Game Of Thrones: The Lost Bastard

Chapter 7:The North Remembers

I continued..."Only half Targaryen. As much as I hate that side of me, it makes me stronger." I revealed to Petyr.
"You're braver than any of the other girls I've met." He said then sat beside me on a near by barrel.
"Have you met Sansa Stark? She's beautiful and brave. After everything that happened with Eddard... she's been incredibly tough." I drank ale that I found laying on the deck.
"Tough and brave are two different things. Tough is what you have to be, while being brave is a choice." He explained.
"I just want to avenge my family." I stared at the stars.
"Ah, and you will. Soon enough you will marry under the Starks." He reminded me.
"So, Robb Stark is up for all of this?" I asked curiously and leaned up against the ship's flag pole.
"No. He does not know that you are alive yet. Everyone seemed to think you've died weeks ago." He shook his head and stole the ale out of my hands.
"How do you know he'll willingly marry me?" I said with confusion.
"I don't. But I do know you are the only Forrester left, which means you now own all of House Forrester's Ironwood." Littlefinger said.
Ironwood was the strongest wood in all Seven Kingdoms. Many Northern keeps have it in their doors. It gives off a blue flame when lit.
"But didn't the Boltons ransack the place when they killed my family?" I clenched my teeth.
"Yes. Indeed. But there is one last place filled with it, that hasn't been touched." He said eerily.
I pushed back my hair, "It cannot be, the North Grove? Beyond the Wall? In the Haunted Forest?" I asked with fear. Even if the Ironwood was there, I could never go beyond safely. There is no order in the far North. Freefolk, Wildlings... and White Walkers.
"Yes, it is. And it is all yours. No one beyond the Wall has the weaponry to take down Ironwood trees." Baelish expressed.
How do I know for sure that this is true? I must discover it for myself.
"Is there a reason your helping me? What do you get out of all this?" I said suspiciously.
"One less person I have to be wary of. After you claim Wolfswood Keep back, you'll have bigger worries then me. I can tell you will have a great amount of power." He became stern.
If only I could become as powerful as my half-sister is. Yet, I don't envy her power. She got it by persuading the people of  Essos that she would free them. I have a different way of ruling. Conquer and kill whoever disobeys. As completely barbaric as it sounds, it's the only way to keep order now.
I was falling asleep on Lord Baelish, my head nodding back and forth hitting the flag post, then on his hard shoulder. I needed to stay awake, I couldn't trust him entirely. I'd be wrong to.
Before I knew it, it was sunrise and on the horizon was The Eyrie. We have arrived.

"This is where we depart. Lysa Arryn isn't expecting any guests, except myself. Robb Stark has a war camp set up right outside the Keep." Petyr said quietly.
"I'm on my own now... when will I see you again?" I panicked.
"Now, now don't be worried. I do not know, but I will be returning to King's Landing on important matters. But I will return soon enough." He grabbed my arm and kissed my forehead lightly. He took his mockingbird pin off and put it on me. "Go, before anyone sees you."
I left without any closure. He was a man with little emotions. But I could tell he didn't want me to leave. He may be mysterious and suspicious but he looks after what he truly cares about. He was after control and he didn't have it. It was better that I said nothing, for I have a lot of thinking to do. I am terribly confused between Tyrion and Littlefinger. Both of them show qualities of true men. Tyrion appears more honorable and righteous while Petyr is sly and sees through people's actions. Both great allies to have at a time of need
I saw many fires and tents in the distance. The Stark Banners flew high. Since I was a little girl, I've known Robb Stark. An unbelievably handsome man, yet I felt as if he was my brother. Jon Snow was more likely to have an interest in me, he is only half Stark. So we have, what you might say, a Bastard bond.
When I approached the camp, soldiers surrounded me.
"Miss, where do you think your going?" A random soldier said.
"To see Robb Stark, Sir." I said nervously with my hilt in my hand, ready to draw if necessary.
"Who are you exactly?" He questioned.
"Lady Veronica of House Forrester." I said confidently.
"Stand down immediately." A familiar voice  filled the foggy sky. Lady Stark was amongst me. She was like a mother to me, for many years.
" Lady Cateyln." I exhaled in relief of a face that I knew. She hugged me, and a stream of tears filled my tiresome eyes.
She let go and said, "You had all of us worried sick." She said sternly.
"Where's Robb? I need to talk to him, it is dire." I took off my coat that Baelish gave me. "I'll escort you there. Tell me, how did you aquire such royal attire?" She said skeptically observing me.
"I was amongst the many people of King's Landing, my lady." I was avoiding getting dirt on my new gown.
"You even talk like them... and how did you get back here?" she mumbled and faced me.
"A trustworthy friend sailed me here." I stuttered.
"Robb is in there, discussing battle plans to attack Casterly Rock."
I awkwardly walked in front of Catelyn to get to the tent. But before I could get inside the tent, she stopped me.
"That pin on your robe... who passed that onto you?" She said with fright.
"A trustworthy friend." I said with hope.
"Lord Petyr Baelish of the Vale is not to be trusted, and is no friend of mine, he practically handed over Eddard to Ilyn Payne's chopping block." She said angrily.
"That's different. Your husband was foolish to become Hand of The King. It was bound to happen. Valar Morghulis, all men must die." As soon as those truthful words slipped out of my mouth, she slapped me.
"Lord Stark welcomed you with open arms when you didn't know who your true family was. How dare you call him foolish?"
I walked away and entered the tent. You need to make the right friends, here in Westeros and not give in to the weak minded. If Lord Eddard Stark was a knowledgeable man as everyone claimed, he wouldn't have ended up getting his head severed from his body. I would rather be friends with a dangerous and wise man than a feeble and naive man.

Robb Stark was talking to a girl. "Robb!" I disregarded that and said with excitement just like I did when we were kids. He looked at me for a few seconds and then he realized, it was me. He ran over and lifted me up. The laughter between us engolfed the tent. He set me down and asked curiously, "It's been ages since I saw you my lady, we all thought you were dead."
"I've been hearing that a lot lately, Your Grace." I bowed my head. The girl was standing in the corner awkwardly.
"Oh, and this is Talisa Stark. My wife."  He introduced us. I shook her hand.
"You're with child?" I noticed her stomach.
She smiled and nodded.
"Well, if you don't mind I must speak to Robb alone." I said forcefully. 
She left without confrontation.
Robb sat down and poured me a cup of wine. I drank it but it didn't go down as smoothly as King's Landings wine did.
"I must go beyond The Wall." I got to the point.
"Why? There's nothing worth 1 Gold Dragon there." He said with interest.
"Maybe not 1 Gold Dragon, but thousands of them.... the North Grove lives." I whispered.
"How? I thought that was a myth." He was intrigued.
"My uncle knew. He just decided to share it with a colleague of mine." I said.
"I cannot help you right away, for I am invited to the Frey's wedding. I must attend, Walder Frey aided me during the war."
"I see. If I go with you.. can you supply me with a horse?" I said desperately.
"Yes. You can leave within the night after the wedding." He smiled. "Happy to see you, Lady Veronica. But I must get back to planning an attack on the Lannisters' birthplace."
"Thank you, King In The North." I joked and he chuckled.
I nodded and left the tent out of respect.