Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Rodrik, Robb, Daenerys
Rodrik
Ser Rodrik tensed upon hearing the pitiful cries of some unfortunate animal, harassed by some terrifying creature in the infernal pit of mud, reeds, and more mud pits with a few drops of water where they now found themselves.
Ser Rodrik grimaced as he saw his closest men flinch in the shadows of the night, entrusting their souls to the old gods, sure that they wouldn't emerge alive from this battle.
He looked to his left, where a slight man stood with two boys, gazing at the black river of turbid and infernal waters before them. It seemed as if they were observing their home's courtyard, unaffected by the nightmarish sounds that led his men to pray.
"It's just a swamp snake getting its dinner, a rather noisy frog," explained Lord Howland Reed nonchalantly.
"Don't worry, Ser Rodrik. The animals of this swamp have keen eyes to recognize our enemies," added the young Jojen Reed, Lord Reed's son, who was almost of adult age but stood a head shorter than Robb at his age.
His words didn't instill confidence in Ser Rodrik, but the raven perched on the boy's shoulder, with whom he used to converse much like young Bran and Rickon did, indicated that this child was akin to them.
Ser Rodrik gazed beyond his allies, where his men were accompanied by some of Lord Reed's men, present to guide the way and ensure that their army didn't drown in some swampy pit.
On the opposite side, it was the same: five hundred of his men awaited among the shadows of the swamp trees, about thirty meters from the Fever River. Before them, on the riverbanks, rose mounds covered with scrub…
"They're approaching," Jojen Reed announced, interrupting his thoughts.
Ser Rodrik looked to his left but saw nothing drawing near. Nevertheless, he murmured orders to his men to remain silent and crouch in their places, although it wasn't necessary, for Ser Rodrik was already blind beyond forty meters, and he assumed his enemies weren't in a better position.
The Ironborn, whose fleet ventured through the gleaming waters of the bay, sailing from the River Saltpans and ending at the Fever River in an attempt to take Moat Cailin from the north, were drawing near.
Their aim was to surprise Moat Cailin, but now they would be ambushed, as Robb had sent them there with seven hundred of his men and reinforced with three hundred swordsmen he left to protect Moat Cailin, in addition to Lord Howland Reed's men, who were skilled archers and served as guides in these marshy lands.
Thus, the Ironborn, instead of heading toward an easy victory, had fallen into a deadly trap, much like what happened to the old lion Tywin Lannister, who, when attempting to ensnare Lord Stark's second army, was caught off guard, and all his preparations nearly cost him his head.
Ser Rodrik supposed that someday, his lord's enemies would realice that setting ambushes was akin to seeking death, but perhaps that news wouldn't reach them throughout this entire war…
Shortly after, Ser Rodrik heard a splashing in the water. Beyond the shadows created by the trees, under the moonlight and stars, the river filled with small boats advancing unhurriedly but steadily through the dark waters. His enemy was already there, spanning the width of the river with hundreds of boats that must have held around two or three thousand men, perhaps more, as he couldn't see their end as they reached his position and passed by him.
Ser Rodrik didn't make any movement and waited for some time, his body tense and hand on his sword, until at least half of the boats had passed. In the distance ahead, a war horn and drums were heard.
"To the catapults!" Howland Reed shouted, and along the banks of the Fever River, his orders resonated as groups of men emerged from the tree shadows and rushed toward the riverbank.
Ser Rodrik joined his group, reaching the mound covered with cut shrubs where his men cleared a catapult, black stones, and barrels of oil that were already being uncovered.
Before them, the men on the boats also began shouting and lighting torches, calling their archers to form.
"Raise the shields!" Howland Reed ordered.
Five men lifted what elsewhere would be wooden gates, covering ten meters in front of their catapult, which was already being prepared for its first shot. Two men operated the firing mechanism, while another two positioned the rocks on the lever, and another poured oil for a sixth to ignite a torch and light them.
"Fire!" Howland Reed roared, and the catapult launched three flaming rocks, but it wasn't the only one.
On both sides of the river, over fifty catapults opened fire, and with the number of boats in the river, they all hit their mark. On the boats, men screamed with agonizing cries that only being burned alive could produce in a man, but the men manning the catapults did not relent.
Ser Rodrik, who was behind the wooden planks that shielded him from arrows from the nearest boats, heard the sound of water, as if rocks were being thrown, and he knew that the Ironborn were approaching. He was about to step out to confront them the moment they emerged from the water, to take advantage of the weight and fatigue the water would impose on them, when the splashes turned into men's screams of terror.
Ser Rodrik shuddered and peered out to see the river illuminated by the blazing bonfire that the boat fleet had become. He directed his gaze to the water, where dozens of men had plunged in to swim to the shore and face them, but all he saw was the water turning red, and men screaming in desperation as they struggled not to be dragged down by swamp creatures determined to make a meal of them.
