A Game of Thrones: A Stark Shard.

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Robb Stark.

As we galloped towards the place where they had the Night's Watch deserter detained, my father explained to Bran how the situation worked and why it was necessary to execute him.

"Why is it necessary to execute him, father?" Bran asked while tilting his head.

"He made an oath, son. And by becoming a deserter, he broke it and needs to pay for that," my father explained.

"But what if he had his reasons?" asked Bran innocently.

"It does not matter, son. He broke his oath and deserves death; a man cannot live without honor," he answered with his face set in a grim line.

Bran nodded, lowering his eyes, thinking he had made Father mad with all his questions.

My father sighed, and getting his horse closer to Bran's, he rubbed his head affectionately. "This is no easy decision, my son. But I am the one who has to give him justice; it is my duty as the Lord Paramount, and Robb will inherit this when he is older."

"I understand, father," Bran said. "Will you at least ask him why he ran away from the Watch?"

My father kept silent for a moment before answering. "Yes, my son. From what I've heard, he was a good lad and was with the Night's Watch for a while. He deserves some last words, at the very least."

Keeping our silence after a brief lull in the conversation, I got closer to Bran to keep him company. Jon, knowing what I was doing, did the same on the other side.

"Everything will be fine, Bran," Jon said with a small smile.

"You just need to pay attention while Father delivers justice. He will know if you look away," I warned him.

"Does he deserve death, Robb?" Bran asked me.

"I don't know, little brother, but even if he doesn't, he will die today," I said after a moment, before adding, "And it is our job to find out and maybe do what he asks of us before the execution."

Before long, we arrived where a bunch of the Night's Watch brothers were in a circle, and in the middle of it was Willas, the deserter.

Father dismounted his horse, and the rest of us followed his example. Getting closer, we heard them asking why he did it.

"They were there! I swear, I saw the White Walkers; they decimated our group," he tried to explain.

His only answer was the jeers of his ex-companions, saying that they didn't exist and he was lying to get out of the execution.

My father and Ser Rodrik didn't believe him, so they proceeded with the execution.

Theon grabbed Ice, the ancestral Valyrian steel greatsword my family had owned for generations, and he gave it to my father.

"Do you have any last words, Willas of the Night's Watch?" he asked while raising his sword.

"I swear I saw them, milord. They are real and awake, but I know you won't believe me. Just tell my family that I died with honor," he said with his head held high, looking directly into my father's eyes.

Before he could decapitate him, I stepped forward and asked my father to give me a moment.

"What exactly did you see, Willas? Explain in detail, and I'll make sure your family hears about your deeds."

A couple of the Night's Watch members got pissed that I even wanted to waste their time with nonsense.

"Why do you want to ask this coward about his lies?" asked one.

"Silence," I said calmly, only giving him a look that made him nervous before going back to Willas.

"Don't tell me to..." the Night's Watch member started moving, but before he could get closer to me, Jon already had a dagger across his throat.

"Let him be, Jon. I'm sure he learned to keep silent before I do something," I told Jon with a shake of my head.

I had made sure Jon didn't get only the embellishments about the present Night's Watch; they did deserve respect for protecting us from the wildlings, but that didn't mean most of them were there just to escape executions and were scummy characters.

The Night's Watch member took a couple of steps back, dragging his hand across his neck where he could feel a thin line made by the dagger, and looked horrified at Jon.

"Start explaining, Willas. You will die today, I can't change that, but that doesn't mean you have to die like a coward. If you truly saw what you said, I'll make sure that your family hears about this," I told Willas calmly.

"Thank you, milord. I swear I'm not lying. The White Walkers are north of the Wall. When we were in the forest, I got away from my team, and I saw a bunch of body parts thrown in a circle, but they were way too orderly for it to be possible an animal attack or something, and wildlings don't do that."

"Continue," I asked him.

"Then..." he stammered while gathering his courage. "I got scared to go alone... it felt wrong to be there, so I went back to my group to tell them so that we could investigate together."

"And then what?" asked Jon with an eyebrow raised.

"We went back, but the bodies were gone, there was no blood either, and the snow was pouring like something I've never seen," he stopped for a moment. "They called me a coward, but I was sure I wasn't hallucinating.

"Then we heard something, someone was standing behind us; he appeared out of nowhere," he gasped, his trembling showing that he was scared of the memory.

"That thing destroyed Coleen. He grasped his throat and ripped it off with his bare hands."

"What else happened, Willas?" I probed him.

"The rest of us attacked him, but we couldn't harm him," he kept trembling. "Jonas cut his arm off, but that thing wasn't even alive, I swear," he shouted.

"He didn't seem to feel that and kept fighting like he didn't lose an arm a moment prior, we stabbed it but that thing didn't even budge," he was spitting now, his rage clear for all to see.

"That thing is the enemy of the living, it's an anomaly. I swear that I'm speaking the truth, milord," he ended up whispering.

Everyone present was silent. Willas was speaking and showing signs that he truly believed what he saw. The pain, stress, and fear were too real, but even then, a few people started shouting that it was a lie.

I nodded at him and mouthed that I believed him. Hopefully, he would die knowing that I would keep my promise. He shed a few tears before looking back at my father and telling him that he had said everything he could.

My father was somewhat disturbed by the deserter's tale. He took Ice back, raised it into the air, and then brought it down.

Willas's head rolled for a moment before coming to a stop. His face was set with grim satisfaction, not fear of death. At that moment, I regretted that I couldn't save him, but I would make sure his family was rewarded for this.

"Ptui!," one of the guards spat on the ground. "Good riddance. That's the end every deserter deserves."

My father handed Ice to Theon to clean and secure before walking toward us.

"What do you think of this, Robb?" he asked me seriously.

"I don't know, Father, but I don't like this," I told him, as it wouldn't change anything if I told him the truth.

My father nodded after a moment before looking at Bran. "I'm proud of you, Bran. You kept your composure until the end."

"Do you think he was telling the truth, Father? About the White Walkers?" Bran asked timidly and somewhat scared.

My father was silent for a moment. "No, son. I think it was a ruse. The wildlings are known for committing atrocities; I wouldn't put something like this past them."

Bran nodded in understanding, having heard of the things wildlings have done when they manage to get past the Wall.

"Are we going back home now?" he asked after a while.

"Yes, son. We're going back. Everyone, get ready to depart," my father said.

While we were on our way back, I continued using my powers to pinpoint the location of the direwolves. Seeing that we would reach them soon, I was ecstatic. I had always loved the direwolves in the series and, to be honest I cried over the fate of some of them. I promised myself that those deaths wouldn't happen here.

"Lord Stark, there's something ahead," a vanguard said.

As we got closer, I saw the corpse of the mother, feeling a pang in my heart at the sight.

"By the Old Gods…" Ser Rodrik mumbled, "There hasn't been any direwolf south of the Wall for years. And this one was killed by a stag."

"And it seems it isn't the only one now," I said, cradling a direwolf pup. I couldn't deny feeling excited to see one in real life. I grabbed the largest of the pups, took it into my arms, and then slowly picked up the others.

"Help me with this, Jon," I asked him.

Jon moved closer, and I kept taking the pups and handing them to him. After a while, I had extracted all of them from the mother. Even Ghost was in Jon's arms, and I could see that he was already in love with him.

"Their mother died; they should be put down," Theon said, and some guards nodded in agreement.

"No one will harm the pups," I said with a level of emotion I didn't even know I was capable of. My bugs sensed my emotions and started buzzing in response.

Everyone became alert to the strange sound, and the only ones who knew about my powers looked at me oddly.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. Maybe hormones were already affecting this body, and I had become somewhat emotional.

Ordering my insects to disperse and trying to look innocent, I said, "That was weird… We should get out of the forest fast, I don't want to find out what that was." I encouraged my horse to start moving.

"What about the pups?" Ser Rodrik asked.

"What else? One pup for each Stark child. We'll take care of them, and they will be our companions. They are, after all, our sigil," I said with finality as if asking them to drop the topic.

After a brief moment, everyone started moving, and my father approached me.

"I always wonder how you command this level of respect from our guards, Robb," he said with a smile before frowning but then chuckling. "It's a shame it won't help you escape your mother's wrath."

"I'll take care of her," I said confidently before frowning. "At least I hope so."

Winterfell at Dawn

Arriving at Winterfell with the rest in tow, we found the rest of the family waiting for us. Sansa was smiling demurely, Arya was jumping with excitement, eager to hear about our adventure, and Rickon was in my mother's arms, trying to wriggle free.

My mother had a small frown on her face, showing that she was preoccupied with something, but she managed a strained smile to welcome us.

"Winterfell is yours, my husband," she said with a small gesture. Once all the formalities were done, everyone gathered around us, but they all stopped when they saw the movement in the bundles of cloth Jon and I were carrying.

"What is that?" Arya asked excitedly, jumping on the spot.

"The Old Gods have sent us some companions," I said dramatically before opening the bundle.

Six small heads popped up and started wagging their tails. Excited squeals erupted from the girls, and even Rickon moved closer to them.

My mother grabbed the scruff of my neck while pretending to hug me.

"We'll talk later, young man."

"In private, I hope," I said nervously.

"You can thank me later for that, but we need to speak as a family about one more thing." She said this jokingly at first but finished seriously.

I nodded and waited for them to choose which pup they wanted. Maybe it was fate, but each one chose the same as in the series.

"Follow us, Robb," my father told me after finishing a hushed conversation with Catelyn.

As we walked in silence to the solar, I wondered how my father would react to the news. In this life, his relationship with the King and the Hand was strained due to their decisions. I wondered if his "honor" for their friendship would prevail or if he would stay loyal to the North if the King asked for his help.

When we arrived at the solar, Mother served a large measure of vodka in one glass and two cups of watered wine for herself and me. After giving them to us, she took a seat.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, my love, but the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, is dead," she said, sad to be the one delivering the news but with some apathy because she truly disliked him due to the sanctions, even though he was her sister's husband.

My father drank the entire glass of vodka in one shot before standing up and walking in circles. He was mourning his foster father.

"There is more, isn't there, Mother?" I asked.

"No, it's not," she said, pursing her lips. "The King is bringing a royal caravan to Winterfell. And both of you know why he would do this."

"Fucking hypocrites," I said with a frown. "They start by taking our money, and now they want to take the lord of our house? Well, fuck them," I snarled.

"Robb…" my father began. "It would be a great honor. Maybe they now think differently about the sanctions, and making me the Hand is their way of apologizing."

I looked at him with the most deadpan expression I could manage. "I truly find it concerning if you believe that, Father."

"I'm sorry, my love, but Jon is right. They need you right now, and they are going to ask for your help even after all they've done to the North," said my mother, shaking her head.

"We'll hear what Robert has to say. We need to prepare to receive the royal family either way; it's not like we can tell them they are not welcome," said my father with a defeated sigh.

"And send a letter to all the lords who own lands near the Kingsroad to be on their best behavior. We know they are not happy; let's make sure they remember to be on their best behavior," I told him seriously, knowing some northern lords might be tempted to tell the King to go to hell.

"I'll go to the Maester right now," my father said, nodding and starting toward Lewin's room.

"He seems excited," I told my mother. "Hopefully, he will think of the North and not his sense of honor."

Catelyn shook her head. "I wouldn't bet gold on it, dear."

Getting closer to me to embrace me, she said, "For your father, his honor is the most important thing, I would hope for him to tell the king a resounding no, but we both know that not might be possible, from what I've heard of the king, he does not ask, he commands people to do things"

I let out a sigh while kissing her brow, "Well fix everything as a family. I hope he only asks for that."

---

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Winterfell.

Preparing for the arrival of the royal caravan was more tedious than difficult. With all the gold we had saved over the years, despite Littlefinger's and the Lannisters' attempts to diminish it, we had enough to give them a grand welcome.

Aside from waiting, there wasn't much I could do, as most of the logistics were handled by Mother and Sansa, who were most knowledgeable about what the royal party might require. Taking extra food from our supplies wouldn't hurt, as they didn't bring many people.

According to the message we received last night, the royal caravan consisted of eighty people, mostly guards, with the rest being personal servants and the smallest group being the royal family.

Taking my time, I walked toward my father, who was in the Godswood trying to calm himself. He probably needed to pray and seek wisdom. There was only one reason for the King to come personally to Winterfell, and he didn't know how to address it. The most obvious response would be to refuse the King's request, but that wouldn't be easy, and he probably wouldn't do it. My father had been taught to live with honor, and if his friend, the King, were to ask for his help like in the series, he would likely go with him, leaving the North in my hands.

Since I arrived in this world, I knew I wouldn't be able to change his decision to go to King's Landing. Still, I could change enough to make it easier to spirit him away alone, so the betrothal of Sansa and the bastard Joffrey couldn't happen. This was the most pressing matter for me to discuss with him before the arrival of the royal family.

Heading directly toward him with my mother in tow was easy, thanks to my insects pinpointing his location. Seeing him torn with his thoughts sent a pang to my heart. I'm sure he considered different ways to act, but none seemed entirely possible.

"Father, there are things we need to discuss before their arrival," I said directly, believing that being blunt was the best approach.

"Yes, we must plan," my father said, but I could see he had already decided how he would proceed.

"Have you already made your decision, Father?" I asked knowingly.

My father looked torn for a moment, gazing at me and my mother before finally speaking. "Yes, son. I have. I will follow Robert to King's Landing."

I shook my head. I didn't agree with him, but there was little I could do to change this.

"I understand, Father," I told him. "It must have been difficult to make this decision."

"Aye, it was. But I can leave knowing that the North is in capable hands, Robb. Continue making me proud," my father said, patting my head.

"I will, Father," I nodded firmly.

"What about the rest of the family, Ned?" Mother asked.

"I will make time to return, dear," he told her.

There were many tears in my mother's eyes as she nodded, but she understood better than anyone how my father thought.

After giving them some time in semi-privacy, I cleared my throat to attract their attention.

"There's one thing I want to discuss right now, Father," I said.

"What is it, son? If I can, I'll do whatever I can to make it happen," he answered.

"The King was obsessed with Aunt Lyanna, wasn't he?" I asked, taking a seat near the weirwood and touching it. I always felt at peace being near one, and it was a welcome sensation.

"She was his intended, son. He went to war for her, as you know," my father nodded.

"But she didn't feel the same way," I added.

Father looked me straight in the eyes before sighing and agreeing. "Aye, she disliked him and was very angry with your grandfather for a long time."

"It must have been difficult for you, Father. That your little sister didn't want to marry your best friend," I said lightly.

"Where are you going with this, Robb?" he asked impatiently.

"If the King asks for the hand of any of my sisters or mine in a betrothal with his family, I want you to tell him that you won't arrange marriages for us," I said seriously. "I don't want history to repeat itself, and if the prince is anything like his father, I would kill him to protect my sisters' feelings."

My father looked grim. "That's traitorous talk, Robb."

"I would say the same to his face, so please do this for me. I don't ask much from you, but I won't budge on this. I want them to marry for love, and I want the same for myself. The North is strong; there's no need for arranged marriages for our family," I concluded.

"I'll discuss it later with your mother and Luwin, but if it's possible, I will make it happen," he nodded slowly.

"That's all I ask, Father."

One Month Later

Waiting with the rest of my family for the arrival of the royal caravan was nerve-wracking. Thanks to the changes I made, Bran and Arya were somewhat calmer than their canon counterparts, so they were with us, waiting for the Royal caravan.

As we saw the first few guards leading the caravan enter the courtyard, I felt myself getting excited at the start of one of my favorite series ever. When the King arrived and dismounted his horse, everyone was silent.

Due to the Crown's actions, they weren't greeted with much enthusiasm by the populace. They were always respected, but there wasn't a palpable excitement at seeing the King of the Seven Kingdoms in our ancestral home.

The King approached and noticed that people didn't look at him with devotion, but he ignored it and walked up to my father.

The rest of the royal family approached in the same manner. Joffrey, with his usual attitude of preferring to be elsewhere, cast glances at Sansa, who completely ignored him. Thank the old gods that the new education she had received from the maester and the new septa had kept her from fantasizing about a fictional romance with someone she didn't know.

Myrcella and Tommen looked like good children, and I had nothing against them. If the opportunity arose, I would see how I could help them survive, but I wouldn't go out of my way if they didn't happen before me.

Cersei, likewise, looked at everyone with a critical eye, her gaze lingering on me and Sansa. She had probably heard about me and wanted to learn more to see if I could be manipulated or if I should be eliminated for her son's future. Despite being a detestable person, one thing that couldn't be denied was her absolute love for her children, especially the firstborn.

Moreover, she probably noticed Sansa because of her beauty. As they said in this world, my sister hadn't "bloomed" yet, but it was easy to see that she would be beautiful in the future. Thanks to her intelligence, I was sure her future husband would be very lucky to have her, after many threats from Jon and me, of course.

"You've grown fat," the King said seriously.

My father only looked back at the King's enormous stomach without saying anything until he finished, "Winterfell is yours, King Robert Baratheon."

The King noticed that my father wasn't pleased with him, but he ignored it.

"Take me to the crypts, Ned. I want to pay my respects," the King continued seriously.

"Darling, the journey has been long. Wouldn't it be better to rest? You can pay your respects another day," Cersei said calmly.

The King looked at her indifferently. "Ned? Take me to the crypts," the King repeated.

My father nodded before turning to my mother. "Cat, take the rest to the welcome banquet. We'll join you when we're done."

My mother nodded and then turned to the Queen, leading her inside with the rest of the important people in the caravan.

While my mother focused on her task, I observed those who had arrived at Winterfell. I could see Jaime Lannister in the distance with a cocky smile on his face. Most of the people who came were the same as in the series, with one exception: a bald head was among the caravan.

Trying to hide my shock at Varys being here, I maintained a fixed smile.

"Welcome back to Winterfell, Ser Oakheart," I said to the knight who had sparred with me last time. "How is life in King's Landing?"

"Nice to see you again, Lord Robb," the knight greeted. "Same old boring job; there's not much to do," he said lightly.

I noticed that Varys had gotten close enough to hear us but pretended to be busy ordering some servants to help with the luggage.

"That's nice to hear. At least you're doing a good job with King Robert's security," I told him somewhat sarcastically.

A snort was heard behind me where the Kingslayer was located. "You would know about working hard, wouldn't you?" he japed.

"You would be the expert at protecting kings, Ser Jaime. Why don't you tell me what you think of the security on the Kingsroad?" I japed.

Ser Barristan, who had moved closer to us while we talked, snorted, showing his disdain for the oathbreaker.

Jaime's smile faltered for a moment before disappearing as he remained silent.

"It is nice to meet you, Robb Stark," Ser Barristan said, extending his hand.

"It's an honor to meet you too, Ser Barristan," I said respectfully, shaking his hand.

"I think we should join the rest of the royal family. Please follow me," I told them before heading inside the castle.

The Crypts

Ned Stark walked with the King in silence, but soon the King broke it in front of Lyanna's tomb.

After paying his respects to his original intended and obsession, the King touched the statue before looking at Ned.

"I need your help, Ned," he started. "I want you to be my Hand in King's Landing."

"It is a great honor, Robert, and I will do it only because you asked," Ned accepted after a moment.

"I don't think you'll thank me with all the vipers in King's Landing," Robert chuckled.

"Another thing, I want us to unite our families by blood," he continued.

Ned lifted his hand to stop him. "With all due respect, Robert, no. I won't arrange marriages for my family."

"Excuse me?" Robert said, irate and huffing.

"You heard what I said, Robert," Ned repeated. "I told you that I won't make my children marry someone they don't want. If your son can woo any of my daughters and they reciprocate the feeling, we could proceed with it. But if that doesn't happen, you can forget about it."

"And if I decree that it will happen?" the King asked.

"Then it will be the same as Lyanna, Robert. And our friendship won't save you from the North," Eddard said seriously.

"Do not make that mistake, Robert. The people are angry at you for everything the capital has demanded of us in the last couple of years," Eddard explained.

"Ha," Robert chuckled. "You Northerners are nuts, but that's what I like about you. It's better than the snakes in the South."

"I'll tell my firstborn to try and court your eldest, Sansa, was it?" the King asked.

"Then I hope he's intelligent because she wants the best for herself, and her brothers will screen everyone who tries, haha," Ned laughed.

"Aye, your eldest… There are bards singing songs about him in the South. What I wouldn't give to have one like that," the King said mournfully.

"Lyanna and my sons would have been like that, you know?" the King asked. "All my strength and her willpower in one body."

"Reality is cruel, Robert," Eddard said. "But we must work for the future. Now, let's go. We've kept them waiting long enough."

"Aye, I'm famished," the King laughed, slapping his stomach.

---

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Spending time with Shadow while he devoured some deer legs with his brothers and sisters under the table, I started thinking about how things would change if nothing out of the ordinary happened during this royal visit. Thankfully, I nipped Bran's desire to climb in the bud. I had enough respect and hero worship from him that he listened to me about it. Either way, I would be cautious with him during this visit. I didn't want anyone in the North to find out things they shouldn't—at least not now.

Sharing a look with Jon, I gave him a sad smile that he could see from one of the lower tables. Thanks to the royal visit, we had to present a front regarding him. They didn't have a say in the matter, but it would be better not to give them ammunition to cause strife within our family. Thankfully Jon understood and was happy to pass the time with other visitors.

I also spotted Uncle Benjen at the entrance of the hall. He was probably confused about why Jon was inside but didn't comment on it while he took his seat to celebrate with the rest. It was the first time I had ever seen him since I transmigrated here, and I only had a few memories of him from Robb's childhood.

Expanding my senses with my bugs, I overheard the conversation between my father and the King. Nodding to myself that everything was going according to plan, I also ordered them to find hard-to-reach spots in every important room to spy. With all these years, I already had millions of insects ready to act at any moment, and I had more than enough to have an extra pair of eyes and ears on every single person currently in the castle and the town combined.

While scratching the ear of one of the pups, I shifted my focus from the insects to the conversation happening in the Great Hall.

"What do you think of the North, my queen?" my mother asked Cersei while eating.

Ignoring them since just seeing Cersei made me think of ways to destroy her, I stood up to meet our uncle, sending a servant toward Jon to do the same.

"Uncle Benjen," I nodded at him with a smile.

"Robb, Jon. You have grown so much over the years, and tales of your accomplishments have even reached Castle Black," Benjen laughed and hugged us both.

"I'm so happy you were allowed to dine with us, nephew," Benjen told Jon.

Jon had a small smile on his face. "Things have changed a lot in these past couple of years, uncle."

"I can see that. I'm just glad Catelyn has gotten past her dislike of you; I never thought you deserved that," Benjen said lightly.

"To be honest, I was thinking of asking you to come with me to the Wall, but I can see that you do have a place here in Winterfell," he told us.

"If nothing had changed, I would have probably gone with you, uncle," Jon admitted. "But now I have things to do here," Jon told him sincerely. "Also, the North would probably burn if I left it alone with Robb," he joked.

"Ha!" Benjen snorted. He then took a sip of vodka and let out a sigh. "Thanks to all the help you have provided over the years, the Wall is manned and taken care of, but I have a bad feeling," he admitted.

I tried to hide a snort of dark humor. The situation was dire, and there was nothing we could do other than prepare for the long night.

Over the years, my father had been in talks with Commander Mormont about using some land from the New Gift and Brandon's Gift to get more food and training. After many promises and negotiations, the commander allowed us to start using them.

The food produced there was mainly used for the Night's Watch, but the extras were then sent to the towns or holdfasts to sell. With the money earned, the Night's Watch was able to afford a lot of equipment and renovations.

Aside from land, we also arranged joint training sessions with our recruits. I wanted an enormous number of battle-ready soldiers for the war, and their training helped both of us.

I planned to send Jon with Benjen to the Wall—not to join the Watch, since he was my right-hand man—but to learn about the happenings on that side of the North. After a while, I wanted him to leave that place and stay with the Umbers or the ex-Dreadfort until the war started.

"Afraid of the reports from the execution, uncle?" I asked him.

"White Walkers… It's hard to believe, but I must investigate," he answered solemnly.

"Then be careful, uncle. And seek me out before you depart; there are some things we need to discuss," I nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to keep the royal family company."

Over the years, I had accumulated a good amount of dragonglass—not enough for an army, since there wasn't much in the North, but enough for a small party. I encouraged people to bring us the stones as if my mother collected them, and since women's love for shiny things is universal, people didn't think much of it in "small" quantities.

As I spotted Tyrion stumbling near the entrance, I had a small laugh at his expense. His hair lay in disarray, and his clothes looked like he had just thrown them on without thinking. I stopped and noticed how different he looked now from the first episode of the series.

He looked like he was done caring what people thought of him—almost defeated but with a backbone only someone as disdained as he could have. Pondering for a moment, I could only imagine that his failure to obtain the vodka recipe for his father must have changed his situation in the Westerlands. I would probably need to check that out, as he was a vital part of the series.

"A sad situation for everyone," a voice murmured behind me.

I hid a smirk that threatened to appear on my face. Thanks to my insects, I already knew Varys was approaching from the back. It was true what Littlefinger said in the series: the bastard truly moved silently when he walked. I had no idea if he was trying to scare me or if that was simply how he walked all the time.

"Lord Varys," I said without turning my back. "I didn't expect you to come with the royal family."

"I've never been this far north, Lord Robb, and I was curious about some things I've heard over the years," Varys said with such a soft voice it irritated me. I think he genuinely did it so that people wouldn't hear everything he said, and thankfully I had advantages over that.

"Oh? What were you curious about, Lord Varys?" I asked, finally looking him in the eyes.

"Mainly the stability of the kingdom. I've heard that Northerners are unhappy with the Crown's decisions," Varys said while taking a seat next to me.

"Of course, we're not happy. Would you be after the Crown left you to rot until you could make it alone and then suddenly took an interest in us?" I asked somewhat strongly.

"No, I would not. And I'm here to make sure such a situation doesn't get worse," Varys nodded in understanding.

"Here comes the King and my father. It looks like he has something to say," I nodded toward the entrance.

Varys got to his feet when he saw the determined look on the King's face and went ahead to talk to him. To most people, it would have seemed odd, but I was able to overhear what they said.

I should have seen this coming, and it would probably affect some of my plans but not by much.

"Silence, the King has words!" my father bellowed.

The King nodded and tried to look somewhat regal, which, in my opinion, didn't help much.

"I have spoken with my friend Ned, and he has accepted the position of Hand of the King!" Robert said firmly.

Some of the Northerners present were unhappy since it meant losing the Lord of Winterfell, but they knew they could not change anything.

Seeing the lackluster reception to his words, the King's face twisted for a moment before continuing.

"As a gift, in thanks for the services provided," he started, raising his voice, "the elevated taxes from these past years will return to the previous amount!" he said with a smile.

Stunned silence was the initial response, but soon exclamations of surprise and thanks were heard in the hall from the Northerners.

The Queen's face twisted into a somewhat fierce expression before returning to normal, and Tyrion's face showed a hint of surprise at the King's move.

To be honest, it was a really good plan. It lessened the negative feelings the North had towards the Crown, but it didn't fix everything, and I could work with this. With the new surplus of coins we would get after today, we could start investing more in different venues toward the endgame.

My father rose to his feet and put an arm around Robert before addressing the rest of us.

"I know that I'll have to leave, but I know the North will be in capable hands." Looking me in the eyes, he continued, "To Robb Stark, the new Lord of Winterfell." He raised his cup in a toast.

"The Ghost of the North!" Lord Manderly exclaimed, having come with the royal caravan.

"Ghost of the North!" "Ghost of the North!"

---

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Author's Note: Sorry for the delay with this chapter, guys. It's longer than usual since I don't have to invent everything, but it's harder to write because I need to think about different plotlines and whatnot. Either way, here you have it! Robb has already started his plans and is finally starting to feel that things will get harder in the future

Winterfell

Next Day

While reviewing every parchment containing information I had gained through the banquet and some pillow talk in certain cases, my insects noticed that Uncle Benjen was walking toward my solar. When Father leaves with the royal family to return to the capital, the lord's solar would be mine. But at least for a few weeks, I would have to stay here and prepare my things to move them later.

Without waiting for him to knock, I told him to enter.

"That feels so weird, nephew," Benjen smiled when he saw me.

"It's a gift, Uncle," I joked back.

"So, I'm here. What did you want to talk about before I depart?" he asked seriously.

I let out a sigh. "Of what is coming for us, Uncle. Have you heard of my gifts?" I asked him.

"That you are the champion of all the gods?" he asked.

"Ha!" I snorted. "It's not that simple. But that rumor has some truth in it."

"Oh?" Benjen looked at me skeptically.

I shook my head slightly, hoping to change his perspective. "I have dreams—glimpses of what is to come. That's why I have been working so hard to change the situation in the North," I admitted.

Benjen was startled for a moment, but soon he was able to calm down. Looking me directly in the eyes, he let out a deep sigh. "I knew something was happening. I love Ned, but I knew he wasn't capable of this many changes." He shook his head. "So it was you all along then, nephew?"

I nodded grimly. "Aye, it was me. War is coming, Uncle, and we haven't done enough to prepare."

"Two different fronts," I accepted shamefully. "I'm the only one who knows at the moment, and I haven't told my father because you know how he is… he would do the most honorable thing instead of what needs to be done."

Benjen opened his mouth to defend his brother, but I raised my hand to stop him.

"Uncle Benjen, I understand your concern about not telling Father. It might seem like I'm putting him in danger, but believe me, he shouldn't know. Please, hear me out first," I told him pleadingly.

Benjen watched me with firm eyes and slowly nodded his head. "Go on, Robb. I'm listening."

I took a deep breath before continuing, knowing the importance of this conversation. "Father is an honorable man, and his sense of duty is unwavering. If he knew about the impending wars, he would feel compelled to act immediately. That would place him directly in the path of danger; it would be even worse than the rebellion," I finished grimly.

Benjen accepted my point of view with a nod. "True, Ned would never shy away from his responsibilities. But isn't that more reason to tell him? To fix the problem before it happens?"

I shook my head, considering whether to rip off the bandage. "Promise me as your liege that you will keep this secret until I tell you otherwise, Uncle. I promise that the information I give you will show you how dire the situation is."

Uncle Benjen remained silent for a moment before giving me a firm nod. "I swear by the Old Gods that I won't say a word about what you tell me, Lord Stark."

I sighed, hoping I was making the best decision. "I'm trusting you a lot with this information, Uncle. Please, don't let me down."

Checking with my insects to ensure we were alone and that no one was close to my solar, I began the explanation.

"The children of the King are bastards… As you may have heard about how these dreams work, I don't get told everything I need to know, I only get glimpses. But yesterday, I was able to find out about this," I explained, defeated.

"What?!" Uncle Benjen stood up and started pacing around the room, considering the repercussions.

"Who knows about this?" he asked.

"For now, only us from this side of the Kingdom, aside from us, the perpetrators, the Queen, her brother Jaime Lannister, and the late Hand of the King, Jon Arryn," I answered.

Uncle Benjen stopped cold in his tracks. "Incest?" he murmured. "And now Ned is the Hand of the King; he will be in danger, Robb. We need to tell him!" He turned around to search for my father.

Raising my voice momentarily, I called out, "Uncle Benjen! Think about this rationally. What would Father do if he were to learn about this?"

Benjen froze for a second, letting out some curses in desperation.

"Now you understand, Uncle? Father would tell the Queen that he knows about this and he would die because of it," I said quietly.

"Damn it… you are right. What can we do?" he asked desperately.

"You won't do anything about this. Leave the problems of the Kingdom to me. I swear on my life that I won't let him die because of his stupidity," I assured him.

Benjen looked directly into my eyes, searching for deceit. After finding only conviction, he nodded. "You said it was a war on two fronts, nephew. What's the other one?" he asked with trepidation.

"The White Walkers are real," I told him simply. "We are in the middle of two wars capable of destroying all life in Westeros and beyond. We must remain united if we hope to win, and even then, millions will die to make it happen," I sighed, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

"Damn!" Benjen bellowed, starting to punch the wall hysterically.

Letting him vent for a moment, I waited for him to calm down a little.

"What can we do, Robb? This is way more than I expected right now; it's too early, and I'm too sober for this," he admitted, feeling out of his depth.

"We are in a really bad spot, Uncle. I won't lie about that, but we can win. For that, I need you to trust me and follow my suggestions," I began.

Opening a drawer, I pulled out a box I had prepared for this conversation. Inside were six daggers made of dragonglass. I also took out a package of arrowheads made of the same material.

"I want you to take these. Keep the arrows with you and two daggers," I started explaining. "The White Walkers are vulnerable to this, Valyrian steel, and fire. You won't be able to damage them at all with normal steel. The rest of the daggers I want you to give one to Commander Mormont, and the rest are for some of the Wildlings."

"The Wildlings? Are you crazy, Robb?" asked Benjen.

"Do you remember the stories of the Long Night that old Nan tells us? What abilities do you remember the White Walkers having?" I asked him.

"They can raise the dead? What about it?" he asked, oblivious.

I rolled my eyes. "And how many Wildlings are there north of the Wall?" I asked him.

He was silent for a moment before his eyes widened when he realized what I was talking about. "Over a hundred thousand," he murmured.

I nodded grimly. "Can you imagine an army of undead numbering a hundred thousand? An army of that size that doesn't tire, doesn't feel pain, and can keep fighting without stopping?"

Benjen paled immediately, understanding the problem.

"Old Gods save us," he prayed. "What do you want me to do, Robb?"

With an encouraging smile, I began explaining all my plans to him.

Three Weeks Later

Going over every single scrap of information I had gathered over the weeks since the arrival of the royal family, I organized it by factions. It seemed Littlefinger had learned his lesson and hadn't sent anyone else with them. Aside from the Master of Coins, there were spies sent by the Reach, who were trying to gather information about us for the Queen of Thorns.

They were easy enough to identify thanks to my power, but the number of spies sent by different factions was overwhelming. I couldn't fathom why they would spend so much on something so trivial. It wasn't as if they hadn't tried in the past few years, and I had no idea why they thought using the royal visit as an excuse would make them successful this time.

At least Varys had learned his lesson after a couple of false starts. Before the Crown's arrival, we were very explicit with our orders: our subjects were to accept every single attempt to buy their allegiance and then report to us. The Starks would double what they were offered if they provided evidence of who tried to buy them. But thanks to the loyalty we had from them, none accepted the "double it" part we offered. They were allowed to keep what they were paid, but everyone insisted we keep our gold and continue helping the North as a whole.

Of course, there were a couple who tried to lie to me; humanity tends to get greedy no matter what they have already gained. But with a few examples of what happens when someone tries to cheat me, such cases were kept to a minimum.

Uncle Benjen left over three weeks ago to start with my plans at the Wall and with the Wildlings. He took a message for the Commander, and in it, I said I would send someone I trust to the Wall to help with everything. Jon would leave Winterfell a few days later after the royal family departed with my father. He would have orders to prepare the Wall for what is to come.

The royal family was already preparing for departure, and with this move, every single one of my plans would start to take effect. I would begin by sending messages to every keep on the shores of the North to ramp up the training of recruits and to be ready to close our borders when the war starts.

I knew it wouldn't be the same as in the canon timeline, as the small changes had altered everything. There would be no reason for my mother to detain Tyrion, so, Tywin wouldn't attack the Riverlands, at least for that reason, who knew what the Warhawk thought. The war would start when my father, in his honorable self, learned about the bastards of the royal family and gave Cersei time to prepare for her small rebellion. After that, it would be almost the same. If I remember correctly, it took several months for my father to find out the truth, but I wouldn't leave it to chance.

Thankfully, I had two wonderful advisors who could take care of things here in the North while I completed my plans: Mother and Sansa. They had become brilliant in politics and respected for their beauty and openness over the past couple of years. I could leave the North in their capable hands while I went incognito to stay alert for any important changes.

First, I would search for allies in the Riverlands, starting with our uncle, Brynden Tully. After that, I would go to King's Landing and live there for a while, focusing on obtaining useful information. When the war started, we would invade the South, destroy House Frey, and take control of the Twins to maximize the protection of the North going forward.

I knew plans could change on the fly, so I didn't bother with more than that until I knew what changes to the canon timeline were made thanks to my moves. I would try to adapt as necessary.

Stopping for a moment, I reflected on the events of the royal visit, from amusing moments to rage-inducing ones. In particular, the Crown Prince's attempts to woo Sansa were painful to watch. When my sister rejected him, he showed his true colors. He was harshly punished by the King, which earned the ire of the Queen. But it didn't matter; she didn't have the power to harm us at the moment, and she would try in the future even if nothing happened during her stay in Winterfell.

I had gathered so much information over these weeks that it would take a long time to go through it all, even with the help of Jon, the Maester, and Mother. But it would be worth it as it could help us with blackmail and other strategies.

I also had an enlightening conversation with Tyrion and learned about how Tywin made his life miserable in the Westerlands, leading him to live in the capital. Thanks to his familiarity with Lady Elyse, the former Hand of the King helped him secure a job with her.

Two Days Later

The whole family was sad to see Father leave for the South. We all had sentimental farewells in private. At the entrance of Winterfell, we projected an unflappable front, but even so, a couple of tears were shed by most of us.

Telling him to take care, I hugged him and whispered in his ear, "I'll take care of the North while you are gone, Father."

"I know, Robb. I trust you," he answered, hugging me harder.

"Be very careful in the capital, Father. I want you to know that aside from the guards who accompany you, you have no allies there. Trust me on this, Father. No one will help you, and if they offer to do so, you must know that they want something in return," I told him solemnly.

My father was taken aback, but after a moment, he nodded firmly, showing that he understood.

I would take care of him when I was done with my plans here, but before that, I had to trust Jory, who would go with him and the rest of the guards. They were some of the best we had to offer, and I trusted them completely.

Seeing them leave, I felt a moment of dread. Everything felt real now, and I knew that a simple mistake could make me lose a member of my family. But with the growing dread came a sense of determination. I would win, and no one could stop the rise of the North anymore.

---

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Author's note: It seems 2k+ is the new normal, lol. I'll see if I can maintain the pace of five chapters a week, but I'll let you know if anything changes.

Also, the next chapter will feature different POVs, showing what has been happening during this time and all that jazz.

Another thing, kids gloves are off, there no need to hide with the start of canon, a couple of chapters to the war to start and we get our fill with violence.

Winterfell

It had been more than a week since I became the new Lord Paramount of the North. Thanks to the confidence my father had in me, it was even more formalized than in the canon timeline. Having forged my reputation through years of hard work, I commanded the respect of the various clans in the North.

For that reason, all the lords from the North followed my orders without much fuss. The Reeds of Greywater Watch, a vassal house and one of the most loyal in the North, were particularly trustworthy. Even though I hadn't met them in this timeline, I knew I could rely on them with my life.

What was suspicious was the message we received in response to our order to close the border. Howland Reed, the lord of the house, was sending his heir and son, Jojen, along with his daughter, Meera, to Winterfell with urgent news. Thanks to the series, I knew Jojen was a Greenseer with visions of the future. However, I knew little about Howland—he might be a Greenseer even more powerful than his son, or perhaps he simply trusted Jojen as much as my father trusted me.

Regardless, both of them would be valuable assets. Given how far the canon timeline had diverged, I couldn't be sure of much more than that. With Bran safe and retaining his mobility, I was unsure how this would affect the Three-Eyed Raven's plans.

I was certain he already knew who was responsible for the changes, but I wasn't sure how he would react. Depictions of him in various fanfics varied widely, from a benevolent old man making poor decisions to a ruthless figure willing to do anything to win his game. If he resembled the former, I wouldn't mind having another ally since his power was extremely useful. However, if he was like the latter, he would need to hide from me to avoid my wrath for interfering with my family and my plans.

Taking a moment to review my plans, I noticed that the people I had invited to my new solar were approaching. I had summoned the key figures in the castle to begin planning for what lay ahead.

