chapter 12 : The Long Night is coming

[ fanfic theme : The witcher 3 ost - Words on wind ]

 (time skip)

 A year and a half later, a lot had happened at the Night's Watch, now made up of 13,000 sworn brothers spread across 16 of the Wall's 19 fortresses, now connected by a system of horizontal rails on the wall through which a shuttle sometimes used to take the brothers from one fort to another.

 Jon had earned the nickname "Jon the Builder" just like his ancestors Bran because he led all construction affiliated with the Night's Watch.

 The mechanical technology of the Night's Watch was far ahead of its time and they had restored the other forts as they had done with Nightfort now that they had more than the means to do so.

 At Eastwatch-by-the-sea' port, there were 19 large ships, large all-black galleons. Each of these ships was named after one of the Wall's fortresses and their prowess at sea was terrifying.

 They had been built by the Night's Watch under the direction of Jon and they were used as much for trade as for transport or even fishing for large mutant fish (nanites).

 Mole's Town had been enlarged and better rebuilt, many peasants had settled on the grounds of the guard in exchange for taxes, and the new, much larger Mole's brothel had received new prostitutes from Essos.

 They worked there on their own account in very good conditions and the volunteers had the privilege of going to see them but only twice a month, technically, they were not violating any of their oaths.

 Jon and the Lord Commander had had some contention regarding Craster's case when Jon discovered his existence and methods, even though he was their main informant.

 Jon had this bastard killed then had his daughters/wives pass to the other side of the wall before confiscating all his livestock for the benefit of the Watch.

 Now they lived at Mole's Town and earned their living working in the different Wall's fortresses sometimes cleaning, washing or cooking and they were well paid like other women in the same job.

 They swore to Jon eternal gratitude before the ancient gods.

 As for the livestock , Jon had also mutated them, Craster's poultry had become quite unusual.

The roosters and hens could be the size of an emu, the large hens laid more than fifteen eggs every three days and the eggs were quite large.

 Pigs have also mutated to become larger, with more flesh but also great docility, not to mention their speed of reproduction.

 They were very useful for meat but also for the alchemists of the Night's Watch as they were able to create large quantities of wilfire with their excrement which was much richer than that of normal pigs.

 Now Jon was 17 years old. His face had gained maturity, his name was famous in the kingdom but especially beyond the wall where the free folks nicknamed him the Raven King because some of the rare people who had seen him said that a big raven was always by his side.

 Very early this morning, he was managing some documents in his office at Nightfort when one of his lieutenants came to inform him that one of the patrolmen from the Deep Lake fortress had deserted during a patrol to flee south of the wall but he was captured by Stark soldiers. 

 Since he was there and the condition of the order had improved considerably no one had attempted to escape and this attempt greatly intrigued Jon so he prepared himself and rushed towards Winterfell at high speed. on his great horse and his raven.

 Night his bird quickly spotted the execution point and when he got there, Ned and his sons were already there.

 They saw him coming and immediately Bran smiled when he saw Jon.

 They hadn't seen each other for almost two years except with Ned because even for visits, Jon refused to come to Winterfell.

 "Jon" Robb greeted him and he returned an indifferent nod.

 Jon: (to Ned) Lord Stark.

 Ned: Hello Jon, one of your men at the Wall tried to escape.

 Jon: And I thank the Starks for taking care of it. If you allow me, I would like to ask one of my brothers some questions before he is executed.

 Ned: Do it.

 Jon walked towards the deserter who looked at him with a face full of desolation.

 "Please forgive me Captain Commander. I deserted my post and failed to fulfill my commitments, I know what awaits me." The man said lowering his head as Jon approached him.

 Jon: The law must be enforced but I need to know why you deserted.

 Deserter: You won't believe me...

 Jon: We are sworn brothers.

 The man began to sob before speaking and say everything he had seen and his patrol unit completely massacred by a white walker as well as the undead.

 The boys and Ned frowned at this and waited for Jon's reaction.

 Jon: You can leave in peace and this information will be taken seriously by the Lord Commander and myself. Thank you for your service, your watch ends.

 Deserter: Can you tell my family that I am not a coward, I saw what I saw my captain commander.

 Jon: You have my word, brother.

 They led him to the point of decapitation without him putting up any resistance and Jon sighed in sadness seeing that, it was one of his brothers.

 "In the name of King Robert of House Baratheon, king of the seven crowns, of the Andals, of the first men and protector of the kingdom. I, Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Governor of the North, sentence you to death." Ned said as he raised Ice above the condemned' head.

