Game Of Thrones... With A Twist

A Game of Thrones - Chapter 14

<Midday, Great Hall, White Harbor, The White Knife, The North...>

"The Kingslayer attacked my father on the day I left King's Landing?! Why hasn't his head been taken off for attacking the Hand of the King in the streets of the capital?!" Edwyn roared, anger coursing through his veins as he heard the news from Lord Wyman Manderly himself.

"Unfortunately, he fled the capital. Rode towards the safety of Casterly Rock." Lord Manderly said with a slight growl as the rotund man sighed at the situation.

"Grandfather, why hasn't the North been called to arms? The Riverlands are burning!" Wynafryd asked her grandfather.

"By orders of Lord Robb Stark, the North is not to enter a state of war. I don't understand it myself." Wyman said with some confusion.

Edwyn was silent before he spoke in a far calmer tone, "Robb's trying to prevent a possibility of open war by keeping the North out." 

That made sense to them all before Rodrik burst, "Why on earth did Lady Stark decide to abduct the Imp? Has she no thought about what such brazen actions can cause?"

"Brash actions, more likely. For whatever reason she did it, she did it. And now, Tywin Lannister is showcasing his might against her transgression to his House." Willam muttered, but all could hear it within the Great Hall, as empty as it was save for the band of Edwyn's compatriots, Lord Manderly himself and his guards.

"Damn Lannisters! Burning fields and granaries with winter on it's way... are they trying to kill the Riverlands?!" Lyra asked in outrage.

"It's Tywin Lannister. I wouldn't put it past him to murder an entire region of Westeros just because he believed it was necessary for his family legacy." Edwyn growled as his fist tightened before he let out a sigh.

"The longer we sit here and debate, argue and talk about it, the longer we give for the Lannisters to actually march northwards." Lord Wyman stated seriously to the band before Jaune turned to his master in the arts of combat, "What will we do, Ser Edwyn?" He asked.

Edwyn was silent for a bit before he spoke, "I will ride for Winterfell. Organize a defense of the North. We'll see whether Tywin Lannister's army can march past Moat Cailin." 

"Not if I have anything to say about it. I'm coming with you." Lyra added with a stern look in her forest green eyes.

"I can't ask that of you... of any of you." Edwyn stated as he looked at his friends in their eyes. He wasn't going to drag them into war, not if he could help it.

"Open war is nearly upon us Ed, whether you'd risk it or not, and like it or not, we're Northerners. It's an occupational hazard." Rodrik said with a wry smirk that was mirrored on Edwyn's face.

"True enough." Edwyn sighed as he stood at before his friends.

"I know I can't ask this of any of you... but will you follow me, one last time?" Edwyn asked, looking at them all solemnly as they knew that should he go to war, they could all die following him...

Even so, Lyra Mormont, Willam Reed, Rodrik Forrester, Wynafryd Manderly and Jaune Hardyng stood as one in attention.

Sharing one glance with Lord Manderly, Edwyn spoke, "I ride to Winterfell at dawn. Enough time to rest and get our loot on proper transport. We'll reach Winterfell in three days time as a raven flies." Edwyn's voice echoed throughout the hall as he turned and left, his small band of companions following him as he did... along with two direwolves.

Wyman Manderly nodded slightly before he spoke, "Oh Ned, you've raised a king in a bastard's place."

<Two days later, Lannister Camp, The Red Fork, The Riverlands...>