some people

3rd Moon, 115AD

What a depressingly bleak land. 

These were the thoughts that marked Ryon Darry's thoughts when it came to his impression of the north. He had only been here for a fortnight and he couldn't help but think that the north men surely deserved their reputations for hard men. They surely had to be, to live in such a barren and frozen wasteland like the one he found himself travelling in.

He had already been here for a fortnight and he already wanted to return to Castle Darry and be in the warmths of his lady wife, not be pestered by snows and cold winds that bit at the skin in the middle of summer. 

It was snowing! In summer! What kind of land sees snows in summer!? How did these northmen even live?

The north was a strange, hard and queer land, but the boy king had given him a task, a task that he was willing to carry out if not for no more reason than to share in the successes that had come to be visited upon the Mootons, Mallisters, Brackens and Freys to the Darrys.

The notion of the Freys being included as an ally of the new royal house of the Riverlands irked in him something fierce. To think such a lowly and house of such ill history would rise to such heights was simply not done.

Though of no great strength to measure to that of the Mootons, Mallisters and Brackens, Ryon would at the very least, be adamant that the Darrys were of far better stock than the Freys, and of better history as well.

Really, the Freys. That by itself was an insult and a slight on the proud history of House Darry. Why they were... 

"My lord?" Kevan...what was his name again? Ah yes, Kevan Paege! Some little lordling from a house of irrelevant knightly sworn to Riverrun. The boy wasn't even a knight! What kind of knightly house didn't produce knights? 

"Yes, what is it?" Ryon asked, all smiles and courtesy. Just like a good lord should.

"Ser Brandon tells us we'll arrive at Winterfell by night fall."

Ser Brandon? What a curious way to address a man that wasn't even a knight. "Good, good, let's keep up the pace then." He shivered some when cold winds blew for a moment, setting the mane of his horse fluttering, but the horse continued unperturbed. "I suppose it's still too far away to make a quick ride for it?"

"We'll be in risk of leaving our procession behind, my lord." The not a knight rambled some.

"A shame, I wouldn't mind enjoying soaking myself in the famed hot springs of Winterhold." He beamed with a chuckle.

"Winterfell, my lord."

Ryon waved him off. "Yes, yes, that's what I said." His belly made some sounds as it reminded him that he was hungry. "Perhaps we should stop for some light lunch?"

The page, Ha! Ryon loved himself some good word play, for a lord had to be competent and full of wit as well, was quiet for some moments, his face absents of any expressions as he looked on ahead. "If we do, my lord, we won't arrive at Winterfell by night fall. Most likely, we'll arrive next morn and Ser Brandon has sent a rider ahead to warn of our arrival. It would be in bad manners to arrive later than our expected time."

He nodded his head. "You make a good point, nonetheless, fetch me a scone or so from the cook, good ser, might as well have a little nibble."

The Paege lowered his head as he respectfully bowed to his better. "It will be done, my lord."

Hm, the boy was useful enough but not as useful as he could honestly be. He should have made a show of it more for Ryon to bring true and tested men of Darry for this mission. Why the king had insisted on the Paege boy being included was beyond him.

He honestly could have brought far better men of suitable disposition from Darry lands alone, even he himself was more than enough for this mission to be a success. One would not find a more finery of lordly virtues than himself!

He could see it now, the king glowering him with praise and even perhaps a position among his council, that would be something for the history books. He would be the first Darry to be on any royal council and of one of a young and brave king that faced foul Harren in the field with less men and triumphed!

Oh, what stories and songs about Young King Edmyn shall be told in the future. Seven hells, if he had known, he would have called his banners and joined the king in that glorious battle, fighting side by side and coming to his rescue when eventually he would require his help in defeating Harren.

For as wicked as Harren was, his tenacity in battle was well known.

Why, if it had been him, it would have been a battle for the songs. Oh, what lovely songs!

In fact, he could feel the beginnings of one on his lips and thus, he began to hum for the rest of the journey to Winterhell. Even when the Paege boy brought his scone and gave him a strange look, he continued to hum.

He was just in too far of a good mood to care about it all.

*** 

The Snake 

​The man was an idiot.

And he also had the graces to be an insufferable idiot at that. 

Kevan couldn't help but wonder what he had done to his liege lord to deserve this punishment on being inflicted upon him. Oh, the king had apologized in advance for forcing Ryon Darry upon his persons, but even with a king's apologies, he didn't feel it was more than enough to be forced to deal with the man.

