"Your Great Aunt Lyanna," she whispered to Leonardo as they walked through the crypts beneath Winterfell. She went down the tunnels and showed him every part of it, naming them all once she saw them. "Your Great Uncle Brandon, Your Great Grandfather Rickard and Great Grandmother Lyarra."
Her throat caught for a moment as she came upon her father's grave, no statue like the others. All he had was a name carved into it and his bones beneath the ground. Robb was right next to him, only a carving, but no body or bones. Maya guessed that they did something horrible to his body and her mother's. She briefly wondered where her mother would lie, she supposed that now she would have statues made for them as well.
"Your Grandfather Eddard, your Grandmother Catelyn, your Uncle Robb, and...soon there will be your Uncle Rickon right next to them," she said quietly. "We are a dying breed. There used to be so many wolves running around here. The whole world thinks that there are only three left in this world, but there are five left. Arya and Bran are out there, surviving in this cruel world by themselves. We must find them before winter comes-"
She stopped speaking once again as she heard whispers in the wind. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end. She frowned as her eyebrows furrowed, looking towards the darkness. All she heard was two single words before she closed her eyes tightly, whispering to the darkness, "Go away."
Promise me.
Maya didn't know what to make of these words, they seemed to frighten her completely as she turned away. She walked back to the entrance as quickly as possible, her heart pounding in her ears.
The night is dark and full of terrors.
She picked up her pace as she swore silently to herself that she would never enter those crypts again.
A dragon is no slave.
Maya closed her eyes once again as the whispers began to take a toll on her mind, never ending.
I will take what is mine with fire and aren't the only ones who pay their is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and great war is between the living and the dead. Hold the door!A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell and I'm going has home, my 's the White Walkers!The Prince has come!Azor Ahai!
Maya blocked them out as she screamed, "GO AWAY!"
The crypts were silent once again as she closed her eyes, holding Leonardo tightly to her chest. She swore to herself once again, that she would rather die than enter into that place again.
Once Maya entered her chambers, she gently put her son down onto the fur covered bed as Winter jumped up and curled around him as if protecting him. She smiled at them as she began to pack for her journey to Dorne. She heard giggling behind her as she saw Leonardo playing with Winter as he waved his arms and legs all about. His small hand reached out and touched her nose then her eyes as they stared at one another.
Suddenly, Leonardo started to cry hysterically as he wiggled across the bed. Winter licked his face to calm him like she usually did whenever someone would cry, but that proved useless. She grabbed her son and tried to soothe him and rock him to sleep, but nothing would help. After a few moments of him crying his eyes out, Jon came into the room. He seemed a bit uncomfortable, not used to the crying noises.
"What's wrong?"
She shrugged. "He was fine a moment ago. Then he started to cry for no reason."
"May I?"
Maya handed Leonardo over to Jon who held him in his arms. Leonardo stopped crying immediately after being put into his uncle's arms. Maya became filled with sadness as she reached out to take him from Jon, but stopped when Leonardo started to cry once she touched him. She stepped away, hurt swirling in her eyes.
"It doesn't mean anything, you know," Jon assured her. "He probably just wanted...just wanted-"
"Jaime," she finished. "He misses him terribly even though they've never met."
"He knows who his father is," Jon said. "He probably cried out because he needs some men in his life."
Maya chuckled lightly before sighing. "I'm a horrible mother. I keep leaving him-"
"Stop," Jon snapped softly. "You're doing the best you can. We're in a war right now. Winter has come and all we can do is try to prepare for it while we defeat our enemies. He won't remember any of this."
"Maybe," she agreed. "But I will and I will regret it. I'm afraid that I'll die and all he'll remember by is his mother. Just that. No memories or feelings towards me. I'm afraid he'll forget about me, Jon."
"He won't," he told her. "We won't let them. You'll live and you'll get to have memories with him for decades to come, Maya. Don't be afraid. We're together now, we're a family."
"Bran and Arya are still out there, Jon. Meanwhile, we sit here and do nothing-"
"We can't do anything because they're disappeared. They don't want to be found. Sansa told me this because Brienne of Tarth found her with The Hound and she refused to go anywhere near us."
"She was probably scared, she doesn't know who to trust anymore. Neither does Bran. We need to all be together when this great war happens and there is nothing left, but blue eyes in the darkness."
"And we will." Jon assured her once again. "We need time though. I received a raven that Jaime Lannister is riding towards here. He plans to take you back to Casterly Rock, Maya."
"There is somewhere I need to be," she told him.
"You and I both know that Ser Jaime won't be happy to hear of your departure and the fact that you took his son with you as well."
"Leonardo's not coming with me," Maya corrected him "Can you take care of Leonardo for me while I'm gone? You and Sansa and anyone else that you can trust with his life."
"Of course, but where are you going?"
"Promise me, Jon," she whispered. "Promise me that you will protect my son no matter what."
"I promise, I promise now tell where it is you are running off to?"
"I'm going to have lunch with a snake."
