Chapter 20: Our Time Is Running Out

Catelyn

It has been a month since Sansa was taken by the Lannisters. A month in which search parties have been sent out and scoured each and every corner of the Riverlands and the Westerlands and have turned up not a sight of her daughter. A month in which Catelyn has begun to fear the worst, it was the Mountain that rides, Ser Gregor Clegane who took her daughter, of that much all agree, where he has taken her, whether it be to King's Landing or to some other unknown location no one knows, but there is a silent sort of agreement that wherever her daughter is, nothing good could have befallen her with the Mountain as her captor. Sometimes at night Catelyn remembers Ned telling her of when Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon- Jon's half siblings- bodies were presented to Robert sat on the Iron Throne, and how their bodies had been so mutilated everyone present had had to look away, and in her darkest moments when she despairs so deeply of ever finding her daughter again, she closes her eyes and pictures Sansa's lifeless body strewn on the floor in front of the Iron Throne the Lannisters laughing all the while. What makes it worse is that her Sansa was pregnant when she was taken, whether she will be once they find her, whether she or the babe will survive whatever treatment she is given, worries her beyond belief.

She is only slightly relieved that Arya, Rickon, Robb and Jon are still here with her. Arya has become very, very quiet and angry since Sansa was taken, and it took several men to prevent her from attacking Ser Raynald or Lady Jeyne afterwards. Rickon though he has become more familiar with her, and sticks to her as he used before all this chaos started and they all lived in Winterfell and Ned was alive, does not fully understand why everyone is so ill tempered and why Sansa- Sanny he calls her- is not there to play with him when Arya goes off into one of her moods. Robb, her son, her eldest son, is Jon's unofficial hand, his right hand man, has taken it upon himself to continue to lead the war effort, though he, himself is still recovering from wounds taken in the North. Robb has led many search parties looking for Sansa, and each time came back empty handed and dejected. Her boy has grown more and more solemn as the days have worn on, becoming more and more like his father than he ever was before, not even the presence of Theon- the man he considers a brother- with his light hearted japes and jests, is enough to bring a smile back to Robb's face. No Robb set of for Maidenpool a week ago, deciding that if they truly wished to defeat the Lannisters once and for all they would need the strength of two extra dragons, which could be found in Maidenpool formerly the seat of House Mooton now the seat of Danaerys Targaryen, Jon's aunt, and a potential rival claimant for the Iron Throne should she so choose. Robb had tried to get her and Arya and Rickon back to Winterfell, but she had vehemently refused to return north, not until Sansa came back to them, not whilst there was a war still going on. Robb had acquiesced to her, but when news had come from the Blue Fork, writ in Dickon Tarly's hand that Mathis Rowan and his men had been killed and defeated, Robb had once again asked her, then pleaded with her to return north, to Winterfell, or if not Winterfell to White Harbour, to where it would be safe. Again she had refused pointing out to Robb that with Randyll Tarly dead and the snow falling all the more heavily now, it would be impractical and foolish for her and Arya and Rickon to leave. Robb had reluctantly allowed her to stay, though he had made her uncle Ser Brynden swear to take her north should anything happen to him before he could return.

Jon, her son- who was not her son- he altered between consciousness and unconsciousness so frequently that Maester Vyman had said that it was a wonder that he was still alive. The wounds that had Jon had received from the stabbing Ser Raynald had given him had been quite sever and quite close to some vital organs, had they been an inch more to the centre, Jon would have been dead by now and their cause finished. But Jon lived on, he fought on, whether or not it was because of the will to be king or because Sansa was not there, Catelyn knew not- though she did know, having spent some time tending to him herself, that Jon frequently called out for Sansa whilst he slept- Ghost as ever remained a sentinel beside his bed, not allowing anyone who was not part of the immediate family come near him, and Serrax Jon's black behemoth of a dragon roars and belching of flames could be heard all the way in Riverrun, and the surrounding area, despite him being tied to several trees in the Whispering Wood. She knew many of the men in Riverrun and around the Riverlands were deeply scared by Serrax, for dragons had not been seen in Westeros for nigh on two hundred years, but Catelyn thought just as she had when her children had come back with the direwolves and Summer had saved her Brandon's life, that perhaps the dragons were meant to come back from the dead, perhaps it was a sign from the gods. She often felt that Ghost, Greywind, Shaggydog and Nymeria were more than just direwolves it was as if they were something more, something connected to her children through some sort of intricate link that was beyond mere understanding, it was the same feeling she got whenever she ventured out into the woods and heard Serrax's growling and roaring from afar.

