Game of Thrones: Frozen Fire

Claw The Way Back

As punishment, many of Stannis' men who had offered resistance were forced to take the Black. Jon reluctantly welcomed the new hands that would help built everything back up, but as he believed in honor, he saw little of that on men who worked just because they feared death. Still, that did not mean he wasn't grateful for the new strength, since many brothers had perished during battle and since the White Walkers had been seen for the first time.

Robb overlooked the mass of men moving from one place to the other, busing themselves as it was expected from them. They were to leave next morning to travel south and finally join Randyll Tarly to attack King's Landing once and for all.

"Aye," Greatjon replied with delight in his gruff voice when Robb informed the news. "We will finally show them the North is strong. We will rule like we should've. Like the Gods always wanted."

"We'll need to keep our strength. They might not be many, but the city is strong and they will want to wear us out-"

"No one can tire us out! Much less scrawny little southern boys and their whores!" Greatjon bellowed and some men laughed quietly at the words.

The corner of his mouth tilted up despite his worries. He was glad his men were in a good mood. It gave them new hope and kept their spirits up. Robb of course felt lucky and as if all the praying his mother had done was paying up. They were about to embark on the last part of war, but that did not mean it was about to become easier or less gruesome.

"As I was saying," he continued with the deep commanding voice Jon had told him was new, a voice much too similar to their father's – hard like steel, but honest. "We will need our strength and attack at once. They are waiting for us. They have been waiting and they'll be ready. Surprise and deceive will not be our allies, but strength and unity. We're not like them. We will win, because it's our right. Only the strongest survive hardships like winter. No other but us know this better."

The men were ready to fight. Robb believed it had more to do with the years they had spent away from their homes and families, from a proper bed and good food on their plates, between men who rarely cleaned themselves and horses with a smell that clung to their noses for days. He himself missed his bed in Winterfell next to the lush curves of his wife, even if there weren't many memories he could miss given that since he had been named Lord, everything had been difficult in his life.

As Robb walked across the courtyard with Grey Wind at his side, he saw Jon stalking his way from the cells in which they kept the prisoners, including the feisty injured red-headed girl Jon seemed so fond of.

Robb couldn't help but grin at the sulking expression on Jon's face.

"Something wrong with the prisoners?"

Jon shot him a look. It was as if years had not gone by them and they were back in Winterfell, being children who discovered women for the first time, like the big breasted daughter of the cook who was so enchanted with Jon, to Theon's annoyance.

"She's a pigheaded woman."

"And you blame her?" Robb quipped, hurrying himself to catch up with his brother. "If you treat a lady like that-"

"She's no lady. And I should not worry about her."

And it was then Robb realized what upset Jon the most was not that the girl was stubborn or that she pushed the limit of his patience. Ygritte, as he had learned the girl was named, upset Jon because he had made a promise and she made him want to break it. Jon was loyal, and now as Lord Commander, he was not about to go against the vows he had taken. He had faced the same situation back when he had met Dany, but things had turned for the better for him.