Suddenly a rider came racing towards the commotion, the figure at first difficult to make out. "It's a bloody woman," one of the men suddenly swore in disbelief. The words had barely left his mouth before he was struck off his horse.

Sansa could hardly believe her eyes as fighting broke out around her; the two new comers engaging in a fierce battle with the Bolton men. She was relieved as the men fell one by one, then nearly swallowed her tongue as Theon ran a sword through the last man.

She gingerly made her way to her feet when the fighting was over, her head reeling over the turn of events. The tall blond giant walked over to her, stopping about a foot away and Sansa realized that she recognized her. Brienne of Tarth.

"Lady Sansa, I offer my services once again," she stated, kneeling in front of Sansa and laying her sword between them. "I will shield your back and keep your counsel, and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the Old Gods and New."

The words seemed to wash over Sansa, bringing a feeling of safety she had not felt in so long. She looked to Theon who was standing next to her. He seemed to agree that she should trust Brienne of Tarth. Sansa turned back to the lady. "And I vow that you should always have a place by my hearth and…" Sansa faltered, trying to remember the long forgotten words.

"Meat and mead at my table," Brienne of Tarth's squire provided.

"Meat and mead at my table, and pledge to ask no service of you that might bring you into dishonor. I swear it by the Old Gods and the New. Arise," Sansa finished.

Brienne stood with tears in her eyes and they stared at each other, bound by the oath.

The journey to Castle Black once again resumed, but it was much easier now with the horses to help cover greater distance in a short amount of time. Sansa's heart soared when Brienne informed her that she had ran into her sister Arya. The shock had nearly been overwhelming for Sansa who for so long had believed that the rest of her family was dead only to learn that not only were her little brothers alive, but her sister too.

She had prayed for Winterfell but when she returned there it had been a nightmare. Sansa now knew that it wasn't simply Winterfell the castle that her heart had longed for, but home. And home meant family. Without her family at Winterfell, it had felt empty. She made her way over to Theon who seemed lost as he stared into the distance.

He turned at her approach. "We shouldn't be lighting fires," was his greeting. "It's not safe. He won't stop hunting us."

Sansa shared his fears but she tried to not dwell on them. "We just have to make it to Castle Black. Once we're with Jon, Ramsay won't be able to touch us," she insisted.

But Theon didn't look comforted. "Jon will have me killed the moment I step through the gate," he stated.

Sansa shook her head in denial. "I won't let him." Her voice was fierce. "I will tell him the truth about Bran and Rickon."

"And the truth about the farm boys I killed in their place. And the truth about Ser Rodrik whom I beheaded. And the truth about Robb whom I betrayed," Theon mourned, staring at the ground.

Sansa embraced him, knowing that she couldn't take away his pain. "Where will you go?" she finally asked.

"Home," Theon replied.

She smiled sadly, knowing that in the end that was what they all longed for: home.

Theon had never really known his home.

She watched as Theon left on one of the horses, her heart aching over yet another loss. She lifted her head, knowing that she had to keep going. She had to get to Jon. Brienne managed to snag two more horses to make up for the lost one while Sansa slept, and in the morning, they carried on.

The nearer they drew to Castle Black, the more anxious Sansa grew. What if they didn't allow her to stay even though Jon was Lord Commander? Most worrisome of all, what if Jon didn't want her there? She worried her bottom lip until it bled, her body taut with her insecurities over Jon's potential reaction to her arrival.

Sooner than she would have expected, the horses were treading up to the gates of Castle Black. Sansa smoothed her hair back knowing that she looked worse for wear. That can't be helped right now, she scolded herself, trying to settle her nerves. The horn rang out announcing their arrival and she braced herself.