A Bloody Thought (Open)

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So much was going on at one time and it was becoming a bit difficult for Robb to wrap his head around it. Word reached his ears of yet another king that had his plans on marching to King's Landing and taking the Iron Throne. It was a bit odd how one king's death could lead to so much chaos. Robb had lost his father because of it. And while he did care a great deal for the future of Westeros, he cared so much more about defending his father's honor as well as his family. His sisters were in the clutches of very dangerous people. Robb would see them returned if it meant he had to burn King's Landing to the ground.

He paced around his private chambers with nothing but Grey Wind and the candlelight to keep him company. He was clothed in a a black tunic with dark brown pants and black boots. One could tell that he'd been up for hours with heavy thoughts on his mind. After all, the north had their eyes on him now. He was confident as ever, but such things had a tendency to take a toll on a man no matter how much of a man they were. And to think he was still young. How had Ned done it?

His dire wolf stared at him and licked its lips as he sat down in a wooden chair in front of a table with a map of Westeros on it along with several tomes and books that were of no particular importance. He would marshal the forces of the North soon. He'd need to get everything perfect in his own mind beforehand, though.

[catelyntully]

Having returned to Winterfel only to find her son had been named King in the North Catelyn Tully couldn't have been more proud- or frightened, or saddened.
It meant the Westeros she'd known her entirely life was changing, there had always been one king, one man on the Iron Throne, even if that meant other men started wars with him to get that seat, but now there kings rising up every where to make this a personal struggle for sovereign kingship inside of their own lands.

Catelyn hadn't slept much since Ned had been taken from them, not since he was imprisoned. It made her heart sink to look at eyes of her children and see his eyes and to know the two daughters she loved and raised were still in the clutches of the Lannister's in Kingslanding.
The burden of Arya and Sansa's safety now fell to Rob, and Cat knew her son took his role as a leader very seriously and thus wasn't sleeping either.

Dressing and lighting a candle Cat made her way through the corridors out of her warm chambers and into the cold halls until she reached Rob's room and knocked, waiting for her son to open.

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Knock. Knock. Knock.

Blue eyes darted from his planning and over to the door where the sounds had come from. It didn't surprise him that he was getting visitors, even at this hour. Robb wasn't a very warm person at all if it wasn't a member of his own family that he was entertaining. That didn't stop people from requesting an audience with the King of the North. Bannerman and nobles from all over the North wanted to know what the next move was. These northmen were bold indeed and it wouldn't surprise him if they came knocking in the middle of the night.

Robb rose from his chair and walked towards the door. His expression was a stoic one as he'd prepared himself to rush whatever meeting this would be. There was so much more left for him to do and he couldn't have any distractions. He pulled the door open to see a face that he'd actually wanted to see. The first face he'd ever recalled seeing in his life and the one he cherished more than many others. His expression became less hardened as he stepped aside for his mother to enter his chambers.

In a land full of soldiers that would council him, there were none living that he trusted more than his own mother.

"I take it you can't sleep either.", Robb said rather quietly as he closed the door after Catelyn entered.

[catelyntully]

When her son opened the door Cat gave a smile that was a cross between relief and support. She walked in the offered door and then let out a sigh when he mention neither of them were able to sleep.
"Sleep comes infrequently now, and is harder and harder to lull your self towards." Cat replied before putting her hand on her son's shoulder.

She hadn't been able to talk to him about his father since Ned's passing, she hadn't been able to talk to the Bran and Rickon about it, but she knew that they knew.
"So I take it your planning your march then?" She said noting the map on the table.
The huge Direwolf was laying on the bed and she felt a bit uncomfortable around it. She'd seen Bran's wolf tear out an attackers throat, she knew the damage they could do.

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She wasn't from the North, but it had certainly hardened her from what Robb was able to see. Not once had she mentioned his father's death to him or any of the other Stark children as far as he knew. Perhaps it was because she knew like he did that this was war time. There could be no weakness shown to anyone. Even your own blood. Robb knew that at any moment, he would cast such thoughts aside and confide in his mother if the need ever arose, though. She was the only person that he could talk to that could come close to relating to him. There were his younger brothers, but they weren't busy fighting the war right now.

"Sleep will come easier soon, mother. I promise you that.", Robb said to Cat as he stared her in the eyes with his own icy blue ones. For some time now, he's had to stop himself from letting vengeance cloud his judgement. It didn't stop him from letting it sir out some times. It was one of the only ways he could keep from going insane. The Starks were a hot-headed family and Robb was no exception.

"Yes.", he replied to her as he made his way back over to his seat.

"We have enough men to march south on King's Landing. Enough to take Joffrey off the throne. Still, I have no desire to leave Winterfell unguarded. I will need every able-bodied man for the march."

[catelyntully]

Catelyn nodded as her son spoke.
"I agree, Winterfel must always be protected, if it falls we fall." She said sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Bran will have to lead along side Maester Luwin while your gone, but who should you leave behind to defend them?"

