Desert Wolf

Chapter 10 A Stark In Winterfell

The year that Torrhen turned nine, the Greyjoy rebellion began. King Robert had sent Ned a raven telling him to meet up with him so that they could put a stop to the uprising. Ned called his bannermen to Winterfell, and from there, they would march and join up with King Robert. Ned had decided that Benjen would be joining him and that he would leave Torrhen in charge.

“There must always be a Stark in Winterfell,” Ned told his son.

Torrhen put on a brave face and nodded, “Yes, Father, I will rule Winterfell as well as you would.”

Ned smiled at his eldest son and kneeled in front of him. He opened his arms, and Torrhen ran into them. Ned hugged his son tightly, “I know you will, Son. If you need any help, Vayon Poole and Maester Luwin are here to help you.”

Though Ned did his best not to show favoritism among his children, Torrhen held a special place in his heart, not only because he was his firstborn son, but because Torrhen was Ned's son with his beloved Ashara. Torrhen hugged his father just as fiercely, “I shall miss you, father.”

“And I shall miss you, my desert wolf.”

Torrhen grinned at the nickname. He liked that his father acknowledged his heritage from his mother's side. Behind him, Torrhen could hear the ghost of his Uncle Arthur laughing. After saying goodbye to Torrhen and telling him to behave for Lady Catelyn, Ned made his way down the line and said goodbye to the rest of his children. He paused in front of his wife and kissed her cheek, placing his hand on her swollen belly. Catelyn would soon give birth to their third child, so by the time he returned; there would be a new member to the pack.

Even though Ned and Catelyn were going to have three children, the relationship between them was still strained because she resented Torrhen and Jon. She had tried several times to “discipline” Torrhen and Jon and keep them away from Robb and Sansa, but Ned would not allow, it and she felt that Ned undermined her authority as the Lady of Winterfell. Catelyn also resented that Torrhen was in charge of Winterfell while Ned was away, she thought it was her job, not that of a nine-year-old boy, but Ned would not budge. So, with a strained goodbye, Eddard Stark along with his brother Benjen mounted their horses and rode out of Winterfell to meet up with King Robert's army.

The minute Eddard and the others were out of sight, Lady Catelyn herded her two children away from Torrhen and Jon. Maester Luwin immediately protested, but Torrhen stopped him, “That's fine, Maester Luwin, Jon, and I will see Robb and Sansa later. Lady Catelyn will not keep my siblings away from us. For now, we have work to do,” Torrhen told the older man.

Maester Luwin smiled at the young boy who was taking his duty as Lord of Winterfell seriously and led him to the Great Hall so that they could get started.

The day was long and tedious, but Torrhen got through it well. He listened to every complaint and proposal brought to him by the smallfolk and did his best to solve their problems. Torrhen went over the finances and crop reports with Vayron Poole and Maester Luwin to make sure they'd be prepared for winter. When time permitted, Torrhen trained with his brothers in the training yard even though Lady Catelyn complained. There were times that Lady Catelyn tried to interfere with running the Keep until Torrhen finally got sick of it and told her in no uncertain terms that he was the Lord of Winterfell until his father returned and what he said was to be obeyed whether she liked it or not. Catelyn was so offended and angry raised her hand to strike Torrhen when his eyes suddenly glowed violet in a show of power, and she shrunk away from him.

“You will not raise a hand to me or Jon again, My Lady, or you will not like the consequences,” Torrhen told his stepmother.

“Are you threatening me?”