The Land Beyond The Wall
Lysara Stark
It brought her confusion, Lysara did not know why laughter left her lips. All it took was watching Daramyr's little brothers and sister along with the other children wrestling each other in the snow to bring laughter to her. It was a kind and an innocent sight that she welcomed after such cruelty she has witnessed. It reminded her of gentler times with her own siblings. Of a time where her older brother Robb was crownless and alive, where her little brother Brandon, was able to walk in both worlds. Of a time where the wolf pack of Winterfell remained.
We should never have left Winterfell, she thought solemnly as she longed for what would never be but her attention was brought back to a squeal from Daramyr's little sister, Anya. Val, Nelna, Willa and the pregnant Dalla were watching the children in amusement while she heard a gruff man cheer them on as one of the children gathered a dozen balls made from snow in their arms. Another laugh escaped her but it was a sadder one as she watched the little boy that reminded her of Rickon pelt snowballs at the other children and let out bouts of cheerful laughter as he did so.
A deep rumble sounded and she looked up at the giant that was sat near her and her brows furrowed, wondering what Mag was doing. Mag the Mighty's small eyes that did not fit his large face trailed down to her and he fell silent when she did. Was he laughing? She thought, shock adorning her features as she stared at the giant with care. Lysara held the furs closer to her body, a small smile made its way onto her face as her eyes met the giant's dark ones. The giant murmured something that she did not understand but whatever it is that he said had made some of the Free Folk near them still and Dalla looked over with a fondness towards Mag as Val chuckled.
"It seems he is rather fond of you, fire bird," Dalla said. "The giants tend to not like it when people stare at them. The last man that stared at him too long had his skull crushed."
"You owe me a drink!" Val proclaimed with a large grin as she turned to Nelna. "Didn't I say that Mag had made her his pet?"
"You are far along with child," Lysara remarked, eyeing Dalla's rounded stomach. "Are you praying for a boy or a girl?"
"I am hoping for a girl," The blonde haired woman responded with a small and tired smile. "Yrna claims that since I conceived under the red moon, it will be a girl."
"May I feel?" She asked.
The woman nodded and with a dismissive wave of her hand, Lysara shuffled through the snow and knelt by the woman's side. She reached out and placed her hand against the woman's rounded stomach and gave it a soft stroke with the back of her hand when she felt movement underneath her touch and she looked up to face Dalla, her eyes widening from amazement as Dalla let out a delighted laugh and placed her own hand on her belly. Lysara looked over her shoulder to the small fire, staring at the dancing flames intently before letting her eyes flutter close. She listened to the soft howling of the wind and the whispers coming from the shadows in the fire as she felt the babe shift. The sickening scream that followed after the howling drew her out of her thoughts and her breath hitched. Lysara's hooded eyes trailed up to Dalla and she stared at the woman with furrowed brows.
"It seems she likes you!" Dalla laughed as she felt the babe move once more causing the blonde haired woman to grunt. "She will be a great warrior!"
"He. I see wolves in the child's future," Lysara informed her, her voice barely above a whisper. "I see wolves and winter." And blood.
"I still think that is some scary shite-" A voice called, causing her to look up from Dalla to see Daramyr strolling forward towards them. "You aren't supposed to know such things."
"I am one of R'hllor's chosen," Lysara points out. "We have no choice in who we are but we do have a choice about how we live our lives. R'hllor does not decide what we live for nor what we will die to defend. It is us that makes those choices. R'hllor does not control our will. All he can do is guide us. It was the Lord of Light's guidance that led me to the Wall and I heeded his voice but I did not know that I would get knocked out and taken beyond the Wall. Our hearts beat and therefore we must help defend the realm of men against the darkness that will consume the world. We all serve and we all die. It is known. You will never find an enemy in me as long as your heart still beats for our Lord. The Black Battle will be a dreadful one. A lot of lives will be lost, the bravest of souls tend to die young yet so do the foolish. I made a promise to get you and your people across the Wall. I intend to keep it. I also want Jon Snow."
"The battle begins at dusk. Any words of wisdom, my Red Princess?" Daramyr drawled, folding his arms across his chest.
"Do not die," Lysara retorts bluntly which causes Val and Dalla to laugh at him as his smirk fades.
"Jon Snow?" Dalla asked curiously, cocking her head to the side.
"He is prettier than most girls I have seen," The red haired man snorts. "Prettier than Val."
"Fuck off," Val sneers as her eyes narrow dangerously as she stares at him. "At least I'm not stuck with your face."
