Winterfell 304 AC.
Sansa Stark.
' Be careful what you wish for' was the saying that came into her head every time she would open her eyes each morning. For so long she had wished to be the one in charge To be the Lady of Winterfell or even the Queen of the North, all to make sure she and her family would never have to suffer ever again. Now that she was finally placed in that position, she wished she was not.
Sansa had come to realize that she would trade all of it without hesitation for just another day with her siblings. She reluctantly got out of bed, as Nymeria's warmth surrounding her was the only thing that soothed her troubled heart ever since her brothers' departure. To say that she missed both of them and would have wanted them to stay longer would be an understatement. Yet, Sansa had understood why they wouldn't and couldn't stay longer, and she would not blame them for leaving. The memory of their sister's loss was still painstakingly present in all of them and Sansa would struggle everywhere she went. No matter whether that might be the Great Hall or the sparring yard, everything and every place reminded her of Arya.
She might have traveled with them if it weren't for the fact that they were counting on her to hold the North in Baelon's name. Sansa believed that to escape the ghosts of Winterfell, she would have left it once more.
The keep felt so much bigger since the departure of the armies of the South. Sansa almost missed the animated atmosphere, as the silence brought her back to things she didn't want to think about. So she had made herself useful by learning how to cook simple meals for the smallfolk who had stayed to help rebuild part of the keep Just, seeing their smiles and the gratitude on their faces had made her feel accomplished in some small way. That and the boons that were given to the North by the Old Gods since the defeat of the Night King.
Sansa couldn't comprehend everything that had happened, even though Rickon and her Uncle Benjen had tried to explain things to her regarding them. It was all related to some curse placed on their family, a curse now lifted. She'd been told that the return of animals not seen this far south since the creation of the Wall had made it clear that while winter may not be over, things were starting to and would only get better.
" It may take some time, but the arrival of long-forgotten creatures proves one thing, Sansa child." Old Nan stated when Sansa confided in her after the sighting of a unicorn in the Wolfswood.
" What thing?"
" That the curse of the Bloody Blade has ended with the Children, and the taint of the Stark blood has been given to the last Raven."
" But I thought Rickon was the Raven now?" Sansa asked, worried about her brother.
" Oh, no, sweet child. Rickon is a servant of the Old Gods, but he is a Wolf, not a Raven. His powers are meant to protect his people, as a leader protects his pack."
" I don't understand."
" There is no need for a Raven of old as its purpose ended with the end of the Children. The age of Ice has ended, and ravens were a safeguard, a means to keep faith in humanity and the pact between the First Men and the Children. This is a new era, with its own perils and difficulties. While the Old Gods are still relevant in this one. More than ever with a King who believes in them. As long as their magic is not used for nefarious purposes, then there will be no need for someone to prove to them that Men are capable of anything other than using them and waging war."
It was still an abstract concept for Sansa, but the fact that Rickon wouldn't have to be bound to the weirwood as the former ravens were, relieved her greatly. For all her brother had done to help them and all he had suffered, it would do her heart no good to think of him sacrificing his life and wasting it away to prove a point to some gods. She didn't need to fear him becoming another Bran, and so this relieved her even more.
Sansa could hear Bran cry a lot, and she hoped he would wallow in his tears for the rest of his life. She couldn't find it in herself to sympathize with him. Not after what he'd knowingly done to their family. Only one person even bothered to visit him and that was the Maester. Even then Wolkan only did so to bring him food that was left untouched most of the time or sleeping draughts for when Bran was too agitated. Something which had happened less and less as the days went by. The former Raven had apparently lost his will to fight the moment Sansa's brother left Winterfell. Not that he had any chance to win anything in his state, but she believed Rickon when the latter said that Bran would want anyone around him miserable if he could not get what he'd thought he deserved. This and Rickon's constant guilt regarding Arya's fate were the reason she didn't put up a fight when he announced he was leaving.
" I know you must hate me now, sister. That you may think I am abandoning you." Rickon said and she shook her head.
" I knew it was bound to happen. You've always been closer to Jon, after all. I just didn't think you would leave so soon." and that Arya wouldn't be there with us, she wanted to add, but refrained from doing so.
" I am coming back, Sansa. I swear to you, I will come back. I have to do this, but I will not leave you alone. Nymeria will stay with you. And I will come back as soon as I can."
" I trust you," she said truthfully, though she couldn't help but feel the lump in her throat grow. "Please be careful, and take good care of our brother while you're with him."
" I will. You have my word."
She made her way to the Great Hall, where the remnants of the Lords of the North who hadn't left already were breaking their fast. Lyanna Mormont and Talia Forrester seemed to be having a heated argument, while Wyman Manderly and Barbrey Dustin looked on and at them with concern.
"Lady Sansa, you've come along at the right time!" the Lord of White Harbor said, making her frown.
"Is something the matter?" she asked, feeling she would not be able to have her meal anytime soon.
"Lady Talia here has received a proposal from Alester Oakheart, of the Reach before he then departed with the rest of the army," Manderly responded, to Sansa's surprise.
"Oh… Well, does it please you, my Lady?" she asked, turning to face the lady in question.
"I…"
"She cannot marry that man. She is her brother's heir." Lyanna Mormont said bluntly.
"Mayhaps we should not talk so openly about it before the Lady Talia figures out what it is that she wishes for?" Sansa suggested, sensing Talia's discomfort.
"What is there to figure out? The Forresters have been given the lands and keep of Last Hearth and she cannot leave the North to become someone's wife."
"What if I want to leave?" Talia retorted shyly, looking everywhere but toward her friend. "Rodrik is getting better, and he has Elaena. They soon will have a family of their own and they won't need me as an heir when they have children. Ser Alester knew my sister Mira, and I remember her saying he was kind and -"
"That doesn't make him more worthy of you. You're of the North, Talia." Lyanna said, her scowl enough to even make Sansa wither a little.