Mother and Sansa were present, as Sansa was being taught about politics and other complex matters. Since she had taken a liking to it and was becoming quite adept, I discussed with Mother the importance of helping her reach her full potential. The Maester and Ser Rodrik were invited for their expertise in politics and warfare, and Jon, who was tasked with overseeing the Wall in the future, was also present.

I had spoken with Jon, and while he wasn't thrilled about the idea, he understood that I needed him more here than with me, at least for a while. If I needed to move incognito for a few months, I couldn't take him with me, and I was capable of defending myself if necessary. I could fight with no holds barred if I was alone and without worrying about my companions.

Reflecting on this, I remembered the advantage I had gained from the royal visit. From the series, I recalled that the Red Priestess Melisandre mentioned the usefulness of royal blood in many ways. I used my insect-creation power to make several bedbugs with increased potency in their anesthetic and larger sizes to store more blood. After three weeks of my bedbugs working while the royals slept, I collected royal blood, excluding Myrcella and Tommen, whom I rather liked, from four flasks filled with blood from King Robert, two from the Queen, and six from Crown Prince Joffrey, whose blood was harvested more intensely after he shouted at Sansa when she rejected him.

I also asked Jon for a flask of his blood, which he gave me willingly, showing his trust in me. I tried ingesting the blood from each royal to see if they provided any special benefits. To my surprise, the blood did grant some advantages, though not all were effective.

When my insects absorbed King Robert's blood, I didn't feel any immediate change until a burning sensation in my head caused me to fall unconscious. Fortunately, I had prepared for this in my chambers before going to sleep. Upon waking, I found that all insects I had and would create in the future were sturdier and had increased overall physical strength. The Queen's blood was also useful, increasing my range by at least 30%. Joffrey's blood granted me the ability to issue simple commands to my insects that they would follow for some time even if I wasn't present. However, the blood from Jon was inert, which was puzzling since he was the main protagonist, at least for me. I wasn't sure why it didn't work, but I hoped to find out.

Maybe I needed more dragon blood to unlock benefits, or maybe Jon's blood was way too strong and my power couldn't digest it as fast as the other ones, I had no idea but I hoped that was the case. Since it was stronger, the benefits should be the same.

I stopped contemplating this as my visitors arrived. Once they were seated, I began the meeting.

"Why did you call us, dear?" Mother asked.

"To review all the information I gathered during the royal visit, Mother, and to brief the Maester and Ser Rodrik. It's time I stop hiding, at least from those in this room," I said seriously.

I had considered this for a long time, and with the onset of the canon events, it seemed the best moment to be transparent with my advisors. It would be foolish to hide my powers during the coming conflict. Thus, I began with my "inner circle."

"Are you finally going to tell us about your magic, Lord Stark?" asked the Maester knowingly.

Catelyn gasped, astonished at how he had deduced something we had tried to keep hidden for so long.

I simply laughed, appreciating the Maester's intelligence in piecing together the anomalies of the past years. Ser Rodrik remained silent but showed no surprise, clearly aware that something wasn't right, even if he didn't know the full extent.

"You both are too damn clever for your own good," I sighed good-naturedly, then with a smile, I summoned some of my insects to demonstrate.

After explaining my powers and answering questions from the two older men and a few from Sansa, who was genuinely disturbed by them, I moved to the main topic.

"As you can see, my insects have significant advantages due to my ability to manipulate them, making them useful for espionage and assassination. During the royal family's stay in Winterfell, I used them to gather information about events in the Seven Kingdoms," I explained seriously.

"And what did you learn, Lord Stark?" asked Ser Rodrik.

"Some things I wish I hadn't," I replied dramatically.

"Don't keep us waiting, dear. We must make use of everything you've learned," Mother urged, with Sansa nodding eagerly at the pile of parchment on the table.

"There is a war approaching from the South," I began, carefully outlining what I knew of the original timeline as if it were recent information. I discussed the Queen's infidelity, the perpetrators, and most of what I remembered about the South.

Father was already planning to investigate the Lannisters based on Lysa Arryn's letter. I made sure to inform everyone that she was behind Jon Arryn's death and that Petyr Baelish was the mastermind. Mother initially refused to believe it, but with each piece of information I provided, I managed to convince her, reminding her of how Lysa had been infatuated with Littlefinger while he was fostering in the Riverlands and all the ensuing drama.

After I finished, everyone was silent. I stood up to serve six cups of wine, hoping it would help them process the information and help my parched throat.

Mother stood up quickly, exclaiming, "Ned is in danger in the capital! Why did you let him go knowing this?" Her eyes were filled with concern.

"You know what Father would have done, Mother. Trust me, he will be fine and back in Winterfell in a few months," I reassured her, laughing. "I already had this conversation with Uncle Benjen."

"What will we do, Lord Stark?" asked Ser Rodrik.

"As you know, I ordered every lord with open territories to close their borders and begin training for conflict. Most of them don't know who the enemy is, but I have enough respect that they are complying without asking many questions," I explained.

"And what about Father?" asked Jon calmly, trusting that I wouldn't endanger him without a good reason.

"That's where all of you come into play," I smiled. "Mother and Sansa will manage Winterfell for the foreseeable future." I began explaining, but Sansa immediately raised her hand. I shook my head. "Listen first, little sister."

She blushed, then nodded and lowered her hand.

"Jon will head to the Wall for the task I've already explained. While on the way, I want you to take some time to check the progress of Froststorm, the town in the ex-Bolton territory, and give a letter to the person in charge to increase equipment production. We no longer need to hide. News travels slowly, and by the time the South hears of this, we'll already be in open war," I smiled at Jon, who returned it with a firm nod.

"After completing his tasks in Froststorm, Jon will visit the Umbers and the Karstarks and instruct them to begin the plan we discussed years ago," I continued. "They are already on my side and trust me implicitly, so we can be sure that part of the North will be ready for the call to arms."

"Jon knows the rest of his tasks, and I can't disclose some details for important reasons," I added seriously.

"Will he be in danger?" Sansa asked, trying to sound mature but failing.

Jon stood up, hugged her, and kissed her brow. "I'll be fine, Sansa. Trust in your brother," he smiled.

I smiled at them, pleased that their relationship was so positive due to her change in instructors. Mother watched the scene with a complicated expression, but it softened into a smile after a moment. She had difficult feelings about Jon, but she was working hard to improve her attitude.

"What about us?" Mother asked.

"You four," I pointed at the Maester, Ser Rodrik, and the two women in the room, "will stay in Winterfell and govern it in my stead. You have permission to act as you see fit. I've already prepared a list of dos and don'ts, and as long as you follow my instructions, I trust you to handle it."

"I know it will be challenging, but I believe you four are more than capable," I concluded with a smile.

"What about you, Robb?" asked Sansa, tilting her head cutely.

She treated Jon and me as dependable big brothers. Outside, she maintained an impassive demeanor, but with us, she acted and sought to be pampered.

Rubbing her hair playfully until she squawked in outrage, I revealed my plans. "I'll be going South. We need allies, and some obstacles need to be removed. Beyond that, I need to protect Father from the shadows. We all know his honor will endanger him sooner or later, and he is already investigating the Lannisters."

"He is in their seat of power, and they control more than Robert would admit," I continued. "I give it a few months for him to get into trouble, but by then, I'll already be there to extract him and our men from the capital."

Gradually, everyone began offering suggestions and ideas, leading to some adjustments in my plans. This made me realize that telling them the truth was the right choice. They knew Westeros better than I did—the movers and shakers responsible for keeping the kingdom running.

At the end of the meeting, I went with the Maester to explain some of my inventions that he would oversee in the future. There were many things I had been reluctant to reveal before, but with the looming threat of war, we needed every advantage we could get.

---

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Author's Note: Okay, what the heck! This chapter just kept getting longer and longer to the point where it will count as two for this week, lol. With the extra day I gained from this chapter, I'll start editing my earlier chapters to begin cross-posting. Wish me luck! Also, thanks to all my patrons. We're a small community, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support—it means a lot.

Enjoy this chapter! There are plenty of reactions and many changes from the canon timeline.

Maester Luwin PoV

Winterfell

As I went through every parchment for the young lord of Winterfell, I felt this dread for the first time. I've lived in the North for decades since the Citadel assigned me here, and I've endured some rough winters. I was in Winterfell during the bleakest times, such as when the last Lady Stark died giving birth to young Benjen or when Lord Rickard followed his heir Brandon to King's Landing, and both were slaughtered by the Mad King.

The rebellion was also a rough patch in history, and while it didn't affect the North that much, the famine that followed was severe. Many people died from the lack of food due to that conflict.

But this? This was the worst that could happen to the North. We knew of the Queen's dalliance with her twin brother thanks to Lord Robb's information. It was easy to see that the Crown Prince was a disturbed individual, and incest might be the reason he acted like that. Maybe that was why the Targaryens were mad when they had children with their siblings.

In the long run, it didn't matter. He would never be King for long, even if he wore the Crown in the future; his rage and frankly horrible attitude would get him killed when he crossed someone he shouldn't.

But it would mean war. With Lord Eddard going as the Hand of the King and knowing him since he was a babe, I knew he would investigate the Lannisters about the death of Jon Arryn. This would get him into trouble, but hopefully, the new Lord Stark could help him.

I shook my head in wonder. Young Robb was truly blessed with his warfare powers and everything he left for me. Checking the records of his inventions and the locations he had found in these last years of natural resources, I started planning what we would need to use first.

First, he left us the key to a part of the dungeons where he collected many insects that help our land grow and keep our plants prospering. With this, I could send it to every keep and settlement in the North free of charge to prepare for war and save food to avoid the shortages that come with conflict.

Then, I would focus on the mineral mines that Robb found in his travels, giving them to each family closest to them to supervise. This was a point of contention between Lady Stark and Young Robb, as Lady Stark felt it would be in our best interest to keep control of all the mines. But Young Robb skillfully convinced her to follow his lead, knowing that even after so many years, Lady Catelyn still thought like a Southerner, and things worked differently in the North.

With all these mines, only possible to locate thanks to his power—which I didn't believe it wasn't magic, but Lord Robb assured me he didn't have magic, or at least didn't know how to use it—the North could prepare faster. The rest of the kingdoms didn't know what would happen soon, and we needed to capitalize.

All these mines were of different metals, which would be helpful to the North. The families in charge of the mines would have to pay a percentage to House Stark. This way, both families would benefit since they could only have found them with a stroke of luck, and we wouldn't need to spend gold and workers to mine the metals.

From iron deposits discovered near the Long Lake, close to the Last Heart, to another somewhat close to Deepwood Motte, Robb had found five iron deposits in the North thanks to his powers. Four of them were major deposits, and one was moderate. All this would enhance the productivity of the blacksmiths in the North and provide coins for workers.

The other deposits Robb found were three moderate deposits of copper, primarily used for weapons when combined with tin to make bronze or to mint money, as it was the "change" in our economy.

There were only two deposits of tin, but that was more than enough to make bronze since each deposit was really small. The quantity available on the market made bronze expensive due to its rarity.

Aside from those, only three other metal deposits were found: two of lead and one of silver. All of them were to be mined by the closest lords with territories. Thanks to House Stark's loyalty from the other lords, this would be done without much problem. Even so, trusted subordinates would supervise to ensure no one tried to cheat the Ghost of the North.

Standing up and walking toward my solar, I prepared my Hand. Thanks to the many letters I would need to pen to different lords, I knew it would hurt for a while. Smiling at the guard posted near the entrance, I walked directly to him.

"Jona, I need you to accomplish some tasks for Lord Stark," I greeted him calmly.

"Whatever he needs, Maester Luwin," he answered with zeal.

I smiled at him. The situation was dire, but it was heartwarming to know that so many people trusted us to work for their benefit and were willing to help.

"You are a good kid, Jona," I told him before entering the solar with him behind me. "I need you to find Ser Rodrik and ask him to send me thirty of his most trusted men—people who would never betray us," I continued firmly.

Jona gulped, showing his nervousness. He was barely nine and ten, old enough to understand that something big was happening.

After a moment, he nodded firmly and bolted out of my solar. I had time, as finding thirty loyal and dependable men would take time.

Varys PoV

Kingsroad.

I vowed never to visit the North again if I could help it. I had never met so many hard-to-read people, and I could not find a single piece of evidence of something happening. I felt it in my bones: something was brewing, and for the life of me, I didn't know what.

I didn't know how the Starks instilled such loyalty in their subjects; honestly, the past two kings could learn how to govern a kingdom from them. Aerys was mad, which didn't help at all, but even before his madness peaked, he was an evil king. And the less said about Robert, the better.

He only knew how to fuck whores and drink himself to the grave, and with it, he was taking the kingdom to hell with him. Hopefully, the Targaryens were better, but I doubted it. There were rumors of Viserys madness, and he had his little sister under his thumb. I had heard that he had already sold her to the Dothraki, my good friend told me.

It was a clusterfuck, but I needed to work for the people. They had my allegiance, and I would work with everything I had to improve their lives.

The Queen didn't help at all. I didn't know what she was thinking, sleeping with her brother and having his children. Didn't she know that this would lead to ruin? A war was on the horizon, probably closer than I could say.

I could see Lord Stark was already suspicious of them. I didn't know the reason, as he had a fantastic poker face, but I inferred that he knew something about them.

The blackout of information from the North was irritating. I wasn't accustomed to not knowing things, and I couldn't even set a foothold during my stay in Winterfell. Every servant I tried to buy accepted the money happily, but no one gave me information. After the fifth one, I knew something was happening, and listening to some laugh at me for trying to buy their allegiance was aggravating. I couldn't do anything against them since they would tell the King when asked, and I couldn't be seen trying to spy in the ancestral home of the new Hand of the King.

I wondered if Lord Eddard knew what I tried to do. Ever since leaving Winterfell, he only talked with the King and the people accompanying him from Winterfell. I noticed that he trusted no one, which was smart of him. But he didn't show the dislike I would expect if he knew someone had tried to spy on his home.

Feeling a smile on my face, I wondered who the servants had told about my dealings. How curious. It seemed that the last Lord Stark didn't know everything that happened in his seat of power.

Jon Snow PoV

Outskirts of FrostStorm

As I approached Froststorm with my group, I started to slow down since there were many guards near the entrance of the new town. I couldn't help but marvel at how life had changed since Robb's accident.

I couldn't stop smiling when I thought about my family. It's been a while since I've been away from everyone, but in the last few years, I have grown to appreciate even Lady Catelyn.

I had always been close to Robb, but everything changed for the better after his accident. We became closer, like true brothers, and he kept me by his side despite the stigma of my name.

I couldn't lie to myself and say that I didn't feel bad when someone called me a bastard, even if they murmured it to themselves. But over the years, thanks to Robb and Father, everyone stopped.

Even though I knew the truth about my parentage, I knew deep down that Eddard Stark loved me and did what he could to protect me. I didn't agree with all his choices, but I knew he did what he thought was best.

Over the years, I had become Robb's right Hand, following him everywhere and taking his lead. I preferred that. I wasn't a leader and didn't want to be one.

But right now? He needed me, and I would accomplish what he asked of me.

"Open the gates," was heard from outside as we got closer.

Galloping to the center of the town, I spotted Smalljon waiting for us with Thorren. I was happy to see my friends after so long.

"Guys!" I exclaimed with a smile as I approached them.

Hugging each of them, they patted my back in greeting. They had been left here to continue supervising and gain experience leading people. They were the heirs of two powerful vassals, so it was a win-win for all of us.

"How have you been, Jon?" asked Smalljon with a booming laugh.

"Everything is good. Have you heard the news?" I asked with a smile.

"About the new Lord Stark? It's what everyone has been talking about for the past week," Thorren said.

"Yes, and he sent me here for a while. It's time we start showing our true colors. The North is strong," I said with conviction.

Both of them jolted when they heard me use these words. It was something Robb had told us weeks after the attack on the Dreadfort, a secret that when we uttered it, it meant that we needed to stop hiding the production done here.

"Did he tell you why?" Thorren asked, even as Smalljon left us to complete his tasks. We needed every blacksmith working full throttle to make weapons, and the metals we hadn't used since we wanted to be sneaky about it would last only for a month with all of them working all the time.

Thankfully, Robb thought of that. A large amount of metals would be mined in the next couple of months. He had already ordered the blacksmiths here to build a large quantity of mining gear for this purpose. We would sell it to every house in charge of the mines so they could start quickly.

"The war is inevitable," I admitted. Robb had permitted me to clue them in. "He found out that the King's sons are bastards. There is no heir to the Iron Throne," I said grimly.

"Fuck… an all-out war will happen. The Lannisters won't leave without a fight," Thorren exclaimed.

"Indeed. And we will be in the midst of it," I said gravely.

"Why would we join this stupid war? It doesn't concern us," Thorren asked.

I sighed and rubbed my temples. "We don't have much choice," I shook my head. "Let's wait for Smalljon so I can clue you both in without repeating myself later."

Thorren nodded with a furrowed brow.

Entering the castle, we headed toward the solar of the late Roose Bolton, where Smalljon was already waiting for us, penning some letters for his father that I would take when I passed the Last Heart on my way to the Wall.

Tyrion Lannister PoV

Kingsroad

I loved the North. The people and the atmosphere were a godsend. They didn't treat me like the people in the South, and I found myself longing to stay here.

A shame, really; I would love to visit the Wall and take a piss from the top. But I had my duties now. Thanks to my bastard of a father, I was the poorest Lannister. Now, he didn't care about how I besmirched the name. He was done with me, and I was with him. I didn't need them as they didn't know they needed me.

Everything changed after my last trip to the North, and Father was not happy with my failure to steal knowledge from them. Well, fuck him. I was done with it, too. I met people who didn't talk badly about me, respected me, and knew what I had to offer. I wasn't a fighter, but I was a scholar. What I lacked in physical power, I made up for in wit.

Thankfully, the late Hand offered me a job with the wonderful Elyse. Thanks to her word of recommendation, I learned from her and did everything I could to help her.

Seeing my sister pampering her son was as distasteful as ever. How no one knew her sons were Jaime's, I didn't know. I was pretty sure Varys knew, but he didn't say anything, and I wouldn't either. Jaime deserved this from me since he was one of the only people who treated me right, along with Aunt Genna.

But everything would come to light in the future. I had already noted that Ned Stark was after my sister. He knew something, but I wasn't sure what. I needed to make sure I was ready to escape this clusterfuck that was coming.

Thankfully, Lord Robb Stark had an enlightening conversation with me. I wouldn't admit it, but the kid scared me more than my father ever could. There was something downright intimidating about his knowing eyes and how he acted like he knew things that shouldn't be possible.

Flashback

"It's wonderful to have you back in Winterfell, Tyrion," I heard the voice of the newly appointed Lord Stark behind me.

I needed fresh air from the banquet, so I left the premises, hoping no one would notice. But I was wrong.

Lord Robb Stark was already waiting for me near the stables. How he knew where I was going was a mystery to me, and from his knowing smile, he knew how that made me feel.

"It's been more than a year since I last saw you, Lord Stark," I greeted him after I calmed myself down.

"Yes, it's been a while, hasn't it? It's wonderful how life can change so much in such an insignificant amount of time," Lord Robb laughed.

I got mad at him for making fun of me. I didn't know how he knew about my situation, but I didn't think he would turn on me like that.

"What do you want with me, Lord Stark?" I asked impassively.

"Now, now, calm down. Walk with me for a bit. I want you to be sober for this conversation," he kept joking, but I tagged along as he started walking toward the Wolfswood.

At least he kept the pace slow enough for me to keep up.

"Now, can you tell me what you want with me?" I asked impatiently.

"Just a moment," he raised his hand, and instantly, I felt all the sensations of being drunk disappear from my body.

I looked around with amazed eyes before eyeing the only one who could be responsible for this miracle.

"What did you do?" I asked, my voice trembling a little.

"As I told you before, I need you to be sober for this," he said lightly.

"Now I am sober, Lord Stark," I repeated impatiently. I didn't want to be near him. I didn't know what he did, but it weirded me out.

"Yes, yes. We can start now," he said. "Are you happy with your life, Tyrion? Being thrown out of the family for a failure in something not one person in the Seven Kingdoms and beyond could accomplish. It appears that your father sent you to steal from us to get rid of you for your failures."

That struck a chord within me. They knew I tried to steal from them, and now I was alone with one of them, unable to protect myself. Everyone saw me piss drunk at the banquet; if I disappeared, no one would know or care what happened to me.

I fell to my knees, trembling all over as my meager strength left me.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked. I wouldn't beg, and surprisingly, I didn't feel bad about this as I thought I would.

There was silence after my question, and as the seconds passed, I grew impatient and searched for Robb's eyes. I saw him with a gobsmacked face, which confused me.

"What? No, Tyrion, what are you talking about? If I wanted to kill you, you would have died with the servant Littlefinger sent, and no one would know it was me," he explained quickly.

I didn't know if that was supposed to comfort me, but it only scared me even more. I saw the servant's death with my own eyes, and it was terrible.

"Now get up. I want to talk to you about something important," he said firmly.

I tried to stand up, but my legs didn't move. I heard him sigh and felt his arms grabbing mine, helping me sit down.

"We could have started this better," he laughed, shaking his head.

"You think?" I asked sarcastically.

"As I asked you before, are you happy with your life, Tyrion?" he asked me again, and I stopped to think.

"No," I murmured. "I'm pissed. I hate my family. Everyone is so idiotic, and they don't respect me," I shouted at him.

He patted my shoulder. "They don't understand how good of an ally you can be," he said.

"War is coming," he continued before looking into my eyes while I tried to avert them.

"You know about your sister," he said with no hesitation.

I trembled. We were screwed. People already knew about Cersei's idiotic decisions.

"It makes things easy then," he laughed. "Do you want them to win, use you for that, and then get rid of you when they don't need you anymore?"

I felt rage bubbling in my head. "NO! They can't win. I won't let them!" The hate I had spurred me to keep talking. Before my failure, life was not fair in Casterly Rock, but they burned all the bridges afterward.

"And do you want to live? To marry in the future, have a family?" he asked rhetorically.

"Of course, I would want to, but what woman would marry me? I'm a dwarf," I said despondently.

"I'm sure you'll find someone in the future, Tyrion. But tell me, what will happen to every Lannister when this comes to light?" Robb asked.

"We will all be killed. I would be grouped with them, even if I didn't have anything to do with it," I said sadly.

"Not if we help each other, Tyrion. I could help you escape when this blows up, but you need to do something for me," he said with a disturbing smile.

I felt like I was making a deal with the devil. But what choice did I have? I couldn't survive alone.

"What do you need me to do?" I asked desperately.

"I want you to be the Hand," he smiled.

"The Hand? For whom? For the bastard prince?" I laughed at the stupidity of that. He would rather kill me than make me his Hand.

"No, no… someone much more important," he said mysteriously.

I felt dread for a moment. This was a bad idea, but when did I make good ones?

"I want you to help Daenerys Targaryen as her Hand of the Queen," Robb said seriously.

Just at that moment, I started laughing hysterically. This was madness, but in the slight chance it worked? We would win big, and no one would see me as a lesser anymore.

---

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White Harbor

"It's a pleasure to work with you, Lord Manderly," I said graciously to my host in the white harbor.

The fat lord laughed merrily. "No, it has been my pleasure to host you, Lord Stark."

I nodded at him and left the room to prepare for my trip south. I had only two or three more stops before I could leave the North via the Kings Road, following in my father's footsteps.

I needed to stop first to chat with Lord Manderly, as I required his help taking Tyrion to Daenerys when the Lannisters started the war. The only way to do so would be through the ocean.

I knew I could trust him even if I didn't give him all the details, as it needed to remain a secret for now. We needed Daenerys to stop the White Walkers, and helping her, even indirectly, would earn me some favor with her. I didn't know how the future would unfold, but I wouldn't oppose marrying her for the Crown. Hopefully, with my manipulations, I could help her avoid troubles through Tyrion.

One week later

I could leave Winterfell a few weeks ago with everything in good hands. My only stops were to check on the critical territories on the way and ask some lords for favors, like Wyman Manderly. Right now, I was finally approaching Moat Cailin. It had been in disrepair for decades, and not much had been done to it in these years. It would take a long time to restore it to its former glory, but at least for now, it was fortified with more than a thousand soldiers—one-third of them archers and the rest foot soldiers.

In addition to those thousand soldiers, over two hundred people handled menial chores, from cleaning to slowly repairing the Moat.

With the blacksmiths urgently producing weapons in FrostStorm, we didn't have the manpower to completely fortify this location. However, when they finished what they could do before the war began, they would travel here to start working and provide support to all the coastal lands in the North.

They would be safest from this place since the orders I sent by raven a couple of weeks ago, after Father left me in command of the North, were being carried out by now. Most lords have been training troops for years, and they would send more to continue strengthening the Moat's defenses. From the Reels to White Harbor, each vassal house would send at least a hundred more soldiers, accompanied by servants and provisions, to start arming it.

I had a couple of months before the War of the Five Kings began, and it would be vastly different from canon, thanks to all the changes I had made. But for now, I needed to travel south to start compiling information that could be useful—from the number of soldiers in the houses near the North to anything that could help us in the long run.

"Open the gates!" a guard shouted from the top of a tower.

I slowed as I had been wearing a cowl to hide my identity. I didn't want merchants traveling to the South to learn about my movements, but here, where there were only soldiers and servants, I could start acting like the Warden of the North.

"Identify yourself," said a guard in the middle of the bridge.

Taking my cowl off, I saw the guard's eyes widen slightly.

Giving him a smile, I dismounted my horse and approached him.

"Good day to you," I said lightly. "Take me to the person in charge."

The guard nodded and started guiding me toward the gatehouse tower, where the person in charge was situated.

Walking languidly, I observed my surroundings, noting the people hard at work. I made a mental note to ensure they were paid what they deserved. I was so focused on noting the changes that I overlooked until we arrived at the solar door.

The guard knocked on the door and led me inside when Lord Galbart Glover allowed us to enter.

Noticing his start when he realized my identity, he stood up from his seat, where he had been busy with some notes and messages, and addressed me formally.

"Lord Stark," he nodded. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked concernedly.

The Glovers had been fiercely loyal to the Starks for decades, and the current lord had extensive experience in warfare and was respected for his military acumen. So, it had been easy to entrust him with the honor of overseeing this important position for the defense of the North.

He was a practical and tactical leader who understood the importance of strategy and logistics in war.

"I like the work you've done here, Lord Glover. I want you to know that the North will thank you for your hard work," I said appreciatively.

Lord Glover puffed out his chest with a happy smile, knowing his lord was pleased with him.

"And I want to thank you for the honor of protecting our lands, Lord Stark," he said firmly.

"There was no better choice, my lord," I nodded at him.

"I'm only passing through, as I have other duties now." I continued, sitting and drinking some wine a servant provided while exchanging pleasantries.

"I just want to explain a few things before I leave," I began. "First of all, in the next couple of weeks, some brigands will start joining the forces here," I said lightly.

I noticed that his shoulders relaxed slightly. With the available workforce he had, they couldn't progress as fast as he would have liked.

"And I thank you for that. It's been hard, but we're doing what we can with the resources available," he said gruffly.

"I understand that, my lord." I nodded. "Aside from this, all the blacksmiths working secretly in the new town will start coming here when they finish their jobs in FrostStorm. You will have extra help with everything here, and the workers stationed there will move to this side of the North," I continued.

"Some will come here, while others will go to White Harbor or the Reels." I took a sip of my wine and relaxed in my seat. "I want the North to be impenetrable. Trouble is coming, and we need to be prepared."

The lord nodded in understanding. He did not have all the details but knew trouble was on the horizon.

"That will help a lot, Lord Stark," he answered. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" he asked.

"No, that was everything," I shook my head. "Now, would you be so kind as to prepare a room for me to rest before I leave for the south?" I asked him.

"Already done," he nodded. "Clara will take you to your room, Lord Stark," he said before tilting his head.

"Are you traveling alone, my lord? Should I send some of the guards with you?" he asked with concern.

I stood up and shook my head. "No, Lord Glover. I have to do this alone. No one from the South must know we are preparing for war, and I need to work alone to gather intelligence on the forces of our enemies before it starts."

"And who are our enemies, if I may ask, my lord?" he asked seriously. "I will follow the Starks to the grave, but more information would be useful," he added quickly.

I snorted in good humor. "The Crown will be our enemy. When King Robert dies—and I don't give him more than a year to drop dead—the Lannisters will try to stay in power."

Lord Glover shook slightly before composing himself. "And they won't leave us alone," he said grimly.

"Indeed, but it isn't so simple," I said calmly, explaining the Queen's infidelity and all that information from the door.

The lord let out a weary sigh. "I hate wars, Lord Stark," he admitted.

"We all do, but we must make difficult decisions for the sake of our people," I agreed with him. I couldn't imagine all the horrors of war, as I had never lived through one, but just the thought of it horrified me.

"We will be ready," he nodded firmly. "How much time do you think we have, my lord?" he asked.

"As I said, less time than we want. I give it a few months until the war starts in the Seven Kingdoms. Now, I'll go rest before I leave. I trust that when I return with my father, the North will be completely secure from outside threats," I said, finally leaving the room.

Next Day

Mounting my horse, I prepared to begin my journey south. I decided to avoid visiting Greywater Watch, as it would take too long to traverse the Neck's swampy region. I was short on time, so I couldn't afford to waste it.

With everyone working hard to prepare, I needed to make myself more valuable, and gathering information on our enemies would be the best way to occupy my time.

I didn't know war personally, and the maester's teachings amounted to nothing more than theoretical knowledge, which just wasn't the same. For that reason, I delegated many of my duties to those who knew better.

Thankfully, the King's Road was tranquil and easy to navigate since the bandit purge. No bandit in their right mind would wander through the North after that, and the few foolish enough to try were dealt with so swiftly that they couldn't do much harm to our population.

The trip south was boring, and my only company was my insects, who devoured any biomass they encountered since I had little else to do.

I had left most of my swarm in Winterfell with orders to protect it from anything threatening the population, so I had less than a million insects following me.

It was more than enough. As I traveled, I collected more and more, and I had enough energy to create special insects if needed.

Staying close to the swamp, I was trying to find any exciting flora or fauna, as the region might offer some special properties, but I hadn't been lucky so far.

Hopefully, that would change since the Neck was mysterious, and I believed there would be interesting things to discover here. If I didn't find anything, I would visit again when I returned with my father from the South.

---

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I needed to avoid being recognized, but I was sure I wouldn't be able to cross the bridge to the Twins using the cowl I had to conceal my identity. To find out if someone could cross while concealing their identity, I paid a couple of merchants heading from the North to the Riverlands to use various methods to hide their faces. I observed from a distance with my insects where no one could see me.

I noticed that the guards asked the merchants to remove anything that concealed their identities simply because they could. Given this and the importance of keeping my identity secret, I would have to wait until nightfall to cross the bridge while putting the guards to sleep.

Finding a good spot to rest while I waited, I closed my eyes and practiced using only my bugs senses to survey the terrain and identify potential hiding spots for an army or at least an advance unit. I could eliminate everyone inside the Twins by myself, but that would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Many of my vassals would disapprove of such total annihilation.

The best course of action against the Freys would be to kill only those whom my bannermen hated, thereby avoiding backlash for my cruelty. I also didn't want to be like Tywin Lannister; I wanted to be loved and respected by my people, to have them follow me out of respect rather than fear.

While I waited for the sun to set, I found several clearings where I could hide my men before we assaulted the castle. It would have to be a small unit composed only of people I could trust completely. With such a small unit, we couldn't defeat every guard posted in the castle, so we would need to be stealthy while entering. This was the only way this could be possible.

Sighing in thought, I tried to rest before starting my journey. Beyond the bridge, I had a few stops planned before heading to King's Landing. First, I needed to speak with the Mallisters in Seagard. Known for their honor and respected in the Riverlands, the Mallisters had a strong antagonistic relationship with the Ironborn, and I was sure they also despised the Freys. This would make them more likely to ally with me. They were fiercely loyal to the Tullys, my mother's family, which could be advantageous.

I needed to arrange a private meeting with Lord Jason Mallister and explain the circumstances of the information I had obtained in Winterfell. I knew I could win him over, but I would need to stay for a while to root out the spies I was sure were in his house.

Although I knew little about his house, I knew that one of Lord Mallister's most essential values was honor, and his son could be helpful in the future.

As the hours passed and the sun set, I opened my eyes to find it was completely dark. Thankfully, I had over a hundred bugs capable of seeing in the darkness.

Standing up and letting my horse roam free into the wilderness, I walked towards the bridge. Noticing that there were only six guards, three on each side, I sent some mosquitoes carrying a special neurotoxin to make them unconscious. This neurotoxin was harmless to the body, and I had the antidote available in other mosquitoes. This way, they would wake up when I was far enough away to not raise their vigilance.

After waiting ten seconds for the neurotoxin to take effect, I crossed the bridge rapidly and moved closer to the castle to use my power for investigation.

Taking some parchment to record my findings, I found a completely dark spot with no guards nearby. I sent my bugs inside the castle to note the number of guards on the walls. There were over eight hundred guards during peacetime at the Twins. It was difficult to accept, but the Freys were a wealthy family with a strategic position in the Riverlands.

After sketching the castle and noting the number of guards in each room, I saw Walder Frey eating with his family. I refrained from injecting them with venom, despite my deep dislike for the Freys, mainly due to the Red Wedding. The thought of my mother facing such a fate in the future filled me with deep anger.

It was a shame I couldn't just steal a horse from the Freys, as it would alert them to something amiss. So, I started heading towards the Mallisters, hoping to find someone to sell me a horse along the way.

Six Days Later

Sighing in exhaustion, I dismounted my horse at the entrance of House Mallister's ancestral home. The journey had been plagued with bandit groups, and I was relieved I had managed to handle them in the North. Thankfully, I had taken a horse from one of the bandits to complete my journey. In addition to the horse, I had acquired gold and jewelry they had stolen over the months or years.

"Halt!" a guard bellowed from the entrance.

I stopped, knowing I had to act correctly to gain the trust of my grandfather's vassal.

"Reveal yourself," he ordered as he approached.

Checking to see if anyone was watching us, I noticed some people stopping and staring in my direction. I couldn't be sure if they were working for the Mallisters or were spies from elsewhere, so I couldn't reveal myself publicly.

Seeing that I hadn't moved, the guard grew impatient and tried to remove my cowl.

Sidestepping him, I murmured, "Esteemed guard, I can't show who I am now."

The guard looked at me oddly but paused for a moment. I presumed such circumstances were somewhat familiar since many lords needed to meet secretly.

"Identify yourself," the guard asked after a moment of silence.

"I am Lord Robb Stark, Warden of the North," I murmured.

The guard's eyes widened, and he stepped back in astonishment.

"You know the punishment if you are lying?" he asked.

"No, but I assure you I am who I say I am," I said seriously. "Take me to someone trusted by Lord Mallister who can verify my identity."

After a moment's thought, the guard nodded and led me inside the castle, accompanied by three armed guards. Using my bugs, I began to check the surrounding area to see what the people who had seen me near the entrance were doing and to determine if they were spies or merely curious onlookers.

Thanks to my insects, I observed that the guards were taking me toward the maester of the castle, one of the few people who might recognize me.

Walking calmly, I followed them to a door at the end of a hallway.

"Enter," an old voice called after one of the guards knocked.

"Maester Aldric, we need you to identify this person," said the lead guard.

"Another one of those?" the maester asked wearily. He was old, older than Luwin, but his eyes showed intelligence. I left a couple of insects to spy on him in case he tried to send a message without Lord Mallister's approval. The only maester I trusted was Luwin, and I was cautious with the rest of the order.

"Remove your cowl, stranger," he said lightly, showing his experience in such meetings.

I checked once more with my power for anyone listening and found no one nearby. The only ones present were the maester and the four guards.

Removing my cowl, I announced myself.

"I am Robb Stark, Warden of the North," I said with authority. I knew people only saw me as a child in the South, but I hoped my reputation would precede me since we were somewhat close to the North.

"Oh my, you have your mother's hair," the maester said happily.

"You know my mother, maester?" I asked, surprised.

"Indeed I do, Lord Stark. She visited when she was young with her sister and some ward of Hoster Tully, your grandfather," he said with a small smile, reminiscing about that time.

The guards relaxed slightly upon hearing my identity, sheathing their weapons and taking a few steps back.

"That makes this easier," I said seriously. "I need to speak with Lord Mallister immediately. No one can know I am here. Can we make this work?"

"Indeed we can. Young lad, Could you call Lord Mallister here?" the maester asked one of the three extra guards.

Looking at him, I noticed he was young, only a few years older than me.

Staring him directly in the eyes, I said, "Do not tell anyone that I am here. Go directly to your lord and return."

The young guard tensed but nodded firmly before leaving to complete his task.

The maester looked at me with a raised eyebrow but remained silent.

Waiting with the others in the maester's office, I followed the guard with my insects, never letting him out of sight. I had to ensure no one found out about this visit, as it would complicate matters significantly.

After ten minutes, Lord Mallister approached the door with the young guard in tow.

I had kept track of them, so I was sure no one besides the seven people in the room knew about this. The young guard was insightful enough to inform Jason Mallister of my insistence on secrecy.

Finally, entering the room, Lord Mallister's eyes widened when he saw me. "Lord Stark, I didn't expect to see you in my lands," he greeted me with concern, wondering why I had come all the way here.

"Lord Mallister, you have a lovely home. My mother talks about you fondly," I nodded.

"Ah, yes. Lady Catelyn, it's been years since I've seen her. The last time was during a meeting in the rebellion," he nodded back.

"Why are you here, Lord Stark? Seagard is a long way from home," he asked seriously.

I sighed deeply, looking him in the eyes. "Before I begin with my reasons, I must ask: Do you trust the people inside this room?"

The lord nodded without hesitation. "With my life, Lord Stark. Whatever we speak about here will be kept secret."

I shook my head. "Since you trust them so much, I will comply, but please ask the guards to leave. We can't take risks about this."

He looked me in the eyes with fierce intensity but nodded in agreement. "Don't talk to anyone about what you saw here today," he ordered the guards.

The guards nodded, but before they could leave, I placed some insects on them as a precaution. Thanks to my multitasking, I could spy on them to ensure they didn't talk and inject them if they tried.

"Now we can begin," Jason Mallister said lightly, taking a seat.

The lord leaned forward, his expression a mix of curiosity and caution. "Lord Stark, you've taken great pains to ensure this meeting remains private. What is so urgent that it couldn't be discussed through more conventional means?"

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully, knowing I needed this conversation for many of my plans. "Lord Mallister, I've come to you not only as an ally but as a lord who knows things no one else does. I have information that could be crucial to both our houses."

Lord Mallister's eyes narrowed. "Go on."

I reached into my satchel and produced a small bundle of papers. "These are copies of information I procured during the royal visit to Winterfell. I confirmed Queen Cersei's infidelity and the true parentage of her children."

Jason's gaze was fixed on the papers, his fingers brushing over them with skepticism. "That is dangerous talk, Lord Stark. Why should I believe it?"

"I understand your doubt," I said calmly. "But I assure you, this information is credible. I even have a signed letter from Tyrion Lannister confirming this. But that is not the most important part. When this comes to light—and I assure you, it will be soon—the Lannisters will face severe consequences. When that happens, it will shake the very foundations of the realm."

Jason's eyes lifted from the papers, having been focused on Tyrion's signed message. "Why would Tyrion Lannister accept this, even if it's true?"

"Spite is a hell of a motivator," I snorted. "Also, I promised I would protect him when this comes to light."

"This is a dire situation," the Maester intervened. "The Lannisters would not go down without a fight, and the Seven help us, if the King were to die before this is known, they would just crown the prince before anyone can say a thing. It will be war."

"Indeed, Maester. My father doesn't know, but he is already investigating them in the capital for the assassination of the late Lord Arryn," I said grimly. "After visiting Riverrun to clue in my grandfather, I'll go to the capital to care for my father."

---

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The Riverlands.

Seagard.

