Conquest

[Riverrun]

Robb, Catelyn, Brynden, Rodrik and Waymar and Yohn watched in silence as the heir to House Tully attempted, again and again, to loose an arrow aflame in the rowboat that carried Lord Hoster Tully. He kept his feelings on the man to himself as this is a saddening time for House Stark and Tully. He didn't like Hoster, the man was ambitious during the rebellion his father fought, it was the only thing him and Lysa had in common.

He wrote to his 'mother' and offered to escort her and Robert to come and say farewell but no word had come and he is getting nervous about what's going on in his lands. He is going to have to return soon and spend some time away from this war at least for a short time, maybe he can ferry the new force across into Duskendale which is still under his control after getting a pact with Robb. He would ravage the Crownlands with his men and Robb would cause havoc in the Westerlands.

After almost breaking into a grin when Edmure failed to do it, Robb chuckled but was silenced by Cat. The Blackfish was upset and pushed the man aside so that he may. Another part feels sympathy for Edmure, it's hard losing the man you admired most in this world and now all that is left to be done is to continue fighting this war and find justice for those who are gone.

He was inside of his chambers given to him when a knock came to the door, his page put the letter on his desk and he didn't need a second glance to know it was from Stannis, to threaten and spout about him being a traitor, a traitor? He is the only Lord Paramount trying to get his foolish hide on that thrice-damned iron chair.

"Why do most believe the Iron Throne has all the power, it's the man sitting next to it that has the power." He uttered to himself and looked away from the message, getting angered by the sight of it. Then he remembered why that anger came to be.

Andar was a loyal lord, knight, and friend. Him, Yohn, and Waymar wept upon hearing of his burning and the Bronze Lord swore to Seven that he will have Stannis's head, Waymar swore the same and he couldn't bring himself to disagree until he calmed down and reminded the Lord and son that they swore an oath to Stannis, but how he presents this doesn't have the inspiration anymore. The King Who Hides, the man he pledged himself to does nothing but wallow in self-pity and burns any who try to act.

Rumor and gossip tell him that his force at hand doesn't wish to fight with the King of the Narrow Sea, they want to govern themselves and name one from the Vale their new King and it doesn't take a Maester to see who his men are talking about. He isn't a King, he isn't Robb Stark or Renly Baratheon or Balon Greyjoy. He is Rodrik Arryn, Lord Paramount of the Vale, Lord of the Eyrie and Warden of the East, not a King. It's a reason he doesn't have full gatherings as Robb does.

His blue eyes closed and thought back to better times, him as a child watching Ned and Robert spar in the yard of the Eyrie, he smiled and would always look up to see his father smiling back down to him, kind and just and strong. Images soon became ash and he opened his eyes once more and felt tears upon his face, he slowly wiped them away and stared out into the river, looking east to where his unborn child waits for him in a den of lions and would like to think it is being taken care of.

"My Lord, King Robb wishes to speak to you." He heard Gyles tell him and he stood to go and see what the King in the North wants.

Along the walk to see Robb he saw two familiar faces in the form of Lothar and whatever the others name is, too many to bother caring about. As he passed them the nameless Frey uttered words that had spread since his defeat at the river crossing at Harrenhal and only worsened after the Battle of King's Landing.

"Wingless Falcon... "

Would have turned around but Yohn and Gyles who followed him shook their heads for him to leave it be, cant be starting fights in a castle that isn't your own. He would have the insult paid in full when he gets the chance. Robb's guards opened the door and he walked inside where Robb, Catelyn, and his Queen was standing, waiting for him.

"Saw a few rats run by, I let them be." He commented and Gyles chuckled at the comment. Robb smirked and looked on the verge of breaking into laughter, Catelyn didn't look so amused. "Apologies, what did you need Lord Robb?" He started after apologizing. Jeyne Westerling didn't look so happy.

