Flayer

20.Ramsay

I woke up holding Edda Stark in my arms. She was still fast asleep, her blood hair splashing behind her as she rested her head against my chest. She was so beautiful while she slept. Such a beautiful thing has been sent to me by the Gods if there are any.

If there are no such things as Gods there would not be no such girl as Edda, I realized. How else could there be such a holy thing in an unholy world?

I heard a growl from the bottom of the bed. When I looked over her direwolf stood there, watching over us with huntress eyes. Lya growled at me softly to not wake her master up.

But in her sleep, Edda put her arm around me, and Lya backed away out of the room and down the staircase. Who knew a wolf could open doors?

Soon after Edda opened her stormy grey eyes. They fluttered until they got used to the light, having trouble focusing on my face at first.

"It's morning," I announced.

"I know," she yawned, making me do it as well. Rolling down the sleeves of her nightgown she shivered, "It's cold"

I snuggled closer to her, "Let me give you my warmth"

"But you're cold!" She giggled, touching my chest through my unbuttoned undershirt. "You always feel cold"

"Well, you're a Stark!" I raised my eyebrow at her, "You should be used to the cold"

She sighed, "Can we sleep in?"

I sighed, "No my little she wolf, I need to get up-"

"I want to sleep in,"

"Then by all means sleep in!"

"I want to sleep in with you," she almost whispered, looking up at me with adoring eyes. How could I say no?

"Fine," I almost spat, putting my arms around her waist, "But next time you will sleep in my chambers"

She pecked my lips, resting her head against my chest, listening to my heartbeat as her breath steadied and her eyes closed.

...

Edda and I proceeded to eat breakfast and go to the library together. She read me her favorite poems, sung me her favorite songs about knights and fair maidens.

With a small grin she took a moment to look at my face. To really look at it.

"What is it?" I chuckled.

Edda shook her head, "Nothing, it's just that I haven't been this happy since..."

She looked down at her feet, and so I finished the sentence for her "Since Eddard Stark rode for Kings Landing?"

She tapped on her book, looking around the half-burnt down library, poorly reconstructed. "Father used to carry me to bed after falling asleep listening to his stories in here."

I held her hand as she wiped away her tears. "Your siblings, do you know anything of them?"

She gave me a look. "...You-you need them out of your way, d-don't you?" She stuttered.

I shook my head, cupping her face "No, my love, I only ask what you know of them"

She hesitated, "Rickon, Bran Robb are with the Gods, I know for sure..."

A little relief left my body. There was no longer any male competition for Winterfell.

"My half brother Jon is in the Nights Watch," Edda continued.

"The bastard?"

"He's not a bastard," she furrowed her brow, "He was noble, and he was kind. Even if he wasn't the son of Catelyn he was my brother"

"Apologies, I did not know you were so close," I said, "And what of Sansa and Arya?"

"Arya I have not heard about since my father was beheaded," she confessed, looking down at a knife mark on the table, "I hope she's wandering around the forests raging hell," she laughed lightly, "Sansa is in Kings Landing last I heard, married to Tyrion Lannister. I met him, he was a good man. Even if he was only half a man"

I laughed at that. Before breaking the "good news" about Sansa to her I took a moment to say something important.

I took her hands in mine, licking my lips and clearing my throat. I had to think hard about what I was about to say before I said it. "I know you think your sisters have a better life than you."

Edda gave me a confused look which was obviously forced "Ramsay-"

"Please," I continued, "I know Winterfell doesn't look like home. I know you felt trapped and unsafe when you first came here and I know you still feel the same at times. But I want you to know that I know you think you're alone. And I know I can't change that. But I think that fate made us both realize that we are no coincidence. I... I love you, Edda Stark"

Her face was terrified. But not because she was afraid of me. She was afraid of my feelings. "You love me?"

"With all my heart" I grabbed her by the waist, "You enchant me. You make the snow feel warm. You make the night shine bright. You make my heart feel love as if it was the first time. You make your kisses feel as if they were my last. I love you, Edda Stark,"

She took a shaky breath "Ramsay..."

I clutched her wrists, pressing them against my chest. "Say you love me"

"I-I love you" She muttered.

"Say it again!" I yelled.

"I love you!" She shouted.

I squinted my eyes at her. And so she repeated herself.

"I love you"

"Truly?"

"Truly."

I let go of her wrists, reddened with passion. "You do as a wife would?"

"I love you as if you were my husband" she took my face into my hands. "Because you will be my husband, only you. If this man who I am to marry carries the name of Ramsay Bolton then I take this man"

My heart swelled, finally content with her answer, and so I finally gave the news to her "And how would you like it if Sansa Stark was the Ward to lead you to me on our wedding night?"

Her eyes widened, "You... You mean that-"

I smiled "Sansa has left Kings Landing and is now in the North. I know it is strange of a woman to give away a bride but if you want her to be the one I claim you from, then I will make that possible"

She started to cry "Thank you... Thank you!"

Edda kissed me, passionately. Ah, what a joy it was to please her. And what a greater joy it was to know she finally took to heart one of the first things I ever said to her:

As long as you listen to me and do as I say, I will make you the happiest lady in all of Westeros.