Queen of The North

chapter twenty-four

12 YEAR TIME JUMP

"Daeron! leave your sister be!" Lyanna shouted from afar the courtyard. Lyannas hair fell down her back in an elegant braid. Her stature seemed to thin after the birth of her son Rickon. She still mourned him, her eyes seemed to be permanetly tired since those days. But time continued to pass and she had to be strong for Daeron and Daella.

"I am just playing!" Daeron laughed twirling his sword around his sister.

"Well I am not Daer!" Daella huffed, picking her book up off the ground. She was the older one. The princess, well mannered but short tempered like her mother and father. Her silver hair fell down her back loosely and her deep blue eyes reflected her mothers. Daeron, tall and thin was the image of his young mother. Dark haired, high energy, and always smiling. His silver eyes were piercing just as his fathers. He too was becoming a find swordsmen like Aemond.

"Daeron please practice with your teacher and not with your sister." Lyanna walked up to him, ruffling up his brown locks.

"I am sorry mother." He said with a toothy smile. Lyanna sighed and sent him back to the Kingsguard training him. She walked over to Daella who sat in the dirt reading her book.

"The septa will not be happy to have the book returned covered in dirt, my dear." Lyanna chuckled looking down at her daughter. But she continued away in her reading, not even noticing her mother above. Daella was the quite type, usually had her nose in a book and often studied the worlds histories. She reminded Lyanna of Aemond, for he was quite knowledgeable himself.

"Sister." Willam called from the steps. Lyanna looked up but the look she saw on his face was not one of good messages. Lyanna looked over at her children before walking up the steps to meet Willam. He seemed to be even taller now, his hair was still short but he was stronger now, braver.

"I have news from The North." He whispered taking his sisters hand. Things in The North seemed to be nothing but bad. The North has spent the last nine years hitting horrible winters that have brought damage onto each side of the war. It has made the entirety of The North suffer and under Theons ruling he has kept The North from surviving and spends the Stark fortune on taking care of himself and his men selfishly. They live raveshly in Winterfell while the rest of The Kingdom suffers.

This last Winter had been the only kindness that they were shown in years. It seemed the gods were now favoring Cregan and his men. They were able to make movements through out The Kingdom creating their own bases that would soon be able to charge Winterfell. Cregan and his men rested at Torrhens Square, an old castle who swore to the true Starks and not the userper Starks.

"Please tell me it is good news." Lyanna sighed watching her kids from the steps. She tried to not leave them out of her sight, though the dowager Queen Alicent still often steals them away. At least now Rhaenyra was Queen after her fathers passing just three years ago. It was still hard for the Starks though, Alicent still had so much power over them.

"The Queen means to send more men North, to support our brother. This could mean actual progress now." Willam whispered, holding back a grin. Lyanna chewed on her lip in thought, hope wasn't something she felt anymore but maybe this time. 

"What other news?" Lyanna asked him quietly. Willam sighed, looking out at the feild.

"Our cousins, Benjen and Rayric. They have made settlements between Torrhens Square and Winterfell, strong settlements. But that is what Rhaenyra is sending men for." Willam reminded his sister. Lyanna nodded and looked out at the field.

"Perhaps we could accompany these soldiers." Lyanna suggested, Willam was silent.

"Rhaenyra would not allow it." Willam said with a sigh.

"That was before she was sending an army north, now we have protection during travel and the children are getting older. I want us to go home, finally. This is our chance." Lyanna said with a desperate smile. Willam tilted his head and sighed, wanting to believe what she said could be true.

"I will speak to Rhaenyra, but no promises sister." He said kissing the top of her head protectively. Willam had grown into a strong young man who always protected his sister and her children.

In the North Cregan was preparing for an attack. Winter would be here again before they knew it and if it was to be as evil as the last they needed to act now to get back to Winterfell before winter came again. Cregan walked the halls of the castle the men were occupying. Torrhens square was a  strong castle. With stone walls thirty feet high and towers on each corner. They would be safe here for the time being. Cregan worried for the wellbeing of his family south.

He felt so alone these last few years. Sure, he had Cedric and Errick but they were not his siblings, not his blood. A Stark alone in the world is a sad thing, he was a wolf without his pack and that was a lonely life to live.

Cregan walked the outside of Torrhens square with his dire wolf, Beast. Dire wolves were simple pets to the Stark house. They were half the size of men and were trained to defend house Stark. Ember and Glory, Lyanna and Willams wolves rode to battle alongside the Northmen. The wolves were known to eat the enemies of King Cregans.

Days passed after Willam pleaded to Queen Rhaenyra to let them ride north with the men she was sending. After a time of arguing their safety she agreed to let them ride north. Willam and Lyanna knew they had to keep Cregan from knowing they were coming, for if he found out he would never allow it. So they kept it secret.

The journey was days in, Lyanna rode alongside her brother and her two children. She smiled softly breathing in the cool air. The more north they marched the more she felt like her old self again. A happier, stronger version of herself.

"I have not seen you smile in so long." Willam said happily next to his sister.

"I am just excited to be north again, in the air we were born to breath." She said looking over at Willam.

"Yes it will be good to be home, somewhat." Willam sighed, looking back out ahead.

"Perhaps we can aid the men in their war, winter is coming. I pray to the gods it is a kind one." Lyanna said trying to reassure her brother.

"When has the ice and cold ever been kind, dear sister." He said with a smirk. Lyanna shook her head at him. She thought to herself about the war they were marching into.

"The children are excited to see their father." Lyanna said, changing the conversation.

"If you could even call him that." Willam spat, annoyed at Aemond for never visiting.

"He writes to them often, you and I both know he cannot leave in the midst of all this. You should be thanking him for what he's done to help Cregan." She continued.

"His children need him too, I do not understand why you are so kind to him." Willam said becoming angry.

"Do not start this again, Will." Lyanna said, glaring at her brother, he smirked at her.

"I will not, but do not expect me to be kind to the man who abandoned his family." He said. Lyanna rolled her eyes.

"He did not abandon us, he had a war to fight." She added quickly. Willam couldn't help but disagree. He always found it unfair to Daella and Daeron that their father was never around. He knew what is was like to grow up without a parent, he didn't want it to be like that for his niece and nephew.

"Yes, a war we are currently loosing." Will sighed regrettably. Lyanna just watched his far away gaze. She just wanted to be with her family again in Winterfell. To feast together in the halls and sit under the weirwood tree again. Lyanna looked up at the two small dragons flying overhead, Daella and Daerons. She smiled, seeing them as a sign of hope for the future.