The Bite of Winter

Robb

Five weeks after Asha's arrival

Robb sat on a fresh hunting horse. The horse was as black as coal and stood at roughly 17.3 hands. The massive mount tossed his head impatiently as Robb turned to Howland.

"Thank you, my lord. Your kindness will not be forgotten." Robb said, looking down at the short man.

"It has been an honor. Your father would be proud of you." Howland's smile turned sad at the mention of Eddard Stark. 

Robb's heart dropped at the mention of his father. His father had been the most honorable man in the realm, and yet he had kept the biggest secret from everyone. He could understand why Eddard had never told a soul, but part of him was angry that he had allowed Jon to live out his days believing that he was "a stain on Eddard Starks honor". 

"Thank you. If luck is on my side, I will be back here within four moons with, his grace."

"I will rally whatever banners remain loyal to the Starks. We will be ready to take back the North and the Iron Throne when he is." Howland promised. 

Robb nodded his head, then put his spur into his horse and set off. Greywind galloped next to the stallion. The horse moved gracefully down the road, his gate a rolling canter.

With his saddlebags full of provisions and coin, furs for the worst of the winter winds on his back, and steel strapped to his hip, Robb felt as if he were truly himself again. He dropped his hand and closed his hip angle in the saddle, pushing the stallion into a gallop. 

A smile found its way onto Robbs lips. He always loved riding and on a horse like this one he felt free. Greywind could barely keep up with the horse at full speed, so after a few minutes, he reined the horse back to a lope, allowing the dire wolf to keep a comfortable pace. 

They rode until the swamplands turned into fields. Howland had advised Robb to get off the Kingsroad when he reached the North. He followed a rundown deer path east of the Kingsroad until he found a small rock cavern that would be a perfect camp for the night. A thin layer of snow covered the ground as Robb dismounted and led the horse into the mouth. Greywind wandered off to hunt for dinner. Robb tied the horse to the root of a tree that was sticking out of the wall. 

Then he got to work on untacking and rubbing the stallion down. "Good boy." He murmured as he threw a blanket over the horse's back to help keep him warm for the night. Then he built a fire. By the time he was finished, Greywind had returned with a large hare. 

Robb skinned it using Roose Bolton's blade. The knife made quick work of the animal, but Robb hated the way it felt in his hand. He knew that it was irrational to hate the knife of a man, but he did all the same. At Greywater Watch, Robb had considered casting it into the swamp, but he couldn't bring himself to part with it. Robb vowed to himself that he would use this blade to avenge the Red Wedding. That this blade would slice the throats of Tywin Lannister, Walder Frey, and Joffery Baratheon. 

Robb had never learned how to cook, he never had to. He understood the premise of it, but not the technical knowledge. He had burnt his rabbit but ate it all the same. Even Greywind seemed dissatisfied by Robb's cooking skills as he refused to eat his half, choosing to go out and hunt for a new meal. 

'Ungrateful." Robb picked up the remaining rabbit and tossed it out of the mouth of the cave. That was when he heard the horses approaching.

A boy and a large man rode towards him. "I don't want any trouble," Robb called a hand on the hilt of his sword. 

"Neither do we. We just want to rest for the night. May we join you?" A woman's voice called. The large man proved himself to be a very large woman. 

"Aye." Robb nodded as the pair dismounted. He eyed them suspiciously. 

"I swear that we mean you no harm." The woman promised.

Robb slowly nodded. He knew that he probably shouldn't trust them, but he would allow them to rest with him for a while. 

He returned to his spot by the fire, the woman following him and the boy tending to the horses. 

"Brienne." She held out her hand, which Robb shook as he took his seat.

"Jon Rivers." He introduced himself. 

"You look so familiar. Are you from the Riverlands?"

"Aye, I fought for Lord Hoster before his death."

Brienne nodded, her eyes sad. "You look like someone I once knew."

"I get that a lot. I have one of those faces." Robb lied. He could risk her recognizing him if she had seen him when he was in the Riverlands.

"We are heading to Winterfell, by any chance can you give us directions?" Brienne asked him, eyes snapped back to attention.

"Why would you go to Winterfell? It's little more than a ruin now." His heart ached at the mention of his home. 

"The Boltons have rebuilt it for the wedding."

"What wedding?" 

"Lady Arya Stark is to wed Ramsay Bolton. It's the talk of the whole North."

"Arya? Arya Stark is dead." Robb's voice was hoarse. He thought that his baby sister had perished in Kingslanding. But now she was alive and being forced to marry that Bolton bastard.

"No, she is to wed him within the fortnight."

Robb's hands shook. He had heard the rumors of Roose's bastard. He needed to save Arya.

"Jon, are you alright?"

Robb clenched his fists to stop the shaking. "Aye. Just cold." 

Brienne eyed him, not believing him. 

"I should probably be on my way, my lady." Robb stood. He needed to leave. "Just follow the Kingsroad North and you will find it no problem. 

Robb threw his saddle onto his stead and vaulted on, leaving the strange pair in his dust. Greywind would find him on the road. 

His heart raced with the new knowledge. His baby sister was alive but in the hands of the Boltons. She was trapped behind the Bolton army and the walls of Winterfell with that monster. Robb wanted to go to Winterfell and kill them all himself, but he knew that he couldn't. He slowed to a walk. He needed to get to the wall. 

Only Jon could help Arya now. 

Im not sure if Robb and Brienne ever met in the show or books. I honestly cannot remember, so we will assume that they didn't.