Chapter 15: Two Hearts That Beat As One Flayed Wolf

Sansa

It was the day of her wedding, and her heart was fluttering with excitement. Sansa knew that what she felt for Jon was so much more than what she had felt for Joffrey, was more than she could feel for anyone else who was not Jon. When he arrived in the courtyard of Riverrun on his dragon- our dragon now, Jon said- Sansa had been walking through the halls, and had seen him land. He had looked every inch a king and a warrior, and she had been unable to keep herself from walking calmly out to him like a proper lady would, instead she had all but run to him and flung herself into his arms, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. She blushed to think of it now, but he had kissed her back as well, and then he had gotten down on one knee and asked her to marry him, and Sansa had thought her heart would just explode with love for Jon, her King and her knight.

Now after days of preparation in which Sansa had sewed and then re-sewed her wedding cloak, she was finally getting married to the man she loved. For Jon was truly a man, he had a weary look to his face and a beard that made him look like her father, but whenever he saw her, his face seemed to light up and he smiled at her and his actions made her feel like she was the only girl in the world. Yes she thought as she brushed her hair in front of her vanity, she dearly loved Jon. As she was brushing her hair, there was a knock on her door and as she called for whoever it was to come in, she found herself looking at her mother through the vanity. Her mother looked beautiful in Stark Grey her auburn hair done up in a simple braid. She smiled at Sansa and said "You look very beautiful today Sansa, Jon certainly is a very lucky man."

Sansa smiled at her mother and spoke "You look very lovely as well mother."

Lady Catelyn smiled and then took the brush from Sansa's hands and began to brush her daughter's hair, whilst Sansa leaned back and hummed contentedly. Lady Catelyn spoke again. "How are you feeling sweetling?"

Sansa took a moment to think about just how she was feeling, before she spoke."Excited mother, and a bit nervous."

Lady Catelyn smiled at her daughter and then said "That's good. I know that Jon will treat you with the utmost care, I am very happy for you Sansa, and for Jon."

Sansa smiled at her mother. Once her mother had finished brushing her hair, she helped her put it up into a simple braid, and then helped her into her wedding dress. It was a simple dress of grey and blue, and with her bride's cloak of Stark Grey on Sansa felt like she was floating. Indeed when Robb came to her room to escort her to Riverrun's godswood, Sansa felt like she was gliding on air. As she walked through the halls of Riverrun all those she passed bowed their heads to her and murmured "Your Grace" to her and it took her a minute to remember that after today she would be a Queen, Jon's Queen.

She and Robb entered the Godswood, where her family and all the Lords who were in Riverrun still were gathered as she walked down toward the Heart Tree, she saw Arya looking rather resplendent in a grey dress, and how their mother had convinced her to wear it still remained a mystery to Sansa. Though as they got nearer to the heart tree, there was only one person Sansa had eyes for. Jon looked like something from the songs and stories she had so loved as a child. He looked like more than a king; he looked like a god in his black tunic and black breeches a red and black Targaryen cloak draped around his shoulders.

As Robb left her to stand beside Jon in front of the heart tree, Jon took her hands in his and smiled at her. She smiled back, and then Septon Chylde the Septon at Riverrun stood before them, and began to speak about the importance of marriage and about them remaining faithful to each other during the long years of their marriage, but Sansa was only half paying attention, she was too busy looking at Jon's mouth, the way his lips seemed to part as he began to recite his vows to her, and all she could think of was kissing those lips, kissing them until they were both breathless, and she almost turned red with pleasure at the thought. She was on auto pilot as she said her vows, promising in front of the old gods and the new to remain faithful to Jon for all her days, but when it came to the final part of the ceremony she focussed. Robb moved forward and removed her stark cloak and for a minute she was without a house, and then Jon with strong and sure hands wrapped her in a red and black Targaryen cloak and brought her under his protection. Then he brought himself closer to her and they kissed, and over the pounding of her heart she heard the cheering of the assembled people in the godswood.