"I suggest you refrain from entering the water; the lizard lions and water snakes don't distinguish between allies and enemies when they're feeding," Meera Reed said, carrying a bow and arrows as she shot at the fleet from behind the wooden planks.
Ser Rodrik could only nod and raise his shield to step out from behind the planks, accompanied by ten of his men, and run toward the shore. He had twenty men, but six of them operated the catapult, and anotherr four stood guard until the reloads were exhausted.
Upon reaching the shore, Ser Rodrik only saw terrified and bloodied men emerging from the water. Men whose will was to escape, not fight. Some with their mouths foaming, like a poisoned animal.
In the center of the river, fiery rocks continued to rain down, as each catapult had twenty loads, and they hadn't fired even half of their shots.
…
Finally, when the catapults had nearly depleted their loads and over half of the boat fleet had turned into a massive inferno, the boats that had sailed closest to the shore drew near enough to lay down planks and disembark directly onto the shore. However, before facing him, they received a shower of arrows from Lord Reed's men and then confronted a charge from him and his men, who advanced in ranks with steel armor and spears.
Thirty meters behind them, in the tree line, Howland Reed's men kept shooting arrows incessantly, as most of the Ironborn were without steel armor, and even leather was scarce. They were easy prey.
…
As the fire loads for the catapult were exhausted, Ser Rodrik organized all his men into two rows of ten.
"Maintain the ranks!" ordered Ser Rodrik, advancing and pushing the disorganized pirates into the river.
They were bandits, and a double row of ten well-armed men in steel armor and spears overcame fifty of them. They also didn't carry shields, and those who attempted to encircle his men were easy targets for Lord Reed's archers, who, with a fleet ablaze in the middle of the river, had no shortage of targets to choose from.
Ser Rodrik's and his men's task was to keep the Ironborn on the beach. Besides his group, each catapult had a team of twenty men armed with steel, backed by archers, who wouldn't allow the Ironborn to organize and would keep them in manageable groups.
…
During the battle, Ser Rodrik maintained his men in formation, losing a couple of men due to lucky blows in the gaps of their armor. But his goal of keeping the Ironborn in the river and away from their ships was achieved.
…
At the battle's conclusion, Ser Rodrik surveyed the results. Amid the battle, the blazing ships were dragged by the current and carried toward the shore, burning those who had stayed safe and forcing the Ironborn to disembark, fight, surrender, or attempt to flee on foot along the riverbank.
Ser Rodrik, who had needed the guidance of the lake folk to reach there without sinking into some marsh pit, already considered them dead and didn't order pursuit.
…
In the morning, they had a thousand prisoners, but Ser Rodrik supposed that half of them would have died by midday due to their condition. They had been bitten by snakes and delirious from the venom, or were half-burned and taking their last breaths.
As for the rest, they had been fortunate enough to survive until the battle's end, hidden in the boats until they started to catch fire. They emerged to surrender, with most being archers.
Ser Rodrik tallied his losses, receiving reports from his captains while avoiding looking at the river, where all sorts of creatures feasted on the corpses still floating amidst the smoldering remnants of the fleet. He and his men were covered in the ash carried by the morning winds.
"Any report on Victarion Greyjoy?" Ser Rodrik asked his battle captains.
"Survivors say his ship was among the ones at the front and center, but those burned first," reported one of his men.
Ser Rodrik looked at the river, which slowly carried the charred corpses away. He remembered that the Ironborn fought at sea, as their god would receive them if they fell into the water, or something like that. What he couldn't recall was whether river water was equally valid or only sea water. Either way, the kraken had lost his brother along with a portion of his fleet.
…
Robb
The news of Renly's death spread like wildfire, and Petyr Baelish soon learned of it, shifting his focus on negotiations towards the Reach. Robb smiled upon seeing this.
Baelish was easy to predict; he wouldn't spend his own resources, which were Lysa Arryn and the Vale, if he could secure the Reach. With Renly's death, this territory was practically within his reach, as they feared that Stannis would declare war on them once he claimed the throne. Robb continued to watch Baelish but let him be.
Robb also refrained from intervening in King's Landing, where Tyrion was plotting schemes, recruiting guards, and dealing with potential traitors. Varys was also weaving his webs and offering his assistance. Robb merely observed everything and did nothing to thwart their actions. He didn't want to draw attention.
…
Three weeks after Renly's death, the Ironborn finally reached the northern shores. Robb, who had been waiting for them for a month, could only sigh at the sluggishness with which everything moved in this world, despite knowing that this granted him an overwhelming advantage over other contenders, as he was the only one capable of observing everything in real-time.
Besides him, there was Melisandre and her glimpses of the future, but she couldn't compare to him, as those visions were limited and didn't allow her to send real-time messages throughout the realm.
