┏━ tribulation.
( SCENE 3 ) ━┛

THE host rode for days on end, stopping every night for rest before rising early the next morning to continue on. They were but a days ride from the Twins, the one point in the Trident where they would need to pass in order to reach King's Landing. Nearly a fortnight after leaving Winterfell, the host had pitched tents before evening could descend upon them.

In one of the larger war tents, the lord's discussed battle plans.

"The Riverlords are falling back with Jaime Lannister at their heels. And Lord Tywin is bringing around a second Lannister army from the South. Our scouts confirm it's even larger than the Kingslayer's," Darik says as Lukas listens intently. He stood in the council tent that had been long since pitched up by some of the Estemore and Karstark servants. Days have passed since they left Winterfell, and now they found themselves making camp at the Neck.

Aubrey stood closest Darik, with Ismene flanking her and Lukas close to his wife. Before them, under the light of lanterns due to the decreasing sunlight, a map had been lied out. 

"Both Lord Tywin and the Kingslayer? I suppose we'll have our work cut out for us, won't we?" Dalton Ryswell spoke up.

Lukas chuckles. "That we will, Ryswell. That we will."

"One army or two," says Greatjon Umber, "the Kings in the North threw back hosts ten times this large."

Suddenly, the flaps of the tent open and Lukas spots the Lady Catelyn entering. It was his good-mother that he hadn't seen in ages and at her side is Ser Rodrik Cassal. The last he seen of her was when they'd left for Lakewell those months ago, well before the twins were born.

"Mother," Darik says breathlessly, shocked to even see her.

"You look well," she tells him with a signature thin lipped smirk.

"Mother." The sound of Ismene's voice draws Catelyn's attention as her step-daughter maneuvers through the lords and passed Aubrey to get to her.

Catelyn's eyes widen. By the looks or her expression, Lukas knew that Ismene was the last person Catelyn would expect to see in a war tent.

"Ismene, you should ─ " Catelyn is interrupted when she sees that her daughter no longer bears a large stomach. Instead, she sees Ismene's abdomen to be flat, meaning that she has had her babe. "By Gods, you've had the baby and I've missed it," she half frowns and half smiles.

"Babies," Ismene corrects her, a grin on her face. "I had twins."

"What a blessing," Catelyn grins. She then embraces her eldest daughter. For a moment they remain holding each other, until Catelyn pulls back and grips her hands. "You must tell me all about it later. I would very much like to meet them."

"Of course," Ismene nods.

"But tell me now, why are you here?" Catelyn's eyes shift over to Lukas, then Darik, before falling on Ismene again.

"You think I'd stay at Lakewell with all that's happening? I am going to be by Darik's side through the duration of this war, no matter how long it takes," Ismene says in response to her mothers question. Lukas wanted to mention that he tried getting her to stay home, but she'd greatly refused.

"Mother, you said it yourself when you left to find Father," Darik tells her. "I need Ismene in this fight."

Catelyn nodded. "You're right. I did say that."

Lord Umber steps forward to greet her. "Lady Catelyn, you're a welcome sight in these troubled times."

"We had not thought to meet you here, my lady," Lord Henrik tells her with a gentle smile.

"I had not thought to be here either. I would like to speak with Darik and my daughter alone. I know you will forgive me, my lords." Her Tully blue eyes catch sight of Aubrey and she smiles lightly at the battle born woman. "And Aubrey."

"You heard her! Move your asses! Come on, out," Lord Umber says as he begins gesturing for everyone, including Lukas, to leave Catelyn to speak with her heir. On her way out, Aubrey presses a hand to Lady Stark's shoulder.

"You too, Greyjoy. Are you bloody deaf?" Lord Umber says before he shoves Theon from the tent. Before leaving, Lord Umber steps up to Catelyn. "Have no fear, m'lady. We'll shove our swords up Tywin Lannister's bunghole, and then it's on to the Red Keep to free Ned."

After everyone has cleared out from the tent, Darik rushes around the war table to pull his mother into his arms. After they'd embraced for long seconds, Catelyn turned to Ismene.

"I remember the day I met you both, little ones with such kind hearts. And now I find you leading a host to war."

"There was no one else," Darik says, pulling away.

"No one? Who were those men I saw here?"

"None of them are Starks," Ismene says in her twins defense. She hopes their step-mother will see his reason for calling the banners. She would have thought she would understand his reasoning, which Ismene thought was rightfully so. Perhaps she was wrong.

"All of them are seasoned in battle," Catelyn states.

