."

Whatever else he would have said, was cut off by the arrival of three lathered horses. Led by Tyrion.

Tyrion and the two guards were flushed. "Father!" Tyrion called out as they galloped into the courtyard. "We need guards! Karlyn has been taken! Jaime and Ivory are searching for her with our other guards..." he gasped for breath.

Brynden cursed sulphurously and reached for his horses reins. "We arrived too late."

Catelyn sighed and sagged against her horse. They had run their horses ragged and themselves. It was too late. Lysa and Petyr exchanged looks and Edmure groaned softly.

The next few moments were filled with orders given and the Tully children and Petyr found themselves in the care of Lady Joanna who bustled them off to guest chambers for food and bathes.

Edmure and Petyr were tucked into bed and Lysa followed shortly after. Catelyn however remained awake watching as men rode from Casterly Rock, her uncle among them, at the side at Tywin's side to find the missing Stark. And she was thrown back in memory to the day not 20 days before when this had all started for them…

- MEMORY-

Riverrun - 2nd Month of 277 – Week 3 – day 2

Catelyn Tully, now aged 12, was sitting in what used to be her mother's solar listening with half an ear as the Septa prattled on about deportment and needle work.

Lysa, her younger by a year slipped up to sit beside her and said under her breath. "Petyr's father is here." Lysa carefully picked up her sewing.

"Oh?" Catelyn asked without moving her lips

"He is probably here to press the suit again." Lysa replied in the same vein. Both girls had grown adept at not moving their mouths while talking since this septa arrived.

"Maybe." Catelyn replied as she picked another thread. Ever since her father had told her that Lord Stark had cancelled the betrothal between herself and his heir, Catelyn had felt like her life was in a holding pattern. There were no other eligible sons of Lords Paramount and her father dared not even so much as suggest that she try for the prince. Lady's Karlyn and Lyanna Stark it was said, had been betrothed to Lord Jaime Lannister and Lord Robert Baratheon respectfully. And lord Mace Tyrell was already wed, as was Lord Doran of Dorne. She wondered if her father would look at Stannis Baratheon but he, like Lord Eddard Stark was a second son, thus to her father, not worth the effort. And, she mused there was no way, that her father was ever going to agree to a match between one of his daughters and Petry Baelish. It was absurd to even consider.

Petyr's great-grandfather was a Braavosi sellsword in the service of Lord Corbray; when his son became a hedge knight, he took the stone head of the Titan of Braavos as his sigil. Petyr's father, in turn, was the smallest of small lords of a few rocky acres on the smallest of the Fingers,[9] who befriended Hoster Tully during his service in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. This friendship led to Petyr being sent to be fostered as a ward at Riverrun. Petyr was raised alongside Hoster Tully's children, Catelyn, Lysa and Edmure. Because of Petyr's family holdings and his short stature, Edmure gave him the nickname "Littlefinger,".Petyr had grown close to the Tully children, but despite that friendship, a match was nigh impossible due to the low standard of house Baelish.

She was about to say more when there was a knock at the door. The Septa opened the door and frowned. "Yes, Lord Petyr."

The boy, aged 9, the same age as the Girls' baby brother Edmure, bowed and gave her a winsome smile. "My apologies, but Lord Tully has asked me to collect the ladies Catelyn and Lysa and bring them to his study."

The Septa sighed and nodded. She turned to find Catelyn calmly putting away her needlework and Lysa doing the same. The pair curtseyed to the Septa and left the solar behind Petyr.

However they didn't go to their father's study. Petyr paused at a door down the hall, rapped his knuckles on it and at the gruff voice of their uncle Brynden, pushed the door open and waved the girls on through.

The girls entered and curtseyed to their uncle.

"Uncle" Catelyn said frowning. "What is wrong?"

The Blackfish as he was known was glaring out a window. He waited until Petyr closed the door and then waved the girls to sit. "We have a problem."

Catelyn sat down and spotted Edmure off to the side. He joined the small group.

"A problem Uncle?" Lysa pressed

"Tell me, what do you know about the Lannister family?" Brynden said to Catelyn looking at her directly.

"They are the family of the Lord Hand of the King. Lord Tywin Lannister is the second most powerful man in Westeros behind the King. He has three children, and his eldest son Lord Jaime is to be Lord Lannister after him."

"Indeed. And Lord Jaime is all but betrothed to Lady Karlyn Stark, eldest daughter of Lord Rickard Stark."Brynden added. "And it is said his daughter, the Lady Cersei is to be married to the Crown Prince."

"Yes Uncle." Catelyn frowned. "We know this."

"Well your fathers have just gone and done something totally stupid and by doing what they have gone and done, will bring disaster down on our house from both Stark and Lannister!"

Petyr frowned "My Lord? What has they done?"

"He and Lord Baelish have conspired to make it possible for you Catelyn to marry Lord Jaime. By removing, lady Karlyn. They sent a raven to a man in the Westerlands not two hours ago, ordering him to hire cut throats to kidnap lady Karlyn and take her to Kings Landing. Where, they request that she be sold to a brothel. And the timeline? He wants it as close to the girls Name day as possible."

