GOT : Chapter 57

( Catelyn )

Catelyn would have been relieved to finally reach Riverrun after an arduous journey. She would have been relieved to come back to her family home, to her son and her brother, and of course her sick father. Yet, now, as she sat between Robb and Edmure, opposite her uncle Brynden, she only could feel despair and weariness.

Almost immediately after her arrival at Riverrun, Catelyn had been struck with the amount of smallfolk running about the castle and was about to reprimand her brother on that account. It turns out that while looking for him, a knight in service of house Tully found her first, and quickly brought her to one of the old dining rooms, which Robb apparently used as a council room nowadays.

There, she met with Robb, who barely even acknowledged her presence, his icy gaze fixed on Edmure opposite him, who himself stared back with a blank, almost disinterested expression. Between the two sat her uncle Brynden, who looked at her with pleading eyes.

Finally, after she had taken a seat on the table, right opposite her uncle, and let silence reign for a few moments, Catelyn had had enough.

"Will someone tell me what is happening here?"

"What is happening?" Her son answered with a snarl. "Is that dear uncle Edmure decided to give up any chance of us ever taking the Westerlands."

"I gave you men, Robb," Edmure answered. "But I couldn't send more. I needed them to stop my fields from burning, my people from getting slaughtered. Ever since that butcher Lorch disappeared, the Lannister raids from Harrenhal have become more and more persistent. I couldn't let Tywin decide to strike at me while we are still recovering from our own wounds."

"Our wounds…and it's your grace, to you." Robb scoffed back. "We needed to set the Westerlands ablaze! Prove to Tywin that his lands weren't immune to being raided and sow discontent between his bannermen to force them to go defend their lands!"

"And for him to burn half of the Riverlands in his retreat?" Edmure shook his head. "I doubt I could've let that happen. And even if I did, this invasion was madness. We didn't have the men!"

"But we had the element of surprise!" Robb's fist hit the oak table. "The Westermen never expected our attack from behind. We nearly took the Golden Tooth; we just needed more men. Instead, the Golden Tooth stood strong and Stafford Lannister passed it without us managing to do anything about it."

"But we defeated that host!" Edmure countered. "I rode out with my men to Wayfarer's Rest despite the threat posed by Lord Tywin's forces at Harrenhal which still threaten both Stone Hedge and Raventree Hall, and our forces scattered Stafford's host to the seven winds!"

"And how many men have we lost for it?" Robb asked. "I am going to answer you, uncle. Too many for me to consider attacking the Golden Tooth again. 

The Lannisters know of the path leading behind their lines now, and I will not risk a frontal attack on the Lefford fortress. The Westerlands campaign is as good as over thanks to your prudence…or is it cowardice?"

"Maybe my men were right." Edmure countered. "I mayhaps shouldn't have followed the orders of a petulant child who…"

"Robb! Edmure! Enough!" Catelyn finally spoke up, her temper flaring, partly due to exhaustion and the long journey from Storm's End. "You are bickering like children over a broken toy! If you were both ten, I would have sent you both to your rooms until you had calmed down and had forced you to apologize immediately!"

"Apologies, mother." Robb's anger had fallen somewhat. "But the point stands that our hosts have been thoroughly gutted and that we have lost our chance at forcing Tywin Lannister on a chase through the Westerlands. Did it not, Ser Brynden?"

Catelyn's uncle had waited through the exchange in eerie silence. It was not uncle Brynden's way to stay silent like this, especially in matters of war, and it made Catelyn feel like the truth lay somewhere in the middle. After stroking his gray beard a few times, he finally spoke.

"You are right, your grace. We cannot possibly conceive another assault on the Westerlands. Not unless we receive reinforcements. 

As for the assault on the Golden Tooth, you are right that should Edmure have provided the men you required, we could have probably taken it." A slight grin showed on Robb's face. 

"However, it is unwise for me to reprimand my nephew for his actions. Tywin's men were indeed threatening to launch a new assault on our positions, and I doubt that Bracken or Blackwood could've held for long. 