Their wedding feast was held in the great hall of Riverrun, and there were many singers and revellers to entertain the guests. Jon fed her all the choice pieces of meat from his plate and they danced and danced, even though Jon was not that good of a dancer, she still delighted of the feeling of being in his arms. He felt so strong and reassuring and after the things she had been through in King's Landing she felt safe in his presence. Soon though the peacefulness of meal was disrupted when someone, she knew not who but assumed it was a northerner shouted loudly "Let's bed them!" Soon the whole hall was shouting for her and Jon to be bedded, and she soon found herself being lifted up into the air by most of the lords whilst Jon was lifted up by many of the ladies in attendance. The men began to tear her gown of off her, and shouted lewd jests to her and about her, and when she was finally deposited into Jon's- their- room she was only in her small clothes. She moved to the bed and sat down on one side, as the door opened once more and Jon was deposited into the room in only his small clothes. He muttered something under his breath and then locked the door, before he turned to her.

"Are you well my lady? I hope they did not do anything unseemly to you?" Jon asked.

Sansa smiled at him and said "Nothing that I was not expecting Your Grace."

Jon grimaced and said "Please Sansa lets not use titles here. With you, I'm just Jon."

Sansa nodded then and said "Well then Jon, I believe we do have something to do, do we not?" She blushed at her boldness, though Jon chuckled.

"I suppose we do."

He moved to her side of the bed and bent down so that their foreheads were touching and then he tentatively brushed his lips against hers, Sansa sighed in contentment, and Jon it seemed took that as encouragement for he began kissing her again and this time Sansa kissed him back and soon they were both moaning into each other's mouths. Their tongues wrapped around each other, and they fell down onto the bed, and Sansa straddled Jon, and rocking her hips against him so fervently that Jon had to deepen the kiss so as not to moan out too loudly. Sansa then set about undoing Jon's shirt as he went about undoing her small clothes, and soon they were both stark naked, on the bed. She could feel Jon's arousal pushing against her stomach, and curious Sansa moved her hand down and grabbed onto it eliciting a groan from Jon. She tentatively moved her hand up and down on his arousal, and Jon began murmuring all kinds of words into the hollow of her neck. Sansa could feel herself growing wet for Jon, and it seemed Jon could feel it as well for soon he was lifting her up and moving himself between her thighs, kissing her in between her legs with his tongue, and oh gods it felt so good. She moaned aloud, and soon Jon was kissing her nub. "Oh gods Jon, that feels so good." Sansa moaned.

Jon increased the pace of his kissing and licking until Sansa felt her release hit her hard, but that didn't stop Jon he kept going until she came again for a second time, she was shivering above him when Jon made to kiss her again. Sansa said "No wait. I, I want you to feel pleasure as well." She blushed then at her words but Jon merely groaned with arousal, and soon Sansa found herself lowering herself onto him and then she began to move up and down on Jon's manhood, as he groaned and bucked his hips up to help her, they found a rhythm and began to move in time with one another, in such a way that soon both of them came at the same time. Sansa felt Jon's seed spill inside of her and then as she removed herself from him she lay her head down on his chest.

Jon began playing with a strand of her hair as she listened to his heart beat, Sansa began to feel herself drifting off to sleep but before she did, Jon spoke his voice thick with emotion. "I have missed you Sansa. I missed you so much when you were in King's Landing, I saw the scars on your back sweetling and I promise you I'll make Joffrey pay for what he did to you."

Sansa merely hummed in contentment so long as she was with Jon she would feel safe. Jon went on "When we marched for war to free father and you and Arya, I was scared. I was so scared that I'd lose you. I don't ever want to lose you Sansa, never." He leant down and kissed the top of her head.

Sansa sleepily said. "You won't ever lose me Jon. I am yours, and you are mine. Till the end of time. We are two hearts that beat as one."

And after that they spoke no more, Sansa allowed the sound of Jon's steady heartbeat to lull her to sleep whilst he played with her hair.

