Fosterage III

- 279 AC - 

- Bear Island -

(Jorah POV)

I am looking over the shipyard as the boats are being built by our own men from Bear Island. Thanks to Leman Stark, Bear Island has become a rather prosperous island and House Mormont was able to fill both our coffers and our bellies. We are no longer spending as much money for food from the Reach and instead use our improved ships to catch and sell a lot of fish and whale meat. The designs of Leman worked like a charm and we didn't even need to hire professional woodworkers or shipwrights for it. 

Leman Stark ... the golden boy. The Blonde Wolf, the genius, the monster hunter, the defender of Bear Island ... there are many such titles the young man has acquired. He is barely 11 name days old and already has more titles than I will in my lifetime. The capabilities, maturity and martial prowess of the young Stark are so impressive that Father even decides to leave Bear Island and join the Night's Watch. 

'The North will be protected against the South with Leman. It is time that someone takes care of the Wall and what lies beyond it.'

That's what he said. Now that Leman is here, he can safely travel to the Wall, take the Black and become a member of the Night's Watch. What a compliment to make. My father never makes compliments, not even once did he say something like that about me, but here comes a small boy of 6 name days and defeats Father on their first sparring match, designs ships, builds them and helps all around Bear Island to become the most favoured man on the whole island. 

Meanwhile, I have to pick up where Father left off. Taking care of everything which means I am sitting behind a desk all day and dealing with Leman's shit. He doesn't even show me much respect either. He almost never speaks to me and if he does, it is in a few words. He nods his head if he understands or doesn't say anything if he is either uninterested or doesn't agree with something. I wonder if I am truly a bear in his presence or if he is a bastard Mormont. I would never say that out loud though. 

Leman does pay aunt respect and even my cousins get more respect and care than I do. Dacey spends the most time with him. She wants to become like him when she grows up and hopes desperately to be as tall as him. 'To swing her mace as hard as he can', is what she told me. I miss the time I was the greatest in her eyes. Now it's just Leman this, Leman that ... how annoying. 

I should be happy about the growing prosperity of Bear Island. The increase in paperwork is a positive thing since most of it means we are getting more money and can use this money to support our people. Attacks from the Wildlings have not stopped completely but Leman has allowed for a few to escape back and spread the word. Fear seems to be something he likes to work with or spread. I am not sure yet. What I am sure of is that it is getting harder and harder to be in his presence. 

It feels like he is truly a bloodthirsty wolf that could bite my throat at any moment. Or a sharp sword hanging directly above my head, held by a single horsehair, ready to fall at any moment. His presence or aura starts to feel like a storm or an ocean that might seem calm, but you know that in a heartbeat, the winds can pick up and giant waves can drown me. He unleashes the storm whenever he is in a fight. He is utterly merciless to the Wildlings that come to our shores and kills them all, no matter their age or gender. It unnerved me at first and I even talked to Father about it. He told me that the moment you pick up a sword you have to be prepared to die by the sword as well. War is ruthless and the defence of your home against invaders is war. 

Finally, there are Leman's 'friends' or 'familiars' who follow him everywhere. His two wolves Freki and Geri, the eagle Aquila and the owl Ugla. Although at this point I am certain that they are Direwolves. No other wolf grows to such heights. They are both the same height and from what I have seen they are truly dangerous. They fit his image perfectly. They have the same edge to them, that Leman also does. One wrong move and you die.

[Picture]

The same thing about his eagle. I don't even know where he got it from, but one day it was there. Sitting on his shoulder as a tiny little bird, growing larger daily. His owl is another strange thing. I don't even know where it came from, same as the eagle.

At this point, I am at least happy that he is on our side. But at any moment, it feels like he could turn his weapon against me. 

*Ding Ding Ding*

Hm? The warning bells. This can only mean ... Ironborn. They're here!!

.

.

(Leman POV)

"Get the boats we prepared in the water! All who can't fight retreat into their homes and prepare for the wounded. Ronan you take your group and prepare the shore for our Ironborn. Those who manage to slip by shall be welcomed with the iron they so love.", I give commands to the people around me as I have taken the position of leader naturally. 

It is in my blood to go and slaughter my enemies or the enemies of the North. In this case Bear Island. Jeor Mormont has taken the Black and joined the Night's Watch two years after I started to be fostered here. Apparently, he thought I knew everything there was to know about being a Northerner and a Bear. I agree with him, but that was no reason to join the scum of Westeros, was it? He is a bit special.

Now I have to deal with his son, Jorah. He has none of the Northern or Bear pride that his father and Maege have. I like Maege, she forced me to call her aunt for some reason. Since it makes her happy, I did so. 

"Aunt where is Dacey?", I ask the She-Bear as she approaches the ship I am going to lead into the battle. She is dressed in patched ringmail and holds her favoured weapon, a spiked mace. 

