Ursa Major | Tormund Giantsbane

Chapter 10

Jon nodded slowly. "Very well. I task you with this, and expect you to return once you've spoken with your brother. I'll send–"

"No," she said. "I will ride alone. You need all your men here. Besides... the only ones I'd want with me are Samwell and Edd and they need to be here with you. I'll be alright. The wildlings aren't hiding in the cliffs anymore. And even when they were... I was never in danger. I'll ride out on the morrow. I want to tell Tormund before I go."

"Tell Tormund?"

"I've been visiting him; he should know I won't be able to for a few days."

Tormund was never asleep when she came. Somehow, he found ways to stay entertained even while chained up. Thyrsa wished they could remove the chains already; he hadn't tried to escape and he was cooperating perfectly well. He could have killed her– she was sure of it– many of the times she'd visited. But he didn't. And he liked Jon, even if he didn't say it.

"I'll be gone about a week," said Thyrsa, offering him a tray of food with ale. "I have to go speak with my brother about uniting the North behind the Baratheons to root out the rats that reside in Winterfell."

He nodded, having heard her speak of it before. "To kill the man named after a cock."

She smirked. "Roose, yes. With any luck, the army will succeed and someone will bring me his head."

"You hate him a great deal."

"I've told you, he betrayed my family. He let me live... and for what? Because he wanted to fuck me? As if I'd ever, after what he did. I watched my siblings die. I can't imagine how many men it took to take down Hother and my father. And he was behind it all. Now he resides at Winterfell and I... I want him dead."

"Yet you're not going to fight in the battle," assumed Tormund.

"No. My place is here. But at this moment I am the only one who can negotiate with Last Hearth. My family is highly respected. Everyone knows the Umbers were fierce supporters of the Starks. For years this held true."

"If you were in the battle, I would join."

She blinked. "You would?"

He shrugged, "The day I ask the people to fight with the crows is the day my people cut my guts from my belly and make me eat them. Mance refused to serve that 'King.' I would, too, because I don't know that fucker nor do I care about him. But you, I'd trust to keep your word. If the wildlings fought alongside you, you would give us something for it. Not the 'King.' Never him."

"You're a good man, Tormund. A good leader. I hope to see your people get what they need, the safety we all deserve. Whatever I can do to make sure you are reunited with your girls and that they are safe... I will do."

-

The ride to Last Hearth was much lonelier. She remembered the trip with Pyp, how he'd talked almost the whole way and filled the silence. He'd been a good man, he'd been a good friend. For the short time she knew him, she thought he was honorable.

Where was he now? Where would he have been even if he hadn't died? What was to be the fate of everyone if they didn't take Winterfell, if they didn't find more men to man the Wall, if the wildlings died and joined the White Walker army?

She didn't want to know.

"Thyrsa," said Esther happily, kissing her forehead when she walked in, sweeping the snow off her cloak. "Come, Sigrid and the children are waiting in the Great Hall."

"Where's Jon?" she asked. "Not here?"

"Hunting. He'll be back soon. Your visit was unexpected. I was very happy to hear that you were at the gates. Have you finally decided to come home and stay home?"