It's been five days since I arrived in Seagard, and I didn't think I would miss the cold from the North so quickly. I've always preferred the cold, but this heat doesn't help with the smell of the people. Sweat accumulates fast when someone works, making it even more noticeable.

Apart from that, my stay here has been fruitful. I was able to root out many spies and was almost done with my mission. I was just waiting to obtain evidence of one specific person in this stronghold. There was one particular merchant whom I was pretty sure was working for Littlefinger, but he was so meticulous in his dealings that it was hard to pin him down.

All the other spies I found were chained in the barracks, awaiting judgment. Jason Mallister had been pissed at how many spies were in his house and even more so at who they were working for.

There were three spies from the Freys, which did help cement our alliance, thankfully. Then there were spies from the crown: three for Littlefinger and two for Varys. It seemed Baelish was always fond of whores, as two of those spies were working in a brothel in the port. From Varys, there was a little orphan who used his small stature to listen to whatever he could, but thanks to my bugs, I could root him out.

Jason Mallister was particularly hurt by that orphan, as it seemed the kid used his suffering to get closer to Patrek, Jason's heir, and he knew his heir would be devastated when he heard about his demise.

I hadn't seen Patrek since I arrived. It seemed that he was a close friend of my uncle, Edmure Tully, and he was hunting or something. I would probably miss him on this visit since I was almost ready to continue my journey.

Finally, after being able to pin something on the merchant, I used my mosquitoes to knock him out. I approached his body, took the parchment where he was writing about a masked visitor to Seagard, pickpocketed it, and went to the maester so that he could call some guards to pick him up.

"Maester Aldric, I think I'm done rooting out spies. I haven't been able to find anyone suspicious after this one," I greeted him.

The maester smiled. "I am awed by your efficiency, Lord Stark," he said as he took the evidence from my hand, his smile disappearing instantly as he read the contents.

He sighed, saying, "I didn't know how they could have infiltrated us so deeply without our knowledge."

Nodding in agreement, I answered, "It is scary how many people in our keeps aren't loyal to us. When we did this in the North, my father was amazed and hurt by everything we found."

"Lord Mallister feels the same. Know this, Lord Stark: you have gained an ally for life thanks to this." The maester nodded firmly.

"I'll search for Lord Mallister; it's time I continue my journey to Riverrun. We are short on time and need to hurry," I told the maester.

He nodded in acceptance and shook my hand in thanks before I left.

He was one of the people I investigated thoroughly, as I don't trust any maester, but I couldn't find out much. He didn't try to write confidential information, and if he really was a spy, props to him for being so meticulous.

With the last spy found, I would bid farewell to the Lord of Seagard, but I wouldn't leave immediately. I would wait in a clearing outside seagard for a day while I finished investigating the maester. It was possible he didn't write anything because I was there, but with him "knowing" that I left, maybe he would start doing something.

Walking toward the lord's solar, I nodded to the guards outside the door and knocked on it.

"Enter," Jason Mallister's voice was heard from inside.

"Lord Mallister, I hope you are having a good day," I greeted him with a smile.

"These have been five long and arduous days, Lord Stark. What news do you bring now?" he asked, shaking his head.

"I found evidence of the last spy I was able to find. I already provided the maester with proof, and he sent some guards to detain him," I explained. "It's time I continue with my journey. News about the tourney in honor of my father has arrived. I need to clue in my family in Riverrun to prepare for this clusterfuck."

Jason nodded. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done in these five days, Lord Stark. I hope our alliance will prove to be as fruitful."

I smiled at the weary lord. "Indeed it will be, Lord Mallister. When I return with my father, we will send a raven from here to Winterfell for the soldiers to arrive at the Moat. That way, we will start the downfall of the Freys and be able to provide assistance in case the Ironborn attack."

Returning to my room in Seagard, I collected everything and was ready to go. I would have to hide for a day from everyone, but I found a clearing that kept the castle within my range so I could spy on the maester without anyone knowing. Hopefully, I was wrong, but I had a bad feeling about leaving without being sure.

Going to some merchants to buy provisions for my journey, I kept an eye on strategic locations with my bugs, from the lord's solar to the barracks and the maester's office.

Taking my leave, I started to gallop away from the castle, searching for the clearing where I would stay for a day. Living outside of castles was difficult; I wasn't much of an outdoor person in my past life, but I needed to do this if I wanted to live peacefully in the future.

Searching for a safe spot first, I commanded my bugs to scout for anything dangerous, but thankfully, there wasn't anything of note—no bandits or animals that could threaten me. I sent only half of all the bugs I had toward Seagard. In these weeks I've been in the South, I accumulated over four million insects since they were more common in this climate.

Checking the castle, I noticed how Jason was working tirelessly for the betterment of his people, but I let out a sigh of sorrow at the scene that greeted me in the maester's office. It was a shame; my gut feeling was right.

The maester was penning a message to the Citadel, writing about my stay and what we planned to do soon.

Sighing, I made my paralyzing mosquitoes get on the raven and started riding back toward Seagard. Seeing him send the raven, I ordered my mosquitoes to inject the neurotoxin and went ahead to retrieve it. Thankfully, I was somewhat close, and in ten minutes, I could grab the raven and the message signed by Maester Aldric.

Nodding to the guards at the entrance, I went directly toward Jason's solar, knocking on the door before entering.

"Lord Mallister, I have grave news," I said direly. "Look at this."

As I showed him the raven inside my satchel and took out the message, I used the antidote to allow the raven to move.

Lord Mallister's hands were shaking with rage. "Guards!" he bellowed, and the door was opened rapidly, the guards entering with their swords drawn.

Seeing me sitting there casually, the guards stopped before making a mess. "Yes, my lord?" asked the captain.

"Bring the maester to me. Don't let him out of your sight, and don't let him run away," Jason Mallister ordered firmly.

The captain's eyes widened in alarm, but being one of those in the know, he nodded and started sprinting toward the maester's office.

"This is a mess, Lord Stark," he said. "This will complicate things. I can't trust another maester after this. But they are needed."

I nodded in understanding. "If you want, we can send a raven to the North, where I can ask them to send one with my full confidence that he won't be doing this."

Jason's eyes narrowed in thought. "If you would be so kind, Lord Stark. At least until the war ends."

I nodded. "What do you plan to do with Maester Aldric?" I asked him.

"What else? Execution," he sighed. "It's what he deserves, breaking our trust like that."

Waiting for a minute until the guards arrived, I reviewed my original plans. I would need to change them since I didn't have much time. After this, I would leave for the Bloody Gate. I needed to talk with the Blackfish since I knew his character. It would be difficult, but I could make this work.

As the contingent of guards dragging the maester entered the solar, Aldric's eyes widened when he saw me in here with the raven he had just sent. I ignored everything since I didn't have a say in the matter and grabbed some parchment and a quill to start writing the message to Winterfell.

In it, I explained my situation and would like a maester to be sent here. All the maesters in the North had been critically vetted, so I was sure we could trust any one. The problem was that we didn't have any extras to spare.

The other option would be to send a couple of maester's apprentices to carry the burden, as working as a team could make this possible.

"Lord Mallister," I asked tentatively, "Do you think three maester apprentices could work in the meantime? One for medicine, one for economics, and the last for politics?"

Jason thought for a minute and nodded, returning to ask questions to the maester.

As I finished writing the message, I signed it with my name and returned it to the table.

"It's time I leave. I'll leave this to you, Lord Mallister," I bid farewell.

"Thank you for everything, Lord Stark. But there is much to do, so I won't see you out," he answered in a clipped tone.

"Don't worry about it. In the following weeks, you'll have the answer from Winterfell," I rapped on the message I left on the table. "I'll take my leave."

What a mess this was shaping up to be. I needed to hurry up to finish my business.

Mounting my horse, I prepared for my next destination: The Crossroads Inn.

---

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I didn't like the South at all. I missed my family, the climate, and the people in the North. These few weeks have taught me that living on the move would be my personal hell and that Westeros is a difficult place to live.

I didn't even keep track of how many bandit groups I'd killed; there were so many vile people here. Ultimately, I opted to follow a caravan just to have someone to talk to. Being alone was probably the most challenging part of my travels. I was going crazy with the silence that permeated the air when I wasn't fighting.

Thankfully, when I passed by the Palisade village, almost nearing the Crossroads Inn, I joined a small merchant caravan heading to King's Landing. I offered my sword just to have someone to talk to.

Over the days of travel, the three armed guards and I fought together against several bandits, and thanks to me (I served as a recon), no one was hurt. I didn't have all my equipment since I was traveling quickly, but I got a bow and arrows from the different bandits plaguing the Riverlands.

No one knew my name and just called me Rowan—a name I thought of on the spot when they asked me.

"Will you continue with us after we rest in the inn, Rowan?" asked Garlick, a surprisingly quick-footed sellsword guarding the caravan. During our travels, I found out he was going to King's Landing to participate in the tourney to the Hand that would start in a month.

"No, I won't," I said, shaking my head. "I have some things to do in the Vale," I added.

Garlick nodded in understanding and didn't ask anything more. He was perceptive like that. I talked a lot about innocuous things with my companions, but I didn't discuss personal matters for obvious reasons.

"We'll miss you, Rowan. You helped us a lot in these past days," intervened Raynald, the merchant who paid us for protection.

"It was no problem. I was paid and had nothing better to do in the meantime," I snorted.

"Ha, I still wonder why you don't show your face. Someone with your capabilities is usually famous in these lands," added Jon Stone, a bastard from the Vale who was also going to the tourney. Luckily, we ran into him since he had been busy in some brothels in the village.

"Then you must know why asking those questions is a bad idea," I said lightly. He was a good person, and it was a shame that his curiosity might get him killed sooner rather than later.

Jon gulped audibly and slowed his pace to fall to the back of the caravan.

"We're finally here," said Garlick. "We part ways here, Rowan. Take care, and may the Light of the Seven guide you in your travels."

Ugh, him and the Seven. I respected that everyone had the right to follow whatever religion they wanted, but he kept preaching about it non-stop. Hopefully, he would be careful in the tourney. Despite our differences, he was amicable enough that I would feel sad if something happened to him.

Going to the inn's owner, I paid her for a single night since I would need to move quickly to reach my uncle before going to King's Landing. As I started to get ready for some blissful sleep, I scattered my bugs to consume whatever biomass they found available and collapsed on the bed.

One week later

Finally arriving at the Bloody Gate, where my great uncle had been since his argument with Hoster Tully, I stretched my legs and dismounted my horse.

I was approaching the Bloody Gate, but I needed to be even more careful since the Vale was too compromised. My aunt Lysa was crazy, and Littlefinger and Varys had so many spies that I couldn't afford anyone noticing me. This could not work like in Seagard, where I could enter after a bit of trouble.

For now, I saw only two options. One would be to tie a message to a bug and wait for the Blackfish to enter my range and deliver it. But that would alert him to something "supernatural" happening, and I didn't think I could afford that.

I needed to see if I could do this without alerting anyone, so I tied up my horse in the woods and took my satchel to start my recon.

The Bloody Gate controlled the only way to enter the Vale through the Mountains of the Moon. It was a narrow path with guards on both sides. The sun was already setting so I could start my infiltration soon.

In this life, I was in excellent shape since I exercised daily, and I had a rope with a hook tied expertly just in case I needed it here. Angling my throw to reach some rocks away from the guards, I started climbing, using my insects to check if someone was walking toward me or looking in my direction.

I had a bunch of bees ready to attack in case someone got close to me. They were common enough in this region and wouldn't raise much suspicion.

Getting past the guards was easy enough, thanks to my powers, and after more than forty minutes, I could get past the main gate. Now, I just needed to find the Blackfish to talk to. I didn't know if he looked the same as in the series, so I would need to use my insects to hear someone talking to him and follow him to a place alone.

After an hour of searching fruitlessly, I heard through my insects a commotion of horse hooves galloping to one of the towers. The guards called respectfully to the dignified older man leading the party—Ser Brynden. Finally, knowing how he looked, I sent some insects to follow him to his bedroom, where he was changing his armor.

After giving him some privacy since I wasn't interested in seeing an old man naked, I sent my insects again towards his room, noticing that there were three guards situated outside it.

Using my insects to create a commotion that the guards heard, I approached rapidly to his room and knocked insistently. I also kept an eye on the guards, who tried to find the reason for the sudden noise coming from the end of the hallway.

"Who is it?" a weary voice was heard from inside.

I didn't answer and kept knocking. Now Brynden, fully awake, grabbed his sword and asked again before opening the door with his sword drawn.

Rapidly taking the cowl from my head, I raised my hands and said, "Great-uncle, I'm Robb Stark. Please let me in. No one can know I am here," I said urgently, noticing that the guards had given up finding the reason for the sound and were returning to their posts.

"Hurry, the guards are coming back," I said while entering quickly but cautiously.

Brynden's eyes widened comically when he saw my face. Thankfully, I inherited my looks from my mother, and he was able to recognize me enough to not attack me.

Closing the door lightly to avoid making much sound, I shushed him before checking if any more people were on this side of the tower. I noticed only my great-uncle and the three guards were there, so I relaxed slightly.

"I'm sorry for the cloak and dagger, great-uncle, but with what I know, we could never be safe enough," I said with a weary laugh. The travels had been rough on me, and I hadn't eaten a good meal for a while—at least nothing compared to a meal made in a keep.

"What are you doing here, Robb? What about your mother?" asked Brynden with a murmur.

"Mother is taking care of Winterfell with Little Sansa. Jon is doing some work for me near the Wall, and the spitfire Arya is protecting my sister and mother," I laughed heartily, remembering that Arya slept hugging her dagger.

"As for why I am here? I bring bad news all around, and I need your help," I added with utmost seriousness.

Brynden smiled when he heard about my family but grew serious when he realized I needed him. He was an honorable man, and family was the most important thing for him. This would greatly help but also complicate things due to what my aunt had done.

"What happened, Robb?" he asked.

"Before we begin, could I ask you to send the guards away? I cannot stress this enough. I bring terrible news and am risking a lot seeking you. No one else can know," I answered.

He thought for a moment but complied with my request. While he opened the doors, I hid, and he called for the guards inside, ordering them to leave the premises.

The guards nodded and exited the room, walking to the tower entrance, where they split up. Two of them left for a tavern, but the last one returned, trying to be stealthy.

I sighed. I truly hated that this happened so often. I was curious to know how I would act without my power to keep my people in check, always wondering whom I could trust.

Brynden was getting impatient with my silence, but I raised my hand and opened the door while pointing to where the guard was hiding. Brynden understood what I meant and went to investigate.

Grabbing his sword, he attacked the guard without question, slashing his back while the guard was oblivious.

"We will learn who you work for, lad. I hope you like the heights," he said while dragging the guard to the tower's entrance.

Looking through my insects, I noticed that Brynden dropped the guard at the entrance, explained that he was a spy, had him sent to the maester for treatment, and then walked back to his room.

"How did you know?" he asked seriously.

"I had a hunch. I've been rooting out spies for more than five years. You have no idea how many of those vermin were in the North," I shook my head.

Brynden sighed. "I hate politics," and he sat in a chair. "Now you can start explaining."

Little by little, I explained my findings about the queen's infidelity, including the signed message from Tyrion sealing the deal.

Brynden furrowed his brow. "Gods be good… This will bring chaos when people find out. I need to talk to Lysa to strengthen our borders."

I shook my head. "This is not all. The Vale is compromised like you wouldn't believe."

"What do you mean, nephew?" he asked with his face set in a grim line.

"Lysa, my aunt, killed her husband, Jon Arryn," I said firmly.

His face changed instantly. "What do you mean? Lysa may not be the most intelligent, but she cannot do something so heinous."

"What if her obsession manipulated her to further his own ends?" I asked back.

"Her obsession?" Ser Brynden asked.

"Petyr Baelish," I said simply.

"Explain from the beginning. This is way too confusing," he implored.

As I explained Lysa's attempt to frame the Lannisters with us by order of Baelish and his endgame while also recounting the blanks he had during our conversations, hours passed. But in the end, I found him needing clarification and out of his depth.

"If everything followed his plans, Baelish would win big with this," he said somberly. "I didn't like him, but I find it hard to believe that he is capable of all this."

"He has been obsessed with my mother ever since the fight with Uncle Brandon," I said. "From what I've been able to uncover, while he was recuperating from those injuries, Lysa jumped into his bed and gave him her maidenhood."

Ser Brynden shook his head in despair. "What are your plans, Robb? And what do I need to do?"

"Prepare your most trusted people. But don't say why; just act as if you have a bad feeling or something," I said. "After that, the North will invade the Riverlands when the war starts between the Baratheons and the Lannisters."

"Why would you do that?" he asked perplexedly.

"The Twins. I need them to be under the North so we can close the borders completely. I'm sure Grandfather will understand in the future," I said firmly.

"He has been sick for a while. You'll probably have to talk with Edmure," he said with deep sadness. Even after all their disagreements, he loved his brother.

"From what I've heard, he will be easy to handle," I chuckled. "And if not? It's a future me problem."

"And after that?" Brynden tilted his head.

I sighed dramatically. "After that? The fight for the throne begins, great-uncle."

---

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After my conversation with my great-uncle ended, I stayed in his tower for two days, waiting for him to handle things in my stead. Entering King's Landing with my face uncovered would be nearly impossible, and I was tired of using my cowl to hide my identity.

Thankfully, Brynden told me he could get me some pitch-black hair dye, so I had to wait for him to return with it. That was a little over a week ago. Once he gave me the dye, I went back to the Crossroads Inn and asked the matron to dye it for me, never removing the cloth from my face for both of our security.

Now, I was approaching Ivy's Inn, which was the last stop before I reached King's Landing. I was traveling with a merchant who wanted to use the last days of the tourney in my father's name to earn more gold, and I was happy to accompany them on the journey.

Having company was beneficial since traveling alone was mind-numbingly dull. Additionally, I could provide extra security for people who would be my subjects in the future. I was somewhat of an expert in northern problems, but I had almost no idea how life was in the rest of the kingdoms—a gap I needed to fill as I required the Seven Kingdoms united to fight against the actual threat.

Using my free time, as my insects hadn't found anything dangerous within my range, I lamented not having time to visit the Gods Eye. I remembered a dragon had died there and was curious if I could find something to enhance my power. It was a shame I was short on time, but perhaps we could make a slight detour when I returned with my father and his entourage. If we were on the run, I might have to wait until the war settled to visit all the mysterious places across Westeros.

The king had a couple of weeks to live, and I wouldn't lift a finger to help him. Robert Baratheon was a good friend of my father, but I needed the war to start to rally people behind me. Simply killing every enemy the moment I could wouldn't work; I'd be seen as a conqueror rather than what I aspired to be.

I wanted people to love me, not fear me. At least, I wanted more people to love me, though I knew I would still scare a lot of lords and have to commit some heinous acts for the realm's betterment.

I wasn't all-knowing and was sure to make many mistakes on my rise to power, but I was confident I could guide Westeros to a better future than the one in canon. Many people would die in the war, but their sacrifices would pave the way to greatness.

Finally arriving at the inn, we dismounted our horses and paid for our rooms. I splurged on a feast alone in my room since I had ample gold from all the bandits I had killed on my travels.

After my sumptuous meal, I began drafting my orders for Tyrion. I needed to be cautious as I couldn't reveal too much information without disclosing my future knowledge. However, I had to provide enough so Tyrion could earn Daenerys's trust and avoid being killed immediately.

I was walking a tightrope with this, but it was necessary. Her dragons and name would be valuable for the future, and working with her was the best option. I knew I could create something against her dragons, but I wasn't sure if it was the best idea, as they could be the MVPs in the war against the Others.

After reviewing my draft, I started crossing out anything that might reveal my knowledge. My angle was that I would help Daenerys in exchange for her hand in marriage, and I needed to word the message for Tyrion as if I had been working toward this for years.

I provided information as if I had spies in Pentos and beyond, focusing mainly on individuals who couldn't be trusted and whom Tyrion should be cautious of. Starting with Daenerys's brother, my plan for Tyrion was to extract him from King's Landing before the king's death, providing him with a heavy bag of gold. The Manderlys would then take him to Astapor to wait for Daenerys. I would support him with gold for his new life and preparation for her. I hadn't made enough waves in that part of the world, so it should proceed similarly to canon.

There, Tyrion would wait for Daenerys and start addressing every problem he could. If he was proactive, he could establish strong support before her arrival, alleviating their suffering.

I planned to provide him with enough gold to buy a good number of Unsullied or perhaps just pay some sellswords for protection—either way, that would no longer be my concern.

I trusted Tyrion to be smart and committed to a peaceful future where he could have a family, so I was confident he would do his best to succeed.

After Astapor, Daenerys would travel to Yunkai and Meereen. I was sure my help would earn me some favor with them, alongside Tyrion's fear, when he realized the extent of my information and power.

Ending my message, I went to sleep, knowing that every day passing brought the war closer.

King's Landing

I was still using the name Rowan, but with my hair dyed pitch black and styled differently, I looked different enough to pass as someone else. Thankfully, we entered the capital without issues since I was part of a caravan. I started using a mask that displayed my hair so people would think I was quirky rather than hiding something.

Bidding farewell to the merchant, I searched for a central location to start scattering my insects. Over my travels, I had accumulated over five billion insects, but that number was impossible to conceal. Therefore, I only had around two million with me.

I ordered them to search every nook and cranny for something interesting within my range and began dozing off while trying to ignore the city's stench. Thankfully, I had enough control to avoid using the sense of smell of my swarm.

The sheer number of people here made me shudder. I couldn't believe someone thought cramming several hundred thousand people into one place was a good idea.

Going over my bugs' senses, I noticed something that made my heart race. I hadn't recalled this detail in the past as it hadn't mattered much until the end, but seeing the enormous amount of wildfire beneath the city made me shudder, thinking about how lucky the people here were.

Directing some unique bugs I had created to consume dangerous biomass, I was surprised when they couldn't and died on the spot. Wildfire was so perilous that it killed my most resilient creation instantly.

Letting out a muffled chuckle, I returned to the inn for a safe place to stay, pondering how to make an insect sturdy enough to consume wildfire. Despite these complications, my reward will hopefully be worth it.

The Hand's Tourney was coming to an end, so I had a few weeks before the Lannisters usurped the throne. Tomorrow, I would search for my father to determine what was happening. But for now? I needed rest.

The Next Day

Letting out a weak chuckle, I observed my last failed attempt to consume wildfire through my insects. This particular bug I had created could probably handle liquid metal but was unable to process wildfire without dying.

Kudos to the maker, as this substance was so dangerous that it made me nervous about being in this city, a constant nagging in the back of my mind that I was on top of a ticking time bomb.

Shaking my head, I walked toward the Red Keep to ensure my father and his companions were okay. Seeing him running ragged with concern, I shook my head as he began his conversation with the queen.

Honestly, his honor was his downfall. I understood he wanted to ensure the children didn't suffer for their parent's sins, but surely there were other ways besides allowing her to prepare for her coup.

Letting one of my insects with a message tied to its leg search for Jory, I sighed, knowing that my peaceful days were ending.

Seeing that Jory received and burned my message, I started walking back, casting one last look at my father. Timing would be crucial; the best moment to break him out would be just after the meeting, where he gives the king's final wishes to the council.

I wasn't sure how things had progressed here, but just in case he "allied" with Littlefinger, I wanted him to be betrayed to teach him a lesson. For now, I needed to keep trying to consume the wildfire. I was close; I could feel it.

---

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Author's Note: Damn, this one is lengthy! Hope you all enjoy it. The war has finally started, and our boy is ready. I'm still not sure what the next chapter will be about; it will depend on my muse. It will either be a continuation of this chapter or one with different POVs showing what everyone else is doing, since Jon is at the Wall, Brynden has things to do, and there's a mess in the Red Keep. There's so much to cover, lol.

Also, as of this chapter, FFnet and QQ are already in the same as all the other platforms i use, so well be back to my usual posting schedule. I TRY to write 5 chapters a week, and ive been consistent with it since i started, so yeah, thanks for reading!

Kingslanding.

Robb Stark

Laughing maniacally, I observed my latest creation. This beetle had its stomach so fortified that I was sure it would be more than enough to consume the wildfire at the bottom of the city.

With it, I was sure I would obtain a nice upgrade in my power. What I was hoping for was to create insects that secreted this specific alchemic mix.

Having wildfire at my beck and call whenever I wanted would help with all my endeavors, from the war of the living to the battle against the dead.

Giving my full attention to the beetle perched on the bowl containing my future prized possession, I ordered it to start absorbing the wildfire. A big smile spread across my face when the insect didn't die on the spot and continued to consume the wildfire until it was full.

The first thing I noticed was the amount of energy I received from such a small amount of wildfire—it was by far the most significant increase I had experienced in all these years. Maybe it was its properties or something I didn't yet understand, but I couldn't help but marvel at it.

With this beetle template and the new energy I obtained, I started creating more bugs capable of consuming wildfire and left them to their devices until they couldn't continue. War would begin soon, and I needed a lot of energy for some of my more daring ideas.

The second thing I noticed was that I unlocked the ability to naturally create insects that secreted wildfire. This was a big deal because I could have an unlimited amount of it to use against whomever I wanted.

Satisfied with my gains, I exited my inn to check on the Red Keep. Jory knew I was protecting them from the shadows in King's Landing, but he was under my orders to act oblivious of it. I could see that he was confused by my order to keep it a secret from my father, but I needed him to learn his lesson.

I couldn't have him interfering with my plans for the war for the sake of his honor, and I needed him to be betrayed.

I saw him asking Baelish for help after his last conversation with the queen, and the king was preparing for his last hunt at that very moment. I could feel the excitement in my veins. Everything would start soon, and I could stop hiding and focus on reaching my true goal.

Near the castle, I pretended to buy things from some merchants. Conversing with someone while spying was easy, thanks to my overpowered multitasking ability. That way, I could listen to everything around me while acting like an average person.

Seeing the king galloping into the woods with his entourage, I prepared for the last steps of my plan. Right now, I needed to find Tyrion and tell him to prepare. After that, Just wait for the shoe to drop.

Tyrion Lannister

I could feel, deep within me, that something big was about to happen. I hadn't spoken much with my family since my father kicked me out of Casterly Rock, but Jaime sometimes took time to talk to me. Going from having more gold than I could use to needing to work for it was difficult, but I couldn't deny that I felt better when I spent my hard-earned gold.

Standing in my solar, beside Elyse's, I pondered Robb Stark's plans. They were mad, but I couldn't deny the thrill I felt when he told me about them. I had a backpack ready for whenever he gave the word.

I didn't know much about it since we were short on time when we had that conversation, but I knew it would happen soon. My spies had already informed me of the conversation between my sister and the Hand. I knew my sister, and I was sure this would be Eddard Stark's biggest mistake.

She was cruel and would stop at nothing to obtain what she desired.

Hearing a knock on my window, I wondered what was happening.

My office was on the second floor of this building, so it couldn't be a person knocking. I wondered if Joffrey thought ordering some of his sycophants to start throwing stones again would be funny.

Leaning in, I didn't notice anything unusual until I heard a sound behind me. Seeing something I couldn't have imagined, I shook my head. A message was dropped on my desk.

Looking around, I didn't notice anything unusual. The door was still closed, as were the other windows.

Approaching the parchment, I used a dagger to open it. I'd heard enough of Dorne's ways to send poisoned messages to avoid falling for something so simple.

Reading the message, I deadpanned—I was batshit scared of this kid.

The message only had one line: "It's time. Meet near the Sept of Baelor when the sun sets."

I had no idea how he was capable of some of the things he had done, but I was sure of one thing… This was the winning side.

At Dusk

Going over my belongings, I started fretting about everything. This was madness, and losing my head would be the least of my worries if someone found out about this.

"Come here," a voice called from one of the darkest corners I could see.

Approaching the person I suspected was Robb, I looked around nervously and adjusted the cowl I used for disguise. One of the positives of being a dwarf was that people would think I was just a child from Flea Bottom.

"How did you get that message into my solar?" I asked him, tilting my head in wonderment.

"It's a secret, Tyrion," he laughed while removing his mask.

Seeing him with black hair made me nod—it worked, as I wouldn't have been able to recognize him without careful observation.

He was famous in the North, and some of his legends had reached here, but aside from his Tully-colored hair, not much was said about his appearance.

"It's time to leave this place for your new life, Tyrion," Robb said with a smile. "Are you nervous? Excited?"

"A little bit of both, I guess," I nodded. "Afraid too… I could lose my head before I arrive where you're sending me."

"Ha! That's the spirit, Tyrion." Robb laughed. "Your sister just murdered her husband. It appears she fucked her cousin to make him drunk during his hunt."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "The Hand's warning must have spurred her to act so fast," I mumbled.

"Indeed, my father's honor coming back to bite him in the behind," Robb shook his head. "Whatever, what's done is done. I just need to take him from the black cells."

"Are you sure you can do it, Robb?" I asked him. "I don't have much power there, but I could ask for some favors if you need them."

"Thank you for the offer, but don't worry," he declined. "I'm more than capable enough to take him out."

I wasn't entirely sure I believed him, but he knew best what he could do.

"Then, now what?" I asked him nervously.

"Now you start your next great adventure, my friend," Robb laughed. "I just need to explain a few things before I take you to the Manderlys' cog."

"Go on, Robb. Don't keep me waiting," I urged him, nervous about someone listening to us.

"Haha, don't worry. The people following you have been dispatched," Robb assured me.

"People were following me?" I asked, shocked.

"Indeed, the little birds of a eunuch," he answered.

"Well, let's begin. First, the Manderlys will take you all the way to Astapor. They will provide you with three thousand gold coins to start setting yourself up in your new life," Robb said calmly as if that wasn't a lot of gold, and he could give it to me without caring about the war.

"With that, you'll have enough to find a place to stay and buy some Unsullied for protection… The Manderlys aboard the galley will help you settle in before returning. They will be our way of communicating."

"How sure are you that the next queen will arrive there?" I asked him doubtfully.

"A hundred percent, my friend. You'll have a few months to use your head to gain a foothold in the city. There are two things you need to know aside from the message I will give you later," Robb nodded, showing me a parchment.

"First of all, Daenerys seems like a good kid, but she is ruthless, and I want you to advise her enough to be a better person for when we meet. And secondly, please, Tyrion, treat the Unsullied you buy or any other servants, well, Don't mistreat them. I want you to be loved by them by the time she arrives," he said seriously.

I just nodded in response—that wouldn't be difficult at all. I wasn't cruel, and being good to my servants seemed obvious.

"Anything else, Robb?" I asked him.

"Hmmm… no, everything needed is written in this parchment. Inside, you'll find information on the dos and don'ts and the people you cannot trust under any circumstances," he said seriously. "Trust me on this… You will encounter a bunch of vipers on your travels, but I'm sure you will be able to overcome everything."

"Understood. Thank you, Robb. For everything," I said sincerely.

"It will be hard, but I'm sure we will meet again in the throne room during our crowning ceremony," he laughed, and I wondered why he was so happy. "Now follow me; it's time for you to leave. I give it a few more days before it all goes to shit."

Following him to the port, I bade my farewell to the capital. I didn't know when or if I would be back, but I hoped everything worked out in the end and that my family would rot in hell.

"Can you do me a favor before we leave?" I asked Robb just as the galley and the crew started to sail.

"What's up?" Robb shouted.

Getting closer to the deck to be heard more easily, I shouted back, "Take care of Lady Elyse! She doesn't deserve anything happening to her under my nephew's rule."

I didn't hear a response, but I saw him giving a solemn nod. That was the last I would see of him for a while, and I was glad. The kid was scary as hell.

Sighing, I walked to the room they had given me to try and rest for the journey. My last thoughts before falling asleep were of Lady Elyse's smiles when she explained how to do something I didn't know.

Robb Stark

Seeing the galley leaving the port, I wished everyone luck on their journey. But after a moment, I started walking back, just as their travels began. I had a lot of things to do for a while.

The king had just arrived with his injury a couple of hours earlier, and I needed to ensure that things stayed the same so I could extract my people without much fuss.

Arriving at the Red Keep, I started my work. First, I made a copy of the king's dying will, just in case I needed it. It wouldn't hurt to have, even if I didn't think so.

After that, I went ahead to tell Jory to prepare. They wouldn't accompany my father to the throne room since I didn't want to put them at risk. My father would go, but I was sure he wouldn't be harmed much since he was a person of interest, unlike his followers.

Jory commanded the rest of the Northern guards to leave for the entrance of the city, where they would wait for us in the woods where the king was injured. I already had two horses ready for our retreat with my father.

Going over everything again, just double-checking to make sure I was ready, I heard the bells in the Sept ringing, signifying the king's death.

I wouldn't get to sleep today, but I had some insects that could help me with that.

Eleven Hours Later

I was already inside the Red Keep. Thankfully, with everything happening, their security was lax. Jory and the rest had already left, taking Lady Elyse with them after some coaxing.

Thankfully, the small friendship I gained with her during her stay in Winterfell made her trust me enough after Jory showed her a message I had written while he explained the happenings in the kingdom.

They left over six hours ago and were waiting for us in the woods. Now, the only thing happening was my father getting a little roughed up and dropped in the black cells.

He tried to do the same thing as in canon, and he was betrayed by everyone here. Renly left the capital and headed toward Highgarden with his lover. Varys didn't help, and Baelish put a dagger to his throat instead of supporting him to maintain his faked support of the new king.

Everything was going according to plan, and when they dropped him, I was ready to move.

Poisoning the guards since I didn't need to hide anymore, I approached the one with the keys to my father's cell. As I approached him, I took off my mask just for theatrics.

"Winter is coming," is the last thing he heard as he died, thanks to my insects. I quickly grabbed the keys and went ahead to my father's cell.

Opening it and double-checking with my insects that everyone here was dead or dying and that no one else was approaching this side of the castle, I entered the cell.

"I told you not to trust them," I said to my father while I helped him up with the chains.

"Aye, you did… Thank you for taking care of me, son," Eddard said while moving his limbs, trying to shake off the sleepiness.

"Everything is ready; we just need to leave," I said while moving. "Follow me quickly. I don't want to have to kill everyone here."

My father nodded and quickly followed me. As we went outside of the cells, we encountered more guards, but they couldn't do a thing to defend themselves before dropping dead.

Going over one of the exits, we reached the first snag in my plan. I didn't have a key for this door, and I couldn't go back to search every single body since we were running out of time.

Thinking quickly, I used my new creations and sent them directly to explode at the reinforced door. I marveled at the beautiful green color of the wildfire.

Waiting for it to melt the door so we could pass safely, we ran ahead without stopping, my father following close behind.

Reaching the inn where I had left the two horses, we mounted them and galloped away. We didn't need to fight since every guard in our way dropped dead before they knew something was wrong.

Slowing for my father to catch up, I started a conversation since we were out of danger.

"We need to reunite with the rest, then we'll go directly to Seagard to send some ravens. After that, we'll go directly to the North," I said lightly.

"I tried to avoid this," my father said shamefully, looking at the dead guards at the entrance. "I thought I was doing the right thing."

"You did the right thing, father," I said thoughtfully, patting him before continuing. "But as you can see, the right thing sometimes worsens things."

"Aye, I can see that," he nodded regretfully before looking straight ahead. "We'll need to prepare for war."

"Way ahead of you, father," I laughed. "I'll take care of it. You just need to protect Winterfell in my stead. That's my new order as Lord Stark. Enjoy home with your wife; Jon and I are more than capable of ending this farce," I joked to lighten the mood.

My father chuckled weakly, "You've grown up, Robb. But I'll listen to you… Lord Stark."

"Haha, I've missed you, Father. It will be good to have you at home. Everyone missed you a lot," I smiled.

"It will be good to be back home," he nodded.

---

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Author's Note: We'll stay with Jon for another chapter, and then we'll go back to our main character for his travel back to the North. Also what do you guys think? Would you be interested in joining a Discord? Do you guys think I should create one so that communication is easier?

FrostStorm

Jon Snow/Targaryen

Now that I had finished the preparations Robb asked me to take care of, I was ready to continue my journey toward the Wall.

Maybe in another life, I would have joined the Night's Watch out of my own volition, trying to find purpose as a bastard like myself, but now? I couldn't imagine myself any other way. I was a Stark by blood, and my family treated me as such.

I knew I was the most trusted person for Robb, and I would do anything he asked of me without hesitation. He truly loved the North and would do anything in his power to see it prosper. I did too, don't get me wrong, but I was certain he would do a better job of it than I ever could.

He trusted me so much that he told me everything about his plans and visions. Although I didn't believe going to war was the best option with the threat the White Walkers posed, I would follow him wherever was required.

That's why I was away from Winterfell at the moment. My main task was to inform his direct subordinates that the time for hiding was over, and then I needed to head to the Wall to prepare for the threats beyond it.

I missed them all, including Lady Catelyn. After all these years, she had finally accepted me as a Stark and no longer saw me as a threat to her son's reign.

Reviewing the last report Smalljon provided, I nodded in satisfaction. The North would be more than prepared, and we would show the rest of the kingdoms what we were made of.

For now, the North could send over forty thousand troops to the South, and the fifteen to twenty thousand extra would stay behind to protect the kingdom's borders. Under our father's command, they would safeguard the North against any invasion, though I doubted anyone could get past the main army.

With the bulk of our forces stationed at Moat Cailin, Greywater Watch, and the Fingers to fortify those locations and assist the blacksmiths, a small unit would join Robb to decimate the Twins. Once we took control of the castle, we would establish our command there.

I didn't know exactly how the conversation between Lord Mallister and Robb had gone, but I knew my brother well enough to be certain he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted.

Either way, the North would be ready when Robb returned with Father.

Finishing up the final points in the report, I realized I could continue my travels and leave Smalljon in charge of FrostStorm.

After giving the necessary orders, I was ready to move on.

The Next Day

"Everything you need to know is here, Smalljon," I told him with a nod.

"I'm going to make sure I follow his instructions," Smalljon replied with a nod of his own.

"Is there anything you want me to pass along to your father?" I asked before leaving town.

"No, everything is fine," he shook his head. "Just give him my regards."

I nodded back. "I'm sure he'll pass through here when the bannermen start marching."

Walking toward my horse, I checked my backpack one last time to ensure I was fully prepared for the journey. I was traveling with a group of thirty guards, just in case anything happened.

Satisfied, we began our journey to Last Hearth. My only task there was to inform Lord Umber that everything was ready to begin, so he could contact Lord Karstark and start marching toward Winterfell before heading directly to Moat Cailin.

The Wall

Jon Snow/Targaryen

Everything with the houses was in order. It had been a week since I arrived at the Wall. The meeting at Last Hearth was brief since there wasn't much to do besides letting them know it was time.

For now, I was just resting from the travel. Everything at the Wall was just as Robb had told me, and I was glad I hadn't joined the Watch. It wasn't the great calling I once believed it to be.

Ser Alliser Thorne was an absolute cunt. His words cut deep, but I didn't care about the opinion of that bastard. Besides him, some of the recruits were decent enough. Samwell Tarly was weak and lacked courage, but he had a good heart and a damn quick mind.

I made a mental note to tell Robb about him. Perhaps he could recruit Samwell for his gifts, and maybe he'd be of more use at Winterfell than serving as a training dummy here.

I had already intervened a couple of times to stop the other recruits from making Sam's life hell at the Wall. Ghost had grown a lot in these weeks, so he was a good way to instill the fear of the gods into the criminals.

Ensuring I had my notes ready for my conversation with Lord Commander Mormont, I began walking toward his solar.

I went alone, as the information I carried was for his ears only. Uncle Benjen was on one of his expeditions with his team, but thankfully, he had enough dragonglass for each of his companions.

Knocking on the door, I entered quietly, my eyes narrowing at the sight of those inside.

Ser Alliser Thorne wore his usual sneer, hating that a Stark—even if I was considered a bastard by everyone—was at the Wall with a better position than him.

I nodded respectfully to the commander and the maester, completely ignoring Ser Alliser, which only made him angrier.

