Song: Control by Halsey

Leigha

The sounds of grunts had awoken all who slept nearby. This was a fort full of adults, who were accustomed to hearing the occasional groan of ecstasy. But this was altogether different, and prompted one of the nearby maids to investigate.

She followed the source of the noise until it led her to the room she knew housed the 'Broken Man', as the Dreadfort occupants had come to know him as.

Her hand shook as she hesitated to open the door, her curiosity getting the better of her in the end. Besides, now that she was closer she could hear soft cries of sadness as well. Perhaps there was someone in need of help.

The maiden opened the door a sliver, just enough to see inside. She finally saw the source of the noise, and wished with all her heart she stayed in bed. For this was an image that would stick with her.

The Broken Man had taken a fit of madness, it appeared. He stood, shirtless with his palms against the wall, unrelentingly bashing his forehead against the bricks.

It very obviously hurt him to do so, blood dripped down his face from his forehead and between hitting, he would let out a quiet sob. She couldn't stop herself from letting out a gasp at the sight, causing him to whirl around and catch her spying. Her mouth dropped in horror upon seeing the blood drip from a would in his head, down his nose and off his chin.

She sprinted barefoot back down the hallways to retreat back to her room, not even daring to look back at him out of fear. When she finally cornered around her adjacent chamber door, she flew inside, shut and locked it, and then resorted to pulling the covers over her head.

Leigha was absolutely terrified of the man, now more than before. What could send a man into such a blind fit that he would cause himself such physical harm?

Only a mad man could do such a thing.

Fianna

Babies, Fianna Stark would come to learn, were not her strongest point.

She was almost a master of all trades, being particularly gifted with a sword and good enough with a bow and arrow. Her sharp mind meant any plan she put forth was meticulous and rarely failed to execute well. But babies? Babies were where she faulted.

As Catelyn had pointed out to her all that time ago, Fianna never had a mother figure in her life. But she also never had any children. Tiernan was older than her so she never had to mind him. She had no siblings to speak of. When it came to maternal skills, she worried she was deprived completely.

At times, she worried that her babies hated her. What mother struggled to bond with their newborns? She loved them, that was doubtless. But when it came to having a bond with the twins: knowing what they wanted, being able to stop them crying - she could never fulfil that.

It had been two months since she had given birth, the twins were growing bigger all the while but were still so miniature. Fianna's body was beginning to bounce back into shape from her rigorous training. Now that she didn't have to worry about damaging the babies while pregnant, she could focus on refining her sword skills.

Aifric and Eddie slept in the same crib next to Fianna's bed. It wasn't a usual practice to have babes so close, should it disturb the parents sleep, but Fianna insisted.

In truth, she was scared to leave them alone. Now that she had them and loved them so dearly, the thought of losing them like she had so brutally lost so many others kept her awake at night. She would often stay awake to the early hours of the morning, sitting next to the crib and watching to make sure they were breathing. Too scared to blink should she miss a breath.

She would imagine one babe would be difficult enough, but two? When one began to scream, the other followed. All they had seemed to be able to do was scream and cry. It was so stressful to Fianna that on multiple occasions she cried along with them.

The stress, lack of sleep and her inability to bond with them was getting to her. Unfortunately, Rickon bore the brunt of her sharp mood just the other day.

She had snapped at him so hard that Osha had drew her blade to defend him, which led to a ruckus in the dining hall where every man in the next mile drew his sword at the wildling woman to protect their queen.

Fianna was quick to defend her and apologise, but he was still skittish around her ever since.

She stood aside their crib, letting her fingers run over the soft blanket covering their small bodies.

Eddie and Aifric were most content when they were beside each other, often fussing when they were separated. They had never had a verbal conversation, yet the connection between the twins was a beautiful thing to witness.

"They're driving you mad, aren't they?" Tiernan whispered, coming up behind her to look over the side and in at the babes.

"Is stabbing a pillow to death a sign of madness?" She questioned sarcastically, referring to an incident days before where she got so frustrated she whipped her ankle dagger out and tore open a few pillows.

"It'll get easier, your father managed to look after you," he pointed out.

"Yeah, because he had a wet nurse," she retorted. A small crease seemed to be permanently formed between her eyebrows lately.

"I've noticed you've been training a lot lately. What are you preparing for?"

Fianna didn't answer, and instead, turned to him and gave him a tight smile. Getting up from her stool, she made her way towards the bedroom door.

