Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback! Slowly getting into some dark stuff coming up...Boltons will be Boltons. Enjoy.
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Going to War
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"Where are they now?"
Mance looked at Jon and then back down to the map upon the table in front of him. He saw a stag marker for Baratheon and a wolf and flayed man marker for Stark and Bolton. Jon hummed and moved the Baratheon marker more to the south, "It's been about a month, so no doubt they've been camped for at least a week outside of Winterfell." Mance looked at Jon, "Outside? How far?" Jon shrugged, "Most likely a mile or so, just to give them the room to prepare. Stannis has an army of men and horses, thousands of them at least, but the Bolton's, they may be a bit short, but if they still have the Lannister hand to feed them, this battle could get bloody." Mance growled, "Fuck! Why would she do this? Why-"
"Because of love."
The two men looked to the hut doorway to see Melisandre standing there, her hands clasped in front of her red gown. She smiled sweetly at Jon before looking at Mance, "Do not blame the Queen, Mance Rayder. She did this for you and your people." Mance questioned, "The Queen? She married him already?" She nodded, "Oh, yes. Married, consummated, perhaps even with child already. I received a letter stating that the marriage was completed and that they rest at camp before their battle tomorrow."
Jon walked to her, "Tomorrow? That is too soon." Melisandre shrugged, "Stannis and Davos have put together a brilliant war plan and I believe it will be a success. The Lord of Light has spoken of it-" Jon growled, "What did the Lord of Light say?" Melisandre raised an eyebrow at his tone, but continued, "He said that the strongest and truest King would rise up and defeat the enemy to take his throne, while in the process, taking a Queen." Suddenly, Jon realized what was going on, "Mance, let me speak with the witch alone." Mance nodded and slowly walked around them and out of the room, leaving Jon to grab her arm and hiss,
"It's not Stannis, is it?! Answer me!" She smiled at him, "Well done, Jon Snow, or should I say, Jon Targaryen? It was never truly about Stannis. While he thought he was a key player in this game, he has always just been a piece. The Lord of Light needed Stannis to believe that coming here, burning Selyse, and getting your blood would be all for him." She shook her head and moved closer to Jon, "He did all of that for another person, another King that will rise in the North." She glanced towards the doorway and walked to the curtain, moving it aside to show Jon Mance speaking with Tormund. Jon could not believe he was right, "Mance." She nodded, "All of this prophecy was not just about Stannis, but Mance Rayder. Stannis needed to take Sansa away from Mance, to get him over the Wall and into Winterfell with his army of Wildling's."
Jon began to pace, running his fingers through his hair, "So, you're saying that Stannis believed your lies, did all that he did because the Lord of Light told him to, only for Mance to rise up? You let him and Sansa go to war?" She nodded once, but there was something else she knew, he could see it in her eyes.
"Will they win or fall against the Boltons?"
Melisandre could not tell him, but she did say, "If I were you, Jon, I would have Mance gather his clan as soon as possible, for not only is winter coming, but darkness."
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Shireen smiled happily as she showed her father around her small tent, "This fur cloak is my favorite! Sansa says I look very much like a wolf in it." Stannis listened to his daughter laugh and he chuckled, "Very well, Shireen, but I must speak with you." Shireen's smile disappeared, "I'm not in trouble, am I? Whenever you wish to speak with me, I'm always-"
"No, child, nothing like that."
Stannis watched her sit on the floor and pat the ground next to her before he sighed and took the spot. Shireen waited for him to speak, "Shireen, tomorrow my men and I will be going off to battle and I wanted to speak with you about something of great importance." He looked at her face, his eyes staring at the greyscale there, almost mocking him. He closed his eyes and cleared his throat, "I have never-I mean to say that I don't-"
"Papa?"
