The northern air was sharp and crisp as Lyanna rode out the morning before the battle, closely followed by Jon, Sansa, Tormund, Lyanna Mormont and Cassius. The three Stark's kept their horses close together, their entourage following suit. Despite the circumstances, Lyanna couldn't help but think how good it felt to be riding in the North, her mind going back to her early teens when she'd sneak out for rides all the time with her brothers, even going alone sometimes, just enjoying the freedom and the sensation of galloping through the wide open landscape. For this meeting, Lyanna had purposefully not tied her hair back, allowing her brunette curls to soar through the wind, savouring the feeling of the wind racing through her hair. 

'I may be dead again soon,' she'd thought that morning as she dressed in her thick black battle dress. 'I may as well enjoy the feeling of being alive now'. 

They stopped, halting the horses suddenly as they reached a dip in the landscape, two hills surrounding them. The area made Lyanna feel uneasy, realising how easy it would be for the Boltons to gain high ground on them right at that point, betraying their trust for a meeting and just killing them in cold blood. She looked around, desperately, as if to find a way out of they needed it, only for her eyes to land on Winterfell. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the great keep, the sight of it making her heart sing, as if her entire life had been leading up to this moment. She'd been away for so long, but suddenly seeing every stone, every tower, every high wall, it was like she'd never left, and any doubt as to what in Seven Hells they were doing left her mind instantly. 

"Welcome home," she called to her siblings, and as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she found it very hard to keep her smile away. 

Lyanna didn't understand why she was smiling. She knew instantly upon seeing it again that retaking it would be almost impossible. Here Ramsay had the advantage, here he was safe, and here, he would be able to keep his men well rested until the time came for battle. Winterfell may have been her home in the past, but now Ramsay was claiming it as his. While ever he was doing so, there was a death penalty hanging over all of the Starks. That thought alone was enough to turn Lyanna's smile back to her usual stoic mannerisms.

The horses stood for a while, until their group heard the thundering of more horses, and soon they all saw another group riding over the hill, the banners of House Bolton flowing in the wind. Initially, Lyanna felt intimidated, the sight of their horses making her feel ever so slightly scared, until she remembered her time in the East, and how she'd ridden with the Dothraki  and the Second Sons, and made them her allies. If she could handle those, these were just minor inconveniences. 

"You don't have to be here for this," Jon spoke up, looking over at Sansa. Lyanna moved her horse closer to her sister's in a gesture of support, though with a glance over to Sansa, Lyanna could tell she was as hard as iron in that moment. 

"Yes I do," despite her hard front, Sansa's words came out softly, and Lyanna could hear her breath catch in her throat ever so slightly as Ramsay rode into sight. 

As Ramsay's party neaed closer, the horses slowing down to stop across from them, Lyanna finally got her first look at the man. He looked northern, that's for sure, with a hard jaw and dark hair, his pale eyes as piercing as the cold weather he was fighting away with his thick furs. He wore an evil smirk that, upon seeing Sansa, turned into a malicious grin, and even Lyanna felt instantly intimidated about him. There was something about his smile that reminded her of Joffrey ever so slightly, though Ramsay seemed more fearsome, more dangerous. 

More dangerous than Joffrey. That scared Lyanna to death. 

"My beloved wife, I've missed you terribly," it was Ramsay who spoke up first, putting on a kind front, attempting to make his sadistic expression seem loving and welcoming. 

Lyanna's eyes darted protectively to Sansa, only to see she looked hard and strong, no cracks to her front showing. It was admirable and brave, and Lyanna found herself feeling a great sense of pride towards her sister in that moment for the powerful and strong woman she'd become out of this horrific situation. 

"Thank you for returning Lady Bolton safe," Ramsay then turned his attention to the rest of the party, especially Lyanna and Jon, the three bastards eyes all locking together. "Now, dismount and kneel before me. Surrender your army and proclaim me the true Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. I will pardon you for deserting the Night's Watch, I will pardon these treasonous lords for betraying my house,"

Lyanna couldn't help but let out a scoff, rolling her eyes at his blatant lies. She knew that if any of them got off their horses, they would be killed instantly by his guard. Either that or taken back to the keep and be flayed to match the Bolton banners. Ramsay's eyes went to her, and when they found her glare, his face turned to another smile, a smile men only seemed to give her when they wanted a specific thing. It was disgusting, but Lyanna didn't show it, instead, she remained stony-faced, until even Ramsay had to laugh slightly. 

"Something funny, my Lady Bastard?" he addressed Lyanna directly. "Please do speak up if there is something amusing you,"

"Nothing amusing, although if you're to call me a bastard the same applies to you... Bastard," she said, raising her eyebrow slightly. "If me finding your lies amusing interrupted, then I do apologise. Please, do continue telling us how you're going to 'spare our lives',"

"Now I understand," he said lightly with a small nod, looking among his men. "I'd heard all about the sharp-tongued wit of Lyanna Snow, as smart as she was beautiful. As a boy I always thought I'd end up betrothed to you, but you got a Prince, and I got your sister. Now here we are, haven't we both risen through the ranks?" 

Lyanna rolled her eyes, letting out a snort of distaste. She felt Jon and Sansa's eyes on her, and knew now to keep quiet, as there was only so much good her sharp tongue could do, any anything she said could affect the outcome of the battle.

