CHAPTER 28 | THE BOLTON TREATMENT
TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT
MAIA woke herself up as a loud snore escaped her lips. Thick furs and blankets covered her bare body in a cocoon, while one arm was laid outside and over Jon's shoulder blade. She fluttered her eyes open, immediately spotting her lover in the same state, his hair wild around his face.
After carefully reminding her that he was free of his Night's Watch duties, Jon used the heat of the fire to cox Maia into their first night together. They made love in front of the burning embers, nestled over a large blanket on the floor before moving to their mattress. He was never usually the one to make bold statements such as those, but with everything he had gone through thus far, Jon thought it was fair for him to have a night of happiness after retrieving his lady once again.
Maia reached out, gliding her hand across his face as he slept and pushed a few strands of hair from his eyes. She smiled as he continued to softly snore with his head practically buried in his pillow. She was so happy – too happy – and she knew that in this universe, that wouldn't last very long.
Eventually, Jon's eyes met her own when he woke up. He rubbed at his lids and sat up, muttering, "Good morning, miss time traveler."
Maia chuckled. "Just because I basically told you everything last night, doesn't mean you can make fun of me. And I can't travel through time, anyways."
Her expression changed as he turned to her, and she was able to catch a glimpse of the scars that littered his torso as he grabbed for his trousers. Maia swallowed a lump in her throat, still in disbelief that this was Jon – her Jon – and he was alive before her eyes.
"I believe I'm still not over that you were to be married when you were with me." He groaned, walking away from the bed and sliding on his breeches, as well as other various layers of clothing. "But, I guess I can forgive and forget."
"Truthfully, how are you so okay with me?" Maia sat up, watching her lover dress. "I lied to you for so long. How do we still care for each other?"
Jon proceeded to move towards her again. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and planted a kiss on her lips. She guessed that was the answer to her question.
He then grinned slightly, before letting it falter and moving away to capture his clothes. "As for your old betrothed, I'm sure he would agree."
She sighed. "He hates me now."
"I wonder why."
The two looked at each other, suddenly falling into a fit of laughter. Moments like these were too good, so Maia expected things to get bad fast. The worst part of it all: she didn't have Derek anymore, thus she had no knowledge of what would be happening in this world.
•••
Sansa lifted the abnormal piece of chicken on her fork, examining the contents. The table was silent as everyone ate, but this dinner allowed Maia to meet Podrick Payne and Brienne of Tarth, Sansa's knight and squire, and she had never seen a woman so strong in her life.
Maia felt Jon's hand on her thigh as they ate, more as a comforting gesture, and she appreciated it much. She was currently swishing around the food on her plate, knowing full well she should've joined Hobb in preparing that night, but Jon did not have duties for the Watch anymore, and neither did she.
Brienne, like Sansa, was wondering what exactly was brought before her. She began looking all around the table before her eyes rested on Tormund Giantsbane, who was watching her while eating his dinner in the most inappropriate way possible. Brienne stared at him, horrified. Ed noticed the gesture and raised his brow.
"Sorry about the food." Ed apologized to Sansa. "It's not what we're known for. Maia always used to cook, but it's been utter shit since she left."
Maia chuckled softly.
"That's alright. There's more important things." Sansa shrugged.
The door to the common room opened, causing everyone to turn their heads. An unknown man of the Watch approached Jon, handing him a rolled up piece of parchment. "A letter for you, Lord Commander."
"I'm not Lord Commander anymore." He took a moment, but soon Jon's hand lifted from Maia's leg to reach for the letter. He nodded a thank you.
Maia peered over his shoulder to look at the paper as he twirled it around in his hands. The letter seemed thin with a thick, red sigil enclosing its contents. "What house is that mark for?"
"The Boltons," he whispered back, but Sansa heard and perked her head up.
Jon opened the letter slowly, clearing his throat as his eyes skimmed the cursive. He looked around at the table, noticing everyone was waiting for him to read it aloud. Maia's hand laid on his shoulder. "To the traitor and bastard, Jon Snow. You allowed thousands of Wildlings passed the Wall. You have betrayed your own kind; you've betrayed the North. Winterfell is mine, bastard. Come and see."
Sansa swallowed down a lump in her throat.
"Your brother, Rickon, is in my dungeon." Jon paused, glancing at his step-sister. "His dire wolf's skin is on my floor. Come and see. I want my bride back. Send her to me, bastard, and I will not trouble you or your Wildling lovers. Keep her from me, and I will ride North and slaughter every Wildling man, woman, and babe living under your protection. You will watch as I skin them living ..."
Sansa's grip on her fork tightened as she ordered, "Go on."
Jon closed the letter. "Just more of the same."
The red-head snatched it from his grasp. She smoothed it out between her fingers. "You will watch as my soldiers take turns raping your sister. You will watch as I rape your supposed lady you've been keeping in Castle Black. You will watch as my dogs devour your wild, little brother. Then, I will spoon your eyes from their sockets and let my dogs do the rest. Come and see. Ramsay Bolton, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North."
Sansa laid the letter down on the table, and Maia instinctively grabbed Jon's hand beside her. Ramsay Bolton, a name she knew had fallen from her ex's mouth with a string of curse words following it. How could this Ramsay possibly get to them; get to her? Was it possible for him to come to Castle Black and actually molest her and Sansa? From the look in the step-sister's eyes, she knew it was true.
The table was silent, until Jon repeated, "Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North."
"His father's dead." Sansa concluded.
From various flashbacks in her mind, Maia remembered that at one point, the Bolton father had been Lord of Winterfell and if her assumptions were correct, he was expecting another child. She had seen some letters on Jon's desk months ago. Ramsay must've killed him and his new brother to secure his spot for power. "Do you suppose Ramsay killed him?" She questioned.
Sansa nodded. "And now he has Rickon."
"We don't know that," Jon replied.
"Yes, we do." The red-head grit her teeth.
Tormund leaned in. "How many men does he have in his army?"
Sansa took a moment to think. "I heard him say five thousand once when he was talking about Stannis' attack."
Jon turned to Tormund as Maia's grip on his hand tightened. "How many do you have?"
The Wildling shrugged. "That can march in a fight? Two thousand. The rest are children and old people."
Jon looked down at his and Maia's conjoined hands before glancing at his step-sister.
"You're the son of the last true Warden of the North," Sansa explained, her head held high. "Northern families are loyal. They'll fight for you, if you ask." She reached and grabbed his free hand. "A monster has taken our home and our brother. We have to go back to Winterfell and save them both."
Ed's eyes fell on his friend with keen interest, as did everyone else. Jon looked back at Maia, seeing the pure terror in her eyes as her brain repeated the contents of Ramsay's letter over and over again. Turning to Sansa, he finally nodded in agreement.