"I know. I am. But… After everything that happened, I don't know if I can bear to stay here. There are too many painful memories -"
"That's why you were given Last Hearth and why Ironrath has been given to your half-brother." Lyanna pointed out and Sansa nodded, knowing how difficult the last few years had been for the Forresters.
They had been staunchest supporters of House Stark and had paid dearly for their unwavering loyalty when Roose Bolton became Warden of the North. Ramsay's cruelty had known no bounds when it came to punishing the Forrester, and Talia had lost her twin, her mother, and her eldest brother because of Sansa's dead husband. Her two remaining brothers were still recovering, physically and mentally, from the abuse they had suffered before the Starks had retaken Winterfell. That she discovered she had more family in Josera and Elsera Snow didn't make things much better for Talia, as she soon lost her half-sister before she could bond properly and Josera was still coming to terms with him being the new Lord of Ironrath and what it entailed. The man had since been spending more time with Rodrik than with his younger siblings.
Sansa understood completely the point Talia was trying to make, as she too would want to leave all the pain behind if she had the choice to do so.
"'Tis an opportunity to start anew. I would however suggest that you don't rush your answer before you know more about the man." she declared, smiling at the young girl as Lyanna stared at her in disbelief.
"I… Thank you for the advice, Lady Sansa." Talia said gratefully.
"Please know too that should you decide to accept his proposal, you will always be welcome North, be it with your brother or here at Winterfell by my House and me. You will always have a place here, for you are of the North, and we protect our own." Sansa added truthfully.
"It means a lot that you would say so, my Lady," Talia said, looking very emotional, while Lyanna Mormont seemed ready to explode.
"Lady Mormont, a word in private?" she asked as firmly as she could, not leaving room for the younger girl to argue.
The walk outside the Great Hall felt heavy, as Sansa could sense all the anger and rage radiating from Lyanna. It reminded her of Rickon when she struggled to understand his hurt at her actions. Now that she knew better, and understood that anger was a mechanism used by most of the northern people she knew to hide the raw pain they felt, Sansa hoped she would be able to help the lady with her own issues regarding the potential match.
"May I be blunt with you, my Lady?" she said as they stopped in front of a straw dummy.
"Aye. Get straight to the point." Lyanna said, glaring at her.
"Whatever you feel right now, you need to stop. Else you will push your friends away."
"What friends? All the people I care about are either dead or running away." Lyanna sighed.
"Being angry at them will solve nothing, Lyanna. If they decide to leave, they will do so with or without your consent."
"So I should keep quiet. That's what you're saying?"
"Lady Talia is your friend. I know it is hard to see the people you love leave you behind, but sometimes it is necessary."
"Is that what you tell yourself at night to get better? Because I tried and it doesn't work." Lyanna spat and Sansa felt her heart break for the young girl.
"I miss him too, you know?" she said, sighing sadly as she saw Lyanna ball her fists. "It's only been days and I feel as if it's been years already. But he would have been going mad had he stayed here."
"I know. Doesn't make it less hurtful, though." Lyanna mumbled, making Sansa smile as she thought about how alike her brother the Lady of Bear Island was.
"We will see him again. As will we Lady Talia should she decide to leave."
"How can you be so sure? What if they never come back? What if they feel better where they are and they forget completely about us?" Lyanna said, her voice growing higher in pitch as she spoke.
"Then we go to them, beat them bloody, and curse them before then resuming living our lives," Sansa said and chuckled at the dumbfounded look she received from Lyanna. "But I doubt it would happen. They need time away to heal, we all need time to do so, but as we will never forget what we've been through, we both know nor will they either. Thus they can never forget the bond they and they forged during such hard times."
"You have changed, truly." Lyanna declared, startling Sansa.
"In a good way, I hope."
"If we didn't think so, you wouldn't be Warden of the North right now. I see now that it's a decision we won't have to regret, because you care truly for the people, not like before. I thank you for trying to reassure me."
"Did it work, at least?" Sansa asked, trying to shake off the overwhelming emotions Lyanna's words gave her.
"Ha! You wish. It was a nice try though. More luck next time!" Lyanna smirked before taking a mace in her hand and moving to the straw dummy, signaling the end of their conversation.
Sansa couldn't help but smile at this. They were so much alike, Lyanna and Rickon, that she didn't doubt one second that her brother would be back. If not for Sansa, then for the strong bond he shared with his friend. That they didn't realize the extent of this bond was one thing that showed that they were young still, for which Sansa was grateful. Not that she would mind them courting each other, but she wasn't ready to lose yet another brother because of marriage.
Daenerys and Sansa had managed to get along before the war, and the Lady of Winterfell knew that the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms really cared about Baelon. Yet the thousands of miles between them and the affairs of the realm would make it harder for Sansa or them to visit.
" Should you need me to come, you only have to send a raven, Goodsister. Drogon and I will come and get you so you can see your brothers." Daenerys had said, which had touched Sansa greatly as much as it had broken her heart.
" He won't come back, will he?" Sansa deduced sadly.
" Not for the now, he won't. Losing Arya almost destroyed him, as it did to us, but to Baelon…"
" I know, he has always been the closest to her, and now for him, Winterfell will always be associated with her death. And Bran. I understand. I just wish I could help him more than by letting him go. I feel like I'm losing more and more family rather than gaining any." she admitted to her goodsister.
" We will figure things out. But I swear on the Old Gods and the New that we will see each other as much as we can. I'll bring you to him if you miss him too much. Just say the word and I'll be there."
" Thank you, Dany. It means a lot."
" Anything for my pack." the Queen said, making Sansa tear up as much as any time she had felt included in their family.
Sansa turned and was about to go back to the Great Hall when she saw the Maester rushing to get to her. His alarmed expression forced her heart to beat faster and her thoughts quickly turned toward her brothers.
"What is wrong, Wolkan?" she asked, her voice belying the true worry she felt.
"We received word from King's Landing, my lady. From the Lady Olenna. The way the message was sealed shows it to be a most important one." he said as Sansa grabbed the scroll and hurriedly broke the seal to open it.
