Ella Snow and her twin brother are outsiders in the house of their father, Lord Eddard Stark. Ella has no one else in the world, except her brother Jon. Join Ella on her journey as she uncovers truths that could destroy her and those she loves.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Ella found herself doing things she never dreamed about in a thousand years. Raiding villages, watching as helpless people died, running rampant with wildlings. She did things she deemed necessary to survive. If Ned Stark could see his daughter now, siding with the wildlings, he'd wish his death.
One particular night, they entered the small village of Mole's Town. It was a village near Castle Black, and Ella planned to make her escape that night. The war between wildlings and the Night's Watch was drawing near, and Ella did not want to fight with the wildlings. Ella was exhausted from the fighting and the raiding. She longed to be at Castle Black, with Jon, and studying under Maestar Aemon. She longed to see Robb and Sansa once more. She just wanted peace in her world, and she was determined to find it.
The wildlings and Thenns entered the village, cloaked by the darkness of night. Ella stood at the rear of the group, watching as each member cut innocent people down. Watching as They raided homes and the keep at the end of the dirt road. Bodies of innocent people lined the streets as Ella slowly glided past. She saw no signs of life left in the village.
Tormund found Ella standing by an abandoned stable once the fighting was done. He looked over the girl. Her face was covered in anger, disgust, and sadness. Tormund furrowed his brows together, wondering why the girl was so upset. She was one of them now, and this was their way of life.
Tormund strolled to his crow friend, staring at her as she glanced up.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked. "Why did you not fight with us?"
The girl's strange eyes met his bright blue ones. Ella could see the anger flickering behind his concerned stare, but ignored it.
"You slaughtered innocent people," Ella stated. "You murdered mothers and fathers right in front of their children. You went into their homes and ripped their families apart. How can you live with yourself?"
"Aye, we did. That's what we do, " Tormund grunted. "But your crows have raided our villages as well. Hunting us down like dogs. Cutting is down like livestock. But you don't see us crying about it you pathetic little girl! I've lost friends and family to the crows. The Free Folk and the crows have been fighting for thousands of years. They're the ones who invaded our lands and put up that fucking thing to keep us out."
"And for good reason!" Ella shouted. "It's not right to kill innocent people, Tormund! And it's not right for the Night's Watch to kill your people, either. This fighting has to stop!"
"I won't answer to a little girl like you. Just because your father was a fancy Lord and all. I will not listen to the likes of you!" Tormund yelled. Anger overtook the wildling leader, causing him to raise his hand and strike Ella across the face.
Heat rose in Ella's face as the sting from Tormund's slap grew deeper in her skin. She touched the sore spot, tears welling in her eyes. His blue eyes instantly flooded with regret as he came to terms with what he did.
"Ella," Tormund whispered. She looked the man deeply in his eyes. The man who promised to protect her. The one who said she was family to him.
Rage coursed through Ella's veins. She had enough of feeling like the damsel in distress. She was always crying, looking weak in front of the wildling leader.
Ella puffed her chest out, and gathered any ounce of courage she had in her small frame. "Do not say my name," she hissed at Tormund. "I have put up with foolishness for my entire life, and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of watching the innocent die and not doing anything about it. And most importantly, I'm sick of the wildlings! You are all crude and loud and obnoxious. You have no decency whatsoever. You're just a bunch of savages! I was foolish to ever think you were more than just a wildling. But you aren't. You and I are from two completely different worlds, and we will never see eye to eye on things."
Ella lifted her leg and kicked Tormund in between the legs. The great man who towered over Ella crumpled to the ground, clutching his groin in pain. Ella turned on her heels and dashed towards the forest, hoping to reach Castle Black before the wildlings could catch her.
"Go, child! Run back to your coward brother!" He shouted as she disappeared into the darkness. "I won't protect ya when we reach Castle Black! When we take back our lands, my men will save you for last. They'll take turns having their way with ya until there's nothing left!"
Ella heard every threat and cuss word Tormund muttered as she disappeared into the darkness. Despite the pain and tightness swelling in her chest. Despite the emptiness she felt once she was out of Tormund's clutches. Despite her inner voice telling her not to leave the giant wildling, she was proud that she stood up for herself just this once. Even if that meant turning against someone she secretly liked and cared for.