Robb continued to watch as the Ironborn arrived and those already alerted on the rocky coast hurried to run as soon as they spotted the ships. They had already been forewarned by one of the letters written by Maester Luwin, who had slapped their leader in the face, although it took a while for him to find someone who could read. However, they eventually obeyed the instructions and posted lookouts.
When Theon disembarked, he found empty fishing villages, making him nervously look around. He even asked his men if they had seen any ravens, and they looked at him as if he were foolish.
Robb, who was observing him through the eyes of a rat from a shed, rolled his eyes. Despite that, he watched with disappointment as Theon ignored his veiled warnings and fell right into his trap. He left him to his fate because he and his men were on the coast, while Winterfell was in the heart of the continent, and it would take them quite some time to get there.
On the other hand, the Iron Fleet had already infiltrated his territory and intended to use it to attack Moat Cailin with a fleet of their own.
Robb had spent a fortune on oil and black rocks, which were essentially oil-based weapons, but Howland Reed and Ser Rodrik had turned them into ashes, catching the Ironborn completely off guard and causing a massacre. Trying to ambush him was simply courting death, and Victarion Greyjoy understood that when he and his armor sank to the bottom of the Fever River, becoming food for the lizard lions and water snakes.
Robb also hadn't forgotten Theon's mad sister, Asha Greyjoy, and he checked on the five hundred men, consisting of two hundred from the Winterfell Guard and three hundred from the small army he had sent to train with Ser Rodrik, which he had reinforced and sent to Deepwood Motte two weeks ago. They had been waiting for Asha Greyjoy for two days. They were preparing to ambush her, as Robb's order was to ensure the capture of Asha Greyjoy, and that could only be achieved by ambushing her.
The hunters of Deepwood Motte and the guards were concealed as best as possible around the fortress. Robb was satisfied with their preparations, and as Asha Greyjoy was still a week away, he saw no need to issue more orders.
…
The next day, Robb focused his efforts on attacking the second of the small castles in Lannister lands that he had invaded, to draw Tywin Lannister's attention, whom he was also monitoring and whose correspondence he controlled.
Robb didn't intend to let news of the siege being lifted at Storm's End reach Tywin until he decided so. However, he hadn't taken any action with the correspondence until now to avoid raising suspicions and to make Tywin believe he was well-informed about the war situation.
…
A month after Renly's death, Robb went to his tent early and ordered the military actions against a castle in the Westerlands to be halted. He had no interest in capturing It or causing a massacre. He only sought to make the lords of the Westerlands call upon Tywin to defend them.
Robb stopped the attack because Petyr Baelish was approaching Bitterbridge, where the Tyrell army, led by Mace Tyrell, was still encamped.
Mace didn't know how to untangle himself from the mess he had gotten into and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to his mother, who was a true harpy. She didn't let a day go by without reproaching him for the disaster they were in now because of him and how Stannis would cut off all their heads.
Stannis wasn't well-liked by many lords, but that didn't mean his command abilities were scorned. The Queen of Thorns calculated that in a confrontation, Stannis would defeat them, despite them having an army twice the size.
What they didn't know was that Stannis had forgotten about them after grinding his teeth and cursing. He only thought about the throne, and the only thing more important than that was claiming Storm's End, the Baratheon heir's seat, which its custodian refused to hand over. Robb didn't intervene there either because it suited him for the Tyrells to remain fearful.
All of Robb's attention was on Petyr Baelish, who could already see the Tyrell army camp and was preparing to set up camp and begin negotiations in the morning. He ordered his guards to set up the tent and fetch water for bathing and changing clothes. It seemed like he planned to go negotiate that very night.
Robb took control of one of the ravens at the Tyrell camp and had it fly to the top of a tree, from where he retrieved a letter and dropped it at the entrance of Mace Tyrell's tent. A guard picked it up, but the ruckus of the raven alerted Margaery Tyrell, who had come to console her father. She went out to see what was happening and upon seeing the letter, she turned pale, snatching it from the guard's hands and hiding it. She then went inside, calling for her father.
"Seems having a bad reputation is sometimes useful," Robb thought, turning his attention back to the raven monitoring Baelish's camp.
While Robb had been absent, Baelish had bathed, dressed in silk, and mounted his horse. With the falling shadows and the sunset, which tinted the sky red, Baelish pointed out the Tyrell camp over a kilometer away. As he spoke with his typical cunning smile to order the march, a raven flew over his head and dropped a venomous snake onto him.
Robb lunged with open jaws and landed on his neck, sinking his fangs to inject the venom.
Baelish's horse reared up, and he fell backward. Robb bit him again on the neck, and before his guards arrived, he had bitten him twice more on the face. Baelish managed to shake him off, screaming in pain from the fall.
Robb didn't press on and let the wounded snake go its way. He regained control of the raven to observe how Baelish, as his guards lifted him, began convulsing after calling for a maester.