"By the Gods…" she whispered, too shocked to say anything else for a long time. "We need to bring this to the King's attention and with much haste."
"Is something the matter?" Lyanna asked, alerted by her stance and ragged breathing.
"I can't believe it. He would not stoop this low."
"Who wouldn't, Little Wolf?" the Hound was quicked to ask, frowning as she gave him the missive. "That little fuck… Come to think of it, it doesn't surprise me. After all, he made it clear during his trial for Joffrey's murder that he regretted saving the city."
"My brother was in King's Landing. He could have been killed during the explosion." Sansa said, feeling her anger rise at the thought of Baelon being hurt. Not only would they have stood no chance in defeating the Night King in the war for the Dawn, but the idea of losing another family member was just too much for her to even contemplate.
"And then the Fucking Lannister rode straight to Winterfell to offer his services to the Queen after his little stunt. Are you sure he is not in league with his sister?" Lyanna wondered.
"I do not know, but we need to warn Baelon as soon as we can. If Olenna Tyrell sent this raven instead of waiting for them to arrive, then she must be worried about his next moves."
"They're probably at the Neck right now. We won't be able to catch up with them, and to send a raven there is nigh on impossible." Maester Wolkan said.
"If only Rickon had recovered his powers, I could have tried asking Nymeria to relay the message, but -" Sansa frowned as the direwolf chose this moment to push her. "What is it? Can you do it?"
Nymeria shook her head but then seemed to point at another wolf.
"I think she wants to send one of her pack to join Rickon. Is that it, girl?" Lyanna said and the she-wolf nodded.
"It will be quicker than with a rider," Sandor added, as the young wolf sat in front of Sansa, waiting eagerly for her orders.
"Will he know where to go?" she asked, turning to Nymeria who nodded again. "Rickon said he couldn't feel his powers, how can we be sure it will work?"
"Trust in the Gods," Lyanna said. "I'm not particularly fond of them lately, but they favor Rickon and Baelon. They will make sure the message is delivered."
"You can still send another one by raven to Moat Calin or the Twins to ease your mind." the Maester suggested.
Another glance at Nymeria and the young wolf made Sansa's resolve strengthen.
"Very well. Maester, please seal the message once again and give it to our friend here. I trust you to find Rickon and Baelon and deliver it to them." She said, watching with something akin to amazement as the wolf followed Wolkan, who seemed unfazed by its presence so close to him.
She guessed he had grown accustomed to Ghost and Nymeria, so a younger direwolf would feel less of a threat to him. Nonetheless, she still thought she wasn't thinking straight by giving a mission of that importance to an animal. Looking at the pack leader as she proudly stood watching him leave once he'd been readied made her realize that she had come a long way. Moons ago she wouldn't have believed anything that had been born out of the legends of the North. Sansa wouldn't even pray to the Old Gods, as she believed in the gods of her mother far more than the stories of Old Nan.
But Old Nan was still there, still protecting her family, and the legends of Bran the Builder were anything but tales.
" The Old Gods sent me to protect a child per his mother's wishes. She had prayed for them to take pity on the babe since his father had died during a petty war and she had no strength left to live and care for him. I just had a few cubs and was nursing them, so they brought me where the babe was. I found him hidden in a cave under the heart tree in what became Winterfell's Godswood. As soon as I saw him, I felt an unbreakable bond between him and me, and when he latched on to my teat, I felt his power surge through me. I became something else thanks to the magic of his blood. but the bond between us and my love for him made me watch over him as if he was mine own and made me what I am today. Not quite a direwolf, not quite a woman, but a protector of his line."
" You said your time was coming to an end. Our family still needs protection."
" I know, child. You may not believe the Old Gods favor your family, given the tragedies that have happened these last years, starting with your familiar's death." Old Nan smiled sadly as Sansa gasped, thinking about Lady's demise. "The gods give boons to their heartfelt followers and take them back when they feel them unworthy."
" So they took Lady from me because I was not worthy of her?" Sansa asked.
" It was your actions, the fact that you did not stand with your family when your sister needed you the most. That was what made the Old Gods take their gift back. Had you had more faith in them, then they would have found a way to save her like they did Nymeria."
Sansa's heart broke hearing this, knowing that she had alienated herself from her family from such a young age, far preferring to further her ambitions instead of supporting her sister. Now she would give anything to go back to this time and do things another way.
" I know what you think, but you have another chance at proving your worth, sweetling. Nymeria accepts you as part of her pack, just as Ghost, Baelon, and Rickon all have. Embrace your true self and show them that the Red Wolf deserves her name. Do so and you will once again win the Gods' favors."
For days Sansa has wondered what she could do to prove herself. Besides ruling her lands as a true Lady of the North, she had no idea of what more to do. Until this very moment.
She hadn't set foot in the Godswood ever since Baelon's departure. Images of Arya's lifeless body on the ground disturbed her every time she went there and she couldn't bring herself to go to the heart tree alone until now.
"I am sorry for being angry at you for taking my sister away. I know there were other forces, other persons against us in this fight and I redirected my anger towards you because you gave the thing that was my brother the power to destroy our family. I realize now that it was not your fault, and that I could not blame the gods for actions committed by men. Except for those who targeted Arya." She added, feeling her bitterness and anger boil inside of her. "I miss her so much. I miss not having a chance to tell her how much I love and miss her. Rickon said that she is in the trees now as are our Father and Robb. So, Arya, if you hear me, I wish we had more time together. Please watch over Rickon and Jon. Please make them safe. I cannot bear the thought of losing one of them. I… I hope you'll watch over me too. I hope I will make you and our family proud. Gods, I feel so stupid right now… I… I'm so lost without all of you… I'm lost without my Pack."
A gentle breeze caressed her face and her emotions crumbled, leaving her unable to hold back her tears. Voicing her true thoughts aloud was something she disliked greatly, but she felt compelled to do so in front of the Heart Tree.
As she was about to stand up, she noticed Nymeria approaching the tree and smiled as her companion licked one of its bloody tears.
