Vows

The march back from Storms End was a quiet one. No one had words to say and the suddenness of the events that followed had so thoroughly shocked them that no one could talk.

Catelyn didn't know how things had gone so bad, but perhaps that was the very nature of war. When arriving at Bitterbridge she had managed to negotiate a peace between her son and Renly. Then she had been invited to a feast in order to celebrate the union and Catelyn had reluctantly agreed.

But things quickly soured when Stannis had arrived in the Stormlands and had taken the seat of House Baratheon, Storms End. With the intention of seeing Stannis's military power to report to her son should he turn out to be an enemy and to also show that the Stark's and Baratheon were allied once more, Catelyn followed Renly.

Only for things to go horribly wrong the moment they arrived.

Renly and Stannis had met and parlayed. Yet Stannis had been unwilling to listen to reason and accept any form of compromise, even going so far as to threaten to execute Renly along with her and her son if they didn't recognise his rightful claim to the Iron Throne.

That night, when preparing for battle, everything changed.

Renly Baratheon had been killed.

No one knew how, the only one with the King at the time had been Brienne the Blue, a trusted member of his Rainbow Guard. Many had demanded her death, claiming she was the one who killed the King, but Catelyn had spoken in defence of the young woman, recognising the look of a woman who had lost someone she loved.

It was a feeling Catelyn felt whenever thinking of her husband and daughters. Despite the possibility of them being alive, with every passing day and no sign of them, Catelyn began to believe that they were truly dead. She didn't like it, didn't want to believe it, but everything said that they were.

Robb, she knew despite his best efforts was already beginning to accept the hard truth that they were more than likely dead. He had committed himself fully to the war and the thought of revenge ever since.

Unfortunately, despite her best efforts, many men had not been willing to listen to her pleas. Whether it was because they fully believed Brienne had killed Renly or because they wanted to prove their loyalty to Stannis, she didn't know. All she knew was that suddenly battle erupted between Renly's camp.

Those that quickly changed their loyalties and joined Stannis and those that believed Brienne when she claimed it was Stannis that killed him.

In the ensuing fighting, Catelyn and Brienne had been cornered by Lord Bryce Canon the Orange, Ser Guyard Morrigen the Green and Ser Parmen Crane the Purple along with numerous men from the Stormlands. Her northern guards were killed and just as it seemed all hope was lost, Ser Robar Royce the Red, Ser Emmon Coy the Yellow and a few loyal men burst in and helped the two escape.

There they had escaped, a small company of only ten men moving through the rich lands of the Reach and as far away from the Stormlands. Catleyn would have headed north to the Riverlands, but Ser Robar had pointed out that it was an obvious route and Stannis would have men watching the road.

Since then, the journey through the Stormlands and into the Reach had being quiet.

Catleyn herself looking to see the young woman who had saved her life at Storms End.

Brienne was all but despondent, her gaze resting on her horse, but never really acknowledging it was there. Her entire world had come crumbling round and she was just moving on instinct alone. She made for a sorry sight, nothing like the strong, confident yet strangely insecure woman she had been before.

"We should make camp here tonight." Ser Emmon called, the group eventually bringing their horses to a halt.

As the men got to work setting up a camp, Catelyn watched the proceedings unfold. "My lady, are you unhurt?" Ser Robar asked, coming to her and Catelyn gave a small smile of thankfulness. Despite the long journey, Ser Robar had been attentive and chivalrous like any knight should be. But she also knew he had another reason for his kindness.

He had shown a special interest in her sons' campaign and Catelyn had no doubt that he would follow her and swear himself to her son. Saving her and being attentive was his way of earning the good favour of Robb.

Despite being a good man, Robar still had his own motives and ambitions.

"I am fine, thank you, Ser Robar." She said amicably, the man nodding his head and moving to check up on the rest of the men. While she was fine, they were not, many we're killed in their attempts to get out of the camp, and those that had, did not do so unscathed.

"It looked like Stannis." Brienne muttered from where she was tending the horses. It was quiet, the men around them too busy with their own tasks to take notice of what she said, but Catelyn. "To me it just looked like…a shadow in the shape of a man." Catelyn had caught a glimpse of it upon entering the tent, so had Ser Robar and Emmon though they refused to believe what he had seen, deeming it a trick of the light. Catelyn wasn't so sure, she'd seen the connection her son shared with his Direwolf, watched him pray in the Godswood.