Their attempts to get Ser Raynald to talk about who had planned the kidnapping of her daughter of, his queen (for she knew the Westerlings had bent the knee to Jon, when the Crag had fallen, Robb had told her that), but Ser Raynald remained tight lipped and not even some of the more unhonourable forms of persuasion and questioning could do more than draw a few frenzied words from his mouth. He had screamed that Tywin Lannister had been plotting with his mother for a way to remove Jon and Robb from the war for good, and had been plotting with Roose Bolton as well, and that Robb and Jon were meant to have died at Robb and Edmure's wedding, though of course they had not. For Walder Frey had had a change of heart upon seeing Jon and Serrax, as Robb and Jon had told her when they had come back to Riverrun, and Roose Bolton and his bastard had paid for their attempted treachery with their lives. When Ser Raynald was told this, he continued screaming about how the Lannisters had continued to insist upon somehow weakening Jon's cause, and he had screamed that there was a spy in their army who reported back to Petyr, who had come up with the idea for Sansa to be taking. Catelyn could not believe that though, yes there might be a spy in their army- that was always a possibility during war- but she could not believe that Petyr, who had helped her and Ned when they had been looking for Bran's attempted killer, and for whom had helped Ned when he had been looking to discover who had been behind Jon Arryn's death, who had been like a little brother to her when they were growing up could plan such a thing. Then she thought about how he had challenged Brandon Stark- Ned's brother- to a duel for her hand all those years ago, and how Brandon had nearly killed him- had refrained from doing so because she had pleaded with him not to- and she felt a jolt of panic envelope her.

She knew Petyr had been sent to the Eyrie to wed Lysa, and to get her to bring the Vale to the side of the Lannisters, it would make sense therefore for him to plan to have Sansa taken captive. But she knew not what to do or whom to believe, which was why she found herself walking down toward the dungeons, Brienne following her like a shadow. As she stood in front of his cell, holding her torch up high and watching him squint in light of the flame, she thought of how different the man looked now compared to when she had seen him at Winterfell. His golden hair no longer shone, instead it was damp with grease and sweat, and he had a beard a golden beard, but it was lined with dirt and filth.

"Ah Lady Stark, such a delight to see you, I'm afraid I have nothing here to offer you but my own pleasant company. To what do I owe the pleasure?" She heard the Kingslayer ask in that mocking voice of his.

Catelyn kept her expression blank when she said, "I have come to ask you a few questions."

She heard him chuckle and wondered if he had lost his senses. "Ah of course you have, but I am a Lannister after all and we do expect certain things in return for what we give. I have a few of my own questions that I wish to have answered, for you see the jailers here are woefully bad at lying, though they do so take pleasure in mocking me. I'll answer your questions if you answer mine."

Catelyn was silent for a moment, before saying "Deal."

She saw the Kingslayer smile then and say "Excellent. So then Lady Stark, what is it that you wish to ask of me?"

Catelyn hesitated for a moment, she had so many questions she wished to ask but only a few of them would give her the answers she truly wanted. She took a deep breath then asked, the first question that had haunted her for many, many moons. "Did you push my son Brandon from the tower in Winterfell?"

There was silence, then the Kingslayer replied "Yes, and I would do it again if I had to."

Catelyn was horrified, "Why? He was but a boy; he did no wrong to you!"

The Kingslayer sighed then, "He was spying. He saw something that he was not supposed to see."

