Joanna the defiant

Loyalty

"What are their terms?" Robb asks bent over his seat, head of the war table his small council, mother, and Joanna joined in the war tent waiting to hear of Lord Frey's wishes in turn for crossing his bridge. "You won't like it." His mother warns staring at the table with dead eyes not daring to look her son, her little boy who loved more fiercely than she had ever known. "Tell mother." He pleads with his eyes though his tone is a rough demand. Caitlyn swallows slowly glancing at the late Princess who sat poised, confused but attentive before turning to finally face her son. "Arya will marry a Fray boy when she comes to age." She starts pausing to gauge Robb's reaction. He nods solemnly picking at the wood of his chair/throne thoughtful. " she will not be happy but it will be done." He decides feeling guilty for trading his little sister like a common farmers whore and for a bridge no less. Joanna glares at the Starks and to the agreeing council though she holds her tongue. As lord and head of his house it was Robb's right to make betrothal deals for his siblings, though knowing the fierce little wolf cub it felt more like betrayal. "There is more, he asks you take his youngest son as a squire bring honor to his house, and that you take the hand of any of his daughters of your choosing." She slips in the last sentence fast knowing it was salt to the wound. Robb goes speachless his head flying in the direction of Joanna who pales with widdend eyes. It was not spoken or a known attraction, but catlyin could read her son like an open book, he was in love with the young girl. She was the perfect match. A princess and rightful heir from a great strong house. And he was doomed to marry a fray girl not known for being great at anything. Robb clears his throat eyes shining with apologies as he utters two little words that crush Joanna's broken heart. "I will." Is all he says before dismissing the council along with his mother. Joanna stays in her seat afraid if she lifts her head her unshed tears would fall and her weakness would be shown, she was her fathers daughter she could have no weaknesses if she wanted to claim her birth right back. "Joanna I-" Robb begins to explain, to confess everything he ever held between them but the moment he began to speak the girl lifts her head her blue eyes filled to the brim with water her chin held high as she looks to him with the stone face of a worrier. "To your wedding, My Lord." She smiles as she was taught raising with the grace of angels and nodding her head to her best friend, her love. Robb watches her go a deep pain striking his heart as his tent flaps shut. He had to do this though, he needs to avenge his father and get his sisters back no matter what it takes.
Joanna walks to her tent Robb had set up for her near his own her thoughts spiraling as she went. She loved Robb since the day she truly got to know him yes, but she had no time to cry over him she had a kingdom to take with little to no army at her back, their war was one in the same, it was time to start acting like the queen she was born to be. Tomorrow would be there last day in Fray territory she would ask for a meeting with the King In the North at sun rise she decides with a nod climbing into her tent for a Nights sleep.

Robb sits in his own tent mead in hand staring emptily in space not sure when his life turned to so much grief the day he turned a man he supposed Theon had told him leave a boy come home a man, he never let on how horrible being a man would be. Thinking of Theon he groaned again he still had yet to deal with the traitor he still couldn't let himself believe that his brother had truly turned against him after all they had been through together. "Tobin! Bring for the Greyjoy prisoner." Robb commands the eight year old fray boy who had started has his squire as soon as he was informed. "Yes your grace." The boy nods setting off to tell who ever had guard duty of his King's wishes. Robb sits waiting his drink numbly going from his mouth to his desk and back again, not even noticing the amount of liquor he was consuming.
Soon enough his tent was opened and a karrstark and Theon entered, his once friends head was down his thumb bright red and full of teeth marks a nervous habit he had never grown from. "Leave us." Robb orders not taking his eyes off the iron born he had trusted with his life, with his family's life. The guard hesitated for a moment before leaving, Tobin in toe leaving the two young men alone for the first time since Robb had sent him off with a hug months ago. They sit in a heavy silence Theon's mouth shut for the first time since he learned to talk. "Why." Robb bites out crossing muscled arms grown from swinging a sword in battle across his broad chest. Theon lifts his face finally his eyes red and wet his face puffed out from crying looking his best friend, his brother in the eyes with deep regret. "I wanted to be loved Robb, I just wanted someone to want me for once." He rushes out a sob following, breaking down in front of another unlike he had ever before. He has cried many times before over his fathers lack of affection but he had always hid it from the Starks, not wanting to look week in front of the proud family. "You were loved. I loved you Theon!" Robb yells hoarsely hatred flaring from within him. How could the dullered not know. " I wanted to have what you had Robb! What I never had I was meant to be the heir. Loved by my family my people it was stolen from me, given to my sister as I was left to rot in the North." He explains as tears and snot fall freely down his face Robb shedding his own. "You were thriving Theon Greyjoy. My father thought of you as his own you would have been a great lord he'd be proud of. Now he is dead and it is on you!" Robb shouts throwing his ale in the prisoners face sobbing along with him. "If you had been here WE would have saved him, I needed you, I need you Theon." He whispers into the silent night his friend nodding his head. " I am here until my last breath, you have to kill me I know but until the moment my life leaves me I swear to be loyal to you and only you." He declares though Robb gives him a disbelieving face. " you have sworn yourself to me once before, it meant nothing as it does now." Robb shakes his head anger radiating off of him once more. " I will bleed for you as called by the old gods." Theon calls for a long dead tradition no longer practiced even in the North. "You understand that binds your soul to my possession by the magic of the children of the forest? If I am to die you are to die, if you are to betray me you are to die." Robb questions in full seriousness the act was deemed unjust and unnatural. "I Theon of house Greyjoy rightful heir The isles and once prince of the sea salt throne bleed willingly and sanely to you Robb of house Stark king in the North and Lord of Winterfell my soul is yours to guide and command as you will." Theon states voice clear and confident the tears dried down his face. Robb nods once pulling himself to his feet grabbing Theon by the chains around his wrists dragging him out to the center of camp where the army was eating by the fire.

