Despite his hopes for a few peaceful days after El's return to Winterfell, he knew that was wishful thinking.
Those hopes were predictably shattered when Jon burst into his solar, breathless and wide-eyed. Jon recounted a harrowing tale of a group of men who had attempted to abduct Freya, but she managed to fend them off.
However, in the process, she sustained some injuries. The news sent a chill down his spine.
He was mollified when he found out that El had already healed Freya and had Fenrir take care of the perpetrators, but it still left him concerned.
His worries were not about what El would do to the kidnappers, but rather how such an incident had happened in his territory, under his watch.
Before he could dwell on that thought, he turned to Jon and said, "Take me there."
Without a second thought, he followed Jon to the scene of the crime.
As he surveyed the area, he could see the noxious cloud that had been described to him, the very same one that had incapacitated those who had attempted to harm his people. According to El, the cloud would dissipate in two days, and all he needed to do was to keep people away from the area for that duration. That seemed simple enough to do.
As he was about to make his way to El to inquire about his plans and check on Freya's condition, Jon called out to him urgently.
"Father, wait!" Jon's voice rang out, and he turned to look at his son, confusion etched on his face.
"Um, Father," Jon began hesitantly. "El said he'll come see you tomorrow, and I don't think you want to catch him in the state they're in right now."
Ned furrowed his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Jon struggled to come up with an explanation before giving up and saying "Just come with me, we'll go close to the clinic and you'll understand," Jon replied, leading the way.
As they got closer to the clinic, he heard a lustful scream emanating from the direction of the clinic.
Ned felt a wave of annoyance wash over him as he realized what was happening.
"You were right, Jon," he said with a sigh. "I think it's best if I wait until tomorrow to speak with El."
He made his way back to the keep, where he found Jory in the courtyard. "Assign a guard to the alleyway that Jon will show you," he instructed. "Make sure they know not to enter or allow anyone else to enter for two days."
"As you say, Lord Stark," Jory replied, calling over one of the guards and following Jon's lead to the alleyway.
Ned made his way to his solar, hoping that this incident wouldn't spiral out of proportion.
-----------
After getting ready at the clinic, I made my way towards the keep to deal with everything that had happened.
As I strolled along, I couldn't help but notice the sly glances thrown my way by some, and the hushed giggles and whispers from groups of girls. It quickly became apparent that my nocturnal activities had become the latest gossip in town, and there was no hiding from it.
With a resigned sigh, I decided to embrace it and smiled back at everyone.
Before long, I arrived at Ned's solar and knocked on the door. "Come in," he called out.
As I entered, I could see the slight twitch in his lip and knew exactly what he was thinking. "I was expecting you this morning, but considering what the whole town's talking about, I guess it's understandable," he said.
I let out a weary sigh.' Already? I suppose I should have anticipated that,' I muttered to myself, realizing that my not-so-silent activities from the previous night and this morning had likely spread throughout the town like wildfire.
"I suppose it's time we discuss what occurred yesterday," I said, becoming more serious.
Ned adopted a solemn expression. "Indeed. Jon has already told me the details, so there's no need for you to repeat the story. What I want to know is how you plan to handle the situation."
"I intend to interrogate those responsible and get to the bottom of who orchestrated this whole ordeal," I replied firmly. "And then, I will take …appropriate action."
He paused for a while before "Very well," he nodded, seeming to trust my judgment.
"Really?" I asked, taken aback by his sudden agreement.
"Yes, why do you seem surprised?" he inquired.
"Well, I suppose I was expecting a bit more resistance from you," I admitted.
"Don't worry about me," he reassured me. "As long as your actions don't cause any further issues, I trust that you will handle the situation appropriately."
"That's a relief to hear. If you have no further questions for me, I will take my leave and begin the interrogation," I said, eager to get started.
"Actually, just one more thing," he added. "Is Freya alright? I heard she was injured in the incident."
"Yes, thankfully she managed to take care of the assailants herself before any harm could come to her," I explained.
"Good to hear. Alright then, go ahead and do what you need to do," he said, signaling the end of our conversation.
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Freya approached the front door of her home, hesitating before reaching for the handle. She took a deep breath and opened it slowly, the creaking sound of the door announcing her arrival. As she stepped inside, she was greeted by the familiar scent of home - a combination of freshly baked bread and lavender.