"Lord Commander, Maester Aemon. My brother Robb has sent me with grave news. The ramblings of the deserter were true: the White Walkers are real and they walk north of the Wall."

Ser Alliser scoffed loudly. "White Walkers? Stories for children and bored wives, Snow. The only threats we face are the wildlings and our own thinning numbers."

Jeor Mormont eyed him with displeasure. "We will hear the boy out, Ser Alliser. His family has done enough to earn that."

"And why should we? A Stark bastard comes here, not even sworn to the Watch, babbling about wives' tales. You think we have time to indulge his fantasies when real men are dying?" Ser Alliser sneered.

I tried hard to keep my composure despite his words. "I wouldn't have come all the way to the Wall just for tales. The Warden of the North wouldn't have sent me only to waste both our time."

Taking a deep breath, I continued, "Our uncle Benjen has gone on an expedition with the rest of the rangers to find proof. I know I come without evidence since he hasn't returned, but we don't have time to waste. The Night's Watch needs to prepare."

"Prepare for what, boy? Shadows in the snow? Grumkins and Snarks? You've been coddled too much in Winterfell and haven't seen the real world. Perhaps it's time you learn—"

The Lord Commander stood up abruptly, interjecting sharply, "That's enough, Thorne. You're dismissed. Leave us."

Ser Alliser glowered at me but stood up and bowed to the commander before leaving.

"I'll ask you to forgive him. He may come off as blunt, but he's a good man in his own twisted way. Please continue. Tell us everything we need to know," the commander said with a sigh.

The maester spoke for the first time since the conversation started. "Some old stories have some truth in them, though many have forgotten. What have you seen or heard, boy?"

I glanced at him, wondering if what Robb told me was true. Could he really be my great-granduncle?

"It's not just what I've heard, but I can feel it this far north. Can't you sense the unnaturalness of the cold?" I asked them.

The commander shook his head, but I was surprised to see Maester Aemon nod seriously.

"I can feel it. The cold seeps into my old bones, and the feeling of death approaches," said the maester.

The commander nodded in understanding and, with a sigh, continued, "I've heard reports of unnatural cold north of the Wall and of strange deaths. We've sent men to investigate, and some have not returned."

Standing up again, he began pacing in his solar. "I don't want to believe it, but… if what you say is true, we're in for darker days than I feared."

"Indeed. As I said before, Uncle Benjen will return with proof soon enough. He is capable of facing them; he has weapons made specifically against the White Walkers," I said grimly.

"Oh?" the maester asked with interest. "Are they weak against something specific? I remember reading about them, but in my old age, some things escaped me."

"Yes, Maester Aemon. From what Robb has seen in his visions, they are weak against three things: first, Valyrian steel; then fire; and lastly, dragonglass. The last two are the most common since they aren't as rare as Valyrian steel." I nodded at him with a smile, pleased they seemed to believe me.

"Dragonglass is fragile," murmured the maester. "And I don't think we can obtain a good amount easily."

"There are rumors of dragonglass deposits here in the North," interjected the commander.

Gazing at him with alarm, I asked about these rumors.

"I remember reading during my childhood about the island of Skagos. Some texts mentioned dragonglass found on that island," he said thoughtfully.

"That's great news!" I exclaimed. "Robb was prepared to fight a war against Stannis Baratheon for the material in Dragonstone."

The commander looked at me in alarm and I could just rub the back of my neck sheepishly.

"The cost to obtain it would have been too much." The commander answered.

"Indeed, it would have been," sighed the maester.

"Once Benjen returns, we'll know more," the commander said with a nod. "You've done well, Jon, and I will inform the Watch and make sure we are ready for what is coming."

"Thank you, Lord Commander," I replied with a grateful nod.

"Of course. We'll need all the help we can get."

Smiling at them, I nodded and started walking toward the door.

"Oh, before you leave," Maester Aemon interrupted, "please search for me for a small conversation."

"Of course, Maester Aemon," I replied before leaving.

Outside the solar, I leaned against the wall, thankful everything was done and I just needed to speak with the maester before going back to Robb.

---

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Jon Snow

With the stress of the meeting gone, I was just waiting a couple of days to see if Uncle Benjen was successful in his mission. I trusted his capabilities, so I wasn't too worried since he had weapons designed specifically against the White Walkers.

Still, I couldn't deny that I was worried for him. He was family, and he was doing such an important task with little support. He only took the most experienced rangers on his expedition, and all of them were armed with dragonglass weapons, so there was that. Hopefully, he comes back soon since I'll need to leave in the next couple of days. I needed to be present at Moat Cailin when Robb came back.

While waiting, I did some sightseeing, walked through the castle, and checked everything important I could add to my report, from the number of soldiers available to the needs of the Night's Watch. Since Robb started working with them in payment for the land they borrowed from Brandon's Gift and the New Gift, many people joined the Watch voluntarily. Even those who didn't join received better equipment for their trouble.

Most of the members were using good quality swords and light armor, a gift from Robb to gain Commander Mormont's approval, but even that didn't help with the most troublesome person here. Ser Alliser Thorne had a grudge against our family thanks to the rebellion, and I couldn't help but smile at what his face would look like if he knew who he was talking to so disrespectfully. Thankfully, he ignored me when I passed by, just sneering in my direction but keeping silent. He knew he couldn't badmouth me in public since most members of the order were happy with our help and knew that much of what they had now was thanks to the Starks.

They didn't lack food, thanks to all the plantations done in the Gift's territory. They ate well enough, and with the foodstuff they had in excess, they sold it to different houses of the North for extra income. Thanks to that, they were able to cover the cost of the new weapons and armor they had available. Most of the equipment came from FrostStorm, so we didn't lose much because they ended up paying us.

Shaking my head, I marveled at Robb's ability; he could manipulate people, and they ended up being grateful for it. Bored out of my mind, I searched for something interesting while I waited for the sun to go down so I could sleep. Walking down the stairs, I noticed Samwell sitting on a crate reading a book. Shrugging, I went toward him to start a conversation to pass the time.

"How have you been, Samwell?" I smiled at him.

"I've been good, Jon. How about you? Are you done with your business here at the Wall?" he smiled back and asked me.

"Yes, the Commander is already informed of everything I had to say," I answered. "Say, Samwell. Can you tell me why you joined the Watch even if you can't fight?" I asked something that had been on my mind for a while.

He smiled sadly but nodded after a second. "My father sent me here. He told me that I was a disappointment and didn't deserve to be his heir."

"Tarly? Your father is one of the best commanders in the whole realm?" I asked, surprised by this information.

"Yes," he shook his head. "I was never enough for him. He told me that if I didn't join the Watch, I would have an accident where I couldn't disappoint him anymore."

I was appalled by what he said. Not even in the worst years was Lady Catelyn harsh enough to do something like that to me, and I was sure she hated me.

"It seems like he deserves a punch to the face," I nodded. "I'm sure I can do that if I ever meet him."

"Ha!" he laughed. "I would pay to see that."

"And what about you, Samwell? What would you want to be?" I asked him.

He was silent for a minute, clearly thinking of an answer. "I would love to be a maester," he nodded. "I know I have a good head on my shoulders, and I like to think I'd be capable of that. It's a shame that's not a possibility anymore."

"Why not?" I asked him with a smile. "You still haven't taken your oath to the Night's Watch."

"My father would kill me," he shook his head.

"Your father, as good a commander as he is, wouldn't be capable of harming you in the North. Much less if you're under the protection of House Stark," I explained softly.

I didn't know why I was so accommodating to him; I barely knew him. But there was something about Samwell that told me he could help us a lot if he wasn't tied to the Night's Watch and was with us in Winterfell.

"Why don't you follow me after I'm done here?" I asked him. "I'm sure I can convince the Lord Commander that you'd be more useful with us than here."

Samwell went silent but shook his head in fear. "My father would kill me, Jon."

I sighed. "Think about it, Samwell. Robb is searching for different talents, and I'm sure he would be more than happy to take you in." Standing up from the crate we were sitting on, I continued, "I'll stay for a few more days here. If you make your decision, you can come with me to Winterfell to learn under Maester Luwin."

"I'll think about it," he murmured, his head looking toward the floor.

"Remember to be your own man, Samwell. It doesn't matter what your father thinks. And if it matters a lot to you, just prove him wrong—make him regret giving you up," I said, patting his shoulder.

On my way back to my bedroom, I noticed that the library was nearby, so I took a small detour to see if Maester Aemon was there. Entering quietly, I observed the insides of the library. Seeing him sitting alone without doing anything, I approached him.

"Jon, thank you for coming," he said. Apparently, I wasn't silent enough.

"Maester Aemon," I greeted him respectfully. "What did you want to speak about?"

"I just wanted to ask you something important to me, child." He smiled, his milky white eyes looking in my direction. Even though he was blind, I noticed he looked directly where I was standing.

"Ask away, Maester. If it's something I can answer, I'll do so," I said in agreement, curious about where this was going.

"Can you check if we're alone, child?" he asked. "I'm afraid that if I'm right, this cannot be heard by anyone."

While checking around the library, I was almost sure he was somehow able to feel the connection between us. Maybe Robb was right, and royal blood was somehow magical.

"We're alone, Maester. Ask away," I told him softly, taking a seat next to him so that we could talk quietly.

"Are you a Targaryen, Jon?" he asked bluntly, and I tried to suppress a snort. It appeared that all these years in the North had changed a royal southerner.

"It appears Robb was right once again," I laughed. "He told me about you, Maester, and that you may be able to feel it."

"Am I right, child?" the Maester asked, trembling with agitation.

"Yes. You are my great-granduncle, if what Robb said is true," I accepted freely, as Robb had told me to be honest with him since it wouldn't hurt and would give him peace of mind.

The Maester trembled when he heard me and tried to move, but I stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"My biological father was Prince Rhaegar, and my mother was Lyanna Stark," I said softly.

"That dumb boy," the Maester sighed. "Do you know the truth of what happened?"

"Yes… My mother ran away from her betrothal to be with him. But somehow, the letter explaining the circumstances never arrived," I said sadly before rage could enter my mind. "If I ever find out who was responsible, I'll make sure they suffer for their sins," I said firmly.

The Maester sighed. "At least he didn't take her away like they say."

"Thank you for being honest with me, Jon." He smiled softly. "I can die happy knowing that our family will thrive in the future."

"You still have some time, Maester," I laughed. "And you're still needed here at the Wall."

Our conversation took a long time, but when I left, I felt a burden lifted off my shoulders.

Three days later

Hearing some commotion so early in the morning was weird, and when the trumpets sounded, I was completely alert. I grabbed my sword and light armor before going to check what was happening. Seeing some of the guards running, I stopped one to ask what was going on.

The only answer I received was that some of the rangers who left on the expedition were getting closer to the Wall.

I felt a knot in my throat and prayed that Uncle Benjen was successful in his endeavor. As I got ready, the first thing I noticed was that he was leading the group. As I sighed with relief, my heart almost stopped. Of the twenty rangers who started the expedition, only four were coming back, and all of them were injured.

"Bring the Maester!" I shouted to Samwell, who was standing nearby doing nothing.

He nodded, hearing the urgency in my voice. As he went searching for the maester, I went back to my room where I had some of the things Robb gave me in case of emergency. Grabbing a bottle of milk of the poppy and some "bandages" Robb invented, I stopped for a moment before crushing some of the insects into a paste that I had in another jar. According to Robb, these insects were specifically made for injuries since the paste killed something called germs or something like that and also numbed the area.

Hopefully, the maester would be able to use this, so I took it all the same. Going back, I noticed that everyone was already in the courtyard, making a circle while they tended to the injured. Approaching them nervously, I sighed in relief seeing that Benjen only had some cuts and wasn't life-threateningly injured.

"Maester Aemon, this could be helpful for the injured," I said as I handed him everything I had in hand. After a brief explanation, the maester started tending to their wounds.

"Uncle Benjen, what happened?" I asked him seriously.

He smiled tiredly, "Your brother was right," he said grimly. "The White Walkers are awake."

"Lies!" shouted someone from the back, and my eyes narrowed, seeing the identity of the person who shouted. Ser Alliser Thorne approached the center, and everyone moved aside, seeing the crazed look in his eyes.

"I'm tired of this!" he continued. "You Starks are trying to sell this tale for your own ends, but this finishes now. I don't want to hear a single word about White Walkers again!"

"Ser Alliser…" a timid voice was heard, and I was surprised the one who spoke was Samwell.

"What do you want, you disgrace?" he sneered.

"Look behind you," Samwell pointed to something near the entrance.

"Bah," Ser Thorne scoffed. "Go back to sleep if you have nothing useful to say."

"Ser Thorne," the Lord Commander said grimly, "Look inside the cage."

Surprised, I also looked that way since in my concerned state I had ignored everything until I was sure Uncle Benjen was alright. I gasped, seeing what was inside the cage, and dread set in my stomach. Inside, a body, clearly dead, was moving, and I could faintly hear some screeches when I focused.

"We need to prepare!" Commander Mormont shouted. "We are the Night's Watch, and we must protect the Wall from outside threats. We'll have a meeting after lunch."

---

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Kingswood

Robb Stark

Looking at my father greeting every guard and them apologizing for leaving him alone, I approached the group.

"It was my idea, Father. I knew that they wouldn't dare to harm you since they would have a valuable hostage, but there was no way our men could have survived if they accompanied you to the throne room," I said guiltily, though I knew I made the right choice.

With the gold cloaks following Baelish's orders, our men would have been butchered, so it was the right call to extract them before everything started.

"I understand, Robb," Ned nodded. "I am glad everyone is okay and didn't die because of my mistakes."

The guards kept apologizing until Father berated them for doing too much, and while they were discussing, I addressed the last person in our group.

Lady Elyse was mostly silent, clearly out of her depth, but she tried to keep calm while listening to the conversation. As I approached her, she lifted her head to meet my eyes, and at that moment, I realized how much time had passed since I last saw her. During her visit to Winterfell, I still had to look up at her whenever we spoke, but now I was taller than her.

"Lady Elyse, thank you for following my men without much fuss," I smiled at her, hoping that seeing a familiar face would help her calm down. With my expanded senses, I could see her preparation and that her breathing was somewhat shallow.

"It's been too long, Lord Robb," she smiled dimly. "And if a tenth of what you wrote in that message is true, I'll have to thank you for taking me out of there. I can't imagine what kind of war will be fought for the throne now that the Lannisters are in charge."

"Bah, keep calling me Robb. My new position doesn't erase our friendship." Then, I sighed guiltily, "It's going to be at least ten times worse than what you're imagining, Lady Elyse."

She smiled brightly at that before it dimmed. "Tyrion is going to be in danger," she murmured. "Do you know if he knew about everything, Robb?"

I put a calming hand on her shoulder. "He will be alright. I sent him to Astapor where he will work for me until it is safe for him to come back."

She slumped her shoulders in relief when she heard that, but her face hardened afterward. "Did he know?"

I looked at her seriously. "He couldn't have told you; it would have put you in danger," I said softly. "He was the one who asked me to take care of you, not that I wouldn't have done that, mind you, but that means he had your protection in mind before his travels," I smiled somewhat teasingly.

"He is a good friend of mine, Robb." She smiled prettily. "It's a shame he has to leave so far away."

"It is for the best, Lady Elyse," I nodded. "Now it's time we start our journey… we are really far from home."

"What will happen to me?" she asked, tilting her head.

"You have an offer for the same job you've done here in the capital waiting for you in Winterfell if you'd like," I offered with a bright smile. "I wouldn't suggest you stay in the Vale; things are not as simple as they seem, and you would be safer in the North with my family."

She thought for a moment before nodding firmly. "Thank you, Robb. For everything."

Nodding back, I walked toward my father, who was resting near a campfire Jory and the rest had created.

"Everyone, we need to start moving fast," I said loudly. "We are in enemy territory, and we left a bloodbath in the Red Keep while escaping with my father. They will send people looking for us."

Everyone nodded firmly and started moving to our horses. We were in the Kingswood, so at least we would be difficult to spot, but when we start traveling to Winterfell, we'll face a lot of enemies.

"We'll ride to Tumbleton, then we'll have to cross the Blackwater Rush to enter the Riverlands. We'll only stop when it's necessary, but if everyone can ride, we'll do so," I said firmly, hoping that we had time to make a stop at the Isle of Faces.

Two weeks later.

The Riverlands

We were finally approaching Ivy's Inn. The journey was short, but it took a toll on everyone. I didn't feel it affected me that much because I'd been doing this for a while, but for the rest of the group, it was tiresome. We traveled near the riverbank since I tried to keep a distance from the King's Road to avoid being seen.

From the smallfolk we encountered during our travels, we learned that there was already a manhunt for everyone with me, except for Lady Elyse and me, of course. Lords, smallfolk, sellswords—everyone was looking for us, trying to earn the gold the Lannisters promised as a reward for any information regarding my father and the guards' whereabouts.

Thankfully, since my dyed hair still holds up under scrutiny, I was able to approach some merchants to buy different attires for everyone, including cowls to hide their faces. Most of the guards were burning up inside since they were men of the North, and the extra cloth and heat were getting to them.

I had seen, thanks to my power, a lot of people searching everywhere. There was a lot of activity on the main road to the North. And it was a shame since it meant we couldn't use it as it would attract attention to us.

Thankfully, we didn't lack food, even if the only thing we ate for every meal during these weeks was meat from the game I obtained. The other good news is that thanks to the enhancement I obtained from consuming royal blood, I was able to leave commands to everything I had under my control, so at least I could sleep while knowing we were protected.

"We need to make a stop," I said with a small smile. I always tried to keep a smile on my face to show that everything was alright. Father was already depressed enough for starting this war, as I heard from some of the smallfolk that the queen sent the Mountain to sow chaos in the Kingsroad.

He wasn't sent before since we didn't take Tyrion as a hostage, so that was delayed, but it seemed that the Queen thought it was a good idea to move scrutiny elsewhere while she took control of the capital.

There was no news of a direct destination, so I didn't know if he would do the same thing as in canon to make problems in the Riverlands or if he was traveling directly to the North. But this decision was costly for Cersei since the different lords were pissed that he was making a mess of things in their territory.

I hadn't heard anything about the Reach or Stannis, but I was sure that the fight would start soon. Father did tell me that he sent a raven to Stannis, and I was present (with my bugs) when he had his conversation with Renly, so they would start moving soon.

"Where do we need to stop, Robb?" asked Ned with a questioning frown.

"The Isle of Faces," I said grimly. "I need to find out something that has been bothering me."

"Is it truly important, son?" he asked, somewhat confused if it was a truly necessary stop.

"It won't take long," I nodded. "I felt something inside me when I passed, and I don't ignore those kinds of feelings."

Ned nodded in understanding. "Aye, you must follow your instincts."

With everyone in on the plan, we ignored the main road and started picking up speed to arrive faster.

It was true, when I passed near God's Eye on my way to King's Landing, I felt like something was calling to me, and I ignored it since I was short on time. But now that I had some time, I needed to seek whatever was calling me, and I knew it wasn't my imagination since somehow, for the first time in my life, my power failed.

I panicked a little bit since this had never happened before, but my insects couldn't enter the perimeter of the Isle, and this made me doubt if this was the best idea, after a moment of reflection, I nodded to myself and continued galloping to the village on the outskirts of the lake.

When we arrived some hours later, we noticed that everyone here was a firm believer in the Old Gods, and they were happy enough to lend two boats so that we could go to the Isle when we acted like newly converted tourists.

As we were approaching the island, I was getting nervous. Somehow, I couldn't see anyone besides our group, and as we disembarked the boats and made camp, I somehow lost control of every being in the vicinity. I could feel they were there, but I couldn't command them as I normally could.

"We have been waiting for you, outsider," a chorus of raspy and creepy voices was heard, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand in alarm.

---

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Robb Stark

The isle of faces.

"We've been waiting for you, outsider." A cacophony of raspy voices echoed around us, making the hairs on my neck stand up.

I knew I wasn't the only one who felt it; even Lady Elyse gasped loudly and started looking around, while the guards and my father reached for their weapons.

I panicked and tried to call all of my bugs to me. I had read the legends of the so-called Green Men, and how they defended the Isle of Faces against the Andals during the invasion, without any support.

"Stop doing that, outsider," the voices echoed again, now closer than before. "The golden monstrosity has no power in these sacred grounds."

Fuck… They knew something about Scion, and from what I knew, anyone would be both pissed and scared at the idea of him gaining a foothold in any world.

"Who are you people? Identify yourselves!" Father shouted into the woods as he drew his sword, and Jory and the rest of the guards followed his lead. Elyse stepped behind us, ready to avoid interference if a fight broke out.

I hoped it wouldn't come to that. I felt uncomfortable without my powers; even though I wasn't powerless without them, I couldn't deny that my efficiency would drop significantly.

I was trained by the best the North had to offer, and I didn't use my power in every training session since I knew I couldn't depend on them for everything. But I was only fifteen name-days old and hadn't yet peaked in my combat ability. Right now, I would place myself at the same level as Ser Oakheart when he visited Winterfell with the delegation a couple of years ago.

I wasn't the best, but I knew I was damn good compared to my peers, probably the best fifteen-year-old there ever was in the whole history of Westeros. I'd been using my insects as a source of protein and injecting myself with things that could help my growth as a fighter.

I couldn't be considered a normal human. After a long time of testing on captured bandits and the like, I was able to figure out how I could enhance myself and become a better person. However, I also couldn't call myself superhuman, since the enhancements didn't make me capable of lifting tons of weight or anything like that.

But after years of injecting myself with muscle-strengthening enzymes from ants and beetles, I had achieved fantastic results. My strength now could be compared to that of a grown man, and I still had time to keep growing. I didn't know when I would start seeing diminishing returns, but I intended to use the time I had to keep improving.

Besides muscle enhancement, I used neuro-enhancing compounds from dragonflies to improve my reaction time and cognitive functions. It wasn't like some animes in my previous life where people had skills like thought acceleration, but I was leaps and bounds better than most people.

So that's why, even though I was worried—mostly because I was sure these Green Men had some kind of magic—I hoped things could be resolved peacefully.

"You know who we are, Eddard Stark." The voices spoke again, and it sounded like they were right next to us, even though we couldn't see them. "We are the Green Men, servants of the Old Gods and protectors of this isle."

After a moment of tense silence, we finally saw some silhouettes in the distance. The beings had a somewhat humanoid form, with some notable differences.

First, they were smaller than a normal person, but I could tell at a glance that they weren't the Children of the Forest; they weren't small enough. Besides their height, I noticed that they had strange protrusions coming from their heads, akin to horns.

"What do you know of the golden monstrosity?" I asked, trying to maintain a calm façade, even though I was truly out of my depth for the first time in this life.

"Not enough, outsider. The Old Gods have been busy cloaking your presence from everyone outside of Westeros," they admitted, and my heart skipped a beat. This was really bad news. If I was a beacon that could show him the way to Planetos, it would only mean trouble—worse than I could imagine.

"Do you really know what they are doing?" I asked as I watched them approach us at a calm pace. I could finally see them somewhat clearly.

Their skin was like the bark of a tree, and they were unusually thin. The only thing "human" about them was their silhouettes.

"We are their servants, and when required, their messengers, outsider," the one in the lead said. Even though I saw him speak, we all heard multiple voices saying the same thing.

"Do you know what they're talking about, son?" Father asked, but I didn't even look at him, keeping my focus firmly on the beings in front of me.

"What can we do to avoid his notice?" I asked, hoping against all common sense that they might have an answer.

"We don't know much, as the Old Gods have been busy since you approached the weirwood tree in Winterfell. But from what we know, the parasite inside you cannot be allowed to leave your body," the leader said firmly. "And the gods require something as payment, outsider."

I tensed but tried to relax a little. I didn't know much about the so-called Old Gods since they weren't shown in the series, and most of what I'd read was from Fanon.

"What is your name?" I asked seriously. "And call me Robb, please."

"You may call me Sylvyrn, Robb Stark," he nodded with an impassive face.

I made a noise of agreement in the back of my throat. "What do they require of me?" I asked. To be honest, I would do whatever they asked. The White Walkers and whatever other problems there were in Planetos were nothing compared to the level of carnage that would occur if Scion managed to visit this world or if people started triggering left and right.

I needed to do anything in my power to avoid such a fate, and for that reason, I would trust these people until I had proof that they were lying.

"The Old Gods have grown weak since the Andal invasion severed their connection to these lands. They require you, Robb Stark, to become their champion and help them plant their roots so they can grow more powerful and shield our planet from any invasion," Sylvyrn said firmly, his voice grave as he conveyed the seriousness of the situation.

I nodded slowly. That was doable, and even if it wasn't on my mind when I planned to become a king, it was something that could be done. It would mean the war would be even harder since I would need to challenge the most well-known religion, or at least make it possible for them to coexist.

"What about the Seven?" I asked, trying to fish for more information that could be helpful.

"They care not for the Seven. It isn't required for you to drive them out of these lands. You just need to plant enough weirwood trees and promote the religion," Sylvyrn nodded emphatically, clearly understanding my confusion. "They are outsiders, but the Old Gods are gods of nature, and they have adapted to their existence. The golden being is not so benign as the Seven."

"I understand, and I will make it happen," I said firmly, knowing we needed to avoid this at all costs. "Is there anything else, Sylvyrn?" I asked.

"You just need to seal the pact, Robb Stark. Just like your ancestors did in the past on this isle," he said mysteriously.

"Are you sure about this, Robb?" my father asked. I nodded—this was something I needed to do. I couldn't be the one responsible for the ruin it would bring to Planetos if Scion targeted us.

"Lead the way, Sylvyrn," I said as I started walking toward them.

The others tried to follow, but the leaves began moving on their own, closing the path.

"Camp here, I'll be fine!" I shouted, hoping they could hear me over the noise.

Following behind them, I kept silent, contemplating how this decision would change the future. I truly hoped I was making the right choice.

The group led me to a tree in the middle of the isle, and I noticed the difference in the atmosphere; the air felt heavy compared to outside.

Sylvyrn handed me an empty bowl without saying anything, and I just looked at him in wonder as a knife rose from the very earth in front of me.

"Put some blood in the bowl," he instructed, and nervously, I followed his directions.

When I had enough blood, another of the Green Men approached me, spreading a green paste on my wound. I gasped at the itchiness I felt instantly, and then he removed it with a cloth, and I was amazed to find the injury gone.

"Submerge your hand in the blood and place it on the face of the tree," Sylvyrn continued calmly.

As I did so, I couldn't deny that I was afraid of what was going to happen, but the next thing I knew was darkness.

---

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The void.

Robb Stark.

Darkness was the only thing I could see around me as I felt my consciousness slipping away. The air felt heavy in my lungs, and I noticed that I had stopped breathing. The environment pressed down on me, showing me how insignificant I was compared to the beings that inhabited this void.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in the darkness—not a single one, but a multitude of voices, layered atop one another, speaking in unison yet out of sync.

"Outsider… child born outside of these lands…"the voices reverberated through my mind, as there was no sound in the void. "You have answered our call, and now seek to form a pact, a bond with the roots that bind this world…"

I tried to answer, I did, but nothing came out of my mouth. Panic rose as I felt the wrongness of whatever was happening.

Focusing inward, I tried to project my thoughts. "I've come just as I was asked, Old Gods." Miraculously, my thoughts reached out into the void, filled with curiosity, mixed with a dash of fear.

There was no response at first, but I could feel the presence of countless beings around me. They felt vast, overwhelming to my mortal mind like the weight of thousands of eyes watching my every move.

Then the voices came again, this time softer, and I felt calmness enveloping me.

"We are the old… the forgotten… the watchers… we are the root of all things… we are what mortal men cannot grasp, what they have dared to defy in foolish disputes… we are the whispers in the dead of the night… the blood that feeds the weirwoods… the pulse of the earth, which mortal men like your brethren have damaged…"

The words swirled around me, and though I couldn't catch everything they said, I understood the main message they were trying to convey.

There was no malice against me, of that I was sure. If there had been, the tone would have been different.

They didn't speak in words; instead, I was bombarded with images and concepts. I wasn't sure how to explain what was happening. They felt so alien but, at the same time, like they belonged here.

Perhaps we were the aliens intruding on their lands. I wasn't sure, but I hoped we could reach a mutually satisfactory agreement by the end of our conversation.

"We knew of you when you first entered the Godswood… and we knew then that you had hijacked the body of the original… but we could read your intentions, as diminished as our power is after the Andals severed our link to the land…"

A shiver ran through me. This wasn't going to be a simple conversation of reaching an agreement and parting ways. They were interested in me, and I couldn't deny that I was interested in the beings surrounding me in this void.

I wasn't sure if they were conventional gods, but I doubted it. They didn't seem omniscient, and after the Andal invasion, they clearly weren't omnipresent.

The Old Gods didn't speak in riddles for their own amusement; they spoke in riddles because their very nature was beyond human comprehension.

"You have taken from the earth… the creatures that crawl… the beings that fly… you have bound them to your will, to your flesh… and we know you seek more… using that piece of the golden abomination to usurp what belongs to us…"

My heart raced as I tried to explain my reasons, hoping to steer the conversation to safer grounds.

"I seek power only to protect my people, my lands," I thought, struggling to maintain my composure in the face of such overwhelming power. "I need to protect the North; it is my duty, and afterward, to protect this world from a greater threat."

There was silence, more oppressive than if they had condemned my actions. Then the voices came again.

"Protection… a noble aim… but at what cost?... You meddle with forces beyond mortal beings… You seek to harness the strength of the earth, the speed of the wind… yet these things are not yours to command… they are ours…"

I felt pressure in my mind as if something greater was trying to break in. When my resistance crumbled, images flashed before my eyes—ancient forests, blood-soaked earth, and towering weirwoods with faces carved into them.

"You will become our champion… carry our power… but power is not given freely, Robb Stark. Power has a price… and the one you seek is grander than most… What will you give us?"

My thoughts raced, and I remembered the conversation I had with Sylvyrn moments prior.

"I will make it so that the Old Gods will have roots in every corner of Westeros and beyond," I projected. "I will become the Emperor of Planetos and bring your faith to an all-time high. Every corner of the world will know of you. I will plant your trees; I will spread your roots across the land. I will be your sword against the Long Night and the threats that come."

The voices fell silent again, and the pressure surrounding me grew even stronger. When they spoke again, there was a note of finality—and, thank the gods, acceptance.

"You have been touched by beings grander than us… Not only the golden abomination… but something even bigger than him has marked you…" the Old Gods said thoughtfully.

"Very well, child of men… A pact has been made… But beware, our champion… For the roots of the world are deep and tangled… and the power you seek will change you… You will be our hand in the world of flesh and blood, but you will never again be wholly of that world… You will be… between…"

As the darkness began to recede, I felt the weight lifting from my mind. But before I could fully grasp what had been said, the voices spoke one last time.

"Remember, Robb Stark… the roots that bind us are strong… but the winds of fate are stronger still… and there are forces beyond even our sight…"

With that final message, the world snapped back into focus, and I opened my eyes with a gasp.

The Isle of Faces

Robb Stark

I looked around, dazed, and saw the rest of the Green Men kneeling in my direction. I found myself on my back before the weirwood tree.

"All hail to the champion of the Old Gods," Sylvyrn said with happiness, and if I was seeing right, with a lot of devotion.

"How long has it been?" I asked him while standing up.

"No more than an hour, my lord," the only woman in the group replied, and I raised my eyebrow at how differently they were acting now.

"What are the plans for your people, Sylvyrn?" I asked after nodding to the woman with a smile.

"The old and the young will stay here, but some of us will follow you and stay by the champion's side," he said with conviction.

"Thank you, and I promise that you will be treated well by my subjects," I said firmly, making a mental note to keep an eye on them for everyone's sake.

"What does it mean to be their champion?" I asked since I didn't feel much different at the moment.

"We don't know, my lord," Sylvyrn shook his head. "There hasn't been a champion for the Old Gods in millennia."

"My lord…" the timid voice of the woman sounded behind me. "You should take off your shirt," she said with a small blush.

"Huh?" I asked, perplexed. "What do you mean? And what is your name?"

"You can call me Elyndra, my lord," she said timidly, "and I can see something on your neck that wasn't there before." She ended, shyly.

I tried to look down, but my clothing blocked the view. Trusting her, I took off my shirt and marveled at the changes.

Physically, I didn't notice anything—my muscles hadn't grown, nor had anything else—but there was a change. Something like a tattoo traveled from my stomach to my neck in the form of roots.

I couldn't deny they looked badass, but I wasn't sure what purpose the Old Gods had for them.

Shaking my head, I addressed the group.

"Who will follow me north? We need to return soon, as the war will start in earnest within the next couple of weeks," I asked.

"I, and Elyndra, along with twenty of our best warriors, will follow you, and we'll also take three healers with us," said Sylvyrn, bowing his head.

I nodded. "Then prepare. I'll go talk to my father. And thank you for the help, Sylvyrn… I won't let the Old Gods down."

"I'm sure you won't, my lord. Go ahead; we will prepare for our journey and meet you on the shore," he said firmly.

---

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The Isle of Faces

Eddard Stark

Watching Robb follow the mysterious Green Men from the myths was daunting, but I hoped he knew what he was doing.

These past few months have been harrowing, and it all started with my late friend Robert visiting Winterfell. To be honest, I regretted following him to King's Landing.

Thankfully, I had a wonderful heir who took care of everything, and I didn't regret my decision to make him Lord Stark.

I wasn't taught how to lead the North; I was only a second son, destined to own a small keep and assist Brandon during his reign. But then the rebellion happened. Brandon and my father were brutally killed by the Mad King, and I had to step up for the North.

It's been so many years since then, and I couldn't deny that I made many mistakes. The worst part? We started the rebellion because of a lie.

Lyanna… I was resentful of her in the past for not going through with the marriage to Robert, but… I couldn't fault her anymore. I was blinded by my friendship with him and didn't consider how he would have treated her once they were married.

Would he have allowed her to follow her dreams? That's a question that kept me up many nights, and I'm not sure I would like the answer. Maybe he would have allowed her at first, but when lords began whispering about her, perhaps Robert would have acted differently.

Not to mention what Tywin might have done to her. I wouldn't put it past the old lion to kill her just to secure his blood on the throne.

It was a mess, and now another war, probably bigger than the last, has started because of me. I tried to do the right thing, just as the late Lord Arryn taught me, and look at the result.

Another mistake to add to that list… I was struggling to move forward, but I would endure it for the sake of our family and our lands.

Catelyn was waiting for me in Winterfell, and according to Robb, he and Jon would handle everything in the South while I attended to our ancestral home.

I had no intention of taking back the role of Warden of the North. I had seen with my own eyes how the North prospered with Robb in charge. I trusted him to do what was necessary for the betterment of the realm.

I didn't know his plans, as we hadn't talked much during our travels, trying to keep the conversation calm to reassure the rest of our group that everything was alright. But it was hard; I had woken up countless nights with nightmares of what I had started.

Shaking my head to rid myself of these thoughts, I addressed the group.

"Jory, take some guards and form a perimeter for the camp. We don't have Robb protecting us right now, so it's up to us to stay safe," I told Jory, impressed by how capable he had become while following Robb. It was another sign that Robb was the best choice going forward.

"Understood, Lord Stark," he saluted and took five more guards to scout our surroundings.

"The rest of you, find some wood to make a campfire. We still have some meat that Robb hunted. We don't know how long he will take, so the best thing to do is to be well-rested and fed when he returns," I said loudly so that everyone could hear me.

Everyone started working, and even Lady Elyse tried to make herself useful, given our circumstances.

Robb's decision to offer her a role was something I could approve of, as most northern lords were blunt and confrontational with outsiders. Having someone with experience could be very helpful going forward.

When everything was ready, we started cooking the game we had available, resting while one or two guards walked around the perimeter. It reminded me of the rebellion, but I suppressed the memory. I hoped Robb was as good a commander as I was, and with his power, he could end the war faster than Robert and I did.

Waiting for over an hour, I tried not to dwell too much on our problems, praying to the Old Gods that my son would return safely.

Robb Stark*

Returning to my group was easy thanks to Elyndra, who stayed by my side. Observing them from a distance using my power (it seemed to work when I woke up, and I inferred my new tattoo was a link with the Old Gods that concealed my connection to Scion), I sighed in relief seeing them prepared.

"I'm back," I said softly as I approached them.

"Are you okay?" my father asked, and I could see the rest examining me closely, their concern evident.

"Everything is fine, Father," I said with a chuckle. "Aside from some changes, I don't feel any different."

"Changes?" Jory asked.

"Indeed," I said while lifting my shirt, causing everyone to gasp as they saw my mark.

"What happened to you, Robb?" Father asked with concern.

"He is the champion of the Old Gods," Elyndra exclaimed before I could answer, and I just rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly.

"A lot happened while I was away," I explained with an awkward smile. "I'll tell you during our journey. For now, we'll wait for our new members before we depart."

"New members?" Lance, one of the guards who went with Ned to King's Landing, asked. I noticed he was looking at me differently, almost reverently.

"Some of the Green Men will follow us to the North," I nodded. "One of the perks of being marked by the Old Gods, I imagine."

He quickly knelt, but I stopped him before he could continue.

"Get up, Lance. I'm still the same Robb you saw playing in the courtyard with training swords," I shook my head. "If you truly feel the need, save it for when we are safe."

"Understood, Lord Stark," he nodded and stood up. The rest of the Green Men arrived shortly after.

"We are ready, Champion," Sylvyrn said. I looked at them happily, pleased to have new allies for the war.

They were concealing their identities, which was helpful.

"We'll need to make several trips to get everyone to the village," Father said, surveying the size of our new group.

"Do not worry about us, Eddard Stark," Sylvyrn said, closing his eyes.

My father looked at him in confusion but chose to ignore it. I gasped as I saw movement near the water through my insects.

A colossal river serpent approached us, its size greater than forty meters by my estimate.

The rest of the Green Men began moving toward the serpent, while my group stood slack-jawed at the sight.

"Let's start moving," I shook my head, trying to ignore the impressive display of power.

After a few seconds of tense silence, everyone began to prepare for our journey back home.

Seagard

Finally arriving at the last stop before heading directly to the North, I smiled at Lord Mallister from a distance.

"Lord Mallister," I nodded in greeting. "How have you been since I left?"

"Busy," he grunted, shaking my hand. "The help from the North is appreciated."

"It's the least I could do since it was my fault you lost your maester," I told him, shaking my head. "Have they settled since arriving here?"

"They have, Lord Stark. The smallfolk love them. They are more down-to-earth than the maester," he chuckled. "You left a mess in King's Landing."

"Aye, I needed to take my father from their grasp," I nodded seriously. "What have you heard? I'm afraid we haven't received much news since we were on the run."

"It's a mess, Lord Stark," he nodded, leading us inside. "The Mountain is heading north, and the Lannister army has started moving to the Riverlands."

"Did they enter?" I asked with concern.

"Aye, they did. But not without losses," he smirked. "The Blackfish returned a few weeks before you left and took control of the army."

"Good, that's good," I sighed. "I was worried he wouldn't believe me."

"Did you clue him in?" Lord Mallister asked.

"Aye, after leaving Seagard, I sought him out at the Bloody Gate," I nodded.

"Good job, Lord Stark," he said. "He did a damn good job. He couldn't stop them from entering the Riverlands since he didn't have much time to prepare, but he made them pay dearly. I think he'll be rewarded handsomely."

"Ha!" I laughed. "Serves them right. What about the rest?"

"Renly Baratheon is working with the Tyrells for the Crown, and Stannis is still rallying his troops. I'm afraid everything will go to hell in the following weeks. The Ironborn stopped raiding a while ago, so they must be preparing something."

"Hmm, everything is going as I expected," I nodded. "Now, I need to ask for some ravens. When we start marching south, you'll have our support against our enemies."

"Go ahead, Lord Robb. The rest of your companions can rest while you work," Lord Mallister nodded.

