Kapitel 27: Chapter 27
Okay, let us proceed with another chapter. I should add that next chapter, I am going to be going back to multiple POVs per chapter. I just wanted to focus on writing these few chapters before I did.
One other thing: Any events I don't cover in this story proceed as they did in canon. There's no need to rehash story elements we already know.
The morning after the battle found Arya and Steffon waking at the crack of dawn. Already, the camp was bustling as the knights and soldiers saw to their weapons and armour as they prepared for the day's march. Rumours were spreading through the camp that Steffon was preparing to attack Felwood and Bronzegate to secure the roads to Storm's End. Others were saying that he'd advance southward to the Weeping Town. What Arya did know for certain was that her betrothed placed a higher emphasis on defeating Renly in detail, rather than taking castles.
"Good morning stag boy."
"You too wolf girl." Steffon replied before looking around. "Where's Waldron?"
"Not sure." Arya replied. "I'll see if I can find him while I'm training with Syrio." She added as Waldron stumbled into the tent with Steffon's breastplate.
"Apologies Your Grace. I was trying to get some of the damage repaired on the straps." He said.
"Not a problem Waldron. Put it down there." Steffon replied. The squire nodded and did so. "Could you wait outside for a minute Waldron?" He asked. The squire nodded and headed outside, jumping a little at the sight of Ghost outside the tent. Steffon was the first to dress himself so Arya could have privacy to change. About 10 minutes later, she was heading out to practice with Syrio. Or she would have been, but not 5 minutes after they had started, one of the Stark household guardsmen that had come down informed her that her mother wanted to see her. Promising to Syrio that they would make up the time that afternoon, she headed over to her mother's tent, guarded by Stark men.
"Arya!" Catelyn said as her younger daughter entered the tent. "Gods, you have grown."
"I'm still shorter than Steffon."
"Yes, your betrothed . . . I'm told that you sleep in the same tent at night and shared a chamber on Dragonstone." She said. Arya blushed despite herself.
"Nothing happened mother. Well . . . something did." She said. Catelyn's eyes widened.
"Arya, if you two-"
"Gods, we didn't do that. Steffon's too honourable to try that before marriage and he knows I'm more than capable of fighting him off if he did." She explained.
"Is it true that he's not a good swordsman?"
"He's not bad, but not brilliant. He's more valuable hanging back in the rear and commanding the army. He actually says fighting at the frontline stops a commander from seeing the whole battle."
"Then he is a sensible man. If only I could convince Robb to do the same . . ." Catelyn trailed off.
"I saved his life. At the Battle of the Kingswood. He'd been stupid and sent Jon into the fight and one of Renly's knights attacked him. If Edric and I hadn't turned up-"
"Wait, you attacked a knight?"
"She would've killed Steffon!"
"She . . . nevermind. Arya, you charged into the middle of a battle!"
"I didn't! Not into the middle of it!"
"You should have let that Edric Storm rescue him!"
"I'm supposed to be marrying him at some point, or did that escape you?!"
"It did not but ladies do not charge into battle to rescue their husbands!"
"I am not a lady!"
"If you are going to be the Queen you must learn to act like one, and not like a spoilt child!" Catelyn yelled. That quietened them both for a moment as Catelyn's words sunk into Arya. Is that what her mother thought? That she was acting like a spoilt child?
"If I'm a spoilt child mother, then why do I share the same tent as Steffon when I could easily demand my own? I'm eating dried meat and hard bread like everyone else in this camp. I could just as easily be making ridiculous demands every night. You know why I don't? Because I know that no one else in this camp gets to. It wouldn't be fair." Arya said. Catelyn sighed regretfully.
"Those were . . . the wrong words to use, Arya. I was just-"
"Everyone alright here?" Steffon asked, sticking his head inside the tent. "Ser Barristan said he heard yelling."
"We're alright, Steffon." Arya replied, pecking his lips.
"Would you like to come in, Your Grace?"
"Yes, actually. I needed to speak with you." Steffon said, walking into the tent.
"Steffon, can you please tell my mother that it's okay for me to fight?"
"Well . . ." Steffon began, only for Arya to fix him with an intimidating death glare. "Lady Stark, I will not lie and say that I like Arya being on the battlefield . . . but perhaps it's for the best."
"Your Grace-"
"Lady Stark, I could put Arya in a stone cell a hundred leagues behind the battlefield with a guard of a hundred men and she'd still find a way to it. Jon wants to fight, and I'm not a good swordsman. I would feel more secure with Arya at my side. It's not unprecedented for a Queen to fight. Nymeria led the Rhoynar in war when the Martells conquered Dorne. Visenya and Rhaenys Targeryen fought at Aegon the Conqueror's side when he took Westeros."
"I understand Your Grace, but this is my daughter. If something were to happen to her . . ." Catelyn's lip wobbled for a moment, and Arya could see genuine concern in her mother's Tully blue eyes.
