"This is a risk that you're taking, Nora! For both you and your child!" Sansa explained in her fearful manner, having me look over a Arya and Bran for some support, if not any kind. I was sitting on the bed with Bran, whom was propped up against the pillows, Rick on his otherside as Arya was sitting at the foot, Jon standing with Arya and looking at me with a bit of concern as well. Gendry was with Thoros, Jamie, Tyrion and James, going over the plans of the morning and our move to the South. He too was concerned about me going to the South, but then again he knew that arguing with me would end badly. Both of us being stubborn in our ways made it impossible for us to leave at a compromise. So he turned to my siblings in order to help out with the thought of where I was going to go.

"But I won't be staying her and being left behind when I know this war is about me." I replied to her, seeing her shake her head and still thinking it was a bad idea for me.

"I can see where Sansa is coming from, Nora. You are carrying a heir to this family." Jon added.

"Cersei doesn't know that." Arya countered to our brother, crossing her arms in front of her and then looking at me, "She still thinks Nora is alive and that's it."

"We can still have her come." Bran said from his spot next to me, having me see Sansa about to protest with him, but he beat her to the punch,"However, we can make sure she stays safe throughout the battle, since she already is a key component to this war." I eyed my siblings from my spot to see if the approve. Rickon was thinking to himself from next to Bran, Sansa still looked a bit on edge from the conversation, leaving Arya and Jon to look like they approved of the plan. To keep me safe, away from the real battle and make sure that I was going to live throughout the war. I was not going to stay being at Winterfell, I wanted to make sure that the deed was done and to know that Cersei was either dead or away from the throne, away from me and making me feel safe again. Both me and my family. I would be fine not going into battle, now that I was pregnant and going to be a mother.

That part of this whole situation was thrilling, knowing that I was going to be a mother and hold a child in my arms soon enough. I wanted to see what my child would look like, if the child would have my hair, or Gendry's eye, or my nose. It was a mystery, but it was thrilling to me to go through. Even Gendry was excited for the mere thought of being a father, making sure I was doing well with the pregnancy and giving me all that I was craving. He would even massage my feet and back, having me sonde how lucky I got with him.

"I don't mind her coming if she does not go into battle." Jon explained, having me smirk at him from my spot, "However, we will have to make sure she does not go into any kind of danger while we travel, none at all." I nodded my head, showing that I was fine with that bargain. Sansa eyed me, think nodding her head slowly in defeat knowing that her argument was not helping. But knowing Jon, she was fine with it since Jon was looking out for me as well as everyone else in Winterfell.

"I won't go into battle." I reassured her, seeing her still look hesitant about it, "I'm not that naive to go in there knowing that I'm carrying a heir. I'm keeping my child safe." I placed my hand on my stomach, seeing her watch me with her eyes, "But I won't wait until I know Cersei is no longer a threat to our family."

"And we won't stop you." Arya said to me.

"Yeah, I won't let them hurt you Nora!" RIckon vowed to me, having me smile at him and see the look of determination on his face. He was coming along with us in the battle, though I knew he too would have to be held back from going into real war.

"None of us will." Sansa added with determination. All of us looked to her now, seeing her now have a look of pure war on her face, no longer gentle and no longer a dove in my eyes. No, Sansa always was and always will be a warrior.

"We almost lost you once to the hands to Cersei, Nora." She explained to me, "And I won't let her take you again."

"Everything's in order for your travels to the South, Milday." Coen explained to me as I stood in front of him. Everyone else was getting rings ready for our travel to the South, namely, our battle with Cersei. I was beyond ready to go into this battle, knowing that we were going to get this over with and end it once and for all. With Tyrell House on our side, along with Stannis Baratheon with his men, we were looking rather good on our end of Westeros. But I was still worried about Cersei and what plan she had up her sleeve. I was given reassurance from Tyrion and Jamie that they would watch out for anything unexpected from her for me, since they knew me far too well. Before we made the decision to leave Winterfell, Davvos returned with the men assigned to him, and brought Gaila along with him. She looked even more frail than before, having me worried and place her instantly in the walls of Winterfell to get her washed and fed. I got to visit her in her room that I gave her, seeing her smile and give me a warm hug. I was glad she was out of that nightmare, and after telling her all that has happened to Gendry and I since she sent us out of the Southern land. And after I told her all that occurred, I watched her as she started to cry in front of me, her tears hitting the furs underneath her on her bed.

"I'm just beyond the glass that the Old Gods protected you and Gendry, they heard my prayers." She said to me in a mourning tone. I smiled at her, almost feeling a tear coming down my own cheek.

"I am too, Gaila. Trust me, I'm glad."

"Thank you, Coen. You are loyal beyond words." I thanked, seeing him grin from ear to ear. I was glad that he was there for me, since he was the first to come to Thedra Ascent and believed in both Gendry and myself in the hopes that he would find survive through the winter. But now he was well, beyond well since his stay with us. I was wearing one of my travel gowns that I made throughout my time in Winterfell, my hair now longer than before and placed in braids and in a bun thanks to Sansa.

"I will make sure nothing will happen to this fortress whilst the Stark Children are gone, you have my word." Coen vowed to me, having me grab his hands in my own and tap the top of his worn hands on me.