Darik stares at her in disbelief. "If you think you can send me back to Winterfell ─ "

"Well, it's obvious that that isn't possible," Catelyn replied, obviously upset.

There is pause before Darik decides tk reveal the letter to his mother. He snatches it from the table, handing it to her. "There was a letter from Sansa. We haven't received anything from Kaela."

As his mother opens the letter and begins to read it, he throws her a warning, "They're the Queen's words. She forced Sansa to write this."

"There's no mention of Arya."

Darik sighed. "Unfortuanlty there is not. We can only have hope that she somehow survived."

Catelyn silently nodded and resumes reading. When she finishes, she looks up, a worried look on her face. "How many men do you have?"

"18,000. If he goes to King's Landing and bends the knee to Joffrey and swears fealty..." Ismene tells her mother.

"...you will never be allowed to leave," Catelyn finishes for her, looking to Darik. "If you turn your tail and retreat to Winterfell, your lords will lose all respect for you. Some may even go over to the Lannisters. Then the Queen, with that much less to fear, can do as she likes with her prisoners. Our best hope, our only true hope, is that you can defeat the foe in the field. If you should chance to take Lord Tywin or the Kingslayer captive, why then a trade might very well be possible, but that is not the heart of it. So long as you have power enough that they must fear you, Ned and your sister should be safe. Cersei is wise enough to know that she may need them to make her peace, should the fighting go against her."

"And if I lose?" Darik asks.

"Do you know what happened to the Targaryen children, when the Mad King fell?" She asked, looking to them both.

Ismene looked away, uneasy. She didn't like to think about it, especially after having her own children now. "They were butchered in their sleep."

"On the orders of Tywin Lannister. And the years have not made him kinder." Darik's gaze shifts back to his mother. "If you lose, your father dies, your sisters die, we die.

Ismene takes a moment to consider if there is anything else she could do to help the war effort. She knew the lord's didn't particularly care for her opinion, not like they did Aubrey's. Deep down, a piece of her wanted to pick up a weapon and join the fight, but how could a new mother do so?

"Well, that makes it simple then," Darik says with an emotionless expression.

"I suppose it does."

Darik then smirks, obviously hoping to somewhat lighten the mood. "Seven hells, you know how to motivate a man, Mother."

Catelyn grins, laughing lightly. When her laughter dissipates, she remains grinning. "I think I would like to see my grandchildren now."

Darik and Ismene smile at the mention of Damon and Rowan. "You'll be pleased to know at least one of them is pure Stark."

❆

"THE scouts report Lord Tywin moves north," Lukas informs Darik as they are yet again in another war council to discuss their next move the next evening. "We need to get him on broken ground, put his knights at a disadvantage."

"No," Gareth Ryswell argues, "We need to get around him and break Jaime Lannister's siege of Riverrun. Do that and the Riverlords will join us."

"To do either we need to cross the river. And the only crossing is at the Twins," Ismene states from beside Aubrey and Lukas.

"Lord Frey controls that bridge," Aubrey speaks up, glancing to Lady Catelyn. "Your father's bannerman."

"'The Late Lord Frey' my father calls him," Catelyn says with distaste. "At the Trident, he didn't appear until the battle was done. Some men takes their oaths more seriously than others."

"Lady Ismene is right. We need that bridge," Theon voices from nearby.

"So what's it gonna be? Do we move against Jaime or Lord Tywin?" All eyes have fallen upon Darik now, who still remains pondering. Lukas watches him with quizzical grey eyes.

"I say Jaime," Aubrey pipes up, laying her hands against the table. "We march on him, capture him, boom we've got ourselves a prisoner. Perhaps we even trade him for Lord Eddard, Sansa and Arya. They'll take back that sister-fucking fool faster than you can say 'sister-fucking fool'."

Greatjon smirks at the battle born lady. Lukas forced himself to stifle a laugh after his cousins funny words. "I like the way you think," the older Lord comments.

Lukas thinks on what she said, beginning to think that perhaps she was right and Jamie was the right approach. If they got their hands on the Kingslayer, they may just be able to get themselves a good stand in the war. Tywin would surely want his son back. It would be a good move.

"You expect the Lannisters to agree to that?" Theon asks to no one in particular.

"Why wouldn't they?" Lord Henrik voices.

Lukas nods in agreement with his father. "My lord father is right. He's the golden son, they'll make the trade. They're not as stubborn as your father."

"You don't know my Father," Theon tells the fox with a hiss.

"Neither do you," Lukas retorted, his stare holding Theon's before the ward backs down and removes his gaze.

