3rd Month of 300 A.C. Harrenhal

King Robb I Stark

The image of the flames that had engulfed King's Landing was burned into his mind, he could not understand how something like that could be allowed to happen. He supposed that Cersei Lannister had lost her mind, the flames had burned and burned, burned for hours, and when it was finally cool enough to think about going to the city, they had found almost everything within King's Landing burned and dead. Ashes were left of people, and buildings, there was nothing left of anything, the throne had remained though, forged in dragon fire, it remained there, and Robb had looked at it long and hard but then had ordered it torn down, he would not want that throne near his reign. Much had happened since then, King's Landing was nothing now, nothing but a burned out husk of a city, Robb and his army had returned to Harrenhal, which he had duly proclaimed his capital, the riverlands were now under his own personal control. Jon had been confirmed as Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North, and had been named hand. So many other things had been confirmed as well, and yet there was one thing Robb had had to deal with that he had been somewhat reluctant to deal with his brother.

Sat on the throne, Margaery by his side, Robb looks at his brother, Bran who had lost his wolf, who was now nothing more than skin and bones. He looks at him and feels his throat tighten. "Brandon Stark, you have been brought here today to answer for the crime of treason. How do you answer?"

"I answer that I am not guilty of any such crime." his brother responds.

"So you do not believe you went against your liege lord and older brother by siding with Joffrey the illborn?" Robb asks.

"I do not. I believe you went against the law of the realm, and are a rebel and a traitor." his brother responds.

There is a lot of murmuring at this, and Robb raises his hand and the court falls silent. "And what makes you believe this Brandon? Joffrey the illborn was a mad man, there are many who have given evidence to that account, and yet you remain unconvinced? Why?"

Bran looks at him with unseeing eyes. "Because, he was the rightful king. It did not matter if he were mad or not, he was the rightful king. And father always taught us to support the law."

"Our father also taught us that when someone was wrong and blatantly wrong, we were to act to make them see the light, or to move them from the path of the right. Joffrey was wrong, surely you can see that?" Robb asks.

"All I see is someone who tried to avenge their father, and then became greedy. You do not have a claim to the throne, not the right one anyway. Nothing compared to King Joffrey." Bran responds.

Robb feels anger grow within him then. "And what did Joffrey do to earn such loyalty? I am your brother Brandon, what happened to you?"

His brother looks at him and merely responds. "I learned that the law had to triumph over any sort of familial duty. King Joffrey was the rightful king, there was no proof of the accusations father, Lord Renly and others levelled at him. None whatsoever, and as such he remained the king. You murdered him in cold blood, and no good king would ever do that."

"It was a battle. You understand that do you not Bran?" Jon asks, speaking then. "What would you have done if it had been Joffrey who had killed one of us?"

Robb sees his brother fix Jon with a cold gaze. "I would have thought he had done the just thing. He is the king, you are both traitors."

"So you do not think you did anything wrong?" Robb asks.

His brother shakes his head. "No. I did everything father told me to do, everything he raised us to be, I was."

"Father did not raise traitors, or oath breakers Bran. You demonstrated these two things when you refused to come home, and when you allowed Ramsay Snow to try and assault Winterfell, to attack mother and Rickon." Robb says.

Something breaks then. "I did not know he was going to do that."

"It came in your name. You must have known what Joffrey meant when he said that you were going to have someone inforce your word." Robb responds coldly.

"I did not know. I did not think he meant something like that. Please, you have to believe me." Bran pleads.

Robb is thrown by this change in demeanour and so asks. "What do you think should be done then Brandon? Shall I exile you, or pardon you?"

His brother's eyes harden then, and they change. "Do whatever you want traitor. I will not take anything from you."

There is a stunned silence from the court, and Robb feels anger grow within him as well as a sense of helplessness. "Do you deny the charges?"

"No." Bran responds simply.

Robb sighs then, he closes his eyes and then opens them. "Then Brandon Stark, I banish you from the realms of Westeros. You are to not set foot within Westeros for the rest of your life, if you do so, you shall be killed on sight. Leave now."

His brother looks at him and then laughs. "You do not see the change coming. You are all fools, and I shall gladly leave you to your death." his brother turns and walks out of the room then.

There is a long silence, and then the herald looks at him and he nods, court is dismissed, and as he watches the nobles leave the throne room, Robb slumps in his chair. Margaery comes to him then and whispers. "You gave him a chance my love."

Robb stares at her and whispers. "I know."