Author's Notes: Hey everyone, glad that you liked the last chapter and I hope that you like this one as well. These are theories and speculations that have been put forward on fan forums. SPOILER WARNINGS!
Word quickly spread through the camp of the mysterious visitor but all who attempted to enter the watch tower were turned away, what was known was that the King had sent out two riders but where they were heading to no one seemed to know. At last, after sundown, the lords and captains. When Sansa entered and beheld a frightening sight. The King appeared different, the gloom and lethargy which had seemed to sink into since the army had become snowbound was gone. He looked almost…happy, or at least as close to being happy as he ever was. He waited for them to all gather around a small table. Sansa looked around at others present and they also looked confused and even a little frightened by the King's strange behavior. The King looked around the assembled lords, looking at each of them in turn, and then he began to speak.
"The Umber men brought me word of the enemy, they have made a critical error. We have been trapped here in the snow slowly starving. Had they remained within the walls of Winterfell they could have laughed while we starve, but they have not. Roose Bolton has sent a part of his strength out to engage us in open battle." This statement led to a great deal of muttered speculation among those present.
"Roose Bolton has come to give us battle?" Sir Horpe asked. The King shook his head.
"Bolton remains at Winterfell, along with his bannermen. Instead he sends the Manderlys and the Freys to face us." At the mention of the Freys Sansa felt hate flare within her. She also felt anger and a sense of betrayal at the mention of the Manderlys, she had always found Wyman Manderly to be funny and kind, but in the end he had betrayed her family like so many others had and now they were coming to kill her and all those who given their loyalty to her. Her thoughts were interrupted as the King continued to speak.
"I mean to meet them here. They are well-fed and horse while we are afoot and hungry. But we have the advantage of ground. If they know of the lakes then they will come at as from the front where we can mitigate their numbers and mounted advantage, if they do not know of the lakes," Here he gave a facsimile of a smile, albeit a very cold; "Riddle with holes from fishing as they are it is doubtful that the ice will hold the weight, even with the cold."
"This is all well and good." Flint said; "But even so, will that be enough to counter their advantages?" At his question the King gave a pleased look.
"According to the turncloak there is no love lost between the Freys and the Manderlys and they will not ride together, they will be moving in separate columns." Someone gave a snort.
"What good is the word of a traitor?"
"None," the King confirmed. "But we do not need to relay on his non-existent honor. I have received news from other, more trustworthy sources." He paused and gave them all a stern look and more than one person shifted uneasily under it.
"What is about to be revealed is not to be spoken of to anyone not present on pain of death. Is that understood?" All present hastily nodded their understanding. The King turned to one of his guards.
"Bring him in." The King commanded, the man bowed and left. He reappeared with a man Sansa did not recognize and from the looks on the faces of the others present they did not recognize the man either.
"Your Grace." The man said, giving the King a bow.
"Tell then what brought you here." The King commanded. The man bowed and turned to face the assembled lords and knights.
"I am Sir William of House Strongspear, sworn bannerman of Lord Wyman of House Manderly and it is on his command that I have come here. I was commanded to tell the King that he has a friend in White Harbor. He could not declare so sooner while the Lannisters held his son, Ser Wylis, but now his heir is safe in White Harbor and my lord may throw off the façade.
"We and the Freys rode out together but we will not fight together. From word sent to Winterfell the location of your army is known, the Freys plan to attack your left flank while we come at you from the right and take you between our forces." He stopped and the King began to speak.
"That is what they plan, but that is not what is going to happen. When they reach us the White Harbor men will hang back, the Freys will charge and while we hold them the Manderlys will fall on them from the rear and annihilate them." One of the southern knights looked as if he planned to object but the King made a sign for him to remain silent and then turned back to Sir Strongspear.
"That is all, you may go and rest."
"Before I go your Grace, there is one last duty I was commanded to discharge." At a nod from the King the man walked up to Sansa and went down on one knee before her.
"Lady Stark, Lord Wyman begs your forgiveness for failing to pledge his loyalty to you sooner. I was commanded to tell you that while he plays loyalty to the Boltons he and his family remember the debt his family owes to yours and to ensure you that when the time comes he will personally reaffirm White Harbor's loyalty to Winterfell and if he should perish then his son shall do so." With that he rose and departed. After he was gone there was silence for a moment and then Sansa broke the silence and spoke.
"While I desire it to be true," Sansa interjected; "How can we be certain that the man speaks the truth?" The King looked at her for a moment, as if surprised that a woman would speak in a council, after a moment he gave a tight smile.
"They provided evidence that, for the moment, is sufficient for me to give them the benefit of the doubt." After another pause and it was clear that the King would say no more the knight who had attempted to speak earlier spoke up.
"Your Grace did not mention the lakes and the plan to lure the enemy on to them."
"I did not." The King replied. "This turn of events is most fortuitous, if it is true. Lord Wyman's timing is strangely convenient, one might say too convenient. Therefore, we will say nothing of the lakes and while we will move the majority of our forces we will still keep some facing the White Harbor men. If Lord Wyman's man is speaking the truth then they will not come near the lake and it will not concern them, if the man's message is a ruse by Bolton then they will discover the lake and be punished for their deception." With that the meeting shifted to deciding where each of the individual captains would be posted with their men. As this did not concern Sansa she let her mind wander.
As she had told the King, she wanted to believe that Lord Wyman Manderly was indeed loyal to her but she could not be sure. She would have to make certain that what she had been told was the truth. As soon as the council ended she left the building and headed out of the village and beyond the sentries and into a clump of trees. She soon found an owl which would serve her purpose. She entered it and flew in the direction of where they had been told the Manderlys were coming. She would see for herself if Lord-Too-Fat-To-Sit-A-Horse spoke the truth, if he was not, then she would see him suffer before the end.
Author's Notes: Hey everyone, I hope that you liked this chapter, it was some theories put forward by people with a little added myself. I do not know if there will be another update till after Christmas so Merry Christmas everyone and please remember to pray for all who need it, including Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, a Canadian who was sentenced by North Korea to life, Asia Bibi, the Pakistani woman sentenced to death for her faith and all who suffer in this world. By and may Jesus bless you.