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The Fox Hole 85
🕑 Added 2025-04-19 19:42:31 +0000 UTCChapter 85:
– Yasaka –
Yasaka stood in the snowy courtyard of Winterfell. The cold didn't bother her of course. It made the place have its own quiet charm.
She stood beside Catelyn Stark, the matron of House Stark, and the two of them had been speaking for the last twenty minutes about everything from the weather to the strange cultural gaps between Kyoto and the North.
“I’m truly happy you wanted to visit us in our home again,” Catelyn said. “It’s good for Sansa… and for me. We’ve both missed Haru. Having you all here makes this old place feel… warmer.”
Yasaka smiled gently, the corners of her eyes crinkling. “Thank you for the hospitality, Lady Stark. I’m glad Haru has people here who care for him.” She glanced toward a wooden table at the edge of the courtyard, where Haru sat comfortably beside Sansa, both of them deep in relaxed conversation. The girl looked radiant—flushed cheeks, a soft smile on her lips, and her red hair cascading over her shoulders. Yasaka didn’t miss the way she leaned just a little closer every time Haru spoke.
Their peaceful moment was shattered by a shrill, delighted cry.
“Mama! Look! A unicorn!” Kunou came sprinting into the courtyard, barreling past two stunned Stark guards like a golden whirlwind. Her tiny fox ears perked with excitement, and in her arms—above her head like a trophy—was an animal that looked like some strange cross between a goat and a shaggy northern pony. It had a long, twisted horn protruding straight from its skull.
The creature didn’t struggle. It just hung there, limp and resigned to its fate…
Catelyn blinked. “Is that…?”
Yasaka stared in bemusement. “I think… that might actually be a unicorn.”
Maybe? Was it even possible for a divine creature to be that ugly?
Tanya came jogging in a few seconds later, panting slightly and clearly out of breath. Her hair was ruffled, and she looked thoroughly unamused. “I told her to wait,” she muttered under her breath, brushing snow off her sleeves. “Should’ve known she wouldn’t listen.”
“Tanya,” Yasaka said in a bemused tone, “where exactly did she get that?”
Tanya lifted both hands in surrender. “Don’t look at me. One of the guards mentioned a place called Skagos and some ‘mythical beasts’ that live there. She took off like a rocket before I could stop her. Fifteen minutes tops. Flew there, grabbed that thing, and came straight back.”
Kunou turned around proudly, holding the confused creature like a plush toy. “The guards said the North has all kinds of weird animals, Mama! So I went to find a unicorn!” Her tails swished proudly as she posed, still gripping the creature under its forelegs.
The poor animal’s dull eyes just blinked slowly, ears flicking like it had already accepted its fate as her new best friend.
Yasaka rubbed her temple and sighed softly. “Kunou… you can’t just fly off and snatch wild animals from random islands.”
“But Mamaaaa,” Kunou pouted. “I had to! I miss my puppy!”
Ah. There it was.
Yasaka’s stern expression softened. Of course. Kunou had been heartbroken when they left Kyoto without her beloved dog, who was currently being doted on by Viktoriya back home.
“Alright,” Yasaka said gently, crouching down so she was level with her daughter. “You can keep the unicorn—for now. But you’re responsible for feeding it, cleaning up after it, and making sure it doesn’t destroy the Stark family garden. Understand?”
She knew for a fact her 10 year old daughter would forget all of that within a couple hours….
Kunou beamed and threw her arms around her mother's neck, nearly knocking Yasaka off-balance. “I promise! Thank you, Mama!”
Behind them, Tanya let out a soft sigh. “You spoil her too much, Lady Yasaka.”
Yasaka stood and gave her a warm smile. “Of course I do. She’s my daughter. And so are you, you know.”
Tanya blinked. Her expression didn’t shift much, but her body twitched ever so slightly.
Yasaka stepped over and ruffled Tanya’s hair gently, something she knew Tanya would pretend to hate but secretly appreciated. “You’re family too Tanya, thanks for always looking after Kunou.”