To Baelish's surprise, when his twenty men saw him agonizing, fifteen of them, who made up his personal guard, hurried to mount their horses and flee the scene. The other five, who were from the Gold Cloaks, looked at each other not knowing what to do.
Finally, seeing the Tyrell camp and then Baelish, it was clear they weren't betting on his life either. However, Robb supposed they couldn't flee to save their lives and hurried to lift Baelish and take him to the Tyrell camp.
…
Twenty minutes later, Robb smiled even more when the Tyrell guards expelled a dying Baelish. A maester examined him and then discreetly signaled to a lord, who rushed to Mace Tyrell. He, in turn, ordered Baelish to be taken out of the camp and his guards killed if they didn't obey.
In Mace Tyrell's hands was his open letter, but there was nothing inside. Margaery's sharp mind understood that Baelish was their card and acted accordingly.
…
"Young one, the use you make of your magic is no different from those who use blood magic, like that red priestess," reprimanded the three-eyed raven, who was watching his actions.
"Nonsense. That woman is just a girl compared to me. If I want to instill terror with my magic, I assure you that even you wouldn't be able to imagine the things I can do," said Robb, annoyed by the interruption in that solemn moment, which was the agonizing and miserable death of his father's killer.
"Evil…"
"An excuse used by those in power to ensure the unsuspecting and innocent follow their rules, don't escape their control, and never match them in this game called life. Anything your rivals dare not do is something to worry about less…" Robb shook his head to calm his thoughts.
"Leave me! We'll talk later," ordered Robb.
The three-eyed raven retreated from his mind. Bran, who was lurking nearby despite being told not to approach, also hurried away, sensing Robb's anger and hatred.
This anger and hatred belonged to this life and were Robb Stark's, but his thoughts were from another life, his previous life. A miserable life that forged a bitter and lonely man, who, fortunately for the inhabitants of his world, never held power in his hands. If he had, blood would have flowed abundantly.
Robb thought about that distant world as he continued to watch Baelish breathe his last breath. So much resentment, so much anger, but what hurt the most wasn't that. What hurt the most was the helplessness. A constant state of vulnerability and misery.
Robb also reflected on his own world. He, as Robb Stark, had always been happy. And of course, he always considered himself a good person. But what would he think of himself in his previous life outside of this world? This resentful man wouldn't see his life or his actions; he would only see the people around him.
Theon Greyjoy. How many peasant girls had he dishonored without consequence? Could he do the same if they were noble ladies? How many people were starving in the lands his own family ruled? How did the people supposedly under his care dress and eat?
In the memories of his previous life, he read the story where the butcher's son was condemned to death by the queen, by the Hound…
"Lord Stark, hypocritical piece of shit," Robb thought, even though they weren't his true thoughts or those of his other life. It was just resentment, anger, and pain, because it was a reality.
…
Robb didn't leave until Petyr Baelish died, so swollen and purple that he was unrecognizable. How many people Baelish owed. He wasn't very different from the queen. Prostitution business, specialized in catering to all kinds of fetishes. Forced service…
"Jeyne Poole," Sansa's friend who always followed him around in Winterfell, blushing whenever she saw him. A foolish girl, just like her sisters, brothers, and himself. With her head full of fantasies and, like him, the unfortunate fate of seeing all her fantasies become an inevitable reality.
Jeyne was Sansa's lady-in-waiting and was also meant to be traded with her, but she had fallen into Baelish's hands and had endured brutal beatings she couldn't forget. That's why Robb didn't send her with Sansa; he simply told her she was fine and that he would send her to Winterfell.
Of course, he lied. Jeyne didn't want to return to Winterfell. Her father was killed, and she fell into Baelish's clutches. Her desire was to get rid of him, not return to Winterfell, which was only a nightmare for her.
"Jeyne, I hope you enjoy my gift to you," said Robb, looking at Baelish's corpse and leaving the raven's mind to return to his tent.
…
The next day, Robb captured the besieged castle and continued his march through the Lannister lands, aiming to lure Tywin Lannister there.
On that day, Asha Greyjoy attacked Deepwood Motte, was captured, and most of her men died. The survivors, regardless of their noble status, were executed by Robb, as he considered them pirates, just like the Iron Fleet.
…
The following day, Robb continued his campaign, heading towards another small castle. Robb had eight thousand men with him, to avoid alarming the lion and drawing his pursuit, and also to cross the mountains without trouble.
Robb had already informed his men at Riverrun about the plan, as after getting to know Edmure and his loose lips, Robb decided he was untrustworthy and left sealed orders for him, for when Tywin decided to march.
…
Robb focused on small castles, taking one after another in the following weeks, until, a month after reaching the coast, Theon and the Ironborn were close to Winterfell.
Theon used his audacious strategy of leaving around thirty men with him and sending their leader to attack Torrhen's Square as a distraction.