That is right. I am not alone.
Nymeria's yelp caught her off guard, as did her reaction afterward, but nothing perplexed Sansa much more than when she got tackled to the ground and restlessly attacked by licks all over her face.
"What is it, girl? What is going on?" Sansa chuckled.
You are the Stark of Winterfell. The future of your House. You will never be alone, Red Wolf… she thought she heard whispered in her ear whilst the red sap fell from the carved face.
The Neck 304 AC.
Rickon Stark.
Leaving Sansa and the North behind had been hard for him, so hard that he'd tried his best to use his powers to catch a glimpse of them every chance he got, only to end up more frustrated day after day. He could feel them, feel the force bubbling inside of him, but for a reason he didn't understand, he could not focus on warging nor traveling through time.
Rickon had been sure that he was doing the right thing by leaving with Jon, especially since he could no longer hear Bran torturing him in his head. Yet as he watched his brother and his goodsister moving to the makeshift camp, he wondered if he hadn't been mistaken. Jon seemed to get better as days went by, splitting his time between his duties with Dany and sparring with Rickon.
As for the former king in the North, he clearly was not well.
You're trying too hard. Trust the Gods on this… a voice in his head resembling his most dear friend's chided him, forcing him to shake his head.
"Is everything well, my Lord?" Missandei asked concernedly.
"Just tired, is all." he lied, making her frown. "I am well, Missandei. I swear."
"Begging your Pardon, my Lord, but you're a terrible liar." she scoffed and he chuckled at that.
"How do you find the Neck so far?" Rickon asked, changing the subject slightly.
"It is… Humid, to say the least. Completely different from Essos and what I've seen of Westeros so far."
"You don't have marshes in Essos?"
"I haven't visited all of Essos, but there was mostly sand and deserts where we lived. The Dothraki live in the Great Grass Sea, but I've never seen it with my eyes. Here it feels… Eerie."
"It takes some time to get used to it." Meera Reed intervened reassuringly.
"I remember the first time I got here. We were running away from Moat Cailin," he said, smiling as he thought of them putting Lord Glover on his arse moments before their escape. "I could feel the magic surrounding the place, the danger in the water. Unicorn was not feeling well in here. Look at him now."
"A real horse of the Neck, this one." Meera pointed out, smiling.
They all laughed as the horse trotted around without restraint nor care for his surroundings while the others looked as panicked as Rickon stated.
"I am at a loss, here…" Missandei said. "I thought you hadn't traveled south of Winterfell."
"With my body, I had not. I was warged into Unicorn when I felt Jon was in danger, and I traveled here to meet Lord Reed so he could help me."
"Oh. Forgive me, I forgot -"
"Don't apologize for this. I sometimes can't believe I did it too, especially now." Rickon sighed, feeling his doubts come back.
"You're too hard on yourself, lad." Davos, who had kept silent until then, declared. "You've been through a lot and you need time to heal. Mayhaps more time than any of us regarding what you had to do."
"Aye, I believe you need to regain your strength back," Meera said confidently.
"Is there any way we can be of help?" Missandei asked and he shook his head while giving her a grateful smile.
"I guess I need to be patient, but patience is not something you learn in the North."
"True. Patience is not something I would ever associate with you, lad." Davos chuckled.
"Have you… Prayed lately?" Meera asked almost shyly.
"I… Don't remember the last time I did," he said, shaking his head.
"You're really a horrible liar. But I get it. 'Tis hard to put your trust back to the Old Gods after everything."
Rickon nodded distractedly. His faith in the Old Gods was unaltered and without question, yet Arya's fate, the gods' inability to bring her back despite his pleas, and his lack of control over his powers had made it hard for the boy to talk to them. He knew he couldn't resent them, as he was not the only one who had lost family and loved ones in the war.
It was still hard to come to terms with all the losses they experienced. Tormund and Nessa would not see their people go back to their lands. Nor would Ned Umber grow to be a Lord and bask in his title of Giant Slayer. Brienne and Gendry had got to spend so little time with the people they loved, and Rickon missed them greatly, as he knew Baelon did too.
Annoyance crept into his heart once more as he couldn't even say goodbye to them. He knew that their bravery and their utter faith in the Old Gods had earned them the honor of communing with the Tree. He knew this because he had been able to reach out to his father, brother, and sister so he could defeat Bran once and for all. Rickon had wished for Jon to be able to talk with them through him, to realize that even though their bodies were gone didn't mean they wouldn't watch over them, and to also gift him with the surprise of speaking to Aunt Lyanna. However, as soon as he had tried reaching out again, the voices had remained silent. It was as if all he had lived so far, all that he had witnessed had been a dream, a lie. As if the Old Gods wouldn't grace him with this last request because they had no use for him anymore.
He was supposed to follow the path shown by them and did so to protect his brother. But Bran's words kept poisoning his mind.
The Gods take a lot from you and they give back nothing in return. They are willing for you to get cursed, yet what is your reward? They crippled me so I couldn't leave the cave they wanted me to stay in. They condemned me to a life of servitude and solitude. They will curse you too when they'll be done with you.
Shaking his head, he went to sit near his brother and goodsister who were talking with Howland Reed and Ser Jorah Mormont about Greywater Watch. Rickon had become far less wary of the man who was guarding his family since he had proven he would shield both Dany and Baelon and had the seal of approval from Lyanna. If his dearest friend could trust her cousin again, then so would Rickon.
"We are not too far if you want to visit, but I am sorry to say we will not be able to accommodate everyone on the crannogs." he caught Howland's last words as he plopped on the ground next to Ghost.
"Missandei would love to visit, as do I. Your daughter told us about the Giant Heart Tree that grows there. It must be a sight to see." Dany said, smiling, as Baelon's expression darkened.
Rickon knew what being around a weirwood tree would do to his brother. The only ones he'd seen so far were in Winterfell and behind the wall. Both of them now held sad and tainted memories for his brother, as they did for him if he was being totally honest. Nonetheless, knowing what he did about the spirits in the trees had made Rickon adamant that they should try again to get in contact with them.
