The Reluctant Conquest of Ruby Snow Chapter One

This idea came to me and I have wanted to write for a more light-hearted character for a little bit. This story won't have priority over Barb Queen but I enjoyed writing it and I hope you will enjoy reading it. I was somewhat inspired by all of the Game Of Thrones crossovers that are floating about at the moment.

As always I will have a link to the G-docs at the bottom as well as some other reading formats in case you want to download the story on an Ipad or something, do any of you do that? Just curious.

I am very open to criticism and feedback on this idea so please tell me what you think!

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“Are you ready to admit the truth? That the world would be better off without you?”

Yes...

“Ruby? R-RUBY!” 

I felt the soothing tea seep into my... everything.

Then nothing but warmth and darkness.

For a time I merely embraced the quiet, the peace after every mistake I had made, until the greatest mistake began to hurt so much. But, I could not take it back.

Just when I thought that the soothing warmth and darkness would last forever I felt the biting cold grip of air and the harsh light of the sun jabbing into my eyes. I did what anyone would do in my situation.

I had a little cry.

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“Her name is Valaena Targaryen. If Robert finds out, he’ll kill her. You know he will, you have to protect her. Promise me, Ned. Promise me.”

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North of Winterfell

It was cold, but not like, super cold. 

Just put on a big warm jacket and mittens cold. Cold where your nose might go a bit red but you are not going to worry about it falling off sort of cold.

Because it got super cold here, very cold, stupid ‘why would you even live here?’ cold. Nose and ears fall off cold. Even in ‘Summer Snows’, even now with a blanket of crisp white snow covering the earth, this was considered summer. It had been summer for nine years and hopefully it would be summer for many years still.

Even at five it was impossible for Ned to hide the effects of the last winter from me considering that many people had to live with what the cold took from them. It had been confusing at first but when the snow did not clear up for three years you sorta get an idea of what is going on.

I shuddered as I carefully planted my boot in the snow. Careful not to make any crunchy sounds as I carefully deactivated the safety on Rose Bolt as I brought him up to my shoulder, wincing slightly as I pressed my cheek against his steel stock. 

I was going to have to do something about that, a sock? No that was dumb, perhaps a leather pad? Or fur, waste not want not after all.

He was old, a big old buck out on his own taking slow sips from the ice cold river now and then. I lined up the sights, keeping both of my eyes open as I gauged the distance between us. 

When I was satisfied I pulled on the trigger until Rose Bolt clicked and thumped in my grip. An instant later the bolt struck the old buck who staggered for a few steps before falling onto his side. The moment the bolt flew I slung Rose Bolt over my shoulder and pulled out the blade at my hip as I began to step across the frozen earth.

Delighting in how I moved just a bit too fast. This far out, alone in the woods, it was fine to nurture that tiny seed of the old Ruby, the gift she left me that made me just a bit faster, just a bit stronger.

Just a bit wiser... maybe... 

Shush!

I bounded, rock to rock with unerring balance, something that had taken years and years and lots of training to regain in this body. Not that I disliked the new me, I mean, I had nice legs and I was even taller than...

I pushed aside that thought as I steadied myself on a stone that shifted with my weight. It was silly to think about that, I had to focus.

I was almost upon the still buck, glad that my aim was good and Rose Bolt was doing as he was told. I would never make any animal suffer unnecessarily. I checked the animal over and was about to turn about and drag my sled over when a low growl sent a shiver down my spine.

I slowly stood to my full hight and turned slightly to a thicket a few dozen feet away as a pure white wolf stalked slowly towards me.

“Woah.” I took a careful step back, taking in the big doggy, the very, very big fluffy doggy that looked like she wanted to rip me apart.

But the fluff! AHHHH!

Animals were so cool!

“I don’t want to fight.” I told her as I kept stepping back from the angry looking wolfie that was roughly the size of a horse.

A very hungry horse.

“You can have him. No problem here.” I took a shot hop backwards and landed on a rock in the river, my eyes never leaving what was very clearly a Direwolf. With that, the big girl seemed to shrug me off and prowled over to the dead buck, ripping an entire leg off the venerable old animal with barely any effort.

I suppose she felt like I was shooed off enough, or she was so hungry tha-

Oh.

OH MY GOSH!

“Puppies!” I gushed, squatting down on the rock somewhat to get a better look at the big belly of the girl. Well, soon to be puppies anyway.

My exclamation seemed to upset her as she turned away from her dinner, that I had caught her, and barked at me. The sound reverberated through the woods and sent birds squawking in alarm into the air.

I did not fall into the water! I just stumbled a bit and used an ancient balancing technique to prevent myself from falling in. An ancient art that just so happened to look like I was flailing my arms about. 

But regain my balance I did!

Before I quickly gave Miss Direwolf some room. Even if I totally wanted to watch her more. I settled in on the other side of the river so I could behold her fluff for longer as she utterly devoured the buck, leaving almost nothing left.

I let out a forlorn sigh when she turned about to glare at me, rude since I had just fed her! Before she stalked back into the thick and winding trees. Her fluff distinctly unhugged.

“One day...” I promised, before I rubbed my mittens together and stomped over to my sled that had been covered by a thin layer of snow. My very empty sled, it was unlikely I was going to find any other worthy game after Fluffy barked at me, all the animals would probably be scared well into next week!

Gosh she was cool!

Besides, I had a responsibility, as the self appointed Huntress of Winterfell. I should probably go tell Ned about a horse sized wolfie in the woods. Don’t want her to eat someone after all. I wonder how one got south of the wall? Well, it was a big wall so I suppose there must be some holes here and there. 

I slung the sled’s rope over my shoulder and started to pull, barely feeling the strain. I have been feeling stronger these last few months, my workout must be paying off!