 "The Long Night is coming, Captain Commander..." The man said looking at Jon before the Stark Valyrian steel greatsword cut his head off.

 Jon without wasting time turned to walk back to his horse when Ned called out to him.

 Ned: Do you believe what he said?

 Jon: He was one of my brothers...I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and an investigation will be carried out.

 Rodrik: Jon, a fool sees what he sees.

 Jon: And what would be the point in lying just before being executed? If we built this Wall it's not to stop a few wildlings . What do you think we're there to do? We swear to protect the realms of the living from what?

 Others :…

 " That is what I thought. Stay ignorant of the real deal, sometimes it's better if you want to sleep peacefully. " He said as he mounted his horse.

 Bran: Are you leaving already?

 Jon: Yeah 

 Bran: We miss you.

 Jon: That's a nice guy.

 Ned: Jon...please. Arya, Rickon and Bran miss you.

 Bran: (Lowers his head)

 Jon: (sighs) I guess I can pop over to Winterfell for a little while, I'll send a raven to the Lord Commander.

 They returned to Winterfell by another route when they saw a disembowelled and decomposing deer on the road, it had been the victim of a fairly large predator.

 Jory: What is that?

 Theon: A mountain lion?

 Ned: There are no mountain lions in this forest.

 "No, it's the work of a direWolf . Look at the footprints..." Jon said pointing to the ground and they followed the tracks to find near the stream the carrion of a direWolf with 5 pups trying to nurse on their mother's remains.

 Theon: It's a Monster !

 Robb: There are no direwolves on this side of the Wall !

 "Now there are five. (looks at Ned) DireWolf is the symbol of your house Lord Stark and there are exactly 5 little ones, just like your children." Jon said giving one of the pups to Bran.

 Ned: This is your house too, Jon.

 Rodrik: Jon, these creatures don't belong here !

 "They won't survive alone, better a quick death!" Theon said as he drew his dagger before snatching the puppy from Bran's hands.

 Jon: Theon, do you want to bet who will be faster between you who wants to kill this little one and me who will decapitate you?

 Theon: Are you threatening me ?! I receive my orders from Lord Stark.

 Jon: You said it well, I didn't give you an order or make a threat. I just asked a simple question that I can't wait to know the answer to. Besides, Lord Stark didn't ask you anything.

 Ned: Enough!

 Bran: Father, can we keep them ?

 Ned: (sighs) You'll raise them yourself, you'll feed them yourself, and if they die, you'll bury them yourself.

 Robb: (laughs)

 Bran: Yes! But for Jon?

 "Bran, I'm not really a Stark..." Jon responded by placing his hand on Bran's head and gave the other cubs to Jory and Robb.

He suddenly heard a small squeak and it was actually another albino and red-eyed cub smaller than the others.

 He took it and lifted it up as the baby wolf legally wagged its tail upon seeing him. Theon refrained from making any remark, he was far, very far from dealing with the same Jon as in the series.

 "You see Jon, you are indeed one of us." Ned said smiling at Jon who held the cub close to his chest.

 They arrived at Winterfell where Jon affectionately hugged Rickon and Arya who were overjoyed upon seeing him.

 He spent three days there where he introduced Arya to sword and bow skills for Bran and Rickon.

 Arya demanded a birthday present in the coming months and Jon promised to bring her one.

 In the hour before he left, Jon and Ned were filing their two Valyrian steel swords together in the sacred grove, drinking a cup of wine and talking.

 He was talking to Jon about his mother, he was actually describing Lyana but without saying specifically who she was, the only important information Jon had was that his mother died in Dorne during the war.

 He eventually returned to the Wall with his cub named "Ghost" to plan a number of things related to what the deserter told them.

 He thought he would no longer have anything to do with the Starks for a while, poor Jon who knew nothing of his destiny.

 For two weeks at the Wall, Jon and the Lord Commander patrolled and organized patrols outside the Walls to discover abandoned Free Folk villages, human remains and other disturbing signs.

 Since Craster's death, they have had to find new informants among the free folk and it hasn't been very difficult with Jon and his nanites.

 Eastwatch during trade exchanges with some peaceful free folk, Jon questioned his informants who made him understand that Mance Rayder, the "king-beyond-the-Wall" was bringing together all the clans to create an army that will cross the Wall.

 According to them, there are a little more than 57,000 individuals who have already joined and there are more and more of them.