Lord Rickard dismounted, his movements heavy and stiff. He knelt beside Toren's body, his face as dark and moody as a thunderstorm rolling in over the coast.
Even in the middle of a literal battlefield, the sight of him made everyone go quiet. Soldiers and nobles alike took a step back, the hair on their necks standing up. You didn't have to be a genius to see the man was vibrating with pure, unadulterated grief.
A few seconds later, Rickard forced himself to stand. He gripped his longsword, his knuckles white, and started walking toward the golden-haired knight everyone was surrounding. He didn't say a word. He just moved with this terrifying, singular purpose. It looked like he was about to spike Jaime Lannister's pretty face on the end of a spear and call it a day.
Jaime, of course, was already awake. He watched Rickard approach, saw the white sunburst on the old man's chest, and didn't even flinch. Instead, he started laughing. It wasn't a nervous laugh, either it was the sound of a guy who knew he was the main character and everyone else was just an extra.
"So, the father of those two blockheads finally showed up," Jaime sneered. He sounded like a cocky star quarterback talking trash to the opposing team's coach. "Tell you what, old man give me a sword and let me loose. I'll be happy to reunite you with your sons in hell. Save you the trip."
The guy was unbelievable. Even tied up and surrounded, he was still acting like a total prick. He honestly believed that if his hands were free, he could take the elder and younger Karstark at the same time. And honestly? He was probably right.
Rickard didn't answer. He just kept walking, his eyes locked on Jaime like he was already looking at a corpse.
"Lord Karstark! Put the sword down! The fight's over. We won!"
Robb Stark's voice cut through the tension. He was standing nearby, looking exhausted and covered in mud. He knew he needed the Kingslayer alive. Jaime was the ultimate bargaining chip the only way he was ever getting his dad and sisters back from King's Landing. He couldn't let Rickard turn the guy into Swiss cheese.
Rickard stopped. He was a loyal man, and that loyalty held him back, but you could practically see the steam coming off him. The rage and sorrow weren't just going to vanish because a teenager told him to "chill."
"Robb Stark," Rickard's voice was thick with suppressed emotion. "I led my men into this meat grinder for you. I think that gives me the right to deal with my own prisoner. I just lost a son. I want a Lannister to pay for it. And I want it to be this one."
It was a plea as much as it was a demand.
"You'll get your justice, Lord Karstark," Robb said, trying to sound like the lord he was supposed to be. He looked a little disheveled, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "But not now. Not like this. Not in a forest full of bodies. Trust me - the North remembers."
Robb was only fifteen. He was trying so hard to keep it together, but I could see the cracks. He was terrified that one of his biggest supporters was about to tell him to shove it, just like the Greatjon had tried to do back at Winterfell.
I knew I had to step in. If I let this rift widen, the whole Karstark-Stark alliance was going to go up in flames. If Rickard went rogue later and killed some Lannister prisoners, Robb would probably execute him for treason, and then I'd be the son of a double-traitor. No thanks.
I'm not going to the Wall. I don't care how cool the "Night's Watch" oath sounds living in a frozen basement with a bunch of criminals is a hard pass for me.
"Father," I said, stepping up behind my "new" dad. I tried to sound steady, like I was the voice of reason. "Toren died fighting for Robb. I'm sure the Starks will make this right. Let's not do this here."
Rickard didn't say anything for a long beat. He turned to look at me, and for a second, I saw a flicker of actual affection in his eyes. He was a hothead, yeah, but he clearly loved his kids.
He finally sighed, sheathing his sword. He gave Robb a stiff nod. "I'll hold you to that, Robb. Karstark remembers."
Then he turned, picked up Toren's bloody body, and started walking out of the valley. I gave Robb a quick nod which he returned with a look of genuine gratitude and followed my father.
The battle was a total blowout. Jaime was in a cage, and once the Lannister soldiers realized their golden boy was caught, they folded like lawn chairs.
According to Theon Greyjoy who was busy counting everyone's lunch money we lost less than 200 guys. The Lannisters lost ten times that. We bagged over a hundred knights and a handful of big-name lords. It was a huge win, but I knew the honeymoon wouldn't last.
I sat in my tent later that night, staring up at the canvas and thinking about my next move. I felt like a glorified babysitter for the plot. I had to keep Robb from making stupid mistakes, keep my dad from getting executed, and somehow not get murdered during the "Red Wedding" down the line.
If I wanted to survive, I needed my own crew. I needed to level up, and fast.
I asked my dad for four more guys to serve as my personal squad. Since he was still in mourning and probably feeling guilty about Toren, he didn't even argue. He just told me to take whoever I wanted.
"Young Master, they're here."
Abel's voice came from outside. He'd rounded up the four cavalrymen my dad sent over. I stepped out of the tent to inspect the troops.
Northern lords aren't exactly swimming in cash. The land is huge, but it's mostly rocks, trees, and snow. That means the soldiers aren't exactly rocking high-end gear. My new squad was wearing standard chainmail with padded tunics and black Karstark cloaks.
"Alright, guys," I said. "Let's hear it. Who am I working with?"
Four guys stood there, trying to look professional.
First up was a tall, muscular guy with black hair and green eyes. He looked like he spent all his time at the gym. "Karas Snow, twenty-six. I've been with House Karstark for four years. No family."
A bastard. Probably the kid of some minor noble who got sent to Karhold to earn his keep. He looked nervous, like he expected me to look down on him. I just gave him a nod and a smile. He seemed to relax immediately.
Next was Lando, an older guy with blue eyes. He was a career soldier. His wife was gone, and his kids already worked at the castle. He was steady, the kind of guy who wouldn't panic when things got hairy.
Then there was Dita Calandre. He was a "free knight" from the south who'd moved up north to find work. He was way more polite than the others, using all the formal titles. Probably a descendant of some fallen house looking for a comeback.
Finally, there was Marm. He was young, red-haired, and looked like he'd drank about five energy drinks. His dad was a carpenter, his mom was a cook, and he looked like he was ready to conquer the world.
As soon as they finished talking, my system pinged.
[New recruits available. Accept?]
I hit Yes in my head.
[Karas Snow, Lando, Dita Calandre, Marm recruited.]
[Loyalty: Normal]
[Reason: Long service history / Lord Rickard's orders / You didn't die against Jaime Lannister.]
Their loyalty was just "okay." Nothing special. They were basically just doing their jobs.
I reached into my tunic and pulled out a few heavy purses filled with gold coins. I had a lot of money on me, perks of being an Earl's son and I wanted to see if I could literally buy their friendship.
Time for a little experiment.