The Old Gods and New

A Family Reunion

Roose Bolton lead Jessica back to the Stark camp.

"You're brother is at an impass." Lord Bolton spoke. He was never good at small talk.

"Its not like the Late Walder Frey to allow anyone to traverse the Crossing without exacting his toll." Jessica kept her eyes foward.

There was a smirk from Lord Bolton. "You're wit will be the end of you, Lady Stark."

Jessica scoffed, shaking her head. "Now you're sounding like Mother."

Roose Bolton licked his lips. "You know I proposed to your Lord Father not so long ago, about a proposal between my boy and yourself."

Jessica keept a steady pace,  "Domeric or Ramsay?"

"Domeric naturally, Lady Stark." Roose answered. "He's my true born and you'd be the heir of both Winterfell and The Dreadfort."

Anger flushed across her cheeks. "My sons would, Lord Bolton, not I."

"My Lady?" Roose dared a glance over at Jessica.

"Tell me Lord Bolton, I am a woman am I not?" Jessica looked over, holding his gaze.

"Yes, you are Lady Stark." There was caution in Roose Bolton's voice.

Jessica gave a nod. "And as a woman there is no way to hold lands or titles, or money of my own. And if I did, not enough to earn a living or support my family."

Roose Bolton had quieted down and when he did not give a response, Jessica continued.

"And if I had my own money, which I don't, it wouldn't be mine. It would be Jaime's or Tywin's, my Lord Father's. Domeric's if I were to marry him. But not mine. No, it would belong to my husband the moment we got married. And if we had children, they would be his not mine. They would be his property."

Jessica rode to face him, stopping Roose Bolton in his tracks. "So don't sit upon your horse and tell me marriage isn't an economic position, because it is. It may not be to you. You are a man, a Lord, but it most certainly is for me."

Navi was snickering hard, Roose Bolton now clearly embarrassed. They rode in silence the rest of the way to the camp. She had wounded a man's pride, and she'd have retribution to pay for that. But she'd cross that bridge if or when she came to it.

She was lead to an empty tent. Large and spacious enough for Navi and herself. She was seen to a bath and she changed into a light gray cotton dress, the pendant showing the Direwolf instead of the lion.

She was escorted to the largest tent, maps sprawled out, carvings of each house splayed out like pieces of an intricate chessboard. And standing at the end.

"Mother!" Jessica couldn't keep the sobs from her voice.

Catelyn Stark looked up. She blinked, and then realized who had called to her. She ran her eldest daughter, taking her into her arms and smothering her against her chest.

Jessica couldn't help it, she sobbed into her mother's chest and clung to her as she used too so many moons ago.

"Shhh, shhh it's alright. You're home. You're here with me." Catelyn soothed her, stroking her hair.

Jessica was never so happy to see her Mother to be back with some semblance of normalcy. Some comfort and out of the politics of King's Landing. "Where's Robb?" Jessica finally managed to ask.

Catelyn gave Jessica a reassuring smile. "Still on the field. He'll be back soon."

"Griselda?" Jessica continued to press her mother more.

Catelyn laughed. "She and Grey Wind are as inseparable as you and Robb. One's not seen without the other."

Jessica gave a nod. She'd see them all soon.

"Lady Stark." Rodrik Cassel made his way into the tent. Then smiled down at Jessica. "Thank the Gods Little Wolf is home."

"Yes the Gods be good." Catelyn nodded. "One small step in bringing all the family home."

"Father can help. I know he can." Jessica looked between the pair of them.

Rodrik and her Mother gave each other a look.

"What?" Jessica asked.

"There's been a lot of news." Rodrik sighed.

"Sweetheart. Robert Baratheon is dead." Her Mother told her quietly.

"Worse still," Rodrik continued. "You're Father has been take prisoner."