Catelyn

It had been a few days since Jon and Sansa's wedding and the two of them were neigh on inseparable. True enough Jon still did his kingly duties, but as of late he had seemed more distracted. Catelyn understood well enough, Sansa seemed to be glowing since her marriage to Jon and always seemed to be thinking of him whenever they were not together. Surprisingly the northern, river and the Reacher lords had not begun to grumble about their king's apparent distraction, Robb had joked the other day when she had mentioned this that they were all likely too scared to say anything lest Serrax, Jon's big dragon burn or eat them. Catelyn did have to admit looking at the dragon from her father's balcony that there might be some truth to that. Serrax had been a tiny creature the last time she had seen him no bigger than Ghost or Greywind had been as a puppy, and yet now he was so big whenever he flew or moved he blocked the sun and could swallow four aurochs whole. He also had a ferocious appetite and as if having so many armies had not been enough to deplete Riverrun's stores for the upcoming winter, Serrax and the amount he ate was sure to be enough. It was said that dragons continued to grow for the duration of their life, and could live to be as old as two hundred. Catelyn shuddered to think how big Serrax would be if he lived to be that old. According to Maester Vyman, Serrax was almost as big if not bigger than Balerion the Black Dread had been when Aegon's Conquest had ended.

Catelyn's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock on the door, calling for whoever it was to entered she found herself looking at Ser Perwyn Frey, now a knight of the Kingsguard, he looked like a true warrior in his white Kingsguard armour. "My lady, His Grace King Jon requests your presence in the Lord's Solar. Catelyn nodded and moved to follow Ser Perwyn. She knew why she had been summoned; Jon had written Lord Walder and asked him that Arya's betrothal to Elmar Frey be declared null and void. Instead her brother Edmure would marry one of Lord Walder's daughters alongside Robb. Lothar Frey had arrived with one of his brothers to discuss the terms of the new marriage agreement and to get Jon's seal of approval.

Catelyn knew that her brother did not want nor wish to marry one of Lord Walder's daughters, though at the look Jon, Robb and her uncle the blackfish had given him he had acquiesced. Though he had sulked for a few days afterwards, Arya herself had been beyond happy that she would no longer need to be civil towards Elmar Frey, and had confided in Catelyn that night that Elmar was a strange boy with a strange manner about him and he seemed almost as cruel as Joffrey. Arya had also confided in her that she had heard some of the Bolton men whispering about Ramsay Snow, and something to do with Winterfell though what it was Arya had not been able to hear. Catelyn had chastise Arya for eavesdropping and assured her that it was nothing for her to worry about, though internally when Arya had told her what she had heard all she could here was her uncle Ser Brynden saying "I like it not Little Cat," she tried to put all thoughts of Lord Bolton aside as she entered her Lord Father's solar and sat down.

She looked around the room, seated across from her was Lothar Frey. Next to her sat Jon looking as regal as she had ever seen him in Targaryen red and black, Robb, Edmure and her uncle Ser Brynden. Ghost and Greywind were sat by her feet. Ser Perwyn took up a position behind Jon and stood next to Ser Barristan, the Lord Commander of Jon's Kingsguard. Jon was the first to speak after a few minutes of silence. "Now that Lady Catelyn has joined us, we may begin speaking of Lord Edmure and Lord Robb's upcoming nuptials."

Catelyn heard Edmure visibly swallow beside her as Lothar Frey spoke. "Thank you Your Grace. My father would be most happy to welcome Lord Edmure into the family along with Lord Stark. As Lord Stark was the one who the agreement was originally made for he shall be able to have his pick of my sisters or nieces. My Lord Father however requests that he be the one who chooses Lord Edmure's bride. For he has long dreamed of the day that House Tully and House Frey would be united through marriage, and it would gladden his old heart to be able to choose a suitable bride for Lord Edmure."

Catelyn felt Edmure bristle beside her but thankfully he said not a word. She turned her head to look at Jon, he seemed to be deep in thought, she saw him look at Robb out the corner of his eye, it was a look Catelyn had seen Robb and Jon use many a time when they were younger when they would communicate between themselves without words. She saw Robb give a subtle nod, and then Jon spoke. " I find these terms agreeable. Tell Lord Walder that we shall be in the Twins for Lord Stark and Lord Tully's wedding in a week's time. He shall expect us then."

