End Game// Tormund Giantsbane (3)

45. Live Long Enough So I Can

"I don't want you to go." Caro reminded Tormund. Smiled back at her. "You know I have a lot of plans for us." she added

"Oh?" Tormund questioned kissing her neck. 

"Yes. Dying in the frozen north is not part of those plans." Caro agreed.

"I'm not dying." Tormund countered confidently.

"No?" Caro mused. "Well that is certainly a relief, I can breathe again."

"I'm serious." Tormund assured. "I got a question for you though." 

"Okay." Caro agreed. He kissed her fiercely and when he pulled back she couldnt contain her smile. 

"Carolina Stark will you marry me?" Tormund questioned lips brushing against her. She blinked back at him. "Tell me when I get back." 

"Live long enough so I can." Caro suggested.

"At my funeral, I don't want anyone to be sad, I want them to be singing and drinking goats milk. Thats important Caro."

"You are not dying." Caro reminded him. "A tough fucker to kill, remember?" 

"Not today but one day, we all die." Tormund remarked.

"We do." Caro agreed softly. "But there is a lot more living for us to do, together before that day comes." Tormund smiled running a hand through her hair. "Kiss me so I have something warm to hold onto." 

+

Men were working in the courtyard rolling carts of hay and carrying water. A blacksmith was working the forge things were getting back to normal it seemed. Caro, Sansa, Petyr, Yohn Royce and Maester wolkan were standing on the upper level of the courtyard having a discussion on winterfells future. Caro was the damn boss, for real not just in her mind like when she was little. She missed her brothers. She missed Brandon and Ned and Benjen, where was Benjen? 

"How much do we have?" Caro questioned

"4,000 bushels, My Lady."

" What does that mean?" Sansa questioned. 

"Not enough." Caro answered simply. 

"For the current occupants of the castle it's enough food for a year, perhaps more." Yohn offered

"What's the longest winter in the past 100 years?" Caro questioned

"I'm not entirely certain. I'll check Maester Llewyn's records. He kept a copy of every raven scroll." Wolkan offered

" You're telling me we don't have enough food, especially not if the armies of the north come back to defend Winterfell." Caro corrected him. Sansa's eyes darted to  Caro anxiously. 

"No, My Lady, most likely not." Wolkan agreed

"Wonderful." Caro agreed with a huff. "I dont like being in charge anymore." She mused. 

"Being boss is not a pleasure." Yohn offered. What would Ned say? Caro pondered. Her brother was the smartest person she had ever met but he had a soft heart. To survive this world you needed claws and teeth. 

"We must prepare for that eventuality. Every direction the threat comes from, this is the best place to be. We need to start building up our grain stores with regular shipments from every keep in the north. If we don't use it by winter's end we'll give it back to them, but if the entire north has to flee to Winterfell there won't be enough time to bring wagonloads of grain with them." Caro decided her heel bouncing on the ground. 

"Very wise, My Lady." Yohn agreed

"Maester Wolkan, you'll see to it?" Sansa requested. Wolkan bowed and left immediately.

" Are they covering those breastplates in leather?" Caro questioned seeing a smith hammering out a breast plate.

"No, My Lady." Yohn remarked as she peered down. 

"Well, shouldn't they be once the real cold comes?" Caro countered locking eyes with Yohn.

"They should indeed. Pardon me, My Lady." Yohn agreed as he stepped over to the blacksmith. "You there, why isn't there leather on these?" Caro peered over as Sansa and Petyr kept walking, alone now and Sansa didn't know that she liked that. She glanced back at Caro distracted by Tumi and Tyanna in the courtyard with Rickon. 

"Command suits your aunt." Petyr remarked "The northerns are all facing north worried about the threat beyond the wall." Petyr offered

"So they should be." Sansa countered

"I know Cersei better than anyone here. If you turn your back on her --"

"You don't know Cersei better than anyone here." Sansa corrected

"I only meant to say --"

"That the woman who murdered my mother, father and brother is dangerous? Thank you for your wise council." Sansa hissed. Caros gaze shifted to Sansa, hearing her sharp tone. 

"One of two things will happen. Either the dead will defeat the living, in which case all our troubles come to an end. Or life will win out. And what then?" Petyr countered moving in front of Sansa to stop her from walking away but Caro pulled Sansa back Petyrs hand fell away from Sansa. 

"Don't fight in the north or the south. Fight every battle everywhere always in your mind. Everyone is your enemy, everyone is your friend, every possible series of events is happening all at once." Petyr remarked looking between them. "Live that way and nothing will surprise you. Everything that happens will be something that you've seen before." Petyr reminded her as a Winterfell guard approached

"Lady Carolina, Lady Sansa, at the gate."

Sansa turned to the commotion at the gate, people gathered around blocking her view, Caro rushed down the steps pushing forward until she saw Bran being pushed in on a cart. She stared back at him wordlessly.

"Bran." Caro rasped. 

"Hello, auntie." Bran offered calmly. She cried out as she ran to him, hugging him.