"Go on, Father. Take some much-needed rest. Everyone here is trustworthy. We'll leave tomorrow," I told him seriously, considering their mental well-being.

---

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Author's Note: Hey guys, this is the last chapter of this arc. Next chapter, we go back to King's Landing and the rest of the kingdoms to show their reactions and plans. I still don't know if I'll do one large chapter (because I need to cover a lot — the Lannisters, both Baratheons, Tyrion, and maybe even Daenerys) or if I'll do multiple chapters, with each one focusing on a single faction. That's everything for now. Hope you all enjoy this!

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Moat Cailin

Robb Stark

I could feel myself relaxing as I saw Moat Cailin in the distance, and I could sense the rest of my group feeling the same, though that didn't include the green men. They were odd, and from what I learned over the past few weeks, they were enhanced by their rituals and had access to magic.

The problem was, that most of their magic and rituals required sacrifices. I had been right — the Old Gods weren't like the normal gods I knew from my past life. They were somewhat eldritch, nothing at all like humans.

Still, as long as I gained something from it, I would follow the pact. They didn't ask for much, and I had already benefited greatly from their actions of hiding me from the Scion's gaze, anything more was a bonus. According to Sylvyrn, that wasn't the only thing I'd gain, since I was their direct link to Planetos. The Old Gods would obviously grant me more boons. I just didn't know what they were yet, aside from my skinchanger abilities resurfacing.

I knew from the series that all Stark children were skinchangers, or at least wargs, but since I woke up in this body, I hadn't been able to enter the mind of any animal. Maybe the shard took that, or perhaps I just didn't understand it yet.

But that was in the past. In recent weeks, I'd been having dreams of inhabiting different animals, and I hoped this would work well with Shadow, who should be waiting for me at the moat if Theon followed all of my instructions.

We were still a few miles away from the moat, so I couldn't see everything until we got closer.

Speaking of relaxing, my thoughts drifted to my father. I'd been concerned for his mental health during our travels. I'd seen him wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat and haunted by nightmares, acting somewhat skittish. It was hard to watch him devolve into such a mess, and I couldn't find the right words to comfort him beyond the usual, "It's not your fault" or "This would have happened regardless of what you did."

Thankfully, when we entered the North through the Neck, I could feel him relaxing a bit, and I hoped, from the bottom of my heart, that he would improve with the support Mother, Sansa, and Arya could give him once we reached Winterfell.

It had been so long since I'd seen my sisters, and it was a shame it would be even longer. I needed to stay here to lead the fight against our enemies, and I missed my family. The only thing keeping me going was the knowledge that by doing this, I would make them happier than their canon selves, sparing them the suffering and misery they'd endure otherwise.

As we approached the Moat, I decided to make a grand entrance for our troops. Since the guards would talk and the presence of the green men signaled that the Old Gods were on our side, I needed to put on a show of force to ingrain this into the minds of our soldiers.

For that, I used my insects. Something harmless in small quantities became far more menacing when I ordered the millions of insects under my control to act in unison.

I directed them to buzz as one. The sound, generated by over a hundred million insects, was almost unbearable. It was a warning to the soldiers at Moat Cailin to be on high alert.

I smiled in satisfaction as I watched them panic, yet they didn't lose discipline. Every soldier and commander present moved in unison, working together to mount a defense against the supposed enemies. Soldiers helped each other into their armor, ranging from full plate to hides or chitin.

As we approached slowly, my father and I led the way, with the rest following, Lady Elyse in the center of the group. Over the journey from King's Landing to Moat Cailin, I'd gradually introduced my group to my insects. There was no need to hide anymore, and the more connected I seemed to the Old Gods, the better for the pact.

Their reactions hadn't filled me with confidence, and I feared this would become the norm.

The guards, born and raised in the North and followers of the Old Gods, reacted with zeal. The presence of the green men, whom they'd only heard about in legend, didn't help. They looked at me as if I were the chosen one — and I guess I was, as the champion of the Old Gods. Still, it felt strange to see guards who had watched me grow up now looking at me with reverence, hoping I would lead them to greatness.

The guards loved the North, as did anyone born and raised here. They longed to see it flourish, and they didn't mind risking their lives to be remembered as heroes who fought for what we have. It was moving, but deep down, it scared me.

If every Northerner acted like this, they would place all their hopes and dreams on my shoulders. In my past life, I had been a regular college student, and now I had everything. It felt overwhelming, but it only fueled my desire to succeed.

I would fight, bleed, and cry for the North. Over these years, I'd come to love its people, its lands — everything that made the North ours. It was hard to put into words, but I would do whatever it took to see it prosper.

On the other hand, Elyse tried to keep a calm face after I revealed my powers, but her earlier reaction still made me laugh. I couldn't forget her girlish scream when she first saw so many insects. What scared me was how quickly she adapted, immediately starting to think of ways to use them politically. She revealed herself as a shrewd politician, almost drooling over the potential for blackmail my powers afforded.

She was eager to start working in Winterfell, even if the early months of the war would keep her busy. Maybe she could start teaching her ways to Sansa, who had shown interest in politics the last time I saw her.

Shaking my head to focus on the present, I observed the army. They were prepared for anything, and I nodded in approval. I sent an insect with a pre-written message to Lord Glover, who was still in charge of the moat.

As we waited for it to arrive, we approached the renewed entrance. Everyone capable stood ready, eyeing my group with caution. No one lowered the gates until a commander gave the order.

After a minute, I heard movement, and with the help of my insects, I saw Lord Glover running, giving orders as he approached the entrance.

"Lower the gates!" he shouted. "Lord Stark is back!"

The gates were lowered quickly, and we entered Moat Cailin.

My group marveled at the fortress. It wasn't fully restored yet, but they had made significant progress since I last visited. Over thirty thousand soldiers were present in and around the moat, waiting for us, and I smiled, knowing this wasn't even our full army. Some lords must have encountered delays, and Jon wasn't here yet, which meant he was still on his way.

Everyone was watching us. My group removed their cloaks and gasps filled the air. Most were happy that my father was safe and sound, back in the North. Others (most of them) stared in awe at the infamous green men accompanying us. Their inhuman features left no doubt as to their identities.

"It's a pleasure to see you safe," Lord Glover said as he approached, but before we could respond, a large shadow rushed toward me.

I turned just in time to see my beloved direwolf, Shadow, charging. He didn't slow down, and in a flash, he knocked me to the ground. The last thing I saw before falling was a haggard-looking Theon trying to keep up.

As I fussed over Shadow, my father took command of the conversation.

"It's all thanks to Robb," he said, nodding. "He got me out of the Black Cells after killing many guards himself," he added with a weak chuckle.

"Aye, word of it has reached the North," Lord Glover said, grasping my father's hand in a firm handshake. "It's said the Lannisters are mighty pissed."

"Serves the bastards right," Helman Tallhart exclaimed, and the soldiers around him cheered.

"How do we proceed?" Maege Mormont asked, her eyes on my father.

"I'm not the one you should be asking that, Maege," he replied, shaking his head. "Robb, stop playing," he berated me lightly.

With a laugh, I pushed Shadow off and stood, doing my best to look dignified despite the drool on my shirt and face.

"Father will return to Winterfell," I said firmly. "There, he'll handle everything related to securing the North. He'll take half the army to secure our borders — all of them." I looked him straight in the eyes. "Anyone foolish enough to attack us will face the harshest punishment. Those who surrender will be sent to the Wall. They'll need at least human shields."

Father nodded, placing a hand on his chest, doing his best to show he was obedient to me.

"And the rest, Lord Stark?" asked Lord Glover.

"When the rest of the army arrives and explains why it took them so long, I'll take a small group to secure the Twins. The same will happen there: those who surrender, and the women and children, will be taken care of. Those who fight will die or be sent to the Wall," I continued. "After the Twins are under our control, the rest of the army will follow. We'll unite with Lord Mallister of Seagard and help him protect his lands if the Ironborn starts acting foolish."

Theon tried to interfere, but I silenced him with a look. I would need to talk to him soon, but I preferred to do so in private.

"When our army reaches the Riverlands, we will help them destroy the Lannisters," I said, shaking my head.

"Why should we fight for them? Why not just cross the border and declare independence?" asked Lord Flint of Widow's Watch, his brows furrowed.

"Things aren't as simple as they seem," I said, sighing, as I began to take off my shirt.

Everyone gasped, and I allowed myself a small smile. But before I could continue, Elyndra made herself known.

"Lord Stark is the champion of the Old Gods. That's why we are following him," she said firmly. "The Old Gods have given him a task — the protection of the living."

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Lord Glover, his voice edged with confusion.

"The Long Night is coming," I said with a sigh. "Before I left to secure some alliances in the south and protect my father, I sent Jon and Benjen to the Wall to learn more about it."

"Is it true?" asked Lord Flint, looking conflicted.

"Aye, it's true," I replied. "Jon will bring news, and if we're lucky, proof. That's why we won't move until he returns."

The lords nodded, though I could see they were nervous. I couldn't blame them — if this was true, and I knew it was, it would change everything.

"For now, rest," I said firmly. "We'll continue when we have more information from the Wall. I want the army ready to win a war."

---

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King's Landing.

Varys (Some hours after the escape)

"What do you mean he escaped?" the Queen asked in a shrill tone to the poor Janos Slynt, who was kneeling and shivering in fear at the bottom of the throne room.

"I don't know what happened, my queen," the leader of the gold cloaks defended himself, and, to be honest, I couldn't fault him for it. It was literally my job to find out about these things, and I was just as clueless as he was. I hadn't heard anything from my little birds positioned in that part of the Keep, and I feared the worst. They were usually quick to give me information about events as important as this one.

The disappearance of the late Hand was what everyone had been talking about for the past hour, and I feared silencing the news would be nigh impossible. The massacre that took place in the black cells during his escape was astounding—not just because nearly every guard stationed there was dead, but because it had been done mostly without anyone noticing.

Shivering at the thought of someone managing that right under our noses, I tried to calm myself and think logically. No one knew how he had done it, but during his escape, more than forty guards lay dead in the Keep. It was unthinkable. The worst part was that we hadn't yet counted all our losses; we needed to focus on the crucial pawn we lost because of this.

I was completely sure he had outside help. I considered myself good at reading people, and I knew for a fact that Eddard Stark wasn't capable of this. Either he was the best actor in the Seven Kingdoms, or someone was protecting him from the shadows.

This incident reminded me more than ever of the importance of information, for this had caught me completely off guard. The void that the North had become in the past few years was now biting us in the back. I was sure poor Baelish was shivering in his boots for his actions. He had promised to help the poor Hand against the Lannisters, but he cut his losses and changed allegiances on the fly. A shame, since it now appeared that the North was stronger than we'd thought.

That was a scary thought. Over the past few years, the North had trained so many soldiers, and a sliver of doubt crept into my mind. Could it be that they somehow knew about the Lannister bastards? Or was it simply a coincidence that they amassed such strength just as the war was starting?

I didn't know what to think for now, but I needed to focus on the present. One of the more interesting facts I learned in this short time was that Maester Pycelle asserted most of the guards had died from poison. Yet, apart from one, only a single guard had been injured. No single poison had been used, and many had died from different symptoms. It was strange.

It was confusing, and my only hypothesis was something I didn't want to say out loud. I didn't want to talk about magic, as that would likely lead to scoffing and the loss of credibility. There wasn't much to gain by bringing it up anyway, especially since I needed the Lannisters gone for the plan we'd concocted with Illyrio to move forward. Young Griff was growing up nicely, already backed by the Golden Company.

I wasn't entirely sure placing him on the throne would be best for the smallfolk, but it was hard to imagine him being worse than the last few kings. Jon Connington had done a wonderful job raising him, and I hoped the North having Eddard Stark back would just be a hiccup in our plans.

The new king had the mannerisms of the late Robert Baratheon with the madness of Aerys Targaryen. I couldn't believe how someone so young could be so twisted, but war was the only way forward. The Seven Kingdoms needed to be weakened to facilitate Young Griff's rise to power.

If that didn't work, I still had young Daenerys in the background. From what I had heard, she was in Vaes Dothrak at this moment, and I truly felt for her—so young and going through so many hardships. She had just lost her husband and son, and her group was divided, but I hoped Jorah Mormont could protect her during her travels.

Shaking my head to focus on the present, I paid attention to what was happening beneath the throne, trying hard not to roll my eyes at the almost rabid queen of the Seven Kingdoms, with her son acting much the same way. This was a problem. When Tywin Lannister called for his son Jaime to help him command part of the army, there would be no one left to curb the worst parts of the Dowager Queen's and the new king's behavior.

I gave it a few days until the news would leak, either by Littlefinger's hand or mine, and the problems for this new dynasty would begin. There was a need for caution in how we acted, but I was sure both of them would ignore our counsel.

Cersei Lannister was vain, and she thought she knew better than everyone else. I still wasn't sure how she would respond to this escape, but I knew it would only aggravate things. And the less said of the new king, the better.

"If you don't find him, I'll have your head, Janos!" exclaimed the newly crowned king with a sneer. I tried not to scoff. Wherever Eddard Stark was, it would be impossible to find him. He and his group had escaped hours ago, and they would be stupid if they hadn't run as fast as they could.

"Leave, and don't return until you have Eddard Stark back," commanded Cersei. "He is a piece we cannot lose to prevent the North from rebelling."

"Indeed, we need to find him as quickly as possible," interjected Petyr Baelish. "It is in our best interest if he cannot return North to rally his army. Even after the new taxes, the North has continued to grow in strength, and I'm afraid they will have a lot of support if they know how to act."

I tried not to smirk, mostly to avoid the king's wrath, but it was hard when I could see the beads of sweat running down Petyr's face.

"What do we know about the reinforced door?" asked Ser Jaime with a grim tone.

Ah… the "crumbled door," as the servants who saw it had called it. "I'm afraid what you're thinking is correct, Ser Jaime," I said, speaking for the first time during the meeting.

He looked at me in alarm and sighed despondently. "Was it wildfire?"

"Indeed it was, and I'm afraid to say it's more potent and easier to control than what the Mad King had," I continued with a sigh, wondering who the madman was who thought it was a good idea to use wildfire inside the castle. The astonishing part was that it had only burned through the door and nothing else. It was targeted, showing it was of a better quality than what the Mad King had used.

"These are bad tidings… I hate to ask this, but it is necessary," said Ser Barristan with a frown.

I looked at him, wondering when he was going to leave. I could see the small signs that he was thinking about it, but I wondered who he would join. I should steer him toward Daenerys, as I was sure she would need all the help she could get.

"What do you mean, Ser Barristan?" I asked, trying to finish the meeting soon so I could find out what had happened to my spies.

"If he is an enemy of the crown, why didn't they burn the Red Keep entirely?" he asked grimly, and I could see the effect his words had on the rest of the council. Ser Jaime, Baelish, and Cersei all paled rapidly.

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that question, Ser Barristan," I dipped my head, and I truly didn't.

"Maybe his honor stopped him?" Baelish asked, his nervous tic making me want to laugh at his face.

"It's his honor that got him into this mess," I said, shaking my head and pouring salt into the wound. "I'm afraid he will learn from his mistakes in the war to come."

The Queen stood up and paced around for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "What have your birds told you, Lord Varys?" she asked, and I frowned.

"Nothing, I'm afraid," I said, dipping my head low. "It is most unusual; they are usually quick to inform me about events such as this, and I had people positioned near the cells."

"Useless, all of you!" the King raged, and I could see the tension in the eyes of most of those present.

The Queen also saw it and decided to cut her losses. "Find out, Varys. We'll have another meeting when we have more information," she said, holding her head high.

"Yes, my Queen," I said, before leaving the council meeting to investigate personally.

Three weeks later.

"What news do you have for us, Lord Varys?" the queen inquired, her voice steady but her face betraying subtle signs of strain. Her usually flawless appearance was marred by faint stress lines and hastily concealed dark circles beneath her eyes.

"Bad news all around, my queen," I replied, suppressing a grimace. The impending war would ravage the realm, and the thought of the smallfolk suffering for the whims of the powerful weighed heavily on me.

"Get over it, eunuch," the king sneered, his arrogance clear to see. I masked my irritation with a simpering smile and bowed my head slightly, answering in my usual servile tone.

"Of course, my king." I offered a light chuckle, dipping my head lower in mock deference. "We now have the total count of casualties from the late Hand's escape. Sixty-eight guards perished in the line of duty." My voice adopted a somber tone, though my sympathy was not entirely genuine.

"Anyone of note?" the queen asked coolly. I shook my head, raising an eyebrow at her detached response.

"Not a significant loss then," she said dismissively, oblivious to the fact that her callousness was the final straw for Ser Barristan Selmy.

As the legendary knight rose from his seat and began unfastening his white cloak, I recalled our last conversation. I had ensured he would have assistance in fleeing to Daenerys across the Narrow Sea. Everything was in place for his departure.

"What do you think you're doing, Ser Barristan?" the queen's voice was calm, though a touch of forced authority crept in as he approached her and the king. The guards around us tensed, their hands inching toward their weapons, but I could see the uncertainty in their eyes.

"I'm done with this farce. I'm leaving," he declared, his tone firm and resolute.

"Why would we allow you to leave?" Joffrey spat, his voice dripping with disdain.

"There isn't a single person here who could stop me before I gutted you like a pig, boy," Ser Barristan said evenly, his words laced with cold truth, and the tension in the room surged.

"Leave, and never return!" the king screamed, his false bravado failing to mask the fear in his voice.

Ser Barristan offered a curt nod and strode toward the exit, never faltering. I gave him a subtle nod, reassuring him that everything had been arranged for his journey. His path to Astapor was clear, though he would have to manage the rest on his own.

"That was... tense," Lord Baelish said with a sly smile, breaking the silence. "Shall we continue? There's still much to discuss."

The queen nodded at him before turning back to me. "What about the rest of the kingdoms?"

I sighed deeply, not needing to feign my weariness. "I'm afraid war is inevitable."

"Oh?" Grand Maester Pycelle asked, leaning forward. "What have you heard, Lord Varys?"

"I'll start from the top of the realm," I replied, taking a sip of wine to prepare myself. "Dorne remains silent. We have no reports of any movements from them."

"Doran Martell is a snake without fangs," the queen sneered. "What of the Reach?"

"That's where our troubles begin, my queen," I shook my head. "I'm afraid Lord Renly has crowned himself King of Westeros, and he holds the support of much of the Reach and parts of the Crownlands."

"Treason!" Joffrey shouted with spittle flying from his mouth. "I am the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, and I'll have his head on a spike for this!"

"My son is correct," Cersei said, placing a hand on Joffrey's thigh in an attempt to calm him. "Renly will pay for his insolence. What do we know of his forces?"

"A hundred thousand strong," I said gravely. "Lord Renly commands the largest army in this conflict."

A heavy silence fell over the room as everyone absorbed the gravity of that number.

"And they have ample supplies, courtesy of the Reach's fertile lands," I added, noting the growing despair on several faces, while others already schemed in silence.

"And the Westerlands?" Cersei asked, attempting to regain control of her composure.

"Lord Tywin has entered the Riverlands, but not without cost," I replied, carefully concealing my true emotions.

"Has something happened?" Pycelle interjected, perplexed. "Lord Tywin is a brilliant strategist. How could he struggle against the unprepared Riverlands?"

"That's the problem," I explained. "It seems they had forewarning. Ser Brynden Tully, the Blackfish, left his post in the Bloody Gate and awaited them with a hastily assembled force. Though the Lannisters prevailed, it came at a great cost."

"I trust my grandfather will emerge victorious," Joffrey sneered. "What about the rest?"

"The Stormlands are divided," Lord Baelish chimed in, "and Lord Stannis has also staked a claim to the Iron Throne. The Riverlands remain on the defensive, and there has been no news from the Vale, my queen."

"Don't you have a close relationship with Lysa Arryn?" I asked, steering the conversation toward him.

"Indeed I do," he replied with a self-satisfied smile. "I could go to the Vale and secure her alliance."

I couldn't allow that. "I'm afraid your presence is too important here in King's Landing, Lord Baelish. The crown's finances require careful management in these difficult times."

"Lord Varys is right," the queen agreed, and I felt a wave of relief. I had thwarted Baelish's plan, though I knew I wouldn't be able to keep him contained for long.

"As you say," Baelish bowed and resumed his seat. "What of the North?"

"That, my lords, is my greatest concern," I said, turning to the room at large. "I have no spies in the North, and I've heard nothing of the late Hand or the forces the new Lord Stark has."

"Do you think he's reached the North by now?" Pycelle asked.

"No, I don't believe so, but they must be close," I answered grimly. "We know nothing of their numbers, their supplies, or their intentions."

"Assume they join the war," Pycelle mused, "either for themselves or to back Lord Stannis. How would that affect our situation?"

"It would change everything," I replied, my tone darkening. "The North would ally with the Riverlands, and together they would pose a significant threat to Lord Tywin's forces. Lord Stark, being half-Tully, would have every reason to support his kin."

"And they are also connected to the Vale through Lady Arryn," Baelish added. "Though the relationship between Catelyn and Lysa is strained, there's still a chance they could align."

"You make valid points," the queen acknowledged. "We will send a message to the Vale, ordering them to bend the knee."

"I doubt that will be enough," Baelish said smoothly. "A familiar face would be more persuasive. Allow me to go, and I'll bring the Vale to our side."

Thankfully, the queen shook her head. "Lord Varys is right. The war will strain the capital's economy, and we need you here, Lord Baelish."

"What about the Imp?" she asked, her gaze sweeping the room.

"We've had no word of Lord Tyrion," I replied, shaking my head. "It's as though he's disappeared."

"Maybe he's dead in a ditch somewhere, and we can't find his body because it's too small," Joffrey laughed.

"What do you think, Lord Varys?" the queen asked, her tone curious.

"That's certainly a possibility," I said thoughtfully, masking my concern. If Tyrion were to turn against the crown, it would spell disaster. Unlike the Lannisters, I did not underestimate his cunning. He could be a formidable adversary.

With nothing more to discuss we started leaving the chambers, and I wondered how the war would continue. Some things weren't going according to plan, but I was sure we could prevail. I had several backup plans in case some of them failed, and I would do anything in my power to see the smallfolk thrive.

---

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Sup guys, so... the 5k chapters won by a landslide on every platform I posted, so that's how it will be going forward. As you may know, I'm 5 chapters ahead on Patre*n, so I'll start posting the longer chapters there first. But yeah, next week we'll probably have those chapters on QQ. Enjoy!
Moat Cailin

Robb Stark

"Do you know why I called you here, Theon?" I asked the ward of my family—someone I could call a friend, though, at this moment, I needed to convey the seriousness of the situation.

"Because of my almost-outburst when you arrived," he said, head bowed.

"Aye. Did you understand why I silenced you, Theon?" I continued, wondering how I should nip his ambitions in the bud.

He didn't answer, but I was determined to have this conversation now.

"If the Iron Islands attack the North or our allies, they will be decimated," I told him bluntly. "Your father is a fool if he thinks history will not repeat itself."

"But Robb, I could convince him to ally with the North!" Theon exclaimed. I sighed in frustration.

"You are an outsider to them, Theon," I said gravely. "You do not follow their customs, and they won't respect you."

"How would you know?!" he shouted in my face, only to pale as he saw the stormy look on mine.

"Do not raise your voice at me again, Greyjoy," I said coldly. "I am your friend, but I am also your lord, and you will respect me."

"I know because I've read," I continued with a shake of my head, "something you clearly didn't do. You've never paid the iron price. You don't search for salt wives or follow any of their customs."

"After all this time, I wouldn't be surprised if your sister was the heir of Pyke in your stead," I added.

"They can't do that! I am the heir!" he murmured, and I hid a smile. Making him feel betrayed by his family would be the easiest way to make him forget about this so-called alliance.

"You are the next Lord of the Iron Islands, and when this war is over, I will ensure everyone knows that," I assured him. "But if you decide to leave for any reason to join your family against us, you will die by my hand, and your bloodline will end." My voice darkened.

"If there is one thing I despise more than my enemies, it's disloyalty under my roof," I finished, my face grim.

Theon nodded meekly. I hoped he understood. He was my friend, and I had known him for over five years—without counting the original Robb's memories—and it would pain me, but I would fulfill my promise.

"Now go and rest. We'll talk more later," I commanded him.

He nodded after a moment and left my room. I began planning for when Jon arrived.

Five Days Later

We didn't have to wait long for the rest of the army. The next day, they began trickling in. So far, aside from a few war council meetings, everything had been relatively calm. We were simply waiting for Jon's arrival.

That's why I was walking toward the back entrance. I could see him at the edge of my range, accompanied by a surprisingly large group. What shocked me more were his companions. I hadn't expected to see Lord Commander Mormont, let alone Ser Alliser Thorne. Alongside them were Uncle Benjen and Samwell Tarly. In the back was a carriage carried by unnamed Night's Watch brothers, making my heart race. If Uncle Benjen had succeeded, it would have helped us immensely.

"Open the gates!" I ordered the guards, my shout rousing them from sleep.

Trust Jon to arrive when everyone's asleep.

As the guards rubbed their eyes and rose, some thought it wise to wake the commanders and lords inside the moat. Before I knew it, the courtyard was full of people wondering what was happening.

Waiting for the spotters to confirm their arrival, I played with Shadow. It had been a long time since I'd last seen him before returning to the North, and I missed watching him grow from a puppy to the killing machine he was now. Thanks to my orders, the maester had been feeding him a mixture of my insects that promoted growth. He was now bigger, stronger, and more deadly than his canon counterpart.

Looking at Jon, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. Weariness clung to the entire group, though some tried to hide it behind grim expressions.

"Jon, it's been so long," I said, embracing him before stepping aside so he could see that Father was safe and sound.

His shoulders relaxed, and I was glad to see a small smile crack through his usual stoicism.

"What news do you bring?" I asked, steering the conversation to the important matters at hand.

"I'm afraid we bring bad news, Lord Stark," the Lord Commander began. "Your fears were correct. The White Walkers are a threat to the Seven Kingdoms."

"We need every realm united against this threat," Uncle Benjen added.

I burst out laughing.

"Easier said than done, Uncle," I replied. "We'll have to do it with our own forces for now."

"What do you mean?" Benjen asked.

"We're preparing for war, Uncle," I shrugged. "But don't worry, the Wall will have our full support, and we'll send our defeated enemies to help you deal with the threat."

As we talked, Lord Glover approached us. "Do you have proof of this?"

"Aye, I lost half of my team to get it," Benjen said grimly. "Only thanks to Robb were we able to return."

Ser Alliser walked to the carriage and opened it. Inside was a wight, bound in steel chains to prevent any risk.

"By the gods," Maege Mormont muttered. "Lord Stark was right."

"What do you mean, thanks to Lord Stark?" Lord Flint asked, inspecting the wight with a critical eye.

"When I last visited Winterfell, he gave me gifts that proved useful against them," Benjen nodded. "They cannot be harmed by conventional methods but are vulnerable to dragonglass."

"That's why we're here, my lords," the Lord Commander interjected. "During my childhood, I read a book that said Skagos had a significant amount of dragonglass."

This hit me hard—I hadn't known that.

"Are you sure, Lord Commander?" I asked seriously.

"Aye, Lord Stark. I'm not so old as to confuse that," he confirmed.

"This changes things," I mumbled, beginning to think.

Everyone fell silent as I paced, weighing the pros and cons of my plan.

"This is what we'll do," I began. "Since our total army is a little more than fifty thousand, we have some wiggle room for the next steps."

"First, twenty thousand soldiers will stay in the moat under my command. I'll take a small group against the Freys. After that, the rest of the army will go south with me," I continued, outlining my plan.

"Of the remaining army, twenty thousand will leave with my father, and he will command them from Winterfell," I explained, looking directly into my father's eyes until he nodded resolutely.

"There, he'll assess the best course of action against the White Walkers, sending soldiers to different key points and to the Wall."

"I'll do as you say, Lord Stark," Father nodded solemnly, and I exhaled, relieved by his support.

"There's one more thing I need you to do," I said gravely. "You need to communicate with the Skagosi and ask them to sell their dragonglass to the North."

"If that doesn't work, offer them asylum in Froststorm and the former Bolton lands. Promise them that as long as they bend the knee and follow our laws, they'll have our support."

"And if that doesn't work?" Lord Karstark interjected gruffly, his experience with the Skagosi evident. "Those bastards are barely human."

I sighed. "If that doesn't work, you'll need to invade the island to obtain the mineral," I said with finality. "I'm afraid there's no other option. And if you don't feel capable of that, Lord Karstark will take command."

"The White Walkers are a threat to the living. If the Skagosi can't understand the gravity of the situation, we'll have to subjugate them," I continued. "I'm not asking for something like the rape of the Three Sisters, but we need to bring them under our control for access to the dragonglass."

Father looked conflicted, but he nodded, and I let out a sigh of relief. I hoped that since his last betrayal, he would begin thinking differently—and I was right. Now, I just hoped I had made the right choice.

"Of those twenty thousand, you'll need to send some to the northernmost parts for protection—Bear Island, Deepwood Motte, Sea Dragon Point, Last Hearth, and Karhold," I continued. "I trust every lord has left a sizable force to guard their lands as I instructed."

"Aye," came the responses from the lords, and I nodded, satisfied. They might not be the best, since most were here, but even recruits could help if things took a turn for the worse.

"The rest of the army will be stationed in the central North," I added grimly. "The main threat will be the Ironborn if they attempt another rebellion, which I believe they will."

I glanced at Theon as I said this, pleased to see him keeping his head low. I hoped he wouldn't betray me, but I was prepared for that possibility.

"Most lords will remain in their territories and will command the groups assigned to them," I stated firmly. "There is one last thing to address."

"Anyone from outside the North or Riverlands is our enemy—show them no mercy. However, if they surrender, take them alive and send them to the Wall. As we now know, we'll need all the help we can get," I concluded my speech.

"You remind me of the Kings of the North I've read about," said Maege Mormont, giving me a strange look.

Lord Umber guffawed. "Aye, and why couldn't he be one? To Robb Stark, King of the North!" he shouted, raising his cup of vodka.

Alarmed, I looked around, as this was supposed to happen after some victories. But I couldn't detect any opposition to what Lord Umber had just proclaimed.

One by one, the lords and soldiers stood up, took their weapons, and bent their knees. "Robb Stark, King of the North!" they shouted in unison, and I felt a lump in my throat.

"I will work hard to bring the North victories," I managed to say, my voice tight with emotion. "To the North!" I shouted, raising my cup.

"The North!" "Long live the King!" "Fuck the Lannisters!"

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Authors note: Hey guys, im back. So yeah, theres already two 5k chapters in "that site", 3 more and the first one will be here. I enter midterms? i think thats the equivalent in my country, this week, so ill need to study and all that, but QQ will get the 5k chapters in two Wednesdays probably.

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Moat Cailin

Robb Stark

With everything in motion, it was only a matter of time before we started moving. Conflicts had already begun on the Goldroad, according to some of the merchants traveling North, so we were pressed for time to march against the South. Therefore, I was now bidding farewell to my father and the lords who would accompany him to Winterfell.

Lord Hornwood, Karstark, Umber, and Maege Mormont would leave with him and return to their own territories with some of the troops at a later date. Alongside them, twenty thousand soldiers and some millennial workers would depart from the Moat.

All the lords who had offspring in their twenties left them with me, giving me the responsibility of taking care of Smalljon, Lord Karstark's three sons, and Dacey Mormont. None of them would be on the front lines, as I couldn't risk their lives, but they would be part of my royal guard now that I'd been crowned King of the North.

"I hope you can complete all the tasks I've assigned to you, Father," I told him with a smile after a brief but comforting hug.

"Aye, I hope so too," he nodded grimly, and I could see his doubts. It saddened me to see how his "mistakes" in King's Landing had affected him, but I hoped that reuniting with Mother and the rest of our family would help his mental health.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to send a raven to the rest of the lords. There's no weakness in working alongside them." I smiled and took a few steps back, giving Jon space to speak with him.

"Lords, I thank you for the service you'll do for the North," I addressed the assembled lords in the background. "I have complete faith that you'll be able to accomplish everything I've asked."

"Do not worry, my King," Lord Hornwood replied. "We'll ensure everything is handled in that part of the North."

"Aye, and we'll have the dragonglass needed to fight the White Walkers," Lord Umber snorted. "I still can't believe they exist, and even less that I'll have to fight against them."

"A story worthy of songs," nodded Lord Karstark. "Please, my King, take care of our sons."

"I'll do my best to keep them out of danger, my lords," I said resolutely. "I can't promise they'll be unharmed, but I'll do my best to bring them back to the North."

"That's all we can ask, my King," Maege Mormont replied. "I know my Dacey would get pent up if you kept her away from the fight," she laughed.

"Aye, same as my Smalljon," Lord Umber guffawed.

Two Days Later

After finishing the last parts of my plan, my small vanguard was ready to move against the Freys. Our group consisted of five thousand soldiers, but for now, I would only take the best fifty. It was such a small force that it would be easy to attack the Twins unnoticed.

As a formality, I sent a delegation to ask for passage, but of course, they denied us. I had my excuse ready, as we couldn't wait for them to "get the stick out of their asses" to let us pass and help their liege lords.

I was sure my grandfather wouldn't care, and even if he did, I didn't care at all. This was no longer a war to satisfy my ego and be crowned king, living the best life I could while destroying every threat in Planetos. No, this was now a war for the survival of every living being on this planet. I couldn't allow Scion to pinpoint my location, and for that reason, I would fight anyone who opposed me.

The small group of green men at my back knew the requirements to plant more weirwood trees, so they would take care of that and handle the wounded. With their magic and my enhanced insects, they had become a different kind of healer. I could promote natural healing, antiseptics, and everything needed to help those who weren't critically injured, while they used their magic for the more serious cases.

For the past few days, I have been visiting the Twins to make my job easier. I went alone, staying in the shadows, and ordered my insects to spoil their food supply or even steal it with my larger creations. The Freys were hungry and paranoid, with more of them leaving every day to hunt animals, only to disappear in the woods. Now, it was time to strike.

The main antagonists had already been pinpointed by my insects, and I made it clear that I wasn't looking for a bloodbath. With that in mind, my small group and I prepared to attack while the Freys were weak.

"Are you all ready?" I asked one last time. "Remember, do not kill unnecessarily, and try to stay silent."

"Aye," "Aye," "Yes, my King."

Nodding in approval, we started walking toward the bridge. The Frey forces had dwindled in recent days, and many of the guards on the bridge were either dozing off or hunting for food. Using my insects to scout, I ordered most of them to inject the guards with paralytic venom. I signaled my group to start moving.

"Begin the operation," I commanded and nodded in satisfaction as I watched my soldiers silently tie up the Frey guards and carry them back north. We had to move fast, and I knew that after today, everyone in my army would know about my powers.

Since there was no need to hide it anymore, I ordered my insects to incapacitate the guards atop the Twins. We would use grappling hooks to scale the walls. I heard my soldiers gasp in surprise, but they knew better than to stop now. After the operation, I would have to answer their questions, but for the moment, they remained focused. Organized. Just as I had trained them.

Screams rang out in the distance, but they didn't matter. There was no one awake to hear or provide support to the unfortunate guards. Over the past few days, I had investigated which Freys deserved death and which would be sent to the Wall. Since most of the guards atop the walls were innocent of serious wrongdoing, I only incapacitated them. The only ones who didn't survive were Lothar Frey and a few of his sycophants.

As we entered the castle, we moved quickly. We didn't have the numbers to fight thousands of men in the area, so efficiency was crucial. Today's objective was to assassinate most of Walder Frey's bastards and take the old lord hostage. That way, when Lord Mallister arrived with reinforcements, the remaining Frey soldiers would bend the knee.

"Jon, be ready. It'll be like the Dreadfort," I told Jon quietly but firmly. "I hope you've been training."

He nodded resolutely and drew his bow. The other guards followed suit, preparing their light weapons—throwing knives, daggers, or maces, Dacey Mormont's preferred weapon.

"Five guards ahead," I murmured. "Kill them all."

At my signal, they sprang into action. I stayed back to observe how they worked as a team. Jon remained near the wall, avoiding the risk of hitting our own men, while Smalljon and Dacey ran in with their maces just after our men threw their knives. The knives and arrows struck true, and Dacey, Smalljon, Theon, and Rickard finished the guards with their maces. They then caught the bodies, ensuring they fell quietly to the ground.

As they disposed of the bodies, I scouted for more nearby enemies, injecting any guards I found with either lethal venom or a paralytic dose that would wear off in a few hours.

With everyone ready, we began running toward the Twins' Great Hall. Most of Walder Frey's bastards were there, discussing what to do about us. The guards at the entrance were quickly knocked out, and we took position. The strongest men opened the doors.

Inside the Great Hall, Lord Walder Frey sat, completely unaware of the invasion. My insects had been listening to their conversations, and I grew cold with anger at their plans to extort us. Walder Frey's arrogance had been his downfall. He didn't bother with heavier security, convinced no one would dare attack his castle, even after losing so many soldiers due to a lack of food.

We burst into the hall, my men behind me. Walder Frey's eyes widened with shock as he fumbled for words.

"Robb Stark," he hissed. "You dare—"

"I do," I replied. "We won't wait for you to get that stick out of your ass, Frey. This war is just starting, and the Frey family has no place in the future of the Seven Kingdoms. After we take you and kill your sons, the North will occupy these lands for the betterment of our kingdom."

Walder opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, I raised my hand. A cloud of insects swarmed him and his sons, their bites numbing their bodies within seconds. Walder Frey and his sons collapsed, eyes wide with terror.

I turned to the others. "Round up everyone here. We're heading back to the other side."

My men moved swiftly, clearing out the Freys and taking them to the roof so we could escape. Now, we just had to wait for Jason Mallister's army to arrive. Our forces were more than ten times the size of the remaining Frey men so I didn't doubt we won this pissing contest.

Standing on the bridge I looked up to the castle in the distance, and I ordered my insects to buzz aloud for every moment until the Mallister army arrived, a little psychological torture wouldn't hurt. After all, my conquest has just begun.

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Three days later.

Robb Stark.

"You will never get away with this!" Black Frey shouted from where he was tied up. The bastard had woken up a couple of hours ago, and he hadn't been able to stay silent. I didn't know where he got his bravado from, as the only things spewing from his mouth were insults and threats against my people.

Even after a particularly rough beating delivered by Dacey Mormont—after hearing him threaten to rape his way through Bear Island—the stupid bastard hadn't learned his lesson. Dacey only stopped because I ordered it, but I could see she wasn't calm enough. Because of that, I left her in charge of the rest of our hostages, with the only order being to keep them alive. I didn't care much about what happened to them, but I needed them alive for a little longer.

Walking around the camp, I quietly observed how my soldiers were feeling. I could see that "normal" meant nervousness with a hint of giddiness. The normal age for men to be allowed to fight in a war here in Westeros was fifteen, though, of course, exceptions existed. At least, that's how it was for the Northern army.

The younger soldiers hoped to make a name for themselves and gain riches, status, and the like, while the older men just hoped to come back alive to their families. The only thing they all shared was the determination to fight for the betterment of our kingdom. Most of my men would die happily, knowing they were fighting for a good cause.

To be honest, it was kinda scary having this burden thrust upon my shoulders, but I needed to act accordingly.

For now, we were just waiting for support from the Mallisters to arrive. They were sending only a thousand soldiers, led by Patrek Mallister, while Jason waited for us in Seagard. The Frey forces had been dwindling for the last three days since we attacked, as more and more soldiers decided to run away or bend the knee to me.

I was pretty sure I had most of the Frey main family—at least the males—and the women didn't have the support needed for the remaining soldiers to rally behind them. At the very least, since we killed most of the bad apples in the castle, there hadn't been many problems like soldiers taking unwanted liberties, though I wasn't sure how long that would last.

