Chapter 21

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They attacked at night - just as they had attacked at night, they lured Jaime Lannister and defeated his army in a narrow valley in the Whispering Woods.

To completely block Riverrun, the Lannisters had to besiege it from three sides - south, west and north. This was the reason for the Westerners' defeat...

Brinden Tully was the first to strike, attacking the northern camp. The Westerners missed the attack - all sentries were killed beforehand. The palisades surrounding the camp were quickly crushed, and the Northmen began to sweep away the besieging troops.

When the northern camp was overrun, reinforcements came from the western corps - and were easily repulsed. Half of the men crossing the river simply drowned, along with Lord Brax, commander of the western camp. Riverrun's castle trebuchets had their say....

And it was when the Westerners were finally disorganised by the death of their commander that Robb Stark struck with the full might of the Northern cavalry. For a time, the camp held out under the Northmen's assault, but when the defenders of Riverrun struck the besiegers from behind, the camp fell.

The Lannisters' defeat was clear.

Theon swung his sword with a swift swing, bent slightly, and slashed at the insolent man's throat. No sooner had he watched the falling westerner than he nearly received another blow to the head. Some knight nearly clubbed him with his mace, but Greyjoy ducked just in time, nearly falling off his horse.

'That was close. I fucking hate horses.'

He tried to fend off the new blow with his sword - and it was a foolish thing to do. The blow was so strong that Greyjoy staggered and fell off his horse. Quickly regaining his senses, he picked up his sword and got to his feet, looking at the knight in Brax colours - a purple unicorn on a silver field.

- Hornval! - The knight gave a cry and swung his mace again, wanting to finish Theon off. Theon dodged with a somersault and clipped the horse's legs. The horse gave a painful groan and fell to the ground, dropping his rider as well.

-Damned northerner! Damn you, you ignominious heathen! - screamed the knight, who tried to get up. Theon didn't let him, his sword swiftly entering his unprotected neck. The knight gurgled and bright red blood ran down his armour... but Theon didn't really look, in the heat of battle and the darkness, he didn't care... dead and gone.

- I'm not a Northman, you idiot. - Theon muttered to the dead man. - I'm a Greyjoy.

He looked around - the battle was a mess, and there was little to make out. Hundreds of colours of different crests mingled together, shouts rang out, and the field was drowned out by the clang of iron and screams of rage and pain.

He spotted a knight in the colours of House Mormont being crowded not far from him. He was heckling as he fought off two soldiers in red cloaks and with shields engraved with a lion.

Greyjoy quickly approached them from behind and stabbed one of the soldiers in the armpit. Mormont fended off a couple of more blows and with his mace broke the helmet of another Westerner, causing him to fall silent. Dead, definitely dead.

- Thank you. - I thought I heard a woman's voice.

- You owe me a mug of dark ale. - Greyjoy waved his hand, not wanting to start a conversation, and looked around for Robb. He's practically his bodyguard, so he has to make sure his friend isn't forcibly sent on a date with the Old Gods.

He heard a hum from behind him, nothing more. No longer paying attention, having spotted his target, he moved towards Robb, surrounded by several Northmen.

The battle was almost over, the soldiers and knights were either surrendering or dying....

- Where have you been, Theon? - Robb said mockingly, wiping his bloody sword as he looked at Greyjoy. Circles under his eyes, a few wrinkles, and a grim expression.

'And where has Robb Stark disappeared to? You're not what you used to be, a spunky boy eager to fight.'

- Killing Lannister soldiers, Robb. Had to put a bit of a strain on one Brax knight.

- I hope you didn't kill Lord Brax, he'd be well ransomed. - Robb said, glancing at Grey Wind, who came up to his master with a hand in his teeth...

- I'm not sure it wasn't him. - Theon found himself laughing a little at the fact that he had killed his own pair of gold dragon sacks. Though it was unlikely this lord would be ransomed anytime soon, if at all.

Standing next to Robb were a couple of Carstarks, Torrhen and Eddard, both grey-eyed and dark-haired. They looked like Eddard Stark, if only distant relatives.

Ser Wendell Manderly stood beside them, looking at the direwolf with a strange feeling.

- My lord!' One of the captains approached Robb. - The Lannisters are defeated!

-I see,' he grumbled grimly. - Tell me, what of the south camp?

- Retreated, my lord.

- What of the prisoners? - Stark asked a new question, glancing down at the captain. He looked rather firmly at the nobleman, dressed in a brigantine and wearing a surcoat with the Stark crest. A half-helmet with a nano, greaves covered legs, leather trousers and muddy boots. Stark was looking at a sullen, bearded Northerner with a face that had long since said goodbye to youth - multiple wrinkles and a couple of scars clearly showed it.

- They are still being counted and identified, my lord. - replied the captain of the infantry squad in a husky voice.

- What is your name, Captain?

-Crigan, my lord. - There was no fear in the Northman's voice, but rather curiosity as to why Lord Stark himself was interested in his name.

- So, Cregan. - Robb looked round. - Tell the others to gather six hundred cavalry and follow the retreat from the southern camp. But don't get cocky, hit the laggards and the smaller units of the retreating men.

-Yes, my lord. - Captain Cregan bowed and left.

Some time later Theon learnt that the Brax he had killed was not a lord, nor even Brax himself, but a knight sworn to the house. Somehow that made Theon feel better.

And Lord Brax himself drowned. He had tried to help the northern camp, but some trebuchet had been clever and hit the raft on which Brax was trying to cross the Green Tooth.

During the battle, one of their mercenary troops, some Volantines, defected to them. Robb was glad, but he didn't want to pay them much. So the Volantines will probably have to leave Westeros....

