CHAPTER 26

Lyra was back on Bear Island with Jorah and all three children. She received a message by raven from Tywin and another from Tyrion. The one from Tywin read….

"Thank you for your help, my dear Lady Lyra. Once again you have been a great help to me. The battle was successful and very appreciative of your warning. I hope all is well with you. I am getting married soon. The woman you told me about has been with me for the last year and she is pregnant with my child. I will always be in debt to you, my dear for how you have changed my life at this time of my life. If you have to ever ask, it is yours. I owe you three debts I may never get a chance to pay otherwise. Your close friend, Lord Tywin Lannister."

Jorah asked her huffing, "What did he have to say?" He was still a little jealous of her previous relationship she had because he screwed up. Luckily he was redeemed.

She handed him the message smiling and said, "He has three debts he owes me now. He told me to ask for anything."

The message from Tyrion Lannister was interesting. It said…

"Lady Lyra Mormont, I don't know what kind of magic you possess or how you knew of Stannis' plans to attack. By me interacting with my father, planning the wildfire attack and telling him that Stannis would attack at the Mud Gate. He has seemed to have a bit of more respect when dealing with me of late. I just want to say thank you for the insight and tips to help me help my father with the planning of the counter attack during the siege. Yours, Tyrion Lannister."

Lyra found that very interesting that he wrote her back thanking her. She smiled.

Jorah read Tywin's messages and said, handing it back to her, "You are an amazing woman, my sweet love. I know you will cash it in with him eventually in the future to help us all." He leaned in and kissed her passionately. She handed him Tyrion's message.

Jorah laughed and said, "I guess you are going to get the Lannister's to all owe you a debt inevitably." She reached over and tickled him making him laugh.

The five years being with her, Jorah knew he had never been so happy and his people were prospering. She gave him everything he has ever wanted and still she surprises him with her loving ways. The children are healthy and happy, growing like strong little trees. His boys were happy little men. Joanna was walking and started saying words with her green eyes looking like a baby Lyra. He adored his baby girl getting and giving kisses. His life was good as long as he had Lyra with him. He was no fool and knew it was all because of her.

—--

During the year of 300AC, Lyra's vision kept her informed of what Stannis was doing. Stannis acquired an army through Davos's efforts by securing funding from the Iron Bank to gather a large force of sellswords to fight for him.

The Night's Watch sent out ravens to all the major houses in Westeros, asking for help against the Wildlings. Ned found out that Stannis had jumped on it immediately to take his army to the Wall. While Stannis was fighting for the throne, he viewed defending the Wall as a way to solidify his claim by protecting the realm from a larger threat. It was all to win favor from the houses in the North and the realm. Ned Stark knew that was why he was doing it to win favor. IStannis's red priestess, Melisandre encouraged him to go north with his ships, seeing the threat of the Wildlings as a greater danger than the current political struggles.

Not long after that, Stannis, Selyse and Davos witness the burning alive of one of his bannermen, Ser Axell Florent as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light. Melisandre burns Axell alive on the beach of Dragonstone after he refuses to renounce the Seven and worship R'hllor. It was to ensure favorable winds as they went north to the Wall. She is beginning a religious cleansing trying to replace all religions with her own. Stannis takes most of his remaining army and sails north to the Wall to relieve the Wildlings' threat on Castle Black.

Stannis arrives at Eastwatch at the Wall during the battle between the Night's Watch and the Wildlings, decisively turning the tide against the Wildlings. Stannis was also in a desperate situation, having suffered losses in the war for the Iron Throne. He needed troops and resources, and the wildlings could be a potential source of manpower if he could subdue them to join his cause. Stannis's forced clashed with the wildlings at Hardhome, where he sought to prevent them from escaping south and to force them to submit to his authority. Stannis leveraged the infrastructure and resources of the Night's Watch, including their knowledge of the terrain and the logistical support they could provide, to conduct his military campaign effectively.

Stannis takes Mance Rayder prisoner after the battle at the Wall. Mance, the leader of the wildlings, refused to bend the knee and submit to his authority, viewing him as a threat to the realm by uniting the wildlings against the established kingdoms. Stannis saw executing Mance as a way to send a message and discourage further rebellion from the wildlings. Mance is sentenced to death by burning, though for deserting the Night's Watch rather than for not bending the knee. Jon urges Stannis to spare Mance but Stannis refuses and Jon shot mance with an arrow to end his suffering. The wildlings were hardened to refuse anything Stannis said and grateful for Jon's mercy for their former leader.

During this time Stannis learns that Jon Snow is Ned Stark's bastard son. Stannis sends a message to Ned Stark telling him to bend the knee and give him his bannermen to support his taking of the Iron Throne.

Ned Stark notified Lyra of this news. She said to prepare for war and call his bannermen to him because he was going to have to completely refused Stannis directly. She said Stannis is a fool. Ned Stark did exactly as Lyra told him. Ned had 25,000 soldiers by the time Stannis got there. Stannis did not have the numbers of only 1,500 men and was insane to ever think he could take Winterfell on his own and would be completely slaughtered.

—--

In the latter half of autumn in 300AC, Lyra sat down with Jorah to tell him of what's to come.

