The Long Winter | Jaime Lannister X Stark OC | GOT/ASOIAF

What Does It Matter

"Rickon Stark!" Ross' voice rang out across the courtyard and everyone there, guards, servants and insolent little boys alike, all froze. She hurried across the cobbles towards her nephew as he rode through the gates, mounted not on a horse but on the back of Shaggydog, Grey Wind at his side. "Where have you been?"

Sansa had come running to Ross in a panic several hours before, saying that they couldn't find Rickon anywhere. That day she had volunteered to take care of her brother, only for him to disappear during a game of hide and seek.

Osha, who had been amusing herself and several of the household guards by sparring with them in the practice yard, hadn't seemed too concerned. 

"He'd do what he liked on Skagos," She had shrugged. "Was no stopping him when he went tearing off into the mountains with Shaggy. They used to hunt wild unicorns together, and bring them back for dinner. The boy does just fine looking after himself - no man or beast that walks this earth is going to cross that monster wolf besides,"

She raised a fair point, but Sansa still looked highly distressed. Even Lady Catelyn had come down from her solar when she heard the news, asking after Rickon with wide eyes. Ross had to admit that it wasn't ideal that the six year old Lord of Winterfell was running off on his own to gods know where, with autumn snow piling up high across the lands. But it wasn't any man or beast who she feared harming him, it was the cold.

Though she could've attempted to take a horse and follow him, it likely would've been a fruitless journey. So instead she explained what had happened to Robb, and Grey Wind had taken off after his wayward brother, following the tracks in the snow, or perhaps the scent too. Now they had both returned, thankfully safe and sound.

"I didn't go far, Auntie," Rickon said, unconcerned. "I wasn't gone very long,"

"Long enough for your mother and sisters to be worried sick," She said sternly. "If you want to go out of the castle, let someone know, so Grey Wind can go with you, or Osha," She wasn't going to try and push things by making him stay confined to within the castle walls; no doubt he'd find a way out anyway, and would only resent them for it.

"I can go out by myself," He said rather sullenly. "I'm not a baby,"

 "Of course not," Ross said. "But you are a summer child no matter how long you lived on Skagos. You don't know how deadly a Northern winter can be. What would happen if a blizzard came out of nowhere? You'd die freezing in the snow, and so would Shaggydog, and we'd not find your corpses until spring. Now that would be a very stupid death, wouldn't it? You're smarter than that,"

"I s'pose," The boy mumbled, rubbing the end of his nose. 

"I have no problem with you going out," She emphasised. "But take Grey Wind with you, and tell someone where you're going. Otherwise I'll have to have Shaggydog locked in the Godswood, or even the kennels, and you won't be able to see him at all," 

The thought of that clearly disturbed the boy enough that he just nodded hastily.

"Yes, Auntie,"

"Good," She smiled faintly. "Now I believe Edrick and Ren are out in the yards if you wanted to train with them. Arya too," 

Arya had started training in the yard along with the boys and guards. A few of the older men had taken exception to this but could hardly say anything, particularly when Ross herself had no issue with it, and Brienne and Osha also trained with a sword (Dacey had returned to Bear Island to her family). 

Her niece had clearly had to use that tiny blade of hers after fleeing King's Landing, and likely wouldn't have survived without it. She was actually pretty good too, according to Ren. Unmarried life suited Arya well, he had joked.