Chapter 14 Melkor

The day Melkor took the mantle of King of Westeros, the race of man and the people of the forest ended their millennium-long war. 

The endless bloodshed that Brandon Stark son of Garth Greenhand and Beorn the Bear had dreaded for so long and strived to stop had finally come to an end. 

 The sons of Greenhand had aided Brandon the builder in his quest to tear down the Tower of Cailin in an act of vengeance for the death of his father. 

The forces of men would have been victorious if not for Melkor and his newfound powers.

Melkor had summoned a flood of rushing water from the nearest water source, that being the ocean. 

With the flood came Melkor, Aina, and the red maw, Carcharoth. 

The Forces of Man tried to rally to face their new opponents but it was already too late. Jormun the giant king arrived with a force ready for war. But with such a sight before Brandon Stark and his uncles, he had no choice but to bend his knee. 

As the victors of the battle decided their enemy's fate, Melkor decided to show for the first time in his life, mercy. 

Melkor knew he needed the race of men to fight against the rouge god the old gods warned him of. 

Melkor sent the Kings and lords back to their lands to conquer and expand their lands, for he needed as many abled bodies to fight against the coming enemy and his minions. 

Melkor knew he was powerful, but he would not underestimate this god, for it would be his undoing. 

Melkor, Aina, Faervedess, Carcharoth, and Beorn went North with Brandon Star. 

There they returned to Beorn's home in the woods west of Winterfell. Melkor agreed though with Brandon's fealty came Melkor's aid in matters of the North. 

But in actuality, it was Melkor securing the North for the brunt of the coming enemy. 

Melkor and Brandon traveled together demanding fealty from every keep and village, every lord and Magnar, and every Giant, child of the forest, and Greenman. 

And with their fealty came Brandon Starks' ascension to King of the North, lord of Winterfell, and right hand of the Elder king Melkor. 

As Melkor secured the North, he along with Brandon Stark traveled South to put the Southern kings and lords to heel. 

Melkor and Brandon did not face much resistance against the southern lords and kings, it all played out the same with every meeting. Melkor would demand their fealty, the lords and kings would laugh, Brandon would tell them of The flood of Cailin and Melkor's power, then some lords might kneel, and others laugh even harder, that is until Melkor showed them his godly power. 

Melkor would pull mountains from the Earth, shatter forests, break keeps, and let their lords watch them crumble. 

 That is how Melkor attained the fealty of most of the South. That is until he came upon a king named Durran Godsgreif. 

Melkor and Brandon rode atop two mighty destriers with coats as black as night. They had ridden upon the great keep Storms End. 

"So, this is home to the mighty Godsgrief, I hear you and him are familiar with each other." Melkor inquired. 

Brandon nodded to his king "Aye your grace. When I was a boy my father sent me south to meet my grandfather Garth Greenhand before he passed into the next world, but as I made my way back north I met a Durran." 

Melkor nodded "That part of the story I know, the part I want to know more about is how you and him built his mighty keep against the 'Sea god and Goddess of the wind'." Melkor spat their name. 

Brandon looked at the fallen god warily "Yes, well, Durran took the daughter of the sea god as his wife. With the union came the wrath of the gods, and the death of Durran's entire family. Durran grew enraged at the gods and named himself Godsgreif and king of the storms. He built six keeps, and every time they were destroyed by the storm, that is until I found him constructing the seventh, I aided him with different architectural techniques along with powerful runes that would repel the gods and their storms." 

Melkor glanced back to Brandon with a raised eyebrow "Runes powerful enough to repel gods?"

Brandon nodded "The runes I inscribed onto Storms End were prototypes that I would use later to protect Winterfell, but neither of those runes compares to trying to dispel the old runes on Cailin." 

"I thought you destroyed those runes." Melkor had heard from Beorn that Brandon was able to destroy the runes of Cailin like no other.

"It took moons to destroy the outer layer, even if we were to get through the main gate, it would take years to destroy the tower entirely." Brandon recounted his attack on the tower, he had labored long and hard on breaching the tower, and he had pushed himself beyond the limit to avenge his father, yet he still lost to the overwhelming might of his new king. 

"So Durran does not have the greatest relationship with gods, and yet you and he are close, even with your grandfather being a god, and your gifts of longevity and masterwork with runes?" Melkor knew the race of men was fragile, far more fragile than the ones of Arda, but Brandon Stark was beyond those of men, he held the blood of a god, and with it, he had gifts like no other.