Robb's captured uncle Edmure Tully was found. He appeared before him slightly overgrown, with dirty red hair and a tired look. But at the sight of Robb, he was overjoyed, his face brightening.

- Lord Edmar. - Robb addressed him politely. - The Lannister forces have been defeated and the siege of Riverrun lifted.

-I see, dear nephew. - replied Tully with a smile. - How you have shown those lions!

-"Not like you, Edmar. - came a voice and Brinden Tully came up behind him. - It is not very clever to divide the army.

The Riverlands heir's smile disappeared under Blackfish's gaze.

-Uncle-' he began, but was immediately interrupted.

- We'll talk later. - Brinden waved his hand. - Let's go into the castle.

Robb gave the last orders and with his family on his mother's side went to Riverrun, as many northern lords did. They were met by Titos Blackwood, who commanded the defence of the castle with the remnants of the Riverrun army.

They were seated in the great Wormhall of Riverrun - Edmar had graciously ceded his seat to Robb, earning a couple of strange looks from the River Lords here. The Riverrun Wormhall could hold the whole horde of lords of the North and the Trident.

Servants quickly placed small quantities of snacks and drinks on long tables for the lords - despite the siege, Riverrun's cellars were not empty. The siege was short-lived....

Theon positioned himself not far from Robb and then his pet, Cicero, flew up to him. He immediately snuggled up to him, begging for some grain.

- Grain!

Theon didn't have anything like that with him - he wouldn't carry a sack of grain with him when the battle was imminent, would he? He wore only his armour, chainmail and wool. Looking round the table, he noticed some loaves of bread nearby. He moved the silver-plated plate, probably made of iron, closer to the table and took a piece from the loaf and fed it to the parrot. The parrot accepted the offering gladly.

Greyjoy felt a pain in his neck and a slight dizziness. The fall from his horse had not been without its consequences. Yes and felt a little shaken after the adrenaline rush.

Sighing and trying to calm down, he looked around. There was noise in the hall - all the lords were talking among themselves, and even Robb was talking to his uncle and great-uncle about something.

Suddenly he felt eyes on him. Turning around, he came across familiar grey-blue eyes looking at him appraisingly. It was his table mate, Lord Jason Mallister.

-Lord Jason. - Theon nodded politely.

- S- -Lord Greyjoy. - Mallister looked at him as if he expected him to give him a hard time or stab him in the back... The young man sitting next to him looked at him curiously. It was Patrick Mallister, one of those who had accompanied Robb to the Battle of the Camp, as it had been dubbed.

-I am not a lord, for my father is still alive.

- I apologise,' and that was the end of the strange conversation. Mallister had been distracted because one of the Brackens had approached him. Theon didn't want to continue the conversation himself.

Feeding bits of bread to the parrot, occasionally stroking his crest, Theon waited for Robb to speak. And he did.

-Milords! - Stark spoke to all those sitting in the Great Hall at Riverrun. - Terrible news has come from the capital. - The hall fell silent, listening to every word the Dark Wolf said.

Robb's visage was worse than before - he looked sad, furious, and grim at the same time.

- My father, Lord Eddard was executed on false charges! Joffrey ordered his execution on the steps of Baelor's sept! - Stark was uncomfortable to say such a thing - it was obvious he could barely contain himself, but he tried to keep his composure.

Lord Amber's furious shout just shook the cave - joined by the other lords.

-DAMNED LIONS!

- My Lords! - Robb shouted over them all. - It's been revealed that Renly, after Robert Baratheon's death, crowned himself after bypassing his older brother Stannis and Joffrey.

- Have the Baratheons gone mad? - shouted someone from the River Lords.

- I don't know if Renly has gone mad or if he just wanted to oust his older brother. - Robb continued. - But we must decide. Who do we swear an oath to?

- Stannis!

- Renly!

-Should we swear to Joffrey? - someone in the crowd said very quietly and carefully. No-one realised who said it, but it didn't take long for Amber to speak up.

-We will never bow down to a lion's spawn! -We will never bow down to a lion's spawn! - said Lord Amber fiercely. - My Lords!

A huge man dressed in armour, with a woollen cloak on which was sewn the crest of his house - a giant tearing chains. He stepped into the centre of the Hall and addressed all those seated.

-Milords! - he repeated. - How long must we endure! Do these southern kings know anything about the North?!

There was a low murmur of agreement.

-Do they know anything about the Wall? The Wolf Forest? Have they ever heard of the Skagos or the White Knife, which runs through practically the entire North? NO!

-N-No, they don't know! N-don't know! - Cicero seconded him, but no one heard him in the clamour. Greyjoy petted the parrot and shushed him.

- So why?! Why, I ask you?!

-Why what? - the lords began to address him.

-WHY DO WE STILL BOW DOWN TO THESE SOUTHERN KINGS?! - Big John Amber shouted.

-There is only one king for me! THE KING OF THE NORTH!

Amber turned to Robb and drew his sword from its sheath. Kneeling down, he said to the audience again:

-King of the North!

-King of the North! - shouted the lords as if to cry out and kneel before Robb.

Robb was clearly shaken by Amber's antics-but he held his ground.

'We have practically all of Westeros against us now.' - Theon thought, kneeling as well. Not to be singled out, even the river lords repeated the action behind the Northmen. - ' Lions, stags, roses - the enemies are endless. Let's not get worn out.'

The hall was as clear as day from the light of the wall torches. Except that Theon fleetingly thought that a huge shadow had fallen sharply over them as Robb drew his blade and followed the others in saying:

-Let it be so! King of the North...