My insects had been hard at work, and I even opted to allow the soldiers who left to return to the castle with food, since I wanted them weak, not dead. So I had them stop buzzing after the second day, at which point I also stopped grabbing the soldiers.

As I walked across the camp to the main tent, I nodded at everyone who saluted me. It was weird, but I was getting used to the Northerners treating me like a King. I was sure this would complicate things in the long run, but whatever.

"Smalljon, any news?" I asked with a smile.

"Nothing pressing, just a message that arrived a few hours ago from Lord Mallister. It appears his heir will arrive tomorrow," he answered, and I nodded. The distance between Seagard and the Twins wasn't that big, and since most of those soldiers hadn't seen battle in recent times, I was sure they were well-rested.

"Good, we'll ask them to surrender tomorrow, then," I nodded resolutely. "I want you to prepare the hostages for our arrival. We'll kill every single one of them except old Walder. He will have the honor of dying in his great hall."

"Nasty..." he murmured. "I like it."

"I knew you would," I scoffed. "You're all a bunch of barbarians," I joked, imitating a Southern Lady.

As we joked around, more people arrived at the tent, and I explained how things would proceed.

"After we take the Twins, we'll wait for some of the fifteen thousand soldiers in the Neck to arrive. They'll stay in the castle while we go ahead to help the Riverlands," I said firmly. "Is there anyone who wants the honor of lording the Twins while we're at war?"

I knew no one would accept my generous offer, but I needed to ask all the same.

"You will not fight the Lannisters without me, Robb," Jon said with a deadpan expression. "I don't know if I should pity them if I leave you to your own devices."

I scoffed good-naturedly. "I wouldn't do that much."

The others gave me deadpan looks, and Eddard Karstark asked what everyone had in mind. "How did you escape from the Red Keep again?"

"It was one time!" I rolled my eyes. "We were short on time, and that door was in the way," I defended myself.

"Whatever. If you lot are so sure about this, I'll send a message to Lord Glover to pick someone capable," I mumbled to myself. "Maybe Lord Flint wants to do it."

"Aye, the Flints are a good idea. They're the biggest family in the North, with all those branches. I'm sure they've got someone capable," said Thorren Karstark while eating some venison.

"Sylvyrn, be ready to start planting weirwoods," I told the leader of the Green Men. "Is there anything you need for it?"

"Yes, my king," he said, bowing his head. "I need some blood so the trees can grow."

I rolled my eyes. Since meeting the Old Gods and getting closer to the Green Men, I've learned a lot about them. I was right: they were eldritch beings. But whatever. We made a pact, and I would fulfill my part.

"How much blood, Sylvyrn?" I asked firmly, hoping there wouldn't be a need for an unnecessary bloodbath wherever I visited.

"Not much, my king," he replied while taking out a jar. "If this jar is filled to the brim, I can plant over fifty trees."

I sighed in relief, but then I remembered something. "Any blood will suffice, I hope?" I asked, fearing they might need something more powerful, like R'hllor.

"Yes, my king," he replied. "The blood is just a catalyst, nothing more. Think of it as adding some fertilizer to normal plants."

I slumped in my seat before noticing the silence in the tent. I almost burst out laughing, seeing the rest of my friends inching away from Sylvyrn. They couldn't deny the advantages he and his group provided, but that didn't make it any easier to stomach some of their customs. Thankfully, we hadn't had any problems yet. Something I was sure would change when we started mingling with the Riverlanders.

"Any news from the Riverlands?" I asked aloud.

"I'm afraid the Lannisters are pushing the Blackfish," Harrion said, shaking his head. "They'll be overrun if they don't get our support soon."

I nodded grimly. "I'm sure my great-uncle can hold them off for a while, but fret not—the Lannisters will rue the day they conspired against us."

"Aye, they deserve no less," Jon added with surprising heat.

The next day

I stood atop a rise, surveying my army with satisfaction. Heir Patrek was already at my side, his thousand men waiting for orders. The rest of my generals stood nearby, attentive to my command.

The Twins loomed in the distance, but they were no longer what they had once been. Despair hung over the place like a shroud, visible even through the eyes of my insects. Fewer than two thousand souls remained within the castle, all of them gaunt with hunger, their faces with black bags beneath their eyes.

Behind me, my army of twenty thousand stood in disciplined ranks, banners fluttering in the wind. The direwolf of House Stark bore a new addition—a crown upon its head. Sansa had gotten the idea into her head after Father returned to Winterfell and told the girls about my being named king. She insisted we needed a new sigil.

Apart from the new Stark banner, the eagle of House Mallister flew alongside others from the North. I was certain it was an imposing sight, one that would strike fear into the hearts of the remaining Freys.

At the base of the rise stood a column of Frey hostages—old Walder, his sons, and grandsons—bound and haggard with hunger and fear, at least most of them. I couldn't help but feel a sliver of respect for Black Walder's defiance, petty to the end.

Walder Frey, the frail old man, stood at the front of the group. Even in chains, his eyes still burned with venom as they fixed on me.

"Lord Frey," I called, my voice carrying over the quiet army. "You chose to sit idle while your liege lords suffered, hindering my kingdom's efforts to aid my mother's family. Now, because of your actions, your own family suffers. While you gorged on food and laughed, the Tullys fought for their lands, and now the Freys are starving because of you."

I paused, letting my words sink in before continuing. "Your men are on the brink of starvation. The food in your stores has spoiled, and the only reason they aren't dead yet is because I don't hold them accountable for your decisions. Submit with some semblance of pride. You and your sons will die, but I give you my word that we will not harm a single hair on your daughters. Perhaps, in time, a better kind of Freys will return to the Twins."

Walder's lips quivered as he shuffled his feet. "You think you've already won, boy? My soldiers still hold the Twins. You won't take them with words. Stark blood is easily spilled, I'm sure."

My jaw tightened, but I didn't let my anger show. "It seems you need more convincing," I said, summoning my insects.

Turning to Dacey, I ordered, "Untie his sons. Let's put their misery on display."

I glanced back at the old lord and snorted. "If any of your sons can make it back to the Twins before they die, I'll let them leave."

There was just over a kilometer between them and the gates—more than enough distance for my swarm to catch them.

"Go on, boys. Run for your lives," I said as I called my millions of insects to form a cloud in the sky.

An eerie twilight descended as the sun dimmed, and the only sound was the incessant buzzing of my swarm. Glancing back, I saw the Mallister men, pale with fear as they looked up at the swarm blocking out the sun. I knew that if the swarm turned on us, they would flee. Thankfully, Jon was close enough to Patrek to calm him.

"This is what will happen to the rest of your family if you don't comply," I said, my voice calm as I lowered my hand.

The cloud of insects surged forward, enveloping the fleeing sons of Walder Frey. Their screams of terror and pain echoed, like music to my ears. The swarm was so thick that nothing could be seen, but after a minute, I dispersed it, commanding the insects to remain in the open air.

All that remained were bones in some places, and in others, hollow husks of flesh barely clinging to the skeletons.

Walder Frey whimpered at the sight, but I didn't give him a chance to gather his thoughts. "This is your last chance. Order the gates to open, submit to my reign, and I'll spare what's left of your family. Resist, and your bloodline will be erased from history—a mere footnote in tales of foolish men."

Behind him, my army stirred, ready for my command. The howl of the wind seemed to carry the Stark banner, with Ghost and Shadow's howls echoing alongside it.

Walder spared a glance at the bodies and then at the castle before slumping in defeat, his breath a faint, shaky exhale.

"You win this time, Stark," he croaked. "Open the gates!" he shouted and I smiled seeing his order being carried by the guards.

---

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Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter. We're getting closer to Riverrun with each passing day! The next chapter will be at Seagard, and after that, the conflict against the Lannisters will begin.


The Twins.


Robb Stark.


As I observed the defeated Freys kneeling in the courtyard, I felt an indescribable sense of pride in what we had accomplished. One of the main antagonists in the series, and for me, one of the most impactful and shocking moments, would never happen because of my actions. I felt elated by what I had done.


But even if the mere mention of this family sickened me, I would still keep my promise. The soldiers who survived would join my army or the Night's Watch; the choice would be theirs.


That was the main reason I was so pleased with Uncle Benjen's accomplishments at the Wall. With the Wight chained in my hands, I could provide proof to the lords and soldiers of the true threat to the living. With it, it would be easier to gain their support, and even my defeated enemies would choose to go to the Wall willingly.


I was sure there would be outliers who preferred to be petty and die by my hands, but I knew most of them would choose to fight against the White Walkers, even if they were my enemies. As long as I promised to be benevolent when I marched into their homes in exchange for their help against the White Walkers.


Either way, for now, my first capture in this war had gone smoothly. I didn't know if word of my actions would travel, but I hoped it would. The best way for people to surrender without much bloodshed would be for them to fear me so much that they would do it of their own volition.


Shaking my head to get rid of useless thoughts for a moment, I looked at my surroundings. The small army Lord Mallister had sent was shifting uneasily, and even Heir Patrek looked uneasy, glancing at the sky with clear concern.


"Heir Patrek, thank you for your support," I said in a calm voice.


He shifted in his spot but calmed himself rather quickly, making me respect him more. "We didn't do anything, Lord Robb," he said with a tremulous smile.


"He is Robb Stark, King of the North," Dacey Mormont scoffed.


"Dacey, he didn't know about it. Calm down," I ordered with a frown before looking at the dumbfounded heir. "Please excuse her; they've become quite zealous in their belief," I continued with a relaxed smile.


There was no way the South could know about my "coronation," as it had happened recently, and I didn't fault him for that.


"My apologies, King Robb," he said, dipping his head low, and I tried to hide my grimace.


"Forget about it," I waved my hand. "For now, we should finish things here."


"This is something I want to see," he grinned brightly. "The Freys have been a thorn in my family's side for a long while. It's good they're getting their due."


Nodding at him before looking at the remaining Freys, I walked to the center where everyone could see me.


"Freys…" I started, raising my voice to be loud and clear. "The lord of your house is the reason why you have suffered these past few days."


As I waited in silence for the tension to build, I noticed how many of them were crying in fear of their future, but I steeled my heart and continued.


"But fret not, I am a king who keeps his promises," I said loudly. "Walder Frey will die by my hand, but he is giving his life so that the name Frey will not be erased from the annals of history."


"With his death, you all will be spared, under some conditions, of course," I added with a smile.


Looking around, I saw soldiers, women, and children looking up with hope in their eyes, even if it dimmed slightly with my last words.


"There will be no more bloodshed, I assure you," I continued. "The only condition is that you help my army. You will continue living here, under my protection—under the protection of a king."


"You will have no power while we are here, but we will treat you justly. We will stay here while we wait for the rest of the army to arrive. After that, I will continue my campaign in the South," I smiled. "One lord of the North will be in charge here, but as I said, you will be taken care of."


"How can we trust you?" asked a particularly brave young woman.


"I am the King of the North," I nodded. "That may not mean much here, but I assure you, my word is my bond," I said, quoting the beloved Lucifer Morningstar.


"The lands and remaining people will thrive under my rule, just as the North has all these years," I continued. "I'm sure you've heard about the changes in my kingdom over the past few years. Even when the crown tried to stop us, we thrived, and so will you!" I said with great fervor.


I could see they were getting excited by the promises of a just king and everything else I'd said. I just needed one final nail in the coffin.


"I am your new king, and it is my duty to see you prosper." With that, I called some of my soldiers. "Bring the food," I ordered.


The inhabitants of the Twins had suffered these past few days, and it was time I rectified that.


As I watched with a smile as the people celebrated, happy to finally eat their fill, I frowned. "For now, eat. We will continue tomorrow."


Next Day.


With everyone gathered in the courtyard once more, I addressed the people before me.


"All who don't wish to witness the fate of Walder Frey may leave. And I beseech you, take the children away. There is no reason they should witness this," I said solemnly, happy to see the sighs of relief from the younger audience and the more mature ones.


As I watched them leave, I was surprised to see a young girl, who looked to be my age at most, staying in place, stubbornly refusing the older woman trying to make her leave.


"What is your name, girl?" I asked, ignoring Jon's barely concealed snort at me calling her that.


"My name is Joyeuse Erenford, my king," she curtsied.


"What is the reason you wish to witness this, Lady Erenford?" I asked with a grimace. If I remember correctly, she was the old lord's latest wife.


"I want to see it with my own eyes, my king," she bowed her head. "I suffered while being his wife, and I fear that if I don't witness his demise, I will never be at peace."


"I understand," I nodded with a sad smile. "You are permitted to stay."


"Thank you, my king," she bowed, before turning her laser-like focus on the scene.


"Anything you wish to say before going to the Seven Hells, Walder Frey?" I asked.


"I only ask that you keep your promise, Robb Stark," he replied with a defeated air. "I know I've lost. Just get this over with."


"I will, do not worry," I nodded. "I know you don't understand what it means to be a good person, but I assure you, when I promise something, I mean it."


He only nodded and bared his neck on the chopping block.


"Under the name of Robb Stark, King of the North and Champion of the Old Gods, I sentence you to die," I declared, using Ice to cut his head.


The longsword was sent to Moat Cailin along with the new banner, as my father said I needed to practice using it, and it was my right.


As Walder Frey's head rolled to a stop, I addressed everyone. "As I promised, with the last Lord Frey's death, you will be spared and cared for."


"Now, we need to have some serious conversations," I continued. "The soldiers here have two options: they can continue with me against the South, or they can head back and help humanity against the true threat."


I could see them shifting in their places, but I continued without care. "Jon, bring in the proof."


As Jon nodded and went to the back with ten other guards, I waited while rubbing Shadow's head. He had grown so much, and I loved it. Thankfully, the insect mixture hadn't stopped working.


As Jon entered, pulling the cage with the guards, everyone heard the wight's screeches, and even without seeing it, they shivered. When Jon removed the cover, I shook my head at the screams of fright from the women and even some soldiers.


"As you can see, north of the Wall, a threat unlike any we've ever faced is brewing. We need every kingdom on board if we are to defeat them. Their numbers are greater than ours, they don't tire, and some are likely stronger than us," I said solemnly, looking everyone in the eye. "I truly hope at least some of you are brave enough to fight for the living. While I and my army continue marching south, more and more people will join you."


"But fret not," I added, looking at those who seemed unconvinced or afraid. "The Wall stands strong, we have time, and we will win."


There was a deathly silence in the courtyard before the master-at-arms stepped forward. "I'll go," said Garret Haigh, who, if I remembered correctly, was part of one of the Freys' vassal houses.


As he set an example, more and more soldiers voiced their approval, and I nodded in satisfaction. Everything was moving along. For now, I just needed to wait for the rest of the army to arrive at the Twins, and I wondered who Lord Glover had chosen to take control of this land. Either way, the pieces were moving, and I couldn't afford to lag behind.

---

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Author's Note: Hey guys, tomorrow (hopefully I'll remember lol) I'll post the next chapter, which will be the last short one. After that, all of them will be around 5k words.
Seagard
Robb Stark


"Lord Mallister, it's a pleasure to meet you again," I smiled at the frowning lord, who was eyeing his heir with a critical expression. Seeing that Patrek was in one piece, the lord nodded in satisfaction before turning his gaze to me. "King Stark," he greeted, "It appears a lot has changed since we last met."


I chuckled softly before giving him a firm handshake. "Aye, my people decided before I could give any input. But do not worry, our agreement will remain the same."


"Do you have any news about my mother's family, Lord Mallister?" I asked him, as more than a week had passed since the execution of the late Lord Frey. Lord Glover had chosen Robin Flint, the son of the Lady of Widow's Watch, to be the lord of the Twins during this war.


If I remember correctly, he was one of Robb's personal guards in the original timeline, but since I'm now an enhanced version of my canon counterpart, I didn't need as much protection.


For now, my body had the strength, speed, and reaction time of a man in his prime. I was probably one of the best fighters the North had to offer, and I was by far the best at long-range combat thanks to my powers.


"Not much, King Robb," he shook his head. "The last I heard was about some skirmishes along the Red Fork between the Riverlands and the Lannisters. I can honestly say that the Blackfish is one of the best generals Westeros has ever seen," he said with admiration.


"Indeed, my great uncle deserves praise for this," I nodded. "And now he will have our support. How many soldiers can you spare?"


He thought for a moment. "My full force is small compared to what you command," he sighed. "I can spare three thousand soldiers. I will keep one thousand here at Seagard to protect my lands."


"Will you follow us, or will you stay here?" I asked, curious about his decision.


"I think Patrek can manage Seagard in my absence. I will follow you, King Robb," he said with a smile. "From what I can observe, most of your generals are young. I don't mean to belittle anyone, but I'm sure my experience could help in one way or another."


"Yes, I ordered the lords of the North to protect the kingdom in my stead, the same for my father," I replied with a smile. "I'm afraid things are not so simple." I continued, explaining the details about the White Walkers and calling for the Wight we had been using as proof.


"This is troubling news…" he murmured as he paced through the courtyard. "I'm afraid I cannot spare more soldiers for this venture, but I assure you, after we finish the war for the Iron Throne, House Mallister will support the North against this blight," he vowed seriously, and I nodded in acceptance.


We still had time, after all. Rushing things would only make it harder in the future.


"Then we will rest for a day before marching to Riverrun. I fear we have already wasted too much time," I nodded grimly. "As promised, we will leave four thousand men here to fulfill the pact, and you will have the support of Heir Robin Flint, who is overseeing the Twins if Patrek needs any more help."


"As a matter of fact, if you permit us to use your lands, we could plant the crops discovered in the North to prepare for the future. I fear we will need them. Heir Robin will also use the lands of the Twins for this," I continued, offering something I knew he couldn't refuse, lest his people rise against him.


"What can I do to repay this kindness, King Robb?" he asked seriously, and I smiled benevolently.


"Nothing, my lord. It's the least I could do. We need to be strong and united for the threat to come."


Jason Mallister nodded gratefully. "I will never forget this. You have made a friend for generations, King Robb."


Two weeks later


Robb Stark


Seeing Riverrun at the edge of my range, I nodded in satisfaction. The army had great morale since we didn't face many battles, and the travels had been swift. My army now consisted of thirty thousand soldiers, as many lords with territories between Seagard and Riverrun had joined us.


Some of them bent the knee to me, though they were the exception. I knew most of them wanted to see me in action before making such a big decision, as it would affect their relationship with us. Oaths were not something to break lightly.


One thing that made me smile was a single addition to our group.


While passing Stone Hedge, my group found a small sellsword company, and color me surprised—their leader was Bronn.


Since my mother hadn't kidnapped Tyrion, Bronn must have formed this small group to make some coin during these hard times. I couldn't trust him completely, as his main motivation was gold, but I was sure that in time I could make him work for me of his own volition. If I knew one thing, it was that Bronn always followed whoever seemed to be winning.


Either way, I had time to win over Bronn and the other lords' allegiance. For now, the most pressing matter was that the Lannisters had pushed my great uncle's army back to Riverrun. They had fallen back because they were taking too many losses against Tywin and Jaime's army.


Currently, they were being besieged at Riverrun by Tywin, but the problem was that Jaime had taken half of their forces to fight the other houses, killing and burning multiple keeps.


For now, we would help the Blackfish against Tywin. When his army fled to regroup with Jaime's, we would take them both. My main focus was to take them hostage. Jaime, for all his faults, was a damn good fighter—one of the best in Westeros—and we could use his help. As for Tywin, I still wasn't sure what to do with him. He was a threat, but I couldn't deny that he knew how to run things. Maybe we could reach an agreement, though I wouldn't bet on it.


For now, it was pointless to dwell on that. We needed to focus on defeating an army larger than ours. During our travels, my army continued to train. I wanted them to fight as a unit, rather than the chaos most armies in Game of Thrones used.


They weren't at the level of the Unsullied yet, but they were getting there. With my insects, we could make shields out of chitin, which made things easier. Most of the soldiers used blunt weapons or spears, with only a fifth of the army wielding swords.


I never understood why in Game of Thrones, blunt weapons weren't more common. They were probably the best weapons against armored enemies. Robert Baratheon was the biggest example of this. I couldn't deny that in his prime, he was a beast, but he also had the advantage of downing most of his opponents with a single well-placed hit. The series lied to me—using a sword against someone in full plate armor was almost impossible. Slashing was ineffective, and finding a weak point to stab was incredibly difficult.


Shaking my head, I focused on the battalion approaching us from Riverrun. The Lannisters undoubtedly knew about our arrival; it was impossible to hide the sheer number of soldiers I had behind me.


I wasn't worried, though. Since the war started, I'd been using my insects freely, and I knew I could overrun any army unprepared for the millions of bugs under my control.


To be honest, the fight for the throne wouldn't be the hardest part of my journey—at least not if no new variables appeared. I still wasn't sure if there was a Faegon with the Golden Company vying for the throne, as I had no information from that side of the world.


And since the Old Gods got involved, I was certain the more mystical aspects of the books were present here. I needed to keep my guard up against Melisandre and, worse yet, Euron Greyjoy. In the series, they weren't much of a threat, but the book Euron scared me. A more competent Melisandre also sounded like a problem.


Seeing who I assumed to be my uncle, Edmure Tully, leading the battalion, I wondered what he would be like. Would he be the disgrace the showrunners of the series made him, or the dumb but honestly good person book Edmure was?


"Nephew!" he shouted with a grim face. He looked stressed and, more importantly, pissed off.


I couldn't fault him—the Riverlands had been the battlefield for most of the fighting since the Conquest, and now it was burning again.


"Uncle Edmure, mother sends her regards," I said neutrally. "The North is here to support you and destroy the Lannisters."


"Thank you for the help. Uncle Brynden speaks highly of you. He made sure everyone knew you were the reason for his presence in the Riverlands," he smiled, and I could see the strain lifting from his body.


"I'm sorry I couldn't inform more people," I replied somewhat guiltily. I couldn't show weakness, but humanity was another matter. "My father was in danger, and I didn't have time to visit earlier."


"Fret not, nephew," he nodded. "Father understands this as well. He has been ill for a while, but I can see his happiness that you came to aid us. I've seen him smile more in these past weeks than in the last few years, even with all these hardships."


"Problems that will cease to exist, I assure you," I replied with a smile. "Why don't we set camp near the castle? That way we can go and pay our respects to Grandfather."


"Aye, follow me," he said as he began giving orders to his men.

---

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Author's note (Patreon): Seeing how the poll is going, this will probably be the last short chapter. I truly hope you guys enjoy it and continue to do so in the future! The next chapter will be the war council, and probably the first Dany interlude. With more words per chapter, it will be easier to include the necessary POVs to give the story more depth.


Author's note 2: This is the last short chapter! sorry for the wait but yeah, i will post the first 5k chapter just after this one!

Riverrun

Robb Stark

It was hard to believe how the lively lands of Riverrun were damaged to this level. Walking behind my uncle, I observed how the Riverlanders were milling around the castle, moving the wounded and weapons.

I could see crying women over some bodies the healers were unable to save, and children running around looking scared. Stopping for a moment, which made everyone behind me stop as well, I continued to look around.

"Sylvyrn, take all our healers to help," I ordered the leader of the Greenmen.

"At once, my king," he replied. "We'll need help to move the supplies."

"Smalljon, Dacey," I continued, "make sure the healers have anything they need. Take a hundred guards with you for support."

"Aye," "Aye," they replied. "Go on ahead, we'll make sure to help."

I nodded and started walking behind Edmure, who gave me a grateful smile. "I thank you for this, nephew."

"Don't worry, uncle. We're here to help with anything," I replied.

As we resumed walking, I used my swarm to check the terrain and surroundings, looking for places that needed work. The castle was in good shape, thankfully, but I couldn't say the same for the inhabitants.

They were tired, scared, and hungry. At least with some of those things, we could help. We had more than enough provisions to feed everyone here, and with the new land we could use from the Riverlords who followed me, we would have more for the winter.

With all those lands, we could farm enough food for the war against the Lannisters and the White Walkers, so in this case, we were quite set.

"Why are there so many smallfolk here, uncle?" I asked him, noticing that most of the inhabitants were peasants who were helping wherever they could.

"They are our people, nephew. They were afraid and hungry. What lord would I be if I didn't try to help them?" he asked, and I couldn't deny that my respect for him soared.

"I'm sure the Riverlands will be in good hands when you take command, uncle. You made the right choice—without our subjects, we would be nothing."

As he went to reply, he stopped cold in his tracks, seeing the person waiting for us.

"Uncle Brynden, is there any news?" he asked him.

"Tywin's army has been relentless in their push against us, and we need to support the rest of the lords against Jaime's army." He shook his head. "We're in a bad spot, but from what I can see, at least we have new blood for the future."

With that, he approached me and hugged me tightly.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Robb," he said sincerely. "Without that, the Riverlands would be in an even worse situation."

As I returned the hug and patted his back, I replied, "It was the least I could do, Ser Brynden. You have done a wonderful job with this."

"It's time we give Tywin a surprise, but first, I need to know more about their armies," I continued. "What do we know of their numbers, supplies, and all of that?"

"Tywin has almost twenty thousand soldiers laying outside of Riverrun," Brynden replied. "With that being said, Jaime Lannister leads almost fifteen thousand soldiers, located at Mummer's Ford."

"Aye, we're in trouble," supplied Edmure. "We were going to be overrun before long."

"Not anymore, but we need a meeting for a war council—there is much to discuss," I said, wondering what the more experienced generals would decide.

"Go ahead and meet my brother. We'll have a war council after dinner," said Ser Brynden. "His health has been getting worse with all this stress. Maybe meeting you will help him."

With that, he marched toward his army, and I continued with Edmure toward his father.

"Father has been amazed by what we've heard. Not many news has reached us in these tiring times, but is it true?" he asked in a low voice.

"What have you heard, uncle?" I asked. "There has been a lot happening these past weeks."

"Are you blessed by your old gods?" he asked bluntly, a frown on his face.

"Aye, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that they exist, just like the Seven," I replied in a calm voice, remembering my "meeting" with them, something that still weirded me out.

"Amazing…" he murmured. "What are they like?"

"It's not easy to explain, uncle," I replied with a weak chuckle. "They are different from the Seven, from what I know, more in tune with nature. They are inhuman… something more."

"Interesting. What happened at the Twins?" he continued.

"It appears that Lord Walder Frey suffered from a case of a missing head," I laughed. "I and a small group entered the Twins and killed the bad apples. After that, we escaped with Lord Frey and his sons, to make the people inside bend the knee."

"How could you do that, Robb? It's almost unheard of."

"Let's say being a champion of the Old Gods has its boons," I replied. "I'm sure you will see shortly what I'm talking about."

Edmure shook his head in wonder. "We're here. Go ahead. It hurts to see him like this, so I won't accompany you."

"It's understandable," I replied. "We'll see each other at dinner, then."

Walking inside the room, I observed my grandfather looking sickly in bed.

"Grandfather," I said with a smile, "it's good to see you, even if the situation could be better."

"Come, come, son," he said with a choked voice. "You look so much like your mother."

"Aye, I look the most Tully out of all my brothers," I said with a chuckle. "Besides me, only Sansa has red hair."

"Little Sansa?" he asked. "She is the oldest girl, is she not?"

"Aye," I said. "Little Arya is a hellion," I laughed. "Father says she has the spirit of Aunt Lyanna inside of her."

"I would love to meet them," he said ruefully. "But I'm afraid I don't have long in this world."

"They would have loved to meet you, grandfather," I replied, placing my hand on his shoulder. "It's a shame the realm is at war once again."

"Everything is the Lannisters' fault," he spat out with surprising force. "They deserve death for all their sins."

"Death will come," I said. "I'll be the one to bring them to justice."

"Tell me, Robb… What are your plans?" he asked lightly, but I could feel the tension in the room rise.

"I aim for the throne, grandfather," I said truthfully. "There are some things that will make sense in the future, and I need the Seven Kingdoms to be united for the true threat."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, and I ignored the way his eyes shone when he heard I was thinking of claiming the throne for myself.

"The White Walkers are real. We have proof to show the rest of the Riverlands, but I'm afraid we will need to crush the Lannisters and take the throne before that," I replied. "Thankfully, we have time for this since the Wall stands strong, but it will not last. I don't know how much time we have, but I hope we have some years before it becomes pressing."

He stayed silent for a while, his eyes searching mine for any signs of deception, before asking, "Do you really have proof?"

"Aye, we will show it in the war council today."

"Then I will be present. And, Robb? Impress my lords. If you manage that, the Riverlands will bend the knee," he assured me.

I nodded at him. "We have a deal, grandfather," and I exited the room.

The next few days would be the most pivotal part of this war. Saving Riverrun from the Lannisters and starting to push them from these lands were only the first steps. I needed some victories under my name since most of my fights had been lowkey before, not counting the ones against the Freys and Boltons.

But this would be the first time I would fight in an open field with an army. Thankfully, the Riverlands had some experienced lords who could give better ideas than I could with them advising on the best way to proceed.

My idea was to destroy the supply lines and scatter his soldiers using my insects, but I was sure Ser Brynden or Jason Mallister could have more devious ideas, and I wasn't egotistical enough to ignore counsel.

One thing I liked about myself was that when people said there was a better way, I listened. So if any of the generals had better ideas, they were more than welcome to join.

Searching for Jon with my power, I approached where he was located. It appeared he was helping the Greenmen with some supplies.

Since I left them with their orders, they managed to heal a lot of the wounded. Thankfully, even if the patients were weirded out by their appearance and the way they worked, none said no when asked if they could cure the wounds. Being at death's door made people forget their faith.

"How are things going, Jon?" I asked.

"There are way too many wounded, Robb," he replied, shaking his head in sadness. "I'm afraid without Sylvyrn and the rest, most of them would have died. Thankfully, your uncle Edmure came to calm things down. Their appearance scared some of the more devout believers."

"I'll thank him later, then," I nodded. "Go and rest. We have a war council tonight. Search for the heirs; I'll tell Jason."

---

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Riverrun

Jon Snow

"Dacey, Smalljon," I greeted them, happy to see my friends, but that ceased as I saw how ragged they were running. "Is everything all right?" I asked.

"Jon," she nodded in response. "Just tired. There are a lot of wounded, and our supplies have taken a hit."

"Anything of note?"

"No, we can take it. It's just that it will probably be a while before we can set the supply line," Smalljon noted.

"How long are we talking about?" I asked, wondering if the bottom part of the Riverlands would be secured enough for us to leave them be.

Robb had decided to use the King's Road for our supply line since the Vale hadn't done anything since the conflict started, and the Lannisters only controlled the upper part of the land.

There would be a mix of northern soldiers and Riverlander lords taking care of it until the Crossroads Inn. Then, the River road would be protected by a small part of the army.

I agreed with him, the same as most lords since it would help us greatly to have an ongoing supply of food and medicine, even if Robb could produce it by himself.

I shuddered, remembering the scene at Winterfell where Robb showed me his "breeding pit." The number of insects present there scared and disgusted me. And the worst part of it was that the amount I saw was insignificant compared to what he had at his disposal now.

I didn't know how many he had, and to be honest, I was afraid of the answer. I couldn't deny that his power was impressive, even better than the songs of magic I've heard in my short life.

Chuckling weakly at our plight, I shook my head. Going to war at fourteen name days wasn't something I dreamed of, but I was going to do my best for the North and the realm.

"Make sure you tell Robb in the war council later tonight," I ordered. "We could use some of the ravens here to send orders to Winterfell."

"Aye," Dacey replied. "It's a good thing our king decided to help the lords with our grain and fertilizer. With the number of soldiers we have, food would become a problem sooner than we could imagine."

"Aye, and winter is coming," said Smalljon. "I'm sure of it, and that will make it worse."

"Thankfully, Father bought enough food from the Reach," I agreed. "Also, the new crops that are resistant to the cold will be useful."

"Well, I just wanted you to know that there will be a war council tonight, and Robb wants us to be there," I continued. "We will take the Wight for the lords present."

"I'm getting tired of dragging that thing," said Dacey, shivering in disgust. "I hope our king can destroy them for good."

"I believe in him," I nodded. "And you should too. I'm sure he will be sitting on the throne before long."

Bidding my farewells, I started searching for the rest of the heirs that had come with us. This war was for the young of the North since all the northern lords stayed there to protect it. I was sure it was going to be difficult since we didn't have experience in these kinds of battles, but we would prevail. I was sure of it.

Robb Stark

Before the war started, I couldn't even imagine the amount of suffering people endured during a conflict. As I observed with all my senses the entire castle, I saw smallfolk, soldiers, and highborns doing whatever they could to support their liege lords. It was almost heartwarming to see them work in tandem, without thinking about their origins.

Obviously, not everyone was like that, but most were helping wherever they could. Women, either peasants or highborn, helped the septas or healers with the wounded. Children carried small crates of food for people who needed it.

This scene made me realize that I needed to step up my game. Not only for my future subjects but for my own peace of mind. I had the power to put a stop to this faster than in canon, but I wasn't doing much at the moment.

Shaking my head, I went back to the room where the war council would be held. I needed to learn about what was happening to make plans and provide ideas. My great-uncle, Jason Mallister, and maybe even my grandfather could provide better plans, but I wanted to ensure I contributed something besides the strength of my army.

Thinking about the situation we were in, I realized that Riverrun was surrounded from the south, with half of the Lannister army sieging the castle. Thanks to my great-uncle, they weren't capable of pushing for a full siege, but this would not last. With Jaime destroying the rest of the Riverlands with the other half, we couldn't focus on a single army and leave the other to its devices.

It was a difficult situation, but I had an idea that might help us. Since we were here with a big army, we could probably decimate the Lannisters. It would be risky since I would need to approach them because right now they were just outside my range. I needed to get closer to start spoiling their supplies.

But before making any decision, I needed to talk with the generals. I was sure they would push for a meeting, even if it would be for nothing. Tywin was in a bad spot. They started this conflict because of the queen and the new son. They needed to show force, so he could not back down even if he wanted to. The Riverlands were vying for their blood, so even if they decided to cut their losses, we couldn't allow them to escape without problems.

Well, whatever. What is done is done. For now, I just needed the throne, to fight against the rest of the "kings," and make myself the most important person in the realm.

Two hours later.

Thankfully, we had enough supplies to prepare a banquet to raise the morale. It would only be done this one time since we couldn't waste our resources, but it was needed. There was an air of depression and defeat in the castle, even after we arrived to help. The name of Tywin Lannister sowed fear inside the Riverlands, and a newly appointed King in the North didn't rouse their spirits as I had hoped.

We needed victories, and we needed them now. That's why I spent the whole banquet in silence, trying to form plans, but it was for naught. There weren't any more ideas than the ones I had before.

It was a dire situation, and I could see I wasn't the only one in the hall with grim faces, even if the smallfolk present or the ladies were happy with the feast. Most lords, soldiers, and even children were serious.

"There must be something we can do to calm everyone down," I told my great-uncle, who was sitting next to me.

He snorted with grim humor. "If you have something, go ahead, Robb," he shook his head. "They don't understand war, and since we have been pushed to this castle, they only hear about our defeats, even if they cost the Lannisters way more than what they intended."

"Aye, you did a wonderful job, Ser Brynden." I nodded. "By the way, I meant to ask this before, but with everything going on, I forgot," I continued. "Did you truly cut the arm off a general?"

"Aye," he nodded. "The bastard was a damn good fighter, enough for me to respect the cunt even after everything they have done."

"Warriors of that caliber deserve respect," I nodded. "Do you know who he was?" I asked.

"Have you heard of the Strongboar?" he huffed. "Damn, an apt name for the fucker. Almost killed me before I cut his arm."

I let out a dumbfounded chuckle. "You cut Ser Lyle Crakehall's arm?"

"I also find it hard to believe," he huffed. "I'm a good swordsman, but even I know it was mostly due to luck."

I nodded since it was true. He was damn good, but he wasn't at that level. My great-uncle excelled in warfare as a general, not as a frontline fighter, even if he could defend himself.

"We didn't hear much since we were on the move," I continued. "What can you tell me about the Lannister forces? At least the ones we will fight first."

"Tywin and his brother Kevan are at the lead," he started explaining, happy to help me get a clue about the situation at hand.

"They cut their army in half, as you heard, but even like that, they outnumbered us since I couldn't call the bannermen in the short amount of time I had," he continued. "We set a trap at the entrance of the Golden Tooth, but it wasn't enough."

"Aye, but you gave your best," I consoled when I noticed him dipping his head to the table. "We were on the back foot, but no more. We'll punish them for their sins, great uncle. I give you my word."

"What happened next?" I asked.

He grunted and looked at me. "We had multiple skirmishes, but they managed to defeat us thanks to their superior numbers. I'm not one to boast, but I know if I had similar numbers as Tywin, we wouldn't be in such dire circumstances."

"Understandable, great uncle," I replied. "How many soldiers are laying siege to the castle?"

"Tywin has twenty-five thousand soldiers outside the castle, and Jaime has a little bit under fifteen thousand at Mummers' Ford," he said with a grim tone.

"I've been thinking of how to proceed with this war, great uncle. But I need someone with more experience to give me some ideas," I said with a tilt of my head. "What would happen if we win a fight against Tywin and force him to retreat to Jaime?"

"It would give us time, Robb. But if we don't deal significant damage to the army, we will be on the losing end even if we win that battle," he said, shaking his head.

"What kind of damage would we need to do for it to be worthwhile?" I asked.

I wasn't sure about this. Conflict of this level was something new for me, and I didn't want to get some victories that ended with us being at a disadvantage once again in the future.

"If we were to at least deprive them of half of his forces, we would have an advantage," he replied. "But that is a fool's dream; they would retreat before coming to that. Tywin is an asshole, but he knows his stuff. He also has his brother Kevan at his side."

"Would it be possible if I had a way to cut their retreat?" I asked seriously, already having some ideas. The main one would be to use my wildfire insects to set ablaze their backs and separate the force into cubicles, so they wouldn't be able to escape while our army destroyed them.

The only problem I had with this was how to convince the Riverlords that we needed to keep some of the invaders alive. They wanted blood, but that didn't mean we could kill them indiscriminately. Every able soldier would be a boon for the fight against the others, and if I couldn't help the Wildlings before the Night King got them, we would need them a lot more. Just thinking of an undead army of over a hundred thousand made me shiver in fright.

"Hah," he laughed. "If you could do that, the army we have now could decimate them. Do you have some ideas?"

"Aye," I replied. "Just the bare bones for now, but I'll surely talk about them in the war council."

After that, our conversation halted since there wasn't much more we could plan without the input of the rest of the generals. There were a lot of lords in Riverrun right now, most of them if I was being honest, so I was sure we could plan something truly devious against Tywin's army.

Looking around, I smiled seeing how the people danced and drank, forgetting the bad times. This alone was worth it. And knowing I was the reason for this made me really happy.

As I was talking with different people at the table, I frowned, since I could feel a contingency of people running toward the hall as if their lives depended on it. I got on guard, calling my insects to use at a moment's notice just in case something bad happened.

As they entered the hall, almost dropping the large wooden door in their haste, I wondered what had happened to make them like this.

"My lords," the one in the lead said, "I bring really dire news," he finished panting.

There was absolute silence in the hall, but Edmure stood up instead of his father. "What happened, Ser Ebron?" he asked.

"My lord," he panted, "this is bad, really bad," he continued mumbling, and I could see multiple lords frowning in distaste.

"Out with it, boy," shouted Lord Ser Raymun Darry, Lord of Castle Darry.

"The Targaryens have returned!" he shouted in fright. "A supposed Aegon Targaryen fought against Stannis Baratheon!"

There was chaos in the hall, and I couldn't deny I felt perplexed myself. Since I didn't have spies in Essos and beyond, I was going only by my canon knowledge, but I barely remember that there was a supposed Aegon in the books. Since there were multiple mystical elements in this world, I had already inferred that I was at least in a mix between the books and the series, but this was the nail in the coffin.

If this Aegon, and it didn't matter if he was FAegon or legitimately Aegon, was here, it meant that our fight just got more difficult since there were new variables I hadn't taken into consideration.