You may have taken the Golden Tooth, but you might have found yourself trapped in the Westerlands with no way of rescue from Edmure. 

His sortie from Riverrun to assist you with the bulk of his host was a risky move, and one that could have cost us a lot if Tywin wasn't busy with setting the whole of the Eastern Riverlands ablaze."

Robb's grin fell.

"Besides, your grace." Brynden continued. "Your plan hoped to see Stannis quickly take the capital from his seat in Dragonstone thanks to Lord Tywin abandoning the capital. 

But he moved to Storm's End first and got killed there. Renly is also dead, which means his position in the Crownlands is secure, and his logistics will continue to pass through the Goldroad unopposed. If we are to strike at Tywin, we need to cut this line along the Blackwater Rush. 

However, we once more lack the men to do so, and we now stand alone against both Greyjoys and Lannisters."

"If Renly is dead, this means the Tyrells are still in the fight, along with Dorne and possibly the Vale." Catelyn suddenly beamed. "Perhaps we could broker an alliance with the Roses by giving Robb's hand to Margaery Tyrell and…"

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, mother." Robb interrupted. "But Lady Margaery, or should I say, Queen Dowager Margaery, is pregnant with Renly's child. For now, the Tyrells' position is very much unreadable."

"Not to mention our sister Lysa has not been answering any ravens." Edmure sighed. "And Prince Doran has confirmed the betrothal of Princess Myrcella to his second son, Trystane. It seems like they too will be joining the lions soon enough."

"We hold Tyrion Lannister and a few other lesser members of the family in our dungeons." Catelyn shook her head. "Surely we can at least exchange them for Sansa and Arya?"

"Hah!" Uncle Brynden scoffed. "I'd think the Old Lion would rather give us a letter of thanks if we killed the imp for him."

"And I still need the other hostages." Edmure shook his head. "Sister, I share your grief for your sons and your daughters still held prisoner, but these hostages cannot be traded for the girls."

"On that matter, we have to talk as well." Robb's voice suddenly boomed through the hall.

"The girls?" Catelyn's voice suddenly fell. "Did…did something happen to them…are…are they…?"

"No." Robb shook his head. "But my recent battles have taught me much. Grey Wind won't always be by my side to protect me and should the worst happen…"

"Don't even think about it, Robb." Catelyn pleaded with a tear in her eye. "Nothing will happen to you. Nothing, do you hear me? They took Ned, Bran, and Rickon. Your sisters are prisoners of the Lannisters and the seven only know what has come of them. Nothing will come of you, for you are all that I have left, my son. You are all that the North has left."

"I am not yet dead, mother." Robb tried to reassure her. "But this had made me think that I need an heir. And it cannot be Sansa or Arya. I need to be wed soon."

"Have you found someone, then?" she asked. "If not Margaery Tyrell, then who?"

"I did not mean to find a wife until I had taken back the North from the clutches of the turn cloakturncloak. In the meantime, I have appointed my brother Jon as my heir."

"Jon…Snow?" Catelyn's voice cracked. "He cannot…he isn't your brother!"

"He's my brother by blood, and he is the last male Stark left after me." Robb shook his head. "It is done. He will be my heir until I bear a son from my future wife."

"Robb…" Catelyn tried to reason with him. "Jon has taken the Black; he has taken the oaths. The vows are for life."

"A king's word may release him from these vows." Her uncle Brynden pointed out once more.

This was madness. Absolute madness. She had once thought to be rid of the bastard forever. His claim gone with his vows to the Night's Watch. But now, Robb had proclaimed him as his heir? What had the world gone to?

"If it brings you any solace, mother, I don't plan on dying anytime soon." Robb's words cut deep into his heart.

"You can always bend the knee. There is no shame in it." She pleaded. "Torrhen bent the knee to Aegon almost three hundred years ago."

"Did Aegon have Torrhen's father unjustly killed?" Robb asked. "I will not bend the knee. I'd sooner give my life than do so."