"Mistake. He is a King, Lord Arryn." He decided not to respond to the words of the lowborn nobles, how he found this one to warm his bed is a wondrous question. Robb clapped his hands and took his attention for a moment.

"Soon our numbers will swell again, my uncle will marry Lord Walder's daughter. A wedding will take place soon." He nodded to the news.

"With my new force in the Vale, we could be a threat to the Lannister's once more. Maybe even finish what I began in King's Landing. Ah, but first this wedding."

[King's Landing]

"I can see the bump now, can hardly believe that father is letting it be born." Her brother stated slowly as he drank his wine. She huffed and ignored as the imp taunted her with wine which she can't drink for the remainder of her pregnancy, that and morning sickness and her appetite has risen over the last eight weeks since the Battle of King's Landing.

"He won't get rid of it because he needs an Arryn if Rodrik and Robert perish in the coming months. That and I would not let him, this is my child and I will protect her or him."

Her protectiveness brought a smile to the half man, for whatever reason she doesn't much care. Still, it was a shame that Rodrik wouldn't bend the knee for his own child and stood by her side as she forced him to vow in the days of their return to the capital before the war came and blazed on through the realm, well besides Dorne and Vale at least.

"So its as I assumed, he is going to have the child legitimized as Rodrik's son, or daughter." Her little brother said to himself. "A House Lannister or Lion in every kingdom it seems chuckles. What's next? A House Lannister of Winterfell and Riverrun?" Tyrion joked before running a hand across his scarred face, a part of his nose was lost during the fighting several weeks prior and she hoped he would fade from his wounds as she had it done, for putting her eldest child at the battlements during a time of great stress.

She feels like everyone besides her children are against her since Joffrey ordered Eddard's execution than sending him to the Wall as was set. She feels her emotions growing as the weeks pass without Jaime's touch or the warm smile of her daughter who was sent to Dorne to placate the Martells. A huff and she sat onto the bed and stared into the emptiness as the sun began to set on the city through her window. Tyrion approached and stopped halfway.

"I know you ordered my death, too bad an Arryn soldier stopped Mandon before my life was taken. Believe it or not, I actually care for your children's safety, though Joffrey is a more stretched in preference." His words were insulting and she glared at the little man with narrowed and hateful eyes. "I will care for my niece or nephew with everything I can give, goodbye sister."

She lost her temper and threw the bottle of wine into her hearth once she knew the Kingslayer was gone, the liquid drink lit in the flame of alcohol. She looked on into it with fury and anger, and more so... Contentment as the flame flickered through the room and she took a deep breath and placed her hand onto her belly, closing her eyes and thinking of names.

[The Eyrie]

"Uncle Petyr! You came!"

Lysa smiled brightly as her son ran to the man she was forced to call uncle, but in secret her son isn't an ignorant falcon but a cunning mockingbird. Petyr embraced the newly made teen of six and ten. She got up and walked down the walkway and also embraced the man inside of her heart.

Its all thanks to her son who finally took up some liberties as a Lord and commanded the oaf below to allow her back into the Eyrie. Now she and Petyr can begin planning a counterattack and take this kingdom for her son. After the reunion, she begged for a moment alone with Petyr and her son obeyed and left her alone with him.

She wasted no time and put her lips to his own, but then she slapped him; albeit in a gentle manner. "You and Tywin armed the barbarians?! Did you not take our sons safety into consideration- " She attempted to chastise but a sudden kiss from Petyr stopped her, she missed that.

"Of course I have. Some few days ago, Tywin retook Duskendale and is building ships to ferry 7,000 Reach and Westermen here. The barbarians are ours and will be used to deplete Rodrik's allies and turn the last few against him."

The battles have been disastrous, not large scale but bad nonetheless. Rodrik would have returned home a week ago if Petyr hadn't had the ravens and riders ambushed and knowledge kept away. Though the thought of him bringing his forces home and taking it away from her is a worry she can't afford to have, she hopes he is dispatched soon and swiftly. She sighed and leaned her head on Petyr's shoulder, he enveloped her in his arms soon after.