Then all of them stood up and Lothar Frey said "Thank you for accepting this Your Grace. I shall send word to my Lord Father, and will see you at the Twins for the double wedding."

Jon nodded and then said "If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

Lothar Frey voiced his thanks then hobbled back to his room in the keep. Once he had gone and the doors were firmly shut, Jon sat down again and motioned for everyone else to do the same. There was silence for a moment before he said "I like those terms not. Why should Lord Walder get to pick Edmure's bride and not Robb's?"

Catelyn was about to respond when Ser Perwyn spoke. "Because Your Grace, my lord father is a prickly man and has been waiting for years to marry into House Tully. I would caution Lord Edmure to be wary of the women my Lord father presents you when you arrive at the Twins and to choose wisely."

After he had finished speaking Ser Perwyn moved back to stand against the wall and was silent once more. The room itself was silent for a moment before Maester Vyman entered apologising for the interruption but handing Jon a letter. Before she could ask what was in the letter or who it was from Jon had finished reading the letter and had passed it onto Robb an unreadable expression on his face. Catelyn turned to look at Robb and saw him put the letter down and put his head in his hands. Catelyn felt the nerves beginning to build up in her stomach, and hesitantly she asked "What's wrong? What is in the letter?" When neither Jon nor Robb answered her, she snatched the letter from where Robb had left it on the table and read it. As she read the letter written in uneat and scratchy handwriting she felt her heart plummet. She had known that the Ironborn had taken Moat Cailin and Deepwood Motte, she had known that they were marching on Winterfell but she had never expected it to fall to them. She had known that Ser Rodrik had taken back Moat Cailin and had been marching back to lift the siege on Winterfell, but she had never expected him to lose after killing Balon Greyjoy. But there it was written clear as day in Ramsay Snow's writing, he had come with 300 men from the Dreadfort to answer Ser Rodrik's call only to find the old knight dead with an arrow through his chest, and Winterfell burning, Ramsay Snow wrote of how he had led his men through the open gate and how they had killed the Ironborn that had been in the castle. But they had been too late to save the her boys, her little babes. For after the battle Ramsay Snow had questioned two of the Ironborn captives he had taken and they had told him how they had been ordered by a superior to kill Bran and Rickon and to mount their heads on spikes on the walls of Winterfell. Ramsay Snow wrote that when he had looked at the heads on the wall they had been tarred but they were undoubtedly her two young babes. Catelyn read the letter again and again willing the words to go away and for it to be a lie, but every time she read the letter again, just made it seem more real. Her little babes were dead; she would never see them again. They would be forever burned in her memory as the little children they were.

She flung the letter onto the table and felt the tears trail down her face and through tear filled eyes saw Robb raise his head and look at her, his own eyes were tear stained, she looked at Jon and saw him staring blankly into the table. Edmure and Brynden picked up the letter and read it and then when they were finished looked at her. Edmure said "Oh Cat."

But Catelyn got up she did not want his condolences now, when she would never get to see Bran laugh or hear Rickon beg for just one more song. She turned to look at Jon and though she knew she must sound crazed she asked him "What do you plan to do about this Your Grace."

Jon looked at her his eyes filled with steel and he said in a voice that would later make Catelyn shiver. "I will bring them Fire and Blood. That is what I shall do."

Bran

They kept moving through rain and wind they kept moving. More to put distance between themselves and Winterfell than for any particular reason. Bran had been sitting in his lord father's solar when he had heard the horns being blown. Maester Luwin had come and brought Rickon and Shaggydog, and told Bran that that was Ser Rodrik and the northmen he had managed to gather fighting the Ironborn. At certain points during the battle Bran had fallen asleep and had dreamed that he was a crow watching the battle from a tree up high, and he had watched as the northmen had destroyed the Ironborn host near the East Gate, he had been unable to see how Ser Rodrik had been doing until the three eyed crow and come to tell him that the Kraken King was dead and that he must go and hide now.