Robb's resolve was as hard as iron, Catelyn could tell. It was not a battle she could win, but one that she waged nonetheless.

"And what now?" she asked.

"I will take my host back North." Robb sighed. "I shall rid the North of the Greyjoys, and I shall raise a second host to bolster uncle Edmure's forces so that we may deal a killing blow to the Lannisters."

"You cannot be serious." Edmure paled. "You mean to abandon us?"

"I shall leave my foot with you. But I shall take most of my mounted knights." Robb answered. "Lords Karstark and Umber shall come with me, as with Hornwood, Glover, Tallhart, and Mormont. I will need them to push back the invaders into the sea whence they came. In the meantime, I have sent a raven to Lord Manderly and to Ser Rodrik. 

Ser Rodrik will secure the Dreadfort and pull its host into that of house Stark, while Lord Manderly will send a host to Moat Cailin so that we may strike it from both sides, and our three combined hosts shall then strike Winterfell and liberate Torrhen's Square and Deepwood Motte."

"The Dreadfort to be pulled into house Stark?" Catelyn asked. "Did Roose Bolton leave no inheritance for you to seize it such?"

"He had a son, but he died a few years ago." Uncle Brynden made to speak once more. "He did have a bastard…"

"And one which my conversations with the Hornwoods and ravens to Karhold leave me no choice but to send him to the gallows for his actions." Robb shook his head. "I will not legitimize a criminal. The Dreadfort will be incorporated into the lands of house Stark until I may find a house suitable to receive it. The line of Bolton has ended."

"Mayhaps it's for the best…" Catelyn sighed, remembering the atrocities committed by the Red Kings, whose deeds had spread south of the Neck and were used by her septa to scare her into eating her food while she was a young girl.

"When shall you leave?" Edmure asked Robb, changing the subject once more.

"As soon as my troops are able to." Robb answered cryptically. "I shall leave the wounded here, along with my foot and a few good commanders that shall serve you well while I am gone. 

It should be enough to hold the Lannisters out till I come back with a larger host. After all, winter is coming and the old and frail will be ready to march down the hills once more."

Catelyn shivered. Edmure and Brynden nodded.

"Ser Brynden, you shall stay here with my uncle, as will you, mother." Robb finally concluded.

"What?" she asked. "You cannot leave me here, at Riverrun!"

"I can, and it is an order, mother." Robb's stern face robbed her of any feeling that this was a poor jape.

"What good am I here?" she pleaded. "Let me go back to Winterfell and…"

"And what good will you be there either?" Robb asked. "Theon holds Winterfell. The Greyjoys hold Moat Cailin. This is not a stroll home, mother, this is a military campaign."

"I have had my share of campaigns, Robb! Don't you dare take my last son away from me!" she screamed at him with tears in her eyes. Yet, Robb just sat there, unflinching.

"I am sorry, mother." He replied. "But it will be safer here. And you won't be alone. You will have your father, uncle, and brother by your side."

"But not my son…" she whispered.

"It won't be for long." Robb rose from the table. "I shall come back with another host once we have crushed the squids. And I shall try my best to find myself a suitable bride before then, so that you may have grandchildren one day. I promise."

"Keep your promises, Robb." She shook her head. "Ned promised me to come back too, and all I ever got back was his bones."

"I shall not die." Robb assured her, closing the distance as he held her hand and looked her in the eyes. "When I come back in a dozen moons, I shall have an army and a bride. I promise you, mother, you will not lose your son."

Catelyn looked her son in the eyes sadly and sighed.

"Very well, then. I suppose that nothing I may say could convince you otherwise?"

"Nothing at all, mother." Robb shook his head. "I have a duty to my people. To the North."

"Very well then." She finally relented, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "But please, for the love of all the gods, Robb. Please, take care of yourself. I do not know what I shall do if I one day hear of anything happening to you."

"I shall, mother." Robb replied with a smile. "And do not worry, I shall make Theon Greyjoy pay for what he did to my brothers."

"I hope you will."