Lady of Winterfell

Chapter Twenty-One: Wildling Attack

"Not too fast," Robb called watching with a smile as Bran rode about on the house, he was pleased to see his brother so happy after the last couple of months; he had hated seeing Bran so down about everything. 

It had taken a while for the saddle that Tyrion had given them to be prepared and a horse to be trained but now Bran could go riding just like everyone else and didn't have to rely on Hodor to carry him about. 

"Come on, Dancer," Bran shouted happily urging his horse forward, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt this normal and that he didn't have to rely on anyone else to do things for him. 

The chestnut horse spurred on and did as it was told, it trotted through the forest around the area where they had spent the morning; it was a nice day and the first time in a while that everything felt so relaxed. 

"When are you gonna tell him?" Theon asked watching Bran before turning to Robb, it hadn't taken long for the news of the attack on Eddard to reach Winterfell. 

Quite a few of the Stark guards had been killed in the attack on Eddard by Jaime Lannister, and it didn't help that the news that Catelyn had taken Tyrion had been the cause of this. 

"Not now," Robb replied softly, he didn't want to upset Bran with news of their father's attack, especially given that he had no idea what was going on right now. 

Things were complicated enough and Robb wanted to wait and see what happened next before he made any rash decisions; he didn't want to take a course of action that he might regret. 

Theon frowned at Robb's words, he had thought that his friend would do more to stand up for those who had been slaughtered by the Lannisters instead of cowering away.

"Blood for blood. You need to make the Lannisters to pay for Jory and the others," Theon insisted knowing that Robb was making the Starks' look bad by not stepping up and defending his family when they needed him to do so. 

If he was in Robb's position, then he wouldn't hesitate to step up and defend his family if someone had tried to do that to his father; he would make sure that they paid for even thinking they could get away with attacking him. 

"You're talking about war," Robb said shaking his head, he didn't want to get in over his head and an act of war would not go down well with anyone; he was needed here and he was sure that his parents had everything under control. 

Robb wanted to prove that he could handle running things, he wanted nothing more than to be prepared for whatever came next and rushing into things wasn't going to help him or his family. 

"I'm talking about justice," Theon insisted wanting Robb to understand what was being said, he had noticed how distant things had become since Robb had married Sanira. 

He didn't like the woman that he had married and Theon knew that it was only a matter of time before people turned on Sanira because she was half-Lannister; a day that Theon couldn't deny he was looking forward to. 

Something was brewing anyone could see that and the Lannisters were going to be in the centre of it; everyone was going to turn on the Lannisters trapped in the North. 

"Only the Lord of Winterfell can call in the Bannermen and raise an army," Robb stated, he had no rights to do such a thing and he wished that Theon wouldn't suggest it; he had noticed recently how eager his friend seemed at conflict. 

It was hard enough sometimes with Sanira and Theon disliking one another, it was no secret that Sanira didn't approve of his friendship with Theon because she thought he was trouble.

"A Lannister put his spear through your father's leg. The King-slayer rides to Casterly Rock where no one can touch," Theon argued with a shake of his, it frustrated him greatly that Robb wasn't going to do anything.