"You should know," he called out before she could leave, "the Lords are getting a bit antsy."

"What do you mean?" She turned, questioning in confusion.

"They're waiting in the council room. They say that you haven't put forth a plan of action yet. They're quite frustrated from what I gather," he said embarrassedly. He hated to be the one to have to tell her, she had just given birth weeks earlier. But there was no ignoring this.

"Who said I didn't have a plan?" She spoke cryptically, her expression calm as she turned out the door and made her way towards the council room.

Ramsay

"You called for me, Ser?" Ike sounded out of nowhere, half frightening Ramsay as he whirled around in his chambers.

"Ah yes, Ike," he smirked his devilish grin, gesturing with his hand for the maid who was packing his belongings into a trunk to leave. "Nasty cut you've got there."

He was referring, of course, to the long gash Robb had self-inflicted on his forehead. Rumours had been rife around the castle ever since the serving girl had witnessed his breakdown, and Ramsay had heard them all.

"I fell against a wall," Robb explained, causing Ramsay to smile knowingly.

"I'm going to take a trip, Ike," Ramsay informed him, his hands behind his back as his eyes marvelled over his little monster. He was forced to lessen the dosage of Basilik's blood, intending to only madden Robb to the brink of rage - not to the point of harming himself.

"Okay," Ike replied uncaringly, Ramsay was not offended. He knew Ike didn't care for him, love was not what he longed for. It was loyalty.

"I need someone I can trust to watch the Dreadfort in my absence," he hinted to him, his eyebrows raising suggestively. He got slightly frustrated when Ike only started back blankly, not replying.

"I want you to look after this place," he spat it out finally, Ike's head tilting in mild surprise.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Locke is on a mission for me and well, you have proved your loyalty to me." Ramsay turned and smirked almost mockingly then, "I did save your life didn't I?"

Ike forced a nod, teeth gritted all the while. He didn't care if the Dreadfort burned to the ground. He didn't care that Ramsay saved his life. The twisted loyalty he served to him was only out of necessity. Ramsay kept him fed and safe, and as much as he didn't want to be, something in him was telling him that he needed to stay alive.

So he would do whatever he needed to do to find that something.

"I will make sure the Dreadfort is safe, Ser," Ike told him in a dry tone, with absolutely no detectable emotion.

"I'm sure that you will," Ramsay agreed, "don't forget that I still have some men here, and I will have them take you back to Walder Frey if you try to deceive me."

The name sent chills down Ike's spine and Ramsay knew it, enjoying watching his posture automatically stiffen.

"That'll be all, now," he dismissed him, and Ike dutifully turned and left, passing Reek who was waiting outside the door.

Ike's eyes narrowed for a moment and his step paused, his gaze meeting Reek's head on.

Ramsay watched with interest at the brief moment the two shared, knowing that even if Ike remembered Reek he wouldn't bother to try save him. And if Reek knew Ike, which he did, he didn't have the balls to save him.

The moment passed quickly and Ike marched onwards, Reek looking visibly deflated in his absence.

"We're going on a trip, Reek," Ramsay called to him to get his attention, causing Reek's head to snap up.

"W-we're leaving here?" He stuttered, nervousness encompassing him.

"We sure are."

"B-but..." he began, Ramsay - who had lost interest and turned away at this point, whirled back around.

"But?"

He waited for Reek to answer, but he never did. He didn't need to, Ramsay knew anyway what it was he wanted to say.

"I suppose you think that we couldn't possibly leave with Ike here, could we?" He taunted the Greyjoy heir, who dropped his head in terror. "If you dare to speak up to me again, I'll have your tongue scooped out and fed to my dogs."

Reek nodded, but it was unclear if it was a nod or because of the way his body was shaking. Ramsay dismissed him, and returned to packing his trunk.

With Theon at hand, he was going to rid Moat Cailin of Iron Born. With Robb at hand, he was going to do that while simultaneously looking after his ancestral home. After all, who better to lead a garrison than a King? He was going to kill two birds with one stone and prove to his father his abilities.

And then, he was going to join his father in retaking Winterfell. That, he would need Robb for.

Fianna

"Well it's about time," one of her lords said the second she so much as placed her hand against the door. Fianna held back a roll of her eyes and continued forward into the room to her seat at the head of the table.

