Chapter 47: Part XLVIINotes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing for a while.
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"Sometimes I wonder if it was the White Walkers that built the Wall to keep you damn southerners out."
Mance Rayder, King-Beyond-the-Wall - 300AC
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Castle Black – The Wall – 299 AC
Sat with Jeor Mormont in the Lord Commanders office Robb Stark read the letter which had just arrived by Raven and sighed. "My grandfather has passed away" he informed the older man. "My mother is going to attend the funeral, it'll be postponed until she and my aunt Lysa can get there" he added, thinking how devastated his mother must be feeling at the news.
"I'm very sorry to hear that" Mormont commiserated with the young man.
"It wasn't unexpected, he's been unwell for some time, bedridden much of the last three years" Robb told him. "Funny thing is, as a child I was amazed at how active he was when we visited Riverrun, he seemed younger than his years, but I suppose old age caught up with him in the end."
"I was born a few years before him you know" Mormont responded, trying not to sound too aggrieved at the implication he himself was decrepit.
"Really? You don't look it" Robb replied diplomatically.
Mormont chuckled. "Nice try lad, I'm only grateful you didn't jape that I must be a Wight to still be walking around at my age."
"No, but I'm not so sure about Maester Aemon" Robb responded with a smile.
"Me neither, I'm not sure if those milky-white blind eyes of his can turn blue or not, we'd never know if he died in his sleep and got up the next day as a corpse until he started trying to kill us" Mormont theorised.
Robb frowned. "That's a concerning thought."
"If he starts shuffling around faster than normal and isn't constantly talking about the good old days make sure there's an obsidian dagger handy" Mormont advised, tongue held firmly in cheek. "He's never been as harmless as people suppose anyway. Fifteen, maybe twenty years back he nearly cudgelled a Ranger for spilling soup on one of his books. First time I ever saw him let the dragon out."
"You know it's hard to believe that Maester Aemon was already past forty when my grandfather was born and he's still going" Robb remarked, it had come as quite the surprise to learn just how old the resident maester at Castle Black was, although that paled next to finding out who he was. "The history he's lived through" he said wondrously.
"It's the fact he knew so many of the important players personally, was related to them as well, that I've never quite managed to wrap my head around" Mormont admitted. "You know he told me he remembers playing with Daeron the Good, his damn own grandfather as a boy" he continued. "Can't say I ever enjoyed being compared to Bloodraven as Lord Commander though."
"His own bastard great-uncle" Robb noted. "Of course, he would have had a lot of those, Aegon the Unworthy left more children behind him born out of wedlock than even King Robert managed."
Mormont rolled his eyes. "At least King Robert had the good sense not to legitimise any of them" he said with considerable feeling on the matter. "The last thing we'd need with the Wildlings and White Walkers already on the way, and perhaps a Dothraki army too, would be a whole new set of Baratheon-style Blackfyre Rebellions to top it off."
"My grandfather fought in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, he told me about it once" Robb remembered. "His glory days I suppose."
"I'll bet that the version of the tale he told you as a boy left out most of the blood, screams and dying in the mud" Mormont surmised. "If he'd had the chance to tell you again now as a grown man it might not have sounded so glorious."
"They beat back the invasion. That's good enough for me" Robb told him.
Mormont nodded. "Aye, that's the main thing I suppose. It's what I swore to do all those years ago, keep the border safe."
"That's why instead of going to my grandfather's funeral I'll have to stay here and honour his memory that way instead" Robb said. "I hope my mother understands."
"Your grandfather would and that's what counts" Mormont told him.
"Bran and Rickon are going to stay at Winterfell, I don't know if my sisters will attend. It's an easier journey for them" Robb noted. With Bran being a cripple, Rickon being so young and the weather worsening it wouldn't be assumed that they would travel down with their mother, but the roads from King's Landing to Riverrun were good and the south still pleasant enough so the girls might make the trip. If not for his position as Lord Protector their father would come with them, but his duties might preclude that Robb knew.