It was a good thing Yasaka decided to bring Tanya as well in the end. Besides, Tanya had been getting a little “too close” with her “friend” Viktoriya lately. Past life memories or not, Tanya was only 13 years old and Viktoriya was already 17 now!
Tanya was far too young for that kind of relationship!
Catelyn's expression softened as she watched Kunou laugh and kick her heels lightly. Yasaka caught the subtle misting in her eyes before she turned away slightly.
Yasaka reached over and gently took her hand.
Catelyn didn’t flinch or pull away. Instead, her grip tightened ever so slightly. “So many of my children gone now,” she said softly, her voice catching on the last word. “It still hurts.”
Yasaka nodded slowly, offering her quiet solidarity. “I haven’t lost a child… but I lost my last husband. And I know how it feels when your heart gets torn out by something you can’t stop.”
She gave Yasaka a sad, grateful smile, the kind only a woman who’s known too much pain can give. “Does it ever stop hurting?” she asked, barely louder than a whisper.
“No,” Yasaka said honestly, squeezing her hand. “But it gets easier to carry. You don’t forget the pain… but eventually, you’ll feel true happiness again.” Yasaka grinned softly and added with a teasing lilt, “Especially once you have some adorable little fox grandbabies running around.”
Catelyn’s eyes widened as a blush crept up her cheeks, coloring her pale skin. “Yasaka…” she started, flustered.
“What?” Yasaka teased gently.
Catelyn pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to smile—and failing. “Well, I suppose… if that’s how things work out… I wouldn’t exactly mind.”
Yasaka chuckled and let go of her hand, giving her some space to recover her composure. They both turned back toward the courtyard, watching as Kunou coaxed the tired unicorn into another lap.
Catelyn broke the silence again. “So… what are your plans for the rest of your trip? You said you were going to sleep here every night, but wanted to explore during the daytime?”
Yasaka smiled, brushing a bit of snow off her kimono sleeve. “We’d like to see all of Westeros, eventually. Maybe not all at once, but this world’s got such a unique charm. And Haru…” Yasaka chuckled. “He’s already scoping out the wildlife and local ingredients.”
Catelyn raised an amused eyebrow. “Of course he is.”
“Dragging him away from the restaurant wasn’t even that hard,” Yasaka said, smirking. “I told him this vacation could double as a medieval cuisine tour. The second I said that, he was packing before I even finished the sentence.”
She laughed gently. “That sounds exactly like something he’d do.”
– Haru –
Sansa was laughing softly as she told me the story. "It was the only time Arya ever stepped foot in the kitchens willingly to bake something,” she said, shaking her head with a small, fond smile. “I should’ve known something was wrong immediately.”
I nodded, listening closely, sipping from the hot cider I’d been served. We were seated on a long wooden bench in the Winterfell courtyard, a thick fur pelt draped over both our laps.
“So what did she do?” I asked, already grinning.
Sansa's blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “She made biscuits for all of us, said she wanted to ‘practice baking.’ But the one she gave Robb—” her smile widened into a smirk, “—had horse dung in it.”
I nearly spit out my drink. “You’re joking.”
“I swear on the Old Gods,” she said, giggling. “And she gave it to him in front of a full gathering of Northern lords. He took one bite, turned green, and threw up right on Lord Bolton’s lap!”
I couldn’t hold back. I burst out laughing, the image too damn good.
“She got a thorough spanking for it the next day from father,” Sansa added, trying—and failing—to keep a straight face. “But Arya just kept grinning the whole time.”
I shook my head, chuckling. “Damn… I kinda like her.”
That’s when I noticed Sansa's smile falter. Her eyes drifted toward the snowy ground, and that brightness in her gaze dimmed just a little. Arya was still missing, as far as anyone knew. Maybe dead.
Without thinking, one of my tails slipped off the bench and curled gently around her waist, pulling her against my side. She let out a soft gasp, eyes flicking up to mine, surprised—but not pulling away.