"What are his forces?" I asked in a calm voice, trying to hide my shock at the news.

"He brought the Golden Company, my lord," the boy replied. "He beat Lord Stannis. He had to retreat since they fought him when he least expected it."

"This is bad," I murmured, and I could hear my great-uncle snort in disbelief.

"This is worse than bad, Robb. There are a lot of Targaryen loyalists left in Westeros," he replied softly so that only I could hear.

Thinking about it for a minute, I stood up. "This chaos isn't helping," I bellowed. "Do not worry, we will protect these lands against whoever attacks, it doesn't matter if it is the Lannisters, the Tyrells, or a new Targaryen. I give my word as the King in the North that we will not let them damage these lands without paying the price."

It was small, but thankfully the Northerners started cheering after my shout, and little by little, the rest followed. This barely-thought speech didn't mean much, but at least it calmed the people down.

"It appears that we need to have the war meeting done quickly," I said to the lords sitting at the main table. "We have much to discuss. Meet me there in half an hour." I stood up, with my people following after me.

The Riverlands

Tywin Lannister

The scent of unwashed bodies mixed with sweat permeated my nostrils, and I grimaced—a grim reminder of the war I had to fight thanks to the stupidity of my daughter. This could have been squashed at the beginning, but Cersei was so headstrong, thinking she was smarter than most, that she forced my hand.

Now, it didn't matter if we were in the right; the people of Westeros would see us as the villains. It didn't matter much; I had gained my infamy with the Rains of Castamere, but it would leave a bad taste in the mouth of the rest. But it didn't matter; a lion doesn't care about the sheep's opinion.

Maps and parchments were sprawled before me, detailing the Riverlands and the positions of my army. My council stood around me—Kevan, Gregor Clegane, Adam Marbrand, and the one-armed Strongboar.

Looking at him, I shook my head in disgust. One of the best swordsmen of the Westerlands reduced to a cripple by someone who shouldn't have been there in the first place. I still didn't know how the Blackfish knew we would attack the Riverlands with enough time to set a trap, but he had done so. Even with his small army, he was capable of damaging my army more than it should have been possible.

I knew he had problems with his brother, Hoster Tully, but I had already planned for his return. I just didn't expect it to be even before we passed the Golden Tooth.

Each of my commanders, including myself, knew the gravity of the situation. Riverrun had held longer than expected, thanks to Brynden Tully, but everyone knew the Riverlords were beginning to buckle.

"We should strike now," Gregor Clegane growled, towering over others with his usual impatience. "We need to attack before they can regroup. The castle supplies must be running thin."

I glanced at the Mountain with calculating eyes. The brute appetite for destruction was useful, but the timing was the most important thing in a war, and I had not held my position by being reckless. My army had thinned since I gave fifteen thousand men to Jaime, and while we outnumbered the Tully forces and had them pinned in one place, I couldn't deny I was feeling something was wrong.

"They are weak, yes," I began, with a measured voice to project the implacable image I had cultivated since my youth, "but that doesn't mean they will crumble with the first strike. Our scouts have already reported that the Riverlords are digging in, trying to fortify Riverrun to the high heavens. If we press them too hard, we risk scattering our forces and stretching our supply lines."

Kevan, my brother, was someone whose counsel was important to hear, even if I wouldn't admit it out loud. Out of all my family members, he was the one I trusted the most. So as he spoke, I listened. "We've already cut off several of their food supplies and scorched the southern part of their farmland. It's only a matter of time before they starve or turn on each other."

"Is there someone inside the castle that we could use to sow chaos or buy?" he asked.

I nodded. Kevan was right. The Riverlands were suffering, and his strategy had been to bleed them out slowly, leaving no room for them to recuperate. "There is some merit in your idea, brother," I replied. "The Brackens could be bought. Their enmity with the Blackwoods is known to all. If the Blackwoods choose to support their liege lords, the Brackens would join us just to spite their enemies."

Kevan nodded. "I'll test the waters, brother. If I find it is possible, I'll make a deal with them. If they are capable of sowing chaos in the castle, our victory is imminent."

"You have my permission, Kevan," I nodded. "We need to ensure that when we strike, it is decisive."

"What about the Starks?" asked Emmon Frey, Genna's husband and an insult to the honor of my family name. What Tytos Lannister had in his head while he made that offer escaped me.

But he had a point. We haven't had much news of the North in the last five years. We didn't know much about their numbers, their supplies—nothing at all. It was irritating, and Cersei went out of her way to make an enemy out of them. And the worst part was that she lost the only hostage that could have stopped them from marching south, who disappeared after leaving a bloodbath through the capital without anyone the wiser.

I suspected that Eddard Stark had already reached the North, but I was not sure what he was going to do in the future. Would he march against us? I suspected he would. The honorable fool would try to support the Riverlands and bring peace to the realm, but who would he support? Renly was out of the question, and the most probable one was Stannis. But I didn't know if his lords would support him in these endeavors.

The North was the kingdom that gave the most in the last two wars and received nothing in return. It was possible that the Northern lords would not march once again, or if they did, they would do so begrudgingly.

"The Freys would not let him pass before bleeding him dry," Kevan said out loud. "Everyone here knows the weasel your father is, Emmon. You know he would stop them if they don't pay tribute, and the North would not have the coin necessary to pass a sizable army."

"You are wrong, Kevan," I reminded him lightly. "The North is not as impoverished as before. With the sales from their vodka and other products, I'm sure they have enough coin to buy passage."

"This is bad, then," Kevan replied. "Emmon, make sure you send a raven to the Twins. Explain the situation to your father. I'm sure he will understand that it's better to ally with us than with the dying Tully."

Emmon nodded, but before he could reply, the flaps of the tent rustled as a rider burst through, dirt and exhaustion painted across his face. The man bowed hurriedly, catching his breath.

"My lord," the rider panted, "I bring urgent news."

I arched an eyebrow, gesturing for him to speak. My patience was as thin as the Riverlords' morale, and I wouldn't take interruptions lightly.

"Robb Stark," the rider continued, his voice trembling. "He has arrived at Riverrun. He has crossed the Twins with a very large host and has already entered the castle. Our scouts estimate over twenty-five thousand men, probably closer to thirty."

For a heartbeat, the entire tent was silent.

My face remained impassive, but inwardly, my mind raced. I had expected Eddard Stark to make a move, not his son. And never this soon—nor with such numbers. That the famous Ghost of the North had mustered a force this size so quickly was a surprise, though not an insurmountable one.

Emmon stood up frantically. "Thirty thousand men? My father would have never allowed this, even without my raven. There is no way he would have permitted an army that size to enter the Riverlands."

The rider got his breathing under control. "That's not all, my lords. I'm afraid the Twins have fallen."

"What do you mean the Twins fell?" roared Emmon, charging at the rider like a bull.

"Control yourself," I barked, and some guards grabbed him by the arms, pulling him away from the scout.

"Explain everything," I ordered simply.

"From what we've heard from some merchants on the King's Road, the newly appointed King of the North has invaded the South," the scout said in fright. "They tell tales of plague following him, of how he killed every male Frey in the Twins, including Lord Walder Frey, and took control of his castle."

Kevan stepped forward, concern etched on his face. "He has been named king? Is the boy mad? He has no claim to the Iron Throne!"

"Thirty thousand men?" he mumbled. "If he joins with the Blackfish, Riverrun will be reinforced beyond what we anticipated."

The Mountain grunted, his fingers itching to draw his sword. "Let me ride out and crush him. The supposed king is just a boy playing at war. His army will break."

My lips thinned, the weight of the situation bearing down. "No," I said quietly but firmly. "Eddard Stark is no fool. If he allowed his son to lead such a big army south while he's nowhere to be seen, it must mean he trusts him completely. The fact that he is a proclaimed king while his father is still alive must mean something."

The Strongboar grunted. "Do you remember the songs of his achievements in the North? Maybe there was some truth in them."

I did my best to ignore the pathetic sight of Emmon crying his eyes out, and I studied the map again, considering the various routes Robb could take. The Twins had been a critical point of entry, and Robb had seized it before my forces could even hear about what was happening. Curse the Blackfish. If he wasn't there, I was sure we could have been in control of Riverrun long before Robb Stark arrived.

It was a testament to the young Robb Stark's growing acumen in warfare. If Robb joined forces with the remnants of the Riverlords and his uncle, I would have a greater battle on my hands than I anticipated.

"We cannot underestimate him," I continued. "This won't be a mistake on my part. He now has the counsel of the Blackfish and multiple lords experienced in warfare. He will be a true threat whom we'll crush like a bug."

Kevan spoke in a low but steady tone. "If Robb Stark helps Riverrun, our siege will be drawn out, and we'll face a worse conflict than intended. Riverrun might hold, and with his reinforcements, our position will weaken."

I nodded in understanding; this was bad. "Then we must ensure Stark doesn't have his full strength when he fights against us." I tapped the map, my fingers tracing along the Riverroad. "We will harry his forces, make him overcommit to save the lands closer to Jaime's."

"Send riders to Mummer's Ford; Jaime's forces can be used to press Stark to protect that part of the Riverlands, while we bait him into a trap here while he is weakened."

The Mountain's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I can ride out, my lord. My men can cut his supplies just to add more chaos."

I shook my head. "No, Gregor. You are too valuable to risk in an early skirmish. Robb Stark would retreat if he knew we were coming for him in full force. Instead, we will use our lighter forces to harass him and wear down his army while he marches. We'll draw him into the river valleys, where his numbers will work against him." I glanced at Kevan. "Ensure the archers and cavalry are prepared. I want every crossing of the Red Fork covered."

Kevan nodded and began issuing orders to the other commanders before stopping cold in his tracks, looking almost mechanically at the scout. "What do you mean, plague following him, lad?" he asked.

"That's what the merchants said, milord," the scout nodded profusely. "That the sun dims in his presence and the sound of doom can be heard while his army fights."

"Bahaha!" The Mountain laughed loudly at that. "I'm going to show the pup what it means to dim the lights."

Kevan snorted. "Snarks and grumpkins."

With everything he needed to say, the scout left the tent, leaving a weird atmosphere with the last part. Some people laughed, others got confused, but none believed those high tales.

I turned back to the map, a slow, deliberate smile forming on my face. Robb Stark had proven to be a more resourceful adversary than I had believed, making people spread lies to build his reputation. But resourcefulness did not guarantee victory. The Riverlands were still bleeding, and I had every intention of letting that bleed continue—until there was nothing left but ruin. My grandson would be king, a feared king, just like me. And we could see that it worked. No one had even tried to rise against me in the Westerlands after Castamere, and this war would set that song to the past, birthing new ones for my family.

"Stark is coming," I said, my voice cold. "But he will not find the Riverlands as easy a victory as he hopes. Prepare the men. The young wolf is walking into the lion's den."

The commanders nodded and moved to execute my orders. As they left the tent one by one, I stood by the table, my hands gripping the edge as I stared down at the map. The war was going to take another turn, and I would ensure it favored House Lannister.

"Let the boy come," I muttered to myself. "He'll soon learn the cost of playing with the grownups. He cannot win the Game of Thrones."

With that, I stepped outside into the camp, which was a sea of crimson banners, with the lion of Casterly Rock fluttering proudly in the wind. It was a marvelous sight, and I would make sure it was the last thing Robb Stark and the Riverlanders saw before it all came crashing down for them.

As I was about to show a small smile, it froze on my face at the scene in front of me. Another group of scouts rode in as if their lives depended on it, fear etched on their faces.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kevan thundered, where he was talking with the rest of the commanders.

"You are part of the Lannister army," he boomed. "There is no reason for you to act so unsightly."

"Milord, bad news," the rider screamed with all his force. "There is a Targaryen army in Westeros once more."

Whatever Kevan was about to reply with stopped in his tracks, and I could feel a bead of sweat on my brow.

"What Targaryen army, boy?" I asked, my voice as cold as the North.

"A supposed Aegon Targaryen just defeated Stannis Baratheon's army. He has now disembarked at Griffin's Roost," he bellowed. I regretted asking this in front of the whole army.

Hushed whispers could be heard in the vicinity, and Kevan shot me an alarmed look.

"What army does he have?" Kevan asked, and I praised him in my head. With the shock of this news, I had completely forgotten about that key point.

"It is supposedly the Golden Company, milord," he said seriously.

"Well… fuck," I thought.

---

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Chapter 58: War Council and the Reach

Author's note: Last chapter before the battle between Robb and Tywin! That will be chapter 59. I'm still not sure if I'll include the Edmure battle in the same chapter or something else, but rest assured, it will be a juicy chapter!


Riverrun

Robb Stark

I didn't know how to feel about what happened in the hall. On one hand, another player in the game would make my enemies split their attention even more than before, but I couldn't deny that having such a large force attacking the land was daunting.

The Golden Company was founded by Ser Aegor Rivers, a legitimized Targaryen bastard. He was also called Bittersteel, and he created the company after the defeat of the Blackfyre Rebellion. He mainly (according to the books I'd read in Winterfell) did so to continue the fight against the Targaryens in exile.

They were known as one of the most disciplined, loyal, and powerful sellsword companies in the Free Cities. Unlike other sellsword companies, they were famous for not breaking contracts and for being more honorable in their dealings than most, at least until now. If they were supporting Aegon in his conquest it must mean that they left their last contract uncompleted, and I didn't know how that made me feel.

It was a problem since the company typically numbered around ten thousand men, including cavalry, infantry, archers, and even war elephants. They were well-trained and heavily armored, making them a formidable force. But that wasn't the main problem, at least for me, since I knew I could swarm them to death with some trouble.

What complicated things was that, as my great uncle said, some houses were Targaryen sympathizers even after Robert's Rebellion. So, it was adding chaos to an already sensitive political tightrope that Westeros had become. Now, I couldn't be so sure which houses would decide to support him while under my supposed rule, and that truly did piss me off. I didnt have the time to waste checking everyone at any time.

I knew from the series that some houses in the Riverlands were like that, including House Tarbeck, which were inside the castle right now. I would need to keep a close eye on them, but hopefully, with a significant show of force against the Lannisters, I could change their thoughts.

From what I inferred, the war elephants wouldn't be of much use in Westeros' terrain, but if we fought on a plain, my normal insects would be incapable of doing much damage even if I attacked in droves. My only plan against them was to fill their mouths and trunks with my wildfire insects. The problem was that the number of them I had at my disposal was abysmal. Even with the added millions I had under my control, I couldn't increase my biomass supply without affecting the environment.

Thankfully, I remembered something important—something disgusting that made me facepalm when I thought about it. The fastest way to increase my energy supply without affecting the environment was something I had never considered before, something that every single human being produced: poop. The answer was right in front of me all this time. In the Middle Ages, not many places had a plumbing method, and from what I knew about King's Landing, there was an excess of excrement so monumental that it made the capital city reek of shit.

I began using that as fuel since I couldn't consume the flora and fauna of the places I visited without affecting them for the future.

Shaking my head to clear those disgusting thoughts, I focused on the table, where a map of the Riverlands was spread out. The Northerners were already with me, besides Jon and Dacey who were bringing the Wight for the final part of the meeting, and my men filled a big part of the room. For now, I was just waiting for the riverlords to arrive so we could begin planning. I didn't doubt that Tywin Lannister already knew about my arrival since we hadn't been silent about it.

I wondered how they would react to the news. Would I be underestimated by him? Or would he see me as a threat? I didn't know for sure, but the biggest possibilitywould be the former. As much as I disliked the man, I couldn't deny that he had a good head on his shoulders.

Little by little, the riverlords began entering the room, and after ten minutes, it was brimming with people. There were over seven thousand soldiers from the Riverlands in the castle, all from different lords, plus my thirty thousand, of which twenty were from the North and the rest from the Twins, Brackens, Mallisters, and the lords who chose to follow me, not counting the small group led by Bronn, who was also present.

I could see some of my Northern brethren disliking the man, but even they couldn't deny that he was good with a sword. Smalljon had tried to fight him, and Bronn had defeated him quickly. He'd been gaining popularity among the ranks, and that was fine by me. If he felt that wanted, it would be easier to keep him in line.

When Hoster Tully entered the room, everyone went silent. The old lord was helped by my uncle Edmure and his brother, Ser Brynden. His old age was plain for all to see, but the fact that he tried to keep himself involved despite his health raised morale.

Since everyone of importance had arrived, I motioned to beggin the war council.

"My lords," I stood up, "It's been some hours since we arrived, so let me explain what has happened during our travels."

"First of all, the Freys are no more," I stated, and I saw some of the lords smile at my declaration, though there were some who didn't.

"You had no right!" exclaimed Karyl Vance, the newly appointed lord of House Vance after the death of his father during the fight at the Golden Tooth.

With his shout, I saw some of the riverlords agreeing with him, and I also noticed that my grandfather was watching me closely to see how I would respond under pressure. Mentally rolling my eyes, I spoke before my men could become rowdy due to the perceived slight.

"Lord Vance?" I asked, just to buy time. I knew who he was, but he didnt know that. His house was so small that I could feign ignorance of who he was while using the time provided to formulate a response. "I had every right. The Freys, led by the late Walder Frey, decided not to join the defense of their liege. I don't know how things are done here, but in the North, a house ignoring their land burning for petty reasons is considered treason."

Before he could reply, I continued, "But that's beside the point." I shook my head. "If he didn't wish to join the fight against the Lannisters, I wouldn't have cared. But he denied my army passage, insulting the brave Northern men behind me who were coming to support you. He claimed it would take time and asked for outrageous things just for passage. The bastard even had the gall to ask for my sister's hand in marriage."

I was lying through my teeth, but they didnt know that and my men wouldn't tattle on me.

As I said this, I saw my grandfather nod in satisfaction. And with a little effort, he intervened. "The Freys have been a thorn in the Riverlands for a long time, and they won't be missed," he said curtly.

"I trust nothing of note happened in the castle?" he asked me seriously.

"Nothing at all. The women and children were spared, and my men will continue to protect them." I assured him, raising my hands in defense. "I gave my word. For now, the Twins are under the command of Robin Flint of Widow's Watch. He'll use the lands across the Twins as farms with our inventions and equipment. That way, we'll have even more supplies for the war."

He nodded in satisfaction and took his seat once more.

"I've been meaning to ask for a while, Robb," Edmure rose from his seat, "what different method does the North use for its lands? It's been more than four years since the North started buying less and less food from the rest of the kingdoms, and I'm sure you would not let the smallfolk starve."

"It's something only the North can make, uncle," I grunted. "But since it's important for the future, I'll answer what I can."

Closing my eyes just for show, I called a small part of my swarm.

"This is the reason for the North's success in recent years. I can control them," I said, nodding toward the small cloud of insects flying inside the tent.

Gasps of surprise and a whimper of disgust could be heard, and I snorted. "This is what will help us win this war with little trouble."

"Insects?" my great-uncle grunted, slightly dismissive.

"Ha!" I laughed. "Yes, Ser Brynden. Do you think they won't be of help?"

He was silent for a few seconds before asking, "How many can you control?"

I gave a sadistic smile. "All of them. Right now, I have over twenty million insects under my control."

No one scoffed or gasped this time, but I heard some lords whimper in their seats, and most of them fidgeted uncomfortably.

Ser Brynden stood up in alarm. "What the fuck do you mean, twenty million?" he asked in disbelief.

"Haha, I love seeing these reactions," I smiled. "But that's not all," I ordered two specific insects to land on my side of the room, where there was some space.

"Look at this. An insignificant little insect, isn't it?" I said softly. "Would any of you look at it differently before knowing my power?"

The lords with more willpower calmed down and scrutinized the beetle.

"It's just a normal beetle," said my uncle after examining it.

"Aye, a normal one," I laughed. "Now look at this beauty." With a thought, I ordered the beetle to crash at its maximum speed against the floor, which was thankfully made of stone.

As everyone observed the beetle fly faster than a normal one, I could barely hear the splat as it hit the floor. But what truly grabbed everyone's attention was a flicker of green light.

"Fucking wildfire?" shouted some lords from the back, and everyone made space, backing up as fast as they could.

The second beetle I had called earlier flew toward the small spark of wildfire, splatting against the ground and dousing the flames. Since I had an instinctual understanding of my creations, I was able to craft insects that could extinguish the fire. Using them was no longer a risk, at least not as much since it still was one of the most dangerous concoctions made in Planetos.

"Now imagine," I intoned as I saw them inch closer to inspect the now empty spot, the only evidence a burn mark on the stone. "The Lannister army attacking with their full force, wanting to execute the newly crowned King in the North and erase the threat against his grandson. Now, a sizable part of their army can't advance more because the path is burning green, and they get attacked from behind." I smiled deviously. "He'll try to run, maybe he'll manage, but I'm sure he'll lose many men, possibly even important ones."

I could see my plan dawning on them, and my grandfather burst out laughing. "It's a damn good plan, even just the outline makes my heart race, grandson," he said, nodding with respect. "I'm sure we could bounce some ideas around to improve it."

My great-uncle nodded. "Aye, we can work with this. But how do we move a sizable part of the army behind their back without being seen?"

"Anyone willing to let me use them as an example?" I asked aloud, receiving deadpan stares in response.

Snorting, I added, "I promise nothing bad will happen to you. You have my word."

"What do you need me to do, nephew?" asked Edmure seriously. I gave him a happy smile. I knew that if none of the Riverlords stood up, my men would. But his willingness to show complete support with this action paved the way for the Riverlords to bend the knee to a Stark rule in the future.

"Just sit down and press your back against the seat," I said calmly, as everyone followed the mosquito flying through the air. When it finally reached Edmure, it bit him, and everyone leaned in to see what would happen.

"I barely felt that," he said loudly, just as the mosquito's prick pierced his skin.

As soon as he spoke, his entire demeanor shifted. His eyes darted around, glassy as though he was seeing things the rest of us couldn't. He blinked rapidly, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"What's… happening?" he slurred, the words coming out slowly, as though he'd drunk like Lord Umber in a wild night.

His body buckled, and he swayed in his seat, reaching out to the table in front of him for support, but his world was already fading. From what my studies suggested, the colors were blending together under my psychedelic concoction.

A murmur passed through the small crowd of Riverlords, some exchanging worried glances, others watching with fascination. Thankfully, everyone knew I wouldn't cause lasting harm to my kin, so no one reached for their swords.

Edmure's eyes, wide and full of panic, searched the room one last time, but I knew he could no longer form words. This was my most potent drug to induce unconsciousness, and nothing more. It wouldn't harm him, and he would wake up when I injected the antidote.

Finally, his body gave in, crumpling into his seat in slow motion. His breathing slowed, and a deep, dreamless sleep claimed him. The room fell silent, save for the quiet exhale as his body relaxed completely.

Giving it a moment, I continued, "What do you think scouts will report to Tywin Lannister if they fall asleep during their work? They wouldn't say a thing, afraid of what he would do to them. His ruthlessness will work against him." I chuckled.

After injecting the antidote with another mosquito, everyone relaxed as soon as Edmure woke up, looking around in confusion. "Thank you for your trust, Uncle," I said with a smile.

"What happened?" he asked grogilly as he finally gathered himself.

"You fell asleep," I snorted.

"Now, what do you all think?" I addressed the assembled lords.

"If we could lead ten thousand men behind the Lannister army without being seen, as you said before, they would not see it coming at all and we could inflict significant damage," nodded Ser Brynden, a cold glint in his eyes.

"It would take hours to do that," I continued, "since I need to be present to knock out the scouts. If they find out while I'm not with you, we could suffer significant losses."

A buff man stood up. I wondered why the master-at-arms of Riverrun decided to interject.

"My lord," he said to me, "You may not know who I am, but my family has lived near the Tumblestone for over a thousand years. I've been the master-at-arms of this castle for the last forty years, but I remember some caves that we could use to hide the army led by Ser Brynden." He nodded at my great-uncle. "The Lannisters burned my family's lands, forcing them to leave. But I'm certain we know the terrain better than Tywin and his generals."

Thinking for a moment, I looked at Ser Brynden. "What do you think?"

He grunted thoughtfully. "Doable. If they don't find us before we hide, we'll be at an advantage. But we can only take infantry to move silently."

"That won't be a problem, great-uncle. I can make most horses sleep when the conflict starts, don't worry about that," I assured him. "Maybe I can time it right so some soldiers suffer injuries from their falls."

"There's another topic we must discuss," rasped my grandfather. "Jaime's army is at the Mummer's Ford, and I'm sure Tywin will use them to split our attention."

"I have failed in protecting my people, but now that you are here, I ask for your help," he said, bowing his head.

"You are family, Grandfather," I smiled. "Of course, I will help against them. It will also sell my inexperience, which we can use to our advantage."

"What do you mean, Robb?" asked Edmure.

"Think about it. I'm the son of one of the most honorable men in the realm. What am I expected to do if Jaime is causing destruction in the Riverlands while his father remains idle in his camp?"

"You would send a sizable part of your army and overcommit," whispered Edmure. "That's what your father would do; he wouldn't stomach leaving people to suffer for the sake of victory."

"Aye, but I don't need such a large army," I smirked, pointing to my insects. "We'll send twenty thousand soldiers to confront Jaime and bring him to justice. Among them will be the green men of the Isle of Faces. They aren't many, but their magic will help you win, or at least force Jaime to retreat to his father."

"I won't knock out the scouts on that side of the Riverlands, so Tywin will know I've overcommitted and will attack us when he sees I have fewer men than he does."

"So, ten thousand men will follow my great-uncle to attack the Lannisters from behind. Another seven thousand will stay with me on the front line, and the rest will confront Jaime," I concluded.

"What do you all think?" I asked with a smile.

"I like it," grunted my great-uncle.

"I can see it working," said Jason Mallister, shaking his head. "You truly had an ace up your sleeve, King Robb."

"But who will lead the army against Jaime?" asked Hoster. "I'm afraid I can't do it," he chuckled.

"Leave that to me, Father," said Edmure seriously. "I'll lead the fight against him and make him pay for his sins against the Riverlands."

"There is one more thing we must discuss before we execute our plans," I interjected. "Some of the lords who came with me already know, but we'll need to keep many soldiers alive."

"After everything they've done, you come here and ask us to spare them?" spat the Lord of Pinkmaiden.

"Aye," I nodded. "I know it will be hard, but there is a threat beyond the Wall, and we will need everyone on board to defeat it."

At that moment, Jon entered the room, accompanied by Dacey and some soldiers carrying the Wight. "As you can see," I began, ignoring the shouts of shock, "the Long Night is approaching, and we need the kingdoms to unite."

"Their army could number over a hundred thousand of these creatures. They don't tire, they don't hunger, and you can't harm them without fire, Valyrian steel, or dragonglass. Every person who falls to them joins them in death," I continued gravely.

"Do you know how many people live in the North?" I asked, and when no one answered, I said, "Over three million."

"Think about it. If we fail, the South will have to fight over three million undead soldiers."

Those who understood the threat of the White Walkers were aghast, and even the slow ones began to pale in fright.

"The Lannisters will pay for what they've done, I assure you, but they will do so by giving their lives for the living," Jon declared firmly, and I nodded. "You lords must understand the gravity of the situation. The reason I'm pushing for the throne is to unite the Seven Kingdoms, and maybe even beyond, to fight the Long Night."

Highgarden

Renly Baratheon reclined comfortably on a cushioned bench. The atmosphere inside the great hall of Highgarden was harmonious, even as they prepared for his bid for the Iron Throne. It was a feast worthy of the Reach, with platters full of fruit, more meat than the people in the room could eat, and the finest wines from the Arbor. Around him, the lords and ladies of the south laughed, drank, and celebrated, despite the war looming on the horizon.

Renly chuckled; this was the reason he acted the way he did. People loved him, even going against the line of succession to support him. He was the better of the two living Baratheon brothers. Stannis never understood the importance of the smallfolk, with his grumpy demeanor that did nothing to endear him to the masses. There was no way in the seven hells that he would be a good king, and most people realized that.

He was sure he'd be a better king than ten Stannises. It wouldn't even be that difficult—he had the support of the Stormlands and the Reach, giving him the largest army in the conflict. All Renly needed were a few victories to sway other kingdoms to his side.

However, despite his relaxed appearance, he wasn't entirely at ease. His eyes flickered occasionally toward the entrance, hoping for news from his scouts. The war was ongoing, and every moment wasted in Highgarden, waiting for the Tyrell armies to assemble, grated on him. Yet, he understood that patience was necessary. The Reach had promised him their strength—over eighty thousand strong—but mobilizing such a force and setting up supply lines to support them took time.

"More wine, my king?" Loras Tyrell offered from his side with a warm smile. Renly's lover truly knew how to soothe his nerves, but he shook his head lightly.

"No, thank you, Loras. I've had enough for now," Renly replied, scanning the room once more. The lords of the Reach feasted around him—Randyll Tarly, Lord Hightower, and several others. Their voices were raised in conversations about alliances, harvests, and other matters. Yet none spoke of the most important issue—the conflict between the Lannisters, led by Tywin himself, and the Riverlands.

"What of the war, Lord Tarly?" Renly asked, raising his voice just enough to cut through the conversation. His tone was casual, but it carried weight. There was a need to discuss the less pleasant happenings in the realm.

Randyll Tarly, one of the finest commanders in Westeros, looked up from his cup. "The Riverlands burn, my king, as they have since the beginning of this mess," he said gruffly. "The Lannisters have the upper hand, no surprise there. Tywin knows how to wage war. But the appearance of the Blackfish has them advancing slowly. Even with one-third the number of men Tywin has, he was able to stop them at Riverrun."

"It's a shame it wasn't enough," Lord Hightower commented lightly. "For now, the Riverlords are besieged by Tywin while the Kingslayer razes multiple keeps unopposed. Riverrun will fall before long if they don't receive assistance, obviously."

Renly hummed thoughtfully. "Who could assist the Riverlands, my lords?"

Most kingdoms already supported one contender or another, but there hadn't been any news from Dorne, the North, or Vale.

"Only the Vale or the North, my king," replied Randyll Tarly. "But there has been no word of Eddard Stark since he escaped from the Red Keep, and the Vale has remained silent since all this began."

Just as Renly went to reply, the great doors of the hall creaked open, and Maester Alwyn entered in haste, clutching a message.

Renly stood from his seat, his lazy countenance vanishing. "You have news, Maester Alwyn?" he asked sharply.

"Indeed, King Renly," the maester replied. "Several ravens arrived today, and most of them are of great importance."

"Get on with it," Renly smiled genially.

"First of all," the maester began, "Lord Stannis has suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of the Golden Company."

"The Golden Company should be in Essos, Maester Alwyn," grunted Lord Hightower. Known for his thirst for knowledge, he knew the Golden Company had a contract in Essos and was famed for their loyalty.

"I'm afraid not anymore, my lord," the maester replied. "They are supporting a supposed Aegon Targaryen. Some say he is the son of the late Rhaegar Targaryen, who was spirited away during the sacking of King's Landing by Tywin's forces. Others say he is a mummer or another Blackfyre."

"That shouldn't be possible," Lord Hightower shook his head. "Would the Golden Company break a contract for this?" he muttered under his breath.

Randyll Tarly snorted. "If they have more to gain from this, I don't see why not. As honorable as they claim to be, I wouldn't be surprised. They are just sellswords, after all."

"What about my brother, Maester?" Renly asked, only somewhat concerned for him—after all, Stannis was family, even if he was on the wrong side of the war.

"He has been utterly defeated, my king," the maester replied. "The Golden Company arrived at Griffin's Roost unexpectedly and attacked when Lord Stannis was least prepared. He lost a quarter of his army—almost two thousand men, according to the messenger."

Renly snorted. "Perhaps now he will bend the knee and support my claim. I don't see how he thinks he can win this war with a tenth of my army."

Mace Tyrell laughed boisterously. "Indeed, my king. My grandsons will sit on the Iron Throne in the future."

Lady Olenna remained silent in her seat, as she often did when important matters arose, her sharp eyes calculating the repercussions of this new player in the Game of Thrones.

"What do we know of this supposed Aegon's forces, Maester?" she asked lightly, tapping her fingers on the table. Margaery sat beside her with a soft frown on her admittedly pretty face.

"The entire company has come to Westeros, my lady," the maester replied. "Their commanders are this supposed Aegon, the exiled Jon Connington, and Harry Strickland."

"How old is he, Maester?" Renly asked, trying to determine if his age matched his claim.

"We don't know for certain, my king," he replied. "Some say he's less than twenty-name days old."

"Bah, a Blackfyre pretender," snorted Mace Tyrell. "Trying to take the throne away from our family."

Renly's eyes tightened at this, but he quickly relaxed his demeanor. "It's a possibility, my lords."

"You mentioned multiple urgent messages, Maester. What are the others?" Renly asked lightly, changing the topic before anyone could get ideas. He knew the Tyrells only supported him because he was a candidate for the throne and unwed, with Margaery's hand as the price. But if there were better options, he wasnt sure they wouldnt betray him.

"The other message is that the North is finally moving, your grace," said the maester, wiping the perspiration from his forehead.

"Oh?" asked Lord Tarly. "Did Eddard Stark make a move? I didn't have the honor of fighting him during Robert's Rebellion, but I've heard he is a magnificent general."

"There is no news of Lord Eddard Stark's whereabouts, my lord," the maester shook his head. "I'm afraid the one leading the Northern army is his son, Lord Robb Stark."

"The Ghost of the North?" asked Margaery in a soft voice, her dainty hand covering her mouth as she laughed.

"Indeed, my lady," Maester Alwyn nodded seriously. "I wouldn't underestimate him. He took control of the Twins without any losses and killed every male Frey older than five and ten name days. He is capable and ruthless, according to the message."

Lord Tarly raised his eyebrows. "He is leading the army?"

"Yes, my lord. From what our informants in the Riverlands were able to see, there is no lord of the North in the army. Only the heirs. It appears everyone trusts him with their lives. But that's not all," the maester said with a complicated expression.

"What else could it be?" asked Mace Tyrell impatiently.

"They call him the King in the North, and he is moving to support the Tullys against the Lannisters," said the maester. "This message must have taken some time to arrive, so it's possible he's already reached Riverrun."

"What of it? Just another thorn in our side. He's young and stupid if he thinks he's going to win," Mace waved his hand dismissively.

"Shut up, Mace," Lady Olenna snapped. "He may be young, but he has the North behind him. And if he shows promise, the Riverlands will follow. They might not have an army comparable to ours, but whenever the North joins a conflict, they make a massive impact."

"I remember reading about Cregan Stark during the Dance of the Dragons," said Margaery softly. "The Hour of the Wolf was one of the most important parts of the conflict, even if it came near the end."

"Indeed, silly girl," Lady Olenna smiled softly at her before frowning. "We cannot underestimate this Robb Stark. We know nothing about him besides the songs of the past few years."

Renly stood up. "There will be hardships for all of us during this war for the throne, my lords. But I must say this: everyone here is my friend, my ally, and my future subject," he began his speech. "We stand on the brink of a new era. Our cause is just, and our resolve is unshakable. Here in this magnificent hall, surrounded by the finest of the Reach, I see the strength and determination that will lead us to victory!"

He paused before continuing, "The false kings who sit upon their thrones—Joffrey with his incestuous parents and polluted blood, Robb Stark with his wild ambitions, my brother Stannis with his rigid fanaticism, and this supposed Aegon—will either bend the knee or meet their ends at our hands!"

"But they won't matter," he declared, raising his cup of wine, with the lords following his lead. "We will be victorious. We will bring justice and lead the Seven Kingdoms to a brighter future for everyone!"

The hall erupted in applause and cheers from the ladies, and solemn nods from the lords, each of them promising to do their best in the coming conflict for their just cause.

"As soon as the army is ready, we march! The Seven Kingdoms await us!"

---

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[InfinityReads999]

Riverrun

Robb Stark

Two days later.

Providing cover to my great-uncle and ten thousand men was easy, thanks to my insects. We moved when the sun set two days ago, and no one was the wiser. With everything going on around Westeros, it was easy to do so.

Everyone had a lot on their minds. Even those who didn't care who sat on the Iron Throne were paying attention to what would become a turning point in this war. With the news from Griffin's Roost and Stannis' defeat at the hands of the Golden Company, the smallfolk wondered who would be the eventual winner, and most of them hoped for someone better than the last three kings.

It wouldn't even be that hard, since the predecessors were the Mad King, Robert, who left the realm in debt and filled with problems, and his "son," whose legitimacy was still in question. People were already leaving King's Landing in the wake of Joffrey's rule. The capital of the Seven Kingdoms was already in a bad spot, with food scarce and Joffrey's tyranny growing worse by the day.

Worst of all, they were surrounded by enemy forces, even if not directly. Their support was stopped in the Riverlands by House Tully, and now they needed to get past my superior army if they wanted to reach the capital. Renly was amassing his forces in Highgarden with the numerically superior army of the Reach. Stannis, even as weakened as he was, remained a threat with his cunning and superior war mindset. The Golden Company was near them, though they still had to fight through a couple of keeps in their way.

With my great-uncle's battalion already waiting for the conflict, we just needed to sell the scouts the information that Uncle Edmure was leading the biggest part of our combined army against Jaime's. He and multiple lords of the Riverlands would lead the attack, followed by Sylvyrn and his people to add an extra oomph. The Green Men's magic, while not army-destroying, could change the tide of a battle in a heartbeat. With over twenty wargs working as scouts, they could find out enemy movements even better than I could, since their range was greater.

Every time a new weirwood was planted in our path, the power of the Old Gods increased, and so did the Green Men's magic. They were powerful wargs, and their healing abilities were some of the most potent I've seen in both lives, capable of healing someone on the verge of death. But that wasn't all; the most impactful thing they could do was change the terrain and environment when they had sufficient prep time.

They couldn't do something like the Children of the Forest did to destroy the Arm of Dorne, and even if the Old Gods returned to their full power, I doubted Sylvyrn and the rest would reach that level. However, they could control nature to some extent: making it rain, softening the land, creating pitfalls without burrowing in the dirt, summoning mist, and things like that.

Seeing what they were capable of scared me the most because if they could do things like that, I couldn't even imagine what more evil sorcerers were capable of. I had no idea what Euron was doing at the moment, nor Melisandre, for that matter. They were the biggest threats I had in the present since I didn't know much about them, and I was sure the show knowledge I had was completely wrong.

They needed to disappear as soon as I could manage it, for my peace of mind.

Shaking my head, I finished my morning rituals before checking the breeding pit I had in Riverrun. Thanks to my grandfather, I was gifted a large piece of land just outside the castle, and Sylvyrn and Elyndra were tasked with building a subterranean room for my insects. The important people in Riverrun knew about my powers, as I had explained them in the war council, but the rest of the inhabitants hadn't seen me in action. This was done mostly because we still didn't know if there were spies in the castle. I didn't have time to focus on that at the moment, and I knew the lords were batshit scared of what I had shown them, so they wouldn't be the ones to leak information.

But just in case, I didn't give them all the details. They didn't know my range limit, nor the extent of my creations.

Nodding in satisfaction, I observed millions upon millions of insects working on different tasks, from breeding to increase my numbers, to producing products that could be useful in the future. From chitin to make armor—better than the natural chitin thanks to my modifications. It was denser and thicker than normal chitin but didn't become much heavier. It was particularly effective against slashing and blunt weapons but weak against piercing weapons like arrows. That's why the first thing I needed to defeat were the archers in the approaching battle. Besides the chitin, I had asked my grandfather to get me as many containers as he could manage, which would be used to store various kinds of venom for the arrows. Those would only be used in the opening salvo, as they could be deadly for both sides.

I knew my request to leave some soldiers alive was not well received, but even with that order, I could only imagine the kind of bloodbath the Riverlands would become in the future.

Taking a deep breath, I left my room and headed to the courtyard, where Uncle Edmure was already waiting for me to leave. We would do this in the light of day since we needed Tywin to see it. Hopefully, he would buy it.

Arriving at the courtyard, I nodded to everyone I could recognize. Finally approaching my uncle, I cleared my throat to get his attention.

