Chapter 37 - Journey Beyond the Wall 4!
[Chapter Size: 2700 Words.]
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Eddard Stark POV
Winterfell, 290 AC, a few days later.
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It's been few moons since Jon went to the Wall. A week after parting from the boy, news of the battles Jon fought had already reached all of the North, earning him even more fame.
Once again, a ballad was created about little Jon, who commanded a group of giants, direwolves, bears, and shadow cats in deadly armors, rescuing women and a girl from wildlings, helping his own father in the battle of the siege. This caused a new stir in the North, with giants and animals never seen before, and this time there were thousands of witnesses.
All of the North spoke of Ned's son, and the lord of Winterfell did not doubt that his bastard son now had more loyalty from the North than his own heir. The lords sent ravens one after another, every day, many upset after learning that Jon had brought a new metal, magically light, and distributed it to the lords and soldiers of the siege at the time. There were even marriage proposals asking to legitimize Jon and give him a castle and his own name to build his own family.
On the day Ned finally returned from the siege journey, he arrived at Winterfell at dawn and found none of his children awake, but did not sleep without discussing with Catelyn about the rumors of Jon that had already reached the castle. Now, after telling and confirming everything, she was about to explode, because the bastard son had caused more chaos in the North and overshadowed Robb's image, leaving a bad image of her and her heir.
The next morning, his children, especially the younger ones, bombarded the father with questions. Ned told his children that Jon had given gifts to all the siblings, which made the younger ones excitedly happy. Sansa showed interest, but Robb was still brooding. Catelyn protested about how Jon was influencing the children and screamed upon seeing the weapons. There was a dagger and a pointed sword for Sansa and Arya, but Ned argued that he would let the girls keep the weapons, which were of valuable metal and could stay as ornaments without the need to use them.
Ned was angry when Robb refused to accept the gift and openly insulted his brother. Ned immediately put him in punishment. A few days later, in Wintertown, they even began to receive visitors from all over the world, who had heard the news from two weeks ago. They were more interested in knowing about the boy and his whereabouts, but Ned refused to say anything, Jon should be on the Wall now.
Ned could only sigh at all this. His younger children were thrilled when Ned mentioned that Jon had arrived at the battle and saved the youngest daughter of Lord Glover. Even Sansa was surprised, and the three wanted to hear the story more than once. Bran began to enact in the courtyard that he was Jon, commanding giants and mounted on a direwolf, fighting against wildlings and slave traders.
But Ned felt a weight in his heart seeing Robb brooding and clearly jealous of his younger brother who was gaining much attention from the kingdom. Jon always tried to get along with his brother and always wished him well, but Robb began to distance himself from Jon due to Theon's and his mother's influence, even though Ned asked him to reconcile, he refused. Now, this barrier he created generated rumors that Robb was inferior to Jon as a bad and jealous brother.
One day Ned was having breakfast with his family when Luwin entered, not wanting to wait to give the news in his solar. He handed over a scroll that made everyone curious, and Ned's face paled upon finishing reading. It was a message saying that Jon had crossed the Wall and gone alone with his group beyond it without anyone accompanying him. Ned, without answering the worried questions, thought furiously: "Where the hell does Jon intend to go? One thing is the Wall, but going further north of it? I would never allow that!"
"Write now to Lord Commander Mormont, asking why he allowed my son to do this madness!" Ned roared so loudly that it scared everyone.
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Eddard Stark POV
Winterfell, 290 AC, a few days later.
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"Father? What happened to Jon?" Arya asked, concerned by the outburst.
"He crossed the Wall and went north, Arya," Ned said without thinking. The hall erupted into whispers. Robb and Theon gave mocking smiles.
"Looks like the bastard has finally turned wild," Robb said disdainfully. Arya, who was crying from the news, was shocked by what Robb said and angrily reprimanded him.
"Shut up, you idiot! While you sit on your butt in the castle, Jon fights and saves people out there! He's a much better brother than you!" Arya shouted. Robb, in recent months, had been very sensitive about any comparison to Jon and was furious with his sister.
"Shut up, Arya! I'm the heir, and you better respect me!" he shouted, about to say more, but was interrupted.
"SILENCE!" Ned roared.
"ROBB, YOU ARE PUNISHED FOR 1 MONTH FOR YOUR WORDS, AND ARYA WILL BE PUNISHED FOR 1 WEEK FOR COMPARING YOUR BROTHER," Ned declared loudly.
"Why is she only a week?" Robb demanded.
