Robb paced back and forth in his tent, staring at the floor. Greywind and Margaery watched him walk back and forth. Torrhen slept soundly on his mother's shoulder. The maesters had been monitoring both the babe and Margaery for the past few days, making sure that there were no dangers that followed the birth, but both mother and son were healthy and strong.
Robb still worried about his wife and son, as all good husbands and fathers do, but currently he could only think of the family who would be arriving any second. A rider bearing the sigil of a white rose had arrived that morning saying that Father and the rest of his family were not far away. Ser Davos, who had fled to White Harbor when the Targaryens arrived, had helped bring Robb's family and the Company of the Rose from the North and let them off at Maidenpool, where it was just a short ride to Robb's camp.
Sansa entered the tent, followed by Ser Brynden and Edmure.
"They haven't arrived?" Sansa asked, looking around as if they might appear.
Robb shook his head. "They're supposed to be here any second." he answered distractedly.
Robb had no idea what he was going to say when he saw his family again. With Sansa and Jon, Robb had hugged them and they had exchanged stories. Sansa's stories had led her to sobbing on Robb's shoulder while Jon's story had led to the revelation that he was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. But Robb had always known that they were alive.
Robb had mourned his father. Jon was by his side when he did so. He had accepted his father's death and had embraced his role as King in the North. Now he had no idea what to think, not with his father so close. The rules of Westeros were fairly clear on the matter. With Robb's father still alive, the crown should rightly be his, not Robb's. Then there was also the thought that Father wouldn't want Robb to be king, for whatever reason that might be. Then Robb would be stuck between obeying his father and doing right by all those who had knelt before him and pledged their loyalty to him and the crown he wore.
The thunderous sound of hoofbeats broke Robb's train of thoughts. Sansa clapped her hands together and already had tears springing up in her eyes. Ser Brynden, in a surprising show of affection, put his arm around the young girl. Edmure had a beaming smile on his face.
Robb glanced at Margaery, showing his fear and uncertainty in the single look. His wife nodded gently towards him and had a kind, sweet smile on her face. It spoke volumes to the northern king as he felt the block of anxiety slowly melt away. He straightened up and tugged his jerkin straight, laying an easy hand on Claw. In a matter of moments, he had gone from Robb Stark, the Heir of Winterfell to King Robb Stark, King in the North, ruler of six of the seven kingdoms.
He had become the Young Wolf.
The tent flap was pushed back by Brienne to reveal his father, looking no different than Robb had last seen him. He still wore a plain plaited leather jerkin, but this time he had Ice slung across his back. His mother, dressed in a beautiful blue and white dress, had her hair done up in her normal bun. They looked no different than they always did when the family was altogether in Winterfell.
Rickon and Arya were right behind them. Arya was dressed in a jerkin and breeches, and had a slim sword at her waist, but she was grinning happily when she caught sight of Robb. Rickon, who was holding her hand, looked confused, but his face soon lit up as well when he saw Robb and Sansa.
Jon was the last to enter, wearing black plaited leather with Frost by his side. Two direwolves padded in silently behind the group.
Father stopped just short of Robb, straightening to his full height before going into a deep bow. Before he could finish, Robb had crossed the distance between them and threw his arms around his father, who quickly responded in kind. Mother soon joined in the hug, pulling Sansa in with her who had tears of joy running down her face. Arya and Rickon were around Robb's legs, and he pulled them towards the middle.
Soon, almost the entire Stark family, after more than a year of being apart, was together once again.
Robb looked up, his eyes rimmed red with unshed tears, saw Jon waiting at the back. The two brothers locked eyes and shared a laugh before Robb pulled Jon's head towards his, the two brothers putting their heads together, both laughing softly and holding back tears.
Finally, after a few minutes of holding each other tight, the group broke, no one quite sure where to begin. Robb still wasn't sure what the hell to say. Even when Margaery had broken the news to him that his father was alive, he hadn't prepared for seeing him again.
"Father…." Robb said weakly.
Father put a hand on Robb's shoulder, the smile on his face spoke volumes to the young king, as did the look of immense pride and love in his eyes.
"Robb." Father said quietly. "I'm so, so proud of you and all that you have done. Words cannot describe."
Robb opened his mouth to respond, but when nothing came out, he shut it. He had no response to his father's words, as no words were capable of explaining all the emotions that he was feeling. His mother put her hand on his cheek, running a hand through his coarse beard.
