A King’s Honour
the honour of the north
“You cannot wed Talisa, you are promised to another!” Catelyn hissed at her son, starting to see their hard work going to waste.
“I don’t want to be with a stranger for the rest of my life! I want someone I love!” Robb insisted. His voice had risen greatly since the start of their argument that Catelyn paused and quietened her own voice in attempt to help calm her son down.
“You will not live long if you choose Talisa,” she warned and Robb break his stern stare, looking to the floor with dismay. “Please son, think wisely about this. This decision does not just affect you, and you must do the right thing for everyone.” Sensing that she had done all that she could to sway her son’s mind, Catelyn left the war tent for her own so she could pray to the gods to help Robb see the correct choice.
“Robb! Robb, wait!” Talisa called out as she jumped over another dead body. Robb had once again been victorious and he was making his way through the carnage, providing comfort to his fallen soldiers and thanking the ones who could not be saved. All of his followers were approving, finding more faith in their young leader after every battle, but Talisa had not seen him for weeks and was losing confidence in their relationship. She finally came into his view but once his flanking guards glared at her she decided to not approach Robb.
“I don’t have the time,” he said, refusing to look Talisa in the eyes as he continued to stride forwards.
“Then when will you?” she cried but Robb kept his focus dead straight. “Why are you avoiding me, Robb? Why?” Talisa’s pleading tugged at his heart but he refused to stop, set on his decision and knowing that he would reconsider if he saw her pretty face or had a meaningful conversation with her.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Robb offered as an explanation. He quickened his pace and left Talisa behind, her guts aching with heartbreak as she began to cry, dumbfounded about what had happened to crush the romance between them.
The Twins were alive with celebration, not only the great hall but also the war camps outside, filled with music, laughter and wine. Robb had met and wed his queen, Roslin Frey, and even though he was pleasantly surprised by her appearance and poise as they spoke during the feast, Talisa was still slithering into his mind. He was well aware that his choice was truly final now, but he couldn’t help having remaining doubt that the bridge wasn’t that important, that his happiness and love should take priority over the war.
But his oath was his honour, and what was a king without honour? He might be free and able to find love, but his sisters were trapped and being forced into horrible things Robb could not even begin to imagine. Every Northerner was depending on him to bring them to victory, to ensure that those who had lost their lives fighting in his name was not in vain, and he could not let them down. Later he would weep for the loss of Talisa and the potential future he had with her, but then he would leave her in the past. As Robb shook Walder Frey’s hand and received his unyielding dedication, he finally understood that he had chosen the right path.
“Northerners, today I stand before you with the utmost great news!” Robb shouted as he stood on the small stage before his army. The lords and commanders gathered the closest to him, all on edge to hear the announcement and spread the word to their men. “I have just received a raven from the capital! The North has gained its rightful independence!” Hoots, claps and whistles erupted through the crowd and Catelyn rushed onto the wooden platform to embrace her son.
“I knew you could win,” she breathed before breaking apart. “Sansa and Arya?”
“On their way to Winterfell,” Robb beamed and Catelyn stepped down, needing a moment to herself to weep with joy for her family. Roslin then joined Robb and did her best to kiss him, but struggled because of their wide smiles. Both the war and his relationship with Roslin had taken Robb a lot of work, but he was finally successful with them both. In love with his wife and a child on the way, and now a legitimate king recognised by all of Westeros, Robb couldn’t have been happier. He had at long last found the justice he had wanted for his father’s death.
“King of the North!” Roslin shouted and the Northerners cheered once more.
“I don’t want to be with a stranger for the rest of my life! I want someone I love!” Robb insisted. His voice had risen greatly since the start of their argument that Catelyn paused and quietened her own voice in attempt to help calm her son down.
“You will not live long if you choose Talisa,” she warned and Robb break his stern stare, looking to the floor with dismay. “Please son, think wisely about this. This decision does not just affect you, and you must do the right thing for everyone.” Sensing that she had done all that she could to sway her son’s mind, Catelyn left the war tent for her own so she could pray to the gods to help Robb see the correct choice.
“Robb! Robb, wait!” Talisa called out as she jumped over another dead body. Robb had once again been victorious and he was making his way through the carnage, providing comfort to his fallen soldiers and thanking the ones who could not be saved. All of his followers were approving, finding more faith in their young leader after every battle, but Talisa had not seen him for weeks and was losing confidence in their relationship. She finally came into his view but once his flanking guards glared at her she decided to not approach Robb.
“I don’t have the time,” he said, refusing to look Talisa in the eyes as he continued to stride forwards.
“Then when will you?” she cried but Robb kept his focus dead straight. “Why are you avoiding me, Robb? Why?” Talisa’s pleading tugged at his heart but he refused to stop, set on his decision and knowing that he would reconsider if he saw her pretty face or had a meaningful conversation with her.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Robb offered as an explanation. He quickened his pace and left Talisa behind, her guts aching with heartbreak as she began to cry, dumbfounded about what had happened to crush the romance between them.
The Twins were alive with celebration, not only the great hall but also the war camps outside, filled with music, laughter and wine. Robb had met and wed his queen, Roslin Frey, and even though he was pleasantly surprised by her appearance and poise as they spoke during the feast, Talisa was still slithering into his mind. He was well aware that his choice was truly final now, but he couldn’t help having remaining doubt that the bridge wasn’t that important, that his happiness and love should take priority over the war.
But his oath was his honour, and what was a king without honour? He might be free and able to find love, but his sisters were trapped and being forced into horrible things Robb could not even begin to imagine. Every Northerner was depending on him to bring them to victory, to ensure that those who had lost their lives fighting in his name was not in vain, and he could not let them down. Later he would weep for the loss of Talisa and the potential future he had with her, but then he would leave her in the past. As Robb shook Walder Frey’s hand and received his unyielding dedication, he finally understood that he had chosen the right path.
“Northerners, today I stand before you with the utmost great news!” Robb shouted as he stood on the small stage before his army. The lords and commanders gathered the closest to him, all on edge to hear the announcement and spread the word to their men. “I have just received a raven from the capital! The North has gained its rightful independence!” Hoots, claps and whistles erupted through the crowd and Catelyn rushed onto the wooden platform to embrace her son.
“I knew you could win,” she breathed before breaking apart. “Sansa and Arya?”
“On their way to Winterfell,” Robb beamed and Catelyn stepped down, needing a moment to herself to weep with joy for her family. Roslin then joined Robb and did her best to kiss him, but struggled because of their wide smiles. Both the war and his relationship with Roslin had taken Robb a lot of work, but he was finally successful with them both. In love with his wife and a child on the way, and now a legitimate king recognised by all of Westeros, Robb couldn’t have been happier. He had at long last found the justice he had wanted for his father’s death.
“King of the North!” Roslin shouted and the Northerners cheered once more.
♠ ♠ ♠
Not a strong piece, but a nice alternate reality, don't you think?