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-Chapter 89-
🕑 Added 2025-01-06 06:06:48 +0000 UTC-Chapter 89-
-POV Robb Stark-
-20th day of the 9th moon of the year 301 AC-
I observed all my vassals gathered for the final dinner of this assembly before each of them returned to their lands to prepare for the winter that was at our doorstep.
‘Finally,’ I thought, feeling an immense relief because I had managed to hold on, and it had not been easy.
Between that leech Bolton and all the lords of the North waiting for my signal to lead their men south for revenge, but mostly to free their heirs.
‘Ronnet Connington and Tywin played me for a fool,’ I thought, still remembering the Ironborn attack on the eastern coast.
‘They could never have crossed the Stepstones and sailed up the entire eastern coast of Westeros without the complicity of those two sly foxes,’ I told myself, fully aware that they had placed me in a position where I had to distrust my own vassals, suppress them, and rebuke them for…
‘Something I dream of doing every night,’ I thought, closing my eyes and recalling the dream I had almost every night since that worm Theon had returned with his squid family to attack us.
‘A dream I had again last night,’ I thought, envisioning the faces of all those who had betrayed us and forced us into this position.
‘Tywin Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Ronnet Connington, Jaime Lannister…’
"My love."
The voice of my beloved pulled me out of my vengeful thoughts. I turned to her, slightly dazed, and asked with a faint smile:
"What is it?"
"I think it is time to share the good news," she said, noticing that most of the lords, quite drunk and mostly cheerful, had chosen to drown their problems in wine.
‘This could either drown or reignite certain tensions,’ I thought, observing Lord Karstark laughing heartily with Lord Greatjon Umber.
I hesitated for a moment before finally saying:
"That’s an excellent idea."
Talisa’s smile widened, and I mirrored her expression as I stood up and offered her my hand, which she took as she also rose.
I motioned for the musicians to stop, and the room gradually fell silent as everyone waited to hear what I was about to say.
"I would like to take a few moments of your time to share some news that fills me… that fills us with joy… My queen is expecting our first child."
Even though I knew the news would not be met with much enthusiasm, I was genuinely surprised by the silence that followed my announcement.
I noticed that all eyes quickly turned to Lord Karstark.
"Why are you all looking at me, you fools? Just because I lost all my sons to war doesn’t mean I can’t rejoice at such news for our cousins," Lord Karstark said gruffly, making a few of them laugh, including me.
I let out a small sigh of relief, then raised my glass in his direction.
Rickard Karstark returned the gesture and drained his glass in one gulp before standing amidst the cheers.
He approached with a smile, then knelt and said:
"May the Gods grant you a son, my king."
"Rise, my friend," I said, stepping forward and offering him my hand to help him up.
"I know we have not seen eye to eye often, but I want you to know that just like my family, I think of all the other…"
AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaah
AAAAAAAAaHHH
"TRAITORS!"
"ROOOOBB!"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH
"Blurgh," I gasped, coughing blood as I collapsed to the ground, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Sounds assaulted me from all directions before I was dragged into darkness.
---
-POV Roose Bolton-
As soon as I saw Robb stoop to help Rickard Karstark to his feet, I grabbed the knife I was using to cut my meat and stabbed it without hesitation into the neck of Greatjon Umber.
The latter, stunned, raised a hand to his neck while staring at me wide-eyed, struggling to believe that just moments before, we had been joking, and now I was taking his life.
Screams and shrieks, mostly from women, filled the air, but nothing could stop me, for I had a clear goal.
‘To annihilate the Stark lineage and all their pets,’ I thought, mercilessly gutting Maege Mormont, who was reaching for her weapon.
"Traitors!" shouted Galbart Glover as he charged at me with his sword.
‘He’s too fast,’ I thought, trying to pull my sword from the massive body of the Mormont sow.
Just as Galbart Glover was about to impale me with his sword, an arrow pierced his skull, and he collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
‘Ramsay,’ I thought, glancing quickly at my bastard son, who had just saved my life by entering the hall accompanied by about ten of my men.
Robett Glover screamed upon seeing his brother fall to the ground and attempted to grab his sword, but I was quicker, finally freeing my blade from the entrails of the Mormont sow.
