Jon was glad Rykker and Stokeworth had taken the trouble to come all the way from Castle Black to bring him a scroll Davos Seaworth sent from Bear Island. However much he wanted to make his own decisions, he relied on all of their council and guidance to be sure he looked at every angle. Most of all he missed their company. To Jon it felt as if they were a close-knit community almost like a family. The three knights had been his constant companions ever since he was born. Davos had been with him from around his twelfth nameday and Jon had come to rely on his presence. Each time away from them it felt like he was missing a part of himself. He liked Gendry's quiet unassuming personality and Ghost was a part of himself. He had felt the direwolf's presence in his dreams last night and had felt they were getting closer.
The message from uncle Benjen he accepted with trepidation fearing its content. He hadn't asked the two men what the situation at the Wall was like when they left there and they didn't volunteer the information.
He thanked Rykker and Stokeworth for coming all this way and walked with them to the side of the camp where food and drinks could be found. A group of young women were preparing the meal for that evening. It took only a big smile and a few kind words and they were only too willing to give the handsome Dragonrider a large enough portion for his newly arrived company. They installed themselves around a small fire in front of the tent where Jon slept. He let the two men eat but didn't partake himself. He was eager to open the messages. The contents of Davos' scroll did not disappoint.
Davos wrote that the three ships had arrived at Bear Island in good order. He estimated that the extra twenty five ships would be ready to depart with them in two days' time. They found a larger fleet of ships docked in the harbour than expected. The people of Bear Island had not stopped building ships when the twenty five commissioned by the Warden of the North were ready. They had used the new shipbuilding site to construct their own fleet. As a consequence, Davos wasn't obliged to leave a small part of Jon's fleet behind. The Mormonts of Bear Island were even willing to lend them some of their own vessels should the need arise. Lady Dacey of House Mormont had received a raven from the Warden of the North, describing the situation at the Wall. She was very willing to assist the Night's Watch and everyone helping them by extension. Davos estimated they would arrive with twenty eight ships, three days after they set sail from Bear Island.
Davos expressed his hopes in the message that Jon would meet them there as soon as his ships had thrown anchor. Since it had taken Rykker and Stokeworth two days to reach him, Jon estimated he could meet up with them three days from now.
He steeled himself before he opened uncle Benjen's message. The situation at Castle Black was still rather chaotic. Jeor Mormont tried to keep order by punishing the men harshly for the slightest brawl. As a consequence a tense atmosphere hung over the stronghold and people formed little camps silently staring each other down. Everybody was on edge. Uncle Benjen urged Jon to keep Stokeworth and Rykker with him. He worried for their safety since everyone knew they had been assigned to protect the dragonrider. He asked Jon to keep himself safe and hoped that they would see each other soon. If the situation at Castle Black didn't improve soon, he would join his nephew at the Free Folk settlement. Jon put the scroll down and wondered why he was so disheartened since the message contained exactly what he had expected it would.
No longer eager to start scouting, Jon entered his tent and prepared a response that he planned to guide himself to Davos' ship. Since Rykker and Stokeworth were exhausted when they arrived, probably due to taking turns at night watching over the other in the hostile environment that now was Castle Black, Jon ordered both of them to take some rest without delay. He promised them he would spend the afternoon in the woods with his dragons. He figured now was not the time to explain to them what happened when he needed to steer a bird during a long flight. He opted not to find someone to look after him during this warg session. He was confident that his dragons would watch over him while he steered the raven. They would form a protective circle around him and he would be quite safe.
Jon loved spending time with Rhaegal and Viserion. His bond with his dragons had only grown more intense. These last few days, they had spent every moment of daylight together and the first part of the night as well, scouting and playing in the air. As far as Jon could tell by the territory he had covered on his first reconnaissance flights, the enemy was gathering in the far north. Just a small band of seemingly lost wights accompanied by one White Walker were wandering from the Antler River in the direction of Craster's Keep. At the slow pace they were moving and taking into account that they were travelling only after dark, it would take them some time before they arrived at their supposed destination.
Jon was getting better at guiding birds. He had Orell to thank for that. It had been fun to surprise Davos by landing on his shoulder. He had witnessed the man's face light up when he read Jon's response. Since no return message was necessary, Jon had released the bird's mind. He had stayed with his dragons a bit longer before heading back to the Free Folk settlement. There he learned that Tormund had assigned him his own tent which was large enough to accommodate him and his newly arrived guards.
The next morning Jon, urged Rykker to return to Castle Black with a message for his uncle. Jon had marked a map with the results of his scouting missions. Jaremy Rykker had refused to leave his side and had sent Stokeworth instead. However Rykker didn't see much of Jon during daytime. They saw each other mostly after dusk when Jon aborted his scouting missions. The day the ships were due to arrive, Jon left Rykker behind at the Free Folk settlement and flew to the Bay of Ice to meet up with his entourage.
***
Jon found himself at the shore way too early and mounted Rhaegal once more to fly out over the sea and exchange early greetings with everyone from above.
The fleet of twenty eight ships formed an impressive sight. For the moment they flew banners of Houses Stark, Mormont and Manderly. The large sails were devoid of a sigil for now. He had felt Ghost before he saw him and had let the wolf express his joy to feel his human so nearby and sent his own in return.
Ghost was the first one off the boat. He put his front legs on Jon's shoulders and slobbered all over him. When the rest approached, Jon had to wipe his face clean before greeting them. They all seemed relieved to see him safe and sound but were disheartened when they heard what had happened at Castle Black. Ser Arthur was muttering something to Sandor who agreed wholeheartedly. Jon almost felt sorry for the men of the Night's Watch. These two were obviously planning some sort of retaliation.
"And you just left your uncle Benjen behind and fled to the Free Folk?" Davos didn't like what he was hearing at all.
"Don't worry about me, Davos. I couldn't have received a warmer welcome at the Free Folk settlement. All these things they tell us south of the Wall about the so-called Wildlings are false. Granted most of them are illiterate and have rather rough manners. Though what really matters is that they are straightforward and have as much honour as any of us. Not only did they immediately believe I am on their side, they treat me as one of them. I have enjoyed living with the Free Folk despite the fact that I have been spending most of my time scouting high up in the air. The evenings are very entertaining."
Jon went on and described the cosy gatherings around a bonfire, the hunt he had been on with Tormund Giantsbane and how he had learned a thing or two from a fellow warg.
Nevertheless Davos convinced Jon not to return to the Free Folk settlement for now but to accompany them on the journey overland to Castle Black. Jon agreed sensing it would benefit everyone to spend some time together and to reassure Uncle Benjen in person of his wellbeing. As soon as they started their journey, he had climbed on the wagon and guided a bird to Jaremy Rykker at the Free Folk settlement to explain his prolonged absence. Rykker had startled when a bird entered his tent. Luckily the man had spotted the message and Jon could rest assured now that the Free Folk would not worry about the Dragonrider leaving them to fend for themselves. In the message he asked Rykker to stay put for now. If the situation at Castle Black was untenable Jon would join him at the settlement in no time.
When he came out of the warg session, he mounted the horse they had brought along for him. Sandor and Ser Arthur flanked their Prince at all times although often Ghost would fight them for Jon's personal space. Gendry hardly got a chance to talk to Jon. Both young men rectified this situation by sharing a tent at night. They enjoyed a long conversation before they let sleep overtake them that first night.
Jon eased the journey considerably by asking his dragons to help them cross several obstacles they encountered on their path. Rhaegal and Viserion cleared the road a few times by melting heaps of snow where avalanches had buried part of their path. Sometimes his dragons even nudged rocks aside so the wagon had more room to manoeuvre. They made good time and reached Castle Black in less than five days.
Davos was determined to have a word with the Lord Commander first thing. Even if one respected the political neutrality of the Night's Watch, Jon was still the nephew and under the protection of the Warden of the North. If Jeor Mormont could not keep his men under control, perhaps a change in command was in order? Davos would get to the bottom of this situation and even though Jon did not want to burden Eddard Stark with another problem during the royal visit, Davos, Ser Arthur and Sandor were of a different opinion. All three agreed that Jon's safety was of the utmost importance and they were certain that Lord Stark would want to be informed. Davos was fully aware that even though he could try to reason with Mormont, it was the Warden of the North who could exert real pressure on the Lord Commander.
