𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 | A Fighter

{ Eliza }

✧✦✧

𝕿he valley beneath Eliza was filled with tents and humming with a strange energy that Eliza had never felt before. Her horse pranced beneath her as Greywind joined her side, both of them overseeing the preparations. She turned as Robb appeared beside her, surveying the valley.

"My Lord, your tent is this way." A squire called, leading their group down into the encampment, that was alive with soldiers. Eliza smiled at the sight of the Bare sigil in the distance, hearing the whinny of the horses already.

Robb had noticed her grinning at the sight of her house, so steered his horse closer to hers.

"You can go and see them, if you wish." He said, lowly. Eliza glanced back at him, wary of the people around them. "I only have a meeting with the bannermen to discuss tactics, you can miss that."

"Anceron will be going to that, so I will come as well." Robb nodded, before they came to a halt outside of one of the larger tents. Eliza swung over the back of her horse, letting her feet touch the floor, before handing her reins to the soldier that was waiting for her.

She pulled her gloves off, rubbing her hands together to generate some heat as she and Robb entered the tent.

There were a few bannermen already inside, including her brother, causing Eliza's smile to widen. She had seen Anceron at the feast in Winterfell, but everything had been so hectic that she hadn't been able to greet him properly.

"Liz." Anceron called, embracing his sister in a tight hug as Eliza clutched onto him. Since she had been at Winterfell, she had missed her brothers, despite all the teasing they usually subjected her to. "How are you? Faymont is so quiet without you there."

"I missed you." Anceron pressed a kiss to her head at the words, before pulling back to look at her.

"We miss you as well, Liz. You look like a proper lady now though," Anceron grinned, before leading his sister to her seat beside her husband. The chatter in the room started to build up as more people joined, causing Robb to lean closer to his wife.

"Are you happy now that you've seen your brother?"

"Very much so." Eliza replied, before they turned back to the front to listen to the report. In some strange way, all of the talks of strategy and manoeuvres reminded Eliza of a game of chess. 

She enjoyed chess.

"The River Lords are falling back with Jaime Lannister at their heels." Robb began, motioning to the first lion on the table ahead of them. "And Lord Tywin is bringing around a second Lannister army from the South." Eliza pursed her lips as she tried to think logically about what was going to happen. "Our scouts confirm it's even larger than the King Slayer's."

"One army or two, the Kings in the North threw back hosts ten times this large." Eliza looked up at the sound of the tent flap being pulled open. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Catelyn Stark, who looked tired and travel worn.

"Mother." Robb called, glancing over at her in surprise.

"You look well." She replied, her face lighting up at the sight of her eldest son. 

"Lady Catelyn, you're a welcome sight in these troubled times." Greatjon Umber's voice boomed around the small tent and Eliza thought that people outside would be able to hear it.

"We had not thought to meet you here." Anceron's voice sounded so quiet in comparison to the Greatjon's calls.

"I had not thought to be here." Catelyn smiled at the sight of Eliza sitting to Robb's right. "I would speak with my son and daughter-by-law alone. I know you will forgive me, my lords."

"You heard her!" Greatjon began to thunder once more, as the other lords began to meander out of the room at a slow pace. He continued to shout commands, as Anceron shot Eliza a wink and strolled out of the tent. "Have no fear, my lady. We'll shove our swords up Tywin Lannister's bunghole and then it's on to the Red Keep to free Ned."

Eliza let a small smile appear on her face at the Greatjon's words, stifling the smallest of giggles behind her hands. The tent flap swung shut behind them, allowing Catelyn to hug Robb tightly. Eliza smiled at their reunion, before trying to hide her surprised face as, she too, was pulled into a tight hug.

"I remember the day you came into this world red-faced and squalling." Catelyn rested a hand on Robb's cheek, which had turned red with embarrassment. "And now I find you leading a host to war."

"There was no one else." Robb muttered sheepishly.

"No one?" Catelyn looked between the two teenager, wondering how they were going to shoulder such a heavy burden like war. "Who were those men I saw here?"

"None of them are Starks." Eliza commented, causing Robb to nod in agreement.

"All of them are seasoned in battle."

"If you think you can send me, either of us, back to Winterfell..." He trailed off as Catelyn shook her head.

"Oh, would that I could."

"There was a letter. From Lyra." Eliza narrowed her eyes at Robb, shaking her head from where she stood behind Catelyn. They could tell no one of the second letter, not if they didn't want his sister harmed. The more people that knew, the more danger she was in.

"From the Queen, you mean." Catelyn sighed, slumping into a chair as Eliza sighed. "There's no mention of Arya?"

The married couple shook their heads, waiting for Catelyn's reaction.

"How many men do you have?"

"20,000." Eliza commented, glancing at the wooden direwolf sigil on the board.

"If I go to King's Landing and bend my knee to Joffrey..."

"You would never be allowed to leave. No." Catelyn cut Robb off firmly. "Our best hope, our only hope, is that you can defeat them in the field."

"And what happens if we lose?" That question was weighing heavily on Eliza's mind.

"Do you know what happened to the Targaryen children, when the Mad King was killed?" Catelyn asked the young woman. Eliza nodded, everyone knew that story and the tragedy of it.

"They were butchered in their sleep." Eliza shook her head. It was a horrible fate.

"On the orders of Tywin Lannister. And the years have not made him kinder." Catelyn reminded the pair, her lips pursed. "If you lose, Ned dies, the girls are butchered and then we die."

"Well, that makes it simple then." Robb replied.

"I suppose it does."

Hiya,

So, Eliza and Robb are keeping secrets from others, which may or may not lead to troubles and we only have three more chapters in the first part of this book, which I'm excited for you guys to read.

Let me know what you think and see you in the next chapter,

Love Li xx