"I would like to go, Lord Reed, if you please. To pay my respects to my family and friends," he said, making Baelon turn to him. "I know how mad I sound every time I say it, but I know they're in there."
"You are not mad, Rickon," Howland said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know thanks to you that my Jojen is there. He was the one who led me to train you. A poor substitute for seeing my son in the flesh it may be for me, but to know that he and others watch over us through the trees does truly warm my heart."
"I'd rather have them with us," Baelon said gruffly, voicing his thoughts clearly for the first time in so long.
"Me too, but we may not hear them nor see them, there's still a way for us to be sure they know what we wish them to," he said, trying to get his brother to see the benefits of such a thing.
"Isn't that why you kept going to the Godswood in the first place?" Dany asked, pressing her hand in her husband's with an encouraging smile.
"Mayhaps it will do you some good to come with us, brother?" Rickon insisted, but Baelon shook his head negatively before standing up and moving to his tent.
"Give him some time, Goodbrother," Dany said, a sad expression on her face as she looked at her husband's retreat. "Shall we go now?"
As they went deeper into the swamps, Rickon watched with a small smile as Dany and Missandei marveled over how the crannogs moved over the water. The flow of questions they had for Lord Reed about the process and maintenance amused him, as they looked more like awestricken girls than battle-hardened women. The Lord of Greywater Watch entertained them graciously and not once did he show any sign of annoyance at their questions. If anything, he looked greatly pleased by them.
"By the Gods! Is that…"
"The Heart Tree, aye, Your Grace. We will soon arrive at its foot." Lord Reed replied.
"But, the roots…"
"Are hidden in the water, as are most of those of the trees in the marshes," Meera said.
"My father told me tales of this weirwood." Ser Jorah said, visibly amazed. "He said it was proof that the Old Gods could do anything, as it stood and grew strong in such an inhospitable place even after the second Breaking."
"I tried to reach its roots once, with a lizard lion's help, but I couldn't. And no, I won't try it again. They don't like to dive that deep." Rickon said, chuckling as he caught his Goodsister's disappointed pout.
The crannog was moored at the Heart Tree's foot and Rickon felt his eyes water as he glanced at the carved face. So many emotions battled inside him that instant. Sadness, grief, anger, guilt… Yet, strangely enough, it was shame he felt more than anything.
It was at this point that he finally began to understand why he couldn't control his powers. Rickon had accepted his role as a servant of the Gods, to save the North and his family and to defeat the Night King. He had sworn an oath and defeated the biggest foe they unknowingly had to face, only to let his grief get over his duty toward his people and overwhelm him completely. He had let his emotions get the best of him, relying only on his instincts when Baelon was involved.
Rickon had abandoned his duty and focused solely on his brother. The fear of the road he'd seen Baelon take in Bran's mind after Arya and his death still gripped Rickon and prevented him from thinking straight. He was fully aware that the Gods wanted him to travel south with him, that he had to stay with him until he was certain that his brother's fate wouldn't lead to his premature death. But his reasons for doing so and protecting Baelon had been purely selfish. He was not using his powers for the greater good, but because he didn't want to lose another member of his family.
This was not the oath he had given the Old Gods and he felt shame that he only remembered this as he was faced with their true representation.
" You do not have to choose between your family or your people, Young Rickon. The fate of both is intertwined. You did the right thing, but you lost yourself in the process." he heard as he knelt in front of the tree with trepidation, soon finding himself surrounded by a soothing breeze.
"How can I find myself and come back? Last time it was Jon… Baelon who helped me find my purpose."
" You are stronger than you believe, Young Wolf. You opened your third eye by yourself."
"Because Jon was in danger."
" Jon may have been the push you needed to get it done, but it was you, little brother, who kept pushing until you reached your potential." Robb's voice rang in his ear and he stifled a sob as he listened to him go on. "You, Rickon Stark, were the one who kept the North and the Free Folk united. You, Rickon Stark, defeated the last Raven. And you will be the one to help hold the Realms of Men united."
" But my powers… You…"
" You are the one restraining yourself. You are trying too much, son." His father's voice cut him off this time. "And you are way too wolf-blooded to listen to what your pack tells you. Listen to them. Trust your instincts. You are on the right path. Let go of your obsession to see Jon safe. You have saved him already. Trust the Gods to have his and your best interests at heart and rely on them should you feel some doubt."
" What of Arya's best interests?" he asked bitterly. "She didn't deserve her fate."
His body reacted to the warmth he felt surrounding him as if Robb and their father were hugging him, and he welcomed the feeling it gave him.
" Aye, she didn't. But she will always be with you. She is watching over Sansa right now and she is proud of you and what you have accomplished so far." Robb said, and while part of Rickon was disappointed not to hear all of it from her, the fact that she was protecting Sansa while he wasn't there to do so brought a small relief to the guilt he felt in regard to his eldest sister.
" You did well to protect the Pack, Son. You felt it expand as your responsibility grew and you created a family on your own. Whatever you do, do not forget that these people depend on you, as their leader. Protect your pack, Trust your instincts. For you are a wolf through and through."
"Thank you, Father, Robb… I will try to keep that in mind…" he whispered and stood up, stopping in his movement when he spotted something in front of him. "Is that… Was that here before I knelt?"
"I don't think it was…" Dany answered, frowning, as she and Howland got closer to the white sapling facing Rickon.
"'Tis a gift for the King and Queen, from the Old Gods, to bless their union and the soil of the place they will call their home, and their children after them," Rickon said, almost as if the Gods were talking through him.
"This is a blessing I humbly accept," Dany said, bowing once again in front of the tree. "My husband is a believer of the Old Gods and I know he will cherish it -"
"When the time is right," Rickon added, still in trance. "Only when the time is right will this sapling be planted. Our servant will know when to do so."
"Rickon? Are you well?" Dany asked worriedly as Rickon felt like himself once more.
