Unwanted Surprise

"Why did you tell him that the Lannister's only had ten thousand men? And not fifty thousand." Jon asked as they entered through the gates of the Wall. Owen beside him as they trotted into Castle Black.

"Because if he knew that the Lannister's were still a serious threat and could defeat your brother. Then he would never agree to the terms," Owen replied, both looking to see Joer Mormont, Allister Thorne and a number of the members of the Night's Watch walking towards them.

"How did it go?" Joer asked as the gate closed behind Jon and his entourage. Jon dismounted, handing the reins of his horse to his squire. All around Jon could see many members of the Night's Watch looking at him with looks of suspicion and even anger, none more so than Allister Thorne. But something seemed off.

"Mance Ryder is considering the terms I have given him. We'll receive an answer within a few days. Expect a Wildling to come to the Walls with his message, so don't kill them." It's then Jon noticed something as he fully stepped into the courtyard, there were more men than he remembered and many he didn't recognise. But most of all were the flags, flags denoting to the Houses of the Stormlands.

It was then the men in front of him parted and an equally large entourage walked towards him. One of the most eye-catching figures was the beautiful woman with dark red hair, unnerving red eyes, clad in deep red clothes and a cloak with some kind of necklace around her neck. But in front of her, leading the entourage was Stannis Baratheon.

"Jon Stark, I thank you for saving me the trouble of negotiating with the Free Folk," Stannis said. "Now, bend the knee and swear fealty to me."

There was a tenseness in the air, Jon and Stannis staring at one another. "I'm afraid I can't do that, King Stannis. I've already sworn loyalty to my brother, the King in the North. A Stark does not break their oaths lightly."

"I am the rightful King!" Stannis snapped. "Your brother is a pretender with no rightful claim to the throne."

"My brother has the loyalty of Lords of the North, the Riverlands, the Reach and the Westerlands. All you have are the lords of the Stormlands and even then, not all of them." Jon shot back, purposefully ignoring the fact that not all the lords of the North and Westerlands had bent the knee to his brother. "And we do have claims to Kingship, our ancestors were Kings of Winter long before the Baratheons even existed. My brother has more right to be King than you ever did."

"You will burn for your treachery!" Axell Florent cursed, swords were drawn, and tensions rang high. But Jon and Stannis continued to stare at one another, ignoring the actions of those around them.

There was a tense moment of silence, the Brothers of the Nights Watch watching as Jon and Stannis' entourage drew their weapons in preparation for a fight. But this was all averted by three simple words.

"Let them go."

Stannis' words shocked everyone, even Jon was surprised expecting and even preparing to have to fight his way out. But what no one knew was that Stannis was playing the long game, he knew that the Lannister's had fifty thousand men at their disposal, the Dornish were keeping the forty thousand host of Reach soldiers at the Manders occupied and Randall Tarly was still besieging Casterly Rock.

Robb Stark from his last reports was marching upon the Antlers with near thirty thousand men. Defeat would be certain especially if the rumours of Littlefinger being in Vale were anything to go by. With the Lannisters fifty thousand hosts and Vale's forty-five thousand strong armies, Robb Stark's defeat was no longer a what-if, but a matter of when.

When that happened, his kingdom would be split apart, each Lord scrambling for power and the North would be alone. That's when Stannis would come in, offering Jon aid in return for his fealty. With Jon Stark as his vassal, the other lords of the North would follow. All it would take was a matter of time and patience.

As Jon moved by, he and many others in his entourage looked to where a young girl was stood, half her left cheek and neck covered in grey and black, cracking and flaking skin. But it was not the girl that drew their gaze, but the man next to her, his face covered in a pattern of red and green squares. The man stood out and as Jon walked past them, the jester looking man with antlers adorned with bells smiled at him.

Jon didn't know why, but there was something about that man that was just off.