Chapter 5

Lyanna woke up, cold sweat dripping down her spine. She had the dream again.

She worried this would happen with Eldric away from Frostfall again, but she thought she was overthinking.

Taking a deep breath, Lyanna tried to calm her racing heart. It was just a dream, she reminded herself. Nothing more. But the images from the dream were still vivid in her mind, taunting her with their intensity.

She was in nothing but her nightgown, walking barefoot in tundra far from the Wall. Flames started to encircle her as she tried to escape. Hammer on metal. Ringing of bells. The icy surface below her feet began to crack.

She missed Eldric, missed his strong arms and reassuring presence. Her brother always made her feel safe.

But she knew that Eldric's duty was to House Everwinter and to the North. She could not begrudge him for that. She was proud of him, proud of the way he had stepped up to take on the responsibilities of his house. But it did not make the return of these nightmares any easier to bear.

Struggling to find sleep, Lyanna made her way to her desk and opened the tome she began reading earlier in the week. The tome was a detailed record of the early histories of House Everwinter inscribed in the Old Tongue. Maester Donas had kindly provided her with a book to help her decipher the ancient language of the North and she had made some progress, covering the first chapter of the book. It documented the Frozen Exodus, the ancestral migration of House Everwinter from a distant, frozen land to Westoros due to an otherworldly destruction of their home. The basic aspects of the tale was also depicted on the Frostweave Tapestry. But the tome provided far greater details than the tapestry's beautiful art showcasing their forefather's resilience and determination as they braved treacherous conditions to establish their stronghold in the North.

The tome mentioned a mystical kingdom that once existed west of Westoros, where people learned to wield the natural elements. The frigid cold was not something to be afraid of, but rather, it was something to be harnessed and mastered. The people of this lost kingdom were said to have an innate connection to the ice and the snow, and they were revered as powerful sorcerers and warriors by those who lived in the warmer lands.

Lyanna was fascinated by this tale. She had heard stories of the ancient magic that still lingered in Resurgence, in the walls of Frostfall and with creatures beyond the Wall, but she had never imagined that House Everwinter's ancestors may have been connected to a mythical realm. She wondered if Eldric knew about this, if he had ever heard the stories of their forefathers and their connection to the elements developed in a distant land.

As the night wore on, Lyanna lost herself in the ancient history of her house.

Lyanna returned to the tome, reading more about the Frozen Exodus. She was particularly interested in learning more about the legendary hero of House Everwinter, who was known as Frostfang.

The tome explained in great detail a scene depicted on the Frostweave Tapsestry, of how Frostfang had tamed an ancient and powerful ice dragon and bound its magic to his family that was able to stay in the bloodline for generations even after they migrated to Westoros. It was said that the dragon's blue flames melted a valley of snow and ice during the Frozen Exodus, giving way to the first weapons forged by the way of iceforging. These weapons were famed for their power and craftsmanship, and how it caused adversaries to feel like their innards were plunged into ice. Such weapons were often used by lords and kings alike. Apparently, even House Stark's family sword "Ice" bore signs of House Everwinter's iceforging.

Lyanna's interest had been piqued; she wanted to learn more about the legendary figure behind her family's history. According to the tome, Frostfang had used his knowledge of manipulating ice to battle off hordes of otherworldly beings, while providing protection for his people as they fled from the mythical realm to House Everwinter's current seat of Frostfall.

There were other tales too; stories of Frostfang's life beyond just being a warrior. He was also said to have been a masterful diplomat, often successfully negotiating between warring factions during times of conflict, as well as proving himself an able judge when it came to settling disputes between citizens in the lands he travelled.

Lyanna felt immense pride reading about this man who had pursued justice and peace throughout his life despite all odds against him when his original home was lost. She could not help but admire such bravery and determination in the face of adversity – something she wished she could possess even just a sliver if ever faced a similar struggle.

It was only when the first light of dawn began to filter through her window that Lyanna finally set the tome aside and allowed herself to fall into a hopefully dreamless slumber.