However, when they entered the gates of Castle Black, they found Cotter Pyke in charge. It was Gylles Stokeworth that welcomed them and immediately informed them that Jeor Mormont had left to deal with the dead that were heading for Craster's Keep. Apparently Benjen Stark had tried to placate the man by sharing with him the scouting information Jon had diligently sent to his uncle. Hearing of the contingent of the enemy heading in the direction of Craster's Keep, the Lord Commander had decided to re-establish morale by giving his men a chance to prove the Night's Watch could defend themselves against this army of the dead led by alleged White Walkers. He had left Castle Black with the largest party to ever range beyond the Wall on a single mission.
"I am so glad that you did not decide to join them this time, Uncle Benjen." Jon told his Stark uncle when the man pulled his him into a hug as soon as he saw him enter the room. "Gylles Stokeworth had told them that they could find Benjen Stark in the west tower where he was writing some messages. The Targaryen loyalist had then left them to inform the temporary Lord Commander that he was resuming the task that Jeor Mormont had assigned him. He would once more see to the needs of the visitors that were sent by the Warden of the North.
"I did not want to leave you alone, Nephew. You have a tendency to attract trouble at the Wall and an expedition with that many men could take moons. I am glad to see you return with decent protection this time. By the way, thank you very much for sending a message so soon after leaving here. I was relieved to read your description of the welcome you received from the Free Folk and their King Beyond the Wall. When everything has settled in the realm and you find the time, you should rectify the history books and send your version of the customs and lore of the Free Folk to the Citadel."
"Dammit!" Davos' exclamation made all eyes turn to him.
"Something the matter, Davos?" Jon asked surprised to hear the man swear out loud.
"You do understand the consequences of a prolonged absence of the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, don't you? Stark, did he sent word to the leaders of the Free Folk that the official meeting would be postponed, or didn't he even have the courtesy to let them know he would not attend?"
"Nice to see you again too, Davos." Benjen mocked the man for forgoing the usual niceties. "I hope you all had an easy journey. I'll take my time to greet you later," he nodded at Ser Arthur, Sandor and Gendry before he turned his attention back on an impatient looking Davos. "Sorry Davos, but I am glad to see the others as well. To answer your question, he did indeed send them a message. He told me that he justified the delay of the official meeting by using the argument that negotiations between both parties would be more productive if they met after the Night's Watch had taken their own measure of this mutual enemy. He warned the King Beyond the Wall that the meeting might be postponed for several moons." Benjen's tone changed when the repercussions dawned on him as well.
"So you realise as well that this messes with our timing. Jon, we will need to revise our strategies and priorities." Although he addressed his Prince with his words, his eyes had taken a faraway look.
'Perhaps I should have joined Ser Gerold on his journey to Dragonstone. Now I am are stuck here at the end of the world because of a stubborn bear. How will Eddard Stark be able to prevent King Robert from attacking Dragonstone if rumours spread about someone taking possession of the island? The plan was for all of us to be there by then and to start phase two of our plan.'
Jon went over to Davos and tried to calm him down. "Davos, nothing is lost yet. Ser Gerold hasn't even reached White Harbour yet. If all goes as planned, he will arrive there tomorrow. Let us send out messages to our allies that we arrived at Castle Black and ask them to send us status reports. Who knows, perhaps the King stays longer in Winterfell or something else changes that delays our plans for the south and we are worrying needlessly. If the situation at Dragonstone deteriorates, I can be there in two or three days' time at the most. I propose we stress to our allies that secrecy and stealth are more important now than timing and speed when they take Dragonstone. It is imperative that the capital does not hear that Dragonstone will have changed hands before we want them to."
The others all agreed with Jon. Davos and Jon immediately wrote and dispatched the message to White Harbour for Ser Gerold. The rest could wait till tomorrow. They would reassess the situation when they were rested and had more intelligence. Davos realised being on the move for so long had tired everyone out and told them to take it easy for the remainder of the day.
***
Jon and his entourage were left in relative peace. Even Ghost was tolerated when it became clear that the direwolf never left Jon Celtigar's side and the young man seemed to have absolute control over the large animal.
The only upside to Jeor Mormont's untimely leaving was that Cotter Pyke as acting Lord Commander kept the remaining men in check. A few brothers of the Night's Watch had been punished for starting a row and were spending two sennights in a cell. Pyke apparently respected the fact that Jon, his dragons and his advisers were there to help and made it clear that he would not pry. At least Jeor Mormont had kept Jon's real identity a secret to his replacement and they all agreed to try to keep it that way as long as possible. Soon enough Renly Baratheon would arrive and if he knew that a Targaryen with a rightful claim to the Iron Throne was at the Wall, it would be difficult to prevent him from getting a message through to his elder brother if not cause a riot.
Still Davos didn't want to take chances with their safety and urged everyone to keep a low profile. They mostly stayed ensconced in the west tower and discussed the messages from their allies that reached them at Castle Black. Pyp together with an older steward took care of the ravens for now and distributed the incoming messages diligently. They adapted the timing of their sparring sessions to the odd times when the training yard was empty. Jon marked his first straightforward victory against Ser Arthur Dayne. He had used no tricks or distractions and the man's arm had fully healed. Sandor applauded although he warned Jon in his usual style.
"Better not bitch about it too much, boy. It probably was a fluke. Be wise and do not become a stuck up cunt before you are able to fucking back up this one tiny victory by winning from him more times than you fucking lose."
Jon laughed in response. "I know all too well I was lucky this time. I only take heart in the fact that I am improving. I hope to never become a stuck up cunt though, Sandor. I trust you to help me with that."
"You have been improving by leaps and bounds lately, my Prince. I warn you though that that particular combination of strikes won't fool me a second time. Come on, let's continue our training." Ser Arthur encouraged his Prince.
Gylles Stokeworth had been mesmerized by the sparring sessions. When he first spotted Ser Arthur entering the gates of Castle Black, he had almost been reduced to tears. Stokeworth had gone to one knee before Ser Arthur proclaiming that for the duration of their stay he reported to the Lord Commander of Jon's Kingsguard now and would obey his every command. This false assumption however made everyone aware that someone needed to coordinate Jon's protection and Ser Arthur effectively took up the mantle as interim Lord Commander of a reduced Kingsguard.
Sandor stopped the official nonsense by challenging the man to spar a few bouts with him. A significant look from Ser Arthur made Sandor hold back a little bit. It wouldn't do to humiliate a man who had not been able to train on a superior level for a very long time.
Unbeknownst to Jon, Sandor and Ser Arthur joined some training sessions of the brothers of the Night's Watch and did not hold back when facing the ones Stokeworth had pointed out to them that had been major instigators of the riots that had induced Jon to retreat to the Free Folk. Many a brother had been humiliated and bitten the dust. Ser Arthur and Sandor made their point by very subtly holding back when facing Targaryen supporters making it seem as if they were far more competent than their unlucky brothers who left the training yard with lots of bruises and hurt pride.
***
After his first night's rest at Castle Black, Gendry did not waste any more time and visited the building that housed the armoury and the blacksmith's workshop. Full of purpose he burst into the gloomy space startling a middle aged man who put down the tool he was cleaning.
"Who the hell do you think you are boy, bursting in here all high and mighty?" The sound of his rough voice stopped Gendry in his tracks.
"I sorry, my Lord." He apologized immediately. "I didn't think anybody would be here already. Are you the armourer? Did nobody inform you that I was coming? I was given permission to use your forge. I hope that that is not too much trouble for you?"
"You do not seem to be a new recruit? Come closer boy. Who are you? You look rather young to be a blacksmith."
Gendry made a few steps towards the table where cleaned tools lay ordered by size. "My name is Gendry. I apprenticed with Tobho Mott in King's Landing, my Lord. Do not worry. I have been told that I am fairly proficient."
