Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a short chapter I know but I wanted the chapter to focus on very specific plot points in the North and King's Landing and also there are some gut-wrenching deaths to be savored XD

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 44: The Innocence of Children

A few seconds later …..

Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North

Arya and Yara silently wrestled the Hound back around the corner that they had walked past. Once the Hound realised who had hands on him he reigned in the punch he had been aiming at Yara's face and gruffly shoved the two ladies off his person.

Arya quickly pointed around the corner to where Ramsey and a group of Bolton men now stood surrounding a beaten up Edmure. Arya's heartbeat quickened; she had thought her Uncle had perished when Winterfell had been taken.

The Bolton men started to tie the grubby Riverlord to a wooden cross that was placed prominently in the middle of the courtyard.

"Say it again," Ramsey shouted at the bound Edmure before aiming a sharp punch at his face.

Edmure spat out some blood and a tooth before facing Ramsey again, "You are nothing more than a bastard and my nephew will-"

Another punch landed cutting through Edmure's future retort.

Ramsey paced angrily in front of the now fully bound Riverlord as his men backed off.

"I am the Lord of Winterfell and Warden in the North. ME!," Ramsey shouted at Edmure with bloodlust in his eyes then tossed over his shoulder, "Bring me his wife and child."

Yara tapped the Hound and Arya on the shoulders and indicated that they needed to move to higher ground. The trio sneaked their way up onto the southern wall of the Winterfell and by the time they had repositioned Edmure's Frey wife had been dragged out into the cold courtyard.

In her hands was a screaming babe.

Edmure's newborn son, Arya realised. Her cousin.

Ramsey took ahold of the newborn and playfully swung him around, "He has your eyes my Lord …. Give him to my hounds."

Roslind and Edmure Tully both gave almighty scream of protest but the ropes held Edmure back and so did Ramsey's men with Roslind.

"Please .. no," Roslind begged as she fell to her knees.

Ramsey made a cooing noise to the babe then to Roslind, "Tell me little Frey would you cut your husband if I would let your babe live?"

Roslind looked up at the pale monster that stood before her in complete shock at what Ramsey was suggesting. Her mouth just hung wide open with no sound coming out.

Ramsey passed the infant to one of his men and threw a knife onto the ground by the silent woman before pointing towards Edmure who still struggled against his bonds on the wooden cross.

"I said, would you flay your husband so that your child might live?" Ramsey said as he crouched down in front of Roslind.

Roslind answered by grabbing the knife and making a lunge for Ramsey but the Bolton bastard had anticipated this move and easily grabbed her wrist twisting her body as they both rose so that her back was against his chest as they faced Edmure.

In the next breath Ramsey manhandled Roslind's knife wielding hand so that it cut slowly across her own throat. They were so close to Edmure that some flecks of his wife's blood landed on his stricken face.

Ramsey dropped the dying woman from his grasp and her blood started to mingle with the muddy floor of the courtyard.

"Guess she didn't have the strength to save her babe," Ramsey closed the distance between Edmure and himself before whispering secretly into his ear, "But between you and me if she had flayed you I would have simply given her a head start before my hounds tracked her down and ripped her apart. And your babe … well he was always going to end up as a little treat for my hounds."

Edmure strained against his restraints but he was as powerless to intervene now as he had when his wife's throat had been torn apart in front of him a few seconds earlier so he simply closed his eyes and mourned for the family he could have had and for the life he could have had.

This is how it ends for the Tully line Edmure realised. He was the last Tully male. His name would die this day but his blood lived on in his nephews and nieces and he begged the gods that his blood would avenge him, that the monster smiling sweetly at him would know pain before he too died a horrible death.

Ramsey turned to the man holding the heir to Riverrun and flicked his hand, all eyes followed the man as he placed the babe through the bars of the cell holding Ramsey's personal hounds.

After a few seconds the scrapping of paws on the ground could be heard and the cries of the infant become stronger and stronger until they were overtaken by snarling and barking.

Then after a minute there was only sickening silence.

No one looked back towards the cage. Everyone knew what they would see or wouldn't see now.

Edmure opened his eyes to see Ramsey crouching over Roslind's body and wiping the bloody knife on his dead wife's clothes.

Ramsey looked up at Edmure with a devilish grin on his pale face as he fiddled with the now clean knife in his hands, "Tell me my Lord do you know how the Bolton's got their sigil?"

The Hound could feel Arya tensing to launch an attack at the new Lord of Winterfell as Edmure's cries of pain filled the courtyard and took all the attention of those gathered in the cold night.

He clapped a hand on Arya's collar while watching Ramsey slowly work his blade under Edmure's skin, "This is the perfect opportunity to leave."

