Roshambo / Tormund Giantsbane

20. Move

Salem smiled as Jon rode up descending from his horse, all black while pompous Daenerys wore and rode white, a stark contrast. Daenerys grit her teeth at the little crown on Salem's head.  Jon hesitated as he got closer hugging her whispered in her ear. 

"A crown?"

"I am queen of the north." She agreed. "And northern bitch is in my territory now."  Jon took a step back glancing at Daenerys, she was clearly pissy but Jon didnt have a moment longer to think of that as RIckon held tight to Jon.

"I missed you." Rickon declared into his chest. 

"I missed you too bud." Jon agreed. 'Where is arya?' jon asked.

''Lurking somewhere' Sansa told him, hugging him as well. 

Jon hadnt even realized that Salem wasnt pregnant anymore. He had been focused on the crown on her head not the lack of baby in her stomach. 

"Salem, the baby-" Jon began as Daenerys cleared her throat obnoxiously. 

"Magnus. He is perfect Jon." Salem remarked proudly. Daenerys growled stomping a foot in the snow, Salem's smirk turned on her. "I already dont like her. She's impatient." 

''Be nice please." Jon begged gesturing to Daenerys. "This is queen Daenerys of house Targaryen this is my sister Salem, queen of the north.'' Jon remarked and Salem stood up straighter. 

''Thank you for inviting us the north is just as beautiful as your brother said you are' Daenerys complimented stiffly.

"Welcome." Salem agreed. THere was no bending, no submission, Daenerys looked to Jon but he knew better than to push Salem. "Lets get started shall we? Your hooligans took forever to get here." Daenerys growled as Salem walked off. 

"Are you fucking-" Daenerys hissed but Bran spoke up. 

'We do not have time for this' bran told them 'the night king has your dragon he's one of them now the wall has fallen dead march south." Salem stared back at him. TOrmund was at the wall. She couldnt worry about that, she had to push that down, they had work to do here, she couldnt control what was going on there. But TUmi and Tianna stared up at her expectantly. She didnt know what to tell them so she told them to go to the kitchen and get some cookies for a snack. 

+

''As soon as we heard of the wall falling I called all our men back... when can we expect your people to arrive?''

''We need more horses and wagons if it pleases my lady and my Lord. And my queen' the boy, Ned Umber added. Salems foot tapped anxiously on the ground they were already losing before the battle began. She wouldnt be queen for long if the world froze over. 

'We will give you as many as we can spare." Salem agreed.

''We need to send ravens to the night watch as well' Jon remarked.

'Your Grace... But you're not are you? You left Winterfell a king and came back a... I'm not sure what you are now a lord? Nothing at all?' Lyanna pondered, the lords and ladies bickering. While the rest of the troops, the soldiers, were eating and resting after a long journey from the capital to winterfell. Salem looked to Jon, she was really liking this Lyanna girl.

''That is not important' Jon told her.

''Not important? We named you King in the north' Lyanna declared and she was just a girl but the men rallied behind her. Salem pounded a fist on the table in agreement. Jon shot her a warning glare which she smirked back at.

"Salem is still our queen." Lyanna added. "But you relinquished your title?" 

"I am still queen." Salem agreed. "Got the crown to prove it." She smiled back at the bolton men that gifted her such a beautiful crown. 

''You did my lady it was the honor of my life and I will always be grateful for your faith but when I left Winterfell I told you we need to make allies or we will die. I have brought those allies home. I had a choice keep my crown or protect the north. I chose the north'' Jon told them. Salem chuckled, maybe she should have left, went to deal with Daenerys, they  would have had the dragonglass and a dead dragon already. 

'If anyone survived the war to come we will have Jon Snow to thank.' Tyrion told them moving around the long table. 'he risked his life to show us as a threat is real thanks to his courage we have brought with us the greatest army the world has ever seen we have brought two full grown dragons and soon the Lannister army will ride north to join our cause' he added and there was an uproar 'I know I know our people have not been friends in the past' tyrion reminded them as they shouted out, they were not ready to listen to a lannister. Not ready to follow a Targaryen. 'but we must fight together now or die.'' Salem listened as the people shouted out, she looked to Daenerys doing nothing, she sat bored picking at her nails. She was no queen, she was waiting for everyone else to do her dirty work. 

"Everyone shut the fuck up." Salem demanded. "Please." She added. "I know Lannisters are not everyones favorite or Targaryens for that matter, really its a toss up on who is worse." She added bluntly. "But we work together, there is no other way. We work together and win this, we are the north. We brush off pain, broken bones, we get back and we keep going." Salem demanded. "This is no different. We fight with every able body and when its done, they we deal with who's left."

"Real motivating." Sandor called out.

"Thank you, sandor!" Salem pointed a finger at him. "I thought you were dead."

"Clearly I'm not." Sandor countered. Salem nodded slowly looking him over from afar. 

"Great... So everyone stop bitching. We save our homes and then we bitch." Salem demanded. 

"ALright." Lyanna agreed.

"ALright," Salem agreed sitting back down. Rickon offered her a hand as she got off the table. 

''May I ask how we are supposed to feed all of these armies, the dathraki and the unsullied and two full grown dragons?' sansa questioned 'What do dragons eat anyways?"

''Whatever they want.' Danny told her smugly before walking off. "When this is over," Daenerys reminded Salem's grabbing her arm, Salem stared down at Daenerys grip. "Your people march south and get me my crown." Salem pulled her arm free.

"Your crown?" Salem huffed out. 

"You wear a piece of metal on your head it doesnt make you a queen." Daenerys hissed. 

"No. But people that will follow me, that will help. You need us more than we need you. Jon didnt see that, but I do." Salem assured. "You need the north to bend, you only got Jon to bend and let me tell you something you already know," Salem took a step closer. "Women hold the real power. I'm in charge here." She gave Daenerys a shove back. "So dont fuck with me or my people. We move when I say we move."