Evermore // Bran Stark

40. Rotting

"Excuse me... Robb... I mean... your grace..." Amelia said nervously.

"What?" Robb spat.

"Could I see my uncle Jaime?" Amelia asked softly and Robb looked to her unshed tears in her eyes as she looked to him nervously gnawing at her lip.

"Your wants and needs do not concern me." Robb told her and Amelia nodded sitting back down on the cot.

"If... I mean if I could ask..." Amelia said softly. "What are you going to do with me?"

"That's entirely up to your family." Robb informed her and Amelia nodded again choking back her sobs.

+

'We have sent dozens of ravens none of them have returned... My bastard is only a few days away from Winterfell once he captures-'

'Theon has my brothers what happens if we storm the castle?' Robb questioned

'He would not dare hurt the boys, they are his only hope at escaping the north as is.'

'Send word to your son.' Robb said 'any iron born who surrenders will be allowed to return safely to their homes.'

'A touch of mercy is a virtue your grace too much-'

'Any iron born with the exception of Theon Greyjoy.' Robb clarified 'he betrayed us of course he betrayed me and we will hunt him down no matter where he runs.'

'I expect his countrymen will turn on him if given the offer.'

'How are you doing your grace?" Talisa said coming up to Robb, Amelia noticed her as she was being led away.

'How am I doing?' he murmured his face pinched, 'my mother set Jamie Lannister free the crown still has my sisters my closest friend has siege to my home and taking my brothers and I am fighting a war and I don't know if I should ride south or north.' Robb said through an exasperated breath. Amelia thought she couldn't have heard that right. Her uncle was gone?

+

'We should set a siege right outside of Harrenhal.'

'We should not set a siege, the mountain cannot defend against an army.' Robb told him

'The mountain will defend whatever Tywin Lannister tells him to defend.' His commander countered.

'The Lannister's have been running from us for months. I want to fight, the men will give a fight I don't think we are going to get one.' Robb declared and had his troops headed out once more, but they were going home this time. Amelia was kept on a shorter leash than usual so was Catelyn. Robb wasn't happy about her betrayal.

When they made it to Winterfell it was a massacre of dead bodies and dead horses laying amongst the courtyard.

'200 Northman slaughter like sheep.'

'The dead will be repaid my friend, for them and for your sons.' Robb assured. Amelia felt sick. The smell of the rotting corpses all around her. This could have been her, she could be lying here and rotting. Where were Bran and Rickon though?

'They rot in the ground when their killer runs free!' Castor shouted, glaring at Catelyn.

'The king slayer won't run free for long, he has hunters after him.' Robb remained speechless walking amongst his home.

'Ser Jeremy, my father's Bannerman.' Catelyn noted a blade through his heart, a tully banner trapped between the blade and his body.

'Find her a chamber that will serve as a cell.' Robb instructed and his mother was led away

'She's your mother your grace.' His advisor reminded him.

'She freed Jamie Lannister.' Robb reminded him, 'the Lannisters robbed them of their lives and she robbed them of their justice.' Robb looked to Amelia and she couldn't help but feel like she was next to be slaughtered.

+

'Where is Hodor and Rickon?" bran asked looking for them.

'They're looking for food.' Osha was in attack stance with his wolf summer with her both ready to pounce.

'What's out there?' bran asked but osha and summer kept going further and further way leaving Bran by himself defenseless. Summer growled is a boy came forward bearing her teeth for him but he kept approaching. Closer and closer he got to Bran, to the wolf, to summer.

'Not another step boy, I would hate for you to drown in your own blood.' Osha told him stabbing her sharpened spear stake at his neck.

'I'm unarmed' the boy informed them

'That was poor planning' osha told him.

'My sister carries the weapon' he said And said sister wrapped her knife around osha's throat.

'I'm better with them' she informed 'Drop it' she told osha, 'drop it!'

'If you kill me that wolf will tear you to bits!' osha threatened, the boy walked forward held out a hand.

'You must be summer,' he said and summer growled but then sniffed his hand relaxing and walking away but Bran was not relaxed, his breathing heavy as the boy walked closer to him.

'I'm jojen reed and this is my sister Meera we have come a long way to find you Brandon and we have much farther to go.'