Bleeding Ivory l Robb Stark

honour

"

What are you doing still up, my lady?" A sweet voice raised Sansa's awareness. She recognized the woman approaching the table. It was the woman who had sailed their ship North when Joanna and her fled Kingslanding. The woman who rescued Joanna from captivity. She was rather tall, as tall as Sansa herself with tanned skin and hair that reached the middle of her bad, still dressed in armour. "I was just-"

"Studying? At this hour?" Ayame sat across from Sansa as she paged through the books that covered the table "Histories of the North and wars? Am I allowed to ask why you're studying wars this time of the night?"

"Joanna wants me to help take back the North. She says I'm not a good fighter but that doesn't mean I'm useless, that if I can study previous wars, I can help her reclaim the North." Sansa replied "Besides what are you doing up?"

"Oh you'd like to know that, wouldn't you?" Ayame smirked as she propped her boots on the table much to Sansa's irritation

"The lady who kept me company seems to have fallen asleep, I might as well take a stroll through your families castle." She shrugged pouring herself wine, raising her cup and downing it all

Sansa rolled her eyes to this "Joanna never told me who you were, no less -" She tapped on Ayame's boot "Your lack of manners, you'll stain the books." she scolded to which Ayame laughed

"And what is it you want to know about me, my lady?"

Her arrogant smirk made Sansa feel uneasy as she closed her books "For starters how did you come to service of my uncle? Are you of house Lin? Like Shae was?"

"Gods no. I'm no highborn lady, I am however a sell-sword. Your uncle paid me a grand amount to free Joanna from the Boltons, and again when he needed my ship to sail South to rescue you." Ayame answered

"Though before I was a sell-sword I lived a different life. Everyone who has met me, I tell them a different story. No one knows who I am."

"So how do we know we can trust you?" Sansa quickly replied "Joanna said you were of house Lin, loyal to Shae's family. Was that a lie?"

To that Ayame only smirked as she sat forward. Sansa noticed the long scar running from her chin to her collar through the light of the fire burning

"You've got a lot to learn my lady. First is to never trust what anyone tells you, especially your friends. Besides what difference would my background make?"

"For one, I'd know who you are."

"No, you wouldn't. I could tell you that I served for house Lin when Shae left to fight Robb's war. I could tell you that I'm an orphan who sells my sword, for all you know I could be a wildling dressed in someone's armour. None of that would change my actions, would they?"

Sansa remained quiet as she felt herself intrigued by the young woman. "So what, you go through life by selling your sword and lies? What about honour?"

"The men who pay me do not care for honour, excluding your uncle of course. Does what I've just told you offend you my lady? Or do you judge my actions I saved you from the pig shit den that's the Capitol?" Ayame poured a glass of wine to Sansa, handing it to her

"I don't know." Sansa replied "How do I know you won't sell your sword for the Boltons?"

"Because I have some self respect. The Bolton are vile pigs and no money could make me toil in service to them. I haven't been here long but even I can see the North is dying because of them. Anyone who comes into service of them is a servant and they themselves are servants to Tywin Lannister is dead. So what does that tell you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what does all this fear and bloodshed tell you." Sansa remained quiet unsure of how to answer as Ayame sighed "What's the one thing you Northerners are known for? Loyalty. Those who have bend in service to Roose, it wasn't because of their strength, it was because they feared what Tywin and Roose could do to them but now Tywin is dead and the Boltons have no one to back them."

"Except house Glover, Karstark and the Umbers." Sansa remarked "They betrayed my brother, even during the war."

"They did, but they're not the only houses the North has. If you want to help Joanna in her attempt to take the North keep in mind that even with all the soldiers Roose Bolton has, the North is wide and large and still loyal to anyone's name who is Stark."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

Ayame stood up as she left the council room but not before turning to Sansa "Because your uncle promised me a handsome price if I help win you this war." She winked to which Sansa could feel her palms become sweatier "Sweet dreams my lady."

"Stannis Baratheon has left, and because of your arrogance he did not give us his men. We could have strengthened our numbers Joanna." Blackfish sat across her in the dining hall where the twins played with the food in their bowls. Joanna cleaning off the tart off of Alina's face as Eddard smeared it across his sisters face "I fear we might regret this later."

"We won't." Joanna laughed as Aline chewed on her wolf toy "Stannis is not king, so his word means nothing. To get to Kingslanding, he would have to march through Winterfell which would alert the Boltons of what? We can't take the risk of backing a man who's claim is void."

"So what do we do? Because it stands the Boltons have the Glovers, Umbers and Karstarks?"

"It's simple Bryden." Joanna placed Alina down as she and Eddard stumbled and walked up and down the table "The Karstarks hold the largest army the Boltons have. Half of which ride to Moat Cailin. Our first attack will be to take the last of the Karstarks."

"Joanna, we don't have the men." Blackfish disagreed "You've said it yourself, after Robb called for Lord Karstarks head, you began to notice the change in victories for Robb."

"I know, which is why we will meet with the lords of house Mormont, Dustin and Greenwood. I'm told they refused Roose Bolton." She handed a letter with a broken seal to Blackfish

As Blackfish's eyes read the parchment a proud laugh bellowed "I must say I look forward to meeting Lady Lyanna Mormont. She seems like quite the character, doesn't she?"

"The North knows no king but the king in the North." Joanna recited "Before we descend to war I want to know who fights for us. Anyone who does not, is an enemy I plan to have dealt with. This time I intend of winning." Joanna affirmed

"And when we have our men we can't just attack freely. I assume you have a plan for that?"

"Sansa actually." Joanna corrected much to Blackfish's surprise "There's a spy outside of these walls who's informed Roose Bolton that house Tully has less than three hundred men, naturally putting you in the category that could not benefit them, as far as they're concerned we're useless. Tomorrow that spy dies when we divide our armies sending half to lay siege on the Karstarks and the Glovers. Ultimately I want Roose Bolton to shit his pants when he realizes that its me. I'll finish what he started the day I shot an arrow through his body, only this time I won't take his balls, I'll have his head."

"When do you expect to lay the siege?"

"As soon as possible." Joanna answered "Has there been news out of Winterfell?"

"Do you mean Shae?" Blackfish replied "Yes, it appears that she's still in term. Knowing the father , they expect a boy."

"Tell me about his son, Ramsey Bolton."