Chapter 24 - Wolf's Den

[ POV RICKARD STARK ]

As much as I read and write and sign letters every day, there are always more letters the next day.

But at least, with the money we've been making, we've been able to meet most of the needs, and we've been able to make sure that everyone at least has something to eat this winter.

While one of my kids took a lot out of my troubles, another one caused more.

'That damned Brandon had to take Barbrey Ryswell's virginity, and now what do I do, either I cancel the engagement between him and Catelyn, trampling on the honor of Hoster Tully, or I marry him to Catelyn, causing resentment and dishonoring Barbrey and the House Ryswell , one of the most loyal houses to mine, damn it Brandon, what have you gotten me into' Rickard thought, as he read a letter with a sigil of a black wolf, on a white field, Brandon's personal sigil.

*TOC*TOC*

"It is I My Lord" Spoke a voice, which I identified to be that of Maester Luwin.

"Come in, Maester" I spoke.

"My Lord, a letter has arrived from Arthur" spoke Luwin, as he handed the letter.

"Give it to me" I spoke extending my hand to the letter.

After a few minutes of reading, Rickard put the letter down with a smile on his face.

"Hahaha, Arthur always surprises me."

Maester Luwin seeing this was surprised and somewhat happy, Rickard was a very reserved person, almost every time, he was with a stern face and a quiet dignity.

But when he was with his sons, especially Arthur, Rickard showed more emotions, but this is the first time I heard him give such a relaxed laugh, Maester Luwin was curious about the contents of the letter.

"Maester." Rickard spoke.

"Yes, My Lord?"

"Talk to Jorel to prepare weapons and some armor, and talk to Edgar to gather some of the food, get 20 barrels of Vodka, and send them to Castle Black." Spoke Rickard.

"Will do, My Lord" spoke Luwin, soon leaving the room.

"And just when I think you can no longer surprise me, Hahaha, a Direwolf and a Shadowcat." Murmured Rickard with a smile stamped on his face.

[ POV ARTHUR SNOW ]

After three days, I returned to the Winesik, and the place remained with the same smell, smoke, spoiled meat and urine.

I approached the counter, and the same man was there, drying a glass with a dirty cloth.

"Good morning, do you have something for me?" I asked the man.

"Lord Wotan, master Hades sent me to give you this letter, I assure you that no one has read its contents." Spoke the Man.

"I know you haven't" I said as I opened the envelopes.

"They are encrypted" I spoke as I showed the pages, with various symbols.

After reading the contents of the letter, I walked over to the lit fireplace, dodging the drunks lying on the floor, and threw the letter into the fire.

"Thank you for your services, sir?" I spoke.

"Peter" spoke the man.

"Right, I will talk about your help with Hades, Peter, expect good news." I spoke heading for the exit.

"Thank you Lorde Wotan" spoke Peter bowing his head.

After leaving the pigsty, I went to the tavern where we were.

Making my way to the table that everyone was gathered around, eating meat, soup, and some drink, I sat down in an empty chair, and noticed the absence of Perseus.

"Where is Perseus?" I asked.

"He went out to see a fight between knights" spoke Astrid.

"Okay, we'll leave tomorrow" I spoke.

"Where to?" Rhoslyn asked.

"King's Landing" I said.

"To do what in that shitty place?, Literally shit, everyone says the city stinks of shit and piss." Sigurd spoke.

"I have some unfinished business there, and Eldric will be waiting for us." I spoke.

"Eldric? I miss that bastard." Spoke Kevin.

"Astrid and Kevin, go after Perseus and let him know we are leaving tomorrow, Rhoslyn and Sigurd, go to the harbor and try to get a ship that is going to King's Landing." I spoke.

"Right" spoke everyone, as they got up from the table.

"What about you Arth? Where are you going?" Rhoslyn asked.

"To Wolf's Den" I spoke, leaving some coins on the table.

Leaving the tavern, I headed toward the location of Wolf's Den.

After a while of walking, it was dark, and I soon spotted the den, the place was lit by torches and candles.

The den, in fact, was a castle, with ruined black walls towering over the houses that clung to them.

Wolf's Den was created by the King of the North, Jon Stark, who raised Wolf's Den to defend the mouth of the White Knife from invaders from the sea, it was the seat of the King of the North's younger sons, brothers, uncles and cousins, some passed the castle on to their children and grandchildren, and branches of House Stark cadets arose, among them the Greystarks lasted the longest, holding Wolf's Den for five centuries, until they joined the Dreadfort in rebellion against the Starks of Winterfel, a thousand years before the War of Conquest, the Manderlys were given the Wolf's Den by the Starks, they swore oaths before the old gods and the new to be the Stark men forever in exchange for protection from their enemies, and they gained the land that became the present-day city of White Harbor.

Using the cover of night, I headed for the place where the sacred grove is located.

Arriving in the grove I spotted the tree, a Weirwood so large and seafaring that it had choked all the oaks, elms and birches and sent its thick, pale branches crashing against the walls and windows facing it, its roots as thick as a man's waist, its trunk so wide that the face carved into it looked fat and angry.

Reaching out to the tree, observing its angry appearance, I put my palm against its trunk, and as I did, my eyes went white, and my mind went blank.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a kind of battlefield, on one side were figures that I could not see what it was, but on the other side I could see, a man, the man was tall and muscular, he was around 6'4" tall, his hair began in black, but ended in silver, they were long, but were braided, his side was shaved, with tattoos drawn on his sides, on top of his head was a crown, made of Valyrian steel and with 9 points in the shape of long swords.

The Man wore black ice armor, on his chest, shoulders and arms was a red dragon, on his back was a long black cape, with the design of a tree on its surface.

In his hand were two swords, one black with ripples, and the other also had a black blade, but some designs on its blade glowed red.

On his right side was a huge wolf, the same size as the man, the wolf was white, and its eyes were red.

And on its left side a shadowcat, with its head at the height of the man's chest.

Behind the man were nine people, each one more distinct from the other, and behind them, thousands of people, all organized in formations, with spears and shields in their hands.

The man then, climbs on top of the wolf, and raises his sword with symbols glowing in red.

"LEGIONS!!!" Shouted the man with a loud and powerful voice, the sound was like the sounding of the trumpets of the apocalypse, but in the same way that it intimidated, it was motivating, just hearing it made me want to fight with him in this battle.

"AUUU!!!" Shouted the thousands of people behind the man, the sound was deafening, even the ground shook with the noise, it was loud, like standing next to thunder.

"ATTACK!"

But before I can finish seeing, my consciousness returns to my body.