Disclaimer I own nothing but Alayla unfortunately
Beta: danceswithdragons
Alayla Forrester rushed back to Ironwrath from where she stayed on Bear Island when she received news of her brother's vastly diminishing health, and the knowledge that he would be dead in only a matter of days. She prayed to the gods, old and new, that he would not leave her, and travelled in haste to his side. She had barely reached the courtyard of Ironwrath when she jumped from her horse and sprinted to his chambers, rushing to him.
He looked grey and cold, sweat beads trailing from his forehead. The room smelled of sickly sweet illness and she collapsed beside the bed, clasping his hand in hers. The tears came quickly, and fell down her cheeks like waterfalls.
"Brother, please don't leave me," she sobbed, kneeling at his bedside
"Little Ayla, do not cry for me. I will soon join father, and both our mothers," Rodrick replied laboriously, lifting her head. His dark brown eyes met her bright blue ones; ones that were filled with tears. His heart clenched at her pained expression, wishing he did not have to leave her. She were only ten years of age so young and tender. "Ayla, you are to go to Winterfell," he rasped, running a thumb over her knuckles. "You will be raised by House Stark and become a true lady, and one day, when you marry, you will return here, back to Ironwrath. Upon my death, you are to be its liege." He hoped she would make a happy marriage for herself, one of love perhaps, and sweetness. She nodded softly. "What are your words?"
"From iron to ice," she choked through her tears.
"And..."
"Here we stand."
"Never forget who you are sister. You are a Forrester, but never forget that you are also a Mormont. Never let them break you," he whispered, then he took his last labored breath, closing his eyes for a final time.
"Rodrick… Rodrick! No, please don't leave me! Rick, please wake up!" she sobbed, reaching for him and shaking his shoulders to wake him. After a moment, Ser Thom, Ironwrath's steward, pulled her away from her brother's body.
"He is gone, Ayla, I am sorry," he said softly.
"Then I am alone," she hissed bitterly. "First mother, then my father, now my brother. I will kill Balon Greyjoy for this. He took my only family." She wept on Thom's chest as he comforted her.
The days passed in a blur as they sent Rodrick to the gods and she prepared to leave for Winterfell. She was assured that there were children of a similar age to her and that she would feel at home. Ser Thom and his family would run Ironwrath until she came of age and married. She paid no attention to anything they said, though, as her heart was broken and began to slowly turn to ice in her grief.
She received countless ravens with their sympathies, yet she replied to none of them. The only thing that broke through her numbness was when she was able to train in the tiltyard with her brother's sword, no, her sword now, that would one day be her son's. She looked at the sword, crafted of Valeryian steel, remembering its name. Iron Frost, the sword of the House of Forrester, who was loyal to the great House Stark.
She had no doubt the lords would try and convince her to marry Robb Stark when she came of age, joining the great house to hers through marriage, but they always seemed to forget one thing; she was no southern lady who would bow to the will of men. She had her mother's blood, and Mormont women do not bow to men from any kingdom. She knew exactly how to handle men, her brother had ensured it. Robert Baratheon's rebellion had taken her father and the Greyjoy rebellion had taken her brother. She was the sole heir to Ironwrath, she would allow no man to dictate her life; she vowed it to any god that would listen.