"Durran has no qualms with me or my grandfather, his qualms are with his bride's father, and mother. And if he hated every god for simply being a god, he would have never married his wife to begin with." Brandon pointed the irony out to Melkor, if Durran had hated every god for being a god, he would never have married his wife, and never take the name Godsgrief.

Melkor Chuckled "I guess I stand corrected." shaking his head as he and Brandon Approached the gates of the enormous keep.

Storm's end stood a hundred feet high, stone stacked upon stone, its top domed off as it stuck out of the bay of the narrow sea. 

The winds roared against the mighty keep, but as Melkor and Brandon reached the gate, Brandon noticed the weather. 

"There's no storm." 

Melkor sent a questioning gaze to Brandon "Yes, and the sky is blue, when did we start to play the game state the obvious?"

Brandon shook his head, "No, there's no storm at Storm's end, the keep designed to fight the everlasting storm of the gods."

Melkor's eyes lit up with understanding. "The clear weather isn't normal, Storms End has always been engulfed in great rains and thunder." 

Brandon nodded to Melkor "We need to speak to Durran." 

Melkor raised his arm forward "Lead the way."

Brandon And Melkor sped off towards the keeps gates but before they could enter the great keep, they had to get past the guards.

"Halt strangers, state your name and business, or be on your way." A man atop the battlements called down to Melkor and Brandon. 

"I am Brandon Stark, Lord of Winterfell and King of the North, we wish to speak to Durran Godsgrief." 

The Guard was surprised, for he was not expecting the King of the north to arrive. "Open the gates." The man yelled, and as the gates opened for Brandon and Melkor and Brandon the chief guard turned to another man atop the battlements. "Inform his Grace that Brandon Stark has arrived." 

.... 

Melkor and Brandon sat in Durrans Solar. They sat around a table with Durran pouring ale for his guests. 

Durran was a large man, thick in muscle and a head taller than Brandon. He sported a well-trimmed beard and had a head of black hair. 

"Brandon, my friend, it has been many years since your last visit." Durran pulled Brandon into a bear hug. "What brings you to these halls." 

As Brandon and Durran broke the hug Brandon had to raise his head slightly just to look into Duran's eyes. "There is much that has happened my friend, stories to tell that would take time, but I must know, the storms, what has happened." 

Durran sighed as he sat, he picked up the ale and took a big swig. "So you noticed."

Brandon nodded "Aye." 

Durran glanced at Melkor, he had been wary of him since Brandon had arrived, he would think him part giant if not for his ethereal beauty, he had thought him a goddess like his wife. 

"Melkor can be trusted, my friend. There is much to tell you of how we met. But first, what has happened to the storms?" 

"The storms all but disappeared a hundred years ago. The only explanation my wife Elenei could think of was that her father and mother had grown tired of trying to bring down the keep."

Brandon's eyes widened, already connecting the dots. "Have you had any other storms?"

Durran nodded "Every once in a while, but nothing like the storm of the gods." 

"Tell me about the day the storm stopped a hundred years ago," Brandon asked 

"The day was like any other. The winds raged like the horns of war. The waves crashed into the keep, but there was a moment when it all but calmed."

Brandon raised an eyebrow and motioned for Durran to continue, while Melkor seemed distracted by the numerous trophies of stag horns lining the walls. 

"The winds stopped abruptly, and the ocean was as calm as a small pond, but as quick as the change came the storm grew in strength. The waves grew ten times than the largest wave I've seen, and the wind howled like the great serpents of the sea." 

Brandon glanced at Melkor with a knowing look, as Melkor looked back with a smirk. "I think I know the reason for the change old friend." 

Durran sat up kicking the chair back from behind him. "What is it? Must we prepare for another keep to be built against the gods and their endless rage?"

Brandon Shook his head. "No, your wife's parents are not to blame for this. Well, not entirely. What I Believe is that they've turned their eyes on someone far more pressing to worry about." 

Durran face said it all, he was not following. 

Finally breaking his silence Melkor spoke up. "Their preparing." 

Durran turned to Melkor "Preparing for what." 

"They're preparing for war."

Brandon sighed "Durran, I think it's time I tell you how I met Melkor, but first I need to tell you why we are here."

Durran nodded "Go on." 

"Me and Melkor have been traveling all over the south, demanding fealty to Melkor, whom I have sworn to, he has taken up the title of King of Westeros, the Elder King, and we have come for your fealty."