Ursa Major | Tormund Giantsbane

Chapter 16

"Keep going," whined Maja, upset that Thyrsa kept zoning out while stroking their hair and trying to get them to sleep. "I can't sleep unless you do it the whole time!"

"I'm sorry," said Thyrsa, getting back to it, caressing their little faces and smiling. "I will keep going."

Munda turned to face her. "Our papa said we have to listen to you now. You're going to protect us and you're going to protect Lady Sansa and all the little children. Are we your babies now?"

"Not quite. You're not babies anymore, are you? I see before me two strong girls. You'll be every bit as powerful as your father. I don't know anything about your mother but I am sure she was a wonderful woman, too."

Maja giggled. "Papa says you're powerful, too."

"I've grown into it," said Thyrsa. "I used to be very different. I did not speak up, I did not think myself worthy. But my own father thought I would do great things. And because he believed in me, I did."

"I want to fight the wights," said Munda, holding up her fists. "I want to be strong, like you!"

Thyrsa shook her head. "You've much to learn before you can do that. But I think, when the time comes, Lady Sansa will need someone fierce to keep her safe. Several someones, I imagine. Perhaps when the war comes, you will be the two brave warriors who keep her alive."

"I can do it!" said Maja. "I'll protect Lady Sansa!"

"No, me!" whined Munda. "I'm stronger than you."

Thyrsa grinned, "Don't worry, you can both do it. Perhaps my nephews and nieces will join you. All you up-and-coming fighters will protect the Lady of Winterfell, won't you?"

"Yes!" they cheered in unison.

"Good." She dipped down to kiss their foreheads. "Now, to sleep." She started caressing them again. "Dream of beautiful snowy fields, of tall trees you can climb, of glaciers that reach the skies and are perfectly sloped so you might sled down with your friends."

She sat there until they'd fallen asleep, and even a bit longer, just to make sure they were at peace. She didn't want to imagine them having to fight for their lives, she didn't want to imagine them being hurt.

She never wanted the war to reach them. But inevitably, it would.

It might reach Tormund first. They might never see him again. She never wanted Maja and Munda to know what it was like to lose a father. She didn't want them to experience the same pain she had.

Meera decided the next morning that she'd ride back home and stay with her family at Greywater Watch. It seemed she'd left upset with Bran, who had only said a simple 'thank you' to her despite all that they'd been through. It wasn't fair to Meera. Thyrsa wished there was something that could be done to bring Jojen back, to compensate Meera with more than knapsacks filled with money, food, and clothes.

She deserved better. And Bran could no longer offer her anything.

A new arrival came that afternoon. Arya Stark, alive and well, had come to Winterfell. Sansa found her in the crypts, the two emerging together and finding Rickon waiting eagerly, unable to sit still from the moment he heard a guard say that Arya was back.

Thyrsa would have written to Jon about it, if she was sure he was at Dragonstone already, if she thought he would still be there when the raven arrived. There was no telling when he'd return. They'd received no word from him, which could mean too many things.

"They're finally together," said Brienne softly, looking down at the four Stark children reunited in the yard. Arya was pushing Bran in his wheelchair while Rickon tried to stop Shaggydog from barreling into a group of smaller children who were asking the 'puppy' to come closer.