Roshambo / Tormund Giantsbane

6. Go Away

"Im not king of the free folk." Jon added looking to Tormund as he came in all smiles behind Salem. "But if we're going to survive this winter together..." Tormund grunted pushing forward.

"You want us to man the castles for you?" Tormund countered and Jon pushed away the murmuring of the men around them.

" Last time we saw the Night King was at Hardhome. The closest castle to Hardhome is Eastwatch-by-the-Sea." Jon reminded them.

"First line of defense. Our eyes and ears. Someone we... trust." Salem offered looking to tormund. He grunted again but begrudgingly agreed.

"Then that's where I'll go. Looks like we're the Night's Watch now." Tormund agreed. "But im not giving up women." He added winkinh back at salem.

"Maybe as queen i keep you there for good." Salem countered teasingly. Tormund gaped back at her.

Tormund moved towards her and her jaw clenched.

"Send me away my future wife?" He tsked.

"Go away". Salem decided nudging tormunds girls away. "Im not really an other peoples children person." Salem admitted

"You are pregnant." Tormund remidned her

"Other peoples children. Im going to love the hell out of my baby." Salem corrected as the girls ran off. Tormund cocked his head as she strut off.

"Losing feat." Jon assured. "Get packed up. Dont bother salem. If you piss hernoff she will go for the jugular."

Salem found rickon and theon in the courtyard. Theon bowed for her his new queen. She was always his queen. Rickon sighed.

"I miss Bran and Robb and father." He admitted.

"Hurts being back." Salem agreed. He nodded hugging her. "We can still make winterfell magical again." She assured.

Meanwhile another discussion struck up about loyalty in the great hall. Salem knew she had the people's loyalty. People were more likely to be loyal to things they feared until they stopped being afraid. They were all still afraid of what their queen was capable of.

"If they breach the wall, the first two castles in their path are Last Hearth and Karhold." Jon remarked.

"The Umbers and the Karstarks betrayed the North. Their castles should be torn down with not a stone left standing." Yohn declared. When they found rickon and delivered him to the boltons. When they chopped off shaggys dogs head.

"The castles committed no crimes. And we need every fortress we have for the war to come. We should give the Last Hearth and Karhold to new families, loyal families who supported us against Ramsay." Sansa offered.

"Aye!"

Salem somewhere in her twisted heart did love Ramsay. She heard his name and it was like a signal calling out to her. A bolton man, Ser Rumlow came running up.

"My queen, they are acting like we are all traitors." He spat.

"Let me guess? My sister sansa?" Salem mused marching forward.

"Aye."

"I will handle this," salem assured. She glanced back at theon. Although ramsay mutilated him at the time salem was glad thought he deserved such vicious punishment but now she didnt want this cowering boy she want her old friend back. One that didnt flinch at the sound of a door slamming.

"The Umbers and the Karstarks have fought beside the Starks for centuries. They've kept faith for generation after generation." Jon reminded Sansa as salem and Rickon came in. "I'm not going to strip these families of their ancestral homes because of the crimes of a few reckless sons." Jon hissed.

"So there's no punishment for treason and no reward for loyalty?" Sansa questioned incredulously as the hall went silent. Jon sighed running a hand over his face.

"The punishment for treason is death." Salem reminded them. "Lets put an end to this. To the men responsible -"

"You have the bolton army here! Are they not responsible?" Someone shouted out. Salem squinted to see who interrupted her. Have their head too.

"They are my men just as much as the starks are." Salem corrected. "Interrupt me again and you will be charged with treason as well." She added. The room went as silent as a crypt. "Where are the men in question? I honestly forgot about them." Salem declared.

"In the cells." Jon answered.

"Bring them out. They will pay for their sins. But their children need not. You see back at the capital-" salem went on getting louder past the groan of displeasure "-the bastard incest lannister children were judged off their parents. They didnt choose that life. Didnt choose their parents. You all have moved on from calling my Jon horrible names to calling him king."

"What are you saying?"

"Fucking listen the first time I say it and I wouldnt have to repeat myself." She hissed. "I will not punish a son or daughter for their father's sins, and I will not take a family home away from a family it has belonged to for centuries. I know what its like having my home ripped away. I wouldnt wish that on anyone. That is my decision, and my decision is final." Salem demanded.

"When I was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch I executed men who betrayed me. I executed men who refused to follow orders. My father always said, The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword, and I have tried to live by those words. Lets bring the men in question up. I will do it."
Jon agreed.

"Cute but we all know Im swinging the sword Jon. Ive always wanted to." Salem corrected sweetly.

"Ned Umber." Jon declared turning to face the hall. "Alys Karstark." Alys and Ned approached, they were just kids. But so was bran when he was crippled and put in charge of winterfell.

"For centuries, our families fought side by side on the battlefield. I ask you to pledge your loyalty once again to House Stark, to serve as our bannermen and come to our aid whenever called upon." Salem remarked with her usual flair as they unsheathe their swords and knelt before Jon and salem.

"Stand." Jon declared. "Yesterday's wars don't matter anymore. The North needs to band together, all the living north. Will you stand beside me and Salem, Ned and Alys, now and always?"

"Now and always!"