Ursa Major | Tormund Giantsbane

Chapter 13

"They are sweet girls," said Thyrsa, on her second cup of mead. It wasn't so bad. Maybe it tasted different because she was in a better mood. "I can't imagine being away from them."

"It's never easy," said Tormund. "But they were in good hands. Karsi took care of all the children. She was a spearwife and chieftess to our people. She cared for the little ones deeply. I saw it... wights with the bodies of babes... they overtook her. She couldn't bring herself to kill them."

Thyrsa shivered. "That's awful. I don't want to imagine what the Long Night will be like... a war with all of them."

"We'll fight those fuckers just as we did today," said Tormund. "You could have jumped onto those boats much earlier. Saved yourself trouble. But you didn't."

"I'm a sister of the Night's Watch. Jon is my friend. I wouldn't abandon him when he needed me most. Besides, if I jumped onto the boats, who would have stopped that wight from getting its disgusting claws in your neck?"

"Can't quite blame them," said Tormund. "I have a beautiful neck."

"No one can even see our necks on most days. Too fucking cold."

"Aye. But I still have a beautiful one and they know it."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night. You know, those Walkers wouldn't be so bad if their faces were less... sunken in. reckon they still have cocks?"

"Only you would ask that."

"You act as if you weren't thinking of it."

"If I found out a White Walker had a cock... and his pecker happened to be bigger than mine... I think I'd die willingly."

She made a face. "Well, it seems I should have let it kill me. His pecker is definitely loads bigger than mine."

He smirked, clapping her on the shoulder. "I tell you, Thyrsa, you're a true wildling woman with words like that."

She knew the compliment should make her happy, yet she couldn't help but think about all the children here who had lost their mothers to the White Walker army, women who had died protecting their people.

She was lucky to be alive.

They finally docked at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea and made their way to the tunnel at Castle Black, the large group (significantly smaller than expected) waiting for the men of the Night's Watch to let them in.

When the tunnel opened, they made their way in, Jon leading the way in for the women and children. Maja and Munda clung to Tormund, little feet tired from all the walking.

"It was a failure," muttered Jon to Sam as the wildlings marched through the castle, out the gates that led into the Gift.

"It wasn't," said Sam, thinking he was being hard on himself.

"I went to save them, I failed," he said.

"You didn't fail him," said Sam. "Or him. Or her–" he counted the heads, "Every one of them is alive because of you and no one else."

Thyrsa smiled weakly in agreement. But Jon was still disappointed, "I don't think that fact's lost on them." He noticed how the men of the Night's Watch glared at the wildlings, seeing them as dirty, as invaders, and wanting them out as soon as possible. The giant that'd come with them attracted the most stares, particularly from Olly, who didn't smile at Jon in greeting.

Ser Allister Thorne came up, a permanent sneer still etched on his face. "You have a good heart, Jon Snow," the man muttered as Edd and Sam walked away. "It'll get us all killed."