"I am no Lord, boy. Even if I was, no titles here at the Wall, remember? I'm Noye."
Now that the boy stood before him, Noye studied him closely. He looked the part all right. A tall sturdy lad with muscular arms, raven black hair …, he startled.
"The Gods help me. It is like seeing a ghost. King's Landing you say? Are you by any chance a high Lord's bastard?"
"I am. King Robert's bastard. I do not think he knows of my existence though." Gendry said knowing there was no point in hiding his parentage from this particular man. Now that Gendry's eyes had adjusted to the dimly lit space he recognised the one-armed man that Master Mott had described to him. Although Mott had not mentioned the beer belly, he easily spotted the flat, broad nose, the bristle chin and the pinned up sleeve.
"I think you know my father rather well. At least if you are the Donal Noye that Master Mott mentioned when he taught me how to forge my own warhammer."
"Aye, Donal Noye, that would be me. You are right. I knew your father back in Storm's End. Tobho Mott will certainly have told you that I made that fateful warhammer for him that killed Prince Rhaegar. You really apprenticed with Mott? That is a steep recommendation." Noye's eyes hadn't left Gendry's face.
"I was fortunate enough to apprentice with him for several years." Gendry replied not minding the armourer's stare. He was relieved enough that Noye sounded a bit friendlier now.
A warhammer you forged yourself, you said? Did you bring it to the Wall by any chance? I might be wanting to have a look at it."
I can fetch my hammer after lunch if you like." Gendry said obligingly.
"Now boy, tell me, what do you need my forge for?"
"To melt volcanic glass daggers and forge them into arrowpoints and spearheads. I need to find the best procedure to keep the material strong. Find a way to make it stronger if possible. Perhaps by adding a small quantity of iron to it? I want to experiment a bit before newly mined material arrives. That way when I make larger pieces like for instance axe heads, large daggers and stuff like that, I can make sure that they don't break on impact."
"Sounds like you want to use my workshop for more than just one day?" Noye remarked in his gruff voice.
"It can't be helped. Weapons made of volcanic glass are desperately needed to fight the army of the dead. We are lucky enough that my friend can provide us with more of this material. It is vital that we arm the men of the Night's Watch and the Free Folk with it."
Gendry was glad that he had been warned by Cotter Pyke that the blacksmith could be difficult at times. He held his own when the man looked sceptical and took his time to react.
"What was your name again, boy?"
"Gendry. I came by ship with the entourage of Jon Celtigar to help fight the dead that ambushed Benjen Stark."
"You came with that dragonrider? You? The offspring of King Robert? How did that come about?"
"That's a long story. Besides, I didn't know who my father was until Jon Celtigar told me. Do you really think names or even allegiances south of the Wall are important when we have to face the army of the dead?"
"They should not be. Not here at the Wall anyway. You are a proficient blacksmith, you claim? Tell me, how would you fix this blade? See the damaged edges over there? I've used several ways already to fix the problem. Each time the owner brings it back in after a few days. Each time the damage is worse than before."
"Can I hold it?" Gendry accepted the sword and studied it closely in an effort to determine the quality of the steel. Not looking up he asked. "Can you describe the exact colour this metal gets when heated? More orange, more red? What kind of wood do you use to stoke the fire of your forge?"
When Jon checked in on Gendry, he found both men discussing terms he had never heard of. Neither man looked up. Jon slipped back outside unnoticed and closed the door. It seemed Cotter Pyke had been wrong to worry about the armourer's reluctance to share his domain. His friend seemed to be getting on well enough with the man. He went back to the west tower to reassure Davos that Gendry and the blacksmith were doing just fine.
Davos had been flabbergasted when they had learned that Jeor Mormont had not taken the few dragonglass daggers that the Night's Watch possessed with him. It seemed that now that Maester Aemon was no longer there to provide counsel, either nobody had given decent advice to the Lord Commander or that headstrong man didn't listen to anybody but himself and had been in too much of a hurry to remember to take these very useful weapons with them.
They had not hesitated to take advantage of this oversight. Davos had encouraged Gendry to experiment with the small amount of the material. Soon enough newly mined dragonglass would arrive and then they could replace these old daggers with new ones well before the Lord Commander's return.
With Noye watching on, Gendry had immediately melted the small amount of dragonglass down. When he finished reworking the available material, Gendry proudly presented almost fifty arrow points and a few spearheads that he had fashioned from the handful of daggers. Even with his skills and Noye's experience it had taken a few tries but now he mastered the exact procedure to handle the delicate material and come up with a product that didn't shatter on impact.
Word arrived that a ship from Dragonstone full of dragonglass was on its way to the Driftmark. As ordered, some of the material would be left behind at the Driftmark for Jon to pick up, before the ship set course to Eastwatch. The message mentioned that they were willing to send more if needed.
A scroll from Prince Oberyn informed them that he would be crossing the borders of the Northern Kingdom and planned to stay a few days at Greywater Watch before continuing his journey north. Varys reported that matters in the capital had come to a standstill. The rumours about the dragons were dwindling down. Even if some people insisted there were now one or two small dragons in the world, nobody really believed that they posed a threat to Westeros.
Ser Gerold announced their safe arrival at White Harbour but his message contained nothing else of significance. Reports from their allies in the Riverlands told them the situation had somehow stabilised and House Frey was keeping a low profile for the time being. Not a single message from Dany though. Jon decided to entice her into writing him by sending her a long message detailing the new developments at their end, without revealing Ser Barristan's destination.
The fifth day of their stay in Castle Black, an urgent message arrived from Eddard Stark at Winterfell. It described the assassination attempt on Bran during the royal visit. After much debate, Jon overruled everyone's objections and just told them his decision was final. He would use his dragons to fly to Winterfell to speak with Lord Stark covertly. From there he planned to continue on to the Driftmark to pick up the first batch of dragonglass that was left there for him. He would also take the opportunity to make an overnight stop at Greywater Watch. It was the ideal place to take some necessary rest and at the same time get an updated report of the situation in the Riverlands, the Vale and the Crownlands. His main argument was that in this manner he would obtain detailed, up to date reports on the situation and he could discuss possible actions on the spot with Lord Stark and Lord Reed. The encrypted messages they had received thus far were always rather brief reports and to exchange ideas was not very practical since there was always the delay before you received a reaction. Discussing matters by raven took time and resources.
This time Ser Arthur and Sandor joined Davos and were rather vocal to express their objections. Ever since it became clear that sending someone with their Prince on his dragons was not an option anytime soon, they had realised that they would not always be able to keep up with Jon's movements. This time Jon would fly further than ever before and some of it over hostile territory.
After Jon had left them to check on Gendry, the two Kingsguards discussed their options with Davos Seaworth. The situation at Castle Black was still volatile and the imminent arrival of Prince Renly and perhaps now also Jaime Lannister presented an extra dilemma. Nevertheless, they all opted to stay at the Wall for the time being.
As Jon had proposed, they drafted a message to Jaremy Rykker to ask the King Beyond the Wall to agree to a preliminary meeting without Lord Commander Mormont or any other representative of the Night's Watch. They stated it would benefit both parties if Jon's entourage could establish a rapport with the leaders of the Free Folk before a stubborn third party entered the negotiations. Upon agreement of the Free Folk, a date would be set as soon as the dragonrider got back from his trip south.
Before Jon flew off to Winterfell, Jon and Davos had withdrawn to Davos' bedroom to drawn up a list of topics to discuss with Eddard Stark so Jon would not forget to address any of their current issues. When they were finished, Davos sighed. He looked over to his Prince, the worry apparent in his eyes. At Jon's questioning look he spoke up.
"You do realise that this time you will be travelling on your own across a large part of Westeros. This will be your most ambitious flight by far. It would make me feel so much better if you could take someone along with you on Rhaegal. Why have you not tried once more to let Gendry mount him?" Davos saw Jon stiffen.
