Your hands slightly trembled as your eyes scanned over the dried ink resting in peaceful strokes against the small paper that a raven had delivered only a few moments ago. For the first few times you had read the short and straight to the point words you had thought this must have been a joke. But with the signing of the official Stark name at the end of the message you knew the denial would be short lived.
"When are they coming?" Maester Edwin finally asked after allowing you to have a moment of silence to soak in the words. While he didn't read the message himself, the whispers of Sansa Stark looking for an army and the loud threat of Ramsay Bolton wanting his bride back had not been lost on any ears in the North.
"They'll be here by late tonight." you answered him gently setting the piece of paper down on the hard wooden surface at the large desk that your father had once sat at.
Sinking down in the large chair that your body had no hope of every growing into, your mind drifted to your five brothers and father who used to roam the castle grounds with such a confidence that seemed to pour onto everyone around them. Your father was proud and emotionally strong man who had an extremely loyalty to the Stark family ever since Lord Eddard called on his help years ago along with Robert Barathoen.
Your father remained emotionless and distant when the Gods took your mother. He silently watched as her body had been buried in the far back corner of the castle grounds under the tall tree she liked to sit under and read. However, when words spread of Lord Eddard's death in Kings Landing, your father had a breakdown and wept like a new born child experiencing the coldness of life.
When Robb Stark called upon your father again to march against the Lannisters, he and your brothers wasted no time gathering supplies, the best men they could gather, and rode straight for Winterfell. That was the last time you had the pleasure of seeing any of them alive again.
"What will you do?" Maester Edwin asked suddenly snapping you back from your thoughts and into the reality of the situation. "We can always turn them away if..."
"No." you interrupted him with more firmness in your voice than you had planned on. "My family has been loyal to the Stark family since before I was born. This is what my father would have wanted."
Maester Edwin nodded his head in approval. "I'll make preparations for their stay, my lady."
And with that, he turned on his head and quickly left the room leaving you alone once again with nothing to keep you company by the small flickering candles spread strategically around the room. Smoothing over the letter again, you read the words one last time just to make sure what you were reading had been real and not a figment of your over active imagination.
Feeling nervous you moved the paper slowly over the closest candle and held it over the fire allowing the orange flame to claim the message as its own.
Ramsay Bolton had been occupying Winterfell for quite sometime now despite his force on being there. He was cruel man with even crueler intentions that he proved over and over again with each visit to a house collecting dues or just for his own personal pleasure. Thank the Gods your castle had been so far out of the way and surrounded by many large trees that Ramsay wasted no time venturing off to see what you had to offer.
Pushing away from the desk, you stood tall trying to calm your nerves knowing the castle would need your help preparing for the Stark arrival.
The Boltons would not take kindly to your house swearing alliance to the Stark family and would make sure your house would meet its end sure you lose the war to take back Winterfell. Despite the horrors Ramsay had been known for, you kept a small smile on your face knowing your father would never back down and that you were about to do the same.
Your boots smacked against the hard floor as you made your way down the long hallways and out the large front wooden doors that lead into the main courtyard. It was obvious that Maester Edwin had wasted no time telling the soldiers and small folk of the company that would be arriving soon. Each person moved rapidly as it seems they had each been given an important job that needed to be completed in a short amount of time.
A good amount of soldiers gathered in the training grounds toward the front of the castle grounds surrounding who you could only assume to be Lyle, the commander of the soldiers who had stayed behind to protect the castle when your family went off to war. He was good at teaching men how to hold a sword and even better at showing how to land a quick kill.
He was the man you needed to speak to though you chose to let him command the men without any interruptions. You didn't need to be standing among them to know what he was telling...or more like yelling at...them.
Your eyes scanned toward the large gate that dug into the ground to stop potential intruders from making a forced entry. Soon enough, the Starks, whose house had almost been completely eliminated, would be standing there waiting to hear if you would be willing to help them.
~~~To be continued~~~
