The Crossed Rose - GoT - R.S.

Curse of Harrenhal

Word was it that the Mountain was guarding Harrenhal and Robb and his men had decided to march on there to take it from him. Lord Karstark had been worried they could be facing a siege at some point, but Robb was sure that wouldn't be the case. Most his men hoped that wouldn't be the case either. It had been almost two weeks since the Battle at the Yellow Fork and the men were hoping for another battle.

Dahlia hoped they wouldn't have to fight at all. Sure Robb was completely healed from the wound on his chest already, but he didn't need to risk another so soon. Besides, now that she was with child, Robb had grown far more protective of her, doubling the men in her Queen's Guard and making sure she was always as far from the head of the party as possible. Which meant she was constantly far from him during their rides. And of course, now she had Jeyne to keep her company and Willaman too, as head of her Guard, but she missed her husband. She missed him dearly but dared not stand in his way, especially in tense moments such as this one when, with each passing day, they marched closer and closer to their next destination.

"Is there gonna be a battle, your Grace?" Jeyne asked as soon as the castle of Harrenhal appeared from the mountains, a few meters away from them, as she rode her horse beside Dahlia's.

"I couldn't tell." Dahlia shrugged, honestly. "There might be a siege of some sort."

"There won't be a siege, your Grace." Willaman shook his head from where he was marching just beside his sister's horse with a firm grip on his reins. "The Mountain can't protect a ruin."

"I imagine the Mountain will protect what Twyin Lannister asks him to protect, brother."

"You're right, sister." Willaman nodded. "But I still don't think there will be seige."

And, this time, Willaman was right. But not because the Mountain decided to engage in battle instead of building a siege around Harrenhal. Actually, the Mountain wasn't even there. No one was there. No one alive, that is.

Bodies littered the yard. Men impaled, bloodied, dirty, thrown around as nothing more than a few rags. Dahlia had heard tales of the evilness and viciousness of the Mountain and she had believed them all. After all, she knew all he had done to the Riverlands when Lord Lannister had sent him to wreak havoc over their lands, but nothing could have prepared her to what she had seen just then. Blood, shit, ashes... Everything could be found there. Everything, except for life.

Dahlia had wanted to vomit. When she dismounted her horse, she had wanted nothing more than to curl up in a corner and vomit, but she hadn't. She was a Queen, after all. She couldn't show weakness. She had wanted to cry as well, but she hadn't shed a tear - not one. Lady Jeyne had, however. As soon as the woman's eyes fell on all the death and devastation around her, she had wept. Dahlia had rushed to her then, gathering her in her arms as she hushed her, not a single tear rolling down her cheeks and she had wondered when she had turned so cold. Sure, she had seen death before, what with all the battles Robb had fought. She had seen blood and shit and ashes. But still... When had she become so numb to it all?

"It's alright, Jeyne." Dahlia whispered quietly to the crying woman in her arms as they stood off to the side for a while, allowing Robb and his men some time to canvas the castle. "You're alright."

From beside her, Dahlia could hear Lord Karstark and Lord Bolton talking as they looked out into the devastation left by the Mountain.

"Two hundred Northmen slaughtered like sheep." Lord Karstark spat.

"The debt will be repaid, my friend." Lord Bolton assured, as Dahlia shushed Jeyne gently again. "For them and for your sons."

"Will it?" Lord Karstark asked, his eyes glaring straight at Lady Catelyn who, as her son, walked around the castle, looking at all the dead. "They rot in the ground while their killer runs free."