"He's a lord of quite the influence." The king had sighed in his study, before levelling an apologetic gaze in his direction. "I need him and his House firmly on side...but he's a bit difficult to handle. To be honest, this mission to the north would be of potential great use to us that could bring great wealth to the Riverlands and perhaps even more if our cards are played right."

The king had given him an apologetic smile. "That's why I need you to go, you're capable and your House has been leal servants for us Tullys for a number uncountable generations. Lord Darry will be the official head of this mission, he'll feast and dine with King Torrhen, but it would be you who would be carrying out the negotiations, and who you the merchants will be reporting to. I've told them this and they have agreed as much."

He had accepted his mission, even if it meant dealing with the man.

And it brought to this, his first meeting with the King in the North and Lord of Winterfell. He bowed deeply in his presence. "I apologies for my king for the farce and deceptions, your grace. King Edmyn felt the need for such mummery and hopes you will forgive him for acting as such."

Torrhen Stark was rather unassuming in truth. Nothing about him really stood out. He had the type of face that one could easily forget and not much of a presence despite being a king. On the other hand, he could feel the heavy presence of his bastard brother, Brandon Snow lurking in the back of the solar.

His eyes felt like the eyes of a wolf that was busy eyeing its next meal. To be honest, he felt like shivering but he held himself well enough to not do that.

How did King Torrhen deal with such a man? Was he not worried about the treachery of his brother that was inherent in all bastards? Perhaps it was something native to these barren lands.

"I would hope so," Brandon Snow growled, his voice harsh like the lands that he called home. "Is this southron lord supposed to be an insult on my brother's persons? He can count himself a lucky man for me not gutting him then and there."

Kevan gaped. "B-but, we had bread and salt! Underneath guest right! Surely you would not break such a rite?" Perhaps his kings musing about how the north held guest right inviolable was wrong? He found himself worrying about how long he will last in these lands.

The king in the north sighed as he waved a hand. "My brother jests. He has a very...odd sense of humor." Kevan eyed the bastard for a moment and he didn't seem to be of the humoring sort in any sort of manner. "It's of no matter anyway. You have no need to apologise, ser, your king sent word in advance of the ploy he was playing and I decided to humour him on that note. We all have to do what is necessary as kings."

"He could have sent a less aggravating man." The bastard wolf remarked, his hand's crossed across his chest.

On that he could agree. 

"Enough of that now, what is it that your kingdom wishes of us?" Torrhen Stark asked, his voice quiet and pensive.

Kevan cleared his throat and tried to ignore the other wolf that was eyeing him and concentrated on the wolf that mattered. "My king wishes to open relations between our two kingdoms, firstly trade that could very well enrich our kingdoms."

"What could your kingdom honestly offer us that we cannot provide for ourselves?" Torrhen asked. "The north has long traded little or not at all with the southron kingdoms."

"You ask what we could offer in trade? I would say grain-."

Brandon Snow pushed himself off the wall that he had been leaning against and bringing up the full breadth of his impressive frame to bare. "Are you saying my brother can't feed his own people?"

Despite the distance between the two of them, Kevan felt the need to slide a foot back a little to make more space between them. He held up his hands defensively. "No! Nothing of the sort, good ser! It is just as of late, we have been harvesting more grain than we could honestly use and are willing to trade it! Your kingdom is not the only one that we are approaching with these trade missions!"

"Continue..." The bastard wolf growled as his kingly brother remained silent, watching him through grey eyes that reflected nothing.

Kevan spoke faster than he had thought possible, the real thought of death hanging upon him. They would not surely break guest right would they? But he was dealing with heathen barbarians who have been known to eat flesh during the coldest of winters.

"King Edmyn would be willing to trade grain and other goods for a lower price than you would get anywhere else and any northern ships would also benefit from reduced fees in Riverland ports as well as lower tariffs."

King Torrhen spoke quietly, but Kevan listened as hard as he could. "And what in return, would your king want?"

"Nothing more than the same for riverlander ships in northern ports as well as right of your kingdom to trade in ice and prospect the mountains for metals."

"You can leave now, ser, you have given me much to think about for now."

Kevan couldn't be happier and quicker to leave the savage king and his equally savage bastard brother.

Oh by the seven, he hoped that fool of a lord wouldn't do anything to insult the king or his brother, lest they would soon find themselves how hospitable the north is to southrons.