Chapter 168 — The Choice
When Robb learned that Tywin Lannister had been poisoned to death—and that Tyrion Lannister had neither harmed Sansa nor remained an enemy, but had instead become the Hand of Queen Daenerys Targaryen—he couldn't hide his astonishment.
After hearing what his daughters had endured, and seeing them now safe and whole before him, Catelyn Stark felt only one thing—
Relief.
As for her sister Lysa's death, she could only sigh softly in her heart and resolve to take proper care of the child left behind—young Robin Arryn.
On the third day after the siege of Riverrun was lifted, Robb received a mysterious letter.
The moment he saw the rare claw-mark seal—something he had only seen once before—he already knew who it was from.
He opened it.
The contents were simple.
A single repeated warning:
Be wary of House Frey.
The same words that had once saved his life before the Red Wedding.
And beneath it—
A name.
Daenerys Targaryen.
Robb stood still.
He hadn't expected—
That the one who had warned them back then…
Was the very queen he had seen riding a black dragon just days ago.
After escaping the Red Wedding, he and his mother had speculated countless times about their unknown savior.
They had considered every noble house in Westeros.
Yet never—
Not once—
Had they imagined it was the Dragon Queen, who had been far away in Slaver's Bay at the time.
Clutching the letter, Robb went to his mother's chamber and handed it to her.
Catelyn read it—
And her expression changed instantly.
She had already heard of Daenerys and her dragon pursuing the Lannister army during the recent battle.
But this—
This was something else entirely.
Seeing their mother's shock, Sansa Stark and Arya Stark exchanged puzzled glances.
Their brother had entered looking grim.
Now their mother looked the same.
What could possibly be written in that letter?
Catelyn set it down slowly.
Then looked at her daughters.
"You've always wondered," she said quietly, "how Robb and I managed to escape the Red Wedding… haven't you?"
Both girls nodded instinctively.
"That's because someone warned us in advance—that House Frey meant to betray us."
Shock flashed across their faces.
Catelyn glanced at Robb.
He lowered his head slightly, guilt written across his features.
"We didn't fully believe it at the time," he admitted.
"We thought it might be a Lannister ploy—to sabotage the alliance between us and the Freys."
He paused, voice heavy.
"Breaking guest right… is something no noble house should dare to do. We didn't think the Freys would go that far."
"But… just in case, we made preparations."
"And that's why we survived."
After that day—
There had been no further contact.
No clues.
No answers.
They had guessed endlessly.
And been wrong every time.
Sansa and Arya stood silent, trying to process it.
It sounded almost unreal.
Then Arya's eyes sharpened.
She looked at the letter on the table.
And suddenly understood.
"Mother… who was it?" she asked.
Catelyn met her gaze.
"Daenerys Targaryen."
"Her?!"
The sisters spoke at the same time, disbelief clear in their voices.
At the time of the Red Wedding—
Daenerys had been across the Narrow Sea.
How could she have known about such a tightly guarded conspiracy?
Catelyn placed the letter aside.
Then turned to Robb.
She didn't speak.
She didn't need to.
The meaning of the letter—arriving now, at this exact moment—was unmistakable.
Robb's gaze lingered on the parchment.
Memories surged through his mind—
From the day he rode out of Winterfell…
To every battle, every betrayal, every loss that followed.
All of it—
Led here.
To this choice.
From being crowned king out of necessity…
To tasting early victories…
From missteps in judgment and a string of defeats…
To utter despair after the Red Wedding…
And now—
With Riverrun freed, and his sisters returned—
The Iron Throne no longer held any appeal for Robb Stark.
"I'm willing to relinquish my crown as King in the North… and pledge my allegiance to Queen Daenerys Targaryen."
The moment he spoke the words—
A weight lifted from his chest.
Perhaps…
He had never been suited for the game of thrones.
…
Catelyn Stark gave a faint nod.
She had long believed the wolves were not meant to sit upon the Iron Throne.
All she wanted now—
Was for this war to end.
So she could return with her children…
To Winterfell.
Arya didn't care about crowns or politics.
To her—
Family together was enough.
Then she could finally train in peace.
But as Arya's gaze shifted—
She noticed something.
Sansa Stark's expression…
Was off.
Arya's eyes flicked between her sister and Robb.
And slowly—
She began to understand.
Sansa felt it too.
Relief—
And yet…
Reluctance.
With both Riverrun and the The Eyrie within reach of influence—
To give everything up now…
It felt like a waste.
And still—
A part of her resisted.
Robb convened his lords.
When they heard he intended to relinquish his crown—
Shock rippled through the hall.
But when he declared his intent to submit to Daenerys—
Those who had been ready to object…
Fell silent.
They had all seen it.
The black dragon—
Drogon—
Soaring across the sky.
Even those who hadn't witnessed its power firsthand had heard the stories—
Of the battle at the Gods Eye Lake—
Where men and horses were reduced to shattered remains.
And that was only one dragon.
There were three.
What army—
What castle—
Could stand against that?
And beyond dragons—
There were the Dothraki.
Born riders.
War incarnate on horseback.
No one present believed they could defeat them—
Even on equal numbers.
Some among them also knew—
Or suspected—
Why Robb had survived the Red Wedding.
And when that mysterious letter arrived—
They began to connect the pieces.
Robb had expected resistance.
Defiance.
Arguments.
But instead—
Those who rose to oppose him…
Sat back down.
Silently.
He returned to his chamber—
With a strange sense of defeat.
Even the words he had prepared—
The reasons he had crafted—
Went unused.
Catelyn saw the look on his face.
At first, she thought it was regret.
The loss of a crown.
But when Robb explained what had happened—
She fell silent.
Even she hadn't expected it to go so smoothly.
She opened her mouth to comfort him—
But found no words.
Sansa and Arya were equally stunned.
They hadn't imagined—
That Daenerys commanded such weight in men's hearts.
The next day—
Back on Dragonstone—
A report arrived.
More than a hundred ships had appeared in the southern waters of the Narrow Sea.
Their banners unclear.
Daenerys immediately ordered heightened vigilance—
Then made her way to the docks.
Lifting a spyglass, she studied the distant fleet.
And soon—
She saw it.
A red sun pierced by a golden spear.
House Martell.
From Dorne.
What were they here for?
Alliance?
Tyrion's earlier words echoed in her mind.
They certainly weren't here to attack—
A hundred ships meant nothing against Dragonstone.
Beside her—
Drogon watched as well.
And for once—
Even he seemed interested.
If Dorne had come—
Then leading them…
Should be him.
Oberyn Martell.
Once confirmed—
Daenerys received him in the great hall.
Seated upon her throne—
Radiant.
Commanding.
Unyielding.
As Oberyn looked upon her—
He paused.
For a fleeting moment—
He saw another face.
Rhaegar Targaryen.