The North Remembers

The moon was shining bright, and the wind was calmly making the branches sway on the trees. The long grass covering him as he moved, searching for the scent of his prey. It took a little while but finally he caught the scent of a delicious deer not too far from him. Bounding off he caught up with it.

Stalking his prey was soothing, slow and quiet breathes while sneaking up on the unsuspecting deer. Closer and closer he got until he pounced. Teeth sinking into the neck flesh of the deer he could feel the warm, sticky liquid seeping over his teeth and around his mouth, but he wouldn't let go until the animal moved no more. Finally, with a final shudder the deer collapsed and he grabbed a hold of it so he could better take it towards where his human slept.

Trotting through the camp he noticed none of the leather men came too close to him, but that was alright as he didn't want to share the deer. Arriving at where his human slept he walked through the gap and dropped the deer down with a thud.

Torrhen gasped and jumped up to sit. On the floor in front of his bed was Balerion, the wolfs mouth glistening with red blood tucking into the leg of a deer he had obviously just killed. "Did I just see that through his eyes?" Torrhen mumbled to himself, before shaking off the thought and getting dressed into his leather armour and cloak. Leaving Balerion to his meal Torrhen grabbed his sword belt and walked outside in to the night to see Robb talking with a guard.

"How much sleep did you get?" Robb asked him gruffly, the past weeks had not been too kind to his brother's mood, although Torrhen thought he looked more like a king than ever before.

"A few hours I'm guessing, Balerion woke me with a deer he'd killed." Torrhen laughed, putting on the belt as he spoke.

"Aye the men near shat themselves at the sight apparently" Robb chuckled, before turning serious again. "We received a raven."

"From who?" Torrhen growled, hoping to the gods that it was a surrender from Joffrey. Torrhen had begged Robb to be the first one to see his enemy after his capture, and had been thinking for weeks on how best to hurt him. The one rule of course being Robb got to kill him.

"Stannis Baratheon, here" Robb said, handing over the letter. Torrhen took it, holding it up to a fire so that he could read it clearly.

"I, Stannis, of the House Baratheon, along with Jon, of the House Arryn and Eddard, of the House Stark, came to the truth of the succession of the Iron Throne, and I declare upon the honour of my house that my brother Robert left no trueborn heirs; the boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl Myrcella, being born of incest between Cersei Lannister and…" Torrhen trailed, looking at Robb questioningly, who just motioned for Torrhen to continue. "Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Let all true men declare their loyalty."

"Joffrey is the Kingslayer's bastard. Father learnt the truth and the bastard executed him for it." Robb snarled, taking back the letter. "I'm going to see him now with Grey Wind, let him know that his secret is out."

"Do you want me to bring Balerion along?" Torrhen asked. Robb just shook his head.

"No, I want to scare him not send body parts back to Kings Landing."

"Aye, I'm coming too though." Torrhen nodded.

"If you do, you stay silent. You're welcome to scare him shitless but that's all we will do." Robb commanded, before calling on a guard and walking off towards the Kingslayer's cell.

"Let me guard his cell, I feel useless when we aren't in battle." Torrhen complained following his brother. "All I've done is sit making small talk with others and been practicing my swordsmanship with Rodrik Forrester, let me do something useful."

Robb thought for a few moments. "Like what? The army is doing well, I need your mind sharp for something soon and I won't have you doing a job fit for a servant."

"Let me guard the Kingslayer or something at least, let the men see me doing dirty work and they'll respect me for helping them out on their level."

"They already respect you after the Whispering Wood." Robb said raising an eyebrow. Torrhen frowned.

"I deserve no respect for killing Daryn." Torrhen muttered darkly. Robb stopped and turned to his brother, grasping both of his shoulders and staring his younger brother in the eye.

"You did not kill him." Robb announced. "Without you the Kingslayer would have cut through many more men, you brought him down."

"I gave him the weapon to kill with, that isn't something worth the men's respect" Torrhen shrugged Robb off, walking towards the cage that had been set up for the Kingslayer. The guard on the door unlocked the cage, and Torrhen let Robb past before following him in to the cage, eyes trained on the prisoner with a fierce hatred.

"King in the North." Jaime Lannister mocked. He was sat tied to a pole directly in the middle of the cage, so as not to have any means of escape. "I keep expecting you to leave me in one castle or another for safekeeping, but you drag me along from camp to camp. Have you grown fond of me, Stark? Is that it? I've never seen you with a girl."

