HI EVERYBODY OR ANYBODY!
I was reading about various theories and this is what I came up with in the end.
(For book readers only unless you don't mind nonexistent spoilers. BTW the books call white walkers Others)
PLEASE REVIEW.
**NO MEAN COMMENTS PLEASE!**
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
Lyanna
The She-Wolf rode into Winterfell on a stallion white as the snow. Her eyes were grey like the old stones that built Winterfell. Her hair was dark and warm, but her skin was pale and cold. Her face was long and stern like all the Starks of Winterfell. She wore a man's armor and not a gown.
She knew she should be South with winter coming, but this was her home. It was burned. Everything was burned. There was not a living soul there. Crows picked at the stomachs of Iron Born bodies that littered the courtyard floor. The kraken was sewn into their clothes. In the center of the courtyard, was a cage that was empty except for a wildling corpse just as dead as the rest. The She-Wolf dismounted and walked over to the cage.
"Brandon and Ned would never put a dying prisoner on display." She began to say standing by the cage with a gentle hand on the cold iron bars. She turned to the men she brought with her. Only twenty and a maester. She won their loyalty by kicking their ass on a battlefield and not in a bed.
"Maeser Oryan, can you see if there are any ravens?" She asked turning. Two knights took their place by her side and followed her as she led them through the once familiar halls of Winterfell. She went to the Great Hall and the kitchens. The armory. The dungeons. Then, the crypt and she looked at a statue of a girl.
"Destroy it." She ordered.
"But the Lady Lyanna-" the Ser Ivan began to protest. He was a war torn man with as many scars as Beric Dondarrion.
"Is not dead just yet. I am Lady Lyanna of House Stark of Winterfell, Daughter of Lord Rickard. Ned found me at the Tower of Joy. I made him make many promises to me. This wasn't one of them. I am not dead, and I said destroy it." The She- Wolf growled.
"M'Lady, there is one raven left. He is weak and wounded though." Maester Oryan said finding them in the kitchens.
The She Wolf was sitting in the lord's seat of the table with her feet up and a doll in her hands she found in her room. She was thinking. Her men all sat around the table. They were sworn to secrecy and vowed to protect her, not out of fear, but respect. She wasn't just a cunt. She wasn't just a sword. She was worthy of being Lord of Winterfell.
"Tend to the bird. When he healed and ready, send a scroll to all my brother's banner men EXCEPT Roose Bolton. Once House Stark has their loyalty once more, we will send ravens to all the High Lords of Westeros that are living. I know there was a war. I know what happened to my brother's family, but THEY don't know what has become of me. In the meantime we will hunt." The She Wolf stood and went to gather weapons to hunt for food. Amongst their twenty men was a cook.
The She Wolf waited until all her men were off then went to the Godswood to pray. Everything here was the same. The black water in the pool at the base of the white weirwood tree. The face carved into,the tree had a slash through each eye and the red sap made it look like it was crying. She "If the gods are Merciful, they would have spared the youths. Ned had five children. The Young Wolf or the King in the North, was an idiot to march on the south. But the little Ladies." A tear escaped the She- Wolf's eye. She first prayed to the seven gods of the south. "Warrior, give them strength. Maiden, protect their innocence. Don't let them loose faith. Mother, keep them safe until I can…." Then she prayed silently to the Old Gods of the North and the Children of the Forest. As she walked she vowed, "I will find you. I will keep you safe. I will give you life."
She heard the rustling of leaves and the snapping of a branch that had fallen from a tree and raised her bow and arrow. Her eyes narrowed as she listened. She whipped around and loosed as she heard an animal screech. It was stag. Its fur was all matted as if it had already been dying. She managed to heave the beast onto a piece of bark and drag it back to Winterfell.
The others managed to get some fish from a small stream and one of the weaker men, Ser Rankyn picked berries.
"He's a disgrace to the human race." The burly knight called Ser Ivan said with a grin on his face.
"No you are for making a jest at someone we all know is not just balls, but has some brains." The She Wolf said throwing her wine in his face.
That evening a messenger rode in bearing the banner of roaring giant, brown-haired and wearing a skin, with broken silver chains, on flame-red. House Umber. The She- Wolf watched from a window as one of her own men went to receive him. He was an old man. What old man would ride from The Last Hearth all the way to Winterfell?
The She Wolf went down to the Great Hall to see.
"M'Lady, he is not a messenger, he is-" the man began.
"Mors Umber!" She ran to him and curtseyed to the big man. The Umber had a missing eye that had a piece of dragon glass over the empty socket and a strip of leather over that.
"Could it be? Little Lyanna. You're a woman now. My brother sent me. Said I was the only free man old enough to remember what you looked like." Mors Umber said as a smile broke across his face. "Seven Hells! There is a Stark in Winterfell!"
The She Wolf smiled. As they began walking, she took his hand and lead him to the fire place.
"Come by a fire. You must be freezing. You shouldn't have come in the cold- the snow – and with winter coming-" the She Wolf said making him kneel beside her.
"Oh shut up, you little fool. Winter is here. We best brace ourselves. It will be a long one." Mors Umber sighed.
"I know. Ser Mors, will you stay here?" the She Wolf asked.
"Why? Do you really not want me to die or do you just want to rebuild the strength of House Stark or am I just a hostage to get House Umber to supply you with men?"
"Everything? Please. I came let House Stark fall into oblivion. I have already failed enough."
"You don't stand a chance against the South, M'Lady. The Regent Queen-"
"Means nothing to me. Unlike my foolish Nephew, I will crush the Lannisters and maybe the crown if need be."
"Who will fight for you? The world believed Lyanna Stark was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen and raped and killed."
"Lyanna Stark was kidnapped, yes, but she lived. Ned and I both knew Winter was coming and one day House Stark would need me. He faked my death at my request. I will be a Lord of Winterfell, with or without a cock, Winterfell will be mine with all its lands and titles."
"Stannis Baratheon has taken most of the north. Even I am sworn to him. He has this fire priestess with him and-" Mors Umber paused to think.
The She Wolf cupped his chin tenderly and spoke in such a soft tone one might have thought she was going to kiss him. "Do not fret, M'Lord. Not even the shadows of Asshai can find you here. The Fire Priestess is nothing to us." The she Wolf said.
Morse Umber didn't want to believe this woman, but somehow, he knew he could. After all, even with Winterfell being invaded by Iron Born and torched, House Stark remained. They have remained strong through winter for thousands of years. Winter was always coming and it was only House Stark who knew how to prepare.