((Short, but a little emotion filled. Sorry. Song is "Carry On" by Norah Jones. Enjoy))
"Watch your step, my Lady," Lord Davos said, wielding his torch in one hand and offering Sansa his free hand with the other.
Sansa smirked, then rolled her eyes and took his pro-offered hand as she walked back up the steep tunnel toward the main crypt chamber, Jon following close behind carrying the memoires of Bran 'The Builder' under his arm.
"I made it down here without assistance, Lord Davos," Sansa said defiantly as she passed him, "I think I can make it out of here without assistance…."
"Just being a gentleman, My Lady," Davos replied and gave a wink back to Jon, who smiled a little, knowing how independent and stubborn his wife could be.
"Then could you be a gentleman and push open this door?" Lady Sansa quipped, turning to face him in the torchlight with her back to the crumbling stone turn-door.
Lord Davos closed his eyes in exasperation and Jon chuckled
# # # # # # # #
"Lady Lyanna!" a voice called out as Lady Lyanna Mormont walked ahead of her guardsmen, slipping on her riding gloves as she crossed the courtyard toward the main keep where the stable hands of Winterfell had assembled their horses, "Might I have a word, My Lady?"
Lady Lyanna handed the young man holding her charger a silver coin and the man bowed and departed.
"I'm not interested in anything you have say, Lord Baelish," Lyanna sighed as she took the reins of her horse and stepped up into the proffered hand of one of her guardsman, who boosted her into the saddle, before she looked down upon Littlefinger as she continued, "So, save your breath and keep your forked tongue behind your teeth where it belongs."
"My Lady?" Baelish replied, placing a hand against his chest and feigning hurt and disappointment, but cunningly looking around, "I find your words dis-honorable to the House of Arryn of which I serve and a noble house which lest we forget saved our beloved King of the North—"
"A house's regency that you stole from a boy—a boy older than myself, I'm told," Lyanna shot back, looking down to her legs as she wrapped them into the stirrups and twisted the leather reins of the bridle around her gloved right hand.
"You are very forthright, for one so young, aren't you?" Lord Baelish quipped, narrowing his eyes, studying the Little Bear as he folded his hands behind his back.
"And you're a conniving little man who wishes he was in Sansa Stark's bed…" she replied back with the confidence of someone twice her age and unperturbed by his slight as she lifted her midnight colored eyes up slightly and met Baelish's in the dark as she straightened in the side saddle Jon had gifted her, "I've seen the way you look at her. And if I have, others have too. Be careful on that score, Lord Baelish."
Baelish smirked devilishly and nodded his defeat
There was a moment of silence as the two sized each other up before Lady Lyanna clicked with her tongue to signal departure to her black steed and the horse obeyed, turning in a circle and her guards followed suit behind her.
"I'll pray for you, to the old Gods and the new," Lyanna said finally, not looking back a Baelish as she reined her horse toward the main gate of Winterfell, parallel to the First Keep.
"I appreciate your prayers, My Lady. I am most grateful that despite our words, that we can part on the hope of being friends and allies in the future!" Lord Baelish called after her with a smirk
"Don't be too appreciative. I pray only for your survival, Lord Baelish, so that you and your Knights of the Vale may one day come to Bear Island—"
"A kind and generous offer—" Baelish started as he followed her
"Jon says I can't kill you within the walls of Winterfell….." Lyanna cut him off short, glaring at him over her shoulder, "He said nothing of Bear Island."
Baelish let out a shocked, but impressed scoff as he watched Lyanna turn back in her saddle and continue toward the gate as it now lifted.
And after all's been said and done…
Lyanna's horse suddenly jumped and stepped back, startled, and the horses of her guards followed suit soon after as their exit was cut off.
Who said it best, were you the one?
Baelish stepped back as well and watched as three riders, bearing the standard banner of Daenerys Targaryen, rode quickly through the gate.
Let's just forget, leave it behind
And carry on...
When the Mormont horses were under control, Lady Lyanna's eyes widened as she took in the familiar face of her cousin, accompanied by a finely robed bald man she did not recognize, but Lord Baelish did immediately as Lord Varys, and the third, who carried the banner with the three headed dragon sigil of House Targaryen, looked to be a soldier or a guard from the Queen's army.
