House of the wolf

After holding my breath for a few minutes, my manhood has mostly deflated and my mind has cleared.

 

So I lay my head back on Catylin´s lap now calmed down and close my eyes as she starts stroking my hair and face calming my spirit.

 

“You recovered quickly, I did not think you would be this sound of mind so soon,” I say my eyes still closed.

 

“Yesterday I was grieving my oldest son just after grieving you,” I feel her hands tremble as she talks.

 

 “To see your face was too much for me, I had to come here after I woke up to make sure I was not dreaming” 

 

I grab her hand “You´re not” She responds with a vice grip. 

 

“No, I´m not, I don´t know how but the gods have seen it fit to bring you back to me”

 

“The gods had nothing to do with it, men made actions. The Lannisters made the foolish actions to make an enemy of us and I made it back by my own will.”

 

She goes back to stroking my hair as I tell her about what happened in King´s Landing and my trip to Essos, I decide to hold back on telling anyone about my connection to Danerys since it is not something that should come into play for a few more years and we need to focus on home first.

 

After hearing what happened to me at King´s Landing she grips my hair hard enough to tear it out while gritting out “The Hound, so it´s true that that man led an attack against you”

 

“Ow ow ow, easy! No need to be so wound up by a dead guy” 

 

“Dead, is that what you think? No, the Hound is not dead, I heard it was thanks to him and wildfire that Stannis was held back for long enough that Tywin managed to reach King´s Landing” 

 

“But alas Cregor Clegane left the service of the King during that very battle, there has been little heard from him since”

 

She says as she gently touches the scar over my right eye and I unconsciously touch the scar on my chest. 

 

So the Hound is alive, I guess I only saw Hunter unhorse him… but why would he leave service after racking up such achievements? If he had stayed no doubt Tywin and even Joffrey would have showered him with gold and titles.

 

 “... Anyways, Mother, what do you think I should do now? Unlike Robb, I was not taught to be lord of Winterfell much less King of the North, most of what my father did teach me was about war, and my military duties as a bannerman”

 

“...” I hear no response so I sit up to look at her and see her face is blank and she is slightly shaking.

 

“Hey, what´s wrong” I wrap my arm around her. 

 

“My advice, that is what got Ned and Robb killed” She cries into my shoulder the usually poised and firm woman is more vulnerable than I have ever seen her, but I can tell she is not broken, just tired. 

 

“I can´t play adviser to you Ed” 

 

“What are you talking about, you did not get anybody killed!” 

 

“Yes I did, it was me who convinced Ned to go to King´s Landing when I knew it would spell nothing but trouble! And it was me who negotiated the deal with Walder Frey when I knew they could not be trusted” She barks out determined to take it all on herself.

 

“Mother, the influence of our enemies and the deep treachery of our allies is so vast that it ensured that we would not go through this war unscathed, thanks to your efforts I still have a home to go back to!” 

 

“If it had not been for Robb doing so much with so little, and your support for his cause, along with Bran and Sansa holding Winterfell. If you had not done what you did, I would have come back home to rubble and no loved ones… so thank you! Thank you for holding strong and staying alive” 

 

She truly lets go now and starts bawling in my embrace no longer rigid and holding back her true feelings.

 

After a while, she gathers herself.

 

“Everybody suffered during the war of the five kings, and winter is coming, so it is unlikely that there will not be another army to march on the North so give your focus to Roose and Stannis, the two of those men are not to be underestimated!”

 

“But even that is not what is most important right now, when Robb was proclaimed king it was by all of his vassals united by a common goal on the back of victories they achieved together. What you need to strengthen your position is to make closer bonds with your vassals and the best way to do that…”

 

“Marriage” I finish for her. 

 

“Not just for you but for your siblings as well, you will have more leeway since you are king but the marriage of your siblings must be used to strengthen your position,” She says sadly.

 

“Don´t be like that, it´s not like marriage is a tragic fate, in fact even though Bran is young I already have a good match in mind for him” 

 

“Who?” She looks at me skeptically  

 

“Two candidates in fact, I´ve noticed he has been close to the Reed siblings in the short time that I´ve been here he has been sending love-struck looks at Meera Reed every chance he gets” 

 

“Meera Reed… that is not a bad choice the Reeds have been among the most loyal bannermen, who is the other?” 

 

“Wylla Maderly, she seems loyal to our house when I spoke to her in person and also in her actions. She brought two thousand men on horseback to aid in retaking Winterfell and she rode ahead to Moat Calin, we will wait and see if she manages to capture Ramsey Bolton and get Arya back here in one piece”  

 

She bolts up at that “Arya!… yes if she brings Arya the Manderly´s will have done us a service that we can´t repay, they are also the richest house among our vassals and now among the most powerful since the Bolton´s can no longer be considered our vassals. It would be in our best interest to strengthen our bonds with them”