Dark Wings, Dark Words

Riverlands

Ashanna had washed herself and her clothes in the trident while Cedric and Larson went hunting. She was bone dry by the time they returned. She combed the tangles from her dark hair with her fingers as the rabbits cooked over their fire.

That's when she heard the growling. Ashanna smiled to herself, that growl was too familiar to her.

Cedric's eyes locked on the moving shadows. He fumbled for the axe hidden under the furs in the cart. Ashanna watched him curiously.

"She won't like that." Ashanna called to him. The father and the son locked eyes with her.

"She?!" Cedric asked incredulously. Ashanna nodded in amusement.

"Winter." Ashanna beamed. The direwolf dashed out of the bushes followed by her adopted siblings, planting herself between Ashanna and her companions.
Her wolves took a fighting stance as they watched Cedric and Larson carefully. Ashanna released a light hearted laugh as she rubbed Winter's fur.

"They're never too far behind." She said softly.

"Would you mind telling them that we mean no harm to them or you?" Larson asked as he watched the wolves cautiously. Ashanna nodded and stroked her wolves' fur gently, reassuring them that they were all safe.

Her wolves lay around her, sleeping quietly. Winter would open her eyes every now and then to ensure Ashanna and her adoptive siblings were ok before falling back asleep.

Ashanna ate her now cooked rabbit as she gazed over her sleeping wolves.

"Where did you get a direwolf?" Cedric asked curiously.

"They were orphaned as pups. We begged our lord father to grant us permission to keep them and he did." Ashanna explained.

"They? You mean there's more than one?" Larson asked. Ashanna nodded as she swallowed her food.

"Seven in total, the others went to my siblings. One went missing... near these woods. Another was killed by order of the king. And the rest live.. as far as I know."

"I've never heard of a direwolf being south of the wall before." Larson wondered.

"Neither had we." Ashanna replied shortly.

"I understand these times are horrifying for you, milady. But know that you are not alone. Not anymore." Larson said warmly. Ashanna smiled at him.

"You won't be alone again, we'll make sure of it." Cedric promised.

"I appreciate everything you've done for me. But You have no duty to me. You're risking your own lives to aid me." Ashanna said carefully. Larson and Cedric glanced at each other.

"You remind us of someone.. of 2 people actually." Larson said quietly. The atmosphere turned quickly as Ashanna noted the tears pooling in the father and son's eyes.

"Tywin Lannister sent the Mountain to the Riverlands in the hope to provoke the Tully's into war. That beast went from village to village destroying everything in his path." Cedric said sorrowfully.

"We were on the outskirts of Fairmarket when we saw the fires. We tried to get there as quickly as we could but... by the time we got there.. a lot of our people were already dead." Larson said mournfully. Ashanna could see the pain in his eyes.

In his mind he was there.
He was watching everyone he knew die.

"Ma and Mila were trying to hide the children and some of the younger woman, elderly... anyone they could get their hands on. It didn't take the Mountain's men long to notice that we were up to something, fighting, helping people... so he decided to teach me and Da a lesson." Cedric said as he blankly stared into the flames of their fire.

"They took the four of us into the inn. And held me and Cedric down as that Beast.. attacked my little girl." Larson choked.

"He said he wanted to break her spirit so when he was done with her.. he gave her over to his men. The killed Ma.. stabbed her right in the heart.. they said her screaming was bothering them... they laughed." Cedric continued.

"They left Mila alive barely.. We brought her to    a well known healer in the area.. we had to leave shortly after burying my wife... we had to find a way of earning more to pay the healer. So we've been traveling all round the damned country buying and selling.. The worst part is we don't know if Mila is alive." Larson said as he buried his face in his hands. Cedric placed a hand on his father's shoulder comfortingly.

Ashanna's heart broke for them.

"Now you see why we want to help you? After everything those Lannister's did to you, you keep going, you keep fighting. That's something ma and Mila would do.
Your Lord father sent a group of men to kill the mountain for what he did in the Riverlands. For what that thing did to my mother and sister.
Eddard Stark faced the wrath of Tywin Lannister for that. And he did it because he was a good man. The only man that deserved to sit on the Iron Throne.
Your grandfather is on his deathbed but he's still sending his men to fight our battles and protect us. Your brother is fighting Lannister forces out of the Riverlands because he's a good man.
And as far as we can tell.. you're a good person too. A person who doesn't deserve what has happened to her or her family." Cedric said as he took Ashanna's hand in his other hand before continuing.

"No more suffering, Ashanna. We'll fight and we'll fight beside you."