Chapter 26. Reclaiming the North
The Dreadfort of the Roose Bolton burned as Bryden Tully rode ahead of his forces away from the castle. It had taken four days to sack the castle and when they entered the castle everyone was killed and Roose along with his wife, and children were beheaded. Their heads placed on pikes and above their heads was a sign. On that sign were written in blood are the words-THE NORTH NEVER FORGETS NOR DO WE FORGIVE!
Bryden lead his men towards the wolf's wood where Arya and the rest of her forces were camped. Soon word spread throughout the North of sacking of the Twins, Castle Pyke, and the Dreadfort. Because the Boltons, the Frey's and Balish were dead Northern Lords began killing soldiers loyal to Easten and Yara the current lords of Winterfell. They burned garrisons and killed troops patrolling the roads. As time passed the entire North began to rebel. Soon the Nothern banners still loyal to House Stark converged on the wolf's wood and Arya's camp. The first to arrive was Lord Cerwyn and his army of 5,000 men. The Karstarks arrived next with their army of 10,000 men. House Dustin-3,000 men, House Hornwood-2,500, House House Umber-4,000 men, House Cassel-1,200 men, House Reed-7,000, House Manderly-5,500 men, House Glover-500 men, House Tallhart-1,800 men. Even House Mormount showed up with 6,000 men, some came out of loyalty while others curiosity and to see if the rumors of Arya Stark were true.
The Banner lords of each house gathered in the command tent. Lord Robin and Edmure were there along with Gendry and to the disgust of many Sandore, but Edmure and Robin vouched for him. "Enough of this!" Lord Colwin Karstark said a distant relation of Richard Karstark and the new head of House Karstark. They had been arguing about Sandore a former guard of Joffrey Baratheon. "We came here to see the heir of Winterfell."
Bryden smiled clapping his hands and aside flap to the tent opened and in walked Arya looking like a warrior queen. She was dressed in her usual black knee high boots, a black vest with a brown shirt underneath. She also wore a heavy fur skin coat with her all her swords on display to be seen. Arya had allowed her black hair to grow out to the middle of her back. She had a single braid wrapped around her head and forehead-the rest hung loosely down her back.
The lords were stunned and shocked, "I am Arya Stark! Daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark-Sister of the King of the North Robb Stark-Sister of Bran and Rickan Lords of Winterfell." Arya waved her hand, "And I come bearing gifts." Two men brought in Joffrey Baratheon former King of King's Landing in a cage-another two men carried Walder Frey in cage. "Behold! The bastard who called himself King and the Man who killed guests of his own house-My Brother and Mother!"
Karstark walked up to the cage and poked Joffrey, "Please have mercy and kill me!"
"Fuck off!" Walder Frey said when Lord Cerwyn walked up to his cage.
Reed shook his head looking at Joffrey, "The Lannisters..."
Arya intterupts him, "Are all dead! Jaime! Cersi! Tywin, Tyrion, Tommen, their mates and children-Cousins, aunts, uncles, all but this shit!" She said hitting Joffrey's cage, "He raped my sister and I cut off his cock, legs and arms."
Dustin stepped forward, "You expect us to believe!"
"Its true!" Bryden said speaking up, "I have seen her in action-Arya is great warrior."
"She was trained by the faceless men, and by the legendary Pei Long." Gendry said speaking up, "Sandore here also taught her the sword. And I was there when she killed all those people." Everyone listened as Gendry recounted all that Arya had done for revenge.
"So what!" Karstark said, "The Martells and the Tyrells will want revenge for Margaery and Mrycella when they find out."
"No they won't as we speak they are waging a war against what is left of the Lannisters-Stannis Baratheon is leading them. So we have time! If we unite we can march on Winterfell and if Stannis tries to war on us he is for a big surprise. Daenarys Targaryen will return and when she dose I intend to help her destroy Stannis and all who follow him."
"What do you want girl?" Lady Maege Mormount asked standing next to her Cousin Lord Neal Mormount.
"Vengeance! As I said."
"You don't want to be Queen? It is your right after all-Your brother was named King of the North."