"The crow?" Willa inquired, her voice small and soft. "Why him?"
"He is the Lord's chosen," Lysara replied. "He will be reborn amidst salt and smoke."
"Salt and smoke?" Val asked, licking her lips as a teasing smile makes its way onto her face and she looks up to Mag as he grumbles. "Mag says that he sounds delicious."
"Aye," Daramyr retorted. "I haven't had a decent sup in moons."
"It is true," Dalla agreed, patting her belly. "Yrna said that I had bad blood...It's cause we're starving. Mance wasn't too keen on her when she said I'd lose the babe 'cause of it."
Lysara's smile faded when she turned to face Dalla and her breath hitched when she noticed blood sliding down the woman's face as she wept tears of crimson. The blonde haired woman soon collapsed against the ground, blood surrounding her but as Lysara was about to call for help, she realised that she was alone with the pregnant woman. The mother will not lose the babe, she thought as she knelt beside the woman and looked down at her blood covered hands. It is the babe that will lose the mother. She looked back at the blue eyed woman only for her grey eyes to meet a fearful grey that were similar to her own. The dark haired woman held crushed up blue petals in her hand before she shakily reached up and cupped her face, her cold and blood covered hand caressing her cheek.
"Promise me, Ned," The woman breathed causing her to stiffen. "Promise me."
The sound of a babe roused her from her memory that had transformed into a terrifying night terror, the harsh wails continued as she stirred from her sleep and blinked a few times before opening her eyes. Lysara stared ahead at the weight on her feet and saw Ghost staring at her with curious blood red eyes. He huffed at her as she slowly sat up in her small hut, letting the furs fall from her sweat covered body as she looked at the small, wriggling bundle near her and leant over, hushing the babe as she did so but a frown remained on her tired and tear stained face.
"Hush, Wild Wolf," Lysara murmured, holding him to her chest as she stared ahead to the door where she saw shadows. "It's alright. You are safe. You must have had a night terror…It's alright, I have them too…"
The Battle of Castle Black did not end well for the Free Folk as they suffered loss and a crushing defeat like she had seen in the fires. The great giant, Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg was dead and it brought an ache to her chest from pain and fear. It pained her to know that such magic had to die but it also made her fearful. The giant was the reason as to why she was brought beyond the Wall and the Free Folk made a promise that they would not harm her but now that he was dead, she wondered if they would as Mance Rayder and Val looked as if they would.
Lysara calmed the babe down as she kept her eyes on shadows beneath the door, watching them move pace until the small door opened wide to reveal the King beyond the Wall who had lost his Queen. A day has since passed since the Battle of Castle Black and neither Mance nor Val had acknowledged the life of the Wild Wolf instead they ignored the babe's existence. Would I do the same? Lysara wondered. If a babe killed my mother or one of my sisters, would I do the same?
"Mance-" Lysara began hoarsely.
"You know why I am here," He interrupted causing her brows to furrow. "You must know considering what happened at Castle Black."
"I do not know why you are here," She responds with a sharpness and clutches the babe closer to her chest. "However, I will know after you tell me."
"Dalla," Mance Rayder tells her. "I want my wife back."
"Your wife?" Lysara asked. "Your wife is dead."
"I want my wife back," He repeats, his voice cold and harsh. "I know of your power and I want you to use it."
Lysara looked at him with an amused stare before laughing bitterly, shaking her head as she did so. It is not in R'hllor's will, she thought with a hint of a smirk as tears welled up in her eyes once more. It enraged him further as he stormed towards her and gripped her chin tightly, lifting her head up so that her pained grey eyes met his dark brown. The babe gurgled, kicking and punching his furs that he was wrapped in from his body and she looked down at him for a moment.
"You have a son," Lysara informs him. "A life cannot live without death."
"You have magic that can bring her back," The King beyond the Wall said. "Bring her back."
"And do you think I have not tried such a thing?" She seethed softly as he released his grip on her chin. "It will not work. Although my Lord of Light is a blessing, blessings can be cruel. Not all men nor women can be brought back from the dead. It very seldom happens. The Lord of Light did not give me the power to save her because she no longer served her purpose in our realm. All things have a purpose and Dalla fulfilled her purpose whatever it may have been. Tell me, what is the point in having power if I cannot save those I want to save? I wanted to save her. I wanted to save Dalla but I could not. The Lord of Light did not wish to do so. Had Rickon fulfilled his purpose for our Lord...I would not have been able to have brought him back...he would be dead..."
