BLACKBIRD (Game of Thrones)

CHAPTER TWO

She was scorned, and Gods help those who scorned her.

"Neither, Joffrey, nor any of his men shall set foot in our lands again. If he disregards this command, he shall suffer the same fate as my father," Robb spoke, his voice turned darkly low. "Only, I don't need a servant to do my beheading for me," he growled with the scrunch of his nose.

The Lannister boy swallowed thickly, weighing the demands in his mind. "These are...Your Grace, these are..." Cleos couldn't seem to find the words, bounding himself a stuttering mess.

"These are my terms," Robb growled lowly, placing his fists on the table as he stood up, his shoulders hunching forward like he was a wolf ready to attack. "If the Queen Regent and her son meet them, I'll give them peace. If not, I will litter the South with Lannister dead." The threat was as real as Cleos' fear.

Cleos squirmed under everyone's gaze. "King Joffrey is a Baratheon, Your Grace."

Valencia scoffed from her seated position, crossing her arms over her stomach. Word had reached them of Cersei and Jaime's incestuous relationship, and how all three of the 'Baratheon' children were bastards. Valencia had never rejoiced so hard once she learned that Joffrey wasn't of her blood, not that she acknowledged it before. And with Jaime's confirmation, her joy had never tasted so sweet.
She could still faintly remember the night, she had drank herself sick with Lilith, Dacey, Alysanne and Maege Mormont, turns out the Lady's of House Mormont could hold their drink better than Valencia could, Alysanna successfully out drank her without even breaking a sweat.
When Valencia returned that night, smelling of wine and mead, she came face-to-face with Robb sitting on their bed, his shirt unbuttoned and his feet bare. He had been waiting all night for her. When he questioned her whereabouts, Valencia snapped harshly at him. They engaged in argument that resulted in Valencia's head pounding and her sleeping in Lilith's tent outside Riverrun's walls.

"Oh, is he now?" Robb questioned, smirking as he did so. "You'll ride at daybreak, Ser Cleos. That will be all for tonight," Robb finished looking over everyone.

They all stood to leave, but Robb asked Valencia to stay, as Theon had something to say to both the King and Queen. "A word, Your Grace's?" Theon spoke standing next to them.

"You don't have to call us 'Your Grace' when no one's around," Robb spoke quietly, chuckling while Valencia shot him an angered look.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it," Theon admitted with a shrug.

"I'm glad someones gotten used to it," Valencia grumbled, glancing to Robb who avoided her gaze.

"The Lannister's are going to reject your terms, you know."

"Of course they are," Robb replied glancing to Theon.

"We can fight them in the fields as long as you like, but we won't beat them until you take King's Landing. And we can't take King's Landing without ships. My father has ships and men who know how to sail them," Theon explained, and already neither Robb or Valencia liked the idea of bringing Balon Greyjoy into the fold.

"Men who fought our fathers," Valencia reminded exhaling sharply, the cold wasn't agreeing with her tonight, she found herself being colder than usual.

"Men who fought your father to free themselves from the yoke of the South, just like you both are doing now," Theon reassured, Valencia glanced to Robb contemplating the idea, but his eyes were on Theon. They both knew the risks of involving Balon Grejoy, he was a traitor and all knew it, slimy shit from the Iron Islands that was as trustworthy as Walder Frey. But alliances needed to be made. "I'm his only living son, he'll listen to me. I know he will. I'm not a Stark, I know that. But your father raised me to be an honourable man, we all can avenge him, together," Theon continued looking between Valencia and Robb.
Robb had permitted it, just as Valencia expected. He was foolish to send Theon, he had the loyalty of a cheating whore, there was no doubt in Valencia's mind that Theon would betray Robb, but that was his problem, not hers. Even when she voiced her opinions on the matter, Robb did not listen, as he had always done.