Chapter 207

"So?" his aunt asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I've been given the command of 4 castles along the wall." He said "I've also been ordered by Lord Stark to decrease the cost of both food, weapons, armors and warm clothes by half. He had also ordered me to stop exporting food to the Vale and Lorath and start gathering more of it for the North."

His aunt's eyes widened at that and she was about to go on a tirade before he raised his hand to stop her.

"It's alright. The other lords have been given similar orders. None of them are very happy about this but everyone sees the necessity of such action."

"Everyone else." his aunt scoffed "Who else produces so much weapons and food in the North. You've not only been given 4 of the castles but you also need to give so many other things essentially for free. How dare he ask so much of you when you were the one who risked his life and found out about the White Walkers in the first place."

"It's alright aunt…" He said but as cut off before he could speak further.

"It's not alright. All that the Starks have ever done is take take and take from us. How long are you going to stay quiet and remain under his thumb. Don't you have any…"

"Enough!!!" he said and his aunt stopped at once wanting to speak further but he gave her a look and she didn't.

"Enough… I do not mind what Lord Stark is doing because I would have done it anyway." He said "You're missing the forest for the trees here aunt. The White Walkers are the real enemy here. If we're not prepared enough. If the White Walker truly break through the Wall then we'll all die. They'll not spare any women, old people or children and slaughter everything and everyone in their way."

His aunt simply stared at him with an unreadable expression for a long moment before she let out a sigh and her shoulder dropped. Then she looked at him with renewed anger and pointed a finger at his chest.

"You told me that you'll be safe this time. That you'll not fight any White Walkers. So what is this I'm hearing about you fighting against this 'Weeper' and almost dying at the hands of a White Walker."

He almost cringed at that.

Yeah… he had promised his aunt to keep himself safe and prioritise his life above everyone else hadn't he.

"HAhaha." He rubbed the back on his head awkwardly "Yeah… sorry about that?"

His aunt snarled and shook her head "No. No no no. Sorry is not going to cut it this time. You broke your promise to me. So you're grounded."

"What?" he asked, his jaw dropping to the ground.

"You heard me. Once we get to Dreadfort, you're not leaving the castle for the next 3 months."

He opened his mouth but the look in his aunt's eyes told him to be careful with his next words.

In the end, he simply nodded.

"Alright then." He said "Unless it's some kind of emergency or there's a task that only I could perform, I won't leave the castle for the next three months."

The anger in his aunt's eyes dimmed a little at that.

Then she suddenly jumped forward and pulled him in a hug.

A few seconds later her shoulders started shaking and he realized that she was crying.

"My boy…" she sobbed "I'm so glad that you're safe. Do you know how worried I was for you for the past few months."

He stayed silent and awkwardly put his arms around her, enveloping her in an uncomfortable hug.

"I'm sorry for worrying you." He said in the end.