"Now get off your horses, and kneel," he continued, and Lyanna cursed herself for shutting u the moment she saw his cocky smirk. 

"You're right, there's no need for a battle," Jon nodded, and Lyanna shot him a wary glance, wondering how he would play his cards. "Thousands of men don't need to die, only one of us. Lets end this the old way, you against me... or against Lyanna, if you feel brave enough," 

"I keep hearing stories about you, both of you," Ramsay said, his smile not faltering at all, to the extent one would think he was talking about a party instead of a bloody battle based on his chipper tone. "The way the people in the North talk about you, Snow, you're the greatest swordsman that ever walked. And Lyanna... even in the north we've heard the stories of you singlehandedly conquering eastern cities. You're legends, the both of you, heroes of the North, and maybe you are that good... maybe not. I don't know if I'll beat you, but I know my army will beat yours. I have six thousand men and you have... what? Half that in the form of a rag-tag group of Wildlings and men without balls? An army like that, you should have recruited Theon Greyjoy considering what I did to him!"

"Aye, you have the numbers," Jon spoke up, practically interupting Ramsay's gloats, managing to keep his tone firm despite Ramsay's attempts of belittling them. "But will your men fight for you when they hear you wouldn't fight for them?"

"And you say we're heroes, legends," Lyanna pointed out. "Even if you defeat us, the North that admires us so will turn us into martyrs. You beat us tomorrow, and you'll be fighting against those wanting to avenge us for the rest of your life. Heroes always get remembered, but you know legends never die," 

Jon and Lyanna looked at each other, and the two seemd fairly proud of what they'd both said. They almost smirked, knowing that for once, they may have beaten him with their words. It seemed they were right too, when Ramsay remained silent for more than a few seconds, looking at the pair of them as if he didn't know what to say. He broke his silence and stoic glare with a menacing grimace that almost resembled a smile, pulling his lips away from his teeth like a dog about to bite, pointing violently at them. 

"They're good, very good," he pointed out, almost angrily. "Tell me, will you let your little brother die because you're too proud to surrender?" 

This stunned them all, topping both Jon and Lyanna's last remarks. The Starks and Snow looked between each other, almost anxiously, as Lyanna realised that this was what they had started it all for; Rickon. They're brother was rotting in a cell in Winterfell, a place that was meant to be safe for Starks, and the result of the battle would guarantee his safety or his death. It hurt, paining Lyanna in her chest as she realised her little brother, only six the last time she saw him, would most likely not see the outcome of this battle. 

"How do we know you have Rickon?" Sansa asked, speaking up for the first time. 

Intense eye contact between Ramsay and Sansa followed, and Lyanna noted how Sansa didn't break her gaze away. In fact, Lyanna was so compelled by pride for her sister in that moment that she almost missed one of Ramsay's cronies pull something out of a sack and throw it to the ground. With a thud, the three sibling's eyes followed the object as it rolled, only to realise it wasn't an object at all, but the head of a Direwolf; Shaggydog. 

Lyanna felt another pang of grief through her chest, her mind casting back almost four years to when they found the wolf pups, and how they one they gifted to Rickon had a thick grey pelt, grey that had turned pure black through the years. Shaggydog had always been the wildest, the pup that wanted to play fight the most. On several occasions Lyanna and Robb had to pull Winter and Grey Wind away from a play fight turned too rough with Shaggydog. The wolf had a wild spirit, and to see it quashed so mercilessly and brutally buth hurt and enraged Lyanna. 

Ramsay demonstrated yet another smirk as he noticed the effect the gesture had on Lyanna. She managed to ter her eyes away from the severed head to glare up at him, embodying all the ferocity of a real wolf in that moment, taking everything within her to hold herself back from throwing herself at him. 

"Now, if you want to say-"

"You're going to die tomorrow, Lord Bolton," Sansa said flatly, her face and voice reamiing stoney, as hard as iron. "Sleep well,"

With that, Sansa turned her horse and galloped off, back to camp. Ramsay initally apeared stunned, until his expression turned to desire, making Jon and Lyanna disgusted. 

"She's a fine woman, your sister, I look forward to having her back again," he said, almost gently as he attempted to manipulate and rile up the bastard twins. This was until he continued, putting on a lighter tone once more, a giddy grin crossing his face. "And you're all fine looking men, my dogs are desperate to meet you! I haven't fed them for seven days, they're ravenous! I wonder which parts they'll try first... your eyes? Your balls! We'll find out soon enough...

"In the morning then, bastards," 

***

Word count: 2050

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Wow first update in a long time boyys!! 

This chapter was a bitch to write oh lord(e)! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I have pretty much finished this book now, since I only have to write the battle chapter and one more after that and the rest (including TWO epilogues) is finished! To be honest whilst I'm sad bout finishing this, it has been a LOOOOOOONG project that I didn't think would last this long. I'm excited to give you guys the ending that you all deserve since you've been so so patient! 

Since I've got only two chapters left to write, updates may become quite frequent, though the ones I have to write are long and may be problematic to write since the ones based so closely on the show bore me a little since I've got to work so closely with the canon, but hopefully this will be finished before the end of July! 

PLease vote and comment (comments especially!)

~Olivia