In reality, Robb was disappointed in him, as Theon had spent a lot of time marching with him and should have realized that reckless ideas were suicide. The only way to defeat him was through strength.
…
"Halt!" ordered Robb to his marching army a week later, as a raven landed on his shoulder.
This raven had a paper attached to its leg, though that was just a cover for its excuse, as it was actually one of Bran's controlled ravens. Bran informed him that Theon's plan had been set in motion and they were approaching Winterfell, having seen the garrison depart days ago.
Bran conveyed all of this, but Robb pretended not to have heard anything. He retrieved the rolled parchment from the raven's leg and pretended to read the nonsensical writing on it, which he had told his esteemed lords was a secret code.
"Set up camp and prepare my tent!" ordered Robb as he whistled, and more than ten ravens flew to him from the nearby woods.
That's why he had earned the nickname "the Lord of Ravens," and his lords were used to seeing the birds fluttering around him, especially when strategizing.
"My lord?" asked the elderly Karstark, who had become one of his shadows since joining his guard.
"Grandfather Karstark, Theon Greyjoy is about to lose his head," was Robb's response, with a touch of anger, still annoyed by Theon's stupidity in thinking he could catch him off guard.
The elderly Karstark spat on the ground, followed by the bear woman riding by his side.
"I told you he was good for nothing more than being a hostage!" declared Rickard Karstark.
"His father is a pirate who has already sacrificed half a dozen sons, and those were the ones he valued. He can barely stand to look at Theon. He was already gathering his fleet as soon as we left the North," replied Robb.
The lords who had hastily ridden towards him upon seeing the ravens fluttering above him looked at him in dismay.
"Why didn't you warn us? The North is exposed!" scolded Great Jon.
"What's the use of causing a commotion?" Robb asked calmly. "The Ironborn are pirates; an army of a thousand well-armed men is enough to stop them. That's why I left three hundred men at Moat Cailin, our fallback point in case I was wrong.
"Furthermore, before leaving, I left orders to train an additional army of a thousand men at Winterfell. Seven hundred of them, led by Ser Rodrik and supported by Lord Howland Reed and his men, ambushed the Iron Fleet heading to attack Moat Cailin, coming down the Fever River. Right now, their fleet is reduced to ashes, and Victarion Greyjoy, their commander, is fish food.
"Others of those men have captured the Kraken's daughter when she attacked Deepwood Motte. Now I'll use them to capture Theon and put an end to the Kraken's heirs," explained Robb.
His lords looked at him much like they did when they discovered he had planned the assassination attempt on the Kingslayer's arm as they left Winterfell. But this time, no one spat on the ground, as his honor hadn't been stained.
"The Cunning Wolf!" exclaimed Great Jon, a man Robb thought had a propensity for sudden changes of mood and had given him almost all of his nicknames. The army cheered behind him, and some lords nodded in agreement.
"You're scaring my ravens. Set up camp and my tent. I need to organize an ambush halfway across the continent from here," ordered Robb. In truth, the action was already underway, but he couldn't tell his lords at that moment.
…
Half an hour later, Robb was sitting on the ground in his tent, with his eyes rolled back, and Grey Wind standing guard by his side. Outside the tent, his twenty guards had orders to kill anyone who approached without a good reason.
Now, all his lords took that order seriously whenever he gave it. Throughout the war, the supposed method of sending trained raven carriers to deliver messages in person had been their main war resource, providing them with many victories and easy strategies. Hence, it was treated with a murderous zeal when put into practice.
…
After Theon saw the garrison of Winterfell depart for his supposed distraction, he waited for several days. One night, when he was sure the guards wouldn't return, Theon gave the order to attack at midnight. However, the guards he had seen leave were already surrounding him at that moment, and just a few minutes later, he was captured without difficulty, as there were two hundred well-armed men against a handful.
…
At midnight, Theon lay in a cell in Winterfell, awaiting his trial, while his accomplices didn't even make it there, as they were executed upon capture.
"Fool!" accused Bran behind Hodor, looking at Theon with a look of disaster in his cell.
"Young Theon, more was expected of you!" said Maester Luwin with regret. Robb wouldn't say the same; it was evident this was the most they could expect from him.
"Kill him!" sentenced Rickon, whose response to anything that disturbed him was to order beheadings.
"Young Rickon, calm down!" reproached Maester Luwin.
"I am Theon Greyjoy, heir of Pyke, I have a duty to my family," said Theon, looking at Asha Greyjoy, who had received several beatings and was unconscious beside him.
Asha had not behaved properly, and the last kick was received upon entering the cell. She was now unconscious, considering she came from Deepwood Motte and had been receiving daily beatings for her defiance, it wasn't unusual.
Asha Greyjoy didn't appreciate that most of her men were massacred in the ambush. She found herself caught in a rain of arrows from the front and rear, killing a quarter of her men before they could take cover. In the next moment, they were charged by a well-equipped army. Being pirates, they suffered a humiliating defeat.
