A Northern Rose - Game of Thrones // Robb Stark

Words of Wisdom

Hi guys! Thanks so much for all your support! Sorry this chapter has taken so long to get up, it was more difficult to write than I thought - and even more so with exams! :( This chapter is a little different than the others, being in Robb's point of view. He doesn't have a POV in the books, so it was rather tricky to get inside his head. I just hope I could capture him... somewhat successfully! Let me know what you guys think, if you liked it and if you'd like to see more of his point of view.

Thanks!

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Robb's POV

Having been transformed into an empty hall where father held his court, the Great Hall was cold enough for warm breath to form into a misty fog before the men’s faces that lined up before us.

I sat beside my father, Lord Eddard Stark, as I was required to as the next Lord of Winterfell.

Days like this were tedious, when the summer sun fell down upon the snow - the perfect day for riding, hunting, or training with my brothers. Jon. What would Jon be doing whilst I was sat listening to the complaints and demands of one Lord or the other?

Our Bannermen, as loyal as they were, were some of the loudest men I had ever known. How my father managed their constant quarrelling bemused me, but his composure and authority was something he had taught me from a very young age, and I was glad of it.

“Where have the Tyrell’s been all this time? Warming their arses in that flowery southern fort of theirs, that’s where!” Roared Jon Umber, otherwise known as The Greatjon, Lord of Last Hearth and head of House Umber.

He had never been one to suppress his opinions, not even to his Liege Lord. He didn’t approve of my marriage to Eliah Tyrell, but would accept whatever profits came his way.

At first, I too had not been confident of the marriage proposal, but I had known all my life that it was my duty to marry a Lady of another house and I could not let my father down.

I’d heard the ladies of The Reach were beautiful and clever, despite Theon’s attempts to convince me that they were just the opposite.

Eliah was much more than I expected; unique to any other Lady I had ever met before. Even if this marriage hadn’t been going ahead, she would have caught my eye from the day we met and held my heart until the last.

“Robb.” My father said, as if it was the second time he’d said my name.

“Sorry father.” I glanced around at the whole room, watching me.

“What do you have to say about this marriage?” He said. My father had never really asked my opinion of the marriage, only if I consented to it. Which, of course, I did.

I thought about it for a moment, trying to conjure up the right thing to say. Now that I’d met Eliah, of course I wanted to marry her… But I couldn’t tell that to half of our bannermen.

“An alliance between the Starks and the Tyrell’s would be most beneficial to us, especially with winter coming. They are the second richest family in Westeros, have the most fertile lands and one of the largest armies…” I trailed off, allowing the men to talk again.

Some agreed and some looked between me and my father, gradually being persuaded that the agreement was in everyone’s best interest.

As the quarrelling went on, I began to slide down in my chair, becoming rather distant from the all too familiar voices. Theon then appeared behind me, crouching down behind the chair I was sitting on.

“So, you do actually want to marry the Tyrell girl?” He said in a hushed voice, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself.

“Well… Of course.” I almost stumbled on my words, not wanting to sound too eager. “I was going to say... if you didn’t, I would.” He laughed teasingly, but I could sense there was some truth and darkness in it. I smiled at Theon, but mainly because I couldn’t face denting the pride he had in his jokes.

“I am very lucky.” I managed to say, being careful as always around Theon even though he was practically like a brother to me. “Any man would tell you that.” He grinned, shuffling uncomfortably in the crouch position he was in.

“Theon.” Said Maester Luwin as he shuffled in from the door beside the dais, looking rather accusingly between us. Theon was meant to keep himself somewhat hidden when the Northern lords were about, as most of them had not taken kindly to the idea of an Iron-born Greyjoy in their midst.

I was sad to see Theon go, as the afternoon was becoming rather dreary listening to the banter of men and woman arguing over one thing or another.

- - -

The meeting ended late evening as the darkness was drawing in, and there had been several more arguments and idle threats but most of the matters had been settled.

As the men flooded out of the hall, father and I stood and also left the hall, but through the door behind the dais and into his solar.

“I hope for your sake that their sons listen better to you when you are liege lord.” He said, gesturing to the door that we had just entered. He spoke in humour but his face was unchanged.

“Yes, I too hope that.” I answered, watching as he flicked through several rolls of parchment.

“You did well.” I smiled at his reply; it had been a while since father had praised me now I was practically a grown man.

“When I had to marry your mother, I had my doubts at first. It is a hard thing, being tied to someone unknown. But the bond is strong… and it lasts. The Tyrell’s are a good, honest family – and the girl is innocent enough.”

“I know that, father. My whole life you taught me well.”

He moved towards the edge of the carved, dark wood table and brushed his hand across the hilt of Ice, his Great sword, propped up against it. “Ice will be yours one day, your sons after that and their sons after that. I know you’ll be an honest man, and a fair Lord. Marrying Eliah Tyrell is another step towards that, just as I married your mother. It takes a man to wield a sword, not a boy.”

Silence filled the room after that, like a deadly aroma that neither one of us dared to inhale. I understood his wisdom; I just hoped that one day I could too speak wisely to my children as he had these past years, passing down lifetimes of knowledge and traditions.

I admired my father more than any other man I knew. “I hope I can make you proud, Father.”

He looked up at me then, the smile I’d seen before struck across his face. “You always have, Robb.”

He patted me on the shoulder as he made his way out from the solar and out into the cold night air.