A group sat in a corner of the small inn. Despite the protest of the ranger, Jaidyn had wanted to find out some news in the North.
It had been a few days since they had their run in with the men heading toward Winterfell. The queen was anxious to know any information about the castle or even the boys. What better place to hear news than an inn that was frequently used.
Their journey was almost complete. The war camp was not more than a day away at Jaidyn's last correspondence with Robb.
Hoods covered their heads as they waited. It wasn't long till a group entered and was seemingly drinking their weight in ale. The inn became alive with loud talks and drunken laughter.
"Those Ironborn bastards ran off with their tails between their legs. Didn't even put up a fight." One exclaimed loudly.
"The only one left was the Greyjoy whore. His men left him for dead." Another added.
"If they hadn't had left, I would've enjoyed sticking my blade in their belly. Those Kraken wenches need to learn that there will only be one King in the North." This caused the others to cheer loudly before taking a drink.
Though the information was great for Jaidyn to hear, she still hadn't heard about the boys. She didn't care about the castle, she cared about its occupants.
"What about the two lords and the queen?" Stryder asked noticing the worry on Jaidyn's face. He didn't want her to question and draw attention to herself.
The question was loud enough for the others to hear as they turned to look at him. All assessing the newcomer who decided on inserting himself into the conversation.
"What's it to you?" One questioned back.
"Just wondering about the what the Ironborn might've done to the queen." He stated before pulling out a few coins.
The men smirked slightly at the money wanting for to drink. "They were not found. The queen probably ran off with another. The heir probably isn't the king's. You can never trust the Mormonts in anything except a fight."
Jaidyn clenched her jaw before she picked up her cup and took a drink. She decided to ignore their ignorance and focus on the fact that Bran and Rickon might still be alive.
Stryder looked at Jaidyn before grabbing a few coins and holding them to a nearby waitress. "Give a round to my friends. For their bravery in retaking the castle."
They all cheered loudly before going back to themselves. The boys looked the Jaidyn and Styrder waiting for what they might do. But they simply drank their drinks before going to leave.
Only their moment had come and gone. The door to the inn opened and entered a group making everyone stop all conversations.
The men wore Lannister red, an unwelcome color in any part of the North. Every northern looking at them with distaste.
"We don't want any trouble. And any color associated with the Lannisters bring it. I suggest you turn around and walk out that door." The man who owned the inn spoke hinting the tension in the air.
The men shifted to look around the room. Their orders were clear but their ability to canvas inns in the North were limited. They just needed some hint, some form of gossip to lead them.
The Lannister men glanced at one another before going to head to the exist. If only the North men hadn't had too much ale in their system. The group simply wanting to continue their journey might've done so without much problem.
"They shouldn't be allowed to leave with their heads. Not after all that they had done." One man stated blocking their path. Coincidentally beside the table of the missing queen.
"We could send a message for the old lion. Make it known that Lannister red isn't welcome in these parts." Another added stepping up to assist his friend.
The Lannister men were ready for any encounter and held their weapons awaiting any move. Until one glanced at the table beside him. Their hoods up concealing their identities but that didn't stop his gaze from catching a significant clue.
A sword strapped to the waist of one with a distinct handle. A black bear could be seen as he also took notice of the delicate hands the person had.
News of Winterfell had spread rapidly throughout Westeros, but it also included the fact that the queen was nowhere to be found. Their orders from Tywin was to find any indication of the Northern Queen. Having her in their possession would be a major turning point for them. He tapped his friend in front of him before pointing out his discovery, but his action didn't go unnoticed.
Strider had his eye watching them closely and tense when he looked at Jaidyn. But his reason for being on edge was justified, when the man tried to hurry and reach for Jaidyn. The ranger didn't waste a second throwing the table forward blocking anyone's path to Jaidyn.
Jaidyn was quick to register the danger that had unraveled in a matter of seconds. She drew her sword and backed up. The boys that were with them doing the same and taking a stance in front of her.
The Lannister men drew their weapons as the two faced off. Everyone in the inn watching the scene in bewilderment.
"Jaidyn of House Mormont, come with us and nothing with happen to you or your company." One of the men spoke thinking stating their standing would make her comply. But in fact it did the opposite once the North men realized who they were trying to take.
"If you want to take the Queen of the North, then you're gonna have to fight for her." One of the men spoke taking a spot in front of one of the boys.
