18 Chapter 18
(A/N: I refuse to believe Ygritte is not 16+, this is somewhere around 1 year before canon and in the show, she looked at least 24! And if I am wrong about that let's just say in my fanfic she is older. Tormund too for that matter. Anyway, you can call this whole fic AU timeline. Happy reading!)
Ygritte accompanied King Richard to the tent that was prepared for him. She wanted to hear more about this land that sounded like something from stories for children. Having enough food so you don't need to hunt, homes built from wood that are always warm and forest guardians that protect them from threats. She wanted to see it herself.
"What are you thinking about?" Richard asked breaking the silence.
"About what you told us, how people live in your lands. I want to see it myself" Ygritte answered truthfully.
"Well, you can. Even if Mance and the rest of the free folk will not join me you still can, that's the all free folk is about no? To be free to choose what you want to do."
"I guess you are right"
They arrived at the tend, it was small leather-covered construction with a simple bed table and chair. Walking inside followed by Ygritte they sat at the table.
"Ask away," Richard said he saw that girl before him was burning with curiosity.
They talked for hours with Richard describing the way of life in his lands and talks about his current projects like City they are building.
Ygritte was mesmerized by descriptions of Guardians of the forest how nature itself protects his lands
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A few days later Richard has a conversation with Mance.
"I talked with chieftains of the tribes and most are not willing to join you and bend the knee even if I told them that you do not require it they see it differently. For the rest, we came to an agreement that when you leave I will send Tormund and few warriors with you to see the land you promised and if they return and confirm your claims roughly 1/4rth are willing to leave."
The doubt was reasonable but that most didn't want to leave for a better life was surprising. Richard could guess that most of them didn't want to change their way of life and after the talk with Mance, he confirmed that most of the people willing to leave were women and children.
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(Ygritte PoV)
After a few days of travel where she asked Richard all kinds of questions, they saw Hardhome. Rumored to be a cursed place where ghosts of men killed by dragons haunted. The first thing that caught her eye was giants, so she asked Richard why are they there.
"Oh, they are coming with us" he replied with a smile, she was 16 and in the culture of free folk she should already be stolen, the only thing that kept it from happening was her cutting off cock of the first one that tried.
Most of all, the free folk valued power, and from what she has seen soo far, from her perspective Richard was most certainly powerful.
"There are also Children of the Forest, I will introduce you" He brought her from daydreaming. Children of the Forest were legend amongst the Free Folk.
"They all agreed to come to your land?" She asked.
"Uhuh, I helped Children with matter and they agreed to come to take care of my forests. As for the giants, well I needed to beat them up to listen but after that, they were happy to follow me." Richard explained to her.
Beat up the giants? She thought disbelievingly. Arriving at the camp she heard Tormund murmur.
"Better be true what he promised."
She spared only a glance and continued to follow Richard throughout the camp. They came across Tall men in armor that looked like it was made from wood but not any she has ever seen.
"King Richard" The man saluted.
"Captain, we have everything we need. Pick up the camp we are leaving in two days."
"Yes, my King" Captain replied with a bow.
Tromund muttered something about fucking kneelers but the looks he got from men at camp quickly shut him up. That brought a small smile to her lips, Tormund was known for his big mouth.
"Well, cmon you wanted to see Children no?" Richard pulled her behind him, leaving Tormund and the rest of the party to some soldiers.
"Leaf! I have everything, we are leaving in 2 days." Ygritte watched a small Childlike looking girl covered in bark, moss, and leaves. Richard asked a few questions when she wasn't listening and then introduced her.
"This is Ygritte, she is one of the free folk and will be traveling with us."
"Greetings Ygritte"
(Richard PoV)
Richard left them to talk. He wanted to help where he could so they would be on the way, it has been too long since he was away from home, and hoped nothing surprising happened.
On the way home nothing noteworthy happened. They anchored at Rain House. There, already waiting for him stood his mother, Ashara, and surprisingly Oberyn with his lover and 3 young girls, his daughters Richard guessed.