"She wanted to come, but I got her to look after Alysanne. She would have come either way if her sister wasn't here. That's your fault.", Maege says. 

"Probably. Now, you, Colren and I will each take command over one of the three ships and sail towards them. We have the best chance if we attack them head-on and have any stragglers taken out by Ronan at the beach.", I say. 

"You're right. How do you want to do it?", Maege asks. 

"We'll do it like this...", I start explaining the plan. 

.

The plan was simple but not easy to pull off. We had scouted two large Ironborn ships approaching Bear Island and they were ready to pillage our beautiful island. Probably after hearing that it was going very well for us. And as the old feud still stood, the Ironborn were greedy and wanted a piece of everything for themselves. But it would be different this time. 

Jorah was to stay on shore to await a potential attack coming from stragglers or if something happened and Maege and Colren failed. 

My ship was to sail towards one of the Ironborn ships to the south and Maege and Colren took one ship each to engage against the ship to the north. 

[Picture]

I watch as the other ships take off. I am prepared to face the Ironborn on my own with the few men that I have. No one can withstand an attack of mine, even if I was alone but this gives them a good feeling so better do it this way. We move farther away from Bear Island and slowly approach the ships carrying the Ironborn. I can tell that this will be a different kind of fight, compared to the ones I had against the Wildlings who came to shore. This will be my first real sea battle. Even if it won't take very long. I will massacre these cunts. 

The winds are favourable and we are making good progress. I can already hear the voices of the Ironborn on their vessel talking about how they will rape and kill all of us. I am glad they think this way. I will not feel bad for what I'm about to do to them ... who am I kidding? I never feel bad about this. 

"Prepare the arrows!", I shout with my booming voice which can be heard against the wind. 

A dozen bowmen prepare and their arrows are not set on fire. There isn't any rain today, but using fire arrows will only ruin the ship we will confiscate. I wouldn't want to burn my ship. 

"Fire!"

*Fooosh* x12

The arrows are fired and I can hear the arrows coming from the Ironborn. They have much more men on their vessel, but that doesn't concern me. We have much better bows. Sadly 12 bowmen are really not enough to make any kind of difference. But it doesn't matter. 

"Prepare for impact!", I shout and wait for the perfect moment. 

"NOW!"

On my command, one of my men, pulls the steering wheel around, causing the boat to change its course slightly, but just enough to achieve our desired effect. We have already pulled all our rudders in and using the slight change in direction as well as our boat's momentum to drive right into their rudders on their left side, slowing us down and taking away their mobility. Now they will be forced to fight us here and now and won't be able to reach land. 

"Attack!"

I shout and jump onto the Ironborn vessel. I have my sword unsheathed. With one sword in my hand and an axe in my second one, I am ready to fight. I am tall for my age. I am tall for a grown man already, being 5'10 or 1.75 meters. Not the tallest in this world, but I'm merely 11, so I will grow. 

I am attacked by an Ironborn who shouts and swings his sword around in an amateurish way. I block with my sword and swing my axe down on him. His head is split in two and causes a lot of blood to spill on me and the ground.

I don't care about the blood and continue with my rampage. I duck underneath a swordswing and use my own to impale the man. Not even looking back, I move around cutting off the head of another man and moving forward. 

I slowly pick up my pace. 

*Cling*

*Clang*

*Swing Shing*

My sword cuts and pierces anything that moves or stands in my way. My speed gets faster the more people I kill. I don't know what it is, but I am certain that my DNA, which is that of Leman Russ is slowly awakening and with it my body's instincts. Whenever I am in a fight, I grow more and more ruthless and primal. Like I was made for this like this is my true purpose. To kill anyone standing in my and my family's way. I was made to be an executioner. 

My axe cuts through the torso of a man and splits the man in half. My sword swings but is blocked by my adversary. I do a front kick and then swing my sword to block another attack coming my way. 

*Ting*

I move forward and cut the second man in two with my axe, giving me space to swing my blade horizontally and decapatate the first one. My momentum is unstoppable by now and I can feel Geri and Freki following me and killing more and more Ironborn scum. I rush forward, killing anyone and everyone until I finally reach the captain of this vessel. He is a disgusting man, but that is none of my concern. All that matters is that he will die right now. 

"Do you think you can ki-"

*SHING*

I see the surprise in his eyes as his head falls off his shoulders and to the ground. For the first time since the battle started, I stopped moving and looked around. You can see a clear path of dead men indicating my path. This was a massacre, quite an overwhelming one at that. 

"Lord Leman. The battle is won, but it looks like the second Ironborn vessel has managed to split off from Lady Maege and the other ships and moves towards the coast."

"Prepare our ship and have some men stay here. Kill anyone who is still alive and take all of their belongings. I'll sail back and help on the shores to finish this off."

"Yes!"