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THE hostrode for days on end, stopping every night for rest before rising early the next morning to continue on. They were but a days ride from the Twins, the one point in the Trident where they would need to pass in order to reach King's Landing. Nearly a fortnight after leaving Winterfell, the host had pitched tents before evening could descend upon them.
In one of the larger war tents, the lord's discussed battle plans.
"The Riverlords are falling back with Jaime Lannister at their heels. And Lord Tywin is bringing around a second Lannister army from the South. Our scouts confirm it's even larger than the Kingslayer's," Darik says as Lukas listens intently. He stood in the council tent that had been long since pitched up by some of the Estemore and Karstark servants. Days have passed since they left Winterfell, and now they found themselves making camp at the Neck.
Aubrey stood closest Darik, with Ismene flanking her and Lukas close to his wife. Before them, under the light of lanterns due to the decreasing sunlight, a map had been lied out.
"Both Lord Tywin and the Kingslayer? I suppose we'll have our work cut out for us, won't we?" Dalton Ryswell spoke up.
Lukas chuckles. "That we will, Ryswell. That we will."
"One army or two," says Greatjon Umber, "the Kings in the North threw back hosts ten times this large."
Suddenly, the flaps of the tent open and Lukas spots the Lady Catelyn entering. It was his good-mother that he hadn't seen in ages and at her side is Ser Rodrik Cassal. The last he seen of her was when they'd left for Lakewell those months ago, well before the twins were born.
"Mother," Darik says breathlessly, shocked to even see her.
"You look well," she tells him with a signature thin lipped smirk.
"Mother." The sound of Ismene's voice draws Catelyn's attention as her step-daughter maneuvers through the lords and passed Aubrey to get to her.
Catelyn's eyes widen. By the looks or her expression, Lukas knew that Ismene was the last person Catelyn would expect to see in a war tent.
"Ismene, you should ─ " Catelyn is interrupted when she sees that her daughter no longer bears a large stomach. Instead, she sees Ismene's abdomen to be flat, meaning that she has had her babe. "By Gods, you've had the baby and I've missed it," she half frowns and half smiles.
"Babies," Ismene corrects her, a grin on her face. "I had twins."
"What a blessing," Catelyn grins. She then embraces her eldest daughter. For a moment they remain holding each other, until Catelyn pulls back and grips her hands. "You must tell me all about it later. I would very much like to meet them."