"Robert needs to be on our side, for him to turn on Rodrik and become a leader worth the title of Lord of the Vale." He looked into her eyes and smiled, "I must leave soon and have the fleet ready, the men given to me by Lord Tywin are dressed in Arryn armor and will deceive the traitors when I arrive. Alas for tonight, I am yours."

"Oh Petyr!- Wait, do we have no allies in the Vale?" She asked him and didn't feel comfortable having lions and roses in her- Roberts lands. Petyr smiled again and nodded.

"I have a few, some away and some here... "

[Riverrun]

Rodrik watched with sadness as the two lifeless bodies of Willem and Martyn Lannister lay on the floor. Rickard Karstark raided the dungeons and killed the two boys in cold blood and though he doesn't outright blame the man, he lost two sons to Jaime but these were boys, not grown men on a battlefield or watching prisoners. Robb said for him to bring Rickard and his men inside the room and put on their knees before their 'King'.

"It took five of you to murder three unarmed squires?" Robb asked Rickard who looked up at him with defiance, just as some of his own bannermen had done after losing a son or grandson or father and brother.

"Not murder, Vengeance!"

He shook his head, "No. Vengeance would be to kill the man who killed your kin, not innocent children." He stated and Rickard looked at him with a venomous glare.

"What Lannister's are innocent, they were my enemies-"

"They were boys!" Robb shouted to get his point across, that and the lad had seemed to take a liking to Willem, good lad. "Look at them," Robb commanded and Rickard frowned and nudged to Catelyn Stark.

"Tell your mother to look at them, she killed them as much as I!" Karstark declared and the Lady Stark tensed, harsh but true as word had it the woman freed the Kingslayer, which in the end had caused the deaths of two young boys that needn't die because of vengeance. Robb went on and said that his mother had nothing to do with the horror before them and that this was Karstarks treason to which angered the man, "Its treason to free your enemies, in war you kill your enemies or didn't Ned teach you that- " Brynden hit the Lord of Karhold to the floor and a guard lifted him back up. "King in the North? I made a mistake of words back then... More like, The King Who Lost The North."

The events that went on next was a shocking thing, Robb commanded for Rickard to be taken to the dungeons and the rest be hanged. After that, the King in the North leaned against the table with head low. Catelyn approached her son and he sighed and watched them argue about what to do, honor says the man must die but the right choice to keep him alive. Robb then turned to him for answers to the predicament that the lad found himself in.

"You. You and my father were friends, you might be younger but you were there during the rebellion. What would he have done?" Was what Robb asked him and its a hard question to answer, aye he was there during the rebellion but at the time the only traitors were loyalists, not your own bannermen.

"Believe it or not. Your father wasn't bright or else he would be here, he is dead. Ned would have executed Rickard for this breach of the guest right, you have to be smarter." Robb looked shocked for such things coming from a man of honor like Eddard, but this war of the cunning and honorable showed him one thing, you have to cheat to win.

The next day after this, Robb decided to keep Rickard a hostage and the rest of the Karstarks stayed in line. Catelyn thanked him for his words of convincing her son to do was wrong for the right outcome. It was a rainy day when he was found in the gardens by the king himself and he gave a nod and the two sat in silence as the rain fell from the sky.

"You know, I could have been your uncle." He said starting a conversation and the King in the North turned to him in shock.

"Really?" Robb asked him and he nodded with a smile.

"Aye, before House Tully could join the rebels my father had to marry Hoster's daughter and my father suggested me instead." He explained and Robb was wide-eyed now, "He was almost convinced before he stayed adamant on his first choice, to him I was too young for his daughter and didn't want to wait whilst we fought the dragons." He added and the two began walking around the garden, not really inside because of the rain. "300 years the Targaryen's took the Seven Kingdoms and held it, the odds were against us... But we still fought."

"And won." Robb ended and with a smile on his face, turning to him.

"And we will do so again."