CHAPTER 15 | BATTLE OF THE GREEN FORK

FREYA slashed her sword through the exposed neck of a Lannister guard.

She had rode into the battle on horseback, but her stallion was quickly shot down by Lannister forces. She would not be stopped, and the opposing side realized this when she commanded her men forward, charging into the battle on only her feet. To some, this was seen as suicide, but Freya had a gut feeling that she knew what she was doing.

This battle was nothing like she expected. Her childhood training prepared her, but nothing compared to the blood that was spilled on the West bank of the Green Fork. They had three thousand men against them, including several members from the hill tribes of the Vale. Freya knew her army of two thousand were bound to lose, but that was to be expected. She needed to at least come out this battle alive. The hill tribesmen performed well, but Freya killed many, because of their lack of armor.

Tywin Lannister watched the fight on his horse from a small hill above. His eyes followed the female leader of the army, as he was surprised not to see Robb Stark in her place. When asked of her identity, a scout confirmed, "She is Lady Freya of House Greyjoy. Legitimized bastard daughter of Balon Greyjoy and first to claim his salt throne upon his death."

Tywin lofted a brow, surprised at the feat. He had heard stories of the rebellious Freya Greyjoy, especially when both she and her brother became wards to the Starks. To see her fighting and slaying most of his army was a shock. A woman – shouting and commanding battle – was a sight for sore eyes.

Minutes escalated, and soon Freya realized that more than half of her army were gone. They were defeated, but not all dead. This was the outcome she was to expect, though it still hurt to see good soldiers were lost. If there was anything she knew from her father, it was to know when to walk away from a fight, and this was that time.

Freya swung her sword one last time into a Lannister soldier, a crushing blow that sent him to the ground. She stomped her armored boot on his chest plate and caused him to heave for air each time. She kicked off his helmet easily, stabbing her sword through his jugular and tearing it out just as quickly.

She lifted her hand, shouting over the cries, "STARK FORCES! RETREAT!"

Freya plucked an abandoned and rotted bow from the ground, and shot into a lone opposing soldier. He was sent tumbling into the mud, and Freya sprinted up on his horse. She rapped on the reins, riding it out and away from the battle. She hollered to her soldiers to follow, but only a handful heard her calls. The rest were left for dead.

Mud and dirt formed a crust on her skin, but she rode. Blood masked her armor and face, but she rode. Her dirty and bloodied sword hung loose in it's sheath, but she rode. Freya's breath was uneven and tried, but she still rode.

It was around this time that Tywin Lannister noticed that the battle was a feint. Robb Stark only sent two thousand men led by Lady Freya Greyjoy against the main Lannister host, slipping the rest around the Lannister force to instead attack Jaime Lannister's forces and he ultimately won that battle. Despite Tywin winning the battle on the Green Fork, the defeat of Jaime's army at the Battle of the Whispering Wood and the River Lords joining Robb's forces left Tywin's forces outflanked. His only choice was to retreat his army to Harrenhal.

In most eyes, the Battle of Green Fork was a loss for the Stark army, but in Freya's eyes, it was the exact opposite.

•••

It took a total of two days of nonstop riding to return to Riverrun in one piece. Freya forced the rest of the five hundred soldiers to follow, but some died on the way from dehydration or loss of limbs. She knew where Catelyn Stark and Rodrik Cassel would be waiting, but Robb's battle had been delayed later than hers, due to his arrival time in Riverrun.

When she arrived at the encampment, her eyes suddenly felt so heavy. She saw Catelyn hugging her son, who was covered in the same soot and dirt. His army had returned with him as well, and they were all regrouping in the encampment. A man was hanging by his shackles next to most of the Northern lords. Theon and Selene waited with Rodrik Cassel, and her handmaiden squealed with joy at the sight of Freya.

