Ursa Major | Tormund Giantsbane

Chapter 8

Mole's Town had been attacked.

The only reason they found out was because a group of the Night's Watch men had snuck out to the brothel, one returning gravely injured to tell them what he'd seen.

"They've been raiding the villages close by," murmured Sam. "We should have known it could happen."

"And we just cower in here while they slaughter our brothers," said Grenn angrily.

"Our brothers had orders to stay at Castle Black," noted Edd.

"So it's all right, then? Black Jack and Kegs and Mully chopped to pieces 'cause they broke the rules?"

"I didn't say it was all right! I'm saying they shouldn't have been there."

"We're pledged to guard the realms of men," said Grenn. "We can't even guard Mole's Town."

Jon spoke up, "We can't go after them, you know that. It's what they want. If they hit Mole's Town, then we're next. Mance and his army must be close."

"A hundred thousand of them," muttered Grenn. "And there's what, one hundred and five of us left?"

Edd huffed, "You counting Black Jack, Kegs, and Mully? A hundred and two."

"The Northern forces should arrive tomorrow," said Thyrsa anxiously. "I've guaranteed us fifty men from House Mormont, seventy-three from House Manderly, forty from House Cerwyn, fifteen from House Umber, sixty-two from House Hornwood, and I may yet get us a hundred from House Karstark. It's not much; most Northerners died at the Red Wedding, those who didn't were either injured or afraid. I didn't receive any ravens back from The Blackfish; I don't think he's able to leave Riverrun. Still, what we do have will make some difference. It has to."

"It means more than you know," said Jon. "Truly." He poured them all some ale, hand trembling slightly when he considered that even with the extra help, there was still a chance they would all die.

"Whoever dies last," said Edd, distributing the cups, "be a good lad or lady and burn the rest of us. Once I'm done with this world, I don't want to come back."

They each downed their portion, sealing their promise.

"Maybe we should have gone to Mole's Town, before all this," said Grenn, serving himself another cup. "At least we'd die remembering what it's like to be with a woman."

"You've got memories from before," huffed Pyp. "Some of us have got nothing."

"I'll drink to that," said Thyrsa, causing them to go silent. "What, don't stop on account of me. I'm very used to this sort of talk."

"Still, not the sort of thing we're supposed to be discussing around a lady," said Edd gruffly, all of them feeling embarrassed for not remembering their surroundings.

Thyrsa shrugged. "Doesn't bother me. My sister, she was encouraging me before she passed. Said it helped her clear her head, something of that nature." She stared at the cup sadly, "I was so against it, I thought she was absurd, I was so convinced there were more important things and that I'd eventually have time for it. But... I almost died. Were it not for The Blackfish, I would have been slaughtered right there in Lord Frey's hall."

She laughed weakly, "I would have missed out on something because of all the focus I directed somewhere else. You know, I don't want to think about what I chose not to do because of my priorities– there will always be something more important and I can't keep letting that get in the way of indulging and nurturing my curiosities. Fuck it. I don't want to go into our battle thinking that I denied myself what could be something nice. I don't want to die knowing that I didn't seize opportunities that were there. And I don't want," her voice broke, "to remember that I judged my sister for something so silly."