I pressed my sword to his neck and said:
"Do you really want the House of Glover to end over a foolish act of revenge? Don’t you want to see your son again?"
Robett raised his head but did not resist. Instead, he spat, powerless:
"You’re all a bunch of traitors."
‘So are you,’ I thought, seeing him rise and slowly back away.
"STOP FIGHTING!" I shouted, addressing the remaining lords who were still alive and trying to avenge our pathetic king.
"You all know that Robb Stark forgot the task we entrusted to him when we placed a crown on his head: to protect the North. And what did he do? He sold our sons!" I said firmly and authoritatively, still stained with the blood of Greatjon Umber and Maege Mormont.
"He sold our sons for a war the Starks provoked by meddling in the affairs of the South. He sold our sons to ensure the survival of his family!"
"And why should we ally ourselves with traitors like you?" Wendell Manderly shouted.
"Because I have struck a deal with the Lannisters," I replied in a cold and authoritative tone.
"A deal with those Lannister scum? What did they promise you? Gold?" he sneered furiously.
I shook my head and replied:
"They promised me things far more valuable than gold."
"And what might that be?" he asked, his brows furrowing, clearly intrigued and likely stalling for time, as we were in a stalemate.
"The release of all hostages, as well as compensation in gold and supplies so we can endure the winter," I said calmly.
A heavy silence fell over the Great Hall, allowing the sounds of battle outside, which had not ceased, to echo through the chamber.
‘But soon, we’ll have them all subdued like wolves put to sleep,’ I thought.
"And in exchange for what?" Mors Umber asked, his eyes cast downward.
"In exchange for our assistance in breaking Ronnet Connington," I replied softly.
"That’s too good to be true," Robett Glover said, shaking his head.
"But it is true," Rickard Karstark interjected, still standing over Robb Stark’s lifeless body.
"Kinslayer," Wendell Manderly muttered before spitting at Rickard Karstark’s feet.
"I would kill him a thousand times over if it meant seeing the last of my sons alive," Rickard said, turning to face us before adding:
"Now that the Starks are no more, the only House capable of leading the North is House Bolton. Stop pretending that his life was worth more than yours or those of your families."
He took a moment to look at each person in the hall before shouting at the top of his lungs:
"I DID WHAT NONE OF YOU HAD THE COURAGE TO DO! TO SAVE MY SON, THE LAST ONE I HAVE LEFT! IT IS I AND I ALONE WHO WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES BEFORE THE GODS. ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU RETURN TO YOUR LANDS, GATHER THE MEN YOU STILL HAVE, AND FIGHT FOR THEM!"
Once his shouting subsided, I turned my head toward the door, as did everyone else, and saw my men entering, covered in blood but calm.
It was a sign that we had won on all fronts and that victory was ours.
‘And they all know it as well,’ I thought, watching them quietly discuss among themselves, trapped.
‘Even if they try to rebel, which would be foolish, we’ll still have the advantage. While we’ve all suffered from the war, I never committed my entire army to the cause of that fool,’ I thought, glancing at the body of our late king, now lifeless.
‘I’ll also need to deal with her,’ I thought, looking at the queen, who was sobbing over her husband’s corpse.
"For my nephews," said Rodrik Ryswell, stepping forward, unsurprisingly.
"For my cousins," added Barbrey Dustin, who seemed to revel in the situation.
Little by little, the lords present began to join us, and although it was reluctantly, it didn’t matter.
‘Soon, they’ll have no soldiers left to oppose us,’ I thought.
"For my son," Robett Glover declared, lowering his gaze, surprising me slightly, as I found it hard to believe he could forgive his brother’s death so quickly.
"Robett," Wendell Manderly said.
Robett Glover didn’t let the second heir of White Harbor speak and said:
"They’re already dead. There’s no point in fighting. We’ve already lost. At least I’ll save my son."
Wendell frowned but said nothing, eventually glancing at the other minor lords, who slowly lowered their heads, most of them being vassals to those who had already sworn allegiance.
"Since I have no choice," he finally said.
"Very well. I’m glad this ended without more unnecessary deaths. Quickly return to your lands to gather your men," I said.