"He is right all the guards are watching the flaying, the walls are unguarded. We need to move now," Yara seconded as she peaked down into the courtyard noting how all the Bolton guards were looking inwards towards the spectacle of Edmure's flaying and not outwards into the wilderness of the North.

Arya nodded but kept silent as their party moved in the darkness. Arya concentrated on reaching a totally isolated part of the wall and blocking out her Uncle's screams and pleading behind her. If she was going to survive and reach Robb, she needed to remain calm.

She recounted her list in her head. Ramsey Snow had just supplanted Cersei as her number one target and she promised herself that when he died it would be her hand that dealt the final blow.

Yara looked over the outer wall, "It is a long drop but there is plenty of snow cover so we should make it."

"Good," the Hound grunted as he manhandled Yara over the wall.

"What the fuck," Yara managed to ground out before she plummeted over the wall.

"Was that necessary?" Arya asked slightly annoyed at the Hound's antics.

"No but it felt good," the Hound replied. "Do you need help getting over the wall too?"

Arya rolled her eyes and gracefully hopped up onto the wall before jumping off into the pile of snow below.

Once Arya had landed, she brushed the snow off her clothes as Yara watched the Hound fall from the sky and heavily land in the snow.

"Do that again and you won't be waking up from your next sleep," Yara aimed at the Hound once he had regained his footing.

"I don't imagine there will be another opportunity to throw you over a wall anytime soon," the Hound replied gruffly, walking past the red-faced woman before turning to Arya, "Where to?"

Arya was about to answer before Yara cut across her, "You take orders from the Stark girl now?"

"I am a sworn sword to Robb Stark and I am betting the Stark girl knows where he is. You don't have to come with us," the Hound pointed out widening his stance.

"You are right I don't and I need to repay you for capturing me and killing my men," Yara growled at the rugged sworn sword as a dangerous gleam entered her eyes.

Arya voice snapped them out of their ensuing violent thoughts, "By releasing you from the cage I think I have repaid that debt. And by all means you are free to go your own path if you wish to return to the Iron Islands."

Yara scoffed at Arya, "Ramsey's hounds would catch up to me before I could make the coast and I would only prove a distraction from you two, which is probably what you want."

Arya shrugged as she stood in the shadow of Winterfell's walls, "We need to move if any of us are going to survive."

"Fine," Yara said sharply, "where are we going."

"Just follow me," Arya said as she burst into a measured jog not wanting to waste anymore time.

The Hound shot Yara a warning look before joining the young Stark.

Yara sighed into the night's air as she started to catch up with her odd travelling companions but if she was going to see the Iron Islands again, she needed to stay alive and her best chance at survival, currently, was to stick with her fellow escapees.

Next day ….

Maze in the Gardens, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms

Davos observed from the balcony as Shireen quickly ran through the maze trying to stifle her giggles as Artys and Robin chased after her with wooden swords and childish enthusiasm.

He watched, slightly proud as the little doe continued to avoid the two boys with ease, as she navigated the maze to be the first to reach its center. Awaiting in the middle was Kenna Lannister who sat by a gushing fountain reading a leather-bound book.

When Kenna saw Shireen approach, she laid the book down beside her on the rim of the fountain and extravagantly bowed before Shireen.

"My Princess, since you are the first of your fellow adventurers to reach the center of the maze, I grant you one wish."

Shireen started to think on her wish as Artys and Robin finally caught up to the Princess and started to act out a trial by combat behind her with their wooden swords in the little grassy area surrounding the flowing fountain.

Kenna smiled as she watched the two boys play as she waited on the Princesses decision.

Shireen took a step toward Kenna completely ignoring the raging fight going on behind her, "I think I would like you to tell me a story."

"A story," Kenna mused, "mmmm how about the story of Dunk and Egg?"

"I haven't heard that one," Shireen said excitedly as she sat on the grass in front of Kenna.

"Neither have I," Artys said as Robin wacked him on the arm with his wooden sword and proceeded to claim victory by jumping around.

It seemed that having other children to play with was really benefiting sweet Robin's health and it was nice to see a childhood friendship blossom between the three noble children.

"Come here you two and sit by the Princess. It is time for a little story," Kenna called to the young boys.

Artys and Robin both relinquished their toy weapons to the grassy ground and sat beside Shireen, waiting eagerly for Kenna to start.

Once Kenna was sure of their attention she sat back on the rim of the fountain and began the tale, "There once was a hedge knight and his squire …."

"It is hard to believe it is the same woman isn't it?" Stannis's voice came from Davos's right, slightly starling him.

"I beg your pardon, your Grace?" Davos said while giving his King a little bow.

"It is hard to believe that the woman currently retelling the tales of Dunk and Egg to my daughter is the same one that stood in my Throne room two weeks ago with bloody hands," Stannis clarified. "Do you think that Lord Robin even knows that the woman currently reading to him is the same woman that killed his mother?