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“Evenin’ lass, no luck with that contraption of yours?” I perked up and saw Farlen the houndmaster and his daughter standing by a cart at the side of the road. 

“Rose Bolt is fantastic and he works perfectly!” I called out with a smile.

“Can’t be too perfect when ya sled’s empty!” Farlen called back with a grin.

“It’s unrelated, unrelated circumstances! I had a nice buck but... it was not to be.” I should probably keep the Direwolf on the down low, don’t want to worry everyone. 

“Hello Ruby!” Palla called out before turning back to the cart and fussing over something.

Curiosity got the better of me and I ambled up to the pair, dropping my sled and looking at the very broken wheel. 

“That is one broken dang wheel.” I exclaimed as Farlen gave a long suffering sigh. The iron band around the outside was the only thing holding the wheel together as the wooden rim had splintered apart.

“Aye, gave out barely half a mile from Winterfell.” He said, looking over at the castle in the distance.

“You don’t have a spare?” I asked and Farlen shook his head.

“Well, if you look after my sled I can run to the castle and pick up a wheel for you?” I offered as Palla knelt down next to the cart, looking at the axel and huffing.

“I am just not sure how we are going to change out the wheel without unloading the cart...” She mused as I hummed.

“I might have something for this actually, I will go to my work sho-” There was a bang as the iron rim suddenly gave out and the cart quickly began to topple over with its heavy cargo right onto Palla.

The girl had time to scream but fell backwards rather than jump out of the way.

There was no time to think. I threw myself forward and slammed my side into the cart before it could crush the girl. I staggered somewhat as I adjusted my position and threw my shoulder into the heavy wooden frame, holding it up as I grit my teeth from the effort.

All the while Palla was staring up at me, her mouth agape.

“Move! Move move move!” I shouted, wincing as my feet began to slide in the mud as I struggled to save the girl's life. Farlen rushed forwards and grabbed Palla by the shoulders and dragged her away from the cart. When she was far enough away I jumped back and let the cart fall to the side where she had been with a crash of heavy cargo.

“Whew. That was a close one. Are you okay Palla?” I looked over at Palla and Farlen... who were staring at me with huge concerned eyes and pale faces.

And there were a handful of blood red petals fluttering in the wind before settling down upon the snow.

...dangit. 

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We decided to walk to winterfell, after some very tense moments that involved me staring at the pair of them while they stared at me. Eventually Farlen mumbled something about the Old Gods and despite the dread rising up in my stomach we both agreed to head to Winterfell on foot and send a cart out to recover the cargo.

I did my best to try to start up a conversation on the way back but both Farlen and Palla had turned utterly monosyllabic, occasionally stealing glances over at me and whispering to each other when I gave them a little wave.

I was not too terribly worried about them saying anything, I already had a pretty terrible reputation for, well, the whole bastard thing... and being a Huntress. And for the odd explosion but that was TOTALLY unfair because sometimes making weapons involved a little bit of explosions and I always made sure said explosions happened inside my workshop well away from any other buildings. 

So yeah, besides, Farlen and Palla were good people, I was sure I could trust them not to spread baseless rumours about me around the place.

I glanced back at them as we approached the gates of Winterfell and gradually slowed to a stop as they did the same, we were still out of earshot of the guard who looked about ready to topple over at the end of his shift.

“I, uh, crazy day right? Uh.” I looked at the pair of them and at the floor before I opened my mouth to explain.

“Thank you.” Farlen said at last. “For what you did, for whatever it was you did lass’.” I watched him for a moment before I closed my mouth. 

“Dad.” Palla prompted, her face pale. But her father just pulled her close to him and looked me in the eye.

“Known you my whole life, since you were a little monster... you still are I suppose, well, not so little now. At least, you did it for my girl.” He spoke softly, carefully. Far too serious for cheeky old Farlen!

“I don’t know how I even did that It was no-.” I held up my hands before he cut me off with a shake of his head.

“Don’t matter now, we just, we are grateful, for, whatever that was. Thank you.” He said with a nod, as if that was that.

“Thank you my... thank you, Ruby.” Palla said at last with a weak smile.

I looked at them for a moment longer before sighing. “Thank you too, I guess, and uh, you.” I rubbed the back of my head and took some time to see how Mr Ground was doing.

Pretty wet and muddy apparently.

“May the Gods be with you Ruby.” Farlen said with a wry smile as the pair of them turned to make their way to the gate.

“Right back attcha! Uh, the Gods I mean, I hope they are with you or...” they were walking away.

That was... the worst conversation of my life! Wait, no, that was probably just the worst conversation of the month, so far.

Moonblood conversation, far worse than this. So much worse.

But Farlen and Palla were good people, what was more worrying was holy crap my semblance! How was it so strong all of a sudden! Was that the crazy thing where some mothers go super strength when a car falls on their baby? I mean, I guess not, Palla is not my baby, but carts are somewhat car coded.

Or perhaps that is the other way around.

Anyway! I had actually pettled! How?! Hundreds of hours trying to tap into an itsy little bit of the power I knew was inside of me and it comes out right when a bunch of people can see it!

Well, not a bunch of people I guess, and Palla was going to get squished, that would not be very cool. So I suppose it was a good time for my Semblance to have a power boost. I would just have to be more careful next time. Oh, wait, I could just avoid a next time happening. That was a way better plan!

“Are you coming in m’lady?!” I looked at the guard at the gate as he looked at me just standing in the middle of the road thinking.

“Yes! Yep, right now!” I confirmed. Walking casually, totally normally into Winterfell.

I was not hiding anything, no sir, no one would suspect anything.

Oh right, I had to tell Ned about Fluffy!

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CG1RO1De0yf1GXi2winAbWuff5-5WyoRJ9wDTXW5pF4/edit?tab=t.0