"Although Gendry is the only one who could touch Rhaegal without obtaining severe burns, be it because of his small percentage of dragonblood or owing to the fact that he worked close to the fires of a blacksmith's workshop during his formative years, he still sustained minor burns that itched for days. And that was only after a short period of contact. Imagine taking him with me on a flight that lasts half a day or longer." Jon was quick to retort
"Is there no way around that? Use protective clothing or some other genius idea?" Davos was not giving up this quickly.
"My main reason not to attempt this again is because of Rhaegal's wellbeing. I explained to you already how I had to warg into him to keep him calm enough to let Gendry touch him. Rhaegal had to make a conscious effort to reduce his surface heat so he would not hurt him more than he already did. This endeavour gave the dragon a severe headache that lasted the rest of that day. I felt his frustration and unhappiness afterwards and I promised him he would never have to go through that again. So no, I will not try that again. Dragons are not made to be ridden by just anyone, Davos. I have a bond with Rhaegal and we open our minds to each other when we fly together. That way it is a relaxing and rewarding experience for the both of us. It is a consensual relationship and I will never presume to use my dragons just as beasts of burden that are at my disposal. They are my equals, my family. Their wellbeing is paramount to me."
"Well if you put it that way, I guess I will have to resign myself to the situation. I do not like it however. I feel as if we are failing because we can't keep up with you and we are not always on hand when you need our counsel." Ghost who had rested at Jon's feet this entire time made a whining sound.
Jon petted his wolf and tried to comfort him by sending the thought to him that no matter where he flew off to, he would always come back to him. Ghost was part of his family, his pack as much as the dragons. Out loud he reacted to his loyal Hand's statement.
"I know, Davos. That is the part about this that I hate as well. But since it can't be helped, I advise you to focus on the positive aspects of this situation. We have a great advantage over our enemies. We can communicate between the different corners of Westeros much more efficient than they can. We can hear about a development days, sometimes moons before them if we prevent ravens to fly between our adversaries. Take the Vale for instance, if Lord Royce can successfully sabotage the ravens, the opposition in King's Landing will know much later what exactly is happening there and we are the only ones with this intelligence." Lord Stark had written how they suspected Littlefinger was playing Lysa Arryn and that they would try to prevent the two of them from communicating.
"I uderstand all that. I still do not like you flying about the continent on your own. However, I'll try my best to accept it most grudgingly. Come on, it is time for you to set off. I know that you will want to say your goodbyes to Ghost and us petty humans. I have sent Stokeworth to fetch Gendry." He gestured for Ser Arthur and Sandor to approach.
They all waved at Jon when he flew south to Winterfell.
***
Jon enjoyed the long flights on his dragon. He had been shocked to hear of all the events that had taken place at Winterfell but focused on the good memories of seeing Lord Stark and Robb again. His stop over at Greywater Watch had been fruitful and had the extra bonus of seeing Prince Oberyn again and meeting his daughter Nymeria. The stop at the Vale had yielded the planned effect but the heart-warming welcome he received from the people at the Driftmark had been the highlight of this journey.
Jon hadn't minded the few days he had been stuck on the island waiting for a change in weather so the clouds would camouflage his long trek back to the North. He had visited his elderly foster grandmother again who had been delighted by his visit. The inhabitants of the village had pampered him. They were excited to hear Dragonstone would soon be in Targaryen hands again. They had all pledged their fealty to their True King on the spot. Jon who had always considered the Driftmark as his home told the people as much in his elaborate thank you speech. He ended with asking them to keep his secret for a bit longer and assured them that they would always have a special place in his heart. He urged them not to hesitate to contact him if ever they were in need of assistance.
He had to use all his restraint not to take his dragons east and fly to Daenerys. His last night at the Driftmark, he had dreamt of her. In his dreams she had looked ethereal, otherworldly. She had floated ever so slowly to him. It had taken an almost unbearably long time before he could finally reach her. His touch had somehow transformed her. She had become solid and even more beautiful before his very eyes. Her vice-like grip was painful however and too strong for him to get loose of his own accord. She had whispered to him never to let her go. When he tried to tell her that he really needed to leave for a short time still, she had transformed once more in an elf like creature and had floated up in the air where Jon couldn't reach her. No matter what he shouted at her, she didn't seem to hear him. She became gradually more transparent until she dissolved into thin air.
Jon had awoken in a cold sweat, his heat beating so fast he instinctively put his hand on his chest as if to prevent the organ from bursting through his skin. He had to forcefully remind himself of all the reasons why it would not be wise to go and see her now even though he was only a half a day flight away from Pentos. He wondered how she was coping with the news of uncle Aemon's death. The only thought that offered him some comfort was that he knew for certain that it would not be long now before they would meet each other again. If the winds were favourable, Ser Barristan was scheduled to arrive in Pentos two or three sennights from now. The next time he flew south it would most likely be to visit her on Dragonstone.
He diverted his mind by plotting out a course north for his return journey that took him over the Narrow Sea most of the time. He planned to catch a glimpse of the ships that were escorting Ser Gerold, Ser Oswell and Sam to the Driftmark. He would try to deliver them the latest news in a direct and original way. He had fabricated a small bow and had fixed copies of his messages to several arrows. He hoped one would safely find its mark. He had calculated the ships would be passing the shores of the Vale of Arryn by now.
A test flight with Rhaegal burdened by the two heavy bags of dragonglass made it clear that they would not be able to fly at their normal speed. The dragon needed to make an extra effort to keep his stability up in the air. Jon had used the same tactic as before, knotting the bags together and positioning them on Rhaegal's back and flanks so they kept each other balanced and Jon could sit on the flat part of the bags where they were connected to each other to keep them from shifting during the flight. It was not the extra weight that hindered Rhaegal's flying abilities, the dragon was strong enough by now but it was rather awkward flying with two large bulges. Rhaegal's lean shape that kept him aloft and allowed him to move quickly through the air, was disturbed by the two large bags filled with dragonglass.
Rhaegal insisted on helping his rider and would not hear of leaving the bags behind. Jon was glad he could feel everything Rhaegal felt and reduced the load of the bags by half. Their last test flight reassured both the dragon and its rider that it would be feasible to fly the reduced amount of the precious material the entire way north without endangering themselves.
Soaring over the Narrow Sea it was easy for Jon to recognize his ships when he used his spyglass and an opening in the clouds. The fleet was taking the official shipping route that lay far enough from the shoreline so as not to be visible from the mainland. There was only the minimal required crew present on the decks since it was raining heavily. Jon had to either change his delivery plan or wait for drier weather to prevent the messages from becoming unreadable. Seeing no other ships nearby, he tucked the arrows safely under his coat and doublet, made a dive and circled over the ships. He heard the ship bells ring when he descended again to reach a spot above the clouds and more importantly above the rain. When he used his spyglass once more he spotted several extra figures appearing on the decks.
He was still pondering his options when all of a sudden rather miraculously the heavy rain stopped and the small openings between the clouds grew wider. Jon asked Rhaegal to dive a second time. He also requested his dragon to reduce his speed and keep his body steady, perhaps hoover over the ships if possible so Jon could release his grip and take out the bow and arrows with both hands.
Rhaegal just puffed some smoke, annoyed that his human still doubted his skills after all their joint flying sessions. He proudly showed him just how steady he could keep his body even with the extra baggage. Jon sent elaborate thanks to placate his dragon. Viserion flew figures around the ships amusing the men on board with his antics now that they were all made aware that the dragons were their allies. Jon shouted a greeting at Ser Gerold and aimed his arrow at an empty spot on deck praying he would not hurt anyone. His first shot missed and the arrow with its message landed in the water drifting away on the waves. His second shot hit the deck and Jon shouted they should retrieve the scroll before it got soaked. By now Sam had also arrived on deck and waved at Jon. Jon made one final run over the ship, waved back at Sam and flew north to continue his long trek back to the Wall. Viserion aborted his skylarking and followed his brother.
He was forced to make two overnight stops this time. The extra weight slowed Rhaegal down and the mental effort of keeping his balance tired the dragon. The extra rest was as necessary as it was welcomed by all three of them. They camped in the woods long before supper both times and enjoyed the extra leisure. Jon spent the two nights sleeping peacefully encircled by his dragons. No dreams or spectres haunted him this time. Both dragons and human arrived at their destination relaxed and happy.