I smiled at her and leaned in slowly, brushing a strand of red hair from her cheek. “Hey,” I said quietly, “You survived everything your world threw at you. I’m glad you’re still here.”
Sansa blushed, her pale skin blooming pink as she looked up at me. “Me too. I’m glad I made it through all that, to meet you…”
I kissed her. Her lips were soft, a little hesitant, but warm. Her breath hitched slightly as she leaned into me, her fingers curling lightly against my chest. The next kiss came slower, deeper—more certain. She tasted like cinnamon and cider and something sweeter that I couldn’t place.
It might’ve gone on longer if a very pointed throat-clearing hadn’t interrupted us.
I pulled back reluctantly, blinking to find Catelyn Stark standing a few feet away. Her face was a mixture of exasperation and embarrassment. Beside her stood my mother, Yasaka, who was grinning at the both of us.
“I hope we’re not interrupting,” Catelyn said.
Before either of us could respond, Kunou’s voice rang out across the courtyard.
“Yay! Adventure time!” she cheered, riding in circles on top of some strange-looking horned creature that looked like a goat and a pony had a drunken one-night stand.
I stared at the animal. It stared back.
“…Where did she even find that thing?” I muttered. “What is it?”
“I think that’s a unicorn from Skagos….” Sansa said, still breathless, brushing her fingers over her lips with a faint, happy smile.
I narrowed my eyes at the creature.
Huh. It looked kind of meaty. I wondered—
“No eating Uni!” Kunou shouted accusingly across the yard, pointing directly at me with a pout. “He’s my friend now!”
She already knew what I was thinking. As expected of my imouto…
As I stood from the bench, the fur-lined cloak I’d been sitting on sliding from my lap, I caught the look in Catelyn Stark’s eyes—subtle, restrained, but definitely there. Not quite longing, not quite possessiveness. But a mix of both.
I stepped right over to Catelyn and wrapped an arm around her waist. Her breath hitched, and her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t pull away. Not even when I leaned in.
Instead, she met me halfway.
The kiss started soft. Her lips warm, familiar. But then her hand slid up my chest, and I felt her lean into me, pressing her body against mine. There was experience behind her movements—more practiced than her daughter. Confident, smooth. And when her tongue slipped past my lips and teased mine, I damn near groaned into her mouth.
Behind me, I heard Yasaka make a quiet chittering noise that I knew meant amused approval, while Sansa let out a low grumble of jealousy. I could practically feel her pouting from here.
When I finally pulled back, Catelyn was flushed—her breath unsteady. “Enjoy your little vacation,” she murmured, brushing her fingers against the front of my coat. “Then come back to us tonight.”
Us. She said it without hesitation. Like she was already resigned to sharing.
“Of course,” I said, smirking. I let my hand trail down just far enough to squeeze her ass through the thick winter dress she wore. Soft but firm. She gasped, then pouted up at me. “Haru…”
“I’ll be safe,” I promised with a wink. “Nothing in this world can really hurt me—or our family.”
As if on cue, I heard boots crunching through the snow behind me. Kunou came sprinting over with a big grin, her tails bouncing wildly behind her. Tanya followed at a slower, more composed pace, but her cheeks were slightly flushed. Probably from chasing Kunou… or watching what I’d just done.
“We ready?” I asked.
“Ready!” Kunou beamed. “I packed snacks!”
“You didn’t,” Tanya muttered behind her. “You packed candy and a dead frog.”
“…Protein,” Kunou shot back proudly.
I laughed. I loved my chaotic little sister.
The four of us—me, Mom, Kunou, and Tanya—were about to take off. With all of us being able to fly, crossing Westeros would be a breeze. No wagons, no horses. Just a family of absurdly powerful kitsune and one very deadly human war mage.
Before we lifted off, Yasaka turned and walked over to a pair of yokai guards standing watch near the outer gate. I watched her tail flick, the way her posture shifted—queenly, commanding.