A feeling of loss and loneliness filled inside of her when she arrived to Dorne. Maya terribly missed her son and her family. She craved the North now more than ever since she got a taste of it once again. She wanted the cold and the grey wasteland everyone always thought it was. It was ironic to her how everyone thought that the North wasn't worth anything at one moment then once her father died, everyone fought for it.
She was then filled with loss once again at the thought of Robb. Her twin. Her dead twin. She remembered lying in bed with Robb before the king had came to their home, they were half of the same person. She was right about feeling lost without her twin in this world. She felt that once Robb had died, she felt as if she had truly lost a bit of herself.
"Lady Stark," someone greeted her when she entered the water gardens. A spear and a dagger was thrust towards her face, on either side. "Or should I call you Lady Lannister?"
"Actually, King Tommen had named me Lady of Winterfell until I have more children since my son will be Lord of Casterly Rock someday. I think he is more wolf than lion in my opinion. Sands, I presume?"
"Obara," the one with the spear spoke before the one with dagger answered, "Tyene."
"Oberyn's daughters. The Sand Snakes, your reputation precedes you," Maya replied before grabbing the spear and hitting her the stomach before whirling around. She dodged the dagger being thrust towards her before grabbing Tyene's wrist and moving her away.
"As does your's," Obara said, standing into a fighting pose. "You were the former lover of our father who died because of the Lannisters. We have been looking forward to meeting you."
"Almost lover of him, I only kissed him a couple of time before Cersei Lannister tried to have me murdered and I lost my memory for awhile. He spoke highly of all of you. He loved you very much. I didn't fight with him against the Mountain and I will regret that forever, but I couldn't risk losing my child. Again."
"Again," Tyene questioned.
"Don't fall for her lies," Obara warned Tyene.
"Her name was Hope and I lost her before. When I found out that I was with child, I didn't want to lose it. I miss her everyday. I miss my brothers, my mother, my father, and I miss your father as well. He was a good person and so many good people have died because of the Lannisters."
"And that is why I have asked you to come here," Ellaria replied from behind them. "Put your weapons away. She is our guest."
Ellaria came forward and hugged Maya tightly. "Welcome, Maya."
"I heard what you did to Myrcella," she whispered.
"You must understand that she had to die."
"A child."
"Elia and her children were killed for the same reasons Myrcella had been killed. They were good people too and yet they were raped and killed by The Mountain."
"He's still alive, you know?"
"What?" Ellaria asked in shock. "How? Oberyn's spear pierced his skin many times. We all know that his spear was always laced with deadly poison."
"A man named Qyburn used some type of experiments to bring him back. I hear that his only goal is to protect Cersei, he is more monster than he is actually man."
"More than before?"
Maya turned to her with a cautious gaze. "Much more, Ellaris. If you or any of your men or daughters ever find yourself in combat with him, then you better hope you are strong and quick enough than he is."
"He is the man who killed my aunt and my father, I will kill him," Obara proclaimed.
"He is no man," Maya reminded them. "Not anymore."
"Come," Ellaria said. "We have much to discuss and the rest of our guests are waiting for you. How did you manage to make it safely here without your golden lion following you?"
"My family is holding him off for now. They have my son. That should keep him there for awhile."
As they stepped onto the steps, Maya stopped as she greeted, "Lady Olenna Tyrell. My, this is surprising since I remember that the Tyrells were in alliance with the Lannisters who have declared war against the Martells and every other house in Westeros."
"She took away my future," Olenna told her. "She killed my granddaughter, my grandson, and my son."
"Seven hells," Maya whispered. "How?"
"She had wildfire planted under the Sept of Baelor during her trial with the High Sparrow. She killed some of her own family members as well. You missed a lot I'm afraid while you were away at Casterly Rock and in the North."
"That would explain why they requested my presence there a while back. I was ordered to go there as well, to testify or something. I did not go as you can see."
"And why not?" Olenna asked suspiciously as Maya sat down.
She smirked. "Because I don't like them. Jaime and I ran away because she tried to kill my child and me more than once. We managed to throw her off by saying that she had succeeded. Jaime wanted to kill her, but I wouldn't let him because she wasn't his to kill. I want her head."
Olenna eyed her for a moment before speaking out, "Good. Glad we're all on the same page here. I'm glad that you are still the Wicked Wolf everyone claims you to be and much more."
"As you, Queen of Thorns."
"You may be a Lannister by name, but I can tell that Stark blood still runs through your veins," Olenna told Maya.
"We are all here for one thing," Ellaria began. "We want the Lannisters gone. We seek must be allies now if we all wish to survive-"
"She stole the future from me. It's not survival I'm after," Olenna interrupted curtly.
"You're right," Ellaria agreed. "I chose the wrong words. It's not survival I offer. It's your heart's desire."
Maya watched as she rung a bell and inquired curiously, "So how do we achieve this plan of vengeance since the last time someone formed an army against the Lannisters, they ended up dead at a wedding?"
"This is your heart's desire as well, Lady Maya," Ellaria responded.
"What is our heart's desire?" Olenna asked in amusement.
