The First Military Meeting Before Heading South

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If it had not been for Roose Bolton announcing his identity, Clay would have never associated the man standing before him with the traitor who had orchestrated the Red Wedding and nearly wiped out House Stark.

At first glance, Roose Bolton appeared to be a very gentle man, with an almost imperceptible air of elegance in his gestures.

When he had spoken to Clay just moments before, his tone was calm, and it seemed as though he was deliberately controlling his volume to avoid sounding harsh.

A person like this, if one didn't know him well, would never seem like the cold, calculating, and cruel figure that he truly was.

Clay cast a sideways glance at the other nobles in the tent, observing their reactions. Roose Bolton had just made a gesture towards Jon Umber, seemingly having gained the approval of many in the room.

Clay even noticed that Catelyn and Robb had flashed Roose Bolton a friendly smile in return.

Now it made sense to him why the command of the infantry corps had so easily fallen into the hands of Roose Bolton. Catelyn, Robb, and the entire northern nobility had put their complete trust in this man, who took pleasure in skinning people alive.

A wave of unease washed over Clay, and he immediately became wary. This was certainly not a good sign.

With Roose Bolton's smile still lingering on his face, Clay could only maintain his own, especially since Roose had just prevented a potential conflict.

He turned his attention back to the northern lords gathered around him and began to report the strength of his forces.

"Milords, House Mandell brings a total of two thousand three hundred men, including five hundred armored cavalry, one thousand six hundred heavy infantry, and two hundred longbowmen."

Lady Catelyn spoke with composed grace. "On behalf of my husband and son, I thank House Mandell for its steadfast support of House Stark."

When a lord summons his vassals, no matter the situation, the vassal must answer the call. To disobey would be seen as rebellion, a crime that typically led to the complete ruin of the family. The best-case scenario was someone like Lord Walder Frey, whose reputation was utterly tarnished, though he lived on in disgrace.

"Well, it seems your grandfather came well-prepared this time."

Lord Glover, who had overseen the organization of House Mandell's troops, drew back the tent flap and entered. He shared a close bond with Ser Marlon and, naturally, took an interest in Clay as well.

"My lord," Clay nodded respectfully to Lord Glover.

Seeing that matters were more or less settled, Robb Stark lightly tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention to himself. He cleared his throat, his voice turning serious.

"Milords, I've received fragmented reports from Winterfell over the past few weeks, and now I will share what we are likely to face."

Robb pulled a large map of the Riverlands from the pile of papers. Taking a small wooden stick from the side, he pointed to the area between Golden Tooth and Riverrun.

"About three weeks ago, in this area, the hills between Golden Tooth and Riverrun, my uncle Edmure Tully sent his men, Lord Vance and Lord Piper, to engage the Kingslayer's forces. Unfortunately, they were defeated."

Robb placed a carved wooden lion's head over the spot where the battle had occurred, drawing the attention of everyone in the tent.

"What was Edmure Tully thinking, attacking the Lannisters in this kind of terrain?"

Jon Amber, who had been in a heated exchange with Clay moments earlier, seemed to have forgotten the disagreement. He spoke loudly once again, his deep voice echoing in the tent as his brow furrowed. He pointed toward the battlefield location.

"No, as far as I know, my uncle's forces were entirely in a defensive position. But the Kingslayer's forces attacked from the hills above, and they simply couldn't hold."

Robb shook his head, his expression somber. The Riverlands was already an unpredictable region for battle, and the initial loss left them with little time to regroup their forces.

Clay was a little puzzled. Why were the Kingslayer's forces on this battlefield? Shouldn't they have been in King's Landing? Why hadn't the White Sea Guard, stationed in King's Landing, sent him word about this critical development?

He wasn't sure what the situation in the capital looked like now, but a faint sense of worry lingered in his mind.

Setting aside the confusing timeline, if the Kingslayer, Jaime Lannister, had managed to reach the Westerlands this quickly, it meant that from the moment Eddard Stark's troubles in King's Landing began, Tywin Lannister must have already been preparing for war.

"To be defeated in defense, has Lord Tywin truly frightened them that much?" Jon Amber muttered, his voice filled with disdain. Northern men traditionally held little respect for the fighting capabilities of southern armies. To Jon, the idea of Edmure Tully's forces being beaten while in a defensive position seemed almost laughable.

Robb said nothing but continued to share reports from the battlefield:

"Lord Tywin's other host has already marched out of the Westerlands along the Kingsroad. They advanced with remarkable swiftness. As far as I know, they have now encamped at Harrenhal, and their vanguard presses close upon Lord Harroway's Town."

Robb placed a larger lion's head token on the war map just north of the Gods Eye, marking the new position.

"Why does the old lion linger by those ruined towers?" Lord Glover asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity. "Is he hunting for treasure among the stones?"

