The Young Wolf's Journey: Chapter 2 choice preview/discussion thread (Patreon)

Renly Baratheon is dead, and while that news is still fresh Robb must choose the next course of action for himself as well as for the North. What does Robb decide?

Accept Margaery's offer to wed her and aim for the Iron Throne

Sitting the Iron Throne was never Robb's goal, and he doubted his father would have approved of him breaking his promise to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters. But however wary Robb may be of spending the rest of his life in the same city where his father was slain, the men, wealth and food that the Tyrells can offer give him the best chance of defeating the Lannisters.

And taking a woman as beautiful as Margaery as his wife and queen is nothing to be upset about either; the wedding and bedding are sure to be pleasant. It will take some doing to appease Lord Frey, and it's possible that not all of Robb's Northmen will be pleased with the idea of him going for the Iron Throne rather than ruling in Winterfell as the King in the North. But could there be any move he could make that would strengthen his chances of winning this war more than marrying Renly's widowed queen?

Return to Riverrun with his men (and Dacey)

Even if marrying Margaery would increase his chance significantly, Robb's only ever wanted to rule in Winterfell and that's what he's going to do. Plus he's betrothed to Walder Frey's daughter, and Robb was raised to be an honorable man who kept his word. He will stay the King in the North and fight for the Northern kingdomalone.

Dacey might find it amusing that he passed on a chance to take a woman as beautiful as Margaery into his bed, but Robb won't let things like that sway him. That doesn't mean he can't appreciate beautiful women though--or powerful ones either, for that matter.

Bend the knee to Stannis and his Red Woman

None of his men can understand how Robb would simply take off his crown and give up everything, but upon being convinced that Stannis is telling the truth about who fathered Cersei's children, he has to accept that Stannis is his king by rights. He doesn't know whether Stannis will truly force him to take the black and join the Night's Watch or if he will relent and allow him to remain as Lord of Winterfell, but Robb feels that he must choose honor over pride and renounce his claim of King in the North to swear Stannis fealty.

Before he officially takes off his crown though, the Red Woman Melisandre apparently has need for the seed of a king…

Attempt to negotiate an unlikely peace with the Lannisters

Considering that Robb initially called his banners because that prick Joffrey and Queen Cersei imprisoned his father and sisters, turning to them would seem like the last thing he would ever want to do. But while his father is dead, his sisters still live--and negotiating a peace with the Lannisters and exchanging them for the Kingslayer before Stannis inevitably attacks King's Landing might be the only way he can save them.

There's even a chance that the Lannisters, or more specifically Tywin, might see wisdom in granting the North their independence in exchange for them pulling out of the war and allowing him to focus on Stannis. That's more than he can expect from either Margaery who wanted him to take the Iron Throne or Stannis who will never suffer him claiming the title of King in the North. But could the Lannisters, much like Margaery, seek to go beyond a peace and seek a union through marriage?

So as I mentioned I was going to do before, here is a preview of what I’ve come up with so far for poll options for the next chapter. The poll opens up on March 1st, but before we get there I want to open up for any feedback you have to offer about these options or the story in general, whether they could be improved upon/eliminated, questions you might have or suggestions for other options you think could make good additions to the poll.

This isn’t like the other polls where we’re using the options submitted by $5+ patrons, as what makes it into the poll itself is going to be up to me here, so there’s no guarantee that whatever you suggest or ask for is going to automatically make it in. But if anyone leaves feedback that causes me to want to make a change, add more choices or anything like that, I’m open to making those modifications before the poll opens up at the start of March.

If you’ve got anything you want to say, by all means you can comment here or send me a message privately if you would prefer.