"Your pardon, my lords." All eyes turn towards the entrance of the tent as Terran Bayle, personal guard of Ismene, walks in with a man bound by his wrists. Beforehand, he had been guarding the outside of the rent, awaiting Ismene to exit so he may escort her back to her tent where Neve is watching over her sons. "The Stark guards have captured a Lannister scout."

Quickly, Lukas promptly covers up the map. Greatjon, having seen Lukas do that says, "Don't worry, lad. He won't be leaving this tent with his head."

"Where did they find him?" Darik asks, ignoring Greatjon Umber.

"In the brush above the encampment. They said he looked to be counting," Terran replies.

Lukas watched as Darik walked around the table until he was standing face to face with the nervous scout. "How high did you get?" He asks.

"20,000. Maybe more."

"Seven hells," Aubrey mutters.

"You don't have to do this yourself. Your father would understand. I'll do it," Ser Rodrik says as he walks over to Darik, unsheathing a knife.

With his eyes still on the Lannister scout, Darik raises a hand which stops Ser Rodrik in his steps. "No. My father understands mercy, when there is room for it. And he understands honor and courage."

Ser Rodik nodded in understanding, stepping away.

"Let him go," Darik orders Terran Bayle. Many men in the room look shocked. Lukas wanted to cry out in outrage, saying that I would only compromise their position.

"What!? What in seven hells are you letting him go for?"

"Darik ─ " Before his mother can even continue, Darik looks over his shoulder with a stare, glaring at her with a determined look painted on his face. Catelyn seems to understand and looks down in regret. After a long while, Darik turned back to the scout. With sharp eyes, he leaned in to whisper to him. The tent was dead silent once Darik was meter inches from the spy's face. Lukas craned to heat what he said.

Although his voice was soft, it held much threat. "Tell Lord Tywin that winter is coming for him. Twenty-thousand Northerners marching south to find out if he really does shit gold."

The lion's scout gulps. "Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord."

Darik gives Terran a cut nod, which allows Terran to lead the scout out of the tent.

"Are you touched, boy?! Letting him go?"

At the sound of Greatjon's angered tone, Darik's abruptly turns to the older lord. He turned to face him with a sharp glare. "You call me boy again and I will make sure that it is not only two fingers Luna rips from your body."

Lukas had to admit he liked Darik's spunk.

Greatjon is still clearly fuming and further gets in Darik's face. For a moment Lukas wonders how Darik will be able to handle such free spirited lord's be most likely didn't like the be ordered around by a younger man. "Go on," Darik even says, challenging him to keep going.

A tense pause passes where Greatjon Umber glances over at the other lords and ladies. Finally, he concedes and storms off, growling as he does. Lukas lets out a breath he'd been holding for a while and catches the look of Aubrey. She shrugs, giving him a half smile.

❆

EVOLET felt at home at Winterfell, as strange as it sounded. Even though she'd only ever been there a hand full of times, it was the home of many people she'd grown to love and care about. It had heated stone walls and floors, and it was a pleasing change compared to her home that, even if it was in the clouds, it was a dreadful place with very little good memories.

She found herself walking the halls, not entirely sure what one would do when she was to be served and had no real purpose there. She would have her babe and from there, decisions would be made. She hoped that whatever they were, they didn't include her retiring home to be in the presence of her baneful mother.

The sound of little running footsteps has her turning, where she spots Rickon, the youngest Stark. She had to admit that he was as cute as a button, so full of energy and eager to please. She loved seeing different faces in the place she now called home.

"Evlet," the boy so sweetly mispronounced her name. "Will you play wit me please? I need someone to play."

Even though she was nearly about to burst and couldn't do much, she wasn't sure she could deny the sweet boy the attention he craved so deeply for. With his family mostly gone, Bran injured, and Robb off doing gods know what, the boy was often left alone. She didn't want that to continue.

"Of course, I'll play with you," She grins widely. She allow the little boy to take her hand and pull her down the hall, where they enter the courtyard where the air is surprisingly pleasing. When they wandered further out, the boy scurried away to return with a leather ball in hand. Standing a good distance from her, he dropped it to his feet. With a swift kick, it managed to reach Evolet and stop right at her feet.

Looking up with a grin, she kicks the ball lightly, since she is stronger than he is. The two commence an exchange of kicks, until motion draws her attention away and she freezes.

Robb walks on the other side of the courtyard, his gaze only meeting her for a moment. It seems like forever, but when he finally disappears into the keep, she feels her heart sinking low, lower than it had in a while.