"Aye, I… I am," he said, smiling truthfully at his goodsister while watching Howland grab the weirwood sapling.
Rickon felt the pull as soon as they got back on the causeway and separated from the group, following his instinct as his father had bid him to. He could almost feel himself being pushed in a particular direction, signaling that something important was about to happen.
When his eyes found the direwolf's intense gaze, he almost froze in anticipation. It was as black as the night, reminding the boy of Shaggydog. Only its yellow eyes were visible from the place it was hidden, waiting for something, someone, and Rickon quickly realized that it had been sent to meet him.
"Are you one of Nymeria's pack? I don't remember seeing you before…" Rickon said and the wolf tilted his head as if inviting him to get closer. "What are you doing here?"
The wolf huffed and lifted its head, letting Rickon see a shiny collar that he recognized instantly. It was the one the Maester had made for Ghost to carry open messages to him. Walking closer to the messenger, Rickon's breath hitched as he felt his mind being brushed by another. It had been so long since it happened that he almost thought himself crazy. He probably would have if not for the wolf's steely gaze as it looked at him.
Friend. The wolf whispered to Rickon while the latter opened the door to his mind, the vision of Sansa's tired smile tugging at his heart.
" When you see my brothers, tell them I miss them a lot. Tell Rickon I am taking care of Lyanna for him, however difficult she can be sometimes. And tell him to give no quarter to Tyrion once he reads this message."
Whilst Rickon stood shocked as he realized he'd truly warged into the direwolf, his sister's words didn't give him time to appreciate what had just happened. He reached out to the collar and took the message stored into it, frowning as Olenna Tyrell's words unraveled in front of him. He had known that he shouldn't, couldn't trust Tyrion Lannister. The man wanted to stay close to his goodsister, a little too close for Rickon's liking, and he didn't even hide his dislike for Baelon. Yet Bran had confessed his involvement in the Burning of King's Landing. Rickon had seen it in the Raven's mind. So how could Tyrion also be responsible for it?
He was out of his body as soon as the question was out of his lips, frowning once again before realizing where he was.
" You'll take care of me family if I do this?" a young woman said as she dressed, Rickon turning away so he couldn't see her nakedness and glaring at the Imp who lay lazily in a bed.
" Have I ever lied to you?"
" No, my Lion. But it feels wrong to…"
" Your mother and sons are already on their way to Casterly Rock. Your sons will be educated in my household and your mother will never have to work one more day in her life. Isn't it what you wanted? To protect your family?"
" Aye, I do."
" The Dragon Bitch would never do that for you. She doesn't care about the smallfolk as I do. I need you to show this to the good people of King's Landing and your family will be heavily rewarded for your sacrifice. You know why?"
" I… Why?'
" Because a Lannister always pays his debts, and this one has been owed for too long. The so-called White Wolf will breathe no more and the Lion will be brought back to its rightful place." Tyrion said, a raven's laugh echoing not too far away and chilling Rickon's bones.
He saw it then, something he'd thought deep down but hadn't wished to believe. The expression he'd seen on Tyrion's face was one he knew all too well. It was one that still at times haunted his dreams. Try as he might, Rickon feared he'd think back to the day he died and see that expression on the only other face he'd ever known it from. It took all his strength not to see Ramsay Snow instead of Tyrion Lannister and only that he felt his anger build at what Tyrion had wished for, or he'd not have been able to concentrate on the living threat rather than the one his sister had sent to the grave.
Rage took over Rickon's body as the vision ended. The fact that not only Bran but Tyrion too had brought thousands of people to their deaths just so they could get rid of Baelon, who had done them no wrong, pushed him on the verge of exploding. He'd known Tyrion Lannister had to die before, and like Bran, they hadn't acted on it, causing people to suffer needlessly by losing their homes, their families, and their lives. The Demon Monkey wanted his brother dead and had almost killed him. Had Rhaegal not been there, then Baelon would probably not have been able to escape the worst of it. They would have lost him and surely in doing so they'd have lost the war against the dead.
Rickon felt the urge to warg into the Imp's head, as he had done to Bran. He wanted to get rid of him and make him relieve the memory of someone who got their last moments terrorized before the green flames engulfed them, again and again. He wanted him to pay for what he did to those people and most of all what he almost did to his brother.
No.
Rickon's gaze fell once more on the black direwolf who sensed his anger.
You are a wolf. You do not act on your own. Let your pack decide his fate. That is what a leader does. You lead us as wolves do.
Rickon felt his fire lessen as images of what was left of his pack flew to his mind. Talia, Alys, Gilliane, Larence, Sansa, Baelon, Dany, and Lyanna.
" You're going to stay with him, aren't you?" he saw his friend say, her eyes giving away all the sadness she felt as she spoke to the black wolf "I know you're a direwolf and you are fierce, but do me a favor, will ya? Protect him as fiercely as I would."
With all I am.
"So you promised her you would take care of me?" Rickon chuckled fondly as the wolf licked his hand. "Very well. Stay with me and be the bear she wanted you to be."
" What's a bear?" the direwolf asked, visibly confused.
"'Tis you, now. You are Bear."
" I am… Bear?"
"This is your name. My brother's direwolf is named Ghost."
" Ghost. The Quiet Brother. I know him from Leader. She let me in the pack after the War. I lost my family to the cold monsters and she welcomed me. Now she said she feels I have to be with you, so here I am."
"Aye, here you are. Welcome to the Pack, Bear. Now come, we have a Lion to hunt down."
Bear nodded and flanked Rickon, who walked with determination to his brother's tent. He was a wolf, but there were also dragons in his pack, and these ones would be less forgiving. Rickon was again learning to be Ice while Baelon would soon regain his Fire. Woe betides anyone who dared cross either of them when they did so.
King's Landing 304 AC.
Olenna Tyrell.