Indeed, from the map's perspective, the Lannister army had taken a wide detour away from the main battleground of the Riverlands, carrying their strongest forces yet choosing not to strike directly. One could not help but wonder what Lord Tywin intended by such a maneuver.

Clay's gaze fixed on the lion's head placement. The position seemed strange at first, but it was undeniably a key junction for north-south travel.

He raised the first question since the strategy meeting had begun.

"Milords, we need to determine exactly who Lord Tywin is targeting," Clay said, leaning over the table and pointing to the Harrenhal location.

"My lord, what are your thoughts?" Roose Bolton asked, his ever-present, faint smile still on his face.

Clay ignored him and continued. "If he's coming after us, this detour seems excessive. The Green Fork runs swift and perilous above Riverrun, so the only viable crossing upstream lies at the Twins. Downriver the current eases, but that route lies too far east."

"If his goal is to block us, by the time he's finished stalling at Harrenhal, we would already have crossed the lower reaches and joined the battlefield in the Riverlands. Unless Tywin doesn't rest at all and decides to march straight up the Kingsroad."

He paused, allowing the lords to absorb this logic. "Therefore, I believe Lord Tywin's target is not us but rather his attempt to intercept Lord Eddard Stark at Harrenhal," Clay concluded.

At this assessment, the hall fell silent. All eyes turned inward, and each heart quickened at the thought.

Ned Stark's last known location had indeed been around Harrenhal. If he sought to return to the North, the surest path would be the well-maintained Kingsroad leading northward.

However, once the Lannister forces took Harrenhal and moved to Lord Harroway's Town, it would completely block any possibility of Eddard Stark retreating quickly.

And so it remained true that Lord Eddard Stark must not fall into Tywin's hands. If the Warden of the West captured him, the war in the North would be decided before it truly began.

As Clay placed the Stark wolf's head marker near Harrenhal and pushed the lion's head upward to rest upon Lord Harroway's Town, marking the vanguard's forward line, the room grew heavy with silence.

Now, everyone's faces have turned grim. No matter how much they disagreed with Clay's youth, everyone had to admit that this inference made sense.

"This forces us into a decision," Clay said, his voice carrying the weight of the moment. "We either march south in full force along the King's Road and fight a decisive battle with Lord Tywin, who has been waiting for us in the Riverlands."

"Otherwise, we cross the Twins directly, first put an end to the war in the Riverlands that is about to spread to Riverrun, and then have a decisive battle with Lord Tywin."

Roose Bolton's voice, though soft, neatly summarized their predicament.

Clay found himself wishing that Ned Stark were imprisoned in King's Landing, for then the Northern host would hold the advantage of initiative.

The situation now was dire. If Eddard Stark was in enemy hands, the Northern forces had no choice but to march south to rescue him. This meant that, no matter what, they would have to face Tywin Lannister's army.

Clay thought to himself that it wasn't just a matter of fighting the Lannisters. For House Stark, this had become a battle they could not afford to lose. They had to defeat Tywin if there was any hope of rescuing Eddard Stark.

"I must free my father without delay," Robb cried, his voice trembling with youthful conviction. "I raised my banners for this very purpose."

No one dared to object to this statement, but the lords of the North all furrowed their brows. It was clear that neither of the two proposed paths was a perfect choice.

Clay looked at Robb, observing the young wolf lord before him. He wasn't like the one from his memories, who had suggested a plan where cavalry would cross the Twins to flank and then have the infantry march south to thwart Tywin's plans.

The difference lay in the change in the situation surrounding Eddard Stark.

In the original timeline, Robb had known his father had already been captured, so capturing the Kingslayer had seemed like a viable plan. But now, with Eddard Stark at risk of being captured at any moment, the situation was entirely different.

Robb's reaction was that of a son desperate to save his father, a boy not yet old enough to see beyond his emotions. Catelyn Tully, as his mother, shared the same mindset.

The northern lords debated fiercely, exchanging words for a long while, but none of them could come up with a suitable plan to deal with the complex situation before them.

According to intelligence, Lord Walder Frey of the Twins had already gathered his forces and sealed off the eastern bank of the Twins. The crossing at the Twins bridge was no simple matter.

At last, when the last of the northern lords left the large tent, the fruitless debate finally came to a temporary halt.

Only three people remained in the tent: Clay, Robb, and Catelyn.

Clay suddenly realized someone was missing from the meeting. He quickly turned to Robb and asked, "Where is Theon Greyjoy? I haven't seen him."

Robb, who had been deep in thought, was caught off guard by the question. He recalled the moment just before he received Grey Wind and gave Clay a strange look before answering, "Why would you bring him up? I sent him to the Iron Islands this morning to request his father's help in sending troops to the West."

Upon hearing this, Clay immediately grew alarmed. Without giving the Stark mother and son time to react, he slammed his fist on the table, ignoring the formality between lord and vassal, and demanded, "Has he left already?"

