KINGDOM FALL | ROBB STARK [1]

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KINGDOM FALL
— 1. Loyal Watchman

Soon after Edmure Tully had taken Martyn and Willem Lannister prisoner on behalf of his king and queen, Annalys soon found the bodies of her cousins and the body of her handmaiden, Talisa.

Robb promised her vengeance, but Annalys knew if they wanted to win the war, executing the men responsible was the last thing they wanted to do.

That same day, Willem and Martyn laid dead on a blanket alongside Talisa's body. They had learned that she had been killed trying to protect the children. Annalys knelt beside the three bodies and Robb stood beside her, his right hand placed on his wife's shoulder as a way to comfort her. Brynden stood opposite, while Catelyn sat behind them, a sad look on her face at the sight of the boys and Talisa.

"Bring them in," Annalys spoke up, tears still welled in her eyes as she gave the order.

Brynden nodded, opening the door before Lord Karstark and his men walked in, hands bound, "Is that all of them?" Robb asked the group in a low tone, "It took five of you to murder two unarmed squires and a handmaiden?"

"Not murder, Your Grace. Vengeance," Karstark corrected his king before turning to look at Annalys, who was standing and glaring at him, "Lady Talisa was purely collateral damage."

"Vengeance? Collateral damage?" Robb asked Karstark in an angered tone, "Those boys didn't kill your sons. I saw Harrion die on the battlefield and Torrhen--"

"Was strangled by the Kingslayer," Karstark cut him off furiously, "They were his kin."

Annalys glared at Lord Karstark angrily. All this because Jaime was freed? In all honesty, she would have freed him herself if Catelyn Stark hadn't. Would they have killed her too? Their queen? For vengeance?

"You remember the Mad King's Reign, don't you, Lord Karstark?" Annalys suddenly spoke up, causing the entire group to turn to her in concern after she mentioned the Mad King, "Tywin Lannister, my grandfather, butchered Rhaegar Targaryen's children," She explained in a calm tone, which was shocking, given what had just happened, "Innocent children, all so that the Targaryen line would end and they'd get their vengence. You claim to hate Tywin Lannister for the way he is, but as you stand before me at this moment, I see no difference. Do you?"

Lord Karstark seemed taken aback by Annalys' statement, as was everyone was, "They were...They--" He began to argue, only to have Annalys cut him off.

"They were boys! That is what they were. Boys!" Annalys screamed at Lord Karstark furiously, every man in the room looking taken aback and almost fearful at her tone. That, and the look she gave Karstark, the look that said she wanted nothing more than to kill him. She had been speaking so calmly but within seconds, she had been able to snap and make her tone louder than it ever had been before. It was something Tywin had been known for doing, "I am the kingslayer's kin. I am his daughter, his firstborn, would you have killed me too? For 'vengeance', as you say?"