She was checking on Winterfell’s broader affairs again. Specifically, Jon Snow. Since we’d wiped the Boltons off the map, Jon had moved into the Dreadfort and set up camp there with his own men. He was technically Sansa’s half-brother, and while things were peaceful on the surface, Yasaka wasn’t the kind to leave things to chance. She murmured quietly to the guards, asking if Jon had been behaving—no sudden troop movements, no talks of taking back the North. Not that she was worried about a fight. She just didn’t want unnecessary messes.
…
The air up here was crisp and clean, laced with the cold bite of snow and the faint scent of pine from the endless forests stretching out below. I soared just above the cloudline. My ten tails rippled behind me through the air.
My mom flew beside me. She turned toward me with that calm, knowing look of hers and asked, “So… where to first, Haru?”
I didn’t answer right away.
Instead, I looked down, watching the snow-covered world drift beneath us. Taking in the scenery.
I thought about Sansa’s laugh. Catelyn’s kiss. Two women who had endured more than anyone should and still carried themselves with dignity. Two women waiting for me at Winterfell.
I smirked. “The Twins.”
Yasaka tilted her head slightly. “The Frey stronghold?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I want to give Sansa and Catelyn a little present. Something loud. Something permanent.”
Understanding flickered in her eyes. She nodded once, approving. “Ah. I’m surprised you didn’t bring it up sooner.”
At that moment, Kunou swooped in from above us, spinning in the air and grinning like a wild fox. “Did someone say explosions?!”
I chuckled. “We’re heading to the Twins. I figured blowing up the place where Robb and Catelyn were betrayed would be a decent way to say ‘I love you.’” At least it would give Catelyn and Sansa closure.
Kunou let out a delighted cheer. “YES! Can I set stuff on fire this time!?”
Yasaka gave her a warning glance, but Tanya, flying just behind, gave amused snort. “You’re raising a little pyro, Lady Yasaka.”
“I blame her brother,” Yasaka muttered, eyes narrowing at me briefly.
We adjusted our course, angling southeast. As we descended, the land began to shift—flatter terrain, wider rivers, and then, finally, the telltale sight of two squat towers rising up on either side of the Green Fork. The Freys’ infamous bridge castle.
Only... something was off. Smoke was already rising up from the towers. It was… already on fire.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
Below, the bridge was chaos. Frey men were fleeing in every direction. Some tried to swim the icy river, others just threw down their weapons and bolted across the bridge, shoving each other in a full-blown panic.
“A demon murdered them all!”
“A face stealing demon!”
“He wore the lord’s face!”
Yasaka came to a hovering stop beside me, her brow furrowing. “What did they say?”
“Face… stealing demon?” I repeated, trying to process that.
Tanya floated up on my other side. “Did someone beat us to it?”
I gave a slow, disappointed exhale. “Well shit,” I muttered. “That was supposed to be my vengeful war crime.”
Kunou drifted her way over to us. “Wait, wait—so… does that mean we can’t blow it up anymore?”
I glanced down at her hopeful face, that little pout forming on her lips, her tails twitching in anticipation. She looked so heartbreakingly cute I couldn’t say no. I reached out and gently patted her on the head. “Of course we can.” Just because something was already on fire didn’t mean you still couldn't make it go boom.
“YAAAY!”
I raised one hand, conjuring a massive orb of foxfire above my palm—blue and burning like a sun. “Let’s make sure there’s nothing left.”
With a flick of my wrist, I hurled the orb down toward the smoldering remains of the right tower. The explosion that followed was glorious—a thunderous roar shook the sky as the foxfire ignited what was left of the structure. Stone cracked and split, debris launching into the air like confetti. The flames turned a deeper shade of blue, devouring everything they touched.
“Oh,” Tanya whispered, clearly pleased. “That’s the good shit.”
Kunou laughed maniacally, clapping her hands as the bridge buckled under the shockwave. The river surged with debris and screams. “My turn next!”