Silence then, "He saw you and your sister?"

The Kingslayer sighed once more before saying, "Yes, yes he did."

Catelyn felt disgust well up in her stomach; she had to hold back the urge to strangle the man there and then. Instead she asked, "So you pushed him from the tower, and then when you were safely back in King's Landing you sent an assassin to kill him?"

The man had the audacity to laugh then, "Oh Lady Stark I pity you, and truly I do. Tell me, my lady, why would I want your son dead?"

"Because you wished for him not tell a soul what he had seen!"

"Ah but Lady Stark, if I wished for him to die, I would do it myself I would not send some assassin to kill him. And before you ask Tyrion did not send the man either. Now I have some questions that I wish answered."

"Go on."

She heard the man take a deep breath and then ask, "Is it true that the Rock has fallen?"

Catelyn nodded, then heard the man take a deep shuddering breath before he started laughing once more. "Ah your boys are very smart. Then again I suppose it helps eh, being a Stark. And who has your nephew decided to give the Rock to once this war is done and he survives?"

Catelyn hesitated for a minute then said, "Torrhen Karstark. He has married your cousin Cerenna."

The Kingslayer was silent for a minute then said, "That is all I wish to know. But I suspect that you have some more questions, go ahead and ask and I shall see if I can answer them."

Catelyn thought carefully about what she needed to know next, for she knew the question she wished to ask could have damning consequences for herself and for Sansa. Taking a deep breath she asked, "If neither you, your sister, nor brother sent that man after my son then why did Lord Baelish confess to myself and my husband that the same dagger that had been his once, was now in the possession of your brother?"

The Kingslayer laughed again and said "Oh come now Lady Stark, surely you are not so foolish as to know that Littlefinger was lying."

Catelyn felt her heart sink, "What do you mean?"

The man chuckled and said "Lord Baelish used to go around court claiming that he had had you and your sister's maidenheads before either of your respective husbands. And that you and he were lovers long before Lord Stark ever sought your hand for his son. He also kept up an affair with Lady Lysa for years when Lord Arryn was still alive."

Catelyn felt her heart sink then, her worst fears had been confirmed, it was Petyr who had planned her daughter's kidnapping. She said nothing more to the Kingslayer as she left him to his cell, Brienne on her heels. She dismissed Brienne from her side, as she mounted a horse and rode out of Riverrun's courtyard during the night and made for the Whispering Wood. If Petyr had planned her daughter's kidnapping then she knew where she would be. She stood before Serrax, who looked at her with his blood red eyes, he looked at her as she made her way to the chain that bound him to the trees, and as she took the key from her pocket and undid the lock, she whispered to him, "Find Sansa, find her where the falcon flies. Find her and bring her home."

She moved backwards as Serrax, got ready to fly, and when he eventually did jump into the air and flew, he let loose a terrifying roar, and Catelyn Stark could only hope that she had done the right thing.

Varys

Since Lord Tywin had left with his men, King's Landing had become a much quieter place, there was less hustle and bustle in the streets and with the Tyrells and their men gone, there was also less likely to be fighting in the streets what with the Dornish contingent led by Prince Oberyn finally in the city. Of course that did not mean that there was no tension or drama. As a matter of fact, Varys knew that Queen Cersei deeply mistrusted Prince Oberyn and the Dornishmen and women that he had brought with him, for whilst he had pledged his fealty to the Iron Throne and to Joffrey before court just the other day, Lord Yronwood and several other important Dornish lords were off fighting in the Riverlands, for King Jon. And of course these same Dornish lords had played a hand in the defeat of Mathis Rowan and his men at the Battle of the Blue Fork, which had been a huge blow to the Lannisters for it now meant that they no longer outnumbered King Jon's forces. In fact it was now the other way around, and Varys's spies within both armies had reported that Lord Tully had led a force of some 5,000 men south to Harrenhal, where he had joined with Lord Royce and his 20,000 Valemen and that they were preparing for a battle with the host commanded by Tywin Lannister and Mace Tyrell, in an attempt to distract Lord Tywin from the fact that Lord Robb Stark was making his way to Maidenpool to treat with Danaerys Stormborn and secure her alliance and her dragons for his cousin, King Jon.