A knock at the door interrupted them. "Enter" Mormont said loudly before the heavy oak door unlatched and swung open. "What is it Cuger?" he asked the brother of the Night's Watch, one of the stewards, who was stood there.
"I was told to tell you there's a party of wildlings at the gate on the other side of the wall requesting an audience, Lord Commander" the steward announced. "They say they're here on behalf of Mance Rayder who wants to negotiate with you personally. They'll take you to him."
Robb raised his eyebrows. "What in the Seven Hells does he want?"
"Probably to threaten us with his army" Mormont theorised. "There could be thousands of them out there in the forest waiting in ambush if we sortied out to try and snag him."
Robb thought about that for a moment. "Are you going to tell him to go fuck himself personally or through an intermediary?" he asked. "I'd be happy to be the intermediary" he offered.
"There are some things you like to do yourself, but you're welcome to come along" Mormont replied. "It would help if he knew that it's not just the Night's Watch he's facing now, assuming that he hasn't already noticed that there are fighting men from all over Westeros manning the castles along the Wall these days."
Cuger the steward looked awkward. "There's something else. The Wildlings said that Rayder has another guest in his tent already you might want to talk to" he said. "It's Jon Snow."
Robb blinked. "You lose a member of your family one minute and the next you get one back" he said incredulously before grinning. "I knew he was still alive."
"I suppose saying he's a 'guest' instead of a prisoner was Mance Rayder's attempt at diplomacy" Mormont suggested.
"I don't know" Cuger replied. "Maybe he did what Rayder did and deserted the Night's Watch to join the Wildlings" he suggested, grimacing when Robb's grin instantly changed to an icy glare directed his way. "Like I said, I don't know Milord" he told Robb quickly.
"I do" Robb told him. "My brother is no traitor and he's no oathbreaker" he stated with utmost conviction.
Mormont stood up. "Well let's go see what they want exactly, but if they take us to see the King-Beyond-the-Wall just don't bow or call him 'Your Grace' because they'd only bloody laugh."
"There's only one king I recognise and he's betrothed to my sister" Robb replied, standing up himself. "They'll hold to Guest Right if we're invited to treat with Rayder personally I suppose?" he checked.
"They're as true to it as anyone" Mormont confirmed, "but bring your sword anyway" he advised.
"Wasn't planning on leaving it behind" Robb replied. "How many men should we bring along?"
"Three of yours, three of mine" Mormont told him. "More than that would make us look scared, less would make us look bloody stupid and might be taken as an insult that we think they're too scared of us to try anything."
Robb nodded his understanding. "Well, you know them better than I do" he acknowledged the truth of that.
Mormont buckled on his sword. "This is one of those times I wish I'd kept hold of longclaw" he said glumly.
"Even if Ice was here instead of with my father I'd still not carry it, too damn unwieldy unless you're facing a knight in full plate" Robb replied. Being crafted from valyrian steel made the family blade lighter than a sword it's size should be but a greatsword was still far from nimble in your hand.
"That bloody great thing must have cost your family a fortune" Mormont supposed. Even when the Valyrian Freehold still existed the cost of having a blade like that crafted would have made a Lannister wince. It wasn't just the sheer amount of valyrian steel there, enough for two normal blades, it was that the difficulty of properly forging a sword that size meant you had to pay a premium. The greater mass of metal involved, and the thickness of the blade in particular, made avoiding flaws in the steel and the proper tempering of the blade across its cross-section, problematic.
Valyrian steel was magical but it still needed to be forged, or re-forged, with the utmost respect or it wouldn't live up to its reputation.
Robb chuckled as he buckled on his own sword. "My uncle Benjen used to joke that we were still paying it off by instalments when the Doom came. Good thing the Targaryen's didn't know, they might have insisted upon us settling the debt with them as the last of the Dragonlords" he joked, his mood not long ago melancholy due to the news about his grandfather greatly buoyed by Jon's return.
