Rodrik's POV
It had only been days since the Ironborn had raided Winterfell, kidnapping Rickon Stark, grievously wounding Lady Catleyn, and killing at least 50 or more men. In the confusion, young Bran, Jojen and Meera Reed, Hodor and Bran's wolf,Summer, had disappeared. The Ironborn had also captured his own daughter, Beth Cassel.
As soon as he was able, he had led a search party of 70 men at arms plus Rickon's direwolf, Shaggydog. The wolf had at first been impossible to control. After the raid, it bitanyone who came near him, but after leading it outside of the walls, Shaggy soon picked up the scent. They had tracked the Ironborn for days going through the Wolfswood. The Ironborn had led them in circles either on purpose or by the fact they did not know the land, like Northerners do.
His party took turns racing on ahead and then resting. Each group taking over in swift action. He hoped the Main Northern host would have arrived back in the North by now, meaning the coast would be well defended and more search parties would be sent out as well as a host to retake Deepwood Motte. jJust as they were departing Winterfell, they received a message raven from the Maester at Deepwood Motte, saying their walls had been breached.
Not that it was his most pressing concern;he had to find Rickon Stark and his daughter Beth, or die trying.
They continued riding on following Shaggy and the tracks he left. They shouldn't be too far behind as the Ironborn were on foot.
After Hours of riding , they were barely 40 leagues from Deepwood Motte. They knew they would have to find them soon or be overwhelmed by Ironborn reinforcements. Finally, they saw torches in the distant.
Asha's POV
They were lost. No one knew if they were heading in the right direction. They had started heading Northwest, but the forest all looked the same to them. Of course, none of the hostages would help. The Stark boy kept crying and calling for his mother and something called Shaggy. She had already lost a few of her men, either them wandering off into the darkness and nobody could find them, or a few had fallen prey to packs of wolves.
After days of slowly moving in what they assumed were the right direction, they were starving and thirsty as having barely eaten anything during their travels. They were exhausted and slowly running out on stamina, but they had finally come across what looked like a well-used path, heading North West they hoped.
"This is pointless, let us kill the Stark boy now and be done with it," exclaimed her second in command angrily
"No. My father, will have the pleasure of ending his life, as the Starks robbed my three brothers' lives," ordered Asha, ferociously drawing her saw and holding it up to his neck, "If you try, you will die first."
Then she saw one of their rear guard running up to her, "Captain, North men cavalry, approaching, numbering 50 or more," he shouted panting.
"Men, quickly defensive position," she ordered, although knowing in their heart, they couldn't defeat a cavalry force, no matter how small the force was. Nor could they run away as they would be mowed down. They would fight, as they were Iron Born, they will face the steel of their swords.
Everyone quickly spread out, forming a circle with prisoners in the middle. She had about 70 men, 40 who had escaped Winterfell with her and 30 whom had survived the Siege of Torrhen Square and made it to Winterfell, including Dagmar Cleftjaw.
As the horsemen neared, her few bowmen, let loose arrows, striking down a few, while more sailed harmlessly pass, hitting trees or falling to the ground. Then the cavalry hit, she weaved past the first one, ducking under his sword and slicing the belly of the steed he was riding, making him crash to the ground. She spun around doing a roll, to avoid another swipe of a sword, standing up she hurled her axe with expert accuracy and it landed right in the Northmen's back, making him keel over, tumbling off his horse with a thud.
Rodrik's POV
He was in the middle of the fight, they may be outnumbered but they had horses and weren't as exhausted from marching for days. The ironmen were more a rabble than an opposition, as he carved through the neck of another Iron Islander. He steadied his horse looking for his next opponent, when he saw the girl, who had knocked him out at Winterfell, obviously the leader of the pack. She was distracted, her back facing towards him.
He charged hoping to end, this before more people died. As he raised his sword, ready to cleave her in two. She sidestepped at the last second, like she knew it was coming and swung her remaining sword around cutting his horse's left hind leg, leaving a gaping gash. It fell to the ground, forcing him to roll off, narrowly avoiding it crushing him.
He pushed himself up, just managing to get his shield up in time, as the Iron lady smashed her sword down on him. He used all his strength to push her away making her jump back just missing the edge of his sword as he swiped at her belly. Both of them continued clashing, until he knocked the sword out her hand. But just as he was about to deal the killing blow, she grabbed a girl lying on the floor and held a knife to her throat.
"Stop now or she dies," she sneered.
He stood stunned; there stood his daughter Beth, tears of fear rolling down her face.
"Let her go," he demanded, bile rising to his throat. As he struggled not to show any kind of reaction, that he was the girl's father. He silently shook his head, looking directly at his daughter, urging her not to speak.
"You've lost, release the prisoners alive, and I promise on my honour as a knight that your remaining men can go free."
"Like I would trust the oath of a Northerner, you sent my brother back lying on a slab. After you took him in as a ward promising to keep him alive, you shall die," she screamed, her eyes showing nothing but hatred. She threw his daughter carelessly aside charging at him furiously but just as she was about to reach him, a mighty thump sounded and she fell face forwards, slumping on the ground.
Standing behind her, stood the wilding women that Robb and Theon had captured months ago, holding a large stick.
"It's over," he yelled, "Round up the survivors."
Authr's Note
Sorry it has been more than a week, I was on holiday, then moving then new job, rather tirering, I will try and get a chapter up a week, sometimes more, but I am sorry if I don't. Hope everyone is enjoying the story still. I have many new places to take it to.