Arya walked up to her, "That title be damned-All I want is my home back-If any of you think I am worthy then name me your Queen if not fight by my side against the False Lords of Winterfell. If that is not to your liking then leave-But anyone who stands between me and my vengeance will earn me as an enemy!"
Karstark stood on the table, "My cousin Lord Richard Karstark-acted dishonorably and Robb Stark removed his head. The Karstarks have many reasons not to follow you girl-but that is the past. I hate those shits in the south and when I became head of House Karstark I swore that I would not bow my knee to those shits on the Iron Throne or the puppets they set in Winterfell-As Richard before me I will bow my knee only to the Queen of the North! That is my price girl-Take your brother's place on the Throne in the North and I will follow you into the seven hells if need be." He spit, "As for Daenarys Targaryen she could shit an army of one million troops and have a thousand Dragons I would not bow to her."
A few men unsheathed their swords and shouted, "AYE!"
Arya smiled, "If you would have me as your queen then take a knee!" One by one they all dropped to one knee. "Then I accept-As my brother before me I now declare the North free and independent of the south-And from this moment on our motto shall be-The North never forgets nor do we Forgive!"
They all repeated her words, "THE NORTH NEVER FORGETS NOR DO WE FORGIVE!"
"We will reclaim the North and march on Winterfell!" Arya shouted. The men cheered and they next day they traveled up and down in the north slaying everyone loyal to their enemies. Villages were burned and pillaged, crops were burned and animals taken. Any fort that flew the sigil of Houses Frey or Greyjoy were burned.
Winterfell
"Has there been any word from my father or the King?" Easten Greyjoy asked.
"No milord!"
Just then a man burst in and dropped to one knee, "My lord they have sacked the Twins and Catsle Pyke."
Yara was there in the grand hall when this was said, "My father and brother?"
"We found a few survivors from the village of Sea Port-Your brother and his family was taken out to sea and cast into the water-They had been waited down." When Yara fell to her knees Eaten ran up to comfort her. "There is more to tell I'm afraid-There is a rumor going around that Arya Stark has united the North and all the Ravens and messengers sent South are dead."
"Prepare my troops!" Easten coldly ordered, "I will not wait for them to march on Winterfell."
Yara tried to change his mind, but Easten would not listen. He rode out of Winterfell with 60,000 men. Everyday after that Yara would stand on the wall and look into the distance for his return with their eldest son-Tullen Greyjoy. A week later a massive army was encamped before Winterfell and Yara gasped as her husband Easten was naked with a pointed paper hat on his head.
"THE NORTH NEVER FORGETS NOR DO WE FORGIVE!"
The army chanted as they bashed their weapons against their shields and blew their horns. "I count over 80,000 troops milady!" The Captain said.
"Perhaps we should surrender!" Another man said.
"No they will kill us all!" Yara replied.
"If we surrender there is a slim chance we can offer them a deal."
Yara spun towards the man, "No one is surrendering-Prepare to burn Winterfell to the ground!"
The men looked at each other in disbelief, that is when the Captain slapped his neck and pulled a thin dart from his neck. His mouth started foaming and he fell off the wall dead. A thunderous cheer went up as Arya lead 5,000 men into the courtyard. As they fought Arya took a throwing star from her belt and caught Yara in the leg. They desperately fought their way to the gate and as they did several thousand troops broke away from the main force outside the gates and stormed the wall with ladders. Gendry lead the men to the gate tower to open it while Arya lead a few men up the wall. The rest kept back the reinforcements sacrificing themselves to keep them away from the gate. The counter weights were cut and the gates opened. There was a great roar and the army entered Winterfell overwhelming the defenders. After a day and half of fighting and killing Winterfell grew quiet. The sigil of the united Houses of Greyjoy and Frey was torn down and once again the Sigil of House Stark flew in the breeze over the towers and wall. Yara, Easten, and their five children were executed by beheading, Arya did it herself and their heads mounted on the gates. Then she had Joffrey and Walder taken to the dungeons-Arya lay in her parents room with Gendry beside her. Arya's quest for revenge was nearly over-now all she had to do is deal with Stannis, the Martells, and the Tullys and conclude her business with Daenarys Targaryen.
