Winter In My Heart | ROBB STARK.

XLII. Shadow of Death

They were stood in the courtyard of Baelfort, a horde of people surrounding them and preparing their own horses for leave.

"Yes, my lady, you don't need to keep asking! It's a pleasure to accompany you to help with the twins," Paulina gushed excitedly, the twins had taken such a liking to her. If Fianna was sure that it was safe, she would have left the twins here under her care. But Baelfort wouldn't be guarded well once her party departed, and she couldn't bear to leave the twins once again.

Riding in a carriage was something she despised doing, much like her father had before his health deteriorated so much that he was left with little choice but to.

Grey Wind trotted up to her side, the direwolf was truly humongous now. He had reached his full size a short while after the Red Wedding. If there was room for it, she would have allowed him to travel inside the carriage with her for added protection. But alas, Grey Wind would be running alongside the carriage next to her.

"You're all set too, little man?" Fianna asked Rickon, although 'little' may have been an inaccuracy at this point. He rolled his eyes, huffing and looking up to his good sister.

"Fianna, I'm not little any more. I'm up to your shoulder, for the gods sake," he cussed, prompting her to nip his arm gently.

"Not big enough to swear like a man, that's for sure," she remarked, causing him to cower back and apologise. "Are you sure you want to ride a horse today? I'm perfectly fine with you riding along with us in the carriage."

"I'm too old to still ride in the carriage, Fianna! You promised you'd let me ride my horse today!" He whined, becoming increasingly stubborn as he grew older - much like his brother, she realised.

"Fine!" She accepted, "but if you so much as step a hoof away from the vanguard I'll be tying you to the carriage by a rope and dragging you along behind us!"

"Deal!" He agreed giddily, rushing off towards his horse. "Osha! She said yes!"

"You needn't worry, Fianna," a deep voice spoke from behind her, causing her to turn with a soft smile. "I'll look after your home."

"It's your home now too, that's why," she teased her grandfather, tilting her head up to look at his face as he placed his hand on her arm. Bonifer grinned back heartily, calming her worries - if only a little.

"You may hate your lineage, child," his tone dropped to a serious one as he allowed Aifric to grab onto his fingers and shove them into her mouth, suckling on them childishly. "But only the product of a Bua, Targaryen and Hasty would come up with a plan as ingenious as you have."

Fianna nodded her head in response, still not having fully accepted her background. He squeezed her arm once more before moving along, allowing Tiernan to approach her next.

"It's about time you get to go and fight, isn't it?" Fianna jibed, poking him in the stomach.

"Maybe things wouldn't have gone to shit so many times if you didn't leave me here before," he threw back with a smirk. "You sure you want to do this?"

Fianna looked down to her daughter, who rested on her hip, looking around her curiously. Running her fingers through Aifric's wavy hair, that had grown down long enough to cover her small ears now.