The Remnant of the Pack - Book 1 - GoT

Wolfclaw

Ylina had tried. Again and again she had tried to properly use her bow and arrow but, for some reason, she just couldn't do it. Sure, she could still hold it and place the arrow where it needed to be, but every time she pulled her arm back, her whole body started to shake and tears glossed over her eyes. The girl had always known both Theon and Robb were basically two of the most important parts of her life, but until now, she hadn't know the full extent of it.

Theon taught her how to use the bow. Every time she tried to shoot an arrow, she could still hear his voice in her head, telling her what to do or how to properly aim. But Robb had given her the weapon, spent months designing it to make it look exactly as he had imagined and making sure it had all the things he knew his sister liked.

While she had them both with her, shooting arrows was almost a second nature to her, but now, it almost looked like she was that seven-year-old girl again, still learning how to fight. Maybe it was because every time she thought of Theon, it hurt. Thinking about all the things they went through together only to have him do to her and her family what he had done, hurt more than anything she had ever experienced in her whole life and the fact that she knew that, deep down, she still felt something toward him that wasn't hatred or anger made it even worse, probably. Maybe, she couldn't shoot an arrow anymore because it reminded her too much of Theon and remembering Theon was the last thing she wanted to do these days. Or maybe, it had nothing to do with her ex-lover at all. Maybe she couldn't shoot an arrow because it reminded her too much of Robb and remembering him also wounded her deeply. Her older brother was away in a war for almost two years now and the last time they spoke, even through a letter, was a long time ago. Now, not even the King in the North's best ravens could find Ylina Stark even if they tried to. She was in the middle of a forest, heading North and, almost arriving at the Wall finally. She was far from Winterfell, trying to avoid villages and, especially, castles on her way up, so she couldn't travel through the roads. No one knew where she was because she was trying to stay hidden. But every time she passed close to one of her brother's bannermen, she considered stopping and writing Robb a letter. If anything, just to tell him she was alright with Bran and Rickon and that she missed him dearly.

She knew she couldn't, but knowing didn't make her feel any better about it.

Whichever the case was — if Ylina couldn't find it in her to use her bow because of Theon or Robb — she knew everyone had noticed. Bran had asked her about it, as had Meera and Osha. Even small Rickon had confronted her about that fact. Daria had started to act different around Ylina as well, more protective, almost as if she thought the girl had been needing some extra security these past few days. And perhaps she had.

After all, it wasn't just the fact that Ylina was having to deal with the fact that Robb and Theon were away all by herself. The closer they got the wall, the colder the weather was becoming. Thankfully, they hadn't had to deal with a snowstorm yet, but, at any moment, it could happen. And Embar, despite growing stronger every day, still was no more than a baby and he had come down with a fever not two nights ago. The boy who was once so calm and playful, was now constantly crying and screaming. Ylina tried her very best with him, but he hadn't allowed her a second to sleep, so she was tired and irritable. She had even snapped at Rickon a few minutes before and she didn't even remembered the reason for it.

She knew she was being a nuisance to her group, but she couldn't help it. She had just turned eighteen and she had to deal with far more than most people her age already. So, instead of arguing with her friends and brothers, she decided to do the only thing she had left to do: isolating herself from them.

And that was exactly what she was doing now. She wasn't too far from them, but she was far enough so that she could practice with her bow and arrow — or, at least, try to — with no one to bother her. Or so she thought.