"I suppose not your Grace but I have found that children soften even the hardest of hearts," Davos replied returning his gaze to the three enraptured children who still sat before Kenna currently enthralled by what she was describing and acting out.

"Melisandre thinks that she will become a problem," Stannis stated quietly as he continued to watch Kenna carefully, as if looking for signs of deceit.

"Melisandre isn't always right," Davos noted darkly.

"She had a vision where a falcon landed on the back of a lion as it stalked towards a lone stag," Stannis said ignoring Davos's comment.

"So?" Davos said not wanting to take anything that Melisandre said seriously.

"She seems to think that Lady Kenna will betray me and as my Hand I want you to make sure we are ready for such an eventuality," Stannis said as he stared at Kenna who was enthusiastically waving her arms around to emphasis a point in her story.

"What do you want to do?" Davos asked.

Before replying Stannis turned to Davos, "Kenna Lannister wants something I am not prepared to give but I may be willing to share it. I am no fool, I know she wants an independent Vale and to be its Queen. She feels that she is owed that for her help on getting me the Iron Throne but I am the King of the Seven Kingdoms and I will remain the King of the Seven Kingdoms, not the six Kingdoms or the five Kingdoms."

"You are going to propose marriage to Lady Kenna?" Davos put together, "I was under the impression she was already married to Jamie Lannister."

"Marriages can be annulled," Stannis simply stated with indifference. "I will give her my proposal in the next Small Council meeting."

"What do you want me to do?" Davos questioned, still not comfortable with making moves against the Arryn forces that had saved Stannis's campaign for the Iron Throne and he doubted Kenna would want to marry again, even to a King.

"I want you to discreetly capture and board the Golden Wind. If Lady Kenna doesn't agree to my proposal, I want to have some leverage over her and secure the loyalty of the Golden Company."

Davos nodded, "The Golden Wind contains all the gold from Casterly Rock?"

"Yes," Stannis confirmed, "and it is currently floating on the high waves just beyond Blackwater Bay with the rest of the fleet we came to King's Landing with."

"There may be Arryn causalities," Davos warned, thinking through how in reality the ship was going to be taken.

"Fine, just as long as word does not reach back to the mainland about who really commands that ship," Stannis made clear.

Stannis didn't want Lady Kenna to have full knowledge of all the facts if it came to a confrontation. He knew there were two forces occupying King's Landing and he needed to make sure he could command Kenna's forces and whether that be as a husband or as her King, Stannis did not know. What he did know was that Kenna would be his subject regardless and he would rule the Seven Kingdoms as was his right.

"Yes, your Grace," Davos bowed and set about mustering his most capable and loyal crew.

The undertaking of capturing a ship discreetly was not an easy task. They would need to board the ship under the cover of darkness, subdue the Golden Wind's crew and impersonate the Arryn crew long enough so they could sail the Golden Wind away from the other Arryn ships and surround it with other ships loyal to Stannis. Such an endeavor would take a few days and his absence would be noted, he was sure, but by the time anyone figured out what he had done he supposed it wouldn't matter, Stannis would have the superior army. The ship and its precious cargo would be in Baratheon hands and therefore so would the Golden Company be under Stannis's command.

Davos shook his head as he sought out his men, Lady Kenna was not going to be pleased when it became known that the Golden Wind was in Baratheon hands. Davos doubted the Baratheon Arryn alliance would survive such an act of aggression or that Lady Kenna would stand for it. But Davos did what his King bid him, no matter the path it took him down.

Author' Notes:

What type of team is Arya, Yara and the Hound going to make? Will Ramsey be able to hunt them down before they reach Robb?

Artys and Robin return to the story and they have made a new friend in Shireen. It looks like the kids are doing a better job at growing the Baratheon Arryn alliance than the adults are :P

Stannis recognizes that whoever controls the Golden Company is the one who truly controls King's Landing as neither Kenna or Stannis have with them in King's Landing a large amount of men loyal to them personally (about 3,000 men each - Kenna has more in the Vale while Stannis maybe has some men loyal to him in the Stormlands still)

How will Kenna react when she finds out about Stannis's betrayal? How will she react to his marriage proposal?! Is this the end for the Baratheon Arryn Alliance? Tywin and Mace Tyrell haven't even turned up with their armies yet ;)

Reviews:

DodemGM – I thought the same thing! I also thought Qyburn was the man for the job. They never met on screen and I really think a canon meeting between them would have been awesome as they both use their creepiness to good effect and are essentially a great Faith vs Science argument waiting to happen :D Uneventful maybe I am trying to keep momentum going while also setting up new plots and events :) I thought I did Pycelle's character justice and made his death reflect his life … or his choices ;P