Catelyn paled as did Lysa, this was not a fate either of them wished on anyone. "Uncle... we have to warn Lord Lannister immediately."

"Your father has ordered no one be able to go into the ravenry except on his order. And he is banishing me to the Wall for daring to speak against it!'

Edmure bit his lip, even as Lysa gasped in horror and Catelyn stood. "When?" The eldest Tully girl asked. Her mind was swirling.

"Guards come within the hour." Petyr said softly. He had heard that much. "Lord Tully plans to send Ser Brynden to Queescrown tonight."

Catelyn nodded. "Lysa, you and Edmure, go quickly pack a few clothes and head for the stables, Petyr, to the kitchen for supplies. And then pack yourself. Uncle, I am sorry, but you are going to have to forgo the delights of the Wall. Pack light all of you. Meet in the stables in half the hour. Go"

Her siblings and Petyr ran from the room.

"Catelyn, you cannot be serious."Brynden said to her when they were alone

"We must warn Lord Lannister and if Ravens are being watched then we had best ride to Casterly Rock. Father is doing this as revenge against Lord Stark. Refusing trade did nothing I guess, and this is how he thinks to take revenge. A pure folly and one that, as you said will ruin us. We could end up like the Reyne's of Castermere!" And that she did not want to happen. "The stables Uncle. And make sure any guards you bring you can trust"

Brynden nodded and watched her fly from the room.

He gathered belongings swiftly and left his chamber. When he arrived in the Stables, he had 4 men at arms with him. All loyal to the Blackfish and not Lord Hoster. Petyr and Edmure were already mounted on their horses and Lysa was mounting hers while Catelyn fitted out a supply horse with their food and tents. All, he knew she had gathered from the storehouse. Without a word the men set to work on their own horses and another supply horse. Then they were off, riding out in the growing dusk through the back sally port of Riverrun. No one tried to stop them. Mainly because Hoster was keeping things quiet and didn't expect his brother to run.

Brynden knew why Catelyn had brought the younger three with them. Any left behind would be targets for Hoster's rage.

The group rode out into the gathering gloom and set up a pace towards the Westerlands and Casterly Rock. Brayden calculated as they road that it would take them nearly 20 days to make it to Casterly Rock, he just hoped that it would take that long for the plan to be set in motion. And that the Lady was well protected.

-END MEMORY-

Westerlands - 3rd month of 277 – Week 1 – day 6 – Late evening

Karlyn slowly came to her senses and felt wood beneath her. The wood was rocking and bumping. She opened her eyes to darkness and shifted, found her arms bound but not her feet. She lay still. And listened. And tried not to gag at the cloth binding her mouth. She felt sick. Milk of the Poppy always made her queasy.

"I tell ya Mort, this is a bad thing… we are gonna get hung.."

"Shut it Krut, we got paid to do this. Simple, we take this girl to the inn, then that man takes her

to The Landing. She will make him a pretty penny."

"Mort... she was riding with Lions, she is a Stark. You can see the sigil on her cloak."

"We gots paid. We does the job." The reply came. "Stop worrying."

There was a grumble from the first man. Karlyn lay quiet considering.

"She should be waking up soon…" muttered the second. "So, keeps your trap shut"

The cart? She was sure it was a cart bumped over another rut in the road and she felt her body shift on the boards. Each bump made her body move and it seemed it was moving away. But then without her sight she could not see to be sure. Fear threatened to swamp her but she forced it back. She was Wolf by the gods and Wolf did not cower and whimper! They would come for her.

The Lannisters would come and Ivory would come as well. Her wolf would smell her out. She had done so before when Karlyn and Tyrion were playing hide and seek and Tyrion had followed Ivory to her hiding space. She just had to focus on surviving, on not turning into a crying mess.

She also needed to focus on getting free. If she could. Maybe if she made enough noise they would stop the cart or carriage and she could get them to check on her. If she could slow them down... yes Karlyn needed to slow them down. She gauged her timing and after the next bone rattling bump she moaned, loud enough that the cart was drawn to a halt.

"Why yous stopping Krut!"

"She is waking." Krut replied. "Check on'er Mort"

The one called Mort grumbled and climbed down, making the cart, she was now sure it was a cart rock.

She heard the thump of his boots on the road surface. And then the cart jolted as, she assumed, he pulled the cover off the top. Under the hood it grew a bit lighter, though the stench got worse. The man obviously was not a fan of bathing.

She was hauled up by her arm and the hood was jerked off her head. She had kept her eyes closed as she was hauled up and as soon as her feet found purchase she opened them and glared as she lifted a foot and kicked the man in the chest.

He cursed as he released her arm and stumbled back from the cart. She followed him out of the cart and landed hard on the ground, the impact jarring up her legs. But she didn't pause as the man who had been kicked rolled to his feet, Karlyn ran. It was hard but at least they had bound her hands in front of her. Using her bound hands she tugged the gag down so she could breathe as she ran. She knew better than to stray from the road. She recognised the road. It was the gold road. They were heading away from Casterly Rock so she headed back the way they came. She could hear them shouting behind her and she knew she had to run as fast as she could. It was growing dark, which meant they had been on the road for some time. And she knew that being alone out in the dark without protection was bad, but what those men had planned was worse.

