Nymeria

Stannis's victory

One day, while Jon, Satin, Ghost and Nymeria were breaking their fast, a raven came down upon them. 

The raven quorked, and then spilled the parchment on Jon's hand. Jon read it, and smiled.

"Satin, go call Leathers, Tormund, Pyp and Grenn. Oh, and don't forget Clydas, Val and Ryk." he said.

When they all had come, Jon said, "Tormund. Remember that day I got that Bolton letter?"

"Yes. You looked like your dead father's head flopped out of that paper. Har!" he laughed.

"Well, seems like it was false. This letter, which has been written to us by Stannis himself, informs us that he has conquered Winterfell and holds Ramsay and Roose Bolton captive. "

That followed a roar of cheers from the wildlings and the Night's Watch alike. "Finally got your castle back, eh?" said Ryk.

"Not my castle. By rights it belongs to my sister Sansa. So our next mission is to find her, wherever she is." said Jon.

Clydas cleared his throat. "Could you show us the letter, Lord Commander?"

Val playfully snatched the letter from Jon's hand. "Conquered Winterfell. Got some builders to put it back to what it was. Lord Snow, you have the castle back. Ramsay and Roose Bolton held under captivity. We have captured a singer named Abel, who told us that he was the wilding Rattleshirt, sent from Melisandre. So we are bringing him back. We had huge help from Lord Wyman Manderly, who betrayed the enemy and turned to our side." She turned from the letter. "Lord Too-Fat?"

"That was unexpected, if truth be told." replied Pyp. "King Stannis always referred to him as too fat to even sit a horse."

"So Azor Ahai won."

A voice interrupted their cheers. 

"He was always R'hllor's chosen," said Melisandre.

"When I asked, you always said you saw snow," said Jon.

"Maybe that was a reference to your last name, having your castle regained." replied Melisandre.

"Hey, if Manderly turned to Stannis, then what happened of the Onion Knight?" asked Pyp, trying to change the subject.

Jon slapped his forehead. "I had forgotten about Ser Davos. King Stannis makes no mention of him in this letter."

"I will search for him in my fires," said Melisandre.

"Your fires always err," said Jon.

To prevent an argument from breaking out, Nymeria howled.

Later that day, Nymeria and Ghost confessed all to Tysha. Tysha laughed, and said, "Good for you, Nym and Ghost."

Anguy and Ned were as happy as the others. Anguy had joined the Night's Watch, and he was respected due to his power of archery. Ned's leg wound had healed, and he was all about shooting wights. 

"Wights are dead men walking. It should be easy to kill them." said Ned, every time he was asked.

Nymeria was happy too. Winterfell, though burned and destroyed, had come back to her. That was her childhood home. As soon as she could go out she would go to Winterfell. 

That day when she entered the common room she saw Jon and Tysha discussing something. Jon was saying something, but then Tysha gestured to Nymeria.

"Nymeria!" said Jon.

"We have a task for you, sweet Nym. You told me about your dreams, right?" said Tysha. "We have to focus on finding Lady Sansa Stark. Didn't you see her, sweetling?"

Nymeria remembered Sansa. She was the pretty woman, promised to that brat Joffrey, but then after Joffrey's death she couldn't be found. 

But the direwolf had seen Sansa in the Vale of Arryn, or so she thought, by the map and with the help of Tysha. 

"You will go with Tysha, Anguy, Ned, and me." said Jon.

"Lord Commander, is it best to leave the Wall?" asked Tysha.

"The Wall will be in the command of Val for a short time." Jon replied. "Nothing will happen."

Nymeria howled, and Tysha asked, "Will Ghost be coming too?"

Jon laughed. "Of course. My direwolf is never far." He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Ghost!"

Ghost came with Val. The two were inseparable.

"Val, you will have the command of the Wall till I or Stannis come back," said Jon. "As befits your rank."

"I'll have an honor, my lord," said Val. "But what about Queen Selyse and her knights? They won't like me at all."

"We will be speeding them along our way. We'll stop at Winterfell, where Queen Selyse and her men will stay." said Jon.

"And what about Cotter Pyke and his galleys towards Hardhome, my lord?" said Val.

"I have not had any letter from him. If you do, then send it along to me at the very instant."

"Without reading it?" Val pinched Jon's cheek, playfully. "I will send it after reading, of course?"

Jon laughed. "Of course, Val. You can take Pyp and Grenn as your assistants, they won't hate you."

"And what about Melisandre?" said Val.

Jon's face grew dark. "We will leave her in Winterfell, with the queen." he said.

"Okay, my lord. No more questions to bother you." Val playfully said. Then she went away.

"We leave at first light," said Jon to Tysha. "Gather your provisions, and inform Anguy and Ned."

"As you say, m'lord."

And just like Jon said, the next day they left.