"You boy. My beautiful boy." Mother said, tears dripping down her cheeks.
Robb grabbed his mother's hand gently, smiling at her. He glanced behind him and saw Margaery watching the family reunion with joyful expression, tears of her own appearing in her eyes. Robb let go of his mother's hand and reached out for hers, drawing Margaery to his side.
"Father, Mother, this is Margaery, my wife." Robb said proudly, wrapping an arm around Margaery's waist. "And Torrhen, my son."
Father smiled kindly at Margaery. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, gooddaughter."
Mother could only bow slightly as she wrapped one arm around Father's. Margaery bowed slightly to them both.
"It's an honor to meet you as well." Margaery said happily. "Robb has only spoken praises of you both, and the rest of his family as well." Margaery looked at Mother. "Would you like to hold your grandson?"
Catelyn sniffled happily and nodded, gently taking the sleeping child from Margaery as Arya came forward. Father had moved on to hugging Sansa, who was still sobbing.
Robb knelt down till he was about the same height as Arya. The two siblings smiled wildly as Arya threw herself at Robb, just as she had when she and Jon had been reunited. When Arya stepped back, Robb looked at her clothing.
"So….Mother finally allowed you to wear breeches?" he chuckled. "Nice sword."
Arya drew the weapon proudly, holding it in both hands. "Jon had it made for me before….before I left."
"Does it have a name?"
"Needle." Arya stated happily.
Robb grinned and drew his own sword. "This is Claw."
Arya laughed as sheathed her sword, Robb doing the same. That's when Rickon came flying at Robb, grabbing his beard and face before finally throwing his arms around Robb's neck.
Robb laughed and lifted his youngest brother off his feet, holding him tight. It had been so long since he had seen Rickon. His hair was long and wild, but Robb was just happy that he had recognized him.
Robb put his little brother down and turned slightly. Margaery was speaking happily with Jon when she caught Robb's gaze.
"Arya, Rickon, this is Margaery, my wife." Robb said, introducing them.
Margaery crouched down next to Robb, smiling kindly at the other Starks. Rickon looked a little shy, while Arya looked skeptical.
"You must be Arya." Margaery said. "You look just how Robb said you would."
"Oh?" Arya said. "You mean like my Aunt Lyanna."
"She was said to be very beautiful." Margaery agreed. "But you also look like the Arya I've heard about. Strong and fierce, and no doubt a great fighter."
"How do you know that?" Arya asked.
Margaery shrugged casually. "Two of my brothers are great warriors. I know one when I see one."
"I'm going to be the First Sword of Braavos some day." Arya said firmly.
"I have no doubt." Margaery agreed, sounding completely genuine. "And this must be Rickon."
The youngest Stark nodded quickly, looking like he was trying to hide behind Arya. Margaery smiled at the boy and held out a hand to him. Perhaps it was the smile on Margaery's face, which is very hard to say no to, or maybe it was the fact that she was a mother, but Rickon hesitantly took Margaery's hand, allowing himself to be drawn out from behind Arya.
"I'm Margaery." Margaery said simply.
"Hi…." Rickon said hesitantly.
Margaery laughed and ruffled Rickon's long, auburn curls. Rickon couldn't help but laugh himself before disappearing behind Arya again.
Robb got to his feet, looking around the tent as Arya and Margaery continued to talk about Arya's hopes and dreams in Essos. Father and Mother, who was still holding Torrhen, were talking with Edmure and Ser Brynden, both Tully's looking happy to see Mother and Father again. Rickon had somehow raced across the room to Sansa.
"This is good." Jon said quietly, appearing at Robb's side. The two brother's embraced properly this time, laughing and clapping each other on the shoulder and back.
"It's good to have you back with me Jon." Robb said happily. "This is how it should always be."
"You'll always have me with you Robb." Jon said, clapping Robb on the shoulder. "We're brothers. We'll never abandon each other."
Robb glanced at the others and pulled Jon towards the back of the tent where Greywind, Ghost, and Shaggydog were nipping and playing with each other, obviously very happy to be back together once again. All three direwolves were massive, yet they played like puppies.
"Where's Bran?" Robb asked, trying to keep a pleasant expression on his face so as to not worry anyone.
Jon glanced at the others before copying Robb's expression. "He and Lord Reed's children fled north, apparently to go north of the Wall." Jon responded. "Word has already been sent to Castle Black, but it's been months. They disappeared a few days after Winterfell was burned."
