7. A raven from the North.

It was not yet daylight when Stannis woke up. He looked at the woman sleeping next to him and started imagining his unstoppable army marching through the streets of King's Landing. He could see himself sitting on the Iron Throne. A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie.

"Lady Melisandre, what can I do for you at this hour?"

"I trust you had a pleasant night" she said, to which Stannis merely nodded. "There was a raven in the night. It is addressed to you" she added and she handed him the parchment.

"It's from Castle Black" Stannis read. "They require assistance against the wildlings. Why would the Night Watch require reinforcements? I thought they had enough men, unless the invading army is too powerful for them to handle. What should I do about this?"

"A good King must first and foremost protect his people. If you truly want to rule you must first secure your Kingdom. We need to ride North and make sure the Seven Kingdoms do not fall."

"I'll do as you say. I'll inform my wife as soon as she wakes up."

"I'm already awake" said a drowsy voice next to him. "What do you need to inform me of?"

"My Lady, news have arrived from the North which require us to change our plans. The Night Watch needs our help repelling an invading horde of wildlings. We are marching to the Wall, not to the Twins."

"What about my brother?"

"We have another priority" Stannis replied sternly.

"Is it your priority or hers?" Catelyn asked pointing at Lady Melisandre.

"Neither. It's the Realm's."

Stannis decided to take most of his army North, leaving just a few hundred men to guard Dragonstone, being that the Lannisters were currently not interested in taking the castle or invading his lands. They did the first part of the trip by boat avoiding Lannister occupied lands and the Riverlands currently held by the Freys. Then they continued on foot on the Kingsroad. It was almost two weeks after they had left Dragonstone when they first made out the walls of Winterfell in the horizon. They had seen some people in farms and holdfasts in the vicinity, but nothing close to the buzzing activity the area used to have before the war. Upon seeing the walls of their former house, both Sansa and Catelyn fell silent. The castle appeared to be empty, parts of it appeared to have been burned and even some of the walls looked damaged. The gates were broken and the portcullis was missing.

My Lady, what are you doing here? Nobody's here. She hadn't heard that voice in such a long time. "Maester Luwin?" Yes, it's good to see you my Lady. "Where is everybody?" Those who were not killed ran away. They are hiding in holdfasts and small towns "Was this Theon's work? Did he kill the boys?"It was Theon, my lady, but your boys were safe. They escaped North with Hodor and Osha, a wildling who was taking care of them. "They are alive!" I do not know, but they did not die here. I told them to go to the wall to Jon. "Good! That's where we're heading." Take care my Lady, it was good to see you. "I'm sorry for what Theon did to you. When I get my hands on him, he'll pay." I believe Ramsay Bolton took him to the Dreadfort. "Thank you"

After her conversation with Maester Luwin, Catelyn approached Melisandre.

"My Lady, a word?"

"What can I do for you Lady Baratheon"

She cringed every time she was called that way, she still couldn't get used to her new title. "I need your assistance again. I have another name. We are not far from where I believe him to be."

"Are you sure?"

"That way" and she pointed towards the East in the general direction of the Dreadfort.

"If you do not know the exact location, it may take a little longer"

"We have nothing but time until we get to the Wall"

"Close your eyes" said Melisandre.

The Shadow was floating again. Over land. Over roads. Over streams. The Shadow did not know which way to go. The Shadow soared up into the sky and set its eyes on the target. A fortress. The Shadow descended and entered the building. No doors, no gates. The Shadow passed through walls. The Shadow filtered all the sounds until it heard a faint whimper. It had found its target. A young man tied to a wooden X. The man was hurt. The man was not whole. The Shadow disappeared and the woman took its place.

"What are you?" they young man cried.

"For almost ten years you lived with us and now you don't recognize me?" Catelyn taunted Theon.

"Lady Stark?" he gasped in surprise.

"Baratheon now, but that's inconsequential. Yes, it is me."

"They told me you were dead. Along with Robb"

"Along with Ned?" She approached him and added "Along with Bran and Rickon?"

"No! I swear. I didn't kill them!"

"So I have heard. Master Luwin sends his regards. You do know he is dead, don't you? Of course you do, you killed him."

"What trick is this?" he pleaded. "Please stop! Master Ramsey, please, no more"

"Oh, you must be confused. I'm not Ramsey" she replied calmly, which contrasted abruptly with his anguish and desperation. "Why should I stop? Did you stop when Maester Luwin asked you to?"

As her arm started extending towards him and became a blade, Theon suddenly took courage. "Go ahead, kill me. Deliver me from this hell."

Catelyn took a good look at him. Parts of his fingers were missing. His shirtless torso sported all sorts of cuts, scrapes, wounds and bruises. There was blood seeping through his pants in his crotch. He reeked of sweat, blood and waste.

"What are you doing here, Theon?" she asked.

"I don't know" he replied as tears started falling from his eyes. "I don't know. I'm sorry my Lady for the troubles I have caused you. I wanted to prove that I could be a man and I committed despicable acts against people who had treated me like family. I swear I did not kill Bran and Rickon. They were my brothers."

"Where are they?"

"I don't know. Maester Luwin helped them escape. They left with Hodor and a wildling called Osha. … Please, kill me. I don't want to be here. I can't take it any more. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

She approached him with her blade "May the Stranger … May the Mother take you into her loving arms and help you repent for your crimes" and she thrust her arm into his chest.

As soon as she was done she dematerialized again.

The Shadow was floating. It had to get out of that place. The place was evil. The Shadow soared into the air and found what it was looking for. A long caravan of people. It had to find the Red Woman. It knew the body would be next to the Red Woman. The Shadow crept back into the body of the woman.

"Welcome back. Did you take your revenge?" Melisandre asked Catelyn as soon as she opened her eyes.

"No, not this time. This time it was mercy."

TBC