Warrior Princess | Game of Thrones

thirty-one

The road to Winterfell felt longer than the first. After being beyond the wall for a few days the cold here feels like nothing.

People are on the sides watching us ride into Winterfell.

First is the Unsullied. They are followed by Daenerys and Jon. 

I ride on my horse next to Gendry. 

In the crowd I see Arya. She has definitely grown up since the last time I saw here. 

The dragons fly above. They start to roar and screech scaring the northerns. 

Some scream and others run away.

As I get off my horse and stand next to Daenerys, I can't help but remember the first time we were here. 

Things were so much simpler then.

I spot Pod across from me and I flash a quick smile at him. He does the same. 

After Sansa hugs Jon she sees me next to Daenerys. Her face lights up when she sees me.

Daenerys walks up to Sansa.

"Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen," Jon says, "My sister, Sansa Stark, the Lady of Winterfell."

"Thank you for inviting us into your home, Lady Stark," Daenerys says, "The North is as beautiful as your brother claimed, as are you."

"Winterfell is yours, Your Grace."

"We don't have time for all this," Bran says who has also grown up a lot, "The Night King has your dragons. He's one of them now. The Wall has fallen, the dead march south."

Everyone goes there separate ways.

I walk up to Sansa, "Lady Sansa."

"Lady Scarlett."

We walk towards each other meeting in the middle for a hug.

"It's good to see you."

"You too."

*

"As soon as we heard about the Wall. I called all our banners to retreat to Winterfell," Sansa says, "Lord Umber," a little boy pops his head out, "When can we expect your people to arrive?"

Sansa, Bran, Jon, Tyrion, and I sit at the head table looking over the lords and ladies. Daenerys is standing behind us.

The little boy stands up and walks forward, "We need more horses and wagons if it please my lady. And my lord. And my queen. Sorry."

"You'll have as many as we can spare. Hurry back to Last Hearth and bring your people here." 

He bows before leaving the room quickly.

"We need to send ravens to the Night's watch as well," Jon says. Daenerys finally sits down next to me. "There's no sense is manning the castles anymore. We make our stand here."

"As once, your grace," says a man before he leaves to go send the raven. 

"'Your Grace'," says who I believe is Lyanna Mormont. She stands up and walks to the middle, "But you're not. Are you? You left Winterfell a king and came back a...I'm not sure what you are now. A lord? Nothing at all?"

"It's not important," Jon says.

"Not important? We named you King in the North."

The crowd shows that they agree with Lyanna. 

"You did, my lady. It was the honor of my life. I'll always be grateful for your faith. But when I left Winterfell, I told you we need allies or we will die," Lyanna sits back down, "I have brought those allies home to fight alongside us. I had a choice, keep my crown or protect the North. I chose the North," the crowd starts to talk to one another.

Tyrion gets out of his chair and stands in front of the table, "If anyone survived the war to come, we'll have Jon Snow to thank. He and my niece risked his life to show us the threat is real. Thanks to their courage, we have brought with us the greatest army the world has ever seen. We have brought two full-grown dragons. And soon, the Lannister army will ride north to join our cause." The crowd does not like that the Lannister army is coming. "I know, I know, our people haven't been friends in the past. But we must fight together now...or die."

"May I ask," Sansa says, "How are we meant to feed the greatest army the world has ever seen? While I ensure our stores would lat through winter,  I didn't account for Dothraki, Unsullied, and two full-grown dragons. What do dragons eat, anyway?"

"Whatever they want," Daenerys says.

*

Winterfell is busy. Some run around preparing for winter. Others prepare for the Great War. I can feel peoples eyes on me as Pod and I walk around. I can feel their stares and dirty looks no matter how hard I try to ignore them. 

Pod and I walk up the Gendry at the blacksmith booth. He greets me with a smile.

"Gendry this is Podrick my...beau?" Pod shrugs his shoulders like he doesn't know either. "And Pod this is Gendry...my brother."

"You're what?" Pod says confused, "I thought Joffrey..."

"So did I."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Gendry."

"You too, Podrick," Gendry says with a smile still on his face.

"From what I've heard you're a pretty damn good blacksmith," I say, "I fought these wights before and from what I saw an ax is the best weapon to use. So do you think you could make me an ax out of dragonglass."

"Of course, I'll get right on it."

"Thank you."

Pod and I walk towards the castle to get away from the cold.

"You know," Pod says, "You two kind of look alike."

*

I watch as Gendry makes my ax. 

I turn around to see a man arrive on a black horse. He takes off his hood running his across his face taking in the cold weather.

It's Jaime. 

The first thing he see's is me.

I run up to him wrapping my arms around his neck.

After a few moments, we let go, "She's not sending the army is she?" I say. He nods his head no, "But you came."

"I told you I'd always come back to you didn't I?"

Jaime expression suddenly changes from happy to scared. I turn around to see what he's staring at.

It's Bran.