She Wolf • |Book 2|

• Chapter Fourteen •

"They were like sisters to me. For years I had believed that they were."

"They fought valiantly."

Rhaella turned toward Ser Alwin, "Mystic did. She protected me until the very end. Sia," Rhaella reached out a hand to touch the cold face of the younger twin, "Always the quietest, so gentle and kind. She should not have been here."

Alwin knelt beside her. "But she was, and she chose to defend you. She did what she felt she needed to do. As a result, you stand before me, as do many men, women, and children.We can mourn the dead or we can celebrate their victory."

"Do we know me to mourn long?" She asked, taking his hand as she stood up.

As his mouth parted in preparation for a response, another's voice sounded from behind.

"Your grace!" Came the voice. "She's been found!"

• • •

Fingers glided along white, stopping only to brush away clumps of mud dried and matted into her direwolf's coat. In her lap laid the beast's large head, eyes closed shut with her ears pinned back. She had been resting after a long night, and Rhaella believed she deserved it. 

A soft whimpering sound came from the direwolf's belly, waking the large beast herself. Rhaella retracted her hand just as Winter's head shot up, ears forward and alert.

Her black nose found the source of whimpering, a small silver pup had rolled from his siblings and could not find his way back. With the assistance of his concerned mother he was brought back.

"How is she?" Came his voice.

Rhaella lifted her gaze just in time to spy another direwolf trotting in, his right ear half gone and his coat stained red and brown. She stood up and moved away, stopping only to scratch the father direwolf's neck before coming to stand by Jon Snow's side.

"Tired," she replied. "I can only imagine what it's like to birth seven."

"I imagine it can not be easy," Jon said, peering at her. "I'm sorry."

She looked back at him, a small sad smile slowly forming. "Don't be, were I given the chance again, I would not do it differently."

He brought his hand up to her face and rested it gently along her cheek. She placed her own hand over his. Her lips curved, radiating a small bit of warmth as she relaxed into his hand.

With his other arm, Jon pulled Rhaella against his chest and held her close. "You're leaving me," she mumbled into his leathers. "How familiar this embrace is quickly becoming."

"I promised her we would march south."

She took a step back, but not far enough to pull away from his hold. "Take your men then," she said to him. "My men will stay where they are. They are wounded from one war. I will not send them into another when they are not fit to do so."

His hand dropped to his side, his face twisted into a look of remorse, "Sansa said something along those lines."

"Were she a man and not a woman, would you do the same? Would you have bent the knee so quickly?"

"Rhaella, that is not fair."

"Is it?" She asked, stepping away from their direwolves. "Jon, Sansa and I are being reasonable. Our people need time to heal and rebuild. How can anyone expect us to fight another war so soon after we just fought a war to save the realm. Had we lost, had it not have been for Arya, what throne would your queen sit upon? Not the Iron Throne. She would simply be another soldier for the Night King."

He stood where she left him, his expression quelled the fire boiling her blood. She let out a deep breath and stepped toward him.

"Do what you feel is right, Jon Snow," she said. "And I shall do what's right for my people. If they wish to fight beside you and your queen, I will not stop them."

Rhaella left it there. She turned away from Jon and left the kennels. Just outside stood Alwin, waiting patiently for her.

"Your grace," he greeted as he fell into step with her. "Are we riding south?"

"We will in time," she replied looking toward him. "But for now we remain in the North."

"Biding your time?" He stopped walking. Rhaella had to stop as well in order to hear him. He continued immediately upon seeing her expression. "Forgive me, but is that now what Cersei has done?"

"I'm not waiting to see which one will take the throne," she said. "I am waiting to see what she does to achieve it. And if my people are in danger of yet another tyrant."

•a.n•

To be completely honest, I actually want to rewrite this whole story. But I'm also not writing at the moment so that may just never happen 😂