Winter Is Our Fury

Chapter Fifty Eight: Hangman

Watching Ramsay being lifted by Knight's and taken away was a surreal moment. As someone who was so horrible, so evil and sadistic and virtually unbeatable; he was defeated.

Aris was so used to aimlessly following Ramsay around, it was a struggle to keep her feet planted watching as he was taken away. She shifted her weight and tore her eyes away from Ramsay's body and Sansa rubbed her sisters shoulder in comfort.

As LittleFinger went to turn away he snapped his fingers like he had recalled something. "Ah, which reminds me, Lady Aris." he said turning back to the Stark sisters. "I do believe there is someone anxious to meet you again."

Aris furrowed her eyebrows, "Who, may I ask?"

LittleFinger motioned a hand behind the Stark sisters and both turned following the direction he pointed in. A boy had followed behind Knights coming into Winterfell, he looked around at the mess which Winterfell was. Aris recognised the boy's shaggy brown hair and round cheeks.

The boy kept looking around for a certain person until his eyes landed on Aris across the courtyard. "Aris!" he shouted excited and broke into a sprint. Randyl collided into Aris' arms and cried out, "I missed you so much!"

"Randyl?" a breath escaped Aris and her heart fluttered. She looked up from Sansa to LittleFinger, "Thank you for bringing him back."

"Of course!" replied LittleFinger. "It was the least we could do after he came to us distraught."

Randyl lifted his head from Aris' stomach and gazed up at her with soft blue eyes and she smiled, "I'm so glad you're okay."

Randyl smiled and slipped the bow from around his shoulders, "I looked after it for you." he held out her bow and her mouth dropped surprised. She had forgotten about the bow Gendry made for her. "I practiced with Robyn Arryn and I can shoot arrows now!" he explained excited. "The string broke once because I pulled too hard... put I learnt how to fix it!"

Aris smiled warmly and ran her hands through his hair. "Thats okay. You'll have to show me how you shoot one day." and he nodded with a smile. He had grown taller since she last sent him away.

"I like your home." informed Randyl gazing around the castle.

"It's your home too, now."

The smile fell from Randyl's face and he asked, "Is... is Wyllim here?" he asked softly.

Aris held a hand on his shoulder and assured him, "He's locked away. He can't hurt you, I promise." and she cupped his cold cheek. She could clearly see the trauma Wyllim had caused the poor boy.

"What about the man that hurt you?"

Both Aris and Sansa were taken back by his question. "What man? How do you know?"

"Lord Baelish told me a man was hurting you so that's why we had to come and save you."

Aris looked over her shoulder at LittleFinger who gestured a slight shrug. The boy had to know the truth of the situation.

She looked back at Randyl and said, "He..." and she found herself short of breath. "He can't hurt me anymore... because you so bravely came to save me." and Randyl embraced his arms around Aris' torso again.

Sansa smiled at the two, thinking how great a mother Aris would be. It was like looking at their own mother again. The way she smiled warmly at Randyl.

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