"Just don't be too offended if they call you a southerner over there" Mormont counselled as they headed out the door. "From their perspective we are."
Robb frowned. "If they call northerners like us southerners what do they call people from south of the Neck?" he asked.
"If they hadn't met a few of them serving in the Night's Watch they'd probably think of them the same way we do of giants and the children of the forest" Mormont replied. "That isn't fair though, it's only the Ironborn that claim to not be fully human" he observed, recalling their claim to merling blood.
"Maester Luwin taught us that was just a childish superstition but then again Theon did always have this fishy smell to him, no matter how much he bathed, and when Jon and I held him under he never seemed to drown like he should have" Robb told him. "You can ask Jon about that if you don't believe me."
"It won't be my first question" Mormont replied evenly.
Within the hour they were led by a trio of wildlings deeper and deeper into the so-called Haunted Forest that began a mile from the Wall and stretched northwards for near two hundred leagues. "We're being watched" Mormont told Robb. "I hope it's only by men that are still alive" he added, turning back to the half-dozen guards following close behind.
"As for me I'm just hoping that Rayder's camp is closer than the Frostfangs" Robb replied, stomping through the snow that had drifted to a couple of feet deep in places. As winter approached, and then arrived in full force, it would take days to travel a distance that could currently still be managed in mere hours.
"Our long-range patrols reported back that he started moving out of the Frostfangs back into the forest months ago" Mormont noted. "Too windswept there and nothing to burn to keep warm."
"At least they're not short of firewood over the winter" Robb observed, looking around and trying to imagine the scale of an unbroken forest that was larger than the entire Riverlands.
Mormont nodded, pulling his cloak closer to keep in some warmth, his pace might belay his years but the cold bit deeper into his bones now than it used to in his younger days. "No, but there's not much to eat."
Eventually they encountered a large band of wildlings, these ones notable for carrying bronze swords and wearing some armour crafted from the same metal.
"Thenns, from the far north, you can tell from the shaved heads and the scars on their faces" Mormont informed Robb. "Don't often see them this close to the Wall, they live in a valley where there's hot springs like those underneath Winterfell. Keeps their territory just warm enough for farming."
"Perhaps you should visit us sometime Crow" one of the Thenns spoke up, the self-inflicted scarification on his face making him seem even more fearsome than the vicious smile he wore. "We might not even eat you, too old and too much gristle."
"And they're cannibals" Mormont added, directing a distinctly unimpressed expression at the Thenn.
"I thought you said they had farms" Robb queried.
"I didn't say they did it because they were hungry" Mormont replied, causing all the Thenns to laugh. "Rayder sent you to greet us to try and frighten us did he?" he asked them.
"Just to make sure you knew that it's the whole of the Free Folk stood ready to take your precious Wall, not just the ones that live close" the Thenn who had spoken before replied.
"If you think we're scared of your bronze you've not much experience of our steel" Robb told him.
"If you think we're what you should be scared of you've not much experience of what's heading your way" the Thenn replied, grinning. "And your steel won't help you against that."
This time it was Robb that laughed. "No, but we've got other tools to deal with that problem" he replied before they set off again at their guide's prompting.
Perhaps a mile further on they came to a small clearing with one large tent in the middle and others surrounding it. Hundreds of wildlings stopped whatever it is they were doing to stare, most with expressions of loathing but a few merely curious.
"Seven Hells!" Robb exclaimed when what he assumed was an actual mammoth wandered into sight, dragging a large log behind it by ropes. It was the height and appearance of the rider atop it that astonished him more, however. "Is that a Giant?"
"I've ne'er seen a man that's over twelve feet tall so it must be" Mormont replied wryly.
"Your men can stay outside" one of the wildlings told him once they reached the largest tent. "You can go in, you and the boy that calls himself a lord. Mance is waiting for you."
Mormont pushed aside the tent flap and entered.