Of King Jon, Varys's little birds within Riverrun reported that he fell in and out of consciousness daily. And that he called out for the Lady Sansa almost frequently during his sleep. Varys was worried; the wounds that he had received from Ser Raynald's knife were not life threatening though it seemed that King Jon was in limbo subconsciously over whether or not he should allow himself to sleep or to fight the fatigue and wake up and lead his men. Of course, if he were to get better he would not be in a fit state to lead his men for some time, due to the nature of his wounds and how they would play into him riding his dragon. Also there was the fact that Tywin Lannister had said that should King Jon take the field against them, he would have Queen Sansa and her baby killed, Varys knew that threat would deeply worry King Jon and the Starks, and may even serve to cripple their war efforts. However, Varys knew one thing that Lord Tywin did not, for although it had been Littlefinger's suggestion that Queen Sansa be kidnapped and taken from Riverrun and brought to King's Landing to cripple King Jon's war effort, Varys' littlebirds had reported that the man had his own motives.

For long Varys had suspected that Littlefinger had had more of a hand in Jon Arryn's death than appeared likely upon first inspection, for though Littlefinger thought himself a master of the game, really he was just a novice. For Varys had eyes everywhere in the Red Keep and all over Westeros if truth be told, and had heard the reports that his little birds had brought him of the illicit affair between Littlefinger and Lady Lysa, and how Littlefinger had used Lady Lysa's love for him to further his own position in life, allowing him to come first to Gulltown and then to King's Landing, where he had begun plotting a much more dangerous game : war. Varys suspected that there were only two things that Littlefinger wanted in life, power and Catelyn Tully. His boasts about how he had taken Catelyn Stark's maidenhead were empty and pointless; Varys had done his searching and knew that it had been Lysa Arryn's maidenhead he had taken not Catelyn Stark's. Varys also knew that Lady Stark's marriage to Eddard Stark constantly rattled Littlefinger, even now, when Lord Stark was dead and buried. Littlefinger Varys suspected, no longer pined after Catelyn Stark and instead had set his sights on Queen Sansa, hence why he had suggested the plot in the first place and why Varys found himself sneaking around the Red Keep in the dead of the night and found himself standing in front of Prince Oberyn's chambers waiting for the Prince or his paramour to answer the door.

As it happened it was Prince Oberyn who opened the door, the Prince merely looked at Varys once before he said "Come in then Lord Varys."

Varys was slightly taken aback that Oberyn knew it was him, for he had taken care to disguise his appearance and looked much different to how he did during the day or when he went to pay Lord Tyrion a visit. Prince Oberyn clearly noticed his surprise for he laughed and said "You did not expect that disguise to fool me Lord Varys. I have known many spiders in my time, and have acted as one too."

Varys merely nodded and took the seat offered to him. They were silent for a few moments, then Varys saw Ellaria Sand, Prince Oberyn's paramour emerge from her and the Prince's chamber clad in only a night robe, she sat herself down on Oberyn's knee, and smiled seductively at Varys, he tittered. Prince Oberyn waited for a few more moments then said, "What is it you want Lord Varys. I have many ah duties to attend to." He looked at Ellaria then and she giggled.

Varys waited for a moment then said, "I know that you have come here for Justice Prince Oberyn, for Elia and her children. And I know that you know that so long as the Lannisters are alive, your sister and her children shall never have their justice." He paused and saw Oberyn's hands tighten on his chair. Varys went on " I also know that thought you have pledged your loyalty to Joffrey Baratheon, that your brother instructed Lord Yronwood to fight for King Jon. I know that Dorne really is fighting for his grace King Jon, and that you are here only as a pretext."

Oberyn's face whitened then and Varys had to repress a chuckle, "My Prince you know that I am a spider, but my web goes far beyond this keep and this city. It goes far beyond Westeros also. But that is not important; right now what I need to know is what are you willing to do for your king?"