"BECAUSE SHE, ALTHOUGH SHE OFFENDED YOU, PROTECTED HER FAMILY. WHILE YOU INSULTED YOUR BROTHER WITHOUT REASON!" Ned growled.
"HE IS NOT MY BROTHER, HE IS JUST A BASTARD!" Robb shouted. Theon smiled at the declaration.
"2 MONTHS NOW! GO TO YOUR ROOM NOW!" Robb was speechless and had to go to his room. Bran began to cry, and Catelyn was angry.
"Look what your bastard is doing, he's destroying our family," Catelyn said. Ned didn't even have time to respond, as Catelyn turned her back and followed her son.
Now, Ned had to think about what the hell Jon was doing beyond the Wall. A few days later, he received a letter from his brother saying that Jon had saved his life and was returning to Winterfell as soon as he recovered from his leg.
Ned could only sigh and wait for his brother to return to find out what the hell was happening.
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Varys' POV
King's Landing, 290 AC, a few weeks later
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Everyone was in the council room for another meeting, all strangely arriving earlier than expected, and even people who don't usually attend council meetings were present. The King, who was always absent, appeared today, probably because I mentioned something about the North.
The meeting, as usual, was mostly useless, seeming more like a battle of egos than a discussion about important matters of the continent, while many kept secrets and schemes beneath their smiles.
Now with everyone gathered and discussing typical meeting matters, the king couldn't take it anymore.
"Enough of this nonsense, I want to hear news from the eunuch!" Robert roared, impatient with the discussion they were having about the city.
Varys sighed and began to report an event here and another there from the other kingdoms before getting to the North.
"Eunuch, stop this nonsense and tell me about the North," the king roared again, wanting to know about the recent and intriguing events coming from the North that Varys had mentioned before.
"Yes, Your Grace, the North has returned to the chaos of previous months, and this time it was much bigger. Lord Stark's bastard is again at the eye of the storm," said Varys, capturing the attention of the entire room.
"Why do we have to pay attention to a wild bastard?" Cersei questioned disdainfully. In her mind, they should pay attention to Joffrey, who will be the next king, and not to a bastard in the North, who now the wildlings in that kingdom hail as a little hero.
"SHUT UP, WOMAN! Finally, there's something I want to hear! Tell me about Ned's son. I'm even going to drink because this boy keeps surprising me every time I hear about him. So, I'll celebrate for him." The king already grabbed the wine and filled his glass.
He acted as if he hadn't been drinking throughout the entire meeting. His words were just another excuse to fill his glass again, although he didn't need one, since he's the king. The Kingsguard soldiers were also quite interested in the bastard at this moment.
"The boy reappeared to the world nearly two moons ago, only this time he appeared with a group more powerful and extraordinary than I had ever heard in Westeros, Your Grace." The king stopped drinking and looked attentively at Varys, as did everyone in the room.
"And what would be the most powerful group you had heard of in Westeros, Varys?" Stannis asked, and now everyone wanted to hear the rest.
"The boy appeared mounted on a 2.5-meter direwolf with armor made of a metal never seen before, Your Grace, called EldenMetal, which seems to have been a creation of the child himself. In addition to the wolf he was riding, there were 3 more of the same size and 11 more pups that were recently born. There were also 5 adult giants of almost 4 meters, 2 giant children of 2 meters, all in armor with a magnificent design, as well as four 2-meter bears and two 1.5-meter shadow cats." No one could say anything about this; even the king was looking at him trying to process this.
"This is pure nonsense, there's no way giants and animals of that size exist, nor this metal you speak of," Pycelle said, and many present agreed.
"You can complain about that to the traders and travelers who saw him, or the 3,000 soldiers alongside various lords of the North who witnessed all the nonsense you say doesn't exist," Varys said calmly.
"They might pay people to spread these rumors. It seems the North wants attention," said Cersei with a mocking smile.
"They could pay, but there are too many witnesses. They could never maintain such nonsense without someone saying they were paid," said Jon Arryn.
"They also say that the boy commanded the giants and they obeyed his commands. The 9 namedays old boy rescued the youngest daughter of Lord Glover from the hands of 200 wildlings, entering the camp at night, taking the hostages, and commanding the giants in the assault, exterminating all the men who came beyond the Wall." The room fell quiet once again, the members of the Kingsguard had shining eyes.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA DAMN IT, NED, TEACH ME HOW TO RAISE A SON, PLEASE! JON, I'M GOING TO THE NORTH, I HAVE TO NAME THE YOUNGEST KNIGHT IN HISTORY AT 9 NAMEDAYS," the King was the only one happy with these absurd news.