There were a few men and two women in the tent. "It's been a while Mormont" one of them spoke up.
"That's 'Lord Commander' to you Rayder" Mormont replied curtly.
"I gave up on my oath years ago, as you well know, and it's not like I'm expecting you to use my title" the former man of the Night's Watch turned King-beyond-the-Wall replied. "You must be Robb Stark, we've never been formally introduced but I've seen you at Winterfell."
"Sneaked over the Wall to spy did you?" Mormont asked rhetorically.
"A man needs a hobby, and it's not like it used to be difficult. Not like it is now" Rayder replied. "Truth be told all those men you've got there now put me in a very awkward position" he said. "There I was, promising we could scale enough men over an unguarded section of the Wall so we could attack Castle Black from both sides at once, or maybe just overwhelm you with numbers at Westwatch-by-the-Bridge, but now there's soldiers patrolling the whole length of the wall and Westwatch is packed full of bloody Ironborn."
"You're well informed" Robb couldn't help but remark. "More spying?"
"More likely he had his skinchangers warg into some birds and take a look-see" Mormont surmised. "Am I right?" he asked.
"A little spying, a little warging, a little just paying attention" Rayder replied. "I'm guessing that having Ned Stark playing at being king down south made it easier to get some help, am I right?"
"Unlike a certain other man I could mention my father claims not to be a king, he merely sits on the Iron Throne as Lord Protector, and only until King Joffrey comes of age" Robb replied.
"Ah yes, the untested boy you all kneel to" Rayder responded with a chuckle. "The one your sister is betrothed to."
"The one all the Seven Kingdoms is sworn to" Robb stated firmly. "And in whose name the largest army in the history of Westeros will come here and kick your arse if you try and invade us."
"We don't want to fight you, we just want to hide on the other side of the wall like you are and we knew you wouldn't let us if we only asked politely" Rayder told him. "There's worse than the Free Folk heading your way, if you don't believe me ask your brother" he said. "Show yourself" he added loudly.
Prompted to appear Jon Snow entered the tent from the other side, he must have been kept out of sight until now. "Lord Commander" he greeted Mormont with a slight bow. "I was glad to learn you didn't die at the Fist of the First Men" he told the man. "It's good to see you too Robb" he added to his half-brother sincerely.
"It's good to see you too Jon, father will be very happy to learn you're still with us" Robb told him, deciding that giving him a hug was something best saved for a later time.
"But is he still with you, or is he with us, that's what you want to know isn't it, Lord Commander?" Rayder asked, looking pointedly at Mormont.
"If you're wondering where my loyalties lay I'm still holding to my vow to be the shield that guards the realm of men" Jon stated firmly. "It's what I think needs shielding against that's changed a little."
"If you mean the Wights and White Walkers I've probably seen them up close more than you have, lost most of the men with me doing it" Mormont told him.
"Then you should sound more frightened about it than you do" Rayder told him.
"We've already killed a White Walker, learned how to do it, and we're ready for their army of Wights as well" Mormont replied, sounding a great deal more confident than he really felt.
Jon looked doubtful. "You killed a White Walker?"
"Not me personally, Tarly did it, obsidian blade in the back, went out screaming" Mormont told him.
"Sam killed a White Walker?" Jon asked incredulously.
"Gods Snow, if they were that hard to kill how the bloody hell do you think they were beaten last time" Mormont asked rhetorically. "Our ancestors didn't have a big Wall to hide behind either."
"There's more of them than you think, the ones at the Fist of the First Men weren't much more than a warband, they're gathering an army" Rayder declared. "If you don't care about the Free Folk getting slaughtered then remember that each of us that dies is a new recruit for them."
"The man has a point" Robb conceded. "It's something to build negotiations upon but this seems like something that the Iron Throne will have to make judgement upon."
"You're just going to stall until you get even more men" Rayder responded suspiciously.