"Why would Bran need to go north of the Wall?" Robb asked.
Jon shook his head. "Another time Robb, it's a long story. He's not alone, however. Howland's children along with Hodor and Summer are with him."
Robb sighed. "At least he's not alone."
"We'll find him." Jon promised. "Even if I have to go north of the Wall myself, we'll find them and bring them home."
Robb smiled thankfully at his brother. "Thank you."
Line Break
The feast that night was filled with even more greetings as Father reunited with all his former friends. Yohn Royce and Jason Mallister were two of the first men to greet Father, followed by Jonos Bracken, Tytos Blackwood, Horton Redfort, and Bryce Caron. All men who had fought together during Robert's Rebellion and the Greyjoy Rebellion. Many men continued to approach him throughout the feast, greeting him simply based on reputation.
Robb sat in the middle of the high table, with his family to his right, starting with his father and mother, and Margaery and her family to Robb's left. The night was full of laughs and cheers. Many lords of the Riverlands approached Jon and commended him for his campaign in the North.
One table that began to slowly join the festivities belonged to the captains of the Company of the Rose. Robb had briefly met their leader, Derren, and had offered him a seat at the high table because he was a Stark. His cousin had politely declined the offer, stating that he wanted to feast with his men.
Derren was now engaged in a conversation with Royce, Tarly, and Ser Brynden, the four men getting along surprisingly well. All four had illustrious military backgrounds which helped forge a common bond between them.
As the feast progressed, seats changed with more frequency. Margaery was sitting beside Mother, the two talking about motherhood and some things that Margaery should expect as Torrhen grew up. Sansa sat next to Olenna, talking about something Robb couldn't hear. Willas spoke quietly with Jon while Garlan spoke with Arya. Arya's 'dancing master' was deep in conversation with Loras Tyrell. Apparently, he was a master swordsman who had served the ruler of Braavos for many years.
The lords of the Vale, the Stormlands, the Reach, the Riverlands, and the captain of the Company of the Rose spoke together like old friends, and it made Robb extremely happy to see his men behaving in such a way.
Robb felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his father. Last Robb saw, he had been speaking with Gregor Forrester.
"Perhaps we should talk." Father said quietly. "Privately."
Robb nodded and got up, making his way over to Margaery. He kissed her on the top of her head. "I'll be back." he promised.
Margaery looked over her shoulder at Robb, noticing her goodfather behind him. She knew that whatever was happening, it was between father and son. She smiled and gave Robb a light kiss before going back to her conversation with Mother.
Robb and Father quickly made their way out of the feasting tent past the fires of the northern troops, greeting men as they passed. The northmen were extremely proud of Robb and fought bravely for him, but they equally loved his father and would walk into hell and back for him. They couldn't be happier to see father and son together again.
Brienne followed the two Starks from a distance. She had ensured that there were guards in place for Robb's and other's protection and had insisted on standing guard herself while the rest of the elite unit under her command shed their armor and mingled with the rest of the nobles.
When Robb and his father were in the privacy of the command tent, with Brienne taking up her position just inside the entrance, Robb grabbed two tankards of ale from inside his quarters while his father pulled two chairs close to each other. It wasn't planned, but both men seemed to think that ale was the best drink for the following conversation.
Whatever it may be.
Robb handed his father a tankard as he took his seat, letting out a quiet sigh now that he was back in the confines of his own tent and away from the feast. Robb enjoyed socializing with his lords, but with the war and the treaty taking up so much of his time, he rarely had time alone with Margaery, let alone himself.
"The crown suits you." Father said, taking a sip of the ale. "Edmure told me that the smith at Riverrun had fashioned it after the crown Torrhen Stark wore."
Robb nodded, pulling the circlet of bronze and black iron from his head, admiring it. "It seems….right." he said before setting it back on his head. "Although some would argue that it belongs to you."
Father nodded slowly. "Aye, that's true." he said before looking Robb in the eye. "But I don't want it."
Robb nodded as well. "So where does that leave us?"
Father leaned back in his chair, cradling his tankard in both hands. "Robb….I have my doubts about this." he said, gesturing to the crown. "Not because I think you can't handle the crown, you've proven beyond all doubts that you can, but because I know what the throne can do to people."
"You mean what it did to Robert Baratheon." Robb said.
Father nodded. "Robert was not the man I knew, and seeing him ride into Winterfell, I knew it as soon as I saw him. I don't want to see you become that, Robb. I don't want to see you become bitter and resentful. Robert was a horrible king who abused his position with tourneys and feasts, and as much as it hurts to me to say such, it's the truth."
