"It's not about glory!" Robb barks out, barely containing his anger at Edmure's self proclaimed glory, "Now tell me, what good is the mill?"

"I saw an opportunity to drive the Lannister forces back, and I succeeded." Edmure tried to argue his case.

"Succeeded in what?!" roared Robb, "Not only did you let the mountain escape, you lost two hundred of our men. How do you suppose we win this war when the Lannister forces have retreated back to their lands and they still have my sisters?"

"... I'm sorry, I didn't know" Edmure muttered shamefully, his eyes unable to meet Robb's intense glare as he finally realizes his mistake.

"The only reason you're in this war room is because you share blood with my mother. The next time you disobey my orders, you'll find another king to follow. Do you understand?" Robb warned.

"Yes, your grace."

Suddenly the doors slammed open with a bang, revealing a guard hunched over trying to catch his breath.

"Y-your grace…" the guard stammered.

"What!" Robb growled, lashing out the remnants of his rage from earlier.

The guard gulped and looked up nervously, "T-there's a rider at the gates, your grace. Says he request an audience with the King immediately."

Robb felt his irritation bubble up once more. "The next time you decide to interrupt a war meeting with news of some random stranger showing up at the gates, you'll be cleaning the latrines. Now unless the mountain decides to show up at our front gates, or my sisters for that matter, do not show your face again." Robb rubbed his temples sighing at the incompetence of his Riverland soldiers.

The guard shook even more nervously than before as visible beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. "A-actually your grace, the man seems to have both in his custody."

Robb snapped his eyes to the guard instantly.

"He has a man in chains walking besides his horse. The guards from the tower say he's the biggest man he's ever seen, as big as a … a mountain, I suppose. And the rider claims to have Lady Sansa and Lady Arya with him on the horse."

Robb stood up, pushing his wooden chair back loudly against the stone floor before the poor man can even finish. "Take me to him. Now!"

"Open the gates!"

Robb stood impatiently, waiting for the huge drawbridge to be lowered allowing the rider access over the moat. His heart pounded within his chest, hoping that somehow the idiotic guards were correct. As the bridge came down on the other side with a thud, Robb's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.

True to the guards words, Gregor Clegane stood next to the rider in chains wrapped around his entire body and a sack over his head. As the rider began forward across the bridge dragging the Mountain with him, Robb couldn't help but snort in amusement at the sight. While the rider clearly held the Clegane in his captivity, the scene reminded Robb of his dear siblings walking their pet direwolves on a leash as the Mountain towered over the rider even whilst on his horse. As the figures approached closer, Robb noticed three figures on the horse, two smaller ones sat in front of a third figure clothed in a black cloak and hood. A splash of red hair was splayed across the black cloak as it somehow wrapped around the second figure as well. That's Sansa no doubt, and the one in front must be Arya, Robb thought. He had to fight every urge in his body to run forward and gather up his sisters in his embrace and hold them forever. His mother, however, held no such inhibitions.

Catelyn raced forward towards the figures as fast as she could, pulling up the skirts of her dress slightly so as to not trip over the edges. Although she was not at the war room at the time, she soon heard the news and rushed down from her chamber. Ever since Robb had caught her trying to free the Kingslayer, she had been confined to her chambers and Jaime Lannister had been placed under the guard of fifty of his best men. Now hearing of a possibility of her daughters not only being alive but possibly right in front of her, Catelyn almost didn't know what to think. She had thought she'd lost both of them when Robb refused to trade one Lannister for two Starks. Whoever this rider was, she'd be indebted to him for the rest of her life.

Even though she had abandoned all rationality in sprinting towards a stranger who could be an enemy, an unconscious part of her mind still told her to stay away from the beast in chains. Even though his arms were bound tightly behind his back, he could still easily crush her by just jumping on top of her. As she slowed to a stop on the side of the rider opposite the Mountain, she immediately recognized the front two figures on the horse.

"Arya, Sansa", Catelyn gasped as tears swelled in her eyes in relief. Arya leapt off the horse and into the embrace of her mother while Sansa stayed on the horse awaiting the rider to help her off her seat. They really are my daughters, Catelyn smiled at the thought, haven't changed a bit. However, Catelyn started to worry when Sansa still clung to the rider after they dismounted at the same time. And for the first time, Catelyn noticed the haunted look in Sansa's eyes as they darted around her surroundings. Looking down, she saw that Arya had noticed as well and adopted a sad look in her eyes. King's Landing must've been hell for the both of them, they're no longer the same girls that left Winterfell. It was only after reassurances and comforting from the mysterious stranger did Sansa finally leave his embrace. When her eyes finally settled on Catelyn, a look of recognition flashed through her eyes, and like Arya, she rushed into her mother's embrace.

Seeing his mother embrace the two figures, Robb quickly approached the group. All doubt left him as he too laid eyes on his sisters. Without a word, he wrapped everyone in his large arms, tears falling in disbelief of the moment. The Starks, what were left of them, were finally together at last.

Robb was the quickest to come to his senses and turned to the stranger, who had been patiently waiting on the side with his prisoner standing sluggish beside him. Robb eyed the man curiously, wondering who in the seven kingdoms could've single-handedly defeated the Mountain and rescued his sisters. Robb tried to peer underneath his cowl at his face, but shadows seem to swirl beneath his hood, bending to conceal his identity. Clearing his throat silently, Robb used his King's voice, "The North is forever in your debt, ser. Tell me your name and I'll grant you anything you ask that is within reason. I swear it on the old gods and the new."

Perhaps somewhat recognizing the voice of the King in the North in his half comatose state, Gregor Clegane lunged at the voice, straining against the chains. The hooded rider whispered an unintelligible word. Immediately the chains tightened around the prisoner as shadows flowed from his sleeves onto the chains he was holding. For the first time, Robb and Catelyn noticed the black chains that bound the Mountain weren't some strange metal as they first thought. It was a physical manifestation of shadows that were somehow being controlled by the rider.

Never in his life had Robb ever witnessed something like this. He remembered the awe he first felt upon seeing the Weirwoods in the North. His father had taken him to educate him on the Old Gods and the First Men, and it was then that Robb started believing there were forces beyond human in this world. But seeing the display now, Robb was at a loss for words.

When he finally gathered himself, he asked once again, although much less authoritative. "Who are you, ser?"

The mysterious rider chuckled in a deep sound that revealed the hidden power of this man. "I am no knight, your grace. You have no cause to name me 'ser' ."

Catelyn, who now stood beside Robb, had a completely different reaction than he did. Upon seeing his powers on display, it was as if a memory revealed itself to her. One buried deep within her brain, long forgotten, of a Prince that escaped to the ends of the known world. Oh, how long ago that was. Far before all this mess had occurred. Ned would be so proud to see you once again, she thought.

Gathering a fond smile on her face, Catelyn stepped towards the stranger. "It's so good to see you again, Jon."