Ellaria Sand snorted and said "We have sent men under Lord Yronwood to fight for him, we have come here to prepare the city for him. What more could we do."

Before Varys could answer, Oberyn spoke. "You want me to get Queen Sansa from wherever the Lannisters have hidden her is that it?"

Varys nodded, "Very good Prince Oberyn, very good. But not from wherever for she shall be in the Vale. But from whom. Lord Baelish holds her, and will do all he can to keep her. His Grace King Jon will look more favourably on you if you rescue his wife and lady love from the man, I believe you are an expert at subterfuge and poison my prince?" Oberyn nodded, and Varys smiled then and said "Then this should be no trouble for you at all."

Three Eyed Crow

The winter of all winters was fast descending on Westeros. As he had seen so it was happening, like it had millennia ago when the children had walked the Earth as the kings along with the First Men and Dragons had flown through the skies of Asshai and Essos. It was cold outside, that much he could tell from the way the trees shook in the wind and in the way the snow fell heavy onto the leaves. But he could not feel the cold, had not been able to feel the cold for a long time.

The last time he had truly felt the cold, it had been when he had gone on a ranging, a big ranging some sixty years ago now, there was snow on the ground and dead animals everywhere. It seemed that the giants had been marching south, not wildlings this time but giants, led by Toregg the Strong, last of the giant kings. There had been a fierce battle between the brother's of the Night's Watch and the Giants, it ended with many dead on both sides- including Toregg and Lord Commander Harlaw. When they had returned to Castle Black, he had been made Lord Commander, by a unanimous vote. That was the last time he had truly felt the cold, for the next ten years had been high summer, but he had felt the cold in his bones, it had been that that had led him out far from his party that day, when he had been five and seventy, and close to dying. He had found the cave, or the cave had found him he knew not anymore, and he had been taught about his powers and his ability, and he had dreamed, and seen and watched.

He had seen all kinds of things, it was he who sent Coldhands to lead the brother Samwell back safely to the Wall, after the mutiny in Craster's keep. It was he who had allowed Benjen Stark to live through the attacks of the wights and the White Walkers. He had done much seeing during his time here in the cave of the children, and there were still something he did not truly understand about the White Walkers, like where they came from or where they had been for the past millennia but one thing he did understand was that, their coming had awakened magic in the realm once more and had allowed the Prince's dragon to be born as well as the Stormborn's. He knew that for them to be stopped the dragon must have three heads, so far he knew of two, but the third he was not so sure of. The Prince did not have his sword either, the sword to break the darkness and welcome the light, the Stormborn did not wield weapons and was fast falling into the trap that had captured many of their family for generations: madness. He was helpless to stop the descent he could only hope that she would not wage war with the Prince for the throne. They needed to be united before they could fight the White Walkers, and the Prince of the Green needed to arrive, he needed to be taught all that he could. Yet the three eyed crow knew that his time was fast running out, ever since he had called for the boy to come he had felt his strength waning, had felt himself lost in dreams more often than not.

He knew that he could not pass on until the boy had been trained, for the boy would be able to learn more about the Prince than he had ever been able to. The boy would be able to find the third head of the dragon, where he and Rhaegar had failed. The boy would know when and how to send Darksister to the third head, for that was what the sword had been forged for, deep in the fires of Asshai, back when the Long Night had reigned had it been forged and brought. Though of course the Red Woman was still out there was still alive and wandering Westeros, that was not good, she needed to be dead for the Prince to succeed for the White Walkers to be crushed, for otherwise she would awaken those of the flame that were best not awoken, creatures so foul that they scared even he, years after he had learned of their existence and had faced them down. No Melisandre Of Asshai would have to die, and one way or another he would have to make sure of it.