Bran had awoken drenched in sweat, to find Meera, Jojen, Osha and Hodor in the room. He had panicked when he had not seen Maester Luwin with them, but Meera had told him that they had to go and hide now for bad people were about to enter Winterfell. And sure enough as they made their way to the crypts they had heard the sound of battle coming from the courtyard in Winterfell, and Bran had spied the Flayed Man of Bolton on everyone of the soldiers in the courtyard and he had seen as they had killed every single person in the courtyard and had set many parts of Winterfell on fire.

Bran had not understood what was happening, nor had Rickon. But Bran being the elder had had to reassure Rickon that all would be well. Though he highly doubted that considering that they had no arms nor means to defend themselves other than Summer and Shaggydog should someone take it into their heads to go look for them. It had only been once they had reached the crypts that Osha had finally explained what was happening. It turned out that Ser Rodrik had killed Balon Greyjoy, Theon's father and that he had been about to march into Winterfell when the Bastard of Bolton had appeared with men from the Dreadfort. They had killed most Ser Rodrik's men and had taken Ser Rodrik captive. They had then entered the gates of Winterfell and had immediately gone and put the castle to the sword. Osha said she knew all of this because she had been working in the kitchens when it had happened. Maester Luwin had come and told her to go and find him and Rickon and hide them in the crypts.

As it turned out someone had tried to enter into the crypts three days after the Sack of Winterfell, but because Osha had barred the entrance way they had been unable to enter, and so had given up. They had spent what felt like an age in the crypts whilst Osha had taken a hidden passageway from the crypts to the kitchens to get them food and some supplies. Each time she came back Bran asked her for news of what had befallen his home, and each time she would report that Bolton's Bastard was merely prowling around torturing the people he had captured. That had been until she had come back one day and told them that they needed to leave. Apparently Bolton's Bastard or one of his men had seen Osha in the kitchens and had made to grab her, but she had fled before he could do so much as touch her, and so they had walked deep into the crypts passed the ancient tombs of the Kings of Winter, taking two swords with them, and as they had reached the tomb of Brandon the Builder, Summer had found a secret passageway with his nose that led them straight into the godswood.

Bran had not known whether to be happy or sad that whilst most of Winterfell had been ruined by the Bastard of Bolton, the godswood had remained untouched. They had walked amongst the Weirwood trees and had found Maester Luwin lying next to the heart tree bleeding from a wound to his chest. Bran had watched helplessly as Maester Luwin looked upon him and Rickon and smiled and then told them that they had to brave, for their mother and for Robb and Jon. They had to be brave, and they had to separate. Once Maester Luwin had been laid to rest, Bran had discussed with Osha very quickly where to go. She had said that she would go with Rickon to Last Hearth, whilst Jojen had insisted that Bran go north beyond the wall. Bran had reluctantly agreed to go and had said a tearful goodbye to Rickon who had not truly understood why he was leaving or why Bran was not coming with him. As he had watched Rickon and Osha get further and further away Bran had vowed to himself that this would not be the last time that he would see Rickon or Winterfell, he had vowed as the sun had set that first night that he would return and then Bolton's Bastard would pay. For he was a Stark, and Winter was coming.

Theon

Oh it felt good to be able to move again. He had been immobile for so long and unable to move and not permitted to move at the Crag that he had begun to despair that he would ever be free to walk again, to fuck a whore again. But of course when news reached the Crag of the fall of Casterly Rock and Jon's arrival there on dragon back, Theon had pushed himself up from his sickbed, had taken a deep swig of wine and had made his way to the stables and had gotten on the first horse he could find and had ridden hard for Riverrun.

The journey had been punishing and more than once he had had to stop to catch his breath and rest before his wounds opened up anew. He had been near the Tumblestone river when Jeyne Westerling had come riding up beside him and had begged him to take her with him to Riverrun. Theon had initially been reluctant to take her with him, travelling with a woman was never a good idea, but especially during war time, who knew what sort of trouble could find him simply because he was riding with a daughter of a Lord. But of course Jeyne would not take no for an answer and so Theon had relented and allowed her to come with him, and he found now that he did not much regret the decision. True she could be quite annoying when she complained of her blisters and hurts after a hard day's ride, but she was also very sweet and charming, and was a good laugh besides. He could now see why Robb had been so infatuated with her when he had been at the Crag.