"If this is true, he only managed it because he has giants. And if a child commands 4-meter men, why can't we also? It's ridiculous to leave a boy with giants and this metal they speak of there," Cersei immediately said with greed. She wouldn't miss the chance to "get" such valuable things.
"Is there more, Varys?" Renly asked.
"Yes, Prince Renly, there are rumors that the boy doesn't necessarily depend on the giants. Everything points to him holding off the wildlings so the hostages could escape and it's said he killed men on his own, some say he's like Brandon Stark reborn, with wolf's blood." People looked suspiciously at these rumors.
"And there wasn't any witness on the spot to confirm all this, right, Varys?" Littlefinger spoke with a mocking smile.
"No, Lord Baelish, there wasn't, but other things happened that help to believe these rumors."
"More?" asked Jaime Lannister, questioning whether to believe all this and remembering how he was when he was only 8 or 9 years old. Back then, he was training in Casterly Rock with the dream of becoming a knight, but now he was hearing that this child had killed many before his first death, which was at 13 years old. He felt ridiculous compared to a bastard child from the North.
"Yes, Ser Jaime. After the successful assault against the wildlings, the boy spent days traveling east and went to assist his father in the siege of slavers. The boy delivered armor made for Lord Stark with the unprecedented metal and weapons and shields for all the lords present, all witnessed the weapons as the work of the most impressive craftsman of their lives. Then, he offered that he would give 10 more weapons and shields to the soldiers who stood out most in the battle the next day." The room was surprised by this.
"And what's so special about the metal of these wildlings?" Cersei mocked.
"The reports speak of a metal superior to common steel but not as good as that of Valyria. However, there's something special in it that can make it as precise as those of the dragon families," said Varys, with the group very interested now.
"It's a metal with a green sheen and, more importantly, very light. Lord Stark's armor only weighed 10 kilos, and he moved so fast in battle that it left the northerners astonished. Even arrows ricocheted when they touched his armor, not making a single scratch," he said.
"I'm going to the North tomorrow and I want to see the boy!" roared the king, envious of his friend in the North having such armor.
"I will also accompany you, Lord. I have an interest in the boy," said the captain of the Royal Guard.
"That's good, it's better we have this boy here in King's Landing to become a member of the Royal Guard," said Cersei, and everyone agreed, not wanting to lose the chance to control the boy and the benefits he is bringing to the North.
"I have more to say and fear you will be disappointed with the end of the story," Varys said, and everyone turned their heads.
"The next day, the boy and his group organized the first assault on the siege alone and commanded giants to shoot arrows so fast and powerful that it could make bodies fly tens of meters. A man accompanying the boy, commanded the giants to launch some different arrows at the gate. When they hit the gate, a green liquid spread. Then, another arrow was launched with fire, and the gate exploded!"
"Wildfire..." Jaime murmured, in disbelief.
"Yes, and the boy developed this substance in the north and launched it at the siege." This also shocked them, and Varys added, "This ensured an easy victory in the siege against the Essos mercenaries without much resistance.
"And what did you say we would be disappointed?" asked the king raising the question.
"From what I understand, except for Lord Stark, the rest of the Starks are not happy with the actions of the bastard. The common people of the North are speaking ill of the Starks in Winterfell and saying how the boy was mistreated there for being a bastard. Robb Stark's claim is being questioned as heir, even more so when Robb Stark openly offends his half-brother." The people quickly understood the situation.
"One more reason to bring him to King's Landing," said Baelish with a smile.
"Yes, but as he has already passed the Wall, I don't think it will be possible now." Everyone looked in astonishment. Why did the boy cross the Wall? What the hell is happening in the North?
"I know what you are thinking, and Lord Stark did not know about this. The boy said he was going to the Wall, but not north of it. Eddard Stark did not authorize the boy's passage, and the Lord Commander, seeing the group, did not want to give the boy a chance to force a passage through the Wall since the child even threatened them with the group, so they let them pass. The entire North is wondering why the actions of the boy. But I personally believe the boy is too noble to see that his brother is being mocked in the North and saw that he needed to leave, even his brother mocking him when he could. I just wonder why he went beyond the Wall when there were other options." Varys gave his opinion for the first time in the last part. People were speechless. And the child still thought of his brother's welfare to the extent of going to where only the gods know.
"I'm going to the North tomorrow, I will visit my friend. Pycelle, send a letter to Winterfell about my arrival and to the Lord Commander of the Wall that any sighting of the boy, tell the King summons him in King's Landing." And so ends another meeting.
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