Chapter 36

He wanted to leave the tent and go with Robb. Jon stayed; he sat down in front of lord Lannister and waited for him to stop writing. Ever since he arrived at the Neck the older man was a looming presence. The Northernmen did not listen to Southron lords however. He, Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell, commanded them. The news of father's death reached their ears a few days earlier. He wept and was uncontrollable for the whole day. Not even Ygrette had been able to appease him. Ghost and him howled all night. Mother's father and his host arrived the following day. It had been five days since. Lord Lannister wanted to wait but Jon wanted to plunder the Riverlands, advance South, take King's Landing and rain fire over all of those who accused and killed father. He had the power of the Karstarks, the Umbers, Hornwoods, Mormonts and even the Boltons. He had enough power to make Westeros bleed until all of them paid.

He was roused out of his angry musings. "Get rid of your wildling whore. I have secured a marriage contract for you."

He looked at the older man as if he was insane. "Forgive me Lord Lannister but marriage is the last thing on my mind. I need to march South and recover my siblings."

"You need to hold the North and secure the Riverlands for us. You'll marry one of Walder Frey's daughters or granddaughters whichever you find more pleasing."

"I will not." He wasn't uncle Tyrion or Jaime who shook in their boots while in the presence of this man. He was Jon of Winterfell, Warden of the North.

Tywin stared at him unflinchingly. "How do you plan to cross the Riverlands then. Walder Frey is a vassal lord to Hoster Tully and will not let us cross unless you marry one of his female descendants. You will be stopped here or do you plan to diminish your host and have wounded men at your feet. How long do you think it will take you to arrive to King's Landing? Would your men still hold you as their liege lord? Or would they march North again? There is nothing holding them to you but their nostalgia, Eddard Stark is dead and they know it. Nothing but your future actions hold them to you." The man said with such determination alien to him.

Jon remained silent. "We can easily pass through the Riverlands, with your host and mine we hold more power than the Freys and the other Riverland lords."

The man stared back. "I happen to have a good relationship with Frey and happened to cross without problems. I expect I would be able to cross back without much hassle."

Lannister was clear, he would not advance with their previous plans, not unless he heeded his words and married the Frey girl. This was about control, this man held control over him. He had something he wanted. Mother had taught him this lesson a long time ago. Her words echoed back in his head, "little wolf, and play nice, you want to ride that horse. Lord Stark would not let you if you cry or hit your little brother."

He looked at his supposed grandfather with hatred and left the tent in a fury. He walked out of tent; an act of defiance, but that tasted much like defeat. He would have to marry that girl because he wanted the Western lords behind him. He would get to King's Landing even if it was the last thing he did in his life.

Jon was a fury and walked away from the tents without speaking to anyone. Ygrette approached him but she must have understood his mood. She remained back. Robb wasn't so fortunate. His younger brother followed him. "Jon." He called after him. He walked faster; his previous thoughts of talking to his brother were long forgotten. A sudden rage took over him; they were far away from the host. He turned back and looked at his younger brother, like him was unshaven and unkempt.

"Why did you go with Jaime?" He asked harshly.

"If you had gone with them. We would not be here. You were supposed to take care of Tommen and the girls." He pushed Robb and his younger brother pushed back.

"They had uncle Tyrion." Robb answered.

Jon growled at him, "Jaime was going to get uncle Tyrion. You did not have to move from father's side. How could you have left him?" he roared and threw the first punch.

Robb reeled back for a second and then reacted. His younger brother punched back. Jon saw his bleeding lip and charged at Robb. They punched each other. Jon had not fought Robb like this ever. He tackled him to the ground and pummeled him. Robb rolled them back and got on top of him. They rolled, kicked, and punched each other.

Their direwolves were nearby howling pitifully trying to get between them. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Robb yelled. He must have broken his nose; he was bleeding profusely. Jon stopped. He looked at his baby brother bloodied, with a black eye and he wept.