In that moment, a father looked at his daughter and she smiled, "I love you too." Stannis let his guard down and he reached for her, pulling her close and into a hug. A hug she had not felt since before they left Dragonstone. Stannis whispered, "I love you, Shireen. You are my daughter, my only daughter, and I should have shown you this love far sooner." Shireen closed her eyes as tears escaped and she listened to her father rant on, "You are a Baratheon, my daughter, and no greyscale, nor anything else will keep me away from you." Shireen pulled away, "Must you go tomorrow, papa?" Her lip was trembling, but Stannis had to nod, "I must, Shireen. Fear not, child, for I will return in the morning upon my horse and a stag banner being held high." Shireen nodded, "And Sansa and I will be awaiting you."
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No sleep was had on that night. Sansa and Stannis stayed in their tent, holding hands and whispering to one another. Sansa leaned her head against his shoulder, "What if you should fall?" Stannis looked down at her, "Such horrible thinking, my Queen." Sansa nudged him, "I'm being serious, Stannis, what if you are harmed and fall! What do I do?" He took her hand in his large one, "You get as many of my men as you can, grab Shireen, and run." She nodded in understanding, "Where would we go? Surely Dragonstone would be too dangerous and I could never go to Kings Landing on my own-"
"Gods, no. I wouldn't want you to! Going south without me or my army would get you and Shireen killed. You will have to go to the North and back to the Wall. Hells, go beyond the Wall if you must."
Sansa nodded in understanding at what he was saying to her. Should Stannis die, she was to take Shireen and return to the Wall and to Mance. It was a solid enough plan and instead of going to sleep like they should have, both laid down in the bed, her head resting on his shoulder and both were staring at the shadows dancing on the tents ceiling. Sansa whispered, "You better come back, Stannis, you have promised me a throne." She was trying to lighten the mood and it helped. Stannis chuckled and patted her belly, "I know it. I also promised you sons and lots of them, besides, I want to see the look on Cersei's face when she is cast down." The two ended up staying up for the rest of the night, speaking of childhood, laughing at jokes, and kissing tenderly. It was as Sansa began to drift into sleep, she felt a warm kiss upon her forehead and the whispered words, "You're too good for me, Sansa."
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Morning came, the sun trying its best to escape the cloud cover, but it was no good. Winter had finally arrived and those beyond the Wall had an wary feeling about them. Jon had returned to Mance's hut and when he did, he found the King and Tormund standing around the table and looking at the map. Mance looked up and laughed, "Finally! I have received word from several of my clans and we have them in our grasp. They are already on the way..." He trailed off as he saw the dark circles on Jon's eyes and the sad look. Mance walked around the table and whispered, "Jon, what is it?" Jon looked at Tormund and back to Mance,
"It was never about Stannis. Mance, the prophecy was a lie and Melisandre knew it all along."
Mance could not believe the words coming from his mouth. Jon went on to explain everything and then watched on as Mance flipped the large wood table, the markers and map flying across the room and nearly into the fire. They could do nothing but watch as he tore his home apart, angry at the fact that Sansa was taken away from him and put into danger. He looked at Jon, his hair in his eyes and his breathing hard, "Does he know?" Jon shook his head, "No, he doesn't, that is what makes it worse. They go to battle today, Mance, and if you do not get your army together soon, it may be too late-"
"What happens? If he falls, what will happen to Sansa?"
Jon remembered the words Melisandre said and he knew that no matter what, Stannis would not win this battle. He shook his head, "She will be taken by the Bolton's and no doubt tortured. The Bolton's are no longer loyal to the Stark's, they haven't been for years. I can only imagine the things that will be done." Mance shook his head and held up his hand, "Stop. I can't stand to hear of it." He rubbed his face, "The soonest my clans can get here are a few weeks. With winter here, their traveling will be slow. I-It will take another few weeks to reach Winterfell and in that time-"
"They won't kill her. Sansa is strong, Mance, so don't worry too much. She has the fire within her to keep her going. If we are lucky, she will be able to escape before she is taken. Stannis no doubt had that plan for her." Mance sat down and held his head in his hands as Tormund walked forward and spoke, "I hope you are right, Jon Snow, because if not, we may have another war in our hands."
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And that is the end of that. I hope you all enjoyed...the next chapter will be primarily the battle! Thank you for reading and please let me know what you thought or hope to see!