He seemed to see things and each time he came out more and more sure of himself, as if he were becoming a different man. And the connection he shared with his Direwolf seemed to grow stronger. There were times she entered a room or the Godswood to speak with her son, finding him deep in prayer and so would be quiet as to not disturb him. Grey Wind the ever-loyal guard would notice her, his head raising and looking at her and seemingly as if able to see what the Direwolf would see, Robb would turn to her.

It was strange and almost, unnatural.

Much like the shadow that killed Renly.

Perhaps Robar and Emmon were right, the shock of Renly's death and the unknowing of who killed him had caused them to see things that were not there. But she had to admit, there were strange things in this world that she could not explain.

"In the shape of Stannis!" Brienne argued.

Catleyn opened her mouth, trying to argue that Brienne couldn't say such things without proper proof. If she did, Brienne would be proclaimed a madwoman. "We should reach, Tumbleton tomorrow."

There was a pause, Brienne stumped by the sudden change of the conversation, but she eventually responded.

"Will we be staying there long, my lady?" Catelyn shook her head at Brienne's question. She didn't plan to stay long, here or at Tumbleton, she needed to return to her son's side. "Will you tell him the truth?"

"I will tell him what I believe to be true." Catelyn replied firmly, but she was unsure of what she believed to be true. "After that, I will leave for Winterfell."

The news that the North had come under attack from the Ironborn was a shock, but her worry and desire to see her sons, Bran and Rickon forced her to make the difficult decision of leaving her eldest. But she was sure he would be safe; he was surrounded by experienced and loyal bannermen.

"My two youngest need me, I've been away from them far too long."

"I never knew my mother." Brienne noted with a tinge of sadness in her tone.

"I'm sorry. My own mother died on the birthing bed, when I was very young." Catelyn's voice cracked with emotion.

"It's a bloody business."

"What comes after is even harder."

Brienne paused.

"Once you are safely back amongst your own people. Will you give me leave to go, my lady?" Brienne asked, she having stuck by the side of Lady Stark in order to protect her. She had sworn to herself that she would make sure Lady Stark got to safety and she intended to keep that promise, but Brienne also had her own desires.

"You mean to kill Stannis." It was not a question; Catelyn knew exactly what Brienne desired more than anything.

"I swore a vow." Brienne responded firmly.

Catelyn thought it was admirable, but foolish. "But Stannis has a great army around him. His own guards are sworn to keep him safe."

"I'm as good as any of them." And in that moment, Brienne said the very thing that had always been on her mind. "I should never have fled."

"Renly's death was no fault of yours. You've served him bravely."

"I only held him that once, as he was dying." Brienne's heart tore apart as she remembered holding the body of the man she loved.

Catleyn shot to her feet, unwilling to let such an admirable and strong woman die. "He's gone, Brienne. You serve nothing and no one by following him into the earth. Renly's enemies are Robb's enemies as well." And that was the crux of the matter, with her going North and Robb staying south, despite surrounded by loyal men, she still worried for him like any mother would.

She had seen Brienne fight; she was a strong and skilled woman. Catelyn would feel much better and worry far less if she could convince Brienne to stay by Robb's side and protect him.

At the end of the day, she was no different to men like Robar Royce who helped people for their own gain. But this was war and Catelyn had already lost a husband and two daughters, she would not lose anyone else.

Brienne became straight faced, her eyes studying Lady Stark's, understanding come to her eyes. "I do not know your son, my lady." Catelyn frowned, sitting back down on the log she had used as a seat. "But I could serve you! If you would have me?" Brienne boldly claimed, the action gaining the attention of the others in their camp who looked on.

Catleyn looked at her in a new light in that moment.

"You have courage. Not battle courage perhaps. But I don't know, a woman's kind of courage and I think when the times comes, you will not hold me back. Promise me that you will not hold me back from Stannis." She pleaded and Catelyn remained silent.

The two women stared into one another's eyes, trying to understand the true depths of one another's character as they did.

It was Catelyn that spoke next.

"When the times comes, I will not hold you back." At that declaration, Brienne unsheathed her sword, dropping to one knee and presenting the blade to Catelyn.

"Then I am yours, my lady. I will shield your back and give my life for yours if it comes to that. I swear it by the Old Gods and new." Catleyn gave slight nod of her head and instead of taking the sword, took Brienne's hand.

"I vow that you shall always have a place in my home and at my table and that I shall ask no service of you that might bring you dishonour. I swear it by the Old Gods and the new." Catelyn vowed herself.