Chapter 137

2 weeks later

BARBREY DUSTIN POV

Barbrey sat atop her horse and looked at the Great Moat that surrounded the City now known as Winterhold and smiled.

The 20 feet deep and 20 feet wide Moat was not there the last time she left the city in her 4 month exile and went to the Bolton Port. Nor was the 20 feet tall Steel Gate that was now being lowered to allow her entry to the City that she had seen being built with her own eyes.

Inside the Portcullis, there was another gate to stop the advance of any soldier trying to invade the city. And the area was filled with murder holes to kill any forces that are trapped in that area.

With all the changes that her nephew had made to the city defenses, the city almost seemed invulnerable to her unexperienced military mind even though a more rational part of her mind whose voice sounded strangely like that of her own nephew told her that any castle defense can be broken. It was just a matter of finding that chink in the armor and then using the right strategy in the right time. And the castle will fall.

She cast aside such morbid thoughts from her mind as the Portcullis lowered down and see saw the face of her beloved nephew after all these months.

To say that she had been angry with him when he had exiled her to the Bolton Port would be an understatement.

She had been livid.

But the truth of the matter was that her life in Bolton Port had been as filled with luxury as it had been in Dreadfort.

And as time passed and her anger shimmered down, she realized that even if his nephew had exiled her, it was not a wrong decision.

After all, he had thrown that Tully bint out of his castle. So he had to be fair and do the same to her if he didn't want to destroy his relations with the Starks.

Plus, as much as would not admit it, looking back now, she almost felt ashamed by her actions at needling the poor girl who was supposed to be her nephew's betrothed. That was indeed low of her no matter how much she hated the Starks.

Plus, even if her nephew had been in the wrong, she loved him too much and doubted that she would have managed to remain angry at him for so long.

The Portcullis' falling to the ground brought her out of her thoughts and she looked ahead to find her nephew along with all the small council waiting for her arrival behind the portcullis.

But she saw none of them as she had eyes only for her nephew. The boy she considered her son.

She could see him smile in the distance as he rode his horse and came forward to greet her with a huge silly smile.

She could see a small stubble forming on his chin. Bolton men were not known for their beards or moustache so she doubted that the stubble would grow up well. She would have to tell his servants to start shaving him each morning.

His form had also grown a little and she could actually see some muscles on his hands and shoulders.

Seems like he did listen to her and started learning swordplay. She doubted he would be very good at it considering how he missed out on it when he was young but he would know enough to protect himself.

"Auntie." Her nephew smiled as both of them climbed down from their horses and then he pulled her in a hug and then much to her surprise, he lifted her off the ground with the ease of lifting a thin wooden stick swung her around in a circle.

Huh… he had truly grown strong in her absence hadn't he.

The thought of missing the opportunity to see him grow into a man saddened her somewhat and she promised herself to not give him another chance to exile her like that again.

She laughed along with him for a short moment before she hit him in the arm and gave him a stern glare.

"Put me down Dom. You might not care about any proprietary but I do have an image to maintain." Though the words were spoken sternly, the smile in her eyes belied any anger she might be showing.

He gave her a warm smile and put her down on the ground while rubbing the back of his head in a sheepish manner.

"Welcome home auntie." He said and she smiled.

"It's good to be back home." she replied back.