Northern Assassin (Robb Stark)

Eddard

"How? He hadn't been in war for many years. How many years of age were you, my lady?" Robb strokes Grey Wind's fur calmy.

"I was one year younger, Stark. It seems like in the presence of Starks my hood always seems to be blown off by an invisible wind. I had been ordered to execute one of the deserters of Castle Black. Your father had also been notified, so we crossed our ways. As I killed the man, your father stood behind me with a large sword. But I ran away. I knew fighting him would only mean trouble. But soon enough I wandered through Winterfell, trying to sell herbs and fruits or just anything I could find for some coin. Your father recognized my face and started talking with me. He had just been named hand of the king and I had sworn something to him, but that shall not be mentioned." I finish my answer and Robb turns to me, wide-eyed.

"You have been on my father's side? What have you promised him? It must be of great importance." Robb seems to tense up beside me. He had been eagerly waiting for an answer.

"I had sworn to protect the north and guard it from king Joffrey. He had known Joffrey is a vile boy, a boy sitting on the Iron Throne with no sense of common sense. A spoilet brat surrounded by the finest whores Baelish had prepared for him. I had sworn to kill Joffrey when the time was right and to help your family bring down the crown. He had known that he would die. He had not wanted to be the hand of the king. Whoever is close to the king dies in a quick manner, he had told me. Your father had also known a secret of the Lannister family, which I might mention to you later. But the secret will get you killed if you have no one by your side, Stark." I turn my head to see Robb, frustrated. He lets out a sigh.

"Why did he not tell me of his plans. He has told no one else of this?"

"No, I am a keeper of secrets." Robb then suddenly walks away, leaving me standing ankle-high in the snow. Grey Wind does not follow him. He walks deeper into the woods and I can sense a feel of anger and sadness as I see him walk away. I sit down in the snow with the two direwolves, deciding not to follow Robb either. But after a while, I hear a sword crashing into something with lots of might, making the sound of the clashing spread fast.

"Go, you two. See if Robb is fine." I point my finger and the direwolves head out side by side. I try to tag along but they naturally outrun me. As I near, I see Robb hitting a tree continuously with his sword. I hear grunting and little cries. I near him slowly, trying not to make him any more angry than he already is. The tree had almost been stripped of its entire wood.

"What are you doing, my lord. Lower your weapon. The Forresters will not be glad if we ruin their trees." He slowly stops and lets his weapon fall. His eyes are red and his locks are all over the place.

"I am no Lord. I should have been prepared more. I am no older than King Joffrey, I am only a boy too. I know that war is no game but I must avenge my father for what that bastard has done. The Others shall take Joffrey and turn him to one of them." He is now down on his knees, some tears still spilling from his eyes, I kneel down and take my hood off.

"You know of the secret?" I look into his blue eyes and he looks in mine.

"What secret, Zhalia? There are too many."

"My lord, what I am about to tell you is very important for this war. I am on the side of the north, you know that. I do not want to depend on the crown anymore. But this is very provocative information and the crown can not know that you are aware that.." I pause, I do not really know if I can trust Robb, I had trusted his father, but he really is still a young lad.

"Aware that what, Zhalia? You must tell me! I do swear that I will not provoke any member of the crown with this information until the time is right and the secret will be kept a secret between you, me and my father."

"That Joffrey is the bastard of the royal twins. Of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. He has blonde hair as it does run in the Lannister family. Every child of King Robert would have had brown hair, it has run in his generation from the first day on. Joffrey does not have any similarities to Robert." Robb's face lights up, he now has the upperhand in this war. He has me, and the secret his father had been killed and his brother had been paralyzed for.

"This is unbelievable. Let us go to Winterfell now, you must help me with battle preparations."

"Lord Stark, I cannot just walk into your castle with you. Your family will see me and I am pretty sure you are to marry a Frey if I had heard the whispers of the streets right."

"I am? They will not care. My brother Bran has not perfectly managed his bow yet and you are the most impressive warrior I have seen. I will bring you in as a girl that had left Winterfell since Eddard has fallen, you will take your bow and shoot at the targets when we arrive and then my mother and I will let you train him under her supervision. This way, we will be able to meet in secret. I will be the only one to know of your second identity."

"Let us move then." I grab Robb's broken sword to leave but he grabs the handle.

"We need a name for you, who were your parents?" Robb asks and I let go of his destroyed sword.

"I need no title. Just let them call me Zhalia, my name is not of importance." I walk towards Winterfell with Robb behind me and our Direwolves play fighting in front of us. We walk at a quick pace to makeup for the lost time.