His mood was in stark contrast to the very troubled party he found when he arrived at Castle Black. They had been worried sick because he had arrived days later than his original schedule.
After being smothered within an inch of his life, he gently reminded them that as long as he needed to keep a low profile and had to wait to use either cloud cover or darkness to mask his whereabouts, it was impossible to accurately plan the durations of his travels.
No counterargument was uttered, they were only too glad he understood the importance of stealth and safety.
Gendry welcomed the two heavy bags and was elated when he saw the superior condition of the freshly mined volcanic glass. He was certain he could get a high quality end product now that he had first rate material to work with instead of those few daggers who could well have been thousands of years old. The young blacksmith immediately returned to the workshop where he had been working side by side with Donal Noye almost every day. Stokeworth accompanied him to organize the transport of the dragonglass.
That left Benjen, Davos, Ser Arthur and Sandor to discuss the new information Jon had gathered and the altered situation at the Vale. Jon also notified them that Prince Oberyn and Lord Reed were on their way to Winterfell, the latter to fetch Bran Stark who would be fostered at Greywater Watch for a few years. He told them about Bran's revelations after his fall and how Howland Reed had confirmed that Bran was the only Stark to have the potential to become a powerful warg and would greatly benefit from his tutoring. The others would be asked to keep up the beginners exercises Jon had taught Robb. That way they still could develop their bond somewhat and communicate feelings with their respective direwolves while awake.
It was not a big surprise that Gendry decided to stay behind when two days later they left Castle Black to travel to the Free Folk settlement for the planned preliminary meeting. Cotter Pyke adhered to Jeor Mormont's restrictions and did not send a representative of the Night's Watch along with them. So the party that set out overland consisted only of Jon, Ghost, Benjen Stark, Davos Seaworth, Ser Arthur, Sandor Clegane and Gylles Stokeworth. It was a merry party that undertook the two days journey. Although it was cold beyond the Wall, everyone had enough furs. It was dry and sunny for a change, the landscape was beautiful and the journey not a dangerous one. Also, it lent a feeling of safety to have two large dragons in the vicinity to help them reach their destination.
When they dismounted just outside of the settlement, Jon noticed the approach of Tormund and Jaremy Rykker. They had seen the dragons circling overhead and had come to look for them. Tormund in his normal exuberant way was about to topple Jon when Sandor sprang between them. "What the fuck." He exclaimed when Tormund unceremoniously tried to push him aside.
"It's okay, Sandor. Please meet Tormund Giantsbane, who is the right hand of the King Beyond the Wall but more to the point, he is also a very good friend who wants to greet me. Jon gently pushed Sandor aside and embraced Tormund. "I've brought my guards this time. So keep your manners in check a bit?" he patted Tormund's back before ending their embrace.
"Sorry big man," Tormund apologised to Sandor after he had released Jon. "I am just overly glad to see my new best friend has decided to come back to us. Any friend of Jon the Dragonrider is a friend of mine. He stepped forward ready to pull Sandor Clegane against his chest as well.
"Ho ho there," Sandor put his hand forwards a reticent expression on his face. "Hold your horses, I am no hugger, never have been, no offence, giant man."
"Ha ha, I am no giant, burnt man. Wait till you meet my friends Mag the Mighty and Wun Wun tonight. Those nice fuckers are real giants." Tormund had forgone the hug and satisfied himself by patting Sandor Clegane's left shoulder, ignoring the exasperated expression of the man.
Ser Arthur watched the scene from atop his horse. He had instantly known that no interference was needed. He had recognised Tormund Giantsbane by Jon's elaborate descriptions and remembered Rykker vaguely from his youth. Another sign that had reassured him was how he had witnessed Ghost had chosen to sniff the two men in a friendly manner instead of preventing them from approaching Jon. He dismounted at leisure, confident that his Prince was not in any danger. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was accosted by the man that he presumed to be a former Targaryen bannerman.
"I am honoured to make your acquaintance, Ser Arthur. My name is Jaremy Rykker. Perhaps you remember me?" The man looked at the famous knight with hopeful eyes.
"Indeed, I remember we spend some time together at Dragonstone during a tournament when we were both a lot younger. I am sorry you ended up serving at the Wall."
"I was so glad to hear the three of you survived and were able to protect and raise Prince Rhaegar's son. I would have given my right hand to serve him all these years." Jaremy Rykker was taking in every detail of Ser Arthur's attire and his eyes rested on his sword by the end of his speech.
"Is that?"
Ser Arthur obliged the man, feeling genuinely sorry for his forced exile. The ringing sound of his sword leaving the scabbard drew the attention of the rest of the party. Sandor Clegane immediately went for his weapon as well. Tormund looked around sweeping his long hair left and right, however the wild look left his eyes when he noticed the extraordinary colour of the sword that was now being admired by the two men.
"It's just your fucking knight showing of his rich cunt's sword." He reassured Sandor. "Put your weapon away. You sure as hell won't need it here. You will be able to use your other pointy thing though. The women here love men that are strong and have seen real battles. You look the part, my burnt friend. You will have to fight off the more horny ones if you are reluctant to hug them as well."
Sandor just grunted in response but Tormund spotted the interest in the man's eye. "Follow my lead tonight and I'll get you laid as many times as you can handle. That's the only fucking thing where my new friend the Dragonrider comes up short. He has yet to satisfy a pussy here. Not by lack of trying on their part. I can fucking swear to that." Tormund threw his arm around Sandor's shoulder. "Come, I'll show you to your tent. Your southern King is protected by his wolf and the other men in your party. Let us get to know each other."
Jon winked at Sandor and Ser Arthur waved him off. The two large men left together but only after Sandor had pointedly removed Tormund's big hand from his shoulder. "Keep your fucking hands off me and I will gladly let you lead the way, tiny giant."
***
That night around a large bonfire the new arrivals were requested to tell a story. When Davos started to describe their victory of the battle against the Ironborn, he was loudly booed by the Free Folk. His stupefaction made Jon and Tormund erupt in laughter. "I am sorry Davos." Jon tried to explain between bouts of laughter. "I have told that story several times and from every angle I could imagine already. You will have to think of something else."
Ser Arthur proceeded to tell them about southern tournaments describing the joust and the melee in detail. Just like Jon on his first evening, he was stopped after almost every sentence to explain terms the Free Folk were either unfamiliar with or had trouble to understand. They certainly struggled with the concept of someone fighting their best friends and potentially hurting him rather badly even risk killing him for money.
Jon used the opportunity to catch up with his uncle. They made sure their whispers didn't disturb the evening's entertainment. Both men were glad they got to spend a bit more time together. It had been frustrating lately how events always seemed to pull them apart faster than planned.
It was rather late when Ser Arthur finally finished his tale and everybody decided to retire. Jon's party had brought their own modest tents but were ushered to a large tent that Tormund had confiscated to accommodate the friends of the Dragonrider.
The next morning, Mance Rayder made his appearance. He had been absent the previous night to tend to a dispute in a nearby settlement of the Thenns.
"Craster's Keep you say?" He asked Davos when introductions were finished and they had all gathered in his tent for the formal meeting. "Is the old bugger still alive then?"
"You know of him?" Benjen Stark asked the leader of the Free Folk. "The Night's Watch uses his facilities sometimes when they need to renew their provisions on long ranging missions and sometimes trade with him exchanging furs or other small items for food and drink."
"Well, I know enough not to go near the man." Mance replied his voice betraying his disgust for Craster. At the perplexed expressions of most of his new guests he addressed Benjen Stark.
"Do not tell me the Watch doesn't know of the man's despicable habit of fucking his daughters before they have even flowered and in every way possible. Considering the time he has been at it, some of the girls he uses are technically also his granddaughters. A few of them have managed to escape and live amongst us now. And if his treatment of his daughters isn't bad enough to condemn the man, you should hear what he does to his sons."
Jon looked at uncle Benjen, a worried look on his face. "Were you aware of all of this, Uncle? What about his sons?"