The others followed suit and drew their weapons ready to face the unwelcome party. Both groups staring one another down before one of the Lannisters charged forward. His attack blocked but it was all that was needed to initiate the fight.
Swords clashed and blood was spilled. Anyone who wasn't apart of the fight screamed and tried to move from the bloodshed.
"Get her out of here." Styder instructed the boys seeing that the men were blocking any path to Jaidyn. Its was a moment to escape.
Jaidyn didn't fight against the orders instead she pulled a girl that was huddling in the corner and ran out a back door. The Lannister men moved in that direction only to be stopped this time by the guard of boys that were there. But that didn't stop him, instead he chose another route and went out the front door.
She pulled the girl by her hand and tried to figure out where to go. She couldn't leave without the boys and Stryder. Her path was quickly blocked by two men in Lannister red.
Her sword ready for one to attack. The girl she was leading back to huddling in a small space. She was ready to make a stand against the Lannisters.
The one on the left jumped forward and swung his sword. She sidestepped his attack before trying to send a strike of her own. He was quick to block the blade and swung again. The two swung and blocked until the other had decided to join.
Despite the odds stacking against her rather quickly, Jaidyn was holding her own. But the two were beginning to push her backwards. Her back collided with the wall making her slightly panic as she thought they might've trapped her.
Just as they began to close in whatever distance was left, a cry sounded from behind them. Stryder came barreling in and swung his sword which caught one of the men in the abdomen. With the men now creating a gap, the ranger pulled Jaidyn from the wall. He battled against the last Lannister man before he was able to shove the man backwards.
Taking the advantage, Stryder and Jaidyn hurried away from the man. The boys were already back at the horses and waiting for the pair. Jaidyn climbed her horse but a sharp pain shot through her. She ignored the feeling as they began to make their way from the inn.
The girl who Jaidyn had helped escape the inn was not as lucky in her chance. Once the man got to his feet he tried to rush after them but only saw the horses. The fact that he had let the Queen of the North escape, enraged him.
He walked back toward the inn when he heard a whimper. With his grip tight on the sword handle, he crept around and found the source of the noise. The girl had tried to make herself small as possible but with her round stomach, she found the task rather hard.
"Please, good ser, have mercy." She cried as she tried to scoot from him. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at his blade. She had only gone into the inn to find her husband when she saw the fight unfold. Her husband one of the first to be slaughtered. She knew that she should have ran when the queen was distracting the men but she was too frightened to move.
The Lannister man simply started down at her as he pondered on what to do. But the more he looked the more he began to see similarities. The chestnut hair and their sizeable bellies. An idea began to longer form in his mind.
People thought the Queen of the North was not found. Anyone inside the inn who even had the slightly knowledge was dead. If the Stark boy was as noble as his father then he might just be as committed as him. He could cripple the North by taking away their footing with the king's heir.
But the men weren't all dead. One was able to escape the massacre despite his injuries. He stumbled around the inn before he spotted the Lannister man standing over a person. It wasn't till he hear her plead and cry that he realized it was a woman.
No sooner did her cries filled the air that they stopped. The immoral man had stabbed his sword down on her. He proceeded to stab and slash his sword against her body making it unrecognizable. The lone survivor turned to flee but had caught onto the words he spoke.
"The Queen of the North is dead. The Stark line is broken." His sword not back in his halt as he turned and walked away.
Against his better judgment, he crept forward to see what he might've been talking about. The sight was the least unpleasant. The woman's body mangled and bloodied but what stood out was the color of her hair and how her stomach was sliced open.
For anyone to come across the sight, he message was clear. Jaidyn Mormont was dead alongside her unborn babe.
He didn't waste another second leaving the area and going to find the nearest ally. The North needed to know about their queen.
If only they knew what had actually started to happen.
The group let the horses run further away from the inn and the possible enemies behind them. But for Jaidyn the pain would occasionally shoot through her stomach. It wasn't till she pulled on the reigns and doubled over the back of the horse that attention went to her.
"Jaidyn, what's happening?" Stryder asked once he was by her side.
It took her a moment to answer she tried to regulate her breathing. "The baby. The baby is coming."
Her words making their blood run cold. She couldn't go into labor not while they were on the road with possible enemies following them. But it seems the gods had another idea as she let out another groan.
A/N: I know I used this title for a previous chapter but I feel like it fits this one better.