Robb Stark

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[Riverlands - Stark War Camp]

In the Stark war camp, Robb Stark was led by a man with a torch to where Jaime was being held. Robb entered Jaime's cage, where he was tied to a wooden pole, a good distance from the walls of the cage.

"King in the North. I keep expecting you to leave me in one castle or another for safekeeping, but you drag me along from camp to camp. Have you grown fond of me, Stark? Is that it?"

"If I left you with one of my bannermen, your father would know within a fortnight, and my bannerman would receive a raven with a message, "Release my son and you'll be rich beyond your dreams. Refuse and your house will be destroyed, root and stem."

"You don't trust the loyalty of the men following you into battle?"

"Oh, I trust them with my life. Just not with yours."

"Smart boy." He said, causing Robb to glare. "What's wrong? Don't like being called 'boy'? Insulted?"

Robb looked behind Jaime's cage. As Jaime nervously strained to look behind him, Grey Wind could be heard heavily walking to the front of the cage.

"You insult yourself, Kingslayer. You've been defeated by a boy."

With Grey Wind now fully in view, Jaime lost his brave facade.

"You're held captive by a boy. Perhaps you'll be killed by a boy." Grey Wind entered the cage as Jaime looked very nervous. "Stannis Baratheon sent ravens to all the high lords of Westeros. King Joffrey Baratheon is neither a true king nor a true Baratheon." Jaime focused back on Robb. "He's your bastard son."

"If that's true, Stannis is the rightful king. How convenient for him."

"My father learned the truth. That's why you had him executed."

"I was your prisoner when Ned Stark lost his head."

"Your son killed him so the world wouldn't learn who fathered him. And you... you pushed my brother from a window because he saw you with the queen."

"You have proof? Or do you want to trade gossip like a couple of fishwives?"

"I'm sending one of your cousins down to King's Landing with my peace terms."

"You think my father's going to negotiate with you? You don't know him very well."

"No, but he's starting to know me."

"Three victories don't make you a conqueror."

"It's better than three defeats."

Robb nudged Grey Wind towards Jaime and left the cage. Grey Wind growled in Jaime's face and came close to biting him. Jaime closes his eyes in preparation, but when he opened them back up, Grey Wind was gone.

Later that night, Robb stood in his tent with his advisor when a Lannister man was brought in.

"You're Ser Alton Lannister?"

"I am, Your Grace."

"I offer your cousins peace if they meet my terms. First, your family must release my sisters. Second, my father's bones must be returned to us so he may rest beside his brother and sister in the crypts beneath Winterfell. And the remains of all those who died in his service must also be returned. Their families can honour them with proper funerals."

"An honorable request, Your Grace."

"Third... Joffrey and the Queen Regent must renounce all claim to dominion of the North. From this time, till the end of time, we are a free and independent kingdom."

Alton looked at him wide-eyed.

"The King in the North." Ser Rodrik chanted.

"King in the North." The others at the table followed suit.

"Neither Joffrey nor any of his men shall set foot in our lands again. If he disregards this command, he shall suffer the same fate as my father, only I don't need a servant to do my beheading for me."

"These are... Your Grace, these are..." Alton stammered.

"These are my terms. If the Queen Regent and her son meet them, I'll give them peace. If not, I will litter the south with Lannister dead."

"King Joffrey is a Baratheon, Your Grace."

"Oh, is he? You'll ride at daybreak, Ser Alton. That will be all for tonight."

After everyone else left the tent, Theon approached Robb.

"A word, Your Grace?"

"You don't have to call me 'Your Grace' when no one's around."

"It's not so bad once you get used to it."

"I'm glad someone's gotten used to it."

"The Lannisters are going to reject your terms, you know?"

"Of course they are."

"We can fight them in the fields as long as you like, but we won't beat them until you take King's Landing. And we can't take King's Landing without ships. My father has ships and men who know how to sail them."

"Men who fought my father."

"Men who fought King Robert to free themselves from the yoke of the South, just like you're doing now. I'm his only living son. He'll listen to me. I know he will. I'm not a Stark. I know that. But your father raised me to be an honorable man. We can avenge him together.

Catelyn called her son to her tent shortly after.

"You don't want Balon Greyjoy for an ally."

"I need his ships. They say he has two hundred."

"They say a million rats live in the sewers of King's Landing. Shall we rally them to fight for us?"

Catelyn was preparing to go somewhere, gathering up various items.

"I understand you don't trust Lord Greyjoy."

"I don't trust Lord Greyjoy because he is not trustworthy. Your father had to go to war to end his rebellion."

"Yes. And now I'm the one rebelling against the throne. Before me, it was father. You married one rebel and mothered another."

"I mothered more than just rebels, a fact you seem to have forgotten."

"If I trade the Kingslayer for two girls, my bannermen will string me up by my feet."

"You want to leave Sansa in the Queen's hands? And Arya, I haven't heard a word about Arya. What are we fighting for if not for them?"

"It's more complicated than that! You know it is."

A long pause followed as Catelyn sat down.

"It's time for me to go home. I haven't seen Bran or Rickon in months."

"You can't go to Winterfell."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'll send Rodrik to watch over the boys, 'cause tomorrow, you'll ride south to the Stormlands."

"Why in the name of all the Gods-"

"Because I need you to negotiate with Renly Baratheon. He's rallied an army of one hundred thousand. You know him. You know his family."

"I haven't seen Renly Baratheon since he was a boy. You have a hundred other lords -"

"Which of these lords do I trust more than you? If Renly sides with us, we'll outnumber them two to one. When they feel the jaws beginning to shut, they'll sue for peace. We'll get the girls back. Then we'll all go home for good."

"I will ride at first light."

Robb kisses his mother's forehead, and pulled her in for a hug. "We will all be together again soon, I promise."

"You've done so well. Your father would be proud."

"Give Lord Renly my regards."

"King Renly. There's a king in every corner now."

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