The camp quiets to silence as they see their king standing among them his prisoner beside him both looking rough not that any dared comment out of respect. "I Rob of house Stark call for blood!" Robb announces into the crowd the northmen looking around before Lord Bolton stands his weasel face scrunched in confusion. "You wish for one of us to kill him your grace?" He asks all hands falling to their swords immediately. Robb shakes his head annoyed with how dense the man was though it was a dead act it should be known history. "No I call for blood before the old gods and children of the forest!" Robb belows into the crowd again causing the men and his mother to gasp. "Robb." His mother begins to warn but he hears non of it pulling a dagger free form his jerkin a pretty wolf engraved thing his father had given him long ago. Unlocking Theon's shackles he lets the man fall to one knee before he hands him the dagger handle first watching as his long time friend takes the blade and sets it upon his palm looking up he stares into the crowd as he speaks. "I Theon of house Greyjoy ask the children to bless and bare whiteness to to the blood I bleed for my king. Let my soul be his as I wish for I know it will be in good hands." Theon prays allowed slicing his palm deep the rust red bubbling to the surface in a neat stinging line. He had cut deep Incase it wouldn't work with a shallow cowards cut. "I Robb of house Stark ask the children to bare whiteness and bless the blood I call for, let this mans soul be mine to lead to fix to restore as I know I will not fail him." Robb takes the dagger from Theon passing it off to the nearest person before pulls a pendant from round his neck and pushes it into the open wound on the iron borns hand. Everyone watches in anticipation as nothing seems to happen Robb hold his breath. As they are about to give up the blue amulet begins to glow a blinding white, Theon falling to the ground screaming in agony as the white light pulls of his cut and into the necklace. This goes on for a full minute before the screaming dies down leaving the man to shake on the ground holding himself in a ball. Robb pulls the necklace up to his face where he stares in awe at the now white glowing pendant, If the books were right then Theon's soul was now inside the necklace, Theon was his to command. He slips the necklace around his neck once more before bending down and hauling his friend up dragging him back to his tent with him where he throws him on the bed, it wouldn't be the first time that had shared.

"So you are to marry a fray cow then?" Theon groans out weakly from Robb's furs where he is laid in the middle of the tent. Robb sighs rubbing his eyes hating to think of his doom. "I shall marry a fray girl." He nods taking another gulp of his wine. "She loves you." Theon states staring up at the roof body still drained. "The fray girl?" Robb raises his eyebrow clearly nearing tipsy as he swirls his wine and try's to conjure up any frays he could know. "You are slow Stark. Joanna. She loves you." Theon explains slowly with a slight chuckle. Robb nods as he bites his lips. "I love her, I'm going to marry her one day." He sighs dreamily causing Theon to snort. "Taking salt wives now are we? How many do you plan on marrying?" Theon jests only to receive loud snoring in reply. He rolls his eyes fondly at his friend and rolls over to settle in for the night.