Just a few hours since my dramatic transmigration into Westeros, I had already covered a distance that would have taken a horseman riding at top speed several days, if not weeks, to cover.
The landscape had changed as I moved through the Wolfswood forest, and now, as I approached the end of the forest, the Kingsroad broadened, presenting new challenges with its sharp corners that blocked clear vision.
I continued my journey, relying on my subconscious tracking of time, nearly two hours had passed since the night had set in. In the modern world, it would have been around 8 pm, but in this medieval realm, I could only guess at the hour.
Rounding another corner, my keenly attuned senses began to pick up what sounded like human voices. Immediately, a gnawing want fell upon me.
Despite having fed a few hours ago on deer blood, it had merely reduced my thirst, not quenched it. Only human blood could satisfy that primal hunger, and now, as I heard the beating of their hearts and felt the flow of fresh, sweet blood in their veins, the desire became almost overwhelming.
Following the source of the voices discreetly, I kept my distance in the shadows. My superhuman speed allowed me to cover the ground swiftly and effortlessly, and within no time, I spotted them.
From my vantage point, the small group of about five had their backs to me. Four of them appeared to be soldiers, but the fifth one, despite having a huge body, was not of the same breed as the rest.
All of them were riding massive horses, and two mules were carrying their luggage. Something about the fifth guy appeared very familiar, and with minimum effort but massive caution, I changed my vantage point so that now I was ahead of the group. I breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing who it was – Samwell Tarly.
"I knew it. I'm surprised it took me that long to figure him out," I thought to myself. It wasn't hard to guess why he was here. The group looked tired and worn out, clearly on the road for days. It puzzled me why Sam hadn't taken a ship, but considering his strained relationship with his father, perhaps he didn't have much room for choice. He should be thankful that the old man had provided escorts at all.
Still, it had to be one hell of a journey. Knowing that Sam's hometown was in Horn Hill in the Reach, he had almost traversed the entire Westeros headed for the Wall.
At the same time, a realization flashed through my mind.
'PERFECT" I sighed under my breath...finally a plan had presented itself...I mean here I was in Westeros, a powerful vampire with no territory and no subjects, as much as I hated to admit it, I really did not deserve my title. this had to change...and now here was Sam heading to that one place where I could get what I needed. I mean what more could I ask for? plus joining the watch would not be a hard task as currently the bars were so low that it was viewed as a form of punishment to take the black, a volunteer of my stature would be first seen as mad..then when they sobered up they would consider it a heaven-sent opportunity...and once inside, i could effortlessly start pulling the strings through my puppets and who knows, perhaps even remake the watch the most attractive place for anyone to be..mostly the younger generation
"Damn... and there goes nothing." I cursed in frustration as I realized the implications of my plans. There was no way I was drinking from Sam, and certainly not from his escorts. My desire for fresh human blood was strong, but I couldn't risk revealing my true nature to individuals who were likely to be part of the Night's Watch or associated with it.
However, Despite the frustration, I saw the silver lining in the situation. If Sam was heading to the Wall, and I had already decided that the Wall was where I would begin my plans for a territory, why could I not join them and at least try to make one friend sooner? Yes, that was what I was contemplating when suddenly, the tranquility of the night shattered.
"Thieves, take cover!" one of the men in Sam's escort yelled, reaching for his sword. The next moment, his arms flew backward as a black-shafted arrow buried itself in his chest, and he fell from his horse with a sick thud. The soldier nearest to Sam shoved the boy out of his horse just in time as a second arrow sang menacingly past where Sam had been.
With swift coordination, the remaining three soldiers pulled their injured comrade into some thick shrubs nearby for cover. I could see that all of them had massive long swords in their hands, but that seemed useless against what happened next.
Out of the thick trees around the corner emerged what appeared to be a crowd of armed men. A sharp headcount revealed nine men—four with bows already trained on Sam's group, and the rest wielding all manner of assorted weapons from clubs to axes and swords.
Despite the obvious fact that the soldiers were outnumbered, they did not show signs of backing down or fear. A tense moment of uncertainty ensued as the two groups weighed each other.
Then Slowly, a scruffy but huge-looking thug stepped forward. He was the one brandishing an equally massive axe, and it must have taken him a lot of strength to carry it, yet he appeared to do so effortlessly.
"Well, isn't it a right cozy evenin', me lords?" he sneered, pausing as if savoring the moment. "Forgive our... Mmh, rude interruption. We're just lookin' to relieve you of all your belongings, seein' you're worn out from the harsh time on the road."
His fellow thugs burst out laughing, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
The thug continued a pompous smile on his face, "Now, if y'mind handing over your purses, we'll let you go on your way, none the worse for wear. It's only business, after all." The dangerous glint in his eyes contradicted the veneer of humor in his tone,
Samwell Tarly's escort, though outnumbered and facing a potential threat, maintained their composure. The soldiers exchanged determined glances, their hands firmly gripping their swords.
In response to the thug's demand, one of the soldiers, a seasoned looking man with a scar on his cheek, stepped forward. "We've got nothing of value for the likes of you. We're just travelers on the Kingsroad," he declared, his voice steady despite the tension.
The thug's grin widened, revealing yellowed teeth."Now, now, no need to be hasty, me good ser. We wouldn't want anyone gettin' hurt, would we?" He gestured toward his group of armed men, emphasizing the apparent imbalance of power.
chapter 4,5,6,7,8 are now on pat.reon.com/Realmsinus...you can read ahead
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