Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 115: Winter is Coming

—The North—

Winterfell...

Sansa emerged from her guest room in Winterfell; already the Queen learned she was pregnant with her third child... but any chance at celebrating had to be put on hold when she heard a rather loud ruckus emanating from beyond the castle walls. Lucius, Brienne and Olyvar accompanied her to the source of the noise, where she found representatives from the Northern houses engaged in a heated argument with the Free Folk, who have marched all the way down from the Wall.

"Invaders!" one Northmen yelled, wielding a sword.

"Wildling scum!" another shouted.

One of the Free Folk stepped forward. "Keep your pointy toys of yours to yourself, southerner!" she yelled.

Greatjon Umber nearly towered over all in attendance, second only to Wun Wun. "This is Stark territory, wildling invaders!" he bellowed. "Turn around and go back where you came from right now or I'll cut you up into tiny little pieces!"

"We didn't invade! We were invited," Tormund shouted.

"Not by me!" Robett Glover said.

"Not by any of us," protested Cerwyn.

Robb found himself struggling to be the mediator. "How did 17,000 wildlings even get through the Wall?" he pressed. "On who's authority did the Night's Watch permit this debacle to happen?"

"I made the call, Robb," Jon stepped forward from the crowd.

"Jon?" He couldn't believe his eyes; he hadn't seen his bastard half-brother for almost six years since Jon left Winterfell to join the Night's Watch with their uncle Benjen. Both had grown in their own right, though that didn't stop whatever sense of emotion they had been feeling for the first time since they went their separate ways and immediately embraced one another.

"Next time I see you, you'll be all in black."

"It was always my color."

"Farewell, Snow."

"And you, Stark."

Robb and Jon were overwhelmed; both were visibly happy to see each other again. Sansa noticed and rushes out to see them; her trueborn and baseborn brothers. Rickon charged from the crowd, pushing his way past the Northern lords and clutched Jon's leg. Both the Stark children exclaimed how surprised they were at seeing each other again—even their direwolves Grey Wind, Shaggydog and Ghost barked and whined at the reunion.

"Your Grace, is that you're...?" Olyvar asked.

Sansa nodded. "My half-brother, Jon Snow," she confirmed.

The Northern lords noticed their Queen's presence and stood aside, acknowledging her presence. Jon slowly spins around until he sees Sansa. Both stare at each other before embracing.

"You've changed last time we saw you," she noticed.

"Well, you're still taller than me," Jon remarked.

"Still spent a lot of time thinking about what an ass I was to you. Sounds childish, I know."

"We were all children once."

"I was awful, just admit it," Sansa pressed.

"You were occasionally awful," Jon chuckled. "I'm sure I couldn't have been great fun. Always sulking in the corner while the rest of you played."