Rising Doubts

Looking tirelessly over the map, Robb tried desperately to come up with a way to get out this position he was currently stuck in. The war in the North had reached a tentative stalemate, Jon's forces were too small to move, Lord Mallister's forces were still besieging the stubborn Ironborn at Moat Cailin, Ramsay Bolton was building an army at Winterfell and the Ironborn were waiting and watching to see which side of the warring Northern houses would move first.

Down in the south things were looking slightly better, but still grim.

The Riverlands were secure, a force of ten thousand men stationed at Harrenhall under Lord Tytos Blackwood ensuring that Tywin couldn't march his army into the Westerlands without first having to deal with that force. He also couldn't march south and join up with the Dornish host stationed at the Princes Path, if he did he would be leaving Kings Landing exposed.

Equally Robb couldn't expand his campaign further into the Westerlands without leaving those castles and accompanying lands dangerously exposed to those few castles refusing to surrender.

The war had seemingly reached a stalemate on all fronts.

And try as he might, he couldn't find a way to change this situation. He just simply didn't have enough soldiers to make those changes.

As his gaze flickered over the various figurines that indicated army positions. His hand then picked up another wooden rose figurine that belonged to the seemingly invisible host of twenty-five thousand men belonging to House Tyrell that was meant to be marching to their aid.

Robb was getting anxious with how well hidden the force was.

He had done something similar with a force of six thousand men at the Battle of the Whispering Woods, utilising his own scouts to kill any enemy scouts, effectively rendering his movements invisible to the world. However, to see it being done with a force over four times as large as his own was a testament to the commanders skill.

But the one thing that worried Robb the most, was that this could all be an elaborate ploy by the Tyrells. Earn his favour and trust all the while being secretly in league with the Lannisters and use what was meant to be a reinforcing army to wipe him out.

As much as he didn't want to believe such things could be possible, this war had taught him that one should always expect the worse from someone. He liked to think that his paranoia was at a healthy level, what with the betrayals and losses he was suffering, but Robb was finding it difficult to say who he could and couldn't trust.

With every passing day though, Robb found himself looking at people with more suspicion.

Groaning, Robb sat back in his chair with a sigh, his gaze looking towards Nymeria and Grey Wind that were curled up on the ground. The other wolves were not here, as much as Robb liked to use the image to his advantage, two large Direwolves already took enough space in his chambers, having ten other wolves would only make it more crowded.

No, they were instead down in the kennels he had constructed.

They didn't like them, but Nymeria seemed more than capable of putting them in their place. It always amused him to see the sight, the wolves were wary of Grey Wind and avoided fighting him, yes but they didn't follow him, nor did they listen to him. No, they only followed Nymeria.

A knock at his door broke him from his thoughts and the door opened revealing Ser Brienne. Things had been tense originally between them, Robb imagined it had something to do with Renly and then basically being handed off to him by his mother. However, things had become more tense what with his mother's capture in the North. As much as he wanted to free his mother, sending a small group of men was suicide at the moment.

His men had already foiled a number of failed attempts by the Lannisters to flee Jamie and even a few from the Frey's to free Walder Frey. All had failed.

No, Robb knew that's sending men to Winterfell would only end in failure. Ramsay Snow would only allow men that he trusted to be guarding his mother and brothers. And they would be under constant guard. Any attempt at freeing them would result in the deaths of good men.

Unfortunately, Brienne didn't understand that.

Then again, her understanding on war was still limited. She'd only fought in two battles so far and was still very much firm in her belief that one didn't have to become as bad as those you were fighting to survive. Robb had believed in something similar when he marched south, but that belief had left him very soon.

Though he guessed it was admirable for her to stick so closely to her beliefs.

"Lady Margaery wishes to speak to you, your grace." Brienne spoke curtly and Robb nodded his head, indicating for her to let Margaery in.

Turning his gaze out of the balcony and onto the bustling city of Sarsfield below, he listened as Margaery entered the room. He could hear her footsteps as she moved across the room, the sound of her dress dragging across the floor and despite him, he hoped it was one of those she brought from the Reach. The weather was good, but as soon as the thoughts were in his mind he rides them soon after.

His mother and brothers were at the mercy of Ramsay Snow and here he was thinking of Margaery in a pretty dress. What was wrong with him?

"Are you thirsty, your grace?" Looking back, he saw Margaery pouring herself a glass of wine and Robb nodded his head at her offer. She quickly went to work pouring him a glass and bringing both goblets towards him.

Handing one to him, Margaery stood by his side and looked down at the map, a slight frown coming on her beautiful face.

"It seems that things are not looking good." Margaery muttered and Robb nodded his head in agreement, taking a large gulp from his goblet as he did. "Do you have a plan, your grace?"

Robb hesitated because while, he did have a number of plans they were risky, too risky for him to want to test them. All of them would come down to so many moving parts working perfectly in tandem, and he just didn't want to put the fate of this war on chance.

"I have a few, my lady." Robb admitted, it would not do well to admit that he was stuck. In doing so it may very well cause the Tyrells to change their allegiance, if they weren't already playing him for the fool. "Though I admit, reinforcements would be helpful in avoiding taking unnecessary risks."

"Your grace, I promise you that the reinforcements my family promised will be here soon."

"You say that my lady but every day I see nothing. No sightings and no messengers. All I have is yours and your brothers words and yet, despite those promises I have nothing to show for it." Margaery frowned as Robb spoke, she could not deny that he was right. Every day they promised reinforcements were on their way and each day there were no sightings of Randall Tarly or his men.

And with the recent events in the North, Margaery knew that everyone was being scrutinised carefully by the Young Wolf and everyone else.

It just so happened that due to the lack of their promised reinforcements that she, her brother and the men of House Tyrell were coming under the most suspicion. Margaery had no clue why Randall Tarly was taking so long, she had no clue what he was doing either, but she just wanted to curse the man.

Here she and her brother were working hard to earn the favour and trust of the Young Wolf and his actions were making that task infinitely more difficult.

"It is true that things are…difficult." Margaery began, Robb looking to her questioningly, especially when she took one of his hands in both of hers as she went down onto her knees. "But my family swore themselves to you, the Reach named you their King as did we. House Tyrell do not redact our words easily."

That was a lie, Margaery knew it and suspected that Robb also knew it. But she needed to run interference because things could very well become very bad for her House and the Reach if things did not turn around soon.

"I want to believe you, I really do, but I need more than words." Robb answered, before extracting his hand from hers as he rose to his feet, walking away leaving Margaery in his chambers silent.