Their feet were pounding up the road behind her. She was not a fast runner. She never really had to run, and the boots she wore were for riding not for fleeing kidnappers! She stumbled in the dimming light and wished that she had stayed in bed that morning. A rough hand grabbed her around the arm and she did something she had never done. She screamed. Long and Loud.

And when they slapped their hand over her mouth she bit the hand, causing the man to curse. She spat the taste from her mouth and screamed again. Even though she knew it might be for naught.

A distance away, men roamed the roads and forests with torches and swords at the ready.

Jaime was on the Gold Road, with Ivory at his horse's side. He had met with his father an hour earlier and with him had been the Blackfish who had given him the run down. It had infuriated Jaime, that the Tully's... no correction, Hoster Tully was so stupid. But he had shoved it down and continued with the search. Both Tywin and Brynden road ahead of him now.

Ivory's ears pricked up and she let out a low growl.

Jaime reined in and the men behind him drew rein as well.

Tywin paused and turned. "Jaime?"

"Ivory." Jaime said.

Tywin had tolerated the wolf when it had first arrived, as he was often in Kings Landing he barely had to deal with it. But he knew from letters that the family accepted the wolf as part of Karlyn's entourage. He looked at the direwolf.

"Let her go Jaime." Tywin ordered noting the wolf's desire to hunt something.

Jaime nodded and reached down and touched the Direwolf's head. "Find Karlyn, Ivory. Find her girl" and the wolf took off. Jaime spurred his horse and followed, his father and the Blackfish right behind him.

They pounded down the Gold Road, and they must have travelled half a mile, when they heard it. A scream.

The direwolf seemed to react to that and Jaime had to push his horse into a full gallop as they raced towards the scream.

They rounded a corner in the road, and there, in the middle of it, two men were wrestling with a young raven haired girl.

Ivory didn't even slow down, she lunged at the group, snapping and snarling. The two men screamed in terror and scrambled back, leaving Karlyn slumped in the middle of the road. Ivory snapped and snarled again driving the men back.

Jaime rode forward and got between the men and the stationary card a few hundred meters down the road from where they had been with Karlyn. He drew his sword and held it business like. "Surrender" He ordered as his father, the Blackfish and their outrider's rode up. He noted that two of them were missing, most likely sent to call in the searchers.

Karlyn picked herself up off the ground and stared in disbelief and relief. Ivory backed up and stood beside her mistress. She looked up as a horse stopped beside her. "Lord Tywin." She managed. "Good evening." She gave a polite curtsey as best she could with bound hands.

A man at arms walked up as she spoke and drew a knife and cut the bindings on her wrists.

Tywin had to admire the girls' spark. "Lady Karlyn." He reached down his arm. "Ride with me" He all but ordered.

Karlyn took the arm and was swung up behind Lord Tywin with ease.

Jaime meanwhile had taken great pleasure in divesting the two men of their weapons. Guards tied up the two kidnappers and threw them into their own cart. Which was turned and would be taken back to Casterly Rock.

He rode up to his father. "How is she?"

"I am fine Jaime." Karlyn said before anyone could answer. She looked at the Blackfish and frowned. She noted the blackfish's insignia and her frown deepened. "Ser Brynden Tully." She said softly. "A surprise to see you here."

"Lady Karlyn" The Blackfish replied. "I am sure it is."

Tywin turned his horse towards Casterly Rock as men came from the trees on horseback and on foot to join the group as they moved back down the Gold Road.

Karlyn held on tight as they rode. She felt exhausted.

As they left the scene, Jaime was drawn back to the Cart and when he returned he had two leather sheaths in his hand. Protruding from them were the silver carved hilts of Karlyn's favourite daggers. He handed them to Karlyn with an "I believe these are yours My Lady" and a half mocking gallant bow.

She merely took them and nodded. "Thank you Lord Jaime."

It took hours and it was getting close hour of the Bat when they rode into Casterly Rock. Men came forward to hold horses and one of Karlyn's own Wolf Guard helped her down from Lord Tywins horse. And then Lady Joanna was there, gathering Karlyn close as people talked around them. Karlyn was all but asleep as she was led to her chambers by Lady Joanna and handed into Mira's care. She was fed, bathed and tucked into bed before the hour of the Eel.

She was drifting off to sleep when voices slowly drew her back, though she could barely open her eyes.

"How is she Mira?" That was Lady Joanna.

"Exhausted My Lady, My Lord."

"Did she speak of what happened?" Lord Tywin this time.

"She said that she was not harmed and that milk of the poppy makes her sick" the maid replied softly. "Her clothes were all intact My Lord. I do not believe she was touched in anyway."

Lord Tywin's voice conveyed his approval for the information. "Good. Let her sleep as long as she needs to tomorrow. I will commence my investigations with the Tully party and then when Karlyn wakes and has eaten, I will talk with her."

Whatever else was said, Karlyn didn't hear as sleep claimed her and she fell gratefully into a dreamless sleep.

Authors Notes and Review Responses

Thank you all for your reviews. I intend to see this out for a long as I can, and as long as people continue to enjoy it.