Chương 5: Longing

"Robb? Robb! Wake up!"

A voice brings the heir out of his dream, Robb Stark opens his eyes and sees the face of his brother looking at him with concern.

"You're awake," Jon sighs with relief. "You had me worried Stark, I've been shaking you for a long time."

Robb looks up at the sky lit by the moon and stars.

"What happened?" he wonders weakly, feels something in his throat and coughs up some water. Seeing the water he remembers, he looks at the pond less than a meter away and then at his brother. "Did you get me out of the water?"

"Out of the water? What are you talking about Rob? I found you asleep by the pond. What were you dreaming about?" Jon looks at him worried but quickly shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. We have to go back to the castle. Your mother has been looking for you for hours! She's gone crazy and if you don't show up soon I think she's going to murder someone!"

Robb shakes his head, still lost in his thought but Jon grabs his arm lifting him off the ground. He throws his clothes at him and hurries him to get dressed.

"Come on Stark, we don't have all night."

"Yes, yes. I'm dressing." Robb half absently puts on his clothes, his gaze still directed to the pond.

`If Jon didn't pull me out of the water, then who?`

As he walks behind his brother he feels a warm breeze of air ruffle his hair.

`Warm breeze? Here? Impossible` Robb turns his head in the direction the wind is moving and sees the ancient tree, the eyes carved into the bark seem to stare straight into his soul. `It can't be-`

"Robb! Let 's go!"

Jon tugs on his arm again and Robb reluctantly follows.

`The silver tunnel, I have to go back there!`

Pyke's Castle was an impressive construction, almost half of it standing on several barren rocks, surrounded by the salty sea. The towers of these small islands were connected to each other by swinging rope bridges and most of the Greyjoy House seat is on the cliff of the southeast coast of Pyke Island, allowing for what Ned was unwilling to call a safe trip.

The keep, its towers, and walls were made of the same gray-black stone that the rest of the island was made of. However, in the centuries that the castle had been standing, it had become covered in green lichen that gave it an eerie feel, completely on the outside and not just a bit on the inside. It only strengthened the desolate atmosphere.

Ned Stark was clad in his armor, stained with blood and grime, and his House's ancestral sword was in his right hand, Ice is a Valyrian steel blade forged nearly five centuries ago in now desolate Valyria. Owning a Valyrian steel sword is considered a sign of a House's wealth and martial prowess, the Valyrians made a fortune selling swords to Westerosi lords. But not all Houses own a Valyrian sword, some lost theirs in some war or adventure while others didn't have the gold to buy one when Valyria still existed.

House Lannister lost their beloved sword when King Tommen, driven by greed, made the foolhardy decision to lead his fleet into the ruins of Valyria in search of riches. House Lannister was already the richest House on the continent but that was not enough for King Tommen, he wanted more. And he paid for it with his life and the lives of thousands of men who accompanied him in his ambition. Ned remembered reading once that over a hundred Lannister ships were lost in the Smoke Sea.

What the current generation of Lannister consider the greatest tragedy of that misadventure is the loss of Brightroar, House Lannister's ancestral sword. A few years ago the younger brother of Lord Lannister undertook an expedition to Valyria in search of the lost sword, Gerion Lannister set out with his five ships to the ruins of the Freehold and there he perished, drowned in the sea of fire or killed by some monster that inhabit that cursed land. Ned doesn't know what fate the youngest son of Tytos Lannister suffered and he doesn't even want to think about it, feeling sorry for a Lannister feels wrong to him.

Currently Lord Tywin is trying to buy another one, offering mountains of gold in exchange for a Valyrian sword. But not even the poorest Houses are willing to sell their swords, which Ned finds hilarious.

Not even a fortnight ago Lord Tywin offered him the not inconsiderable sum of a million golden dragons for Ice, Ned flatly rejected him. Inside he was laughing at the old lion, the face he made at being rejected brought joy to the Silent Wolf. What made the occasion even more memorable is how Robert openly mocked the lion. A part of Ned worried about the possible repercussions that Robert could suffer by openly mocking the lion but then he remembered that his friend is the king, Tywin is not stupid enough to attack the king who has half a continent supporting him.

Ever since that interaction the old lion has been glaring at him, his cubs following his lead. But Ned cares little or nothing about the opinions of the Lannisters. The Kingslayer can glare at him all he wants, Ned couldn't care less.

Ned hears the lion snort at the squid's pleas, something he reluctantly has to agree to.

The Ironborn had begun their rebellion with the burning of the Lannister fleet at anchor and a surprise attack on Lannisport led by one of Balon's brothers, Victarion, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. Countless raids and attacks followed on the western shores of Westeros, from the Reach to the North. The damned pirates plundered and killed at will, arrogant and proud. But now, after having his fleets sunk to the bottom of the sea and thousands of his own dead, including his eldest sons, Balon changed his attitude completely.

He is begging the Stag King for mercy.

Ned looked at the legendary Seastone Chair that was only a few feet away from him, perched on the dais at the end of the hall. An ugly thing made of oily black stone carved in the shape of a kraken. According to legend, the first men found it on the shores of Old Wyk when they came to settle the then-uninhabited Iron Islands thousands of years ago.

"Mercy, your grace!" Balon yells and the wolf turns his gaze to the kneeling ironborn.

Ned looked at the man who started this war and caused him to to leave his home for many moons, missing the birth of his youngest child. He was satisfied when he didn't feel an iota of pity for the man in the middle of the room.

"Balon Greyjoy, do you swear allegiance to Robert of House Baratheon, his first of his name. King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm?"

Ned watches with a stoic face as Balon Greyjoy swears allegiance to his friend. Lord Stark does not know what to think of his friend's decision to forgive Greyjoy, on one hand he is fed up with the bloodshed and wants to return home, on the other hand he feels that justice has not been done to all those who died because of the stupidity of the squid.

`I hope I can make Theon an honorable man, unlike his father and this ilk.` It has been decided that Theon will become his ward and hostage to ensure his father's good behavior. The boy is a couple of years older than Robb and Jon but Ned hopes they will become good friends.

As he listens to his friend's speeches his mind drifts further and further away from the Iron Islands, he thinks of his children and his home.

`I want to go home` , thinks Lord Stark wistfully, but he knows that it will still be a few moons until he gets home. After the war there are several councils that he will have to participate in as Lord Paramount. And then there is the victory tourney, Ned doesn't want to attend but Robert has been being very pushy and since he hasn't seen his friend in so many years Ned finally relented.

`I hope all is well at Winterfell, hopefully the children don't get into too much trouble.`