"How not?" Mance urged. "The fire did not burn you. You have a power over fire. I saw you dance in fire and come out of the flames unburnt. You are a witch."
"I am not a witch," She retorts fiercely. "I am a-"
"Lysara!"
That voice, she thinks and stiffens when the hoarse voice sounds once more. Her downcast eyes look up to Mance before she stands, cradling the babe in her arms and makes her way out of the small makeshift hut, noticing that the Free Folk had grown unsettled. That voice, she thinks once more and she could not help but close her eyes in relief when the voice calls her to him once more. Ghost trails in front of her, hurrying towards the call of him. Lysara followed Ghost with haste, her bare feet meeting the snow and her arms tightening gently around the Wild Wolf as she makes her way towards him. The Free Folk parted for her as she walked forward and caught sight of him.
"Where's my sister?" He demanded, shoving the grip that a man had on him away with a hard stare. "Lysara!"
Lysara did not remember how she started to run but her legs began to ache and her chest heaved as her heart raced in her chest while she ran for them. She could feel the tears on her face but was unable to wipe them away. Lysara felt weak knowing that all could see her weep but she found the sight in front of her more than she could bear. He fell silent when his darker eyes met her own and she could have sworn they were glistening but she found herself uncaring for it as she raced forward. His face was solemn and hard as she remembered as were his eyes but she could see a sadness in them as he stared at her.
"Lysara," He said.
The tears fell from her face as she held his gaze, his brows furrowed and within two strides he was at her side. She wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him closer, burying her head into his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of leather and winter. She trailed her hand and cupped his cheek, her thumb lightly tracing the dark stubble that covered his face with a puzzled frown. She held the babe carefully in her arms, holding him to her chest as she pulled away from him, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand.
"Jon," She croaked. "I've missed you, big brother."
"I've missed you too," Jon murmured and gripped her arm with care and gave it a small tug. "Come on, I'm taking you back to the Wall."
"I-I can't," Lysara replied, pulling away from him as she took a step back. "I made a promise to them, Jon."
"A promise?" Jon asked, tilting his head to the side as his brows furrowed. "What promise?"
"I promised that I would help them get across the Wall," She explained and turned to see Mance approach them. "I made a promise to them."
"It appears I am too trusting of those that come from beyond the Wall," Mance said as he takes a step forward. "Your sister made an oath that would see my people beyond the Wall. Your sister said that we would be welcomed at Winterfell and Wintertown once she reclaimed it. Yet, here we stand still beyond the Wall. I have come to find not to trust the promises of kneelers. Your betrayal hurt, Jon Snow. I thought that your loyalty to us was real. It appears I was wrong. Your sister will keep her promise to myself and to my wife. To my people. Your sister will remain with us."
"My sister is a Stark. You can't keep her," Jon retorted as Ghost stalked around them, entrapping them in a circle. "A lot of people have been looking for her and I intend to send her somewhere safer than here. You and I both know that the dead are rising. She is in danger here and if I kept her in danger, her mother's ghost will come back to strangle me. As for my loyalty, I was never loyal to you. I was loyal to my Night Watch brothers and I was loyal to my vows."
"Vows? You broke them," Mance laughs. "You could've helped us and her but you didn't. You've spent too much time with us to be a kneeler again. Same with Lysara."
"You saw her again at Castle Black," Lysara assumed. "She fell in battle."
"Yes," Jon answered. "She's dead."
"You fought hard, Jon Snow. You killed our strongest men," said Mance as he eyed Jon with care. "Mag the Mighty led the charge into the tunnels and never came out. I made a promise to the giants that no harm would come to your sister, crow. And I keep my promises, unlike you kneelers. Our giants will take her and my son with them into the Mountains and she will be in no danger there. My wife saw something in her and trusted her when others did not, she put my son's life in her care and made her promise on her blood and name."
"We should have a drink in their honour. To the people that have fallen. To the loves that were both lost," Lysara told them with a solemness. "You both did not gain from the battle."
"We'll drink to them," The King beyond the Wall agreed. "Why are you here, Jon Snow?"
"Like I said," Jon began. "I am here to get my sister and take her home."
"And?" Mance pressed. "You aren't here for just her."
"I want you and your people to turn around and go home," Jon tells him causing her brows to raise.