"Freya, you're back!" Her mother's voice called out from the kitchen. "Would you like to have some lunch?"
Freya was taken aback by the offer. Her mother had never been one for small talk, especially not about meals. She looked down at her feet, unsure of how to respond.
"Um...I'm good?" she finally managed to say.
Her mother paused for a moment, then turned to face her daughter. "Are you sure, dear? You look tired."
Freya's confusion grew. This was not the conversation she had anticipated having with her mother when she returned home. She hesitated for a moment before responding. "I'm good. I'll just be in my room doing some...work."
Just as she was about to make her way to her room, her mother spoke up again. "Oh, and dear, you might want to get married soon if you're going to be spending a lot of nights at the clinic."
Freya froze in her tracks.
Before she could say anything, her mother continued, speaking in the same tone as if they were discussing the weather. "No need to be embarrassed, dear. I know you've been in love with him for years. I'm just surprised it hasn't happened sooner."
Freya's face flushed red. She couldn't believe her mother was discussing her personal life so casually. "Mother!" she yelled, completely flustered.
"No need to yell at me, dear. The whole town heard you yesterday," her mother responded calmly.
Freya spluttered, at a loss for words.
"Relax, dear. There's no need to be ashamed. I know you have good judgment, and I trust that you'll make the right decision. After all, you're a smart girl," her mother said, taking a seat across from her daughter.
Freya sat down, feeling a mixture of shock, embarrassment, relief and confusion. She couldn't believe her mother was so accepting of her situation. "So, you're not mad?" she asked tentatively.
"I would have been if you had done this with anyone else, but I've known the boy for years. I know he'll make you happy," her mother said with a smile. "You can make your own decisions, Freya. I trust you."
"Frankly, I had anticipated this to happen earlier," her mother said with exasperation evident in her voice.
"I wanted to, but he was always occupied or away," her daughter replied in frustration.
"I understand, my dear. Men like him are always busy, and that's what makes them so desirable. You just have to cherish the moments you get," her mother said, a knowing smile on her face.
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I made my way out of the keep and headed towards the new forest, excited to explore its depths and interrogate the prisoners I had captured. However, I knew that it wouldn't be much of an interrogation, as they would blabber everything they knew without any hesitation before I started experimenting on them.
As I walked, my attention was drawn to a commotion on the street next to the brothel. I couldn't resist the urge to investigate and see what was happening.
There, I saw Tyrion Lannister engaged in a heated argument with the lady in charge. She was refusing to let him into the brothel, claiming he was too young.
"I'm telling you that I am Tyrion Lannister, woman, not some child," Tyrion protested.
"It doesn't matter what you say, kid. I'm not allowing you into my brothel. You have no idea how many snot-nosed brats like you, who haven't even had their balls dropped yet, try to get into my brothel. But it's not going to happen," the lady replied, unyielding.
"And I'm telling you that I am not - " Tyrion broke off as he spotted me nearby. "El, please tell this woman who I am."
I looked at him seriously, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "I don't know what you're talking about, kid. You shouldn't be hanging around the brothel. Run along now, go home."
Tyrion's expression turned from frustration to one of betrayal as I walked away. I tried my best to stifle my laughter, not wanting to give away the ruse.
As I reached the edge of the town, I paused and realized that I had a problem. I had no way to get to my forest. Fenrir was already there, and I had no way of calling him from such a distance. Riding a horse would take too much time, and I wouldn't make it back before nightfall.
I couldn't bear to leave Freya alone after I had just returned, so I knew I had to find a faster mode of travel. Otherwise, I would have to abandon my plan altogether. That's when a sudden idea struck me.
I decided to head deeper into the Wolfswood for some privacy. There, I removed my coat and shirt and concentrated on what I wanted to do.
As my wings slowly emerged from my back, I marveled at their sight. Six feet long and black as night, with a bat-like appearance. Once fully formed, I flexed them experimentally, causing a gust of wind that blew away the snow and leaves on the forest floor.
A grin spread across my face, as I had been waiting for this moment for a long time. With a mighty flap of my wings, I lifted off the ground, soaring into the sky at an astonishing speed. The sensation was indescribable - the wind rushing past me, the trees below me shrinking in size, and the world opening up in a way I had never experienced before.
It was exhilarating.