"I've never been to Craster's Keep myself, Jon. I only know of him from the stories the men of the Night's Watch tell me. They often complain how they are not allowed to even look at his daughters. One brother of the Watch almost lost his head because he smiled at one of Craster's daughters from a distance if his version of the story is to be believed. They never once mentioned the existence of sons. I just thought the man had fathered nothing but daughters." Benjen Stark looked at Mance Rayder now clearly wanting him to explain what was the deal with Craster's sons.
The man just looked at him, not disguising his disbelief and hostility. Since not a word was forthcoming from the King Beyond the Wall, Benjen Stark addressed him directly, in an effort to defend himself.
"Please remember, I am not a brother of the Night's Watch, Mance Rayder. I visit the Wall occasionally as the official liaison so named by my brother, the Warden of the North. The scouting mission with your representatives was the first time I ventured more than a day's walk beyond the Wall. I have never been to Craster's Keep myself. Now will you please reveal to us why the Free Folk avoid that man?" Benjen stared Mance Rayder down until he saw the man acquiesce.
"We do not know for sure what happens to his sons. From the two women who escaped his household we know that he leaves his male offspring outside in the cold. There is a rumour going around though that is believed by most of the Free Folk. And those who do not believe it outright fear it might be true anyway."
"Fucking say what you want to say already." Sandor burst out. He was hungover and was getting tired of making sense of this stupid conversation where everyone seemed to beat about the bush.
"My new friend has the right of it, Mance. You are talking like a fucking southerner now. Just come right out with it already and say that we think the daughter-fucker has a deal with the White Walkers and offers his new-born sons up to them. The rumour is not so far-fetched now that we all know these cunts really do exist." Tormund was quick to back up his new drinking buddy's outburst.
"It makes even more sense now that we know that for some reason a small part of the army of the dead led by a White Walker is heading in the direction of Craster's Keep as we speak. Perhaps their purpose is to collect a new male baby." Jon built on Tormund's reasoning.
"The Lord Commander and his large scouting party will not be welcome to witness that deal." Davos muttered. "I hope he doesn't get himself in trouble with his stubborn ways."
"Well, he tolerated a daughter-rapist for many years to keep the peace and have a helpful outpost beyond the Wall. He'll only get what he has coming." Mance retorted his tone bitter. "Ever think of those poor women? Besides getting fucked senseless by their own father, if they get pregnant and have a daughter they know she is destined to be raped by her father as well, and if they give birth to a boy, they have to stand aside and suffer their loss in silence whilst their baby is either left outside to freeze to death or is given to ice monsters to do with as they please."
A silence ensued. Jon was the first to speak up after a while. "Perhaps I should," he started.
But Davos and Benjen Stark both interfered at the same time with a resounding. "No!"
Benjen motioned Davos that he left it to him to explain their objection.
"Not to mention the fact that you are once more thinking of recklessly rushing headlong into danger without backup, you are persona non grata with the Lord Commander already. If you interfere in his business, there is no telling how he will retaliate. He may very well deliver you to the Baratheon King on the spot."
"Over my dead body." Tormund had jumped up fixing them all with his bulging eyes. They still looked red from lack of sleep the same as Sandor's but that didn't diminish the fiery look.
"I personally will kill that stupid cunt of a Lord Commander before he hurts the Dragonrider. Why do we need the cooperation of the fucking Night's Watch anyway? Why wait for the stupid crows to finally show their coward arses instead of letting them delay us for several fucking moons? Why risk them driving away or even hurting our powerful new friend with his dragon, his dragonglass and his ships. We have the numbers and all the support we need thanks to my friendship with Jon the Dragonrider." Sandor nodded vigorously forgetting for a moment that doing so hurt his head.
Benjen spoke up now and made an effort to keep his voice down and talk at a more sedate pace compared to Tormund's fevered speech. Everyone needed to stay calm in order to come to an acceptable plan of action.
"Actually it is the task of the Night's Watch to protect the realms of men. If you know the wording of their vow, it should be them to take the lead in this war and we should only be considered volunteers that want to help them and not the other way around."
"That is just a beautiful theory and not the reality we are experiencing now, Uncle." Jon objected. "First of all they have forgotten what protecting the realms of men really means. They have had it wrong for centuries if not longer. They firmly believe their vows mean that they are to keep the Free Folk from crossing the Wall, when in fact they need to protect the Free Folk who are an integral part of the realms of men from the White Walkers and their army of dead wights." Seeing everyone around him nod he continued.
"Secondly, the brothers of the Night's Watch should have forsworn politics and accept the help they are offered but again that is not the case. My third and final point is that the current Lord Commander is too narrow minded and not fit to lead this war. He has proven he is unable to change his mind when he is proven wrong even if the real threat has been pointed out to him by several men by now."
"Well he is investigating it now." Benjen Stark defended Jeor Mormont.
"Investigating what we already know and aside from endangering his men unnecessarily he is setting us back for moons if we do nothing and just wait for him to return." Jon countered. Tormund and Sandor both nodded their assent. Ser Arthur and Davos kept their faces neutral, clearly deciding to let the men who had seen the threat first hand do the talking for now. They all looked at Mance Rayder to find out how he would respond.
The man deliberated for a while and then addressed Jon. "What do you propose?" It seemed the King Beyond the Wall was emphasising he was willing to defer to Jon for now which sent a clear signal to Jon's entourage.
"I would like to do some more scouting first before making a decision. If they have continued to venture further north, I will probably be gone for almost a sennight. I propose that you all use the time I am away to put your heads together and come up with ways to lure, trap and destroy the enemy. Once we know more of their whereabouts and hopefully have figured out where they intend to target us, we need to decide the exact spot we want to lure them to and set our traps." Jon who had addressed the entire group now paused for a moment and took the time to look Mance Raider straight in the eyes. "Unless you want to wait it out and let them decided where they can overwhelm you?"
"Of course not. I agree that we need to know more about their currents whereabouts and even their motives before we decide on a battle plan. It only makes sense that we use our time to come up with ways to entrap the dead fuckers. The rest we can decide later. I am only worried about the fact that we are just letting the dead reach Craster's Keep unhindered where the White Walker is most likely fetching an innocent baby boy. Are we really going to sit by and just do nothing about that?" Mance looked at all the men now.
"It can't be helped for now." Benjen Stark was the first to speak. "You have thousands of Free Folk families to protect. They should come first. We cannot risk antagonising Jeor Mormont further by showing up to save one soul."
"I could at least take a quick look from high up to see what's happening over there, Uncle." Jon retorted.
"The skies have been clear these last few days, Jon. Mormont would spot you from miles away." Benjen Stark was quick to point out.
"Perhaps Orell can scout the situation with his eagle while I search the far North with my dragons? Based on his findings, you can still decide whether to interfere or not." Jon tentatively asked Mance Rayder.
"I will ask him to do just that. " Mance Rayder was quick to agree. The man subtly conveyed his thanks to Jon for not dismissing his worries out of hand and offering a helpful suggestion.
"Just tell him Jon the Skinchanger asks for his help." Tormund drew the attention of Mance and Jon to him. "Orell will fucking do anything for his fellow warg."
"Well it seems we have a plan for the following days." Mance Rayder turned towards Jon. "Dragonrider, ask Val to give you enough provisions. I have an inkling you will have to extend your search to the uncharted northern territories. Be careful for frostbite and do not rely on encountering a lot of game. The others in your party are welcome to stay with us for the time being."
For the first time since entering the Free Folk settlement Ser Arthur looked anxious. "My Prince, I want you to promise me that you will turn back immediately when your dragons cannot find enough food to sustain themselves. Without them we don't stand a chance here and without you, there is no Targaryen restoration. We will let you fly off without complaining if you assure us you will not take risks and come back at the first sign of trouble."
"Hear, hear!" Davos exclaimed and the others all repeated these words.
"All right," Jon relented. "I thank you all for your concern. I solemnly vow I will not put the lives of my dragons in danger and I am confident that they in turn will see me safely back. I will even go as far as to voluntarily make the promise not to venture farther than a few feet from my dragons when I need to dismount."
