"Don't be gone for too long, you bastard." Robb told Theon as they held each other in a brotherly embrace.
"Don't do anything stupid, your grace." the Ironman told his friend-king, before turning to the princess who was standing beside them.
"And take care of her, will you?" he asked him with a smile directed to her.
"I sure will." Robb said with a glance in her direction before tapping the horse Theon climbed in the meantime.
"See you, lads." he told then started his ride to Pyke.
Robb watched him leave, and without a word to Rhalla, he returned to his duties.
Rhalla knew things would be busy for him. It was sad, but that was the only way for a king. She was sad he was ignoring her in that fashion, all for a mysterious girl he was marrying for the sake of crossing a bridge that was now useless.
And an alliance with the Freys, a won battle, Jaime Lannister captured..
Regardless, it was unfair to her.
Robb sent Theon as his envoy to treat with his father, Balon Greyjoy in order to prepare an attack on the Westerlands from both land and sea, since the Ironborn were known for their strong and numerous ships.
As for Robb's host, it marched west to face the army that was forming under the command of Stanfford Lannister from what the scouts had reported.
Robb also sent Catelyn Stark to negociate an alliance with Renly Baratheon who also proclaimed himself king after Robert's death despite his being younger than Stannis Baratheon who was sending ravens to all the high lords of Westeros, informing them that Queen Cersei's children were all illegitimate, making him the rightful king.
How many kings were there now?
After setting up camp, the men left in the dark of night to ambush the foe camp using an unknown trail that Grey Wind had found earlier. It felt as if without the direwolf, the army would be nothing.
Rhalla stayed in her tent as usual, this time, she entertained herself with a book about Aegon's conquest. She would always read about the Targaryen dynasty every now and then. It was a way to remind her of her roots, that way she can never lose sight of who she was and where she came from.
Back in Essos, the books were very limited, and all her knowledge about her family's history came from her brother, Viserys. But even then, she doubted the truth of his words.
"This book is one of my personal favorites. It's fascinating how your ancestors started from nothing after the Doom of Valyria, and then rose to unite the Seven Kingdoms." Kyra said after she discreetly sneaked into Rhalla's tent.
When she noticed the maid's presence, the princess closed the book and set it aside on her bed as she took a heavy sigh.
"I know. And it took a single madman to ruin it all." she said with in a sad tone.
Kyra remained silent, which was strange since in this sort of situation, she would always have something to say, either to teach Rhalla a lesson, or to help her feel better. But perhaps she didn't want to risk saying anything that might offend the princess, and she understood.
"Anyway. I assume everything's going well with your.. lover?" Rhalla quickly deflected the topic.
"Yes!" the maid chuckled, her brown eyes sparkling more than ever, "We get along pretty well. His duties and your needs don't allow us to meet as frequently as we would've hoped but we found a way to make this work. I just hope he'll make it out of this battle alive."
"Wait, are you saying that I'm needy?" Rhalla said, fainting an offended tone to try and reassure her friend when she noticed the worry she felt.
"I wouldn't dare, my lady. I am more than honored to serve you." Kyra said sarcastically.
"It's good that you came, Kyra. I've been meaning to talk to you." Rhalla said.
"What's on your mind?" Kyra asked as she sat on a chair opposite to her friend.
"I finally wrote back to my sister." she revealed.
"..And?" Kyra asked, and it would have sounded very enthusiastic, if she was not trying to hide it so hard.
"Once the letter reaches her, she will know which side I am on. I made it clear that I am supporting Robb's cause. That it is an honorable one, unlike hers. That if there is anyone worthy of sitting on the throne, it is him, even if he does not show interest of any kind to the Iron Throne." Rhalla told.
Kyra said nothing for a while before a misplaced smile was drawn on her luscious lips.
"You surprise me, Rhalla." she said.
"Why? Did you think that I would possibly choose my sister's side?" Rhalla almost laughed.
Kyra got up and walked to the exit of the tent, and before she raised the drap, she delivered the answer that Rhalla awaited to her question.
"No, princess. I thought you would choose yours." she simply said then left, leaving the dark-haired beauty lost in a deep sea of confused and distracting thoughts.
*******************************************
The battle had been a success, and a great strike against the Lannisters. Many officers and nobles were now held captive by the Starks, and again, the host were proud of their leader more than they ever were.
