Lady of Winterfell

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Becoming a King

"The proper course is clear, pledge fealty to King Renly and move South to join our forces with his," a lord said standing before the gathering of Stark bannermen, they were all deciding their next decision for their army. 

News had reached them after Eddard had been executed that Robert's two brothers were putting together armies to fight their nephew for the right to sit on the Iron throne. 

Things had been going well for the Northern army before Eddard had been executed, they currently had Jaime Lannister as their prisoner and they were doing well with their march South. 

"Renly is not King," Robb said with a shake of his head, he didn't know much about the two Baratheon brothers that were both declaring that they were Kings. 

Stannis had been Lord of Dragonstone while Renly had been Lord Paramount of the Stormlands before he had declared himself as King. 

Robb didn't know which King that they should pledge to but he knew that they had to make their decision carefully, he wanted revenge on the boy that had killed his father and was holding his sisters' hostage. 

"You cannot mean to hold to Joffrey, my Lord, he put your father to death," the lord stated in disbelief that Robb would even consider bending the knee to Joffrey after what he had done. 

Robb shook his head, he didn't need reminding what that boy had done to his father; he had no idea how Joffrey had thought he would get away with it. 

He would never be able to forget and he wanted nothing more than to lay his father to rest and rescue his sisters before Joffrey got any ideas. 

"That doesn't make Renly King," Robb disagreed wanting to get his point across, he couldn't imagine making the wrong move now; he didn't just have to think about the right move for him and his men.

He had to think about his unborn child and the future that he wanted them to have, Robb had a feeling that it would be months before he was home again; things seemed to be dragging on the longer that he was away. 

"He's Robert's youngest brother... If Bran can't be Lord of Winterfell before me, Renly can't be King before Stannis," Robb insisted knowing that they had to stick to the line of succession. 

They didn't want Joffrey or his siblings to remain on the throne and they had to ensure that they didn't cause too much disruption to the realm by replacing the Lannisters control. 

Whoever took the throne after Joffrey would have to be linked to Robert in some way, there was no telling what was going to happen when they did reach King's Landing. 

"Do you meant to declare us for Stannis?" another lord asked wanting their liege lord to be more clear about his plans for their army, they needed a precise decision before they started marching again in the morning. 

Either way, everyone here knew what was going to lay before them and there was no avoiding the war that had been caused by the deaths of Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark. 

The stability that the two men had brought to Westeros had ended the moment that Joffrey had taken the throne and it would only return when he had been removed from it. 

"Renly is not right," another murmured with a shake of his head, it was true that Renly did not have the same right to declare the throne as his own when he had an older brother before him in the line. 

Greatjon got to his feet as arguing broke out around him about who they should declare for, he moved to stand where everyone could see him while he called for attention from the other lords. 

Robb watched Greatjon wondering what the man had to say this time.

"My Lords! Here is what I say to these two kings," Greatjon said before spitting on the ground, people laughed and he smiled knowing that he had no interest in the two brothers that were arguing like children for the throne. 

He had his own plans and he was sure that the men and women around him would agree, there was a much better option for them than the rest of Westeros had. 

"Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should they rule over me and mine from some flowery seat in the South? What do they know of the Wall or the Wolfswood? Even their gods are wrong! Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we bowed to... and now the dragons are dead," Greatjon boomed with a shake of his head. 

They had bowed down years ago to the Targaryens and that had been because they had no other options, before that they had been their own people and it was time to return to that. 

Catelyn watched the lord wondering where he was going with this, she swallowed thickly as Greatjon pulled out his sword and pointed it towards Robb. 

"There sits the only king I mean to bend my knee to... the King in the North!" Greatjon announced before getting down on one knee before Robb, he wasn't going to let some stupid Southerns rule them any longer. 

Robb stared at Greatjon for a moment before he got to his feet and looked around not actually believing for a second that this was happening; he had never thought these men would want him to be their king. 

His mother was completely silent watching the events unfold before her, she worried for her son and she feared what this might lead to next for her family. 

"I'll have peace on those terms, they can keep their red castle and their Iron chair too... the King in the North," another lord agreed getting to his feet and moving to bow down like Greatjon had, he wanted nothing more than for them to have a King that they could be proud of.

The Starks had ruled over the North for centuries before the Targaryens had come and they had bowed down knowing that there was no way that they could defeat dragons; but they didn't have to worry about that now. 

"Am I your brother, now and always?" Theon asked getting to his feet making Robb look at him, they had been friends for years and he was glad that Theon was with him now. 

Things might have been tense since he had married Sanira but Robb was relieved that he could count on Theon now; he was sure that things would get better for the both of them. 

"Now and always," Robb replied with a nod of his head, he didn't know what he would have done without Theon; he cared for the other man like he did for Jon, Bran and Rickon. 

Theon quickly moved to kneel on his floor, he was sure that Robb would support him when the time came for him to return to the Iron Islands and he hoped that it would happen soon. 

Catelyn couldn't help but purpose her lips, she didn't trust Theon and had noticed that he was pushing for Robb to take certain steps recently. 

"My sword is yours, in victory and defeat, from this day until my last day," Theon vowed knowing that he would do anything to ensure that Robb won this battle, they had come so far and he was sure that it would happen soon. 

Robb swallowed and looked away, he couldn't imagine how Sanira would react to the news that she was no longer just Lady of Winterfell; but by his sudden rise to King, Queen in the North. 

Their unborn child would be the heir and Robb feared what would happen when the Lannisters learnt that Sanira was expecting a child to him. 

"The King in the North," Greatjon roared before his cry was echoed by the lords around him, they would never bow down to anyone else again and they would fight to break free from the Southerns control completely.

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Author's Note: 

So we have reached the end of Season 1... on to Season 2 in the next chapter.