Robb, Theon suspected though he never said anything was the reason why Jeyne had followed him when he had left the Crag. Then suspected that little Jeyne Westerling thought herself in love with Robb Stark. Oh how he pitied her and laughed at Robb's charm, the fool had obviously been using Theon's tips on how to pick up women better than Theon had thought and now it was like to get him in all sorts of hot water. For Theon knew and had told Jeyne on countless occasions during their trip to Riverrun that Robb was betrothed to a Frey of the Crossing and being a Stark would not likely marry her, unless he had done something that honour demanded he marry her for. Jeyne had gone very red at that and said that Robb needed no honour bound reason to marry her other than because he loved her, and she felt that he would be happier with her than with some Frey girl whom he had never met before. Theon had had to laugh at that oh how naive was Jeyne, even if Robb wished to marry her- which he highly doubted- he would never be able to. Lady Catelyn or Jon, or his own damned sense of honour would prevent him from doing so, and Jeyne would be left heartbroken and a long way from home. In fact Theon was surprised that her mother or uncle had not sent out riders to look for her, though when he asked her about that she had made a non committal noise and said something along the lines of them having bent the knee to Torrhen Karstark and recognised him as Lord of The Rock and Jon as their king, so they were not likely looking for her. That had surprised him, Torrhen Karstark Lord of the Rock and now one of the richest men in the kingdoms and married to a Lannister besides. Theon wondered how Jon had managed to get Lord Rickard no matter Torrhen to agree to such a thing considering the bone deep hatred Lord Rickard now bore the Lannisters for the death of his son Eddard. But then he thought if Jon had a dragon and had just taken the rock and was offering its riches to you, you would have to be a complete and utter idiot not to accept, and Lord Rickard was not idiot, no he was not.

The imposing walls of Riverrun came into view and Theon felt his heart give a sort of painful clench, he wondered if he would still be welcome there or if Jon would have to take his head considering that his uncle and sister had invaded the north. The last he had heard from the Crag had been that his father had laid siege to Winterfell, but he had discounted that instantly, his father was not so mad as to invade Winterfell itself, it was so far from the sea as it was. The minute he brought his and Jeyne's horse to a stop he thought something was wrong, terribly wrong. The gates were barred shut, there was no sign of the tents that Theon had suspected to see upon hearing news of Lord Tarly and Lord Yronwood allying themselves with Jon, it was as if everything had all disappeared, had he come too late? Had they marched on King's Landing what was going on?

It seemed his questions were about to be answered when the gates of Riverrun opened and out rode three men, one of whom Theon recognised as the Blackfish. The man gave Theon an appraising glance before asking "Who are you and what is your business here?"

Jeyne made to speak but Theon silence her with a look, it would not do for her to speak and give away why she was here, it would only create problems for Robb and he had enough to think about. So Theon said "It is Theon Greyjoy and I bring with me Lady Jeyne Westerling. I have come to present myself before His Grace King Jon and offer him my sword."

Theon stopped and silence engulfed them for a moment before the Blackfish spoke again. "You have come to offer him your sword you say? Well your too late for that. His Grace and Lord Stark marched north for the Twins yesterday morning."

Theon was shocked, he had not expected them to be marching North he thought they would be marching south. He felt Jeyne tense beside him, trying to keep his face calm and neutral he asked "Why have they marched north Ser Brynden?"

The Blackfish gave him a piercing stare before he said. "Because Lord Stark and my nephew must wed Lord Frey's daughters before he will allow them to cross back into the north to deal with the Ironborn who took Winterfell. I shall take you to see her grace Queen Sansa though, you may find what she has to say interesting."

Theon felt his heart plummet, Winterfell had fallen. That was not good news, either for himself or for Jeyne. He only hoped he could talk to Sansa privately before any of the lords that still remained began calling for his head, for an act he did not do.