As her horse stopped short in front of the encampment, Freya couldn't stop herself from falling. She fell into the grimy mud, face first. Selene was beginning to run, but Theon did not want her near the gore. He ran to his sister in the mud, trying to hoist her up and failing. It was at this time that Robb and his mother turned, and even Robb was surprised at himself starting to run towards an unconscious Freya Greyjoy.

Robb picked her up, causing her to kneel in the mud. He slapped her face, muttering, "Wake up, Greyjoy! Wake up!"

Slowly, but surely, Freya opened her eyes. She fluttered them a couple times, trying to adjust to Robb Stark being so close to her. Robb rubbed the mud off her face, beginning to chuckle at her expression. "You did it, Greyjoy."

Freya blinked a few times, looking to her brother smiling down at her. "Please," she mumbled, "I'd rather you not get so close."

She managed to straighten herself out and stand, allowing her brother to hug her tightly. Theon guided her over to Selene, who did the same as him, but crying ever so slightly. "I am so proud of you, m'lady," she sobbed. "So very, very proud."

Theon put a hand on his sister's arm. "There is a reason why we've recuperated at this encampment." He said lowly. "Robb has taken a prisoner that must be sentenced."

Freya looked bewildered, and soon all the Northern lords were gathering around Robb and Lady Stark. They sat down the prisoner in front of Catelyn, and it took Freya a long time to realize that Robb had captured the Jaime Lannister. The Kingslayer was almost unrecognizable covered in a fair amount of blood and soot. Freya stood along with her brother behind Jaime, while still being covered in the blood of Lannister forces, but she knew that this was not the time to worry about bathing.

"By the time they knew what was happening, it had already happened." Robb said, appearing next to his mother as they were surrounded by Stark guards.

Jaime groaned loudly before sitting up. Greatjon held a sword to his throat. "Lady Stark? I'd offer you my sword, but I seem to have lost it."

"It's not your sword I want," Catelyn spat. "Give me my daughters back. Give me my husband."

"I've lost them too, I'm afraid," Jaime croaked rather cockily.

Freya unsheathed her sword out of habit, aiming it for the back of Jaime's head. "We should kill him," she muttered, "and send his head to Tywin."

"He put down ten of our men," Theon said from her side. "You saw him."

Robb crinkled his brow. "He's more use to us alive than dead."

Catelyn ordered, "Take him away and put him in irons."

Greatjon and Theon heaved Jaime from the dirt, with the Umber still holding his bloody sword to his jugular. "We could end this war right now, boy; save thousands of lives. You fight for the Starks. I fight for the Lannisters. Swords or lances, teeth, nails ... choose your weapons, and let's end this here and now."

Robb held his head high. "If we do it your way, Kingslayer, you'd win." He bit back the saliva that emerged from his anger. "We're not doing it your way."

"Come on, pretty man," Lord Umber scoffed as he hauled Jaime Lannister away and into chains.

Theon approached Robb with a smile at their win. Freya followed closely behind her brother as soldiers screams of victory were heard in the air. "I sent two thousand men to their graves today," he muttered."

"Not all two thousand," Freya replied softly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe one thousand and seven hundred."

"The bards will sing songs of their sacrifice," Theon added.

Robb nodded. "Aye," he exhaled, "but the dead won't hear them."

He then marched forward, looking onward to his remaining army of well-equipped soldiers. Freya found her hand lingering to stop him, one of the first times she'd touched Robb without malicious intent.

"One victory does not make us conquerors." Robb spoke loudly to the crowd. Stark flags waved wildly in the wind. "Did we free my father? Did we rescue my sisters from the Queen? Did we free the North from those who want us on our knees? This war is far from over."

Freya watched Robb walk away as she laced her arm around her brother's. She knew Robb was right. They achieved a victory, but they did accomplish their true goal. It was only just the beginning for all of them. If anything was certain, Freya realized that she would now be written down in the history books, as the woman who led the Stark army in the battle.

And thus, the fight was named the Greyjoy Battle of the Green Fork.