Asha was captured, and the survivors were executed as the pirates they were. Robb didn't plan to show them any mercy. Lately, he didn't feel charitable at all.
"Your family? Weren't you always saying that Robb was your brother?" asked Bran indignantly.
Robb let go of the raven after securing Theon and returned his mind to his tent.
…
Five days later, Tywin finally made a decision due to the havoc Robb was causing in his lands. He resolved to pursue him after reviewing his correspondence and seeing that Stannis was still intent on besieging Storm's End, despite Renly's death and the support of Storm's End lords for Stannis.
With the lion's departure, the lion's leech came out behind him to harass his rear guard and give him constant headaches. Robb supported him by preventing him from falling into ambushes, sending ravens to warn him of hidden enemies.
This time, Tywin Lannister was prepared for the leech, marching at a steady pace and keeping his troops battle-ready at all times. This resulted in tired men who needed more time to set up camp with each passing day.
Robb counted his forces, and thanks to the time spent in Harrenhal, they had regrouped, and he had thirty-five thousand men once again, nearly matching his strength when considering the Riverlords. The old lion didn't attempt to ambush them on the road or hatch any plans, which made Robb concerned when he realized he wouldn't be able to wear down Tywin's army on the way.
…
"Halt!" ordered Robb in the mid-morning, six days after the lion left his den.
His lords approached, and Robb signaled his guards to let them pass.
"Tywin Lannister is coming to meet us, and he's not looking to the sides or back. It seems he no longer trusts tricks to face us and is coming straight."
"Given that, I propose we charge as well and see who gives way more when we collide," Robb told his lords as they approached, before anyone could ask him why they had stopped.
"Finally, a real battle!" roared Great Jon and then spat on the ground.
"What's Stannis's situation?" asked the Blackfish. Great Jon spat on the ground again.
"Damn southern lords! Are you thinking of running, eh?" asked Great Jon indignantly.
"If King's Landing falls, Tywin Lannister will face our army and King Stannis's army at the same time. If we wait, we'll double our numbers and have a secure battle," explained the Blackfish.
"Tywin Lannister will cut off his own balls before giving us a secure battle!" retorted Great Jon, and Robb thought that this time the brute was right. An even battle was the most he could expect from Tywin Lannister.
"I mean he might surrender. With King's Landing in the hands of King Stannis, he no longer has reasons to fight," the Blackfish replied. That was also true.
"My lords, I don't think this discussion will be a short one," Robb intervened. "Set up camp. I'll meet you all in my tent to hear opinions and ideas, and then we'll see what our best options are," Robb ordered.
Great Jon sighed in resignation but obeyed.
…
Two days later, they marched to meet Tywin Lannister, who was closely followed by his forces in the Riverlands, organizing themselves at his back. However, Tywin didn't look back at them even once and kept marching straight towards them.
Great Jon was thrilled by the impending battle. Robb, not so much; he trusted that he was better armed and would have a tactical advantage on the battlefield thanks to his ravens, but he didn't like that they had equal numbers. If things went slightly awry, it could end very badly for him.
Robb thought about throwing a snake at Tywin as he had done with Petyr Baelish, but that strategy would likely earn him a negative reputation, and people would take his supposed animal control seriously, ruining any future advantage he might use.
A covert snake in Tywin's tent was a better idea, but Tywin was too meticulous with his belongings, and his servants checked his tent for any lurking critters. They were at war and always in unfamiliar territory, so Robb stopped thinking conventionally and opted to think more creatively.
If he couldn't sabotage Tywin in person, he would focus on weakening his army before or during the encounter, whichever was more beneficial to him.
Set on his plan, Robb focused on studying the daily movements of the Lannister army and sent a raven to Roose. He also summoned Brynden Tully to his tent and broadly explained his plan while asking if he knew of any slow-acting poison that could weaken a man in large quantities and if it could be manufactured. He inquired about the ingredients and the method of use.
His uncle Brynden looked at him cautiously and with a certain distaste, but, as Robb suspected, he didn't shout that he lacked honor, as the other lords might have done.
On the other hand, Roose, upon reading his letter, merely asked how much poison he needed and if he already had the ingredients to make it, as well as the method of its use. This lord didn't even blink upon receiving the news of the death of his bastard; he simply replied that he already had a new wife who was pregnant.
Robb looked at his lords, seeing accusatory glances directed at him as he left the meeting with his uncle. They knew he wasn't particularly honorable and liked to play dirty. Seeing him meeting alone with his only morally questionable general, now that Roose wasn't there, they feared he might do something that would tarnish the honor of the North.
Robb didn't mention the meeting, and neither did Brynden. Since no similar event occurred again and Brynden had already told him everything he knew, plus Roose was taking care of everything else, Robb didn't display any other odd behavior. His lords were reassured as they marched to meet Tywin Lannister and his army, keeping theirs well-rested and well-fed.