– Arya –
What the fuck was that?
Arya Stark blinked against the biting mountain wind, her breath catching in her throat as she watched a plume of blue fire tear across the sky and slam into the western tower of the Twins. The entire thing lit up like a pyre soaked in wildfire—only colder, stranger. It wasn’t natural flame. It wasn’t even wildfire!
It was something else entirely!
Something… divine?
The explosion hit half a heartbeat later, a thunderous crack that echoed across the hills. Arya flinched, instinctively dropping to a crouch behind a jagged outcrop of stone. Dust and snow shook loose from the cliffs around her as the shockwave rumbled outward, rattling through her bones.
She slowly peeked over the ridge again, her heart still pounding.
The right tower was gone. Just… gone. A smoldering, shattered stump was all that remained. The bridge was split in half, one section hanging like a broken limb into the icy river below. Frey men—what few were left—were running and screaming like rats, hurling themselves into the water or sprinting toward the woods.
Arya narrowed her eyes.
That was not me…
She had just walked out of that cursed place an hour ago, her boots still sticky with blood. The last Frey had slumped over with a soft, wet gurgle beneath her blade. She’d worn Lord Walder’s face and raised a glass in the Great Hall, just like she’d promised. They’d all choked. All died. She was done.
She finished it.
And then the gods decided to add their own finisher. Apparently, her work hadn't been dramatic enough.
…Someone up there really, really hated the Freys…
Arya wasn’t much of a believer. The Seven had never done her any favors. Neither had the old gods, despite all the weirwood prayers she’d whispered as a girl. But this? This made her wonder if some higher power was finally paying attention?
Because that fire wasn’t just magic—it felt like judgment. And not even her face-stealing, soul-splitting, death-dealing tricks could explain it. A slow, crooked grin spread across her face as she stood, brushing snow from her cloak. The cold bit at her skin, but she barely noticed. The adrenaline was still running high.
“Serves the fuckers right,” she muttered. The Freys were dead. All of them. And now their house was going to be nothing but ashes and smoke.
Arya turned from the ridge with a satisfied sigh, her boots crunching softly through the snow as she started walking north. Winterfell was close. And the last rumors she’d chased said her mother was alive. Her mother.
And Sansa too, she supposed….
Arya didn’t know what she was going to say when she saw them again. Hell, she didn’t even know if she’d hug them or just stand there like some weirdo who didn’t know how to feel things anymore. But she wanted to see them. She needed to.
Also she wanted to find out what was up with those “other” rumors she was hearing? Something about Sansa and Catelyn both being engaged to the same man?
– Haru –
The Twins were nothing more than smoldering rubble by the time we turned away, leaving thick plumes of dark smoke curling lazily into the cold Westerosi sky. Honestly, it was beautiful work, if I did say so myself. Those Frey bastards deserved everything they'd gotten, and I had a sneaking suspicion Sansa and Catelyn were going to be thrilled when they heard what we'd done.
Hell, maybe I'd even get a little "reward" from both of them when we got back.
My mom, Yasaka, shot me a knowing look as we soared above the charred ruins, gracefully gliding on currents of winter air. Her golden eyes narrowed just enough to let me know exactly what she thought of my obvious smirk.
"Stop thinking with your lower head, Haru," she chastised gently, her tone more amused than annoyed. "We still have plenty of Westeros left to explore, and it's Tanya's turn to pick where we go next."
Beside me, Kunou let out a melodramatic whine. Her little golden tails flicked restlessly through the air as she pouted at our mom. "But Mamaaa, I wanna see the big fancy palace! Kings Landing or whatever it's called. I bet they've got treasure there! Kings and queens are supposed to have loads of treasure, right?"
Yeah, it was obvious she wanted to steal it all!
Yasaka shook her head patiently. "Your turn will come later, Kunou. Let Tanya have her choice first."