"Now that this is settled, or as good as anyway, can you tell me whether you made any progress with your search for volcanic glass?" Mance asked curious to see if the young man was able to make good on his ambitious promises.
"We brought a small amount of arrowheads and spearpoints. They were fashioned from dragonglass belonging to the Night's Watch but with Jeor Mormont gone I borrowed it. I also flew two heavy bags of newly mined dragonglass from the South to the Wall personally and a good friend of mine who happens to be a skilled blacksmith is fashioning more weapons as we speak. We will leave some at Castle Black but the bulk of them will be brought here as soon as they are ready."
Jon noticed Tormund exchange a telling look with Mance Rayder. He was not finished however. "A ship with its hold full of dragonglass is already on its way to Eastwatch. Speaking of ships, twenty eight are docked at the Bay of Ice. I expect news any day now from Eastwatch where fifty ships from Skagos should have arrived by now."
"We won't have to bring the clans settled at Hardhome here then." Tormund spoke to Mance Rayder. Addressing the others he explained. "More than half of our people are currently gathered there. Hardhome is one of the most favoured places to settle beyond the Wall. The area boasts several sheltered plains with plenty of food sources. When a clan moves on, others are quick to take up the space they left. The Free Folk have even put up wooden structures to live in over there. We have been worried about their safety."
"It still depends on the movement of the enemy how best to deal with the clans there. We will know more when we decide when and where we need to make our stand." Mance interrupted. "But I agree that the ones who are not able to fight can stay at Hardhome and venture nearer to the shoreline so they can board the ships if the enemy shows itself."
Once more he turned his attention to Jon to the exclusion of everyone else. The proud man bowed his head slightly and then looked him in the eyes and praised him for all to hear. "It seems you have come through on all your promises so far. I apologise for mistrusting you before."
"You were wise to play it safe, Mance." Jon addressed the King Beyond the Wall by his first name to imply he considered them equals if not friends. "I am sure Davos Seaworth here would have treated you the same way if I had not swayed him in your favour." He watched both older men smile at each other hesitantly.
"Not familiar with our straightforward way of talking yet?" Mance teased Davos directly now.
Tormund who had fetched ale prevented Davos from responding when he spoke up in his exuberant way. "Let us all drink to our new alliance. If those stupid cunts of Crows do not see reason, we will do their fucking job for them and you," he pointed at Benjen Stark, "will tell that powerful brother of yours that the South owes the Free Folk their lives."
"If all goes well," Davos always the voice of reason cautioned them. "We have not defeated the enemy yet." But he did not object when Tormund passed him a horn filled to the brim with ale.
"Bottoms up!" Tormund exclaimed and Sandor echoed his words.
***
The fifth night of Jon's continued absence Davos found Ser Arthur alone outside the settlement with Ghost by his side contemplating the stars. "Do you mind if I join you?" Ser Davos asked and threw a fur on the ground to act as a seat. "Are you not cold out here by yourself?"
Ser Arthur's eyes reluctantly stopped watching the sky and studied the man next to him. "If you think coming here and worrying alongside me will help lift my spirits, I think you are miscalculating. The fact that you are worried as well only increases my distress."
"Perhaps we are concerned about different things and can reassure each other?" Davos tried. "Besides Jon always tells me my presence comforts him. And I know you think too highly of your Prince to consider him a liar." Davos tried to lighten the mood.
"Okay, I'll bite. Work your magic and see if it helps." Ser Arthur straightened his posture somewhat.
"Only if you promise to help me in return." Davos was quick to retort. "What's troubling you, son? I do not believe that you are worrying about your Prince's safety to this extent. I can still hear you defending him to Ser Gerold when he sneaked off to the Wall that first time. You were very sure then that he would take no unnecessary risks and his that his dragons were powerful enough to protect him."
"That is just it. He doesn't need us to protect him most of the time. In the air he has his dragons, on the ground he has Ghost and plenty of support. I have dedicated seventeen years of my life to that boy, I love him perhaps as much as I would love a son but he doesn't need me anymore. Not truly. I have been wandering aimlessly through this settlement for days now trying to remember the reason I volunteered so fervently to come all this way north." He looked over to Davos to see whether the man could make sense of his conflicted speech."
"Well, that last part, I can help you with. We came here because of the description of the ambush that threatened Benjen Stark's life. I had neither heard of an enemy that numerous nor that terrifying. And then we decide to abandon our life's work for a while, forget about the Targaryen restoration for a few moons, only to find that this horrifying enemy has retreated to the far north and no longer presents an immediate threat. Suddenly we find ourselves with time on our hands and a very, very long distance away from our original goal and when I say distance I mean geographically."
"That sums that part up indeed. But that doesn't help me any further." Ser Arthur sighed.
"I think your problem stems from the fact that you still see yourself as this stereotype Kingsguard even though Jon doesn't. He hasn't for a long time now, perhaps even never." Davos stopped when he saw the man shake his head.
"I know over the years we assumed the roles of teacher and trainer on top of our duties of guarding our Prince. But he has grown up now and hardly needs our teachings any more. I am sure you heard all about how he bested me the other day. And even as a Kingsguard I only have a half time job. I have been feeling useless these past few days. Too much time to dwell on the fact that I am not that vital to his well-being any longer and can easily be replaced."
"I just think that you are tired and have been overthinking things, Ser Arthur. Let me finish my prior explanation. Jon's relationship with you over the years has evolved and he can't see you becoming once more the typical Kingsguard that the members of the court will expect to see. We have spoken of the future. He literally told me he just couldn't picture you standing in the throne room two paces behind him to his right not moving a muscle and staying silent while he listened to the petitioners." Davos held up his hand when he saw Ser Arthur's dejected look.
"Let me finish this time before you react, please. Jon told me you are so much more than just a sworn sword. He sees you more as an adviser to the Crown who at the same time is a trustworthy protector and a very close friend. Let me tell you what he has come up with."
Davos saw he had finally captured the goodwill of the famous knight with his last few sentences and quickly continued.
"Our wise Prince realises you define yourself by how good a Kingsguard, how great a swordsman you are. However once he is the King and the realm is at peace, he is of the opinion that this role is too restricting for you. He will also want to hear your opinions and spend time with you in a less formal setting which is not possible if you are officially a knight guarding his King. He has come up with an honorary Kingsguard position. You would still be a formal member of his Kingsguard and wear the uniform at the times of your choosing but you would not be incorporated in the full rotating schedules. He will ask Ser Gerold to enlist new knights to take up the more tedious routine duties. You would still guard him at the times of your choosing, but he will ask that you attend important meetings when he requests your presence and that you will accompany him on specific outings where he wants you by his side in the capacity of a friend or an adviser and not a few paces behind him as a silent formal Kingsguard. If you want, you can also assist Ser Gerold with electing and training the new members of the Kingsguard who will have to adhere to the protocol of the court when they attend to their duties."
Ser Arthur looked at Davos in wonder. "Jon discussed all of that with you?"
"Yes, that and more. He has spent these last few years questioning a lot of the old rules and traditions and we have been debating on the best way to change things up without creating too much opposition and still improve the lot of everyone, not only the nobles but the smallfolk as well."
"Jon has always been on good terms with the smallfolk. I never saw him as a stuck up royal or noble." Ser Arthur smiled. "So what you have been trying to tell me is that our Prince still wants me around, even if he will have a more new Kingsguards at his disposal?"
"That summons it up quite nicely. I guess I used too many words once again. If you are unaware of how devastated Jon would be if something happened to you or if you just upped and left of your own accord, then you are plain stupid and I will tell our dear Prince that he is making a mistake to place so much trust in your ability to understand and guide him." Davos nudged Ser Arthur's shoulder. "Did I work my magic? Do you feel better now?"
"If you swear to me that what you told me is the absolute truth, then I surely do." Ser Arthur studied Davos who turned a serious face to him, not in the least bit insulted.
Davos put his right hand over his heart and solemnly vowed, "I swear it on the life of Aegon Targaryen and his future children."
