Dance Away My Broken Heart / Podrick Payne (2.3)

16. Flaming Sigils

Podrick returned to his, Rieka and Brienne's camp with firewood and dead rabbits. Avalon pranched behind him her catch dangling from her mouth when he heard screaming. Podrick tensed before remembering his training he could do this. He was going to be knight. He couldnt be afraid. So Podrick looked down to see Stannis's army marching for Winterfell. He dropped the wood and rabbits and sprinted back to Brienne and Rieka.

Brienne was staring at the Broken Tower. Rieka was yawning bored.

"You keep staring at the tower like its going to move." Rieka remarked.

"No im not," brienne countered sharply.

"Yeah. You are. Im looking at you and im telling you-" rieka countered when Podrick came running up.

"My lady! Stannis. Stannis Baratheon is coming. His whole army." Podrick declared.

"How do you know it's Stannis?" Brienne countered.

"He's carrying his flaming heart banners. From the Blackwater. I'll never forget it." Podrick declared.

"I saw that from my window." Rieka recalled. "He had the lord of light on his side yet he failed then."

"And he will fail now." Brienne agreed.

Brienne took one last look at the Broken Tower. She saw there was still no candle in the window.

Sansa approached the Tower with a candle in hand. She hesitated knowing what the old woman said about putting a candle in the window, that there were still people that cared, that respected the stark name and would get her out but what if it was a trap?

Brienne took one last, hard look at the Tower, still no light, then turned around and headed for Stannis's army. Podrick grabbed his axe and follows her. Right as they turn away, a candle appeared at the top of the Broken Tower.

"Trench here. Another one 300 yards from the castle wall. Hurry them along. And send out a foraging party immediately. The siege begins at sunrise." Stannis remarked.

"There's not going to be a siege, Your Grace."

Stannis looked to the distance and saw the Bolton army racing towards him as they come over the top of a hill.

From the broken tower, Sansa looked down at the ensuing battle from the top of the Broken Tower with a candle in the window. This broken tower started it all, its where Bran fell, maybe she could fall and die and never have to deal with this again, the thought crossed her mind but she wanted to live.

Stannis saw he the army approaching. He took a deep breath then unsheathed his sword. But his men and him were severely outnumbered.

"What did a candle mean?" Rieka questioned but Brienne and podrick were already gone. "You never fucking told me!" Rieka shouted. "It is sansa?"

Stannis leaned onto a tree and groaned, then looked up to the sound of a horse riding. He had lost, his men had lost.

"Bolton has women fighting for him." Stannis remarked. Brienne moved closer.

"I do not fight for the Boltons. I'm Brienne of Tarth. I was Kingsguard to Renly Baratheon. I was there when he was murdered by a shadow with your face. You murdered him? With blood magic?" Brienne declared.  Stannis remained silent for a long moment.

"I did." Stannis admitted, he knew he time had come, no use denying it. Brienne approached him and unsheathed her sword.

"In the name of Renly of House Baratheon, First of his Name, Rightful King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, I, Brienne of Tarth, sentence you to die. Do you have any last words?"

"Go on... Do your duty." Stannis agreed with a huff.

''My lady. I've come to escort you back to your chamber.'' Myranda remarked and Sansa hesitated.

''Go with her, please.'' Theon begged. Sansa was going to run, to flee but now she was going to die.

''I know what Ramsay is. I know what he'll do to me. If I'm going to die, let it happen while there's still some of me left.'' Sansa declared.

''Die? Who said anything about dying?'' Myranda chuckled shifting the bow and arrow slightly. 'You can't die. Your father was Warden of the North. Ramsay needs you. Though I suppose he doesn't need all of you. Just the parts he'll use to make his heir,'' Myranda moved her aim, taunting Sansa. ''until you've given him a boy or two and he's finished using them. Then he's got incredible plans for those parts. So, shall we wait for him to come back or should we begin now?'' Sansa stayed silent. ''You're leaving it to me? Good. Let's begin.'' Myranda smirked but Theon grabbed Myranda tussling with her ''Reek-- stop! Stop!''  before sending her over the edge and Myranda screamed out as she fell, landing with a  thud, blood seeping from her. Horns blew and solider hollered out. Sansa stared down at Myranda's dead body before looking nervously to Theon.

''Open the gate!''

'He's coming back.' Sansa said through a shaky breath.

"Come on." Theon said grabbing her hand. He lead her to the wall and she looked down at the snowy ground under them. She looked to Theon again and he held tight to her hand as they jump. Ramsay moved to Myranda's dead body before letting out a sigh.

''I can see I have my work cut out for me.'' Ramsay remarked calmly.

"Podrick?" Rieka called out. "Avalon find him," rieka commanded. She rose her bow cautiously as avalon ran ahead. Rieka saw podrick, Tyrions axe in hand. Blood dripped from the edge. "You used that thing?"

"I did." Podrick agreed even impressed with himself.

"And i missed such a sexy act?" Rieka questioned putting her arrow back in the holster. She looped the bow around her.

"Sexy?"

"You wielding an axe. Yeah. I count that as sexy acts." Rieka agreed kissing him. Podrick had the biggest smile on his face when she pulled back. "You are a good man Podrick. Maybe the last good man alive."

"I will try my best to be the man you deserve." Podrick assured and Rieka believed him.