"Welcome home son, I hope you found out what you were looking for"
"Yes mother, I will introduce you later when they get settled you will be surprised" Richard answered with a smile
Then he turned to Ashara and gave her a kiss
"Hello love, how were you been without me?"
"Lonely" She replied slightly flushed from the kiss.
"Ah! Oberyn, friend. Care to introduce us?" Richard said with a big smile.
"You already know my Lover, Elliara. And here are my daughters, Obara, Nymeria, and Tyene."
"Very nice to meet you all" Richard smiled at them.
"Come you must be tired from the journey we can talk when you rest" Ashara took pulled him with her. She waited long enough for him to return.
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(Ashara PoV)
She basked in the arms of her lover after a passionate night and frowned in thought. They were together for a few years now and she still wasn't able to be with the child. At first, she thought that there was a problem with her but that would Richard notice, so she decided to ask.
"Richard?"
"Hm?"
"Did you do something so I do not bear your child?" She asked
Richard froze after a while he replied
"Yes, I didn't think having a child in the middle of war would be a good idea.
She turned around looking into his green eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, trying to hide how hurt she felt.
"I-I, I don't know" Richard finally said.
"I want you to stop, whatever you are doing. There will never be an ideal time for a child."
"Okay" he whispered
Joy spread through her, she smashed her lips on his in a passionate kiss.
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(Richard PoV)
Richard was currently debating Alliance with Oberyn.
They agreed to silent one, for now, Oberyn offered the help of soldiers to defend his lands but Richard refused. He has his own defenses set up and foreign soldiers would just encumber him.
What he wanted is the support of Dorne when they split from Iron Throne. And for that to happen he needed them independent.
"I have a gift for Dorne." Servants put a chest on the ground. Opening it, it was full of seed.
Seeing Oberyns confused expression he explained.
"I designed these ones specially for Dorne, once you plant them on dry land, for example, your sizeable deserts, they will grow roots until they find underground water. Once found they will pull it up to the surface. "
Oberyn understood implied meaning, this could help Dorne immensely.
"Thank you, my friend"
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Finally, the armies of the Seven Kingdoms arrived. From what Richard could tell they managed to amass 80 thousand soldiers. They build encampments just outside of the forest, readying siege engines. I guess they took what happened to Renly's army to the hearth, heh Richard thought. From the eyes of Velka, he could see barrels, some of the soldiers were transporting them to the position next to catapults.
Wilfire Richard recognized them. So that is how they plan to get to him, burn everything. That got his blood boiling. To set ablaze everything he built, every piece of forest and nature he brought to this world. No, he would not let them!
Locating every storage he waited for night to fall. Once it was dark outside, he called for nature to help him. Once at the edge of the forest south of Crow's Nest he waited for beasts to assemble. Once they were ready he gave them mental order along with an image of wildfire. Their job is to trample and kill everything in their way to destroy barrels while Richard unleashes chaos.
Shapeshifting to his massive bear form he let out a mighty roar and charged. The soldiers heard it and raised an alarm, not that it helped them because a few seconds later a massive monster started trampling tents and tearing everything in sight to pieces. Right behind him, beasts swarmed everything moving to go for their target.
"Soldiers assemble! We will not back down before the demons!" One of the knights yelled in face of the behemoth. Richard seeing this snorted, what a fool. He aimed his trampling to get close to the knight, some of the frightened soldiers and levies tried to gather around him but in face of the charging demon of the forest they quickly lost last of their resolve.
"Run for your lives!" One of them cried, which broke formation and most of them started running away from the giant demon.
The knight that tried to rally them lost it as well and tried to run away. He managed to get away a few meters before the massive bear caught him in his maw and started to rip him apart.
This continued for less than half an hour when Richard got information from Velka's eyes that wildfire containers are broken, he let out a roar signaling retreat. Once every remaining beast runs into the forest he used the remaining chaos to set the wildfire on fire. The resulting bonfire is a sight to behold.
That night 10 000 soldiers lost their lives in attack or fires left behind by wildfire.