Of course he could always contact the man he knew as distant kin, the man whose father he had once known. Though he was reluctant to do so, for the man's father had been mad, and the man himself had been plotting things that even made his head turn, and he had been a master plotter back when he had been human. No he decided that he would wait, wait for the boy to come with the cranogpeople, he would teach the boy all he knew and had learnt in his years as a greenseer, and then when the boy was finally ready he would depart this world for the peace that had been denied him for all those years.

He could almost hear Shiera calling him, calling his name, opening her arms to welcome him into her embrace, feel her lips on his, and feel her wetness around him. Oh how he yearned for her, he had not thought about her for so long now, but now that he had he could not satisfy his craving for her. It had been too long, she had been gone too long, he wondered what would happen if he said her name now, not the name she had had when he had known her, but the name she had had long ago when both of them had been young and foolish. Before life had seen to rip them apart.

Deep down in the cave of the Children of the Forest, the Three Eyed Crown opened his eye and mouth and with a voice hoarse from disuse whispered a name that had not been heard in Westeros for many years, "Quaithe."

The mother, who was not his mother, had unbound his chains, and said for him to go and find his mate, his wife. He looked at her, saw the hope and the fear in her eyes, and knew that something was troubling her deeply, but in this body he did not have the ability to speak human words, he could only roar and growl and breathe fire. So instead he turned his blood red eyes onto her, and puffed a plume of smoke, and then as she backed away he readied himself for flight, once the mother- who was not his mother- had gone back far enough he launched himself into the air, and spread his wings. Oh it felt good to be in the air again, it had been far too long since he had flown. He flew higher and higher before he opened his wings and roared for all to here, as the birds flew out of the trees, he unleashed a delighted plume of smoke.

He spared one last glance for the mother- who was not his mother-, she looked so small down on the ground, and then he opened his wings and flew to where the falcon dwelled. He crossed castles, grass, and rivers. Each time he flew past an establishment where one of the two legged people lived he roared, so that they could see his presence and know the strength he had, often he heard them gasp in wonder, others nearly cried and tried to pray to their Seven for protection, but he did not heed their worries, for it was not them he wanted.

No he continued flying high and long into the night and the day, and the day after that. He hunted some of the livestock and often found himself wanting more, but he knew what he had been freed for and knew that he needed to find his rider's love, before he could truly eat freely. As the mountains of the falcon came into view, it was dark, the sky was as black as sin, as black as Balerion had been when he had been a boy, the boy within him remembered. He was silent for his rider knew that the art to getting what he wanted lay in silence and patience, though the dragon inside of him clamoured to roar and burn down those who would dare take from him and his rider.

He flew over the mountains of the moon, as the humans called them, flew over the Bloody Gate- a name provided by a long forgotten memory- and then as then as he got close to the castle of the falcon, he saw riders approaching, flying not the banner of the lion as they had when the rider's love had been taken but the mockingbird of their actual lord. Serrax felt his rider grow angry, there was only one man he knew of who had a mockingbird for a sigil and that man was supposed to be a friend to the mother- who was not his mother- the fact that this man had taken his love from him deeply angered him. The man would pay for it with his life.

He landed off away from the castle of the falcon in some woodlands, and watched as the riders brought in a woman who he knew was his rider's love, she was unmoving though he could feel her heart beat in his head, almost as surely as he could feel her thoughts- and they were scared and confused- and with his greater vision he saw as the mockingbird man walked out to greet the riders, and laid a loving hand on the rider's love's face, and then kissed her. Serrax felt his rider's anger mix in with his own- how dare this man kiss his queen, how dare he take what was not his-. Serrax roared his anger into the night, and when the birds fluttered out of the trees, and the men turned to look toward the woods where he was hidden he heard the rider's love say, "Serrax." And roared once more to let her know she was not alone.

In Riverrun, as Serrax roared and bellowed Jon Targaryen shot up in his bed and wincing with the pain shouted for Ser Barristan who came running into the room followed by Lady Catelyn and Brienne. Jon looked at them and then said "I know where Sansa is, send word to Robb. I want men sent to the Vale, they are to bring Sansa back and bring me Littlefinger. In chains.