…
Daenerys
Daenerys Targaryen was recovering from the assassination attempt she had suffered the day before by a masked assailant. She initially believed the assailant was a girl until it released some kind of insect that ended up under the staff of a distinguished, white-bearded old man.
Her Bloodriders looked at him with suspicion, but she held him in high regard because he had saved her life.
The old man wasn't alone; he was the squire of a sellsword in the service of Illyrio Mopatis. He offered to take her to Pentos, where her dragons could grow in relative peace.
Daenerys, who was searching for ships to leave the city of Qarth after a bad experience with its rulers and citizens, accepted the offer, and they were now heading to see Illyrio's ships, guided by her sellsword Belwas the strong and his squire Whitebeard.
Daenerys was looking at the ships when one of them, docked in front, caught her attention. First, because people were coming out of it and blocking her way. Second, because the ship bore a coat of arms she recognized: the Stark direwolf.
As she observed the armor and weapons of the army forming ranks right in her path, there was no doubt they were Westerlands troops. Their distinct and eye-catching arms and armor confirmed that.
"Khaleesi, I think we're going to face a battle," said Aggo, drawing his arakh. Ser Jorah also unsheathed his sword.
"My queen, the man at the forefront is one of Wyman Manderly's sons, a lord from the North," he said, pointing to a bald man with a walrus mustache.
Before her people could ready themselves to defend her, a white banner of the Faith of the Seven was lowered from the ship, indicating that they came in peace or on a diplomatic mission.
Behind the banner came two girls: a red-haired one in a beautiful blue dress and a short, brown-haired one wearing trousers and tunics, with the head of a white direwolf with blue eyes embroidered on her chest. The girls were followed by about twenty septas of the Faith of the Seven, and when they stood before the small army of men, they advanced toward them.
"My queen, we should withdraw," advised Ser Jorah.
"I won't flee, Ser Jorah. Besides, they bear a banner of peace," said Daenerys.
"What's a banner of peace?" Rhakaro asked urgently; Danny assumed it was in case it was an unfamiliar weapon.
"It means they won't fight us and only want to talk," Daenerys explained, as the Dothraki looked at her in disbelief.
"Why disembark an army if they're not going to attack?" Jhogo asked.
Daenerys didn't know how to answer that without getting caught in an endless stream of questions. She remained silent and waited for the two girls to introduce themselves, as they were ten paces away. Around her, many curious onlookers observed and murmured.
The bearer of the banner came within three meters of her and stepped aside to reveal the two girls, escorted by two rows of septas, and behind them, the small yet well-armed army of Northerners.
"Greetings, Aunt Daenerys," the red-haired girl greeted formally with a curtsy. Danny thought she must have misheard when she was called aunt, and decided to let it slide. "I am Sansa Stark, and this is my sister, Arya Stark. We are here on orders from our brother, the Lord of the North, Robb Stark, known as the Wolf of Winter, to greet you and bring you some minor gifts in an effort to reunite our families, separated by the tragedy of a fateful war," the girl explained solemnly.
Daenerys blinked. She hadn't misheard; these girls believed she was their family. She smiled.
"My name is Daenerys Targaryen, also known as Daenerys Stormborn, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. I have no familial relationship with the Starks of Winterfell, who killed my father, my brother, and my nephews," Daenerys introduced herself, taking the opportunity to reprimand their audacity.
"This woman has more titles than Robb," Arya remarked, the other girl giving her a gentle nudge without losing her amiable smile and perfect posture.
"That's because you're ignorant about many things," Sansa stated calmly. "In reality, we are family, as your brother Rhaegar married our aunt Lyanna Stark, and they had a son. Unfortunately, my grandfather and your father fell victim to a conspiracy that made them kill each other, and in the end, it claimed the lives of Uncle Rhaegar and Aunt Lyanna as well.
"Fortunately, their son survived, and when our father learned the truth, he raised him as his bastard in Winterfell, naming him Jon Snow and making him our brother," Sansa explained. Daenerys was shocked and looked at Ser Jorah, seeing the surprise on his face too.
"My queen, indeed, I've heard the name Jon Snow, and how Eddard Stark brought him back from Dorne along with the body of his sister Lyanna. But all the rest, I've never heard," Ser Jorah said, still grappling with surprise.
"Your Majesty, if you allow me, before coming here, we passed through Oldtown and retrieved these documents," Sansa said, and one of her followers stepped forward and handed her a scroll. Daenerys took it and, after reading it, passed it to Ser Jorah.
"Do you think it's real?" Daenerys asked. Ser Jorah inspected the document.
"It could be fake, but it wouldn't make sense since if we check the Citadel's records, the lie would be easily revealed," Ser Jorah said.