"Maybe, but if you want to try attacking before we get more men it won't go much better for you" Robb told him honestly. "Be grateful that my father is sat on the Iron Throne because he's the only man the northern lords respect enough that they might not rise in revolt if we start letting your people through."
Rayder opened his mouth to speak then close it again. "You've got a good head for strategy and negotiations" he told Robb grudgingly. "Just remember, we won't kneel if that's the price you expect us to pay."
"If there's negotiations about a price to pay they'll probably find someone better than me to thrash out the deal" Robb told him. "In the meantime, if you want to make a act of good faith then giving the Lord Protector back his son would go a long way towards improving his attitude towards you."
"He's not a prisoner, I've let him keep that fancy sword of his and he can go where he likes, but I'm putting my trust in him that he was genuine in caring about what happens to the Free Folk" Rayder replied before turning to Jon. "If those southerners don't care if we live or die you could tell them that if we managed to avoid the White Walkers we could still decide to attack the wall at the same time as them, and then you'll be in the shite" he warned.
Robb chuckled. "Not so bad at the strategy and negotiations yourself" he told the King-beyond-the-Wall.
"If you can unite all the tribes of the Free Folk you can talk your way into, or out of, most anything" Rayder replied. "You'd best be going before it starts getting dark, I'll send men to the wall every couple of days to act as messengers. Don't expect this camp to be here tomorrow if you get any ideas about sending a company of soldiers to try and kill me. I suppose you can find your own way back?"
"Of course I bloody can" Mormont grumbled feeling insulted by the question.
"Good then I won't bother sending any of my men with you. Watch out for hungry bears in the woods, or Thenns" Rayder advised. "You going back with them?" he asked Jon.
"I'd better" Job replied.
Rayder smiled. "Then I'll wish you good fortune, Jon Snow. Until we meet again, and I hope that's not across a battlefield."
"Other wars to fight than that one" Jon replied.
As they left the tent the guards Robb and Mormont had left outside looked very relieved at their appearance, more so when told they were heading back to Castle Black.
They were barely a hundred yards into their return journey when a young woman with bright red hair came running up to them. "Oi, did you forget something?" she asked, sounding annoyed.
"We told Rayder we didn't need a guide to show us back" Mormont replied.
"I wasn't talking to you, Crow" the wildling snarled back at him before confronting Jon. "Where you go, I bloody go" she told him. "Until I say otherwise' she added. "Now wait here until I get my pack and my bow" she ordered.
"And who are you exactly?" Robb wanted to know.
"I'm Ygritte, I'm his woman" she replied, prodding Jon in the chest. "Who are you?"
Robb didn't know quite how to react until he saw the expressions on both Jon's face and then Jeor Mormont's, the former being critically embarrassed and the latter being very, very angry. "I'm his brother" he said, holding back laughter.
Ygritte looked Robb up and down. "You're a bit taller than him, both good looking though" she said eventually. "Wait here while I get my bow and pack" she told Jon forcefully. "If you're not here when I return I'll track you down and put an arrow in your arse" she vowed, turning and dashing away again.
Jon grimaced. "It's a long story" he told the others awkwardly.
"I look forward to hearing it" Mormont practically growled in a suitably bear-like manner.
Notes:
Note from the Author:
Hoster Tully, Lord of Riverrun, Lord Paramount of the Trident, father to Catelyn, Lysa and Edmure passes, we shall not see his like again. Given the travel times involved all his family making it to his funeral seems highly unlikely (especially with grandson Robb up at the Wall).
Unfortunately for Mance Rayder a considerablly better manned Wall isn't going to be anywhere near as easy to tackle. He's pragmatic enough to try an alternate method of preventing the Free Folk that following him from being killed and following the Night King instead.
Jon Snow's story remains much as in canon until this point because almost all of the changes wrought only affected the situation south of the Wall. It'll diverge a great deal now of course, explaining Ygritte to his father, and Lord Commander Mormont, will be fun for him!