"I have no worries about that at all." I replied as I heard someone walking up to us. We both looked over, seeing that it was Brennon in his armor, ready to go for the trip and looking clearly shaven. I was glad he too was on board with the battle, though he was just as concerned for me as Sansa was. He tried to get me to stay behind, but he knew far too well since arguing with me was like talking to a wall: useless.

"There will be a couple of hundred guards from both Brotherhood Without Banners and from Thedra Ascent staying here in case of a counter attack from the Queen Regiment." Brennon explained before pausing and then going on, "I mean to say Former Queen Regiment."

"Former?" Coen asked in confusion, having me look at him as well in wonder.

"Since her son married the Lady of Tyrell, she has stepped down as Queen." I looked at him in shock. This was a good thing, wasn't it? She was no longer Queen, and now our ally was the Queen and she was going to help us. Things were looking in our favor now, and I was still hesitant to think that this will go off perfectly.

"Are we ready to go Brennon?" I asked him, seeing him nod his head.

"Ready when the Starks are, Milday." He informed me, walking away as I looked back to Coen. He smiled once more, as if none of this was happening.

"I pray to the Old Gods that the North will bring victory in this war." Coen reassured me, having me kiss his forehead without hesitation.

"And I pray to the Old Gods that I will be filled with your hope and bravery in this time of war. Stay safe, dear friend." I said to him, giving him one more smile before I turned away, walking over to the group and seeing that our horses were ready for us. Going into this battle, going out of Winterfell and back to the South, it made every step more and more frightful. There was plenty that was going in this battle that could be lost forever. I was risking my life, my family and all of their lives, the lives of both my husband and my child, all for the sake of being safe and no longer living a nightmare that I've been in since the moment I was brought into the world. My mother and father died protection me, along with my twin brother, and others as well. They knew that who I was, was good and true. And I was about to go into, ending it once and for all.

I mounted my horse, seeing Gendry ride up next to me on his horse with his own armor on. He was showing his allegiance as well, having me see both the Stark and Baratheon sigma on his chest plate. I smiled, seeing him look over at me and take my hand in his. If there was one person I was going to fight for, since he suffered enough at the hands of the South, it was him. My friend, comrade, lover, husband, and the father of our child. I wanted to do this, for him.

"You ready to do this?" He asked me aloud, having me smile and nod my head.

"Let's go to the South."

After a few days of riding through the woods of the North, leaving our home behind and on the verge of battle, I was getting more and more nervous about it. We were leading hr way with our hundreds of soldiers behind us, both from Brotherhood Without Banners, the men from Stannis Baratheon, Jon and his men from the Wall and others that came with James. We are a force to be reckoned with. The Stark children lead the path with Jon and Stannis at the head of the mass army we assembled, which looked more intimidating with six direwolves with their master bringing more of a eery feeling to those who watched as we passed them by in the open fields of Westeros. But we were on a mission, and we were ready to fight with whatever that was coming our way.

By the third night, we were making much ground and were making camp in the woods, hiding within the heights of the trees and the cool nights. The farther we were getting from the North, the warmer it was getting for us. One of the cool nights made me sit awake in my tent that I shared with Gendry. Astrid was out in front, walking back and forth in front of the tent to stand guard with us. Koda was within the tent, laying down next to the opening flap of the tent. I could hear the talking of the people outside the tent, speaking stories to one another and the future of the battle that was coming. Gendry was talking to James and Stannis near Stannis's tent, leaving me along in the tent with my own thought and my own fears creeping up on me. I only wished that this would be over with and done, so I could go on and live the rest of my life with Gendry in peace.

"Nora!" I heard a young voice yell outside the tent, having me look up and see Rickon run in with Shaggydog trot in behind him. Rickon looked out of breath, seeming to be scared about something as he jumped on the bed that I was on. Within a moment he was on the bed he snuggled into my arms, having me hug him close and see Shaggydog watch us with his worried green eyes, looking at his master.

"What is it Rickon?" I asked him aloud in my soothing tone in my voice, hearing him sniffle once or twice before he looked up at me with big eyes that were on the verge of tears.

"I had a nightmare about mother and father." He said into my shirt, having me run my fingers in his curls and bring him closer to me than before. I hated that he was having these dreams, that he was seeing our parents against and they are alive. Rickon knew that they were gone, and he had his brothers and sisters now to protect him and help him grow into a good young man of the North. But I knew that he still needed his mother and father from time to time, as I did as well.

"It's okay, Rickon." I reassured him, "Mother and father are with the Old Gods, with out ancestors. They are safe now."

"But are we safe?" He asked me more hesitantly. I paused, not expecting this from him .

"You know we are, Rickon. Trust me, no one is going to hurt you while I'm alive. I'm your sister, and it's my job to protect you." I said to him in a more confident manner. I then saw him crack a small smile, leave it to him to bring some kind of happiness in times of trouble and fear.

"I thought it was my job to portent you since I am a man." He countered back at me.

"Oh that is true, but I am no ordinary woman." I said back to him, having him see me with his eyes as I thought about what I just told him. No, I was not a ordinary woman at all, not at this point. Ever since I was asked to come to Winterfell some time ago, only to create new dresses for Sansa and Arya, my life was never the same. I went through so many things throughout the time I was with the Starks and so much pain and turmoil. But I saw myself as someone who was a different woman, but because of the name I carried and the blood I had. No, I grew thick skin and I grew wiser when it came to how to survival in this world.

I was a warrior now.