Doing things in daylight was so much easier than what had felt like eternal darkness they'd known these last few weeks. It allowed for the building work to be carried out without the need for torches and torchbearers meaning that they had more actual workers to build or clear the rubble from the streets. That it had shown just how extensive the damage was, was both a blessing and a curse. As while the true horror of what Tyrion Lannister had done was now shown in the light of day, it too showed just how lucky they had truly been.
They had even found some supplies that had not been destroyed. Some stocks of food that seemed to have suffered more spoilage than fire damage. Though nothing could have prepared her for when they found the treasury. Only the gods themselves could have allowed them to be so fortunate. Not only that it hadn't all been burned away, but how accessible it was, who found it, and that it had not been found in the dark of the night before now. Ordering her own guards to secure it, Olenna soon had it loaded on ships and received the raven from Desmera that it had arrived on Dragonstone and was now secured in the vaults there.
It would allow them to purchase more food and supplies and to do so far more quickly than Olenna had dared to hope. Yet even this boon was not the reason for her good humor today. Nor the reason why she had spent the night in a tent and not in the warm confines of Rosby. The king and queen were near, very near. If reports were true, then they'd arrive at some point during the day and Olenna was most keen to see them hale and hearty for herself. As she knew so too were the people. So after she'd broken her fast, it had been to one of the hills outside the city that had the clearest view of the Kingsroad that Olenna had moved to spend most of her time. Directing people to do the tasks needed from there rather than elsewhere.
Unfortunately, she was not alone in her eagerness to see the king and queen. How the sellsword had found out about their arrival, she knew not. Were it not that her own eagerness had not been as well hidden as she'd have liked it to be, then she may have worried he'd turned one of her men to his side. Had she not gone out of her way to welcome the king and queen back and so made such a drastic change to her daily routine, then she may have questioned even more how and why Daario Naharis had seen fit to move outside of a city he'd not left since his arrival. If it was not for the sight of the dragons as they flew over her head, she may have asked a thousand other questions. Instead, she simply smiled and made ready.
"Their graces, my lady," Erryk said as he moved to her, the Myrish Eye in his hand as his younger eyes were far better than her old ones.
It was an open carriage that Olenna rode to greet the king and queen in. Her eyes sought them out and her smile was even truer when she could discern no injuries in either of them as they rode. There were others among the party at the front of the large procession that she was pleased to see too. Davos Seaworth, Grey Worm, Ser Jorah Mormont, and Missandei all looked to be just as uninjured as the king and queen were. Olenna bid the carriage driver to halt and then was helped out by Arryk; she stood in the middle of the Kingsroad as the horses approached.
When she saw the faces of Baelon and Daenerys, she noticed them immediately. Though both seemed happy enough to see her, Baelon looked far different than he had when last she'd seen him. At first, she worried that it was the truth of who he now was that was the reason for that look. Quickly though, she dismissed that thought. Baelon had just fought a war and men who'd done so would often take time to let go of the horrors they may have witnessed or even committed. Some men, she knew, would never let go of such and she hoped that her king was not one of them.
"My king, my queen, King's Landing is yours," Olenna said as soon as Baelon and Daenerys dismounted.
"It is good to see you well, my lady," Baelon replied.
"Very much so," Daenerys added.
Moving closer to them both, Olenna whispered about Daario's presence just before the man himself arrived on horseback. She asked about Tyrion and was told he'd been taken prisoner and then looked on as Daario made a big show and dance about greeting the queen. The look on Daenerys' face was not one that the sellsword had been expecting, much to Olenna's delight. Baelon paid the man little attention and if anything it was the younger auburn-haired boy who glared at Daario far more than the king did.
"My brother, my lady. Rickon Stark." Baelon said as a way of introduction.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Rickon."
"You too, my lady. My brother has spoken much about you."
Olenna was somewhat surprised by that. Though soon enough she was greeting Missandei and Davos, some other men had moved to where Baelon stood and Daenerys, though not outwardly showing it, unless you knew what to look for, was angrily speaking to Daario Naharis. Seeing the large black wolf move to where the queen stood, Olenna readied to call her guards to protect their queen, only to see no concern on Baelon's face or on the faces of those whose job it was to do so. The growl the wolf let out was directed only at the sellsword and as his hand moved to his sword, that growl grew louder.
"Rickon," Baelon said and at once the wolf moved to stand by Rickon Stark's side.
Within the blink of an eye, Daario was back atop his horse and riding off toward the city and Daenerys had moved back to where Baelon stood.
"How safe is the city, my lady?" Daenerys asked.
"We've blocked off those areas that still need work, your grace. There are, I'm afraid, few places to house the army or even yourself and the king."
"We're most used to our tents by now, Lady Olenna," Baelon said, a soft sad smile on his face as he did so.
"Of course, your grace."
Missandei joined Olenna when she climbed back onto her carriage and the king and queen gave their orders to the Dothraki leader, Qhono, and to Grey Worm to see that the camp was set up. There were few if any other tents outside the city now. Most people who'd wished it had been moved to different keeps and lands and some may never return to King's Landing, even when it was rebuilt. Others had taken up accommodation where it could be found in the city itself. As they rode, Olenna turned to the girl beside her and asked her the questions that were on the tip of her tongue.
"His grace?"
"Has lost much, my lady. His closest friend, a loyal protector, and his sister most of all."
"The gods have once again been most cruel to that young man," she said softly.
"They have, yet they brought his brother and he himself back from the dead too, so I know not how I feel about these Old Gods that his grace had named his own."
"Had?"
"He curses them now, my lady."
"Her Grace?"
"Worries about her husband and yet is full of resolve," Missandei said proudly.
They soon arrived at the ground where the king and queen's own tent would be set up. Then to her surprise, Baelon, Rickon Stark, and a dour man who seemed close to the king, along with some Northern soldiers, all rode into the city itself. The large wolf ran by the side of Rickon Stark's horse as they did so. Again it was Arryk who helped her down from the carriage and with what was practiced ease, Olenna looked on as the king and queen's tent was erected. With a look to Missandei who nodded her head, Olenna, Erryk, Arryk, and Missandei herself moved to join the queen when she entered the tent.
