Thorn of Winterfell

Reality Check

{this battle is not cannon. Source is I made it up.}

They did not stay at Raventree for long. They left at dawn and began the trek to Harrenhal. This road was not as easily traversed. They could either cross the river through Riverrun or through near the inn near the river further east. They'd been up half the night debating which way to go.

"Lord Grover Tully wishes to declare for the pretender." Said Dustin who looked more awake than anyone else in the room. He was also the oldest, making him often the sole voice of reason against hotter heads.

"But Ser Elmo has said to hell with him and declared for the queen." Alysanne Blackwood had replied.

"A tense situation to march into the middle of." Her brother said.

"Maybe it's better we cross at the River Inn." Benjicot piped in. "House Darry has declared for the queen."

Mutters went through the room. Syana let her eyes rove over the room, taking in the various expressions on the lord's faces. She agreed with the lord.

"I agree. It puts us crossing closer to Harrenhal and we avoid Stone Hedge. It's likely Acorn hall has already marched on the castle anyway, given their close proximity."

The lord's green eyes met hers from his spot across the hall and she stifled the urge to roll hers. Men hear a pretty girl say something useful and they fall dumb.

"Let's bloody do that then. Gods I need sleep." Red Rob declared banging his fist against the table and departing.

The night had passed long and slow for Syana as she got even less sleep. Her dreams were fitful and after waking for the third time she'd given up and went to the yard. The Lord of Raventree was up as well, practicing his sword fighting. She just watched him from the edge of the yard. When he hasn't senselessly bashing heads in, he was actually quite graceful. His movements flowed smoothly together and it was nearly hypnotic to see.

"Care to join me, my lady? Or are you just enjoying the show?"

She pushed off the wall she'd been leaning against and walked towards him.

"You should save your strength for the ride. You never know who we'll encounter on the road."

As she drew closer she noticed he was dripping with sweat and she wondered how long he'd been out here.

"Knocking you off your feet won't ruin me for the ride, my lady."

She scoffed, hand gripping her hilt. "You know adding 'my lady' after an insult doesn't make it proper, right?"

"It wasn't an insult, just a statement of fact." He was standing tall over her but Syana didn't move an inch, unimpressed. Then he'd stepped back and gave her a smile. "My apologies, you've caught me in a bad position. But then if you want to ride off with men to war, best be prepared to hear worse."

Syana turned on her heel, tossing her hair over her shoulder, while she walked away. "Don't worry about me, Lord Blackwood."

Faster than he could blink, she'd pulled her bow off of her back, drawn an arrow and let it sail. It landed so close to his feet, he jumped back. She hadn't lingered to see his reaction.
***
Traversing along the RedFork was simple enough, the riverlanders were intimately familiar with the land and had no trouble navigating them through the tall grass and sprawling hills. It would be beautiful land, Syana thought, if the air weren't so oppressively heavy. The northmen were all starting to resemble panting wolves in the hot air. Which the riverlanders made constant japes about.

"Better we be panting wolves than fish sucking wet air." She'd told her brother after his face showed his weariness over the men who didn't value quiet.