She said, "Jorah, there is something I have to do as a task and I will take my guards and soldiers with me before Stannis can reach Winterfell where he will camp. I have to save a child from being burnt to death at the stake by Stannis, his wife and that red priestess."

Jorah looked at her horrified by the thought of that happening to a child and asked, "Who's child, Lyra?"

Lyra said seriously, "His own daughter, Shireen. The little girl is only eleven years old and her mother doesn't even love her. Her father allows it because he is a greedy arrogant craven man listening to a fanatical red priestess lying in his ear. She convinces him to kill her to make him successful fighting Winterfell at 25,000 to 1,500 soldiers. Stannis are all insane and they will all be completely slaughtered. Shireen will be the last of his line and I will not let Storm's End go withoyt her being the sole heir. She is a sweet and loving child that got greyscale as a baby. Her face is scarred from it but she is a truly beautiful child inside and out. I can help reduce that scarring on her face with my healing abilities. I want to bring her here and take care of her and love her. She needs somebody to help heal her inside more than anything."

Jorah asks, "Are you taking Crystal with you or leaving her here? Do you want me to come with you?"

She sat on his lap caressing his face. She said, "Crystal can stay here with you and the children. They will keep her busy while I'm gone. You know how she does her affection for them all."

He asked sadly, "When will you be leaving, my love?"

Lyra said to him caressing his face, "In about a week. I have to ready my soldiers. I need enough time to plan the timing. I will wish for a snow storm to blind them and snatch the child from the pyre. We will depart immediately for home as soon as possible to prevent them following us to get her back. I will have the child fully outfitted with warm clothes to keep her warm."

Jorah said softly rubbing his hands on her, "Lyra, my love, you're going to fill out keep with plenty of over loved children. Aren't you?" She kissed his nose, making him laugh. He wrapped her in his arms pressing her against his body kissing her passionately. She kissed him back with as much love.

Suddenly, three little children came into the room by themselves with both boys walking and holding their sisters' little hands. It was so cute seeing their five year old and four year old bringing their baby sister with them to see their parents. Lyra and Jorah looked at them. Joran said to Lyra, "Mama, sissy said another word and Jassin and I wanted to come tell you."

He took his little sister's hands and walked over to Lyra. He said, "Come on sissy tell Mama and Papa what you said?"

Joanna looked up at her parents and back at Jassin. She said in her little baby voice, "Bastard!" Jorah and Lyra had the look of surprise on their faces with their mouths open.

Lyra asked looking at Jassin and Joran, "Where on earth did she hear that?"

Jassin whispered with his hand to his mouth, "I think it was the cook in the kitchen when we went to get shortbread and milk." Lyra looked at Jorah and they both suppressed laughing.

Lyra said, clearing her throat, "I think I need to speak to the cooks to curb their language when my children are around."

She looked at Joanna and said holding her arms out to her, "Come to mama, baby girl?" The baby kissed her brother Joran and reached out to Lyra . She scooped her up in her arms as her father still had Lyra in his lap too. He started kissing Joanna making her giggle and give him wet kisses back to make him laugh.

Lyra said to her sons, "You're both such good big brothers. Let me have a hug?" The boys smiled and wrapped their arms around their mother and father giggling.

Jorah thought, 'I love how much our children show us such loving affection. I know Lyra was the one who taught them and me how to love unconditionally. I believe my family is well balanced like the Starks are. Even their ward Theon and Jon Snow love all of their brothers and sisters and were a family now since Lyra came along. They felt like outsiders until Lyra bonded them together and showed them how. It was amazing watching her teach them through example spreading her love around. I swear it's her own special magic in her heart. Gods, I love this woman so much.'

—--

Stannis decides to go and fight Winterfell because, with few remaining options in his war for the Iron Throne, he sees it as a strategic move to gain control of the North by capturing Winterfell, potentially securing a large new army and weakening the Lannister forces and by giving him a better chance to reach King's Landing and claim the throne. He didn't expect Ned Stark to complete refuse his request for hims men and to bend the knee.

If successful, Stannis was delusional enough to think he could potentially gain the loyalty of the Northern houses by claiming Winterfell. After suffering major losses in the war, Stannis had few other viable options left to pursue the Iron Throne. Melisandre had him completely duped I to believing he could win even with so few numbers at 25,000 to 1,500 which was ridiculous.

—--

While marching south to attack Winterfell, Stannis Baratheon's army significantly dwindled due to harsh conditions of winter when the snow storms were unrelenting, men were deserting from lack of food and harsh conditions staying with Stannis.

Davos cam into Stannis tent and said, "Unless there's a thaw soon, we can't press forward to Winterfell, and we don't have enough food to get us back to Castle Black."

Stannis said dryly, "We're not returning to Castle Black."

Davos said, "Forgive me, Your Grace, I never claimed to be an expert in military matters. But if we can't march forward, and we won't march back…" Stannis looks to Melisandre and Selyse. Davos follows his gaze then looks back.

Stannis said, "Have the dead horses butchered for meat." Stannis walks over to Melisandre ignoring him. Davos turns and leaves the tent to do as ordered. He was frustrated and getting weary of Stannis' behavior. It was ridiculous what he was doing listening to that damn red woman.