"Are you ready for this, Uncle?" I asked though I knew it wasn't necessary. He had his game face on.

I had learned that if this was the book universe, or at least a crossover between both, the series completely butchered Edmure Tully's character. He was rigid, a damn good commander, and just. He treated the smallfolk as they deserved, even inviting them inside Riverrun during this conflict to give them food and a safe place.

"I am ready, nephew." He gave me a brief smile. "Is there anything you want to tell me before my departure?" he asked.

"Aye, as I said in the war council, Sylvyrn and the rest of the Green Men will follow your lead," I said seriously. "I hope you understand the value they represent. I'm sure you've heard tales of their might—use them cautiously. Sylvyrn will give you some options for what they can do to your advantage, besides warging to scout great distances."

"Aye, I think everyone in the Riverlands has at least heard how they repelled the Andals during their first invasion. According to the legend, that's why they're the only ones who pray to the Old Gods in the South," he replied with a firm nod. "Do not worry, nephew. We will be victorious."

"I trust you," I smiled lightly. "When we finish the battle against Tywin, we will march to support you."

"Understood. Do you know for sure when you'll attack?" he asked. "It's a shame I'll miss it. I'd pay a king's ransom to see his face when you use that little trick of yours."

"Ha! I get happy just imagining it," laughed Karyl Vance, who would go along with Edmure against Jaime. In these days he warmed up to me, understanding that the killings of the twins were necessary and that I didn't do it just to be cruel.

"I'm sure when you all come back, the jesters and bards will have multiple songs about it," I laughed. "You'll probably see him sitting in the cells."

"I'll be sure to pay him a visit," nodded the new Lord Vance seriously. "The bastard ordered the death of my father at the Golden Tooth," he said through gritted teeth.

"As long as you can control yourself," I replied with a mild glare. "He's more useful alive."

He glared back but subsided when Edmure hit him in the back of the head. "I'll make sure he knows how to act toward our prisoners," Edmure said mildly, his face understanding.

"I know it's hard to leave them alive after what they've done," I replied, shaking my head calmly. "I know, believe me, I know. But you must understand that this is just the beginning. We need every advantage we can get."

With that said, I bid farewell to my uncle and the lords accompanying him. It would take a few days for them to reach Mummer's Ford, so there was a slim, really slim chance that we could arrive to support them before their battle was over. Most battles took weeks to conclude, but the one we'd have with Tywin was an exception, as it would be all or nothing.

I couldn't deny that I was nervous about it, but I also felt excitement. This would be my first major battle, and I needed it to be perfect.

For now, I just needed to prepare my swarm and the terrain. One thing my grandfather asked me after the war council struck a chord. There were insects capable of destabilizing the terrain, making burrows underneath, so I would focus on that before the battle.

I would leave a thin film of dirt on top of the holes, using my insects to support it so that it didnt feel or be seen differently. I couldnt show my hand before the Lannister army committed to the attack, I needed to wait for the perfect moment.

Two days later.

Robb Stark.

Everything was ready. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, and the seven thousand men behind me were ready to commit violence against Tywin and his ilk. Jon and the rest of the heirs were at my side, waiting for orders, prepared to delegate them to the troops. I didn't want to risk them at the beginning of the fight, as it would be the most chaotic part.

I had four thousand infantry, and one thousand cavalry, and the rest were archers. The archers already had venoms to coat their arrows. Everything was ready, and everyone waited for my orders to begin.

Tywin Lannister had gathered his forces, as our scouts reported after hearing movement in the gates. His twenty-five thousand men were ready, waiting for me to make the first move. The Lannister banners flew proudly, and I couldn't help but feel nervous seeing the many people who wanted me dead. It was one thing to know about them to see them in person.

It was different fighting from the shadows, as I had done before; there was no way to compare the two types of conflict.

"Remember the plan," I said with a stoic face. "We need them to advance if we want them to fall into my traps."

Jon and the rest nodded resolutely, grim faces all around. Some were exhilarated to be part of a great battle against one of the most famed lords in the realm, while others—the more sensible ones, in my opinion—were nervous but would do what was asked of them in the name of their king.

"Remember not to advance beyond the range of the arrows," shouted Jon, having understood most of my plan.

There were holes in the ground capped by a thin layer of dirt. My insects had worked hard to make this happen before the battle, and while I hadn't been able to do as much as I wanted, there were more than enough to cause disarray in their army.

"May the Old Gods take care of us," murmured Dacey, nervous but with a feral smile on her face.

"Aye," grunted Smalljon, gripping his battle axe hard until his knuckles turned white.

I nodded and said a small prayer for the battle. I knew the Old Gods were watching, and while I didn't know if they would do anything, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Give the signal," I shouted.

War horns began to sound in the castle, and the infantry started advancing.

As my men moved forward, slowly but surely, I observed the Lannister army doing the same. Both sides had sent only part of their forces, saving men in case additional support was needed.

I began gathering my insects within the castle, and the faint sound of buzzing could be heard from outside. But now wasn't the time to use them. I needed Tywin to send more soldiers first.

The battle would take place on flat terrain, thankfully, and I could barely sense the front of their camp. My range couldn't reach inside the tents, but I could feel enough.

My four thousand men advanced, ready to fight to the death against the people who had burned their lands, or the lands of their allies. The bloodlust could be easily felt even from here, with shouts demanding vengeance.

Finally, the clash began, Lannister soldiers pushing against my men. With the first blood, everything started advancing faster.

Using my insects discreetly, I started pumping my soldiers with stimulants, giving them an edge against the Lannisters.

"Send the first volley!" I shouted. "Make the Lannisters pay for their sins!"

As my commanders began to relay the orders, the rest of us started moving. Thankfully, I could multitask enough to take care of my commanders while fighting an army.

Advancing slowly, I took Ice from its scarab, hoping that when Tywin saw us advancing, he would send a larger force, if not all of them.

I injected all of us with my usual stimulants. My vision became sharper, and my breathing steadied, making it easier to maintain my pace for some hours. My brain received the needed oxygen, which would keep me alert even if my body was tired. I could feel my body trembling with anticipation, and observing my commanders, I saw the same feral smiles on their faces.

The Lannisters wouldn't expect what was coming.

Kevan Lannister

Lannister camp.

"It seems they are ready to start," I murmured, putting the Myrish glass on the table.

"It appears so," Tywin replied, a frown on his face. "But why does he have such a small army?"

"What did the scouts say about Edmure?" asked the Strongboar, also frowning.

"According to our reports, he was seen leaving for Mummer's Ford with over twenty thousand soldiers," said Lord Marbrand.

"I don't like this," I murmured. "Do you see his command? There are only green kids ordering the army."

"Aye," grunted the Strongboar. "The Riverlords followed Edmure. I just don't understand why they trust him so much when he doesn't have any victories under his name."

I shook my head. The battle was just starting, and I was already getting bad feelings about this.

"What do you want us to do, Lord Tywin?" asked Lord Marbrand, looking at the four thousand soldiers advancing.

I don't know if Robb was plain inexperienced or stupid to think he could win with less than half of our army, being led by one of the most dangerous men in Westeros.

"Send five thousand infantry," replied my brother, his face set in a firm line. "Let's see how he responds."

"You heard your lord, get to it!" I shouted, and Emmon Frey ran out of the tent to carry the orders.

Since the news of his family's death, he had been praying to spill more northern blood than the rest. It's a shame he would die before approaching the newly crowned king. As good a fighter as he thought he was, I was sure he wouldn't be capable of approaching the enemy line and damaging Robb in any way.

"What do you think, brother?" I asked Tywin, who was silently calculating with cold eyes.

"He's hiding something, I'm sure of it," he replied. "There's no way he believes he can defeat us with such a small force."

"Could he be just a distraction while the rest of his army fights Jaime?" I asked. "I don't see the Blackfish with him, and as we know, he's missing a lot of men he should have."

"Our scouts would have seen them," Tywin shook his head.

"They know the land better than us, Tywin," I reminded him. "It's possible they used some hidden way to reach Edmure's army without our knowledge."

Tywin exhaled softly. "Ser Marbrand, take ten thousand soldiers and march toward his infantry. If he's just a distraction, he'll retreat to the castle against such a force."

I nodded—it was a good plan. If he had truly sent most of his army against my nephew, there was no way he could hope to defeat us. Seeing all these brave men running toward him would make him retreat.

"Aye," nodded Ser Marbrand. "I'll take some cavalry to disrupt their first line of defense."

"See that you do so," nodded Tywin.

Taking back the Myrish glass, I pointed it toward the entrance of the castle and gasped in surprise.

"Brother, look at that," I said urgently, handing him the glass.

"He's not retreating. In fact, he's advancing with all his forces," I said quickly as Tywin snatched the glass from my hand.

"I don't understand what he's doing," I continued.

Tywin was using the glass to observe them, and I grabbed the one Ser Marbrand left in his seat.

"He's truly a great warrior," I whistled, watching Robb cut through soldiers like he was the Warrior incarnate.

"He's way too strong for his age," replied Tywin softly, with a tinge of respect.

"He's better than Jaime was at his age, brother," I murmured. "There's no way in the seven hells he should be that good at four and ten name days."

"Five and ten," Tywin murmured back.

"It doesn't matter, brother. He shouldn't be that good," I replied heatedly. "Just look at him!"

Tywin stayed silent, and I observed the rest of the commanders in the tent, all watching the scene with varying levels of awe.

"My lord, let me ride," said Gregor Clegane.

"No," snapped Tywin. "You will not fight right now. Your time will come."

I placed the Myrish glass back on the table and rubbed my eyes. When I looked again, I still couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"How are the rest of his fighters so fierce?" I asked aloud.

Tywin began pacing in the tent. "How the fuck are our men losing?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger. "If he doesn't retreat when Ser Marbrand approaches, we'll attack with everything we've got. We cannot allow him to live, he is a great danger to my grandson."

Ser Marbrand was already advancing with the ten thousand soldiers, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The northern army was stronger than we had anticipated, and the one who surprised me the most was Robb Stark. Watching him cut through Lannister's men like a hot knife through butter, never pausing as he continued his relentless advance—it was almost unreal.

"Ser Marbrand is approaching," said the Strongboar, now standing, unable to sit still. He hadn't been much help in battle since the Blackfish cut off his arm, but his insight remained valuable.

"Let's see what the Young Wolf does," I replied, bringing the glass back to my eyes and focusing on the young wolf.

As we watched Ser Marbrand approach Robb, I noticed something unsettling—a smile spread across Robb's face. I wondered what he had planned since he showed no fear of the approaching force.

"He has something planned," Tywin murmured, frowning.

"Aye," I replied, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down my brow. The closer Ser Marbrand got, the more uneasy I felt.

"Fuck!" I shouted. There were hidden pits in the ground, likely uncovered by the weight of the cavalry, and at least forty percent of the horses fell into them. The northern soldiers wasted no time exploiting the chaos.

I couldn't fathom when Robb had managed to prepare these traps, but now wasn't the time for questions. Through the Myrish glass, I watched as Robb Stark decapitated Ser Marbrand with a single blow.

"What are we going to do?" I asked Tywin. "We either commit fully to the battle or order a retreat. We'll lose too many soldiers if we don't act now."

Tywin shook his head in anger, his whole body trembling. "He's making a fool out of me. This cannot stand. Send in the rest of the army—we're going to fight."

Nodding in grim acceptance, I began relaying orders to the soldiers and commanders. "Move! We need to save our men from Robb Stark's hands."

"Are you sure this is the best course of action?" I asked my brother.

"No," he murmured, "but we have no choice. If we lose fifteen thousand men here, we won't be able to face the Starks again."

"Even if we manage to retreat to Jaime's host, we'll be at a disadvantage with half our numbers," he continued.

Nodding in defeat, I prepared to follow my brother's decision. It was my duty, and I would not fail my family.

"Is it time?" asked Gregor Clegane, a feral smile spreading across his face.

"Yes, Ser Gregor, bring me his head," Tywin replied.

The horns of war blared, signaling our march. Every soldier in the camp knew what it meant—we were going to face Robb's army head-on. There was no other option left. We had to commit if we wanted to save our men.

"I want his head on a spike!" Tywin shouted, standing tall. "Today, we defeat the pretender and bring peace to the realm."

"Watch out for the pits in the ground!" I called. "It's possible the cavalry didn't uncover them all."

This battle was going to be worse than I had imagined. I hadn't expected Robb to be this cunning or be such a skilled swordsman. I hadn't lied when I said he was better than Jaime at this age. Jaime, who had joined the Kingsguard in his youth, wasn't even close to being this formidable at five and ten.

I didn't know what they were feeding the people in the North, but almost all of Robb's commanders were going toe-to-toe with our more experienced soldiers, despite their youth.

"This is a trap," I said softly to Tywin. "And we're walking straight into it."

"We have no choice," he replied grimly. "I just hope we can overwhelm him with our superior numbers."

"When we manage to take our men back, we will retreat to Jaime," he said firmly.

Galloping on my horse, I observed the battlefield. We were fast approaching Robb's army, and I noticed something was wrong.

"Why is it getting darker?" I asked out loud. "What is that sound, for that matter?"

It was then that I started hearing the screams of fright in our lines. Looking up, I almost fainted.

The sun was covered with thick clouds of something, and the sound was all-encompassing.

"What the fuck is that?" the men shouted.

I didn't have the faintest idea of what was going on, but I didn't like it, not one bit.

"What do we do, brother?" I asked Tywin. "This is not a natural occurrence."

Tywin was dumbstruck, looking at the sky with a perplexed face.

"What did the scouts say about Robb's siege of the Twins?" asked the Strongboar, riding at my side. Even with only one arm, he was prepared to give his life for the Lannisters.

It suddenly struck me—the scouts had said something about the sky going dark during his siege at the Freys' ancestral home.

Robb Stark.

Riverrun.

It was time. The Lannisters needed to attack en masse if they hoped to save their men. With that in mind, I ordered my insects to make their first appearance in a public fight.

After I cut Ser Marbrand's head off, I could see the rest of the Lannister army moving. With that in mind, I prepared my wildfire insects to be ready. I couldn't risk my men with the fire, so I ordered a brief retreat.

"Retreat one mile!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Thankfully, everyone followed the order and started retreating.

I could see with my senses that every one of my commanders survived since I was taking care of them with my insects, just in case something happened.

Dacey had a close call when one Lannister soldier managed to get close to her back without anyone seeing, but I was able to incapacitate him before he could harm her.

Besides that, the rest of my commanders had fought bravely, and I couldn't be more proud of them.

"You listen to your king!" shouted Jon, with the rest of my commanders relaying the order.

"It's almost time," I told them as we ran away. "When the wildfire spreads along the battlefield, the Blackfish will know it's the moment to attack," I said grimly. "Be ready to go back and defeat this army."

Everyone nodded in understanding, trying to calm their erratic hearts.

As the Lannister army approached us, I waited for the moment to act. I needed to cut their army in half, or at least do what I could manage.

I ordered my insects to cover the sun, just as I did at the Twins. This was mostly to instill fear in the hearts of my enemies but also to cut their visibility of the terrain.

"Get ready," I shouted. "It's almost time."

Using my senses to check my army, I nodded in satisfaction, seeing everyone gripping their weapons and shouting to raise morale. We had managed to defeat a big part of Tywin's army during the brief skirmish, and right now, everyone was excited to be able to defeat one of the most feared men in Westeros.

Seeing that some of the cavalry fell into new holes, I thought it was the moment to strike.

Ordering my insects, I set the field ablaze, and with it, I sent the signal to the Blackfish that it was time to appear at the rear of the army.

"For the North and the Riverlands!" I shouted. "Earn your honor, bring the Lannisters down!"

With my shout, I signaled my people to begin their attack. The Lannister army was confused and scared by what was happening on the field, and I couldn't fault them. I would be, too, if I were in their place.

Thankfully, my men were ready and knew the plan beforehand.

"Charge!" shouted Rickard Karstark. "Bring honor to the Starks!"

"For the King in the North!" shouted Smalljon with a loud laugh.

"Destroy the Lannisters!"

Smiling, I charged toward the soldiers in front of me and started cutting down everyone I could. I would have my breakdown later—right now wasn't the time to think about the people I killed and the people who died for my cause.

I just hoped this would be worth it, and that I was doing the right thing.

"Remember your orders!" I shouted. "Do not become the animals the Lannisters are!"

Seeing the edge of my range, I smiled, spotting the Blackfish with his ten thousand men attacking from the rear, and hearing the panicked shouts from the army.

Advancing slowly but surely, we defeated every soldier that came across us, using a combination of insects, weapons, and horses to gain an advantage against the Lannisters.

Seeing something that surprised me, I called my guard. "Follow me, there's a pest that needs to go down."

My commanders, hearing my order, followed me with zeal, and together we advanced toward the soldier who had been killing our men.

"Today, we will bring down the Mountain!" I shouted. "We won't fight with honor against such a beast—he doesn't deserve it," I said seriously.

Everyone nodded in understanding, and we approached our prey.

Shadow was behind us, his fur coated in blood, with even more blood dripping from his fangs. He was truly a killing machine, and I couldn't be more proud of my familiar.

"I want him alive," I said. "He will be useful as a bargaining chip with Dorne."

I used my insects to inject him with multiple different poisons—not lethal, but that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt like a bitch.

Smiling, hearing his screams, we started raining blows against him with blunted weapons.

Seeing him crying brought a smile to my face. "Take him back to the castle," I ordered, and Torrhen Karstark nodded, starting to tie him up to his horse, along with his eldest brother.

"I made sure to inject him with milk of the poppy, but make sure the maester keeps him alive," I smiled. "It's time to finish this battle."

While I wasn't watching, the Blackfish broke through the Lannister line and was just finishing his battle against Tywin. The Strongboar lay dead at his side, and Kevan was nursing his ribs from a particularly rough fall after a soldier dismounted him.

"Drop your weapons!" I shouted with all my might. "There's no need for more bloodshed."

The rest of my army started circling the remaining Lannister men, and they could see they were finished.

There was no way they could defeat us, so one by one, they started dropping their weapons.

Smiling, I watched as Jon and the rest of my friends celebrated the victory with the group. Even my great-uncle had a small smile while he manhandled Tywin and his brother to secure them.

"This is a victory for all of us!" I shouted. "The feared Tywin Lannister, brought to his knees by the very men of the lands he burned!"

"You have brought honor to the Riverlands, and it is time we start taking our land back from the invaders!"

"King in the North!"

"The Riverlands!"

"King Robb Stark!"

---

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[InfinityReads999]

Riverrun.

Robb Stark.

"What are our losses?" I asked Torrhen Karstark, who had finished tallying our forces and the newly acquired prisoners.

"It was a resounding victory, Your Grace," he replied with a wide smile, before frowning. "But even so, we suffered losses… Over five hundred dead, and a thousand injured."

"What kind of injuries, Torrhen?" I asked.

"Of the thousand injured, six hundred won't be able to continue with our war effort," he shook his head. "At least not without the help of Lord Sylvyrn and his people."

I nodded with a deep frown on my face. War was a costly effort, and it hurt me knowing so many of my people died, even if they did so for a good cause. I quietly observed the battlefield from the top of the castle, the bodies littering the expanse, and I felt bile rise in my throat. I was the one who caused most of the deaths, and that sickened me.

But I couldn't waste time with my angst; I had two kingdoms to take care of and a bunch of enemies surrounding me. I didn't know much about the moves the rest of the kings were making, and I needed to be in top shape for that.

"What about our prisoners?" I asked, even though I knew the answer. I had been using my swarm to make sure nothing dishonorable was happening on the grounds since I knew tensions were high. But thankfully, I didn't need to intervene, at least for now. Since the army here consisted mostly of Northerners, they weren't as angry as the Riverlanders.

"They are behaving themselves," Torrhen snorted. "I'm not sure if it's because of the guards or the damn insects buzzing around them."

I huffed. "I need to make sure everyone knows what would happen. I'm doing it for all our sakes."

"If they are to fight alongside us in the future, they need to know I'm not a bad king," I shook my head. "There are more important things for us than some bloodthirsty Riverlanders."

"Aye," he replied. "I understand, Robb. But there will be a moment when you won't be able to stop them. The Riverlands have been burning for weeks; there's no way to control them all."

"I know that," I snapped. "But that doesn't mean I won't try to stop it."

Sighing, I turned my back to him, once again looking at the battlefield. Thankfully, the fires had been controlled, so I didn't need to worry about that, but I still needed to go down there and pick out the important corpses before burning the rest.

I knew it was customary in Westeros to retrieve the bodies of the defeated, but I would only do so for the lords and knights.

I didn't know what my next moves would be at the moment, so I needed to consult the council after we dealt with the Lannisters here. For now, we would rest before marching tomorrow to help Edmure. I wouldn't take the whole army, as we needed to protect the capital.

"What about the Lannisters?" I asked Torrhen. "What have they been doing?"

Torrhen snorted. "Nothing at all, as far as Tywin is concerned. He knows he's too important to harm, so he's been relaxing in his cell."

I shook my head. To be honest, I was impressed with him. He had lost completely, and he had seen my power in action. I would bet my kingdom he was already coming up with countermeasures, and if he couldn't, he was surely thinking of ways to save his family.

He deserved my respect, even if he was a complete ass. I knew the most important thing to him was his family; his own life wasn't worth much compared to that.

"And Kevan?" I asked.

"He's been more vocal," Torrhen shook his head. "But, as I said, they're behaving."

"Bring Kevan to me," I ordered. "There are some things I want to discuss."

"At once, Your Grace," Torrhen nodded, and with a shallow bow, he left my side.

As soon as he left, the next guard took his place, and I shook my head. My friends—best friends, really—were very protective of me. Even though I kept saying nothing would happen to me without me finding out beforehand, all of them rebuked me, their king, insisting I couldn't stay alone for even a minute. I didn't know where they got the gall to say something like that to me, but I couldn't deny it felt good to have such loyal friends, even if it pissed me off sometimes.

"How are you doing, Dacey?" I asked with a smile. She had been such a wonderful friend during this war, giving it her hundred and twenty percent in everything she did.

Before saying anything, she walked next to me and gave me such a tight hug that I felt my ribs crack. "Thank you for saving me, Robb," she smiled. "I didn't see that bastard sneaking behind me. I truly thought I was dead for a moment."

Returning the hug with equal force, I patted her head. Even though she was older than me, she saw me as a dependable big brother. "You know I would never let anything happen to any of you in my sight, Dacey. Before being my guards, you are my friends—my family."

I felt her shaking a bit, probably remembering the Lannister soldier brandishing his sword at her, and I could see her eyes starting to mist. "I am your king, Dacey. Trust me, I'll do my best to keep you all safe."

"Thank you," she smiled prettily. "Really, thank you, Robb. I don't know how my mother would react if I didn't make it back home."

"But even knowing it would hurt her, I would give my life to keep you safe, Your Grace," she smiled again. "We really need a name for the guard," she frowned before pouting. "I wouldn't like being called a Kingsguard. You're better than the last kings and deserve something more imposing."

"Bah, you can think of one while you're alone, I don't care much about that," I snorted. I didn't see the need to focus on that while we were in the middle of a conflict. For now, I needed to wrap up things here in Riverrun. We captured Tywin's entire army during the battle, but that didn't mean much since we were blind to the situation south of Riverrun. We didn't know if more soldiers were marching to join the main host through the Golden Tooth or anything like that.

That was why I was waiting for Kevan before making more plans. I needed to have a serious talk with him and also have him check the dead before we started disposing of the bodies. If there were any high-ranking persons among the dead, we needed to make sure we did the right thing. As for the rest? Individual burials for our people, and burning the dead from the Westerlands.

As we talked, I saw Kevan being led toward my position by Brynden. My great-uncle had been busy with the aftermath of the battle, and I should have been too, but honestly, I didn't care much. That's the importance of delegating things to trusted people. If I tried to be involved in everything, I was sure I'd end up mad.

My great-uncle had done a wonderful job during the battle. His men cut through the Lannisters and delivered a devastating blow to their morale. Finding out they were outclassed and in the middle of a pincer attack was what broke the camel's back. Besides that, from what I've heard, he was the one who decimated the commanders, having killed the Strongboar in single combat. Even if that wasn't that impressive, thanks to Strongboar's missing arm, he also killed Emmon Frey and defeated Tywin.

They weren't great fighters, but the importance of their names wasn't insignificant. He'd earned a lot of praise, and I could see the bards writing songs or poems about the Blackfish.

Looking toward the door that was opening, I smiled at the new arrivals.

"Congratulations, great-uncle. You've brought justice to the Riverlands," I nodded.

"Justice will be served when these pigs end up dead," he grunted in reply, pushing Kevan inside the room.

I took the moment to inspect the Lannister lord as they entered. He was disheveled, and his attire was in disarray. But what caught my attention was that he wasn't afraid. He hadn't been killed during the battle, and he either thought he was worth more alive, or that my honor, instilled by my family, wouldn't permit me to harm him now that the battle was over.

It wouldn't stop me, of course. If I ever saw the need for him to die, my "honor" would be the last thing I'd think about before cutting off his head. But to be honest, Kevan Lannister deserved to live. He was one of the few people with that last name I respected, and I knew he could be useful in the future.

"Is there a reason our guest is wearing different clothes than before?" I asked with a frown, even though I already knew the answer. I couldn't let them learn more about my abilities than necessary, so I had to keep hiding certain things, like my range.

The Blackfish snorted, "He needed to change his small clothes. I think he had quite a fright during the battle."

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the image. That wasn't something I wanted to picture.

"How have the Riverlands been treating you, Lord Kevan?" I asked him in a mild tone. I wouldn't start this conversation with threats.

"They've been surprisingly polite," he replied just as mildly, watching me like a hawk, trying to see through me.

"It's good that my men follow orders," I smiled, showing my teeth. "Could you imagine what would happen if my men acted the same as the Mountain and Ser Amory Lorch?"

He visibly slumped his shoulders. "No… my lord… I don't want to imagine that."

"Good, good," I replied. "It's better this way. We can avoid so many difficulties when our men listen to orders."

"Now…" I continued, "You know what to expect as my prisoner?"

"Aye," he replied. "I won't make things difficult for your guards, Robb Stark. I don't want to see a repeat of that battlefield."

"I'm sure all your men will be just as tame," I snorted. "But yes, you'll be taken care of, and your men will go north and join the Wall."

"But before we determine your fate, I need you to do a simple task for me," I continued with a calm face, showing that I wasn't going to ask for anything unreasonable. "I need you to follow a retinue of my men and gather the bodies of the important people in your army so we can return their remains."

Kevan opened his mouth to ask something but thought better of it and nodded. "When you return, I'll ask some more questions before you can go back to your cozy little cell, Kevan Lannister. I give you my word if you behave, nothing untoward will happen to you. Make sure you tell your brother that."

"Thank you," he replied firmly, and with as much dignity as he could feign, he walked outside where another guard started leading him to the battlefield along with some soldiers.

"It's been a busy day," I sighed, taking a seat in one of the chairs my men had set up while I was here.

I signaled Dacey and my great-uncle to take a seat as well and uncorked a wine bottle I had on hand, serving three cups for all of us.

"For victory," I deadpanned and raised my cup languidly.

Dacey snorted and downed her cup in one gulp, while the Blackfish sipped his slowly.

"We lost a lot of people," I muttered, feeling a small amount of shame, "but we won in the end."

My great-uncle chuckled, swirling his cup of wine. "People die in a war, who would have thought? But yes, we won, and it was a fine victory under your name, Robb. But never forget, Tywin Lannister is a snake, and I'm sure he's plotting from his cell how he can move next."

"Aye, I know, great uncle… But there's not much we can do to him right now. He's far too valuable to kill, and I cannot lie and say he wouldn't be useful in the fight against the Others," I nodded.

"And I bet he knows that," grunted Dacey, already on her third cup of wine. I was beginning to worry about what she might do. I didn't know what it was like to come so close to death, but I needed to take care of her in any way I could. For now, though, I'd let her drink—maybe that would help her sleep tonight.

"But that doesn't matter much," grunted the Blackfish. "We won, and he's our prisoner. After we're done with Jaime's host, we'll start your campaign for the Iron Throne."

"Oh?" I smiled. "Will you follow me?"

The Blackfish grunted. "It's a moot point, nephew. You brought the Riverlands back to victory after so many defeats. The Riverlords will support you. I will support you."

I just sipped my wine. "I would have done the same even if I needed to fight alone for the throne. The Riverlands are family, and there's no way in the Seven Hells I would leave them burning."

"That's why you're a better pick for the throne, lad." He smiled genuinely. "The past and current kings don't care for the people of the realm, but you do. You helped us, and even if we didn't help you in the future, you wouldn't turn your army against us. That's something they're missing."

"Before you leave, I need to ask something," I continued. "What's the best course of action after defeating Jaime's host?"

"You have some options, but before I tell you, I want to hear your plans. I aim to be a counselor for you, nephew, and I want you to grow as a ruler." The Blackfish shrugged.

"The first thing to do after returning is either to take the Golden Tooth and secure it, or simply arm a strong enough force to keep the Westerlands alienated from King's Landing," I started. "After that, I'd need to march to Harrenhal. Since the castle is close to the Isle of Faces, we can send our wounded there to be treated by the rest of the Green Men. Afterward, we'll take Duskendale to be closer to the capital."

Ser Brynden nodded. "Aye, you're on the right path, nephew. But you forgot something."

Raising my eyebrow, I motioned for him to continue.

"There are multiple participants in this war. You cannot overcommit to some of them while leaving the rest unobserved," he snorted. "The Reach, for all their posh and flimsy loyalty, are supporting Renly, and they have the biggest army in Westeros."

"Aye, I know that, but since their army is so big, they cannot move swiftly. We have time to plan against them," I replied. "But that's beside the point. I'm pretty sure Stannis and Renly will fight before going for the throne. They'll gain the most from that battle, and whoever wins could gain the allegiance of the families supporting the losers."

The Blackfish nodded in acceptance. "Aye, that's true. What about the Targaryen?"

"He has no support besides the Golden Company for now, and the houses still loyal to the Targaryens wouldn't dare act in the open while they're sworn to a king. He'll need time to consolidate the Golden Company under him—time I'll use to infiltrate the Vale," I smirked. "Aunt Lysa has to pay for her crimes, and I'm sure her madness has been spotted by her men. So while my army is settling in Harrenhal and Duskendale, I'll enter the Vale and test the waters. If I can get their support, I'll have three kingdoms under me. I'm sure the Royces, the Waynwoods, and the Corbrays would be happy with my assistance."

"Good," the Blackfish grunted. "I'm happy you have a good head on your shoulders. It'll serve you well in the future."

"What do you think?" I asked him. "Is there anything we could change?"

"Aye…"

The next day

Robb Stark

The castle was bustling with activity. In the courtyard, the small group of Green Men that stayed by my side were working hard to treat the wounded. Having lost over a thousand soldiers for the foreseeable future was something I needed to change, since for now, this was all I had.

I had no way to ally myself with anyone, and my trip to the Vale would take a while. So for now, the five Green Men and multiple maesters were hard at work trying to save as many as they could.

Thankfully, magic and my insects were capable of speeding up the process, but not everything was right.

"How many Lannister men do we have here?" I asked aloud, hoping that some of my commanders knew the answer since I didn't want to waste time counting them myself.

"There are over ten thousand Lannister soldiers in the camp, Robb. This cannot continue. Besides the risk we're taking by keeping them grouped up, we don't have enough food to keep them fed," replied Jon with a frown. "We need to move them as soon as we can, but we can't send them all to the Wall at once. I don't think we can risk arming so many enemies there—the Night's Watch would get overrun."

I frowned deeply at that. Jon was right, and as much as I hated it, I needed to act soon. That meant losing some of my forces before marching, and I also needed to support my uncle Edmure to gain the respect of the lords that followed him.

There were so many things to do and so many places to be, but I couldn't do everything myself.

"Torrhen, I need you to do something for me," I grunted. "Jon is right, we can't allow so many Lannister men to stay here. We risk them doing something foolish, forcing my hand to act, or the Riverlanders taking advantage of them. I need at least half of them gone."

"What do you need, your grace?" he nodded, "I'm pretty sure I know, but I'd prefer for you to tell me."

"You need to make a detour home," I sighed. "I know none of you want to leave my sight, but there are no more trusted men than you."

"Aye," he grunted. "I don't want to leave, but I understand."

"Good," I nodded. "Take ten thousand men with you. I'll speak to the Blackfish later. I want you to do some things for me before going to the Wall. I want you to take the men to Harrenhall. I'll have Grandfather pen a message for Lord Whent. There, you will leave five thousand men, under Ser Brynden."

"After leaving the men there, you will travel north. I want you and the ten thousand men to support the Wall for a while. After that's done, you can come back here. I know it will be a long journey, but I trust you," I continued, looking at him with a smile. While he wasn't the best fighter, he was damn intelligent and loyal to both.

"Understood, your grace. I'll leave at dawn," he nodded, and I could see he was mad because he had to leave my side, but he also understood it was for the best.

"Good," I smiled. "I'm sure you will do a wonderful job. Remember to send me a raven with news from that side of Westeros."

"Now for the rest of us, I will leave the rest of the army here, and we will leave today to help my uncle against Jaime. After we defeat his host, we will march to Duskendale and take the castle. I want to have the three kingdoms on my back; that way we can increase our numbers before battling the rest," I smiled. "Before we leave, is there something we need to talk about?"

"Aye, what of the Mountain?" asked Jon with surprising vitriol, but I somewhat understood where he was coming from. He was raised by my father, and what the Mountain had done during the Sack of King's Landing and this war was atrocious. Jon wanted blood, and I wasn't about to deprive him of that.

"I already thought about that. He will be a gift for Dorne, but you can rough him up a bit before we send him," I replied, looking at him with understanding. "Just be careful. He will wake up soon, and I want him mostly sedated, but awake. Make him feel pain."

"It would be my honor," Jon bowed dramatically, and I snorted. "Anything else?"

There were shakes of their heads in answer, and I stood up, satisfied. "Then get moving, we leave in three hours."

The Riverlands

Edmure Tully

I rode at the head of my host, the banner of House Tully moving along with the wind. Behind me, an honestly impressive gathering of brave men followed me as far as the eye could see—twenty thousand strong, all marching to bring peace back to the Riverlands, to finish the root of everything evil in these lands.

The Lannisters had damaged so much since before they had an in with the throne, since as much as Tywin tried, the Mad King would not give him access. But the old lion was finally capable of grazing the throne thanks to the dumb Robert Baratheon.

I was too young to participate in Robert's Rebellion, but I remember vividly, and I honestly thought he was a bad choice as a king even back then.

Shaking my head, I focused on the problem at hand. Robert, as bad a king as he was, couldn't do any more damage now that he was dead, and he didn't even leave a legitimate heir for the throne if what Ned discovered was the truth. Not that I didn't believe him; the character of my brother-in-law was known in the Seven Kingdoms, and I was sure he wouldn't lie about something this big.

If I knew him as well as I believed, I was pretty sure he was feeling pretty bad about having started this conflict, even if it wasn't his fault. Hopefully, being along with Cat would help him feel better.

Having seen how Robb was raised, I couldn't help but smile. He wasn't even a man by our standards, and he was already named king by his people, even knowing his father was still alive. Being capable of that was something to be proud of.

Smiling at the thought of my nephew sitting on the Iron Throne, I looked at my side, focusing on something else entirely.

The Green Men.

They had appeared just as Robb had sent me on this mission. The mysterious figures, rumored to be older than even the First Men, had pledged themselves to follow me just because my nephew asked. Hearing about him being the champion of the gods he revered was something that I couldn't stomach easily. I was a firm follower of the Seven, and while not as pious as some of the Riverlanders, I was proud of my faith, even when I hadn't seen anything to show of their existence.

But hearing from Robb that he communicated directly with his gods was hard to believe, even with the proof of his gifts.

The Green Men, led by Lord Sylvyrn—who just grunted when he heard someone call him a lord—were cloaked in robes of dark green and brown, their faces hidden behind carved wooden masks. They traveled at my side, silent.

At first, I had been suspicious of them. They were no more than legends, and people even doubted they existed in the first place. What could they offer besides healing in a battle against the likes of Jaime Lannister?

Yet their powers had become evident early during our travels. The land itself seemed to bend to their will. Roads that had been perilous and muddy now firmed underfoot. Streams of water that should have slowed our march flowed in narrower, more manageable paths. Food seemed to last longer than it should, and every night, campfires burned brighter, giving comfort to the soldiers.

I turned my saddle, glancing at Sylvyrn, who was watching me with a smile that unsettled me. He knew I was watching and thinking about him; he always seemed to know things in his surroundings.

Some of my soldiers whispered in fear, others in awe—mostly the men from the North who were following the Green Men under Robb's orders. I wasn't sure what to make of them. Magic wasn't something I put much stock in, but Robb had spoken of them with respect, and the Green Men followed him as the champion of their gods. If my nephew trusted them, so would I.

"Edmure," a voice called from the side. Ser Vance, the newly appointed Lord of his house after his father's death under my uncle, had ridden up beside me.

He was frowning more than usual, which had become his default expression since his father's death, but now there was something else—a hint of concern in his tone. "The men are talking. Some are saying it's unnatural, the way the weather favors us."

I nodded, having already heard the rumors. I couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation. "I've heard the talk. Let them gossip—it's not our concern."

"And yet, it could be," Lord Vance replied, his eyes narrowing. "Superstition can turn a man's heart cold faster than steel. You need to address this before it becomes a problem."

I sighed, glancing back at Sylvyrn, who was watching me with that small, unsettling smile of his—maybe enjoying the fact that I was in a difficult spot. I didn't doubt their loyalty as much as I probably should. They had traveled far from their home to join this war, and they hadn't asked for anything in return. But the whispers of my men were growing louder, and fear had a way of spreading like wildfire.

"I'll speak with them," I said after a moment of thought. "But I won't have my men turning their backs on help when we need every advantage we can get."

Lord Vance grunted. "I hope you can talk some sense into them. I'd hate to see good men falter because of a few ill-timed rumors. Yes, it's unnatural, but they're helping us and don't deserve this treatment from the Riverlanders. I'm beginning to understand why they stayed hidden if this is how we treat them after all they've done."

"Aye," I nodded, and with that, Lord Vance rode back to check on the rear of the formation.

The march, which should have been slow and arduous, had been swift and easy thanks to the Green Men. My men were in good spirits, and we were making better time than I had hoped. Every now and then, I caught sight of one of the Green Men raising a hand or whispering something under their breath, and the world would shift in response—a tree bending aside to clear a path, a gust of wind parting the mist. Unbelievable things happened with just a small gesture.

"Magic," I snorted to myself. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Even with our speed, it would still take time to reach Mummer's Ford. And despite my earlier bravado, I couldn't deny the fear gnawing at my confidence. Jaime was a knight of unparalleled skill, a man with a reputation as golden as his hair. I, on the other hand, had never proven myself in battle. The Riverlords followed me because of my name, not because of any deeds.

I clenched my fists until they turned white. This was my chance—my chance to prove to everyone that I was worthy of leading the Riverlands.

"Lord Edmure," a soft voice called from behind. One of the Green Men, Lady Elyndra, if I remember correctly. Her mask was shaped like a snarling wolf. "We are nearing a place where the earth is old. There is power here. We can use it to hide our approach from the enemy."

I frowned, glancing at her. "What do you mean by that?"

Lady Elyndra tilted her head. "There are places in the world where magic still lingers, where the weirwood roots run deep. We can draw on that power to cloak your men, so Jaime will never see you coming until it's too late."

"Do it," I replied after a moment of hesitation. "Just make sure my men aren't harmed by whatever you do."

Lady Elyndra nodded once. "I would never harm the army of our champion if I can avoid it." With that, she turned and disappeared into the ranks.

If magic could give me the edge I needed against someone of Jaime's caliber, then so be it. My pride wasn't big enough to refuse the help I desperately needed.

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