"They cannot," Lysara said hesitantly, rocking the babe as she turns to look at Jon who held a look of mistrust. "If they do, they will die. The darkness will come to the Seven Kingdoms, Jon. I have seen it in the fires. The sun will not be seen for years once winter has come. We will have nothing but snow beneath our feet and the darkness in front of us. The moon nor stars will be there to guide us. The war between the Night's Watch and the Free Folk has been fought for far too long and it must end. The Night's Watch thinks that the Wall keeps the Free Folk out and the Free Folk thinks that the Wall keeps them in. You are both wrong. You have been wrong for thousands of years. The Wall is to keep out the darkness and the dead. The flames do not lie. The night will never end if we lose. Let them pass. Let them live."
"It isn't as simple as that-" Jon began but was interrupted by Mance.
"Have my people not suffered enough? The three of us know that winter is coming and if my people aren't south of the Wall, we will suffer a fate worse than death. You want to make deals, kneeler?" Mance growls, withdrawing his knife as the Free Folk around them began to draw their own weapons. "Your sister is a wise one and I suggest you listen to her. Here's the bargain. You open the gates to us. Your sister will lead us to the lands she promised we would be safe in and she will also be safe. Refuse...and we will kill every last brother of the Night's Watch. The giants will take your sister and my son and I will ensure that you will never see her again for as long as your heart still beats."
Lysara stands in front of Jon, holding Mance's stare before she stiffens when a horn sounds. The sound of the horn almost deafens her but loud wails erupt from the Wild Wolf causes her to hush him as she turned to face the noise. The Free Folk begin to panic and run around like a pack of frightened animals, mother's were gathering their children and the rest were gathering their weapons. The ground shook beneath her feet and she looked on with wide eyes when men on horseback advanced on them.
"You're attacking us then?" Mance questioned.
"No," Jon said. "We don't have the men."
"Hold!" The King beyond the Wall roared. "To me!"
Lysara clutched the babe tighter to her, eyeing the horsemen with wide eyes as they cut through the Free Folk, killing most that entered their path. She took notice of one of the armoured men and noticed that adorned on his chest plate was a burning heart and a crowned stag. House Baratheon, she thought as she took a step back but collided into Jon who held her wrist tight and pulled her closer to him as she watched the Free Folk fight back.
"Mance," Lysara murmurs causing him to turn to meet her stare.
"Enough blood has been shed!" Mance shouted. "Stand down!"
Mance throws down his weapons and takes his stand, eyeing the two men that ride for them. Her gaze meets a man with a pepper coloured beard and gruff features as he dismounts from his horse before her eyes meet the other man that dismounts after him. He must be Stannis, she thought as she hushes the boy in her arms and places a soft kiss to his forehead to calm him as her eyes remain on the man that seemed to tower over them all.
Like his brother, Stannis was a large and powerful figure but his stance and hardened features made him even more so. He had a frown that seemed to be fixated on his face along with darkened and impassive blue eyes. His thin, colourless lips were also frowning as he approached them. While he held an aura that commanded respect she noticed something darker lurking within it...it was a magic. An ancient magic. He has been kissed by fire. It felt as if she was the one to do so despite just meeting the almost balding man.
"You're the King beyond the Wall?" Stannis addresses, his voice unforgiving and cold but nevertheless Mance nods. "You know who I am then?"
"I've met a lot of people," Mance said with a gruffness. "I can't say I have had the pleasure of meeting you."
"This is Stannis of the House Baratheon," The man next to Stannis informs them. "The one true King of the Seven Kingdoms."
"This isn't the Seven Kingdoms," The King beyond the Wall retaliates.
"It is customary to kneel when surrendering to a King," Stannis said.
"We do not kneel," Mance retorts, the fierce wind carrying his voice to Stannis Baratheon.
"You will do as I command," The Stag replies. "If not, I will have your men in chains by nightfall. Their fate can be changed of course...It depends on the will of their King."
"You have no right," She tells him causing him to face her.
"Lysara-" Jon warns but she ignores him, holding Stannis's cold stare.
"I am Lysara of House Stark. Eldest daughter of Eddard Stark," Lysara announces causing them to still. "You nor I hold power here."
"You were believed dead, my Lady," The man next to Stannis said. "It seems that the rumours hold no truth."
"You were considered dead once the South heard the news that Winterfell had fallen to the hands of Theon Greyjoy, however, the North thought otherwise," Stannis told her. "Your siblings are dead or lost. According to Roose Bolton, he is the Warden of the North and House Bolton rules the North. However, I came to disagree regarding who will rule the North. The Lannisters say, Bolton. I say Stark. Your brothers and sisters are either dead or lost, therefore according to the laws of both men and the crown, you are the heir to Winterfell. I need a Stark in Winterfell."
