Of Lions, Wolves, and Dragons (Jon Snow)

47. Glover

Jon and Sansa shared a look with each other before Jon began speaking, "Our family home has been taken from us, just as yours was, Lord Glover.  Ramsay Bolton sits in Winterfell.  He married and tormented my sister, and he holds our youngest brother as his captive.  We wish..."

"The answer is no," Lord Glover cut in.  Joellyn felt what little hope she had for gaining more men snuffed out in those four words.  Robett Glover knew what they were there for.  He had likely only received them into his home out of courtesy and obligation, but he was not willing to fight with them.  That much was clear already.

Jon paused for the briefest of moments before saying, "Lord Glover, if you could just hear us out."

Lord Glover took a step closer to Jon, and began speaking in an irritated tone, "I've heard enough.  We've only just taken back this castle from the Ironborn.  The Boltons helped us do it.  Now you want me to fight against them?  I could be skinned for even talking to you."

Roose and Ramsay Bolton had already done what needed to be done to secure the loyalty of the Glovers.  They had lost their home to the Ironborn, but the Boltons helped them win it back.  There would be no way that Robett would be willing to spit in the face of the people that had helped him win back his family home.  Joellyn looked over at Davos to gauge his reaction.  He pressed his lips together and shook his head softly.  He was reading the situation the same way she was.  They were not going to leave here with any more men.

Jon tried again by saying, "The Boltons are traitors.  Roose Bolton..."

"Have other Northern houses pleged to fight for you," Lord Glover interrupted.  Joellyn understood that Robett was uncomfortable with having them in Deepwood Motte, but it would have been kinder for him to turn them away to begin with rather than be this short and rude with them.

Jon sighed in what seemed like defeat as he said, "Houses Mormont, Hornwoood, and Mazin.  We've sent ravens to a few others, but..."

"I don't care about ravens," Lord Glover said as he cut Jon off again, "You're asking me to join your army.  Who's fighting in this army?"

Jon looked at each of them, Sansa, then Joellyn, then Davos, and took a breath before saying, "The bulk of the force is made up of Wildlings."

Robett Glover laughed in response to this.  The first real sentence that he let Jon complete, Robett Glover felt it was appropriate to laugh at.  Joellyn never had a good feeling about the man, but she was just ready to get out of Deepwood Motte and away from him now.  He was a hateful man.  The least he could have done was try to be understanding of their plight, especially since they had just recently gotten their castle back.

Lord Glover finished laughing and said, "So the rumors I've heard are true.  I didn't dare believe them.  I received you out of respect for your father.  Now I would like you to leave.  You come to me and ask us to abandon our ancestral home to fight alongside Wildlings and you bring this Lannister bitch into our company.  We will not be joining you."

His words cut Joellyn deeper than they should have.  She saw all eyes in the group turn to her and they all looked furious with his words.  She should have left well enough alone.  She could have left well enough alone, but she was too insulted from his interrupting Jon and his name calling, so she said softly, in a voice that reminded her far too much of her sister, "Lord Glover, the other Northern houses that were disgusted by me were at least kind enough to ask me to stand outside their walls.  Yet you chose to bring me in here so you could insult me to my face."

Robett Glover addressed her directly for the first time, "I should take you right now so you can be sent back to your whore of a sister."

Jon looked as if he were going to lose his calm, but stepped in between her and Lord Glover and said in a warning tone, "Lord Glover," but Joellyn stepped up and put a hand to try to settle him.  She squeezed his shoulder once before removing her hand from his shoulder and saying to Lord Glover, "But you won't.  Much as you might choose to not believe me, I left her and the rest of my family because I am as disgusted by what they have done as you are.  Nothing I can say will convince you otherwise.  But I promise you, Lord Glover, a day will come that you will see that I am not my family, and you will regret your words.  To both me and the Starks here."