Robb and Catelyn were both puzzled by Clay's sudden change in behavior. Robb furrowed his brow, thinking that Clay was still fixated on the events that had occurred in Winterfell. Catelyn, on the other hand, wondered why Clay was getting involved in matters concerning Theon Greyjoy, considering that he was her husband's foster son.

"What are you getting at? He hasn't left yet. He's still packing. He'll depart early tomorrow."

Hearing this, Clay let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods. He hasn't left yet."

He turned to Robb and said urgently, "Robb, call him back immediately. He must not go to the Iron Islands."

"Why?" Both Robb and Catelyn spoke in unison. Robb didn't understand Clay's concern, and Catelyn, in particular, felt that Clay was being overbearing, considering that Theon Greyjoy was essentially part of their family.

"Why does this concern you?" Catelyn asked.

Ignoring her question, Clay turned to Robb and fired off his questions. "Robb, let me ask you this: Theon's surname is Greyjoy, correct?"

Robb opened his mouth to reply. "Yes, but Clay, don't get caught up in the surname—"

Clay cut him off. "He is the only son of Balon Greyjoy, isn't he?"

"Yes, but what does that—"

"Balon Greyjoy led a rebellion," Clay continued, "and your father and King Robert put it down, did they not?"

Robb fell silent, finally realizing where Clay was going with this.

"So, what makes you think that, with a mere letter from you, Balon Greyjoy would listen to you and send his iron fleet to attack the Westerlands? He has no personal grudge against Tywin."

Clay's voice grew cold, sending a chill through the room as he continued, "Moreover, by sending him to the Iron Islands, you've removed the greatest concern Balon Greyjoy might have had about striking against the North. Let me ask you this: What if Balon Greyjoy captures Theon, forces him to reclaim his title as a Greyjoy, and then uses his own forces to attack the North's western coast?"

Robb's expression hardened as the weight of the realization sank in.

Clay's tone became more chilling, "At that point, what will you do? Most of your forces are here, fighting Tywin. If the North falls while we're engaged with Tywin, your army's morale will collapse, and we won't stand a chance of stopping them."

Catelyn sat in her chair, utterly stunned. She had been one of the strongest advocates for sending Theon to the Iron Islands. She had never considered the consequences of such a decision until now.

Now that Clay had reminded her of this, she finally remembered what kind of people most of those with the surname Greyjoy were.

"No… it couldn't be. Theon and I are like brothers," Robb said, his voice trembling slightly with disbelief. He couldn't accept that Theon would betray him.

But Clay's next words shattered the fantasy Robb had clung to.

"Robb, wake up. Balon Greyjoy is Theon's father, not Eddard Stark. Remember, he's a Greyjoy, not a Stark."

Clay wasn't concerned with the details of Theon's tragic situation or the internal struggle he might face. A traitor was a traitor, no matter the reason. If they allowed Theon to go to the Iron Islands, the North would be doomed.

"Robb, you need to send someone else. We must hold Balon Greyjoy's son in our hands if we are to ensure that the Iron Islands will help us fight the Lannisters."

Though Robb found the phrasing unpleasant, he finally understood that Clay was right. He could not afford to ignore the danger.

It was fortunate that Clay had built a strong relationship with Robb in Winterfell. If not, this conversation would never have taken place.

Robb hurriedly threw open the tent flap and rushed to find Theon. The tent was soon empty except for Clay and Catelyn.

Clay, realizing he no longer had a place there, gave a slight bow in farewell and turned to leave. Just as he was about to step outside, Catelyn's voice called out to him.

"Thank you, Clay. Without you, we might have all been put in danger. I know you and Robb are close, and he listens to you, just as Ned and Robert did in the past. But please, I ask that you treat Robb as your lord, not a child. Even though you're not much older than him."

Clay understood the kindness and subtle warning in Catelyn's words. It was exactly the advice he needed.

He turned around, bowed to the Lady of Winterfell once more, and spoke his answer calmly, "For the North..."

As the flap of the tent swung open again, only Catelyn was left inside.

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(Author's Note🔔)

In this chapter, I have altered the sequence and details of the original story. I believe the readers will understand the changes. From my personal perspective, the reason the North, despite its many victories on the battlefield, eventually crumbled—besides Robb's broken marriage—was Theon's betrayal.

The Ironborn's direct seizure of Moat Cailin was devastating. If the Ironborn controlled the castle, there would be no safe passage home. What happened to the families back at Winterfell?

As for whether Roose Bolton had been plotting to betray Robb from the start, I don't believe so. I think it was more a gradual buildup of events.

Sending Theon to the Iron Islands for reinforcements is a metaphor for the situation: A and B are fighting. Both are armed with knives. A wins and tells B to hand over the knife. B complies. A then humiliates B, and the next day, A fights C. Neither A nor C can defend against the other. Then, B comes in and says, "Here, take your knife back." And A, seeing the chance, orders B to strike C.

Who would B stab?

The metaphor is clear. Robb, unfortunately, played his cards terribly.

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