"That's no way to speak to your Queen," she corrected him, sitting down calmly and smoothing down her breeches.

"Queen Regent," Lord Dustin bit back, "and if you wanna stay that way, start acting like it."

"I must apologise, my lords," Fianna began, Tiernan recognising a sarcastic lull to her voice, "I had to give birth to the heir to the North. It's rather hard to devise battle strategies while two babies are making their way out of your nether regions."

They visibly cringed in disgust and reeled back, following her suit by sitting down.

"So you don't have a strategy then?" Lord Mazin asked angrily, a frustration in his voice that Fianna found perplexing.

"I never said that," she answered drily.

Standing up so she towered over he seated men, Fianna placed her hands on the table and addressed her bannermen.

"My Lords, I thank you for your patience," she began with, not meaning a word of it. "However I have been carefully devising our first attack."

"Well?" Lord Manderly eagerly pressed.

"I have scouts in every corner of the North, they see everything I need to be seeing. And what one has seen will lead us to our first siege," Fianna spoke clearly as she reached forward and gripped onto the small wolfs head pawn, currently resting over Baelfort. She lifted it into her hand and slammed it down to the right. Directly where the Dreadfort was located.

Each of the men stood to get a better view, their faces twisting in confusion upon seeing it.

"With respect, your Grace..." Lord Wyman started nervously, "all of the Bolton's forces are there. Laying siege to the Dreadfort could take months, especially since it's got the sea at its back."

"This is where my little spies come in, my Lord," Fianna replied smartly, struggling to hide her smirk. "My scouts reported seeing Roose Bolton leave with his army to head West. My best bet is he's going to Winterfell, he won't hold the North if he hasn't got it."

"So he left his bastard son to watch his ancestral home?"

"Clearly not," she shrugged, "as Ramsay was reported to leave a few days ago too with another garrison. Meaning that the Dreadfort will not be heavily protected."

"So we burn the fuckers to the ground," Hatrick Hornwood whistled, impressed. It was definitely achievable. To burn down the Dreadfort before the Bolton's could retake Winterfell, would make them a laughing stock across the seven kingdoms. It wasn't even close to the revenge Fianna had in mind. But it was a start.

"We take their home that their family name has held for centuries. We burn it to the ground and let there be no mercy for those who refuse to bend the knee."

"Fianna, might I add," Tiernan interjected, coughing when he received looks from all in the room, "Ahem. Sorry, your grace. If you take down the Dreadfort you will be exposing yourself to the Bolton's as a threat. You'll be telling the world that you're alive and that will place you in a very dangerous position."

"I'm well aware, dear cousin," Fianna sighed wistfully, not looking at all bothered. "It was going to happen eventually. Besides, now that the world will know that there is a Queen in the North to rally behind, perhaps they will join our cause."

After many hours of refining the details of the plan, Fianna dismissed her lords to call upon their banners. She needed as much men as she could gather, and houses that were lacking, were advised to train begin women that were willing. That was an argument in itself.

Fianna would leave a smaller infantry behind to protect Baelfort from a siege of its own in retaliation before she can return from the Dreadfort.

When the room had cleared fully and Fianna was getting ready to follow, Tiernan was finally allowed to voice the opinions he had been withholding.

"Are you just going to leave the twins here?" He questioned her, crossing his arms over his chest to show his disapproval.

"Well they're hardly fit for battle are they?" She retorted with a soft smile, which quickly faded upon realising that Tiernan was not joking.

"They need their mother, Fianna. Especially since-..." he cut off then, but Fianna knew exactly what he was about to say.

"They don't have a father?" She continued with a raised brow. "I'm aware. And I'm doing the best that I can. But I won't stop. Not until the North is a safe place for my children."

When Tiernan didn't reply right away, still looking apprehensive, she continued.

"Besides, they know their wet nurse. They know you. They know Rickon. They'll be okay-"

"What do you mean 'they know' me?" He stopped her, his head whipping up to look at her. "You mean for me to stay here?"

"Well... yes, I thought that was assumed."

"I'm not a bad fighter, Fianna. These men barely know you, you need someone you can trust," his mood went from mistrustful to angry and offended in a second.

"Exactly! And if you're here, I can trust that you're protecting our home and my babies and Rickon!"

He shook his head in protest, but didn't speak again. Fianna reached out and squeezed his bicep in comfort, before promptly leaving before it escalated into an argument.