"Vengeance. Justice."
Maya's eyes caught Varys as she saw him walk towards them, finishing, "Fire and blood."
She smiled towards him. "Your loyalty is with Daenerys Targaryen, Lord Varys. It makes sense now."
"Queen Daenerys wants you as her ally, my lady. All of you," Varys said. "You are the head of your houses now. You have all been wronged by the Lannisters. They stole everything from you and now you can take it back if you're her ally."
"Who else does she have with her? I won't be putting my family in danger of a lost cause unless for a good reason."
"Three very large dragons. Eight thousand of the Unsullied. Two thousand of the Second Sons A hundred thousand Dothraki. The Greyjoys. The Martells and Tyrion Lannister was named the Hand of the Queen."
"Tyrion is with her?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Is he alright?"
"He is. He's happy as one man can be, but he wants to come home."
Maya nodded. "I'll be her ally. I trust Tyrion and if he thinks she is fit to rule the Seven Kingdoms then so be it."
"My Queen thanks you for your support-"
"I have one condition though, Lord Varys," Maya interrupted. "This is nonnegotiable I'm afraid. Jaime Lannister can't be hurt or killed when she arrives here. He is not with his sister anymore and she must stay away from him. He must be spared."
"He killed her father," Varys reminded her cautiously. "She's going to want some sort of punishment as will Tyrion most likely I heard that they ended their departure on bad terms."
"He crippled your brother as well," Ellaria reminded her once again. "All because he saw him with his sister, fucking her-"
"You all don't need to remind me of his crimes, I know my husband. I knew what he was when I married him. I haven't forgotten, but after everything he has been through, he's a changed man."
"He didn't seem that changed when I last saw him," Ellaria replied with a raised eyebrow.
"He wanted Oberyn to win you know...he told me that. He wants his sister dead just as we do," Maya tried to convince them. "I will remind you all as well that if he had not killed Aerys then either someone else would have done the deed or the entire population of King's Landing would've been burned alive."
"If this is true then why did he not tell anyone?"
"He's a Lannister, once my father saw him...he was already condemned to be a man without honor so why not live up to the expectations of being a Kingslayer. No one would believe him if he tried to explain himself. I may hate him at the moment, but he is still the only man I have ever truly loved. This is my only term. I don't know what my family may want as well, but for me, this is all I ask. That she leaves my husband and my son out of her plan involving the Lannisters."
Varys sighed. "You are indeed a powerful ally, but I cannot agree to this without consulting Queen Daenerys first. Perhaps, you should meet her in person and she will decide for herself what she wants to do with Jaime Lannister."
"Then I cannot support her if she does not provide at least some assurance that my family-my son's father specifically will not be harmed."
"Then so be it," Olenna stated. "Run back to wherever it is you came from, Lady Maya."
"I came from Winterfell actually," Maya informed them. "My family has taken Winterfell back from the Boltons. Roose Bolton and the rest of his family are gone from this world. Sansa fed the last of his son to his hounds actually. How far my little sister has come. We have wildlings with us as well, they have declared fealty to us too. If you want me to run back to Winterfell then fine I will do so. There is a greater war that needs my attention more than the Mother of Dragon's war."
"Pray and tell what great war are you yapping about," Olenna mused.
"The White Walkers are here. Winter has come," Maya warned them. "Jon was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and his men and the wildlings fought them at Hardhome, a village north of the Wall. They lost, the White Walkers were prepared with their army of the dead. The men that they lost rose up from the dead and are now apart of the dead's army. So as you can see, I can't risk losing anymore men-men that I'm now responsible for unless I have some assurance about my family."
"The Starks do love their family more than anything," Varys reminded them. " This is your war as much as it is ours, Lady Maya. Cersei Lannister is now the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms which means that not only is she the most powerful woman in all of Westeros, but that she will mostly likely come after you and your son first. You took her brother and he fell in love with you, she's probably still angry about that. She will come after you first.
"I'm a mother, I protect my children-my people first. I think that your queen can relate to that as well, Lord Varys, can she not?"
He nodded with a small smile. "That she can, my lady."
"Then I'm sure that she will understand my position more than anyone. I never expected myself to be in this position of power. That was always set for Robb and the rest of my brothers. I didn't plan to marry into a powerful family, but I did. Now I must face the decisions for both families."
"I'll write a letter to her as soon as possible, asking her of your request."
"Okay then I must be going I'm afraid. I can't have Jaime running in here like the madman he tends to be sometimes whenever I go somewhere alone."
"Farewell," Ellaria told her.
"We will be seeing each other very soon," Maya said before her departure.
TBC…
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS, FOLLOWS, AND FAVORITES! Wow, I can't believe that I got this chapter done so fast and I can say that this is probably one of my favorite chapters because you have all these women now in great power which was why I loved The Winds of Winter episode as well. I'm very happy with this chapter and I hope you guys are too. No Maya next chapter and it will be something else.
I hoped you liked this chapter.
REVIEW. FOLLOW. FAVORITE. Until next time...