"I know Father." Robb answered. "The crown is a burden to bear, not a reward. You taught me that as Lord of Winterfell, I had a duty to my people." Robb paused for a moment. "Now I have a duty to protect and serve the people in all the regions that are under my protection."
Father looked at Robb for a long time before responding. "You'll be a good king, Robb. You're thriving in the south far more than I ever could."
Robb smiled slightly. "Margaery has quite a bit to do with that."
Father smiled as well. "Aye, she's a true prodigy of her grandmother, that's for sure. You were smart to marry her." Father's smile fell. "Now, before you tell me about this treaty you're working on, I would like for you to answer me one question."
"Of course." Robb said.
"Do they truly have dragons?"
"Three of them, a little bigger than horses." Robb confirmed. "How'd you know?"
"Derren had told me when the Targaryen girl started rallying men to her banner in Pentos." Father responded, running a hand through his hair. "What are the Targaryens like?"
"Daenerys is good." Robb replied. "She's quickly catching on to the customs of Westeros, and although she was never told the truth about her father and the rebellion, I think she's accepted what's happened."
Father raised an eyebrow. "Truly?"
Robb nodded. "I think so. She has a good heart and wants to help people. She freed eight thousand slave soldiers, father. She also has Ser Barristan Selmy advising her."
"Barristan?" Father asked. "I wonder how he came to her."
Robb shook his head. "I don't know. But I believe I can work with her. It's the other one that I don't trust."
"What other one?" Father asked. "I know of the girl, Robert wanted her dead after she married some Dothraki horselord."
"Aegon Targaryen, Rhaegar's son." Robb explained. "Apparently he didn't die and was smuggled out, replaced I assume, with another child."
"Where's he been this entire time?"
"Jon Connington has been raising him." Robb answered.
"Why is he the problem?"
"He's arrogant and headstrong." Robb grunted. "He's an ass, to put it simply. He's grudgingly agreed with everything concerning peace, after questioning my every word."
"Does he want war?" Father asked.
"I think he does." Robb answered grimly. "He believes that all of Westeros belongs to him."
"Is he mad?" Father asked, asking the question slowly and carefully. It was an important question, especially given the last Targaryen king.
"I think he may become so." Robb answered in the same tone. "I can never turn my back on him. The entire peace treaty is grounded in the understanding between Daenerys and I."
"And what understanding is that?"
"I don't want to lead my men into more war." Robb answered honestly. "I fought Tywin, Lord Tarly is still working on taking Casterly Rock, Jon and you retook the North. The last thing I want to do is lead my men against essosi and dornish and dragons."
"And the girl?"
"I think she's afraid of being seen as an invader." Robb said. "She knows that her family has been away from Westeros and it did not leave the best legacy when it was forced out."
"That's true." Father grunted. "Well, if you think peace is the best option, then I have no objections."
"Really?" Robb asked, the question coming out before he could stop himself.
Father nodded. "You're your own man, Robb. You're a father, a husband, a king. What you've built, what you've fought for, you did it all by yourself. Even with all that happened in the North, you still won. You are not a boy, and I will not treat you as such. You are my son, and you are also my king. If you think peace is what is best, then I support your decision."
Robb took a moment to process his father's honest and open declaration. Not only was Robb being acknowledged as the king by his father, but he also had that sign of approval that all son's wish from their fathers. An understanding that they can now make decisions without looking to their parents to see if it was the right one. Robb had been trying to fill the void his father had left since his false execution, and now his father was saying that he had done just that.
"The Targaryens would like to meet with you." Robb said after draining his ale.
"Aye, I assumed they would." Father said grimly. "I'm the last remaining member of the rebellion. Robert, Jon, Hoster, even Tywin, they're all dead and gone."
"I won't let you go into the city." Robb said. "A tent will be set up in the neutral ground."
"Very well." Father agreed, draining the last of his own ale before standing. "Come on, I'm sure your wife misses you."
Robb laughed and stood. As the two men walked towards the entrance, Father stopped and turned towards Robb, putting a hand on his shoulder, just as he had when they had seen each other for the first time earlier that day.
"I meant what I said, Robb." Father said quietly. "I told Jon as well. You two have made me proud beyond words. The men you have become…." he couldn't finish the sentence, but Robb knew what he meant.
Robb smiled softly. "We learned from the best."