A Feast For Dragons

Roose

The Bolton's hold in the North was simple at best, and weak at worst. They had no real claim to it, and only landed their power after their betrayal to the Stark's. Roose Bolton knew that many in the North still considered the Stark's their lord, and it was a slow process in making sure that they bend the knee to the flayed man.

He had been down by the Twin's for the past two months, fortifying his alliance with the Frey's, but now he was returning to the North and the moment he did he caught wind of what has been happening.

The Stark bastard imprisoned and waiting for a beheading.

That was certainly a reward all on it's own.

Only it hadn't been that way when he came through the gates of Winterfell. The moment he did he knew something had gone wrong-there was no head on a spike there to greet him. Dismounting his horse, Roose Bolton pulled off his gloves and turned to one of his guards.

"Where's my son?" He asked, not waiting for his wife to be escorted out of the carriage.

"I... M'lord... There's been..."

"What?" Roose said sharply, the word dragged out. "What's happened?"

"Tis best if you see it for yourself, m'lord."

They took him down to the crypts, the light of the torch illuminating their way. This had been the one place he had refused to go. The eyes of the dead Stark's watched them with every step they took-the stone Direwolves seemed to growl in the darkness.

"Why have you brought me down here?"

"Tis best-"

"If I see it for myself-yes, I got that. What's. Hap-" His words were cut short the moment he caught sight of the bodies. They laid side by side, Ramsay and Theon. Their bodies were pale and life had been drained out of them, their hands folded on their stomachs, almost making them look asleep. They hadn't begun to rot yet, the cold keeping them preserved.

"What. Happened?"

"The... Reek... he set the Stark bastard free and attacked Lord Ramsay, ser." The Guard said, his voice starting to tremble. "We was out hunting the bastard, with the hounds, when Reek tried to help the Lady Sansa escape. They killed each other, Ser."

Roose let out a slow breath. He walked over to his son and slowly knelt beside him. Placing a hand to his son's head, he leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead; it was cold and bitter. Yes, Ramsay hadn't been the best of son's, or the best of men, but Roose had loved him nonetheless. And now he laid dead.

"We didn't want to do anything until you got back, m'lord." The guard continued. "We figured you'd want to burn the bodies-"

"Prep the Godswood for a funeral." Roose said, standing up. "And gather an escort of ten men to bring Theon Greyjoy's body back to Pyke."

"M'lord?"

"DID. I. STUTTER?" Roose screamed, turning to look at the guard. "If you stand there looking like a complete baboon you will join my son in the fire!"

The guard was quick to rush up the steps, leaving the torch hanging on the wall. Roose turned to look at his son again and closed his eyes. Strange... Ramsay almost looked to be smiling. Even in death, Ramsay seemed to hold the whole world in his hands.

"My Lord?" This time it was the soft voice of his wife that pulled his attention. She was escorted by some solders, her heavy footsteps echoing in the crypts. "I heard..."

"My son is dead." Roose said as he turned away from the bodies to look at her. "My son is dead." He repeated.

She stared up at him for a moment before reaching over to take his hands in hers. "My Lord-"

"My SON IS DEAD!" He screamed, the sound loud enough to wake the dead. "I will hunt down the rest of the blighted Stark's and I will flay them and mount their bodies around Winterfell!"

The funeral was simple. Roose Bolton and his wife, Lady Walda Fray, stood around the pyre, watching his son's body burn before the Godstree. The snow fell softly around them, though it melted before it could reach the ground. The fire burned bright and hot, and there came a time where he couldn't see Ramsay anymore in the flames that consumed him. He had sworn in the crypt, and he will swear to the Gods now. The Stark's will all fall.