Ursa Major | Tormund Giantsbane

Chapter 10

Jon made his choice.

He'd taken Olly as his steward, slid into his position so naturally, it only emphasized the fact everyone truly knew: Jon had been the right choice. Of course, Ser Allister Thorne and his friends seemed to think otherwise.

Stannis wasn't at all pleased, either. Jon had formally refused his offer, wishing to stay with the Night's Watch; such was his loyalty to them. Stannis seemed perplexed that Jon wouldn't accept an opportunity to avenge his family. He thought Jon as stubborn and honorable as his father, which wasn't exactly a compliment considering honor got Ned Stark killed.

He believed that Jon should execute the wildlings if Tormund wouldn't compromise. He even advised sending Allister Thorne to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea to give Jon distance from his enemies. Ser Davos believed that Stannis saw something in Jon, and reminded him that the Night's Watch vows said he was 'the shield that guarded the realms of men.' There wasn't much guarding to be done at the Wall anymore. He asked that Jon consider this, to think of what needed to be done to make sure the North stopped suffering under the Bolton rule.

She could tell Ser Davos's words had left him thinking.

"Reckon he's right?" muttered Jon, having called Thyrsa to his office as Olly organized the books.

"I see what Ser Davos and Stannis are trying to accomplish, yes," she admitted. "Placing you in a position of power guarantees them allies for the wars to come, goes to show that Stannis works to stabilize the realm. It's clear he needs the men; he wouldn't be trying to buff up his army otherwise. The Bolton army grows each day as smaller Northern houses join them out of fear for what'll happen if they don't. But I understand more than anything your honor."

She tucked her hands together. "So... I will follow your command. If you want me to call the banners that fought with us, if you want us to join Stannis's army and retake Winterfell, we will. Rickon can't stay shut up in here forever. He's growing... either you give him a purpose here learning alongside Olly and the other recruits, or we retake Winterfell and install him as Lord of Winterfell for now. Osha and Gilly can stay in Winterfell with him, my men can defend the castle while you figure out the wildling situation and decide what you'll do about Tormund, whether he complies or not."

Jon hesitated. "I don't know what to do, Thyrsa. I want more than anything to get that castle back, to avenge Robb and even his mother. But what good does it do the Night's Watch? What good does it do the wildlings? I don't know where my sisters are, if they're even still alive. No one's seen or heard of Arya– that we know of– since my father was killed. Sansa disappeared shortly after the Purple Wedding. I was chosen to be Lord Commander, my duty is here. And you are a Sister of the Night's Watch now. I cannot well send you on a mission away from this castle, something you might not come back from."

He sighed, putting his thumbs on the bridge of his nose, "Stannis needs more men, as you said. Only a Northerner will be able to make a difference there. And yet, we need men, too. Samwell is gathering information about what the Northern houses have to offer so we may continue to watch the wall. He said we may need to ask Roose Bolton for men because he is the Warden of the North. But that man killed my brother, he–" he turned away. "And yet we won't have enough men or supplies without him."

"How about this?" asked Thyrsa. "I ride to Last Hearth, I task my siblings with uniting the men with the Baratheon army, to clear a path for them through the snow to Winterfell, and then I will return to guard the wall. That way we get the Baratheons out of Castle Black, preserve the food for ourselves and the wildling army; we can focus on getting more men after the battle is won and the North is secured. When Smalljon and Stannis word from Winterfell stating that they took the castle, I will ride out with Rickon, Osha, Gilly, and little Sam, delivering them to the castle. If you'd like, I can ask my sisters to stay at Winterfell with their children to make sure Rickon has many people there to keep them company. I'm not sure if Stannis intends to leave his wife and daughter behind somewhere, but they might stay at Winterfell to protect them from the difficult journey ahead. Once we have a Stark seated at Winterfell, we won't need to ask the Boltons for men. We will ask your brother and the Northern houses will rise to his command."