The wolves of Castle Black - Book 2 - GoT

Loyal to their own

When Ylina entered the room, she saw Stannis Baratheon sitting in a desk in front of her with his good friend standing beside him. During the time they've stayed there, Ylina had learned quite a lot about him, the most important part being his name and title: Ser Davos, the Onion Knight. Ylina wasn't sure why a knight would be called the "onion knight" but she was sure Shireen would never actually lie to her, so she believed in her. Still, she was rather careful around him.

"Your Grace." Ylina greeted, after closing the door behind her, bowing her head slightly to show Stannis some respect. "Ser Davos."

"Lady Stark." Stannis responded in the same tone, as Davos simply nodded at her. "Please, take a seat."

Quickly obeying, Ylina picked up the ends of her dress and sat down on the chair in front of Stannis' desk that Davos had pulled for her. Thanking him quietly, she straightened up her back as she noticed how Stannis' eyes never left her form.

"Lady Melisandre tells me she looked for you a few days ago, my lady." He said, as Ylina nodded.

"Indeed, your Grace." She nodded. "She looked for me for a talk."

"May I ask you the nature of this talk?"

"With all due respect, your Grace, I think you know what the talk was about."

Stannis nodded, but when he said nothing in return, Ylina sighed, knowing he still wanted the words to leave her lips and not his.

"Lady Melisandre came to my chambers the very same day you arrived here." She started as Stannis watched her closely. "She discussed with me some... Visions, I suppose she called them. Told me she saw in the fire a Wolf of Ashes and that she thought it was, somehow, a representation of me."

"What else did she tell you?"

"She said the wolf had an army at its back. She said she saw the Boltons' banners falling from the walls of Winterfell. She said she thinks it means the Starks will rule again."

"And you don't believe in her?"

"I don't believe in her god and I certainly don't believe in her visions." Ylina answered quickly as, from the corner of her eyes, she noticed how Davos shifted his weight from one foot to another. "I do believe in facts, however. And the fact I have is that I have no army. So there is no way for me to fulfill Lady Melisandre's vision, I'm afraid."

At that, Stannis hummed but Ylina watched as he leaned forward in his desk, his arms resting over it as his eyes quickly locked with hers.

"You could have an army." He said, as Ylina bit her lip. "I am sure the Lady Melisandre told you that."

"Your army, your Grace?" She asked, even though she knew the answer to that question. "Why are you offering me your army?"

"The Starks have been ruling over the North for centuries." Stannis answered, but not after hesitating slightly. "It is only fair I offer the control of the North to a Stark when I have the chance."

"Some people don't consider me a Stark anymore. And does who do, believe I'm dead." Ylina countered. "Robb is dead. Bran and Rickon are dead. Arya is missing and Sansa is a Lannister. There are no more Starks out there. That's why many of the Great Houses of the North sworn their fealty to the Boltons, instead of fighting for a name that they might never have again."

"Your sister, Lady Sansa? She was married off to Tyrion Lannister in King's Landing. But after the false King Joffrey's death, she ran off, never to be seen by Cersei again." Stannis said, and he noticed how Ylina's whole posture shifted, growing stiff in her chair, he noticed she didn't know any of it. "For months, no one heard about her. But a few weeks ago, a raven came from the North. Sansa Stark was taken to Winterfell to marry Ramsay Bolton, now a true and legitimized son of Roose Bolton. When your sister marries the bastard boy, more of the Great Houses of the North will join their side."