Winter Is Our Fury

Chapter Sixty: Winter Is Here

Day's had passed and all was quiet in Winterfell. The snow had become thicker, shrouding The North in a white blanket.

"Aris, are you watching!?" called Randyl from below as he nocked his bow.

"Yes!" replied Aris standing above on the ramparts with Jon. Both wearing thick fur coats to keep warm in the cold air.

Randyl took a moment before loosing the arrow and striking the outer ring of the target and he faltered. Aris clapped to encourage him, "Keep trying and straighten your back. Practice makes perfect."

"Okay!" Randyl jogged to pull his arrow back from the target to try again.

Jon chuckled, "I remember when Robb and I would teach you." he recalled fondly. "You cried the first time because you couldn't pull back the string."

"How old was I?" she laughed.

"Six, maybe? But you loved it so much you practiced everyday. You pestered Robb and I, even though mother didn't like it."

"Then Arya came along." and they laughed again. Randyl loosed another arrow and this time he almost hit the centre of the target.

"Whoa! Did you see that!?" he pointed excitedly.

"I saw, good job!"

Sansa who approached her two siblings on the ramparts said, "You'll be good at this one day." she informed Aris joining her side.

"I don't even know how to raise a child."

"You already are."

"What if I die in childbirth, it's common-

"You'll make a great mother, I know it." was all Jon could say and then Aris was surprised. "That boy down there, he already adores you. And so will that baby." He didn't know what help he could be, he knew nothing about raising children. He sighed deeply noticing the bump on her stomach was becoming more noticeable.

Aris smiled warmly brushing a hand over her stomach. "Thank you, Jon."

"Have any names yet?"

"No." chuckled Aris. "I haven't even begun to think of any."

"I'd know a few." joined Sansa. "Maybe Lowa or Terence?"

Aris hummed curiously. "I'll think about it."

"That reminds me," added Jon. "I'm having the lords chamber prepared for you."

"Mother and fathers room? You should take it."

"I'm not a Stark."

Sansa turned on her heel and firmly said, "You are to us."

"Aris is now Lady of Winterfell, she should have it." replied Jon turning to Aris. "And you're pregnant, all the more reason you should have it."

"He's right." agreed Sansa.

There was no point arguing with them, so Aris remained silent and then Jon turned to Sansa and said, "You told me Lord Baelish gave you to the Bolton's so they could force Aris to marry."

"He did." replied Sansa.

"You trust him?"

"Only a fool would trust LitterFinger. I should have told you about him, I should have told you about the Knights of The Vale. I'm sorry."

Jon gently took Aris' hand and led her to Sansa's side where he said, "We need to trust each other. We can't fight a war amongst ourselves. We have so many enemies now." and he kissed both their foreheads.

"A raven came from the citadel." announced Aris and both Jon and Sansa turned their heads curiously. "A white raven. Winter is here."

A smile formed over their faces and Jon looked up at the snow that gently drizzled over them. "Well, father always promised, didn't he?" and smiled before turning away to attend other duties.

Aris and Sansa where left to gaze out over the snow covered fields enjoying each others silence before the meeting with all the lords.

➵

"You can't expect the Knights of The Vale to side with Wildling invaders." shouted Lord Royce across the hall filled with dozens of lords and people. LittleFinger gleamed in the dark corner of the hall watching the events play out.

"We didn't invade. We were invited." retorted a Wildling from the other side.

"Not by me." and groans filled the room.

Jon stood from the head of the table and said, "Free Folk, the Northerners, and Knights of The Vale fought bravely, fought together, and we won." he said as the room turned silent. "My father used to say we find our true friends on the battlefield."

"The Boltons are defeated." a man said rising from his seat. "The war is over. Winter has come. If the Maester's are right, it'll be the coldest one in a thousand years. We should ride home and wait out the coming storms."

"The war is not over." stated Jon. "And I promise you, friend, the true enemy won't wait out the storm. He brings the storm."

Whispersand murmuring began across the hall. Aris who sat beside Jon's right, looked up curiously. She hadn't heard of this enemy. That was when Lady Mormont stood up and said, "Your son was butchered at The Red Wedding, Lord Manderly, but you refused the call."

Jon sat back in his seat and Aris casted him and amused glance as Lady Mormont spoke and the room turned silent. All thought she may be small, in a room surrounded by men, she was the fiercest of them all.

"You swore allegiance to House Stark, Lord Glover, but in their greatest hour of need, you refused the call. And you, Lord Cerwyn, your father was skinned alive by Ramsay Bolton. Still you refused the call. But House Mormont remembers. The North remembers. We know no king but the King in the North who's name is Stark. I don't care if he's a bastard. Ned Stark's blood runs threw his veins. He's my king from this day until his last day."

The murmuring amongst the men started again and Jon shifted uncomfortably in his seat staring at Lady Mormont surprised.

Then, Lord Manderly rose. "Lady Mormont speaks harshly and truly. My son died for Robb Stark, the Young Wolf. I didn't think we'd find another king in my lifetime. I didn't commit my men to your cause 'cause I didn't want more Manderly's dying for nothing. But I was wrong!" he announced. "Jon Snow avenged The Red Wedding! He is The White Wolf. The King in The North!" and he drew his sword and knelt.

The men's chatter grew louder in agreement and then Lord Glover rose, "I did not fight beside you in field, and I will regret that until my dying day. A man who can only admit when he was wrong and ask forgiveness."

"There's nothing to forgive, My Lord." replied Jon humbly.

"There will be more fights to come! House Glover will stand behind House Stark as we have for a thousand years and I will stand behind Jon Snow..." and Lord Glover drew his sword into the air. "The King in The North!" and he too knelt.

"The King in The North!" the men began to chant and cheer and they rose form their chairs drawing their sword high into the air. "The King in The North!"

Even though the chanting brought back horrible memories of when the Boltons marched Robb's body chanting the same way, this chant was different. Aris smiled proudly toward Jon as he rose from his seat.

"The King in The North!"

"The King in The North!"

"The King in The North!"