Robb was a good boy, always looking after others. Though it saddened her to think of her beloved Nedd gone she knew Robb would make a good warden of the North, a propper king in the north.
She knew his ambitions would lead him to covet the Iron Throne, only to see it in the hands of the true king.

That made her think.
"Have you considered riding South and joining forces with Stannis?" Cat asked quietly. "Perhaps with his army along side ours we could leave some men behind to protect our home?"

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Joining forces with Stannis could have turned out to be a double ended sword if Robb decided to go through with it. He had no desires to place himself on the Iron Throne, be merely to see Joffrey taken off of it. As far as he knew, Stannis was to inherit the throne, being the younger brother of Robert Baratheon. What Robb cared about the most after getting vengeance for his family was that the North remained untouched. He wondered if Stannis would agree to such a thing.

"That would be a wise move.", Robert said to his mother as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles as he thought to himself.

"The question in my mind is would Stannis leave the North to the Northmen after Joffrey is taken from the Iron Throne? As you know, I have no desire to take it for myself. I would hope that would be enough for him to stand at our side."

His eyes darted across the map again and he looked back up at his mother.

"I shall send a raven to him... What of our other allies. Surely, House Tully would offer aid to us if you asked."

[catelyntully]

She nodded slowly as her son spoke. "Surly a Raven might be intercepted by those loyal to Joffrey?" Cat said, looking at the long distance on the map from Winterfel to Dragonstone. "Perhaps a rider may faire better?"

Then he asked of the Tully family, her own house nobel and proud putting family above all else. She nodded slowly.
"I am unsure how my father and brother will take this request, they have so thoughtfully served the Iron Throne. But I shall speak with them, how could a grand father deny his grand son?"

Things felt a little easier just knowing that there would and could be allies on the other side of the King's Road. They would amass an army that could over turn all threats against them and save her daughters avenger her husband.
Dearest Ned, Cat thought. You would be so proud of our son.
It was a cruel world they lived in, where fathers had to die before their sons could reach their full potential.

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Family. Duty. Honor.

Maester Luwin had always seen to it that those words along with House Stark's words were driven into his head more than any others. The value of them never left his being a single moment in his life. He was sure that if Catelyn were to ask for aid, then they would receive it. Either way, Robb was going to take his forces and march to King's Landing. He'd never been in war before, but he knew he couldn't ever be more ready than he was at that moment.

The death of Eddard Stark steeled him and made him sure of what it was he needed to do. He was sure his father would have done the same thing if he were put in this position.

"I would have you ride to Dragonstone in the morning before anything else, mother. Attacking from the sea will be necessary if we are to take King's Landing. And even if Stannis attacks without our aid, they will be weakned by the time we arrive. Should any forces attack the North, I'm confident we'll hold them for a while."

There was no way that the Lannisters could come out on top with two kingdoms standing against them, that much Robb was sure of. He was sure they would have allies, but they would most likely have their gaze fixed on Stannis. With Robb and his bannermen being so far away, it wouldn't make sense for them to press them. Not yet anyway.

[catelyntully]

Catelyn looked at her son and shook her head. "Me? Oh no, I couldn't-" She stopped her self. She already knew what he would say.
That she as Ned's widow the closest relationship with any of the other great Lord's of Westeros. She alsoknew her son had enough of his father in him not to take no for an answer.
"Alright, Alright." She said hands raised to her son. "I will go in the morning, but not because I want to."

Cat sighed, letting her shoulders relax just a bit. "Do you know how proud I am of you Robb?" She asked walking forward and cupping her son's face in her hands. "You've shouldered this burden so well."

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It was a strange thing how Robb knew his mother wouldn't say no to him. It wasn't only because he was her son, but because she was always dedicated to her family and their goals. He'd seen her by his father's side all the years of his life. Never once did he see her waver in her loyalty and devotion to him. With Eddard gone and enemies likely making their way to the North quite soon, everyone would have to do their part in protecting the kingdom. There were none that he trusted more than Catelyn? If he couldn't trust his own mother to do her part, then how could he depend on anyone else?

She approached him and placed a loving hand on his face and he felt like a boy all over again. Men seldom outgrew their mothers, it seemed like. Men that were older and more experienced than him bended their knees and swore fealty to him. Yet he was happy on the inside that his mother was proud of him. For those few seconds, nothing else mattered.

"Its been no easy burden, I admit.", Robb said, staring down at the floor for a moment, before looking his mother in the eyes.

"There's been times where I wonder... What would my father do if he were put in this position? All of these men being so loyal to him and ready to fight against the throne itself. So unexpected."

There was no one else he would dare open up to in such ways. Robb always had a soft spot for his family, though. They were the only people in the world that could get through the cold exterior of the King in the North.

"I hope he'll be proud... And I'm glad you're proud of me, mother. I'll try my hardest to keep it that way."