Mister LaGuardia – Thank you, in hindsight I think I shouldn't have split up the Winterfell section but hope you enjoyed how Arya escaped and what happened :)

NightlyRowenTree – Good to know as it is still stuck in my head, will it go away? No one knows :P

NCVII – Your fine my man :) KSI vs Logan was much better :D Qyburn is a sneaky sneaky man try not to lose track of him ;) The scene was funny to write as Lord Grafton and Lord Royce were playing the role of the bigger brothers/fathers making sure Kenna was okay – a bit of a light moment in the chapter :) Oh no, just as Kenna got her revenge Tywin will get his heir. Haha well it was Arya and Hound time this chapter and now they, as well as a tag along Yara, are out of Ramsey's clutches … or are they …. Yara will get more development in my story with the North plot line.

Yes, it was the phrasing of the wording you used that made me think of him. I do love me a bit of Davos, the man is just so sensible and reasonable with no delusions of grandeur while Mel on the other hand ….. Lord Royce is the man every little girl in Westeros needs supporting her :D

Read your profile, now go read mine :D

I have no idea on the valeyrian but it sounded pretty in my head, not so pretty when I tried to say it out loud :P

Onesinglebird – Thank you! I was a little bit proud of myself :D I am trying to make sure that all my deaths don't become predictable or boring and are always meaningful.

Guest/ Marvelmyra (commented basically on every chapter) – Hey thank you for all your comments, there were rather a lot so I will focus on points that haven't been explained already in chapters (that you may not have got to when you posted a particular comment) and maybe beneficial to others wondering the same points. I will also correct all the grammar mistakes you have pointed out when I have a bit of time – thank you by the way! Okay here we go!

Varys didn't help Ned escape because he would have been a main suspect and he likely wanted to maintain his position in King's Landing at this point in the story.

The Mountain's head is still currently in the Eyrie, it might find its way to Dorne but they are in a bit of a mess right now anyway with Oberyn wallowing in his own self-inflicted defeat.

Wow you were angling for a Tywin and Kenna hook up while reading the earlier chapters so I hope you were stoked when you read Chapter 37.

The words of the deal are quite important – "upon the birth of a health son by Jamie". Obviously, the Jamie part didn't happen so what else could change?

Cersei will become a bit of a bigger conundrum soon and the tension between her and her father will come to a head soon ;D

Ah visions, Lord Royce has had some, Melisandre has had some and I am sure there will be some more in the future – will any come true …..

Again wow, you predicted Osha's survival and killing of Locke, I am impressed. I am not going to reveal who kills Ramsey but there is a growing group of people who would like to be the one :P

Is the Throne ever really anyone's? Melisandre has sacrifices others who are not of King's blood so I think Stannis's wife sacrifice fit with Melisandre's Modus Operandi (MO).

I am mainly using info from the show not the books so Fake Aegon and that whole plot doesn't exist in the universe my story is set in. It is a type of music …. Okay.

Thanks, not only is it a new job but it is in a new country as well so really busy right now / Right in my head I had Pod and Brienne together because Tyrion's trial technically went ahead so Jamie would have theoretically put Pod with Brienne just to keep him safe but no they didn't actually leave King's Landing as Tyrion's trial went AU.

RIP

Roslin Frey (Killed by Ramsey in front of Edmure after she had attempted to stab Ramsey)

She showed a little bit of grit at the end by trying to kill Ramsey instead of flaying her husband alive for her newborn child. I didn't think the character really had it in her to flay Edmure and there was no way Ramsey was actually going to let the Tully baby live :(

Newborn Tully boy (Fed to Ramsey's starved hounds in front of Edmure as a form of mental torture)

Ramsey's hounds were always going to chomp down on some baby meat it seems just in this story it is Roslind's not Walda's … (*realises what I wrote* … um … I am not a monster I swear)

Edmure Tully (Flayed to death by Ramsey in anger due to him calling him a bastard)

I am sure a lot of people had forgotten about Edmure being in Winterfell, he is so easy to forget about but Ramsey didn't forget him ;P At least he can't launch a cringy bid to be the King of the Seven Kingdoms now …..

Next up: Davos returns to the life of a smuggler, Stannis and Kenna clash over the future, Tyrion's advice is sought, Tywin returns and secrets are revealed.

If you are enjoying this story please *Toss a coin to your writer, Oh valley of readers* and review, follow and favorite :)

See you guys next Friday :)

PS: Oh wait before you go, check out my latest one-shot story - Sunset of Legacy (Arya Tywin focused) - and let me know what you think and also I have updated my profile with my future projects. Let me know if a particular story piques your interest and I will prioritise the more popular ones in my scheduling.

Cheers!