"If I left you with one of my bannermen, your father would know within a fortnight, and my bannerman would receive a raven with a message, release my son and you'll be rich beyond your dreams. Refuse and your house will be destroyed, root and stem." Robb replied

Jaime looked bemused. "You don't trust the loyalty of the men following you into battle?"

"Oh, I trust them with my life." Robb replied honestly, before smirking at his prisoner. "Just not with yours." This caused Torrhen to snigger quietly, although the Kingslayer heard him.

"And the younger lord Stark, pray tell me, have you another weapon for me to slaughter your men with? I enjoyed it so much the last time." Jaime mocked again. Torrhen's face grew dark.

"How's your leg?" Torrhen spat.

"Oh not bad, I have to be honest it was a good throw"

"Honest? You couldn't be honest if you tried, I doubt you know the meaning of the word." Torrhen growled.

"Maybe so." Jaime laughed. "Look at you both, King and Prince, both just boys in a man's game." Seeing the angered looks on both of their faces Jaime carried on. "What's wrong? Don't like being called 'boys'? Insulted?"

Robb gave Torrhen a stern look to keep him silent, before looking outside of the cage towards a large grey wolf, skulking towards the cage. Jaime noticed the eye movement and tried to turn around, but the chain around his neck restricted his movement. Grey Wind started growling as he walked past the cage, a noise which brought evident fear to his eyes.

"You insult yourself, Kingslayer." Robb told him. "You've been defeated by a boy; you're held captive by a boy. Perhaps you'll be killed by a boy." Grey wind then entered the cage, so big he now came up to just above Robb's waist. "Stannis Baratheon sent ravens to all the high lords of Westeros. King Joffrey Baratheon is neither a true king nor a true Baratheon."

"He's your bastard son." Torrhen spat.

Jaime momentarily regained his bravery. "If that's true, Stannis is the rightful king. How convenient for him." He said, clearly not fussed about the accusations.

"My father learned the truth. That's why you had him executed." Robb accused.

"I was your prisoner when Ned Stark lost his head."

"Your son killed him so the world wouldn't learn who fathered him. And you... you pushed my brother from a window because he saw you with the queen." Robb snarled.

"You have proof?" Jaime asked. "Or do you want to trade gossip like a couple of fishwives?"

"I'm sending one of your cousins down to King's Landing with my peace terms." Robb announced.

"You think my father's going to negotiate with you? You don't know him very well." Jaime said shaking his head as much as he could with the restraints.

"No, but he's starting to know me." Robb said.

"Three victories don't make you a conqueror."

"It's better than three defeats." Robb mocked, gently pushing Grey Wind towards the Lannister, and leaving the cage, Torrhen following him.

"I told you to stay silent." Robb told his brother. "You let him get to you, if you are to guard him you need to learn to ignore him." Abashed, Torrhen nodded. Grey Wind had just re-joined them after snapping a bit at the Kingslayer's head. Robb told the beast to go and share the deer with Balerion, and he bounded off quickly. "Go and find your little group, tell them that we march again at first light. Then come to the command tent, I want you there as I give Alton Lannister my terms."

"Aye brother." Torrhen bowed, before making his way to the other side of the camp where he normally set up his campfire.

The Stark camp was bustling with people. As the Riverlords had joined with Robb the army had almost doubled and helped the Northern war massively. They were currently camped on the border of where the Riverlands met the Westerlands, and Torrhen arrived to find his fire already lit with a few notable sons of other houses sat there drinking. Unsheathing his sword and grabbing a whetstone, he sat down beginning to sharpen his sword and started listening to the comradery. As he was still a bit cut up about the death of Daryn, Torrhen didn't like to join in too much but the laughter helped soothe his mind.

"Then she sighed and squealed and kicked the air! My bear! She sang. My bear so fair! And off they went, from here to there, The bear, the bear, and the maiden fair." Smalljon Umber bellowed out as loud as his father would have, much to the enjoyment of the other two that were deep into their cups. Rodrik Forrester and Torrhen Karstark were the only two other than the Smalljon that were there tonight. Noticing Torrhen had just joined them, the Smalljon cried. "Ah my little prince! How are you this fine evening!"

"Ready and able to smack you round the head Smalljon." Torrhen laughed, inciting laughs from all three other men. Torrhen was the youngest by a few years but he held his own in such impressive company.

"I'd love to see you try!" Smalljon laughed. "Where have you been tonight? We expected you…" He looked at his cup. "About 5 glasses ago!"

"I was with the king, he says we are to march again at first light, I was to tell you to get your men ready but if you can't handle that I suppose I'll have to tell your father later." Torrhen smirked, and Rodrik and Torrhen Karstark started howling with laughter at the way Smalljon Umbers face just fell into a slight terror, before he heaved himself up and kicked the other two.

"Right you bunch of ugly pricks, last ones packed up and ready in the morning has to deal with my shitbucket." He roared, before stumbling off towards the Umber forces.

"I knew he hated me, we have about twenty times your forces Forrester." Torrhen Karstark moaned, hands in head. Rodrik laughed.

"And they're all twenty times uglier as well Karstark." Rodrik smirked, before dragging them both up and singing the Bear and the Maiden fair arms around the other. Torrhen smirked as they went off into the distance, before packing up the fire and heading towards the command tent in the centre of the camp.

The command tent was packed as Torrhen arrived. All of Robb's major bannermen were there, Lords Umber, Karstark, Glover, Tully, Blackwood, Bracken and Stevron Frey, son of Lord Walder. Along with Theon, and a handful of guards from each house.

"Ah good, you're just in time." Robb said, not looking at him but instead at the piece of paper in front of him. "You will foster Tommen Waters until he comes of age if they agree to these terms."

"I will? Your Grace surely there is a Lord in here more fitting for the task." Torrhen told him.

"He is just a boy, a boy of awful parentage but still a boy. You were good to him at Winterfell and he will remember that." Robb said, sealing the roll of paper with his new wax seal, a crowned wolf. "It isn't up for discussion."

"Your Grace." Torrhen bowed, before finding his place next to his mother at the back of the tent.

"Lord Umber." Robb said.

"Your Grace." The Greatjon said, before bellowing to the outside. "BRING HIM IN."

In came a fairly tall young man, with signature Lannister blonde hair and cuts all over his face from the Battle of the Whispering Wood.

"You're Ser Alton Lannister?" Robb asked.

"I am, Your Grace." Lannister replied.

"I offer your cousins peace if they meet my terms. First, your family must release my sisters. Second, my father's bones must be returned to us so he may rest beside his brother and sister in the crypts beneath Winterfell. And the remains of all those who died in his service must also be returned. Their families can honour them with proper funerals." Robb told him, the Lords in the room all nodding their heads at the requests.

"An honourable request, Your Grace." Lannister told him. Torrhen smirked, 'Is he trying to save his own skin with flattery?'

"Third... Tommen Waters must be sent here to be fostered by my brother Torrhen, he will stay until he has reached the age of 16 and then he will be sent back to Casterly Rock." Robb said. "Finally, Joffrey and the Queen Regent must renounce all claim to dominion of the North. From this time, till the end of time, we are a free and independent kingdom."

Alton Lannister looked at him, wide eyed and in shock. "The King in the North." The Greatjon said, inciting the same from everybody else of Northern descent in the tent.

"Neither Joffrey nor any of his men other than Tommen shall set foot in our lands again. If he disregards this command, he shall suffer the same fate as my father, only I don't need a servant to do my beheading for me." Robb said threateningly.

The Lannister was still scared. "These are... Your Grace, these are..."

"These are my terms." Robb interrupted impatiently, standing up to scare the Lannister prisoner. "If the Queen Regent and her son meet them, I'll give them peace. If not, I will litter the south with Lannister dead."

"King Joffrey is a Baratheon, Your Grace." Alton said unconvincingly.

"Oh, is he?" Robb asked, raising his eyebrows. "You'll ride at daybreak, Ser Alton. That will be all for tonight." He announced. "Torrhen, stay for a moment."

Torrhen nodded, and waited for everyone to leave, Theon was the only one that stayed.

"Theon knows this, but I need to tell you personally, we aren't marching towards Kings Landing." Robb said, eyes trying to take in every detail of the map laid out in front of him.

"Then where are we going?" Torrhen asked, not liking where this was going.

"West, I aim to cripple Tywin Lannister while he's out of his own country." Robb said, moving a wolf head towards the Golden Tooth.

"And what about Sansa? What about Arya?" Torrhen asked raising his voice. "Have you forgotten about our sisters?"

"Of course not! But what can I do? Tywin Lannister has moved to Harrenhal and we can't siege that with 100 thousand men let alone 40. He's raising a new army in the west, I aim to crush that and then he'll be vulnerable."

"He'll move on Riverrun or the North if we leave the Riverlands…"

"That's why I'm giving the Greatjon command of the Riverlords." Robb interrupted. They'll take back their homes and then wait for Tywin to move."

Torrhen thought for a moment, taking in Robb's words as he stared at the map. "Let me stay with the Greatjon, let me learn from him and keep a Stark in both camps." He pleaded.

"Normally I would, but I have another task for you. Go and see mother and explain everything to her, I'll come and join you in a minute and tell you what I need from you." Robb ordered. Torrhen nodded and left Robb and Theon alone in the tent, silently cursing the decision to go even further away from his sisters.

Robb had arrived in the tent and announced his intentions for Theon to return to the Iron Islands to forge an alliance with Theon's father, Balon.

"You don't want Balon Greyjoy for an ally." Catelyn said, handing a goblet of wine to Robb.

"I need his ships. They say he has 200." Robb told her.

"We're building ships in White Harbour, or did you forget my betrothal?" Torrhen scoffed.

"Aye I know we're building ships, but I need a fleet now, not in 5 years. I need the Greyjoy's." Robb sighed.

"They say a million rats live in the sewers of King's Landing. Shall we rally them to fight for us?" Catelyn said raising her voice and getting herself some water.

"I understand you don't trust Lord Greyjoy." Robb said diplomatically.

"I don't trust Lord Greyjoy because he is not trustworthy." She shouted. "Your father had to go to war to end his rebellion!"

"Yes. And now I'm the one rebelling against the throne. Before me, it was father, if I fall it will be Torrhen. You married one rebel and mothered two others." Robb told her.

"I mothered more than just rebels, a fact you seem to have forgotten." Catelyn whispered coldly.

"If I trade the Kingslayer for two girls, my bannermen will string me up by my feet."

"What about that Lannister there today?" Torrhen said angrily. "He's not the Kingslayer, but he's a Lannister."

"Who knows how far removed from Tywin?" Robb raised his voice. "They'll never accept it."

"You want to leave Sansa in the Queen's hands? And Arya, I haven't heard a word about Arya. What are we fighting for if not for them?" Cat cried, emotion getting the better of her.

"It's more complicated than that! You know it is." Robb shouted. Nobody seemed to know what to say after that, Torrhen just sipped on his water, dangerously close to losing it at Robb's reluctance to help the girls. Catelyn broke the silence.

"It's time for me to go home. I haven't seen Bran or Rickon in months." Catelyn told him, Robb looked down briefly.

"You can't go to Winterfell." He told her.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked bemused

"I'll send Rodrik to watch over the boys, cause tomorrow, you'll ride south to the Stormlands with Torrhen." Robb said, looking between them. Torrhen almost choked on his water.

"You what?" He asked.

"Why in the name of all the Gods – "Cat said at the same time.

"Because I need you to negotiate with Renly Baratheon." Robb interrupted. Torrhen nodded at that, understanding the plan. "He's rallied an army of 100,000. You know him. You know his family."

"I haven't seen Renly Baratheon since he was a boy. You have a hundred other lords – "Cat said angrily.

"Which of these lords do I trust more than you?" Robb pleaded, standing up towards her. "If Renly sides with us, we'll outnumber them two to one. When they feel the jaws beginning to shut, they'll sue for peace. We'll get the girls back. Then we'll all go home for good."

"Why am I needed then?" Torrhen asked. "Mother knows him, I don't."

"Because when the alliance is agreed upon you will be my envoy with Renly. You know our plans, you know our numbers, you can help us coordinate." Robb told him.

"And if they decide I'm better as a hostage?"

"You'd let yourself be taken?" Robb smirked, bringing a laugh from Torrhen.

"Aye, fine I'll bloody go." Torrhen sighed. "Mother?" He asked, turning towards her.

"We will ride at first light." She sighed after a pause. Robb, relieved, kissed her on the forehead and pulled her into a tight embrace, before letting go and hugging Torrhen fiercely.

"We will all be together again soon, I promise." Robb told them.

Catelyn looked between her sons. "You've both done so well. Your father would be proud." She said softly, threatening to get Torrhen's emotions to betray him.

"Give Lord Renly my regards." Robb told her.

"King Renly." She told Robb. "There's a king in every corner now."

The next morning came quickly, and Torrhen sighed as their small party rode quickly away from the main Northern Army, hoping that this wasn't the last time he saw his brother.