End Game// Tormund Giantsbane (3)

35. Arrows

The armies gathered the following morning but Ramsay brought out Rickon.

'Rickon, he's here,' Caro said looking out onto the field. "I'm a good shot. I'm not trusting Ramsay to play nice."

"Alright." Jon agreed grabbing hold of Caro's hand. "Just be careful."

"I Don't care about me." Caro countered. "I just want him safe."

"I care about you." Jon remarked. "I don't want to lose you Caro."

"Then best hope I'm as good as I claim to be." Caro offered kissing his cheek. Caro looked to Tormund, a smug smile on his handsome face.

"You know I don't want last night to be our only." Tormund informed her.

"Trust me." Caro offered kissing him quickly.

Caro readied her bow. Ramsay was telling Rickon that they were playing a game. Jon stepped forward, Caro kept her bow pointed at ramsay but he was just out of reach and she didn't want to set him off, while they still had rickon. Jon jumped on a horse riding towards rickon. Caro kept her bow pointed at ramsay as she walked briskly getting closer and closer.

"Auntie?" Rickon whispered. He was a man, he wasnt a little boy anymore. But she assumed she looked a bit different as well. Ramsay told Rickon to run towards Jon and Rickon did. Rickon saw Caro in the distance running towards him, he saw jon, riding fast, so Rickon ran.

"I need more height." Caro muttered grabbing Tormunds horse.

"what are you doing?" Tormund questioned thinking she would be staying right here shooting from here where he could keep her safe but Caro was not a damsel.

"I will bring him back." Caro assured with a wink, mounting a horse, her legs gripped tight as her bow aimed at ramsay as they rode but they were too damn far.

'CARO!" rickon shouted.

'Ramsay!' Caro called out as Ramsay brought out a bow. 'ENOUGH!' Caro pleaded. Jon desperately rode out on a horse to try to save Rickon, as Ramsay fired arrows at him. Ramsay appeared to have no intention of hitting Rickon with his few shots missing shooting around him making rickon jump in fear but he kept running.

So Caro started shooting back.

'RAMSAY!" Caro demanded. Ramsay ducked behind a horse, peering out as Caro put in a new arrow. Another arrow went flying towards Rickon and Caro saw the path it was taking she shifted her focus from Ramsay to Rickon, her arrow hit Ramsay's arrow veering it away as jon jumped down his body and his horse blocking Rickon.

Ramsey ducked for cover.

With Jon now defenseless in the middle of the battlefield and the Bolton cavalry charging at him, Bolton archers fired volleys of arrows in his direction. Davos commanded the Stark cavalry to follow their commander and they began their charge to meet the Bolton cavalry.

"Are you alright?" Jon asked looking to a shaking Rickon. He nodded hugging Jon tight. Jon glanced back at Caro as she kept shooting but Ramsay was running. "Thank the Gods for Aunt Caro." Jon murmured holding him close. He looked to the arrow that was meant for Rickon, splintered by Caro's arrow. 

After luring Jon's army forwards, Ramsay executed his own pincer movement with his infantry, completely encircling the Stark and Wildling army. The Bolton army continued to press their advantage, with interlocking spears from all directions forcing Jon's army closer and closer together.

"Caro get Rickon safe." Jon demanded as she rode to them offering Rickon a hand up.

"With pleasure." Caro agreed. He hugged her tight as she turned around pushing through the Bolton's brigade.

Jon saw ramsay safely hidden behind his army. But they were circled with no where to go. But the most unlikely of heroes emerged. Petyr Baelish and Sansa arrived with reinforcements courtesy of House Arryn. The Knights of the Vale quickly flanked the encircling Bolton army, which was quickly slaughtered. Caro stared back at Petyr, what possibly could that man want? What benefit surely he knew Sansa would never love him if that was his motives. 

Ramsay looked around at his fallen men before huffing out a discouraged breath and retreating from the battlefield. Ramsay returned to Winterfell and closed the gates.

"You saved me," Rickon whispered.

"Jon did." Caro corrected as she hugged him tight. "Look at you." She said holding his face in her hands. "Last I saw you, you were-"

"You saved me." Rickon repeated.

"I think your sister wants to see you." Caro whispered kissing his forehead.