"Jorah?" Lyanna's eyes widened as her dark eyes met Jorah Mormont's ice blue as he reared his horse around to face her
If you should find the time to speak…
Jorah's face softened as he looked Lyanna up and down, but didn't say anything as the robed man and the soldier dismounted their horses.
Lyanna's face stayed stoic, but a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Then speak to me, I'd never keep…
Jorah took in a deep breath at the sight before he swung his leg over the saddle and slowly dismounted his horse, still keeping his eyes locked on Lyanna.
You from your final destiny,
So carry on…
The Little Bear waited as she watched him approach her horse and after a moment's hesitation, reached up to her, holding out his arms.
He didn't have to wait long.
Lyanna immediately leaped into them from her saddle, wrapping her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder.
Into the quiet unbound,
"I don't have anyone anymore…" Lyanna whispered, "They're all gone…All our family is gone…."
What you have lost, I've never found…
Jorah let his arms linger open for a moment before he closed his eyes, relishing her touch then wrapped his arms tightly around her.
I lost my nerve, yet peace surrounds…
So carry on…
"You're not alone…" Jorah replied softly, "You still have me."
# # # # # # # # # #
As they moved down the main corridor of the crypt toward the stone staircase that would lead them back up toward the ironwood door, Jon clasped Davos' arm and pulled him a step behind Sansa as the Lady of Winterfell walked ahead of them.
"I need what happened—any words spoken about my family's past, and with regards to the Night's King's identity, to stay between us for now…" Jon said in a low tone
"Of course, My Lord," Davos nodded, then added, "But, I think you underestimate the loyalty of the Northern families."
"I know…but, I need time to read Bran 'The Builder's' journal, learn as much as I can, and decide my next move a few steps ahead before I involve them…" Jon replied, bringing the old bound book out from under his arm and turning it over in his hands, looking down at it thoughtfully, then he looked up again to Davos, "And what Lord Baelish and Daenerys Tarygaryen's next move might be after they find out this important bit of family lore."
"I'll take care of it," Davos interjected, assuring him again, "I'll make some excuse for your absence from the festivities and the hunt tomorrow. Take the time you need."
"Thank you," Jon said, sighing as he moved his eyes away, scanning his eyes for Sansa
"But, Jon," Davos added, "Daenery Targaryen is your blood. You signed your claim over to her when she took King's Landing and killed Cersei Lannister. I don't think you have to fear her turning on you. If anything, she'll want to help if she can—"
"As a Targaryen, I trust her with my life…but, I'm a little more wary about the counsel she keeps these days…"
Davos raised an eyebrow and nodded
Suddenly, Jon looked around, a little startled, "Where is Sansa?"
# # # # # # #
Jon took in a deep breath in relief as he stopped next to his mother's statue toward the back of the main crypt level.
Into the quiet unbound…
"My Lord, I didn't see anything on the east end of—" Davos started, coming up next to him, but Jon brought a hand to his chest to stop and silence his friend then nodded ahead toward the space behind the statues of his mother, Lyanna, and uncle Brandon Stark to the more recent Stark family crypts.
What you have lost, I've never found,
I lost my nerve, yet peace surrounds,
Silently, the two men watched as Sansa fell to her knees before the two crypts that bore the names of her mother and father, silently weeping with a bowed head as she traced the carvings of their names on the stones with her long fingers—carvings commissioned years before their death—carvings on the crypts that had yet to hold their bones, though both of her parents had departed from this world.
So carry on….
Jon then turned to Davos and handing him the journal, signaling for him to leave without him.
Davos bowed his head then left Jon to approach his wife alone.
And now that all's been said and done
Who said it best, were you the one?
Jon did so slowly, kneeling down behind her and gently touching her shoulder.
Sansa immediately turned to face him, wiping under her eyes and giving him a stoic, albeit tear stained, face.
Let's just forget, leave it behind…
Jon stroked her cheek as he gave her a sympathetic look.
And carry on…
Sansa took in a breath then focused her blue eyes on her husband as she said softly, "Their bones don't lie here, but their souls do. They are Starks of Winterfell. Promise me, their names will live on... in our children?"
Let's just forget, leave it behind…
Jon let out a breath as he took her left hand gently into his right and placed it on his chest over his heart, while the other still cradled her face.
"I promise," he whispered back with a sad smile as he looked past her to the crypt of the only father he ever knew, "If the Gods bless us. They will not be forgotten."
And carry on...