chapter 26 : Reunion

Two days later, Jon headed towards Winterfell with 100 men and a large cargo of supplies including dried meat and winter fruits when the snow was already everywhere but he was unable to see the army of Stannis.

 He saw Winter Town desolate and with a small population helping to rebuild their lord's castle. They saw Jon enter with his men and fell silent as their expressions were incredulous, many, many of them had thought him dead but now there was one more Stark among the eldest of Lord Eddard's children and it was the best of all.

 Inside Winterfell, hundreds of soldiers were active in construction and fortifications.

 When Jon arrived, the soldiers drew their weapons and several archers drew their bows but Jon remained calm on shadow.

 Three large wolves (the size of the TWILIGHT werewolves) came out from a corner of the castle showing their fangs with growls but calmed down slightly upon seeing Jon and recognizing his scent.

 Suddenly a huge white wolf with red eyes twice their size came in and growled at the other three wolves who lowered their heads slightly with their ears pointed back showing their fangs.

 Jon: Calm down Ghost, these are your brothers and sisters.

 The wolves sniffed each other when from the Castle, Arya, Bran and Rickon came out accompanied by Torrhen, a pretty brunette woman a little older than Jon with a warrior look (Lyra Mormont), a brunette girl younger than Arya with pale skin and a man a little older than Torrhen with a large build.

 When Jon saw Lyra, he was charmed by the young woman who herself had heard of him and was deeply attracted to him at first sight.

 There was something about Jon that was impossible to describe besides his beautiful face and his beautiful eyes.

 They all looked ready to fight when they saw Jon dismount his horse in disbelief.

 Arya: Jon !

 Rickon: It's Jon... 

 Bran: Jon !

 Arya and the two Stark boys rushed to Jon who hugged them as they cried with joy at seeing their older brother who they thought was dead like the others.

 "Sorry for the delay, I'm so sorry. Everything will be fine now." He said to reassure them.

 Arya: I thought I'd never see you again.

 Rickon: (Crying)

 Bran: We need you Jon...Robb and mother, they-(interrupted)

 Jon: I know...I know, Bran. Let's go back, we have a lot to talk about and we have brought a lot of food for your men.

 They entered the castle where they talked a lot and later in the great hall, Jon and his brothers were in front of all their allies, the representatives of House Glover, Karstark, Forrester, Umber, Glenmore and Mormont.

With them were also two other people allied to them and friends , Jojen and Meera Reed who had been sent by their father to renew their allegiance for the harvest festival before the war with the Boltons began.

 Howland Reed their father had asked them to stay there for their safety as he was fighting the traitors on his side, which was said of the man had left a severe impression on Jon.

 Ned Stark's old friend had left his home with his men and fought the small Bolton troops in guerrilla mode in the Neck and they successfully repulsed them because they had excellent knowledge of the terrain.

 In the great room.

 Jon: I want to thank you all here for the support you have given our home during these difficult times, I know it hasn't been easy but things will get better now that I am here. Furthermore, I have gathered you here because I will need the support of your houses for something that will go far beyond this war.

 Others :…

 Jon: This war will not only aim to extinguish the Bolton family and the Lannisters but to liberate the North and separate it from the crown, we will definitively gain our independence and return the North to the status of a powerful kingdom more than it used to be.

 Arya: Jon...

 Lyra Mormont: Make us win this war and we will make you our king, Jon Stark.

 Little Jon (Char): There once was a king in the North, your brother, and he started a war that he then caused to fail.

 Jon: If you know my name then you know what I've accomplished in the Night's Watch alone. I'm not Robb, duty comes before passion. 

 Little Jon:…

 Torrhen: Whatever you do for the North I will support you, no one else here is qualified to be king except you.

 Arya: Jon is right, the crown has taken the lives of too many people in the north. We'll be independent and he'll be our king but how will we do it ? We're barely holding on to the rebellion because Ramsay is playful and Roose doesn't want to lose the men they have left.

 He looked at Arya quite surprised, he had made her a mutant but she had also matured with this war.

 Jon: Stannis Baratheon took his army to fight the Boltons, he refused an alliance with us because I told him the North won't be part of the kingdom he wants. It doesn't matter, I intend to obtain a secondary army of almost 100,000 men.

 Lyra: Where will such an army come from? Even the Bolton-Lannister alliance doesn't have that many men despite the golden company Tywin hired.

 Jon: The people beyond the wall. 

 Torrhen:…

 Little Jon: WILDLINGS ?!!

 Jon: That's right.

 L. Jon: THERE'S NO WAY I'M FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THESE SAVAGES WHO HAVE LOOKED AND KILLED ON MY FAMILY'S LAND FOR GENERATIONS.

 Jon: We've also been killing them for generations on the Night's Watch and I'm sure many will refuse my offer. However, there is something coming for all of us, something that this winter will bring that we thought was gone for millennia. The white walkers are back and coming for us all so wildlings or not, these things won't make any difference.

 Others :…

 Jon: I know, it's hard to believe isn't it ? (looks at Duncan near the door) Bring the crate.

 The men of the sworn brothers brought a rather large crate in which there was noise and commotion and they opened it so that an undead came out to rush towards the nearest person, Arthur Glenmore who fell back in fear but before the dead man could touch him...

 *STOMP*

 Duncan stomped on the wight's back to pin him to the ground. The strength in Duncan's leg was such that the specter couldn't move forward even a millimeter.

 "We captured this one very recently, it's not too decomposed so it's a wildling that they killed about a week ago and it joined them.

 They can bring back any living being that was not burned upon death to join their army.

 They are already very numerous and there are over 100 thousand wildlings on the other side of the wall who will certainly become part of their army if we do not unite.

 The blood of the first men also runs through their veins, I have been there for over three years and that is where the true North is. The wall was made to repel a possible return of the White Walkers and not to fight against other humans whose ancestors may even have certainly helped with the construction but preferred to stay on the other side." Jon said calmly while the others still looked at the wight with indescribable shock.

 Lyra: We don't stand a chance alone.

 Jon: That's right, they don't rest, they don't sleep, they don't lack stamina or combat skills (looks at Little Jon) It's certainly not with our pride and our grudges that we're going to be able to beat them . Of course, that's without counting on the other creatures that will certainly be in their ranks. 

 L. Jon: I will follow you then...my king.

 Jon looked at him with a bit of mockery as did Torrhen because they knew he was a traitor and that he was working with Ramsay.

 Arthur Glenmore: My archers, my father's forces and I will follow you my king.

 Rodrik Forrester: We will follow you, majesty.

 Asher Forrester: Majesty...

 Lyra + Lyanna: The bears follow you.

 Torrhen: You can count on the Karstarks.

 Robett Glover: The Glovers will follow you.

 "Gather the men. Let's eat and drink to honor the old gods and celebrate this day..." Jon said smiling while Torrhen did the same.

 The day after that day, the 8,000 soldiers gathered at Winterfell became mutants just like their lords who were pleasantly surprised by the strength their bodies now had after a small fever during the night.

 They were all mutants except those who had already been transformed by Jon before and little Jon, he had not been changed into mutants but he had a feeling of well-being that deceived him by Jon's will. 

 Rodrik Forestier had healed from his leg injury and everyone else had their reflexes, strength and all their physical or mental prowess increased in a shocking way.

 Everyone without exception knew that it was a gift from the old gods, they had heard of it before and knew that Jon was the one who had the favor of the gods and it only solidified their loyalty for those who were already there at the base.