Ravenous Survivor

Battle Plans

A few weeks have passed and Robb had rallied the northern lords to aid in his march to free father and our sisters. Of course I was being treated like a lady in waiting, which really made me question if Robb really told them I was actually going to fight. I was ready to confront him when I opened a chest in my tent. Inside was my bow with arrows and armor, the armor was red tinted leather with ivy decals. On the back was a quiver woven into the armor.

I slipped on the armor and loaded the quiver and strapped the bow over my back. I walked out of my tent and everyone looked in shock.

"Well are you going to keep gawking or get back to the war at hand!" I yell out, "Excuse me can you show me where my brother is held up?" a squire pointed to a huge tent on top of a hill. I walked toward the tent surprised to find the tent open. I overheard the lords and Robb discussing battle plans.

"The Riverlords are falling back with Jaime Lannister at their heels," I heard Robb say.

"Yes and Lord Tywin is bringing up a second army from the south. Larger than the King Slayer's according to the scouts," I pop my head in, "But that is not a problem one army or two the kings in the north have threw back hosts ten times as large." I shake off the looks the lords are giving and grin moving a lion piece on the board. A large northerner stands abruptly but before I can get a word out I see mother approaching from behind.

"Oh mother I didn't see you. What do you think of the new armor?" I asked her with a smile, trying to lighter the mood which was dull.

"You both look well," mother responds with worry plastered on her face.

"Lady Catelyn your a welcome site in these troubled times," a standing lord says.

"We thought not to meet you here milady," Theon pipes up. No one asked for you to open your mouth.

"I thought not to be here," mother tells them, "May I speak to my children alone, I know you'll forgive me milords,"

"You heard my mother get out," I tell them.

"You too Greyjoy, are you bloody deaf?" big lord commands, "Don't you fear milady we'll shove our swords up Tywin Lannister's dung-hole. Then it's on to the Red Keep to free Ned," he leaves only mother, Robb, and I alone. We all hug and mother stares into both of our eyes placing a hand on Robb's face and bushing back his hair.

"I remember the day you came into this world red faced and squalling. I also remember you my Katherine. You were the same. Now I see both of you leading our house to war," mother tells both of us. Before she speaks I swipe a letter from King's Landing off the table.

"There was no one else," Robb responds and I place my hand on his soldier.

"No one then who where those men I saw?" she asks with a mix of worry and anger.

"None of them are Starks," I tell her proudly.

"All of them are seasoned in battle," she begins.

"If you think you can send us back to Winterfell," Robb gets a little perturbed. I rather shocked he almost raised his voice at mother.

"Oh I would, if that I could," she tells us..

"There was a letter," I tell them and move pull out the letter I swiped from the table, "From Sansa,"

"From the Queen you mean," mother scolds me, and reads the letter, "There's no mention of Arya,"

"No," Robb tells her. They look at me and I feel a hint of anger billow up inside at the though of them hurting Arya.

"How many men do you two have?" mother asks and I turn to Robb.

"18000," Robb tells us, "If I go to King's Landing and bend my knee to Joffrey,"

"You would never be allowed to leave, no," mother responds

"Our best hope, our only hope is that we can defeat them in the field," I tell him with a calm yet serious expression.

"And if I lose?" Robb asks mother

"Do you know what happen to the Targaryen children when the Mad King fell?" she asks in return.

"They were butchered in their sleep," Robb responds. A grim fate and such a sad way to go.

"On the orders of Tywin Lannister," mother adds and turns to me, "and the years have not made him kinder. If you lose your father dies, your sisters die, we die."

"Well I guess that makes it simple then," I tell them drawing an arrow and studying the head.

"I guess it does," mother tells us.