"I understand your fears Lady Stark. However, I stay at the back of most battles. Arya wouldn't be fighting unless someone directly attacked me, and what happened at the battle yesterday is rare." Steffon explained. Catelyn held their gaze for a while then sighed and nodded.
"Very well. Gods, you are as stubborn as your father was." She smiled wistfully. "Keep her alive Your Grace. Our family could not stand another loss."
"Of course, my Lady. You needn't worry about that. As I said, I stay back from the battle because I need to be able to coordinate it. Arya won't be in any danger unless they decide to directly attack me, which barring yesterday, is unlikely to happen." Steffon said. Catelyn nodded.
"Then . . . just stay safe Arya." She said
"Of course, mother." The girl replied. The two hugged for a minute before Catelyn turned to Steffon.
"Your Grace, I wanted to inform you that Robb has won another victory at the village of Oxcross. He fell on the army of Ser Stafford Lannister in the night and took them by surprise."
"Oxcross . . . that's barely three days' hard ride from Lannisport. Does he intend to attack Casterly Rock already?" Steffon replied.
"No. He intends to Ashemark first."
"Ashemark? Why not attack Casterly Rock now?" Arya asked. "It'd end the war quicker."
"It's a significant morale victory yes, but the only way this war will end is when King's Landing falls. The Rock itself is of little military value." Steffon said
"But it's the Lannisters' ancestral home."
"Maybe, but defeating the enemy on the battlefield is far more important than taking their castles. We could take all the castles we want, but until we defeat Tywin Lannister in battle he holds the upper hand, and as long as he holds King's Landing, the war will continue." He explained. Arya nodded.
"Okay then. If you don't mind, I should go and find Syrio." She said before leaving. She found Waldron outside, waiting for Steffon.
"Lady Arya, a pleasure to see you."
"Waldron. I assume you're waiting for my betrothed to finish speaking with my mother?"
"Indeed I am, My Lady. Though I must confess, I am unsure as to why a King must seek counsel from the mother of one of his allies."
"She came with news from my brother's campaign, Waldron." Arya replied a little testily.
'Of course, My lady. Apologies." He said, bowing. "If I may say so, you look very beautiful, My Lady." He added. Arya blushed a little before regaining her composure.
"T-thank you, but please keep those thoughts to yourself."
"Of course My Lady. I apologise." He said as Steffon came storming out of the tent. "Your Grace, are-"
"Not now, Waldron. Arya, come with me please." He said. Arya quickly followed the obviously angry king as he marched into his tent. "Your brother has undermined me to a truly stupid extent."
"How?"
"Oh, nothing in particular. Just that apart from the deal he made Waldron supposedly gets the pick of whatever noblewoman he wants to marry when the war's over." He said. Arya noticed that like the time on Dragonstone, he wasn't shouting. That was not a good sign when he was angry.
"Robb had to get across the Twins, you know that."
"So he completely undermined my position to do so? He's made me look like a king who can't control his own subjects." Steffon said furiously, stabbing his dagger into the wooden table in the middle of the tent. "He's made me look stupid." He seethed.
"Steffon, calm down." Arya said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Robb had to do it to get across the Twins."
"He didn't have to make that fukcing offer though, did he? He should've told me at the very least."
"How?"
"Send a raven or something. Anything to stop that fucking abysmal arrangement."
"Steffon, he was outside the Twins. How was he going to send a raven?" Arya asked. Steffon took a moment to regain his composure.
"I know, Arya, but he undermined me. Next time he does it . . . I'll have to issue some sort of punishment, and that is not something I look forward to."
"Your Grace?" Ser Barristan said, opening the tent flap. Arya noticed that he wasn't wearing his armour. "I am ready to leave, but I still think this is not a good idea."
"Leave?" Arya asked.
"Your counsel is noted, Ser Barristan. You may go." He said. The old knight nodded and closed the flap as Steffon turned to Arya. "Yes, he is leaving. I have instructed Ser Barristan to make his way to Essos. To protect Daenerys Targaryen." He said. That got Arya's attention.
"The girl whose father our fathers fought to get rid of?"
"Yes, I . . ." He trailed off. " . . . I feel . . . like I have some sort of responsibility to atone for the way the Targaryen babes were killed when my grandfather sacked King's Landing."
"We weren't even alive then, you idiot."
"I know, but . . . Arya, the Mountain raped and murdered Elia Martell in one of the most brutal ways I've ever heard. He smashed her son's head against a wall. Amory Lorch stabbed her daughter fifty times . . . they didn't need to die, let alone in that fashion." He said, hanging his head as his hands leaned on the table.
"Father said the same, but that doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to protect this Targaryen girl."
"It does Arya. I may not be my father, but that does not mean I have no feelings about those murders." He said. "Plus, Ser Barristan can vouch for us. We need not be her mortal enemies for the rest of our lives." He said, raising his head. Their eyes locked, and Arya knew that she wouldn't be able to change his mind on it.
"You're still sending your best sword away."
"I have plenty of swords, Arya. What I need is a commander to replace him. And I believe I have an idea . . ."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein