The Prince of Winterfell

It was good to be home. Standing at the top of the walls looking in to Winterfell gave Torrhen a little bit of clarity. He had had to be prized away from the bodies of his brothers in the end, and they were given proper burials in the surrounding fields where all Starks that didn't end up as Lord of Winterfell ended up. Today was a new day though, and Torrhen knew he had to go and talk to Greyjoy, no matter how much he hated the fact. Taking in the view of the castle repairing itself for a final time, he went to go and see Maester Luwin briefly.

Finding him in his tower seeing to his medicine, Torrhen knocked on the already open door. "Maester Luwin."

"Oh, hello My Lord. What can I do for you?"

"How long will it be before we can get a raven anywhere?" Torrhen asked.

"Well, they need to be trained first, I shall start with one to Castle Cerwyn and have to go from there. If you need a message sending to Robb, it will have to be by rider I'm afraid." He said sorrowfully.

"No worries, I shall write the message later." Torrhen sighed. "I really don't want to; it will break Mothers heart."

"She will be distraught, but comforted that you brought their killer to justice." Luwin said sympathetically.

"It isn't justice yet, I'm going to go and see him now." Torrhen muttered.

Luwin wrung his hands nervously. "May I suggest that you leave your weapons here until after you meet with him?"

Torrhen chuckled, agreeing and undoing his sword belt, placing that and his bow on the table. "A wise idea Maester. Anyway, I have another present for him." Bidding him goodbye, he then went to the smith Mikken.

"Mikken!" Torrhen called, and out came the large blacksmith, his beard slightly greyer than before but otherwise unharmed. "Is it ready?"

"Aye My Lord, leave it in the fire for a minute or so and it will work how you want it too." Mikken said roughly. Nodding his thanks, Torrhen turned towards the kennels where he had Theon chained up. It stunk of wet dog and shit, and Theon was stood stretched uncomfortably. Topless, with his arms above him chained to the roof, the post behind him and the floor. He was looking down in misery.

"Theon." Torrhen said darkly, poking the object Mikken gave him in the fire and leaving it there. Theon looked upwards, and his face was an absolute state. His nose wonky, his jaw out of place and a pair of swelling black eyes.

"Stark." Greyjoy muttered as best he could.

"Why?" Torrhen asked, as it was the only question he could ask Theon without attacking him.

"Father. Said I was weak." Theon muttered.

"He was right." Torrhen spat. "Who attacked Moat Cailin."

"Don't know…"

"Deepwood Motte?" Torrhen asked impatiently.

"Yara"

"There we go." Torrhen jeered. "Robb trusted you, I hope it was worth it."

"Sorry."

"Sorry?" Torrhen screamed, facing up to Theon millimetres away from his face. "You betray my brother, kill my people, murder my brothers and all you can say is sorry?! My father should have buried an axe into your skull as soon as his ship left your fucking rock."

"Not… Brothers." Theon tried to say.

"Don't even try to defend yourself, you lost all rights when you betrayed your friend, you know I can't kill you because he wants the honour himself?" Torrhen laughed. "Imagine that, your best friend wanting you dead by his hand."

"Brothers… Alive…"

"Fuck you, I saw their bodies, I saw what you did to them." Torrhen snarled.

"Not… Them… Jack… Billy…"

Torrhen narrowed his eyes at him. "The orphan boys? But why would…" Then it made sense to him. "You couldn't find Bran and Rickon so you decided to murder two helpless, even more innocent boys?" He roared, punching Theon with a brilliant right hook. "WHY?"

"Fear…"

"Fuck you, and fuck your entire family." Torrhen snarled. "I'm going to make sure you all pay." And with that he turned back to the fire, and pulled out the poker that he'd had Mikken made, and on its end was a burning orange T. "Everyone will know what a traitor you are Theon, everyone will know when we parade you down the land until Robb see's you, and takes your head for your crimes." Torrhen jeered, before thrusting the poker directly over his left nipple, not flinching as Theon screeched in pain, howling and screaming long after Torrhen took it away, heated it up again and did the same to his other nipple. This was too much for Theon and he passed out.

Feeling slightly satisfied Torrhen walked back up to the Maester's tower to grab his weapons, as a bell started ringing. Running to grab them, he rushed from there to stand upon the wall where Desmond was ordering men about. "What's going on?" Torrhen asked him.

"Ironborn!" Desmond shouted, and that was enough to make his blood boil. Looking over the battlements, he laughed as he saw a tiny party riding.

"ARCHERS TO YOUR STATIONS, THEY THINK THEY CAN TAKE THIS CASTLE WITH 30 MEN AGAIN? LET'S DROP THE FUCKERS!" Torrhen shouted, as a cheer went up. Torrhen nocked an arrow with the rest of them, aiming at the small party of Ironborn riding up to the castle. "LOOSE!" He screamed, and scores of arrows rained down on the party. "NOCK! DRAW! LOOSE! NOCK! DRAW! LOOSE!"

It only took three volleys due to the sheer difference in numbers, but Torrhen couldn't see any more Ironborn in the open, so he rushed down to the gate, only to find his men had captured three. "My Prince, this one says she is Yara Greyjoy, the others surrendered." A northerner told him, throwing the woman to the ground.

"Well done." Torrhen praised, turning to Yara he smirked at her. "It seems you have had a wasted trip My Lady."

"Fuck you!" she snarled, spitting at his feet. Torrhen just laughed, before booting her in the face sending her sprawling.

"Hang the other two and bring Lady Greyjoy to the block, if I can't kill Theon I will at least execute her myself." He told the guards, and they did as they were bid. A block was brought to the same platform Theon was on yesterday, and two guards held Yara Greyjoy upright waiting for Torrhen.

Torrhen started walking to the platform, but was stopped by Maester Luwin. "I just saw Osha run down to the crypts with some bread, they must not know we hold the castle." Luwin whispered. Torrhen felt so much lighter as joy filled his body. Thanking the Maester, he went to the kennels and dragged Theon out to the courtyard, throwing him to the floor in front of Desmond and walking up to the block.

"Yara here was the one that attacked Deepwood Motte, how about we send her head to the Glovers?" He asked the gathering crowd. Many cheered but Torrhen only had eyes for Theon, who couldn't look up at the podium. Nodding towards Desmond he saw him whisper something in Theon's ear and yank his head up, so he couldn't look anywhere else. "Bring her forward."

Yara tried struggling, but it was no use, as the men holding her dragged her to the block and forced her neck upon it. Torrhen withdrew his sword and said a variation of the words he had heard his father say many times.

"In the name of Robb, of the House Stark, King of the North and Trident, I, Torrhen, of the House Stark, Lord of Moat Cailin and Prince of the North, do sentence you to die." He muttered, before slicing Yara Greyjoy's head clean off of her body. Sighing, he left the podium swiftly and headed towards the crypts with Maester Luwin.

It was a long walk down to what would be his father's tomb. Torrhen had brought his bones with him on the ship but left the chest at Torrhen's Square until he sent word for them, so the tomb was empty but that had to be where Bran and Rickon were. He walked quickly, with Maester Luwin struggling to catch up until he stopped when he heard a voice.

"Shh, someone's coming." A woman's voice said in the distance.

"Osha." Maester Luwin said, and that was all Torrhen needed to know before rushing over. Arriving at his Uncle Brandon's tomb he called out to them.

"Bran, Rickon, it's me, it's Torrhen!" He called. "We've taken back Winterfell, we're safe I promise!"

Suddenly a blur came running at him, and Torrhen looked down to find little Rickon attached to his leg, crushing the boy in a tight hug he looked around for Bran, who was sat up against the stone impression of his father, beaming. Picking up Rickon he walked over to Bran and hugged him tightly as well, not letting go until Maester Luwin, panting, caught up to them and took the boys attention.

Torrhen took that moment to stand up and look at Osha. "Thank you Osha, your service for my brothers will never be forgotten I promise you." He said, Osha just shrugged it off.

"Not a problem milord, the little Lords are no bother."

"And you Hodor." Torrhen said to the giant man. "Thank you."

"Hodor."

"How did you escape Theon?" Maester Luwin asked.

"Went to some farm near a stream, and walked back in the stream to lose the dogs. Figured the last place they would look is 'ere." Osha explained, ruffling Rickon's hair.

"Thank the Gods you did." Torrhen exclaimed. "Come on you two, let's get you up and out of the crypts." And he picked up Bran, not wanting anyone else to walk with him just yet. Rickon trailing behind him touch tight.

"You've gotten stronger." Bran remarked.

"You've gotten heavier!" Torrhen laughed. "I'm proud of you both, you know that, you both did so well while we were away."

"I gave up the castle." Bran muttered sadly.

"You survived." Torrhen corrected. "Theon would have killed you, he tried to kill you! You did well Bran, and you'll have to do well again soon."

"Are you leaving again?" Rickon asked sadly from behind.

"Aye little one, I have to go back to Robb and help him get the girls back." Torrhen replied. "We still need to be free from those that would do us harm."

"Have you killed Theon?" Bran asked. Torrhen shook his head. "Good, I want him to see me looking strong before he does."

"You'll have time for that Bran, he'll be coming with me when I leave but that won't be for a few weeks, I need word from Deepwood Motte and Moat Cailin." Torrhen explained.

They reached the entrance to the crypts then, and as they stepped into the light they noticed a small crowd was still gathered, Theon had gone and Yara's body had been removed but the people of Winterfell were still about. As soon as they saw Torrhen carrying Bran and leading Rickon they all started cheering.

"It's for you two, they're happy you're alive because you looked after them well!" Torrhen shouted so that his brother could hear.

"No!" Bran shouted back. "Listen to what they're saying!"

"Black Wolf! Black Wolf!" Was the cry, and Torrhen was shocked. Handing Bran back to Hodor he went and shook all of the people of Winterfell's hands, trying to lose some of the credit but they weren't having it, and carried on shouting his name until he retreated back into the castle.

"King's Landing will fall an hour after Stannis lands his force." Kevan Lannister said, as Tywin was hosting yet another War Council. "It's not too late for King Joffrey and Cersei and the court to ride west to safety."

"Surrender the Iron Throne?" Tywin asked him incredulously

"Better than seeing their heads mounted on the city gates." Kevan countered. "Stannis will execute them all."

Tywin wasn't convinced however. "No, a king who runs will not be king for long. He's a Lannister. He'll stand and fight." Tywin paused for a moment before addressing the entire room. "Stannis, two days from the capital and the wolf at my doorstep."

"The scouts assure us Robb Stark remains north of Ashemark." Kevan said.

"Ha!" Tywin laughed, a rare occasion Arya noted. "The last time the scouts assured us of Stark's movement, he lured us into a trap. Which is why my son is his prisoner!" He stated, standing and walking towards the fireplace. "Too close to Casterly Rock."

"He sent a splinter force to recapture Winterfell." Kevan informed. "The Greyjoy's have done us a great favour, Stark won't risk marching on Casterly Rock until he's at full force."

"He's a boy and he's never lost a battle. He'll risk anything at any time because he doesn't know enough to be afraid." Tywin told them. Walking back over to the table he seemed to have come up with a plan by the concentrated look on his face. "We'll ride at nightfall, I want a full night's march before he knows we're on the move, we need to get there relatively undetected so we can surprise him. Clegane, you'll maintain a garrison here at Harrenhal, track down this brotherhood and destroy them." He told the giant. Motioning to Arya he said. "The girl has proven herself a good servant, she'll stay on with you." And turning to Arya he added. "See that he doesn't get drunk in the evenings, he's poor company when he's sober, but he's better at his work."

Arya just looked at him, thinking what she could do to save Robb. 'Tywin has to die' she thought to herself. I need to find Jaqen.'

"Still no word?" Robb asked Roose Bolton, as they were both sat in the command tent alone.

"We've sent a dozen ravens. None have returned." Roose said ominously. "My bastard is only a few days from Winterfell. Once he captures the castle…"

"Theon has my brothers. If we storm the castle." Robb interrupted.

"He wouldn't dare hurt the boys." Roose Bolton told him. "They're his only hope of escaping the North with his head."

"He wouldn't dare betray me before I sent him to Pyke." Robb responded angrily. "Torrhen is silent down in Highgarden, Bran and Rickon captured, Sansa and Arya still in the Capitol." Robb sighed. "Send word to your son. Any Ironborn who surrender will be allowed to return safely to their homes." He commanded.

"A touch of mercy is a virtue, Your Grace, too much…"

"Any Ironborn with the exception of Theon Greyjoy." Robb interrupted. "He betrayed our cause. He betrayed me, and we will hunt him down no matter where he runs."

"I expect his countrymen will turn on him the minute they hear the offer." Roose admitted, but noticed Robb's attention was elsewhere as Lady Talisa walked in to the tent.

"Your pardon, my lord." Talisa said to him, before turning to Robb. "Your Grace."

"My lady." Roose nodded politely, before sensing he was dismissed and walking out.

Torrhen was sat in his chambers, writing three notes out, one for Talia, expressing his deep sadness that he couldn't visit her while he was back up North, but wishing her well. One to be intercepted by the Lannisters, meant to put them off course by stating that Bran and Rickon had been killed by Greyjoy before Torrhen got there. And finally there was a note for Robb, detailing everything that had happened and that he should be back with him by the next moon. Sealing the three letters with his seal, he went and found three riders to take them to their respected recipients, giving extra instructions to the two going south.

Balerion had come back to Winterfell, and was currently running around with Rickon and Shaggydog in the Godswood, just like before the war. Torrhen smiled at the memory and went to go and find them. Watching from afar as he heard Rickon scream with laughter as Osha chased him round the trees. 'This is how it should always be.' Torrhen thought to himself as he laughed along with the small group playing in the Godswood, not wanting to think about having to go back to war.