Robb wept too and hugged him. "I should have stayed. I should have never left father. I didn't protect them. What if they're dead?" Robb said anxiously. They cried together, for father, for the girls and Tommen. The Crown would have said something if they were alive. Ever since that fateful night days ago he couldn't sleep thinking about Arya and Joanna, his baby sisters could be dead for all he knew. Tommen, he would never leave the girls. Never, what happened to him, why hasn't anyone asked ransom for any of them. His nights were restless, thinking his family gone. He hadn't send any ravens to mother. She was delicate, too delicate to bear such news. She wanted to come South with Bran. Maester Luwin forbade her from doing so and gave her some medicine to keep her calm as he and his bannermen left Winterfell. Bran resented him and everyone from leaving. He wouldn't speak to him when he said goodbye. He hugged him but did not speak.

"Take care of mother and the baby. It's your job now. Soon, you'll be a big brother." He said and kissed his forehead. Bran just hugged him tight.

Jon became the big brother once more. He held Robb to him, like he had held Bran when they said goodbye. They were the same height now, if anything Robb would be taller than him. The heir to Winterfell was bruised but it was clear Robb had suffered more blows and looked far worse than his older brother.

"We are going to find them. I promise you Robb. We're going to hail fire and blood in King's Landing until we kill all of them. Winter is coming brother." He said murderously. Jon had never felt so much hatred before.

Robb nodded. "I'm so sorry Jon." He said. Jon nodded and they walked back to the camps. Uncle Tyrion laughed bitterly when he saw them come in.

"Have a maester look at your ribs boy. Your brother must have broken two at least." Uncle Tyrion went in what was Shae's tent one of the whores who came with the Westernmen. She was with some lord of other.

He listened to his uncle and searched for a maester. He found one and he worked on both of them. Robb indeed had two broken ribs, a black eye and a broken nose.

"I think I would look devilishly handsome." He said. Robb knew him best, perhaps that was the reason why he followed him in the first place. Robb felt guilty and in Jon's mind he was but they had settled things. It was over; he couldn't resent him any longer.

The maester tended to his cracked knuckles, bruises and gave him a salve to treat the rest of the bruises for the next few days. Robb had been bandaged and was ready to find his tent.

"How is mother?" Robb asked as soon as they were alone in his tent.

"She doesn't know. I don't want a raven to deliver that news. She is delicate." Jon said taking a seat by a table and pouring them some ale.

"What do you mean by delicate? Is she sick? Mother has never been frail." Robb said wondering what could be wrong with their mother.

"She's with child. She should have the babe in a couple of weeks." Jon said with a smile.

Robb smiled too, "She should look beautiful by now."

Jon agreed, Robb and him thought mother looked like the Mother from the new Gods septa Mordane spoke so much about. "Her hair is shinier than ever, even more so than when she was pregnant with Arya."

Robb drank some ale. "Grandfather wants me and uncle Jaime to march South."

Jon looked at his younger brother, "He ordered me to marry a Frey. He reasoned it would be the contract he reached with old Walder Frey in exchange for passing through the bridge."

"You refused." Robb replied, knowing well that marriage was not a priority for him.

He assented, "Lord Lannister announced his host would go back to the Westerlands id I did not do as I was bid."

"What would you do?" He asked, interested in his brother's insight.

Robb glanced back at him. "I would marry the girl. You will have to marry eventually. You are the warden of the North. They're not beautiful but you are not a looker yourself."

Jon smiled a bit, "I do not want him to think I bend to his desires. It would create a precedent."

Robb understood. "Make demands too."

Jon looked at his brother. "Let them think they control you." Cersei had whispered to all her children from a very early age. Father never agreed but mother was right. She used to tell him and Robb when they were little. "Anyone who isn't us is the enemy." Father did not believe in this philosophy, father was dead. Jon wouldn't let any other member of his family die under his watch.

Robb tried to bring him back from his musings. "Winter is Coming brother." He said. Jon hugged him. "When the cold wind blows the lone wolf dies but the pack survives." He whispered back. Father had once said as much. He now understood the meaning of the words. He needed to reunite his family and he would do so even if he had to destroy Westeros in the process.