His statement seemed to indicate everything was in order, but in reality, it warned her to first verify the Citadel's records. Daenerys nodded and took back the scroll.
"And what do the Starks desire, to swear allegiance to the rightful queen of the Seven Kingdoms?" Daenerys asked. Sansa shook her head.
"The Targaryens lost the throne fifteen years ago. Now, you're an exile, and if you want the Iron Throne, you must conquer it.
"However, we're not here for political discussions, but for a family meeting. As I said before, my brother has heard of your misfortune and, in honor of our brother Jon, he has sent some supplies and us to meet you. If you accept us, we would also spend some time by your side," Sansa explained sincerely.
"And I suppose he's also sending you because of a certain rumor about dragons," Ser Jorah said suspiciously.
"No rumor!" Arya declared. Daenerys had to admit her denial was convincing. "My brother said he'd see dragons if he came here. If there are no dragons, I'm going back to kill the Lannisters," she added, and Daenerys blinked.
"Yes, we know about your dragons, and we've brought gifts for them too, and we have no intention of stealing them," Sansa Stark said with a stern tone, looking at Ser Jorah. "The Starks don't betray our family," she declared, and Daenerys saw how those words affected her advisor.
"The Mormonts don't betray our family either; this dishonorable coward is the exception," one of the septas sentenced.
"Dacey?" Ser Jorah asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?" he added.
"She lost her honor and was exiled," Arya said.
"I didn't lose my honor. I was betrayed by my lord and was entangled in a conspiracy, but then everything was cleared up and officially, I didn't do anything wrong. However, Mother didn't believe me, got angry, and I ended up here," Dacey explained.
"She crushed Jaime Lannister's sword arm when he was her prisoner and then lied to her mother about it, she's lost," Arya said.
Dacey was about to retort, but Sansa stepped in and looked at Daenerys.
"Aunt Daenerys, we await your answer," Sansa said.
Daenerys was in a dilemma. If it were any other lord or their envoys, she would undoubtedly reject them and continue on her way. She wouldn't accept anyone who didn't recognize her as queen. But this case was different because they could be her family and claimed to be here for her, not to formalize alliances, although they admitted they already knew about the dragons, which could be dangerous for her security.
"What if I decide to keep your gifts?" Daenerys asked, looking at the girls' ship.
"You can do that, the gifts are yours, whether you receive us or not," Sansa said. "But that ship you're looking at is our ship. Your gifts are the ones following that," she pointed to the row of ships after hers. "There are ten ships bought in Braavos, and their crews have been hired for three years.
"Inside them, there are food supplies, weapons, and some equipment. My brother apologizes for the lack of gold, but as you must already know, our family is facing a war. Our lord father has passed away, which is why our brother has sent us to you to keep us safe from the war," Sansa explained authoritatively.
"Well, I wouldn't say ten ships are a small thing," Daenerys admitted, who didn't even have one ship. She also felt a bit guilty, remembering indeed there was a war in the Seven Kingdoms, and it was very likely that a family that had already lost their leader would want to protect some of its members.
Furthermore, the way the girl mentioned her father's death broke her heart, as tears had brimmed in her eyes. The younger one also bit her lip, and her eyes glistened, even though she didn't cry. They must have loved their father.
"I will receive you," Daenerys said.
"My queen," Ser Jorah said with an alarmed tone.
Daenerys knew why. Illyrio had sent only three ships, and here they had eleven, which could easily overwhelm them and steal their dragons. Daenerys understood that. But she also understood that they could do the same if she left and they attacked her later, so there wasn't much difference.
"Alright, let's see the dragons," Arya declared.
Daenerys smiled at her impatient nature, although she didn't forget that this girl had previously said that if she didn't see dragons, she'd go back to killing people, and that didn't seem to faze her. Nor did it seem like she was just playing around.
"Then let's go," Daenerys said, leading the way.
NA 1: This chapter is a bit long, because I have added some things to explain more in depth what was happening. The solution was to leave Daenerys' POV for later, but I decided to leave it there.
NA 2: The war continues and the Ironborn, who expected to arrive by surprise and unnoticed, were ambushed from all sides. Victarion is fish food, and Theon and Asha are prisoners. Part of the Iron fleet was turned Into ashes, and Robb did not grant them any mercy, ordering the execution of the survivors and refusing to recognize them as noble prisoners, giving them the status of pirates.
NA 3: Baelish has fallen, and has been used as a warning for the Tyrells to stay out of the war. Tywin marches towards Robb and he has already ensured that his path to him is not interrupted.
NA 4: Jeyne Poole is still in King's Landing, and we will see more about her in her own POV soon.
NA 5: Arya and Sansa have presented themselves before Daenerys as family, but they do not recognize her as Queen. Later we will have more POV of Daenerys. It is my favorite POV of this fic, but not because of Daenerys, but because of Ser Barristan and a peculiar situation in which he is involved.
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