Thorn of Winterfell

Battle by the Lakeshore

I need to talk to Cregan. It was the only thought circling through her head. It kept stinging her over and over like a swarm of unhappy bees. She kept trying to swat the refrain away as she rode towards her party. You need to see your brother! There was chaos around her as the army began fortifying its position. Confusion and outrage was underlining the determined work. No one knew why they'd stopped and it looked like Daemon had abandoned them. She prayed to the gods that ser Dustin had everything in hand. As she approached the two men she heard them arguing.

"I should look again! I can see where he is!"

"We can't ride out any further. It's madness as it is! If three scouts ride out after Daemon, they'll lose it!"

"We don't have to ride out. No is paying any attention to us-"

Syana cut the lord off, outraged.

"My head is on the line for you Blackwood. You will go back and help control your men. Do not look again."

If he blew the entire operation by exposing himself, he wouldn't have to worry about the riverlords. She was going to kill him herself. His face was the picture of fury as he stared back at her. She was unmoved by it. She was so sweaty she was afraid her armor would slide off her back. Where was her brother? She couldn't help craning her neck back to look at the army every few seconds hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

"I'm trying to help us." He began again.

"And it won't matter if the entire army falls apart at the revelation! Enough people are going to die here. Don't divide us now."

"Keep your bloody sword up." He hissed as he rode past her back towards the camp.

She was beginning to hate that refrain.

"Don't worry about him." Robb said casually from beside her.

"Oh I am very worried. But we have work to do. I don't know where the rest of the scouts went, lost in that mess somewhere. So I guess we're it. Which side do you want?"

He laughed at her, actually laughed at a moment like this.

"You aren't scouting anything besides wolves right now. Go find your brother, my eyes are sharp enough for two."

"I'll send a scout if I find one, and I bloody well better find one." She shouted back at him already galloping away.

Syana rode hard, eyes looking for the familiar glint of her brother's armor. Her heart felt like it might give up at any moment. She was taking heaving gasps of air, trying to calm herself. Please let Prince Jacaerys be okay. Images of dragons locked in a death grip kept spiraling through her head. Where is Cregan?

"You!" She shouted at a familiar Frey bowman whose name she couldn't recall. "Join Robb at the front, we need scouts." She didn't know if he was half decent at scouting but he had a bow and that was close enough for her right now.

Around her men were making barriers and trying to consider where best to make their stand. She was relieved to see Benjicot in the middle of the men directing where to place items. His aunt was working with another group though she couldn't tell what they were working on. Where is my fucking brother? She screamed in her head. She spotted Forest Frey and Jon Charlton leading their own efforts. Okay that leaves Dustin, Grey, and Stark. Where are they?
She turned her horse around, striding back through the camp. She fined combined with her eyes, making sure no face escaped her. She found several more scouts and send them out. 'I'll see to his punishment myself, wolf.' The King consort's threat rang loudly through her mind like bells clanging against her stone foundation. It wasn't until she reached the furthest edge of camp that she spotted him. There against the water surrounded by a sea of wolves. Lord Dustin's yellow sigil was bright against the sea of white.
Syana slid from her saddle before her horse even slowed. She quickly strided over to him. He was in a deep conversation with Ser Rodrick about how to best utilize the stark forces. She waited as patiently as she could at his side. Her heart was finally beginning to calm and she could begin to assess their position. She had to put the dragons out of her head, they weren't her concern anymore. She felt like her skeleton was trying to claw its way out of her skin, standing there waiting. Which side would they attack from? She anxiously worried about them being surrounded.