Tiernan waited a few moments, exhaling deeply to calm himself before leaving as well, notably slamming the door as he did.

It took a week before there was enough men for Fianna to depart from Baelfort, and it was harder to do than she ever imagined.

She spent all morning with the twins, and when it came time to leave, she was getting increasingly emotional about it.

Fianna was in the midst of lulling Aifric to sleep in her chamber room, the wet nurse waiting patiently in a chair. She had given her strict instructions to never ever leave them alone, if even for a minute, unless someone is watching them.

Controversial as Aifrics name was, perhaps even more so was the song that Fianna quietly sang to her to get her to fall asleep. It was a Bua song, one that was considered treasonous to sing under the Targaryen reign, but became popular during Robert's Rebellion.

"Are you, are you,
coming down to see?
The Bua girl's been caught,
And murdered she will be.

Dragons screams and wolfhounds howls,
Yet none fiercer than Aifric's growl.
Oh Aifric, if only,
you had bent the knee.

Will you, will you,
come to Baelfort and see?
Her husband was slain,
and a widow she will be.

Dragons screams and wolfhounds howls,
Yet none fiercer than Aifric's growl.
Oh we, will never,
we'll never bend the knee."

When it finally came time to settle Aifric down next to her brother, her heart ached. She couldn't delay it any longer, the plan was set in motion and they were departing for the Dreadfort today.

Closing the door gently behind her, she was met with a sullen looking Rickon in the hallway.

"What's wrong, little lord?" She cooed, crouching slightly to be at eye level, even though he had grown so much taller in the last few months.

"The last time you left, you didn't come back," he confessed quietly, breaking her heart even more.

"I promise, this time, I'm coming back."

It was a promise she knew she shouldn't have made. But if Fianna was going to be a Queen, she would have to learn to accept that she had survived a lot and would only continue to survive. There was no point being worried for her life now.

"Look after your niece and nephew, please," she asked him, placing her finger under his chin to lift his head before placing a kiss on his forehead.

He watched her from that same spot as she walked off, her head low.

When her horse was saddled and ready, Fianna took off leading the garrison with Rodrik Forrester at her side. She wished she was able to say goodbye to Tiernan, but he had been purposefully avoiding her that day - still unimpressed with her decision.

She led her army in the general direction towards the Dreadfort, their horses taking on a fast pace so they could get there quicker before Roose's army got word and turned around, following at their tail.

Absently, Fianna found herself lowly singing the song she had earlier sang to Aifric. She didn't even realise she was singing loud enough for others to hear, until Rodrik started to chime in.

It started a chain reaction then, spreading through the army like wildfire. Every solder behind her began to sing the Bua words that were first sung centuries ago.

"Dragons screams and wolfhounds howls,
Yet none fiercer than Aifric's growl.
Oh we, will never,
we'll never bend the knee."

Oi oi! A rather uneventful chapter if I do say so myself. But the next one I'm already excited to write. It's been a while since we've had a good action packed battle isn't it?

In case you feared, don't worry. Leigha is NOT a potential love interest or anything. She's a simple side character who was used to show Robb's current state.

Also, I've made a video for Robb and Fianna! It's in my bio, please check it out 3. It's not that amazing I'll warn you, but it gives a view of what Robb and Fianna would look like in the show if the couple was real and not a figment of my imagination.

Thanks to everyone who read or reviewed, it means the world to me!

starevolution1273 - I HAD IT PLANNED ALL ALONG MUAHAH. God I would die for some Fianna/Dany badassness. Or Fianna/Arya. Or Fianna/Sansa. Just girl power in general I reckon! I was emotional too writing it gah! I hope you like this chapter and the next! 3

Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 - god neither can I! I can't wait to get through these next few chapters to get some papa Robb! Thanks so much sweetie! x

reaganrose115 - too much niceness I reckon

Shannan - love reading your reactions and opinions! Both your theories are quite interesting, but I have never said that Fianna's mother has Targaryen blood! What I did say was her grandfather was Ser Bonifer Hasty, and then Ser Barristan alluded to Daenerys that she would have liked Bonifer and Fianna. But it is all building up, don't worry there's a method to my madness, I just hope you'll like the way it goes! Thanks for the review as always 3

Guest - not a hope in hell was I taking away the little baby Starks after so few fanfics feature any! And as for more little Starks, well if I'm feeling generous ;)