Tanya flew a few feet above us, her small figure calm and collected as always. After a moment, she adjusted her flight, angling herself slightly toward us with a decisive nod. "Since we've come all the way to Westeros, I might as well learn something useful. I've heard Oldtown has a library that's thousands of years old—one of the largest in this world, apparently." She paused, blue eyes shining faintly with excitement. "I wouldn't mind poking around there. Bound to be some intriguing magic hidden away…"
Beside me, Kunou made a loud gagging sound, dramatically flopping her arms and legs in midair. "Ughhh, boooooring! We're on vacation and you're actually choosing books? I thought you were cool, big sis Tanya!"
Yasaka fixed my little sister with a stern yet affectionate glare. "Kunou. We agreed—everyone gets their turn to pick a place to visit today."
Kunou folded her arms with an exaggerated pout, sticking her tongue out defiantly. Tanya responded in kind, surprising all of us with the uncharacteristically childish gesture. The usually stoic, mature girl let her tongue peek from her mouth just enough to make her point, then flashed Kunou a smug little smile.
I chuckled quietly at their antics.
"Alright then, Oldtown it is," Yasaka decided with a graceful nod. "We can spend a couple hours there. Afterward, we'll head wherever you like, Kunou. Deal?"
My little sister sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes with exaggerated resignation. "Fine," she agreed, pretending to suffer greatly. "But after that, we're definitely going to see that big castle place!"
…
We touched down just outside Oldtown about fifteen minutes after leaving the ashes of the Twins behind us.
The wind here was warmer, carrying the faint scent of salt and old stone. It was definitely a far cry from the frozen air up north. A massive, domed roof of the famous old library dominated most of the skyline.
Yasaka, Kunou, and I all worked a little subtle magic to shift our appearance—just enough to hide our more… obvious features. The ears, tails, faint supernatural auras.
Last thing we needed was to cause a panic when Tanya just wanted to look at some dusty old books. “Alright,” I said as we all touched down in the narrow plaza outside the library. “Everyone try to look normal.”
Kunou immediately started spinning in circles. “Define normal!” she shouted with a giggle.
Yasaka gave her a look. “Do not make me cast a silencing spell.”
Kunou shut up real quick.
Tanya didn’t even look back. She was already halfway up the wide front steps of the library, her short coat fluttering behind her, boots clicking against the weathered stone. The kid looked genuinely happy—like a real smile tugged at the corners of her usually emotionless mouth. She practically had a skip in her step.
“She’s excited,” Yasaka murmured beside me, smiling faintly.
Tanya reached the top of the stairs, just a few feet from the huge double doors, when two men in drab robes stepped out from the shadow of the archway and moved to block her path. They were both older—late thirties maybe—and wore the same drab, sand-colored robes tied with brown cords. Maesters, or apprentices, probably.
The looks on their faces were… off. Not surprised or confused, just instantly hostile. Their eyes raked over Tanya, then narrowed with barely veiled disgust.
“No girls allowed inside,” the taller one snapped, his voice sharp and loud enough to echo down the steps. “Get out of here, you dumb bitch.”
Yasaka, Kunou, and I all froze mid-step.
Did that asshole really just say that?
Oh yeah, medieval world equals sexism. Things had changed so much in Winterfell that that mindset had pretty much gone back there, but here we were all just reminded of it…
Tanya just stood there. Perfectly still. No blinking. No reaction. Nothing.
But the air around her… shifted.
Then I saw her eyes.
They were glowing red.
“Well,” I muttered. “This is about to get very unpleasant for them.”
XXX
Comments
James Thomas
Ahh, so this is the day Westeros pretended it was a poor defenseless Chicago building that Dresden happened upon. As they say, "This is fine."
Schloppi
Rip the guards lol
CJ
Theyre more cautious of his army of wildlings that he "controls". I can make that more specific next chapter
cameron stewart
They cant actually still be mad at jon for being min controlled!
Sebastian Fur
Tonya gets to f*ck sh*t up again!
Chase Garcia
Well war crimes go