Robb had been a great king so far. He was open to negotiate new alliances for the benefit of his army, he listened carefully to his advisors and made the best decisions. Furthermore, his men loved and respected him. They would fight till the death for their cause, because they believed in him, and that was what a good leader ought to be.
Tired of aimlessly sitting around the camp, Rhalla only peaked at the bloody and muddy battlefield for a while before she decided to personally greet Catelyn Stark back into the camp after she'd return from the Stormlands that day after she heard word from a scout that the woman was not far.
It had been some time since she departed to try and negotiate an alliance with Renly Baratheon, and since then, no one had any news of what had come out from all of it.
But one thing was certain, joining forces between him and the Starks would crush the Lannisters and all their allies without any doubt.
It wasn't long that Rhalla stood on a cliff with Kyra and several guards before the Lady of Winterfell arrived on top of her horse. By her side was an unnaturally tall and strong armored man.. or woman. Rhalla wasn't sure until she finally removed her helmet and helped Catelyn unmount. For some reason, the princess was unsettled by her presence.
"Lady Catelyn.. It's.. uh.. good to have you back." Rhalla stuttered but tried to keep a smile and not look at the intimidating woman in the back.
"Thank you, child. It feels good to be back." Catelyn said as she placed both hands on the princess' shoulders with a genuine smile.
Despite her curtesy, Rhalla could see the redheaded Tully was disturbed by something, and that was only confirmed by her momentary silence.
"I need to speak to my son." Catelyn said.
"He is somewhere around the camp, though I am not sure were exactly." Rhalla told.
"Let us find him, then." Catelyn said as she started to remove her leather gloves.
"Of course." the princess agreed and directed a simple nod to gesture only a couple guards to follow while the others took care of the horses.
Catelyn Stark had always been kind to Rhalla, and that was no different even after the weariness of her journey.
The lady asked many questions as they made their way back to camp to make sure the princess wasn't missing of anything.
She was perhaps the only mother figure Rhalla ever had in her life, and the princess would always smile at the irony of the situation.
After sharing a few laughs over the hygiene of the men around the camp, especially their teeth's since the mud and sweat was inevitable after battle, they came across the king's location, but this time, he had company.
The guards stood in the back while the ladies kept walking towards him, and Rhalla was surprised to see that it wasn't an advisor, nor a lord, nor a guard, nor a soldier, but a debatably beautiful and tall woman with dark long hair and brown eyes.
Rhalla couldn't hear what they were speaking of, but she would give anything to know what who she was and what the topic was, since all this looked a little too informal to her taste, and as much as she wished to stay a little while longer spy on them, even if that wouldn't be the word she'd use, Catelyn Stark eventually called her son to announce her presence.
The way the young woman folded the piece of paper between her hands and looked to the ground only proved that she was even more uncomfortable when she noticed Rhalla and lady Stark's presence.
"Mother!" Robb exclaimed nervously when he turned quickly to find himself watched. He ran to embrace his mother, while Rhalla took her time to examine every detail there was to notice about the young woman he had been speaking to.
After the short hug the mother and daughter shared, he turned to introduce her, and Rhalla was finally going to know who she was.
"Mother, this is lady Talisa. She's been helping with the wounded. She's been very.. helpful." he said as he watched Talisa.. with great interest, which wasn't very pleasant for Rhalla who stood right behind them.
"Lady Talisa." Catelyn greeted.
"Lady Stark." Talisa slightly inclined her head.
"Lady Talisa..?" the Tully asked, obviously intrigued to know her surname.
"Maegyr." she responded.
"Maegyr." Catelyn slightly hummed as she tried to remember possibly all the noble family names in Westeros she had learned as a child, to no avail.
"Forgive me.. I do not know this name." Catelyn admitted.
"An uncommon name here. An old name in Volantis." she told, "Excuse me. My lady, your grace." she said then quickly ran out of the place as fast as she could.
Rhalla watched her leave, then her eyes returned to find Robb's hungry eyes following. When she was gone, he then turned to talk to his mother who clearly noticed the odd situation too, while the princess decided to leave them be.
During the entire conversation, Rhalla had focused on the little glances they shared, and the interest he particularly showed towards the supposedly Volantene woman.
Rhalla knew they had only met, though whatever tied them now wasn't what she would call friendship, nor anything close to the notion. It was clearly more, and if it went on, she'd lose him, forever, even though deep inside, she knew that she had been walking on that path for some time now.
And whoever this Talisa was, Rhalla could already feel that there was something wrong about her and who she claimed she was.
She was dangerous, that was certain..