"I will leave for Winterfell," Lysara nodded. "But I will not go alone. I will either go with the Free Folk or I will not leave at all."
"They do not belong beyond the Wall," Stannis said with an impassiveness.
"The same could be said for you," She muses. "It was your men that invaded their lands and killed their people."
"With all due respect, my Lady. You are speaking to the one true King," The bearded man interrupts. "I suggest you address him as such."
"I am not speaking to the one true King," She said with sad eyes as she shook her head. "The man I called Your Grace held the name Stark. The man I called King was killed at the Red Wedding."
"Your father was an honourable man, was he not?" The Stag questioned.
"He was more honourable than you," Lysara retorts coldly taking in the man as he ground his teeth together, his face becoming irritated as he stared at her. "The little honour that was left in the world died with my father."
"Your Grace," Jon begins causing her to tense as her back meets his chest. "Our father was an honourable man. I am Jon Snow, Your Grace. Ned Stark's son."
"What would he have done with him?" Stannis inquires.
"He had taken Lysara beyond the Wall and kept her prisoner. He could have had her killed or Gods know what else but he kept her alive because of what she could do. He kept her safe," Jon sighs. "I am thankful for it. I think had our father or our brother been alive, they would have taken him as his prisoner. Our father would have listened to what he had to say. It is how justice is dealt in the North. And if our father was still alive and had seen what I've seen, he would have the bodies of the fallen burnt before nightfall."
"What can you do?" The bearded man asked, his eyes focused on her necklace. "That necklace...I've seen it before. My Lady, how did you come to possess such a necklace?"
"Winter is Coming, Davos Seaworth. I have seen it within the fire. The folk of Westeros do not pray for a rightful ruler or a one, true King. The folk of Westeros pray for life and light. Yet the folk of Westeros, no matter which false God they worship will flock to the true God when the winds of winter come to Westeros. So far, we keep being gifted the dawn. The battle for dawn is upon us and once it comes, there will be nowhere left to hide," Lysara proclaims. "The night is dark and full of such terror but there will be a champion to fight for our Lord. I ask for Azor Ahai but all I see is ice and fire."
Author's Note: Hey, hopefully, you like this chapter! I would like to thank all of you for reading this story, for following and for making this story as one of your favourites. I would also like to give massive thanks to everyone who has left a review, I really appreciate them. The next update should be up soon and if you have any questions, feel free to ask!
Reviews-
EMILCE CULLEN-VULTURE: Gracias!
xdaniellelsextonx: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!
Saint River: Thank you, Melisandre and Lysara will meet in the next chapter. As for Ramsay's death, let's just say that there will be a surprise in store and Theon will be making an appearance soon as well. As for Lysara and Stannis, there will be a lot of tension between them as their opinions and views on things (in particular the Free Folk) will cause them to clash.
Fan of This: In the coming chapters, there will be a lot of flashbacks and things that happen in the present involving beyond the Wall. So far, there won't be any encounters of Wights of White Walkers but there will be soon. Lysara will come to try and convince Jon of letting the Free Folk through and I hope this chapter sort of proves the start of her trying to. As for Ramsay, I won't go into it much but I wouldn't say he's dead just yet there will be a surprise in store for Aegon as someone turns up at Winterfell. It wouldn't be that simple for him so he isn't as safe as he thinks when they do come. I can say that the Umbers will get their battle. There will be a chapter with House Martell soon but I won't mention which Martell will get a pov.
Guest: The phoenix will be mentioned once again but I won't say who mentions it but it might be surprising when they do.
enuj1799: I hope you liked their brief reunion in this chapter but they won't fully talk until the next chapter.
Roose's Leech: Yeah, I understand that she hasn't proven herself in her pov but behind the scenes she has bonded with them and that will come to show in certain memories she has from her recurring dreams and will show through the ways she will interact with some of the Free Folk in every chapter or so. I have something in mind for when it comes to the White Walkers but I can't mention it yet without giving a bit of the plot away. In this chapter, I hope this sort of explains a few things and I hope it shows her trying to get them beyond the Wall even though it will be a struggle. There will be more of her trying to defend the Free Folk in the next chapter as well.
chibi-no-baka: Thanks!
Guest 2: I hope you like this update!