𝐻𝐸𝑅𝑂𝑖𝑁𝐸 | 𝐽𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑛𝑜𝑤

five.

     "𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨"

Upon returning to Winterfell, Ramsay had turned into a cold-blooded killer. The boy that Ashara ushered away from the wall when she said she would stand guard, had since been flayed. His skin ripped from his body, leaving his only beady eyes. Ashara looked away from the soldier when returning, feeling as if it was her fault that the poor boy had lost his life.

Ramsay had not stopped sending search parties out for Sansa, almost a new one every day. Ashara hadn't been involved since her failure first time round. There had since been a new threat to Lord Bolton's claim, and Ramsay needed his best men to rally around him to remove the threat.

Jon Snow, Sansa Starks bastard brother had been removed from his position of Lord Commander at Castle Black, for undisclosed reasons. He wanted to return to his home, with Ser Davos, the onion knight, by his side, and a supposed army of wildings. Ashara couldn't believe that people chose to live beyond the wall. The thought of all the ice and snow made her shiver.

She had been called into endless meetings with Ramsay and his council about how to overcome this threat, and how to remove Jon Snow from the situation. Within this time, Ramsay had also somehow managed to capture Rickon Stark, the youngest of the clan. He and his beloved Dierwolf, Shaggy Dog, had been caged up in the dungeons. She would hear the wolf cry often, when she was in her room.

One day Ramsay got so sick of it, he decapitated the wolf, in front of Rickon's teary eyes. Ashara walked away from the situation, feeling awful for the young boy.

Jon Snow had sent a Raven to Winterfell, calling Ramsay and his banner men to meet him, to fight it out like real men. In return Ramsay sent a graphic message to the White Wolf, explaining that he had his little brother and all the things he would do to Sansa once he gets a hold of her. Ashara stood next to the fire place in Winterfell, watching the discussion happen. She listened carefully to the plan, knowing she would be brought along to the meeting with Jon and his men.

She excused herself from the meeting, Ramsay throwing a hand behind his head, acknowledging her departure. Pulling open the great door, she felt a pair of eyes on the back of her head. She turned around and found the maester looking at her with a scowl, making her question why he was giving her such an evil glare. Ashara shook it off, and slowly retuned the door to its original position after walking out it.

The corridors of Winterfell were quiet, the meeting running long into the night. She left as she felt too tired to continue standing there. Ashara rubbed her eyes as she wandered through the corridors to her Room.

Pushing through the door, she removed her Sword and dagger from her waist and noticed a small wrapped up note on her desk next to the fireplace. Slowly examining the piece of paper, she noted the wax seal was one from Castle Black.

Inquisitively, she rushed to open the note, and was met with the handwriting she had come to know.

"Ashara

I safely made it to Castle Black with my brother and his men. We plan to regain Winterfell with Jon's wildling army. I have been telling him all about you and your incredible fighting skills. He says that he can't wait to train with you when you finally meet.

Stay safe

Sansa"

Ashara clutched the note tightly to her chest, one day hoping for what Sansa said to be true. Sansa told her that Jon was always a skilful soldier, and that a spar between the two would be an interesting watch for anyone in Westeros.

Removing herself from her desk, Ashara carried the note over to the fire, and slowly dropped it onto the fire. She didn't need anyone finding the note and asking questions about what it was.

She kicked off her boots and her cloak, getting comfortable in her room. Tomorrow Ramsay planned to ride north, just outside the lands of Winterfell to meet Jon Snow. Ashara would be lying if she said she wasn't excited. She was excited to see this great man that Sansa had described, the warrior that came through all odds, being Ned Starks bastard son.

She was removed from her thoughts as Ramsay came though her door. Ashara jumped from her bed almost immediately.

"Your Grace" she nodded in his direction.

"Ashara, you know you are one of my most trusted, loyal soldiers." Ramsay spoke, emphasising the word loyal, as he slowly made his way over to where Ashara was stood.

She tried not to move. She had been faced with scary men in her lifetime, but none of them came close to Ramsay.

"Of course, your grace, I would be nothing more." She spoke, with a straight face and without moving her eyes off his.

In one smooth step, Ramsay reached across the room, taking Ashara's jaw in his grasp, pulling her down to the ground. She resisted the urge to fight back, but she knew how many more men she would have to kill if she did so.

"So, tell me as to why I am hearing rumours that you're getting messages from my wife, and that you were the one to help her escape." He gritted out, gripping onto her chin even tighter.

Ashara stayed silent, she couldn't talk even if she wanted to. She let the pain wash over her, as he twisted her jaw, and stood on her knee. She didn't scream out in pain; she knew it was a sign of weakness.

Ramsay laughed as he released the grip on her jaw and walked over to the fire. He stared into the flames as Ashara rose to her feet.

"I want to play a game Ashara, meet me in the courtyard tonight when the moon is in the middle of the sky. Be ready with your horse." He spat in her direction, slamming the door behind him as he left.

She knew of Ramsays sick and twisted games; she knew that she'd be in for some pain. Grabbing her hair in her hands, she rubbed her scalp to release the tension built up in her head. She pulled half of her hair into a bun behind her head, to get it out her face. She slipped on her boots and her cloak, grabbing her sheath along the way. Ashara also grabbed the necklace from her draw that her mother gave her before she left Dorne. It was an image of her father; with the wedding band her father gave to her mother. Ashara was always told they planned to marry in secret, but that was where the story ended. Placing it around her neck, Ashara made her way to the door. Wondering if she'd ever return to this room or not.