She took the seat when she was bid to and they were joined by Davos Seaworth who she was surprised to see hadn't ridden with the king. Her worries for Baelon's mindset given what Missandei had told her as well as some concerns that Daario Naharis may try some foolish act should he and the king's path cross once more was what Olenna led with.
"His Grace?"
"Has gone to see the city for himself, Lady Olenna," Davos answered.
"Naharis, your grace. I know not what words you spoke to the man but…"
"I'm well aware of Daario Naharis' mindset. It is one that will soon be put right. Should his path cross with my husband's then he'll no longer be an issue I need to deal with." Daenerys said almost in a jape.
"Your grace?"
"My husband is well aware of my previous relationship with Daario Naharis, Lady Olenna. Though he may seem apathetic to certain things or even lost in his grief, he is very much not. Should Daario decide to push his luck or speak words he should not, then he'll find himself face-to-face with the man who ended the Night King. I've no worries as to which of them would come out on top in that encounter, do you?"
"No, your grace."
Olenna asked more about Tyrion and was most happy with what she heard. She spoke about the deaths of Euron Greyjoy and Cersei Lannister and that their heads at present rested in Rosby. When she spoke of the treasury and that Daario had apparently brought coin with him too, Daenerys seemed most excited by the news. Though when she spoke of the city and the loss of life, she very much was not.
"Lord Varys?"
"Died as peacefully as he could, your grace. In his last moments, he believed he'd failed you and his grace, I offered him the comfort that he had not."
"No, he had not. I thank you, Lady Olenna. For that and for all you've done. Baelon and I owe you a great debt and it's one we'll not forget."
"You owe me nothing, your grace. Not you and certainly not, his grace. I would be long dead without you both. As it is, it'll be age and not betrayal that finally takes me from this world." Olenna japed.
"Mayhap not," Davos said and Olenna smiled thinking it was a compliment from the man, only to find it was something much more interesting.
She listened as she was told the tale of Davos' own death. Of how he'd fallen and then been brought back by Lady Melisandre. The words he spoke of the red priestess shaming Olenna a little as she'd not even bothered to ask where she was or if she had survived. In the end, she had no need to ask as Davos' story told of the lady's demise and Olenna knew it was one more blow that Baelon had taken to heart. Though what he said next was both a truer blow and an opportunity that Olenna almost refused to take. It was one she may have denied if it was not for the sound of the voice from behind her.
"This is what Lady Melisandre wished for, Olenna. While there are lives I'd gladly give up to see my sister's smile once more, yours is not one of them. I bid you accept the gift you've been given and bear you no ill will for doing so. Far from it." Baelon said.
"I….thank you, your grace." she said as she looked at Davos and the necklace he bore in his hand "How… I don't… how does this work?"
"It's a necklace, you wear it." Rickon Stark said from beside his brother and Olenna almost chuckled at the simplicity of it.
Reaching out her hand, seeing it shake a little as she did so, Olenna took the necklace from Davos. She felt no power in it, no tingle as she held it in the palm of her hand. Nor did she feel anything different when she placed it around her neck. Not at first anyway. It was the sound of the gasps in the room that told her something had occurred. The loudest one of all came from herself as she looked down at her hands and saw no lines or wrinkles on them. Olenna was handed the looking glass by the king and the image that she saw when she looked into it, was one she'd not seen for more than forty years.
Olenna had seen six and seventy namedays. The woman she looked at had seen less than forty. If someone asked her to wager on her age then she'd say she was no older than Janna was. It was not only in looks that she felt younger either. All the aches and pains that had become so much a part of her life that she barely felt them, she now felt no more. When she rose to her feet, she did so even more spry and sprightly than she'd always considered herself to be. Looking to the Queen, who bore a true smile, Missandei who looked both parts shocked and gladdened, and finally, the King who wore a much warmer smile than he had when she'd greeted him earlier, Olenna found she had no words to speak. Other than the one.
"How?"
"Magic, Lady Olenna." Rickon Stark said and Olenna found she had no argument she could make to name it differently.
That night she ate dinner with the king, queen, and their inner circle. Baelon once again told her that he welcomed the gift she'd been given and he begrudged her it not. His words went even further than that and though she could sense that sadness close to the surface when he spoke them, the truth in them and the sentiment behind them were both things she welcomed. Later as she walked to her own tent, Erryk and Arryk both still looking at her unable to believe what they were seeing, Olenna knew she needed to send a raven to Desmera.
Her granddaughter would return to the city now the king and queen were back, her work on Dragonstone done. The last thing that Olenna wished for was her to be taken too much aback by how she now looked. She had just reached her tent when the twins stiffened their posture, the shape coming out of the darkness was not one they recognized and had yet to be determined as friend or foe. Upon seeing it was Davos Seaworth, the twins relaxed, as did Olenna herself.
"My lady."
"Lord Davos, has something occurred? Is my presence requested by their graces?"
"No, my lady. I came to offer you some words, words that were spoken to me by Lady Melisandre before she breathed her last." Davos said and Olenna bid him continue "They will have much need of you in the years to come, both of you."
"Lady Melisandre said that?"
"She did, my lady. I felt you may wish to know why it was you and me and not Arya Stark that she gave her gifts to."
"Am I wrong that a part of me wishes it was not?" she asked softly.
"No more than I am, my lady."
"I thank you, Lord Davos. I understand it not, but I thank you all the same."
"My lady," Davos said as he walked away.
Olenna entered her tent and sat down on her bed. She undressed and the sight that was presented to her was one that only proved just how true the magic that Lady Melisandre or her god possessed. Her body, just like her face and hands was no longer the body of an old woman, but one of a much younger one. Tempted as she may have been to remove the necklace to see what happened, in the end, she did not. She was not willing to risk breaking whatever spell she was now under, not until many years into the future at least.
"I will serve them both to the best of my ability and for as long as I am able. As I would have done with whatever time I had left. " Olenna said as she lay down on her bed and covered herself up before drifting off to sleep.