"Now that is a convincing vow." Ser Arthur placed his hands behind his body and leaned back to look up to the stars once more but this time his posture was more relaxed. "You truly are a magician, Davos. Thank you.
"You're welcome. Now let us see if you can help me out. Don't worry. I do not expect miracles from you. Just a listening ear will already help me a great deal."
Ser Arthur once more interrupted his stargazing concentrating on Davos' problems. "Am I right in presuming your troubles stem from the thing you described so clearly at the beginning of our conversation? Being so far away from our real cause and the trouble here not being as dire for now as we originally thought?"
"See, now you are proving Jon's faith in you is justified. That indeed is the origin of my troubles. When Dragonstone is ours and Jon flies over there and to make his claim to the throne public, we can't have predicted every reaction of every Kingdom or even every vassal houses if loyalties split in one or several Kingdoms. He will need counsel to deal with unexpected adversities. And where will I be? Stuck travelling through half of the Kingdom desperately trying to reach the King I want to serve so very badly."
"You can prepare and plan for most eventualities." Ser Arthur tried to reassure the older man.
"It hardly ever happens that a situation goes one hundred percent according to plan. There are always on the spot adjustments to make at best. At worst a plan has to be thrown out of the window and a new one needs to be fabricated on the spot. Can you imagine hearing of an uprising against our Prince and not being able to reach him for more than a moon? I need to find a solution to prevent him from making his public claim until we arrive in the capital. I do not know if that is feasible however. Word of the dragons will get out and we need to act before King Robert calls his banners and imprisons Lord Stark for treason or attacks Dragonstone."
"Perhaps you forget your trump card is Lord Stark. He will be in the South. Varys is on our side as well. They can advise Jon temporarily if necessary. And maybe you should contemplate leaving here early. The meetings you have attended have shown there is not much strategizing against this kind of brainless enemy. The dragons will play an important part in warning us of every position of the enemy well in advance and we have several possible ways to trap them. You will not be irreplaceable out here. Leave the warfare and deliberating on fighting strategies to the younger guys."
"There will be a small contingent of the Free Folk travelling to Eastwatch to coordinate the evacuation plans and implement several defensive traps over there. If you travel with them you can take one of our ships and sail to White Harbour where you can jump on board of one of the five ship formations leaving for the Driftmark almost daily. I am not telling you to leave mind you, I am only pointing out to you that you have that option." Ser Arthur sat back up again.
"Just think on it." He encouraged Davos. Both men sat side by side and contemplated the stars in silence.
Ser Arthur hesitated a while and then decided to confide his selfish fear to Davos Seaworth. "You know Davos, you worry about what difficulties lie ahead for Jon in the South. I apparently am much more selfish. One of my worst nightmares is the possibility that after the threat here is dealt with, our Prince will just fly south and if his quest for the Iron Throne goes smoothly, I will be stuck here in the North. If we leave the very same day as him and travel to King's Landing by conventional means, even in the best of circumstances it will still take us more than a moon to catch up with him. After dedicating seventeen years of my life to his cause, I know I will be devastated if I were to miss the moment our Prince alias Aegon Targaryen ascends the Iron Throne and takes up his rightful position as the True King."
"Me too." Davos admitted. "That is not selfish, that is normal. We are human after all. Besides we love the boy and want to share his moment of triumph. I for one am certain he would be devastated if we were not there to witness it and would delay his coronation for both our sakes. But I hardly ever venture so far in my thoughts. I am scared to tempt fate."
Another long silence ensued. Again it was Ser Arthur who ended it.
"I am getting tired of sitting out here and will try to catch some sleep. Hopefully our Prince will be back soon with all the information we need. Even though I really do trust him not to do something stupid, I will be very glad once he is safely back and I can go back to guarding him be it in an informal way not up to court standards." Ser Arthur got up with a small smile on his face.
"You won't be the only one who will be glad to see our dragonrider return, Ser Arthur. And thanks, you've given me some good advice and several things to ponder over. Never forget that even the very famous reputation of Sword of the Morning is not enough to describe your worth to our Prince. Perhaps I should feel threatened by you. Years of attending strategy meetings have made you a plausible candidate for Hand of the King as well. Perhaps I will leave you in charge if I decide to board a ship at Eastwatch." He got up as well and both men walked back to the tent that they would once more share with Benjen Stark, Rykker and Stokeworth tonight. Jon of course was still somewhere far North and Sandor hadn't slept with them for a single night since arriving at the settlement.
"Who would have thought we would see so little of Clegane. Sandor seems to be having the time of his life here." Ser Arthur remarked.
"I hope he will still want to leave this settlement when it is time." Davos chuckled at the thought of Sandor as a ladies man.
***
Jon returned after an absence of a sennight. Ghost was the first one at his side. The wolf tempered his greeting when he felt how exhausted his human was. Soon everyone flocked around him eager to hear the news he brought. He silently handed Davos a few scrolls explaining he had made a quick stop at Castle Black. He motioned Tormund and Sandor to take the two bags that lay at his feet. A collective gasp and some exclamations of admirations went through the small crowd when they unwrapped the masterfully crafted daggers, spearheads and axe heads.
Jon waited for the exclamations to die down and told them his friend Gendry should receive all the credit. Then he reached into his other pocket and took out a map of the North. He kneeled down, unfolded the map and put in on the ground in front of him so all could see the markings he had made in the far north. He pointed to several markings on the map.
"They are recruiting animals now. The dead." He clarified when he got some strange looks. "They are recruiting bears, wolves, shadow cats, basically everything they encounter that is big enough to matter. For some reason they are really far up north. It took me a while before I spotted the first wights. I can safely say it will take them more than a moon to reach us here or at Eastwatch."
Davos who stood next to Jon with the scrolls he had just been handed looked down at Jon a questioning look in his eyes. "Castle Black, Jon? Was that wise?" he whispered only for Jon to hear.
Jon sighed. "Perhaps, I don't know. I'll tell you all about that after I have rested and perhaps eaten a bit. In short, Gendry is all right. The scrolls I handed to you are from Winterfell, from Ser Gerold and from Yara Greyjoy. Prince Oberyn has arrived at Winterfell and will perhaps already be on his way to Castle Black. I received a personal message from Edric inside a scroll from Robb that I need to think about and a short note from Ser Gerold that just confirms their safe arrival at the Driftmark. No mention of the situation on Dragonstone yet. Yara reports Euron Greyjoy is sailing past Dorne and is rumoured to be heading for the Stormlands. Nothing from Varys, a short message from Lord Stark sent from somewhere on the Narrow Sea, nothing from Pentos."
Davos noticed Jon's dejected look when he finished his brief report. He knew all too well Jon was worried about the lack of news from Pentos. He dismissed everyone for the time being and ushered Jon inside their tent. Ghost nudged Davos aside and entered the tent as if it was his divine right.
Davos looked at Ghost and belatedly asked, "Jon, are your dragons all right?"
"They will be when they can hunt some proper food. It was not easy to find large game once we were close to the enemy. The dead really decimated the wild life up there." Jon removed his coat and looked for a place to put it.
Davos took the heavy cloak from him, folded it and put it in an empty corner. "Sit down, son. I'll see to it that some hot water is brought to you and some food as well. Rest first. We can talk later. Nothing is that urgent. Is there anything else you need for now?"
Jon sat down and signalled Ghost to put his head on his lap. He absently stroked the fur of his direwolf's neck when he questioned Davos with a worried look on his face. "Davos, where is Uncle Benjen?"
"He volunteered to go check on Gendry and to collect the messages at Castle Black. Could he have seen you fly past him, do you think?" Davos looked expectantly at his Prince.
"I didn't take the trouble to look. I am sorry. I had done nothing but scan the ground for a sennight and was taking it easy on that part of the flight. I don't even remember if there was cloud cover the entire time. I only recall that I flew above the clouds when I approached Castle Black. I am sorry, Davos."
"Don't be. You didn't know your uncle was down there and you've certainly been doing the heavy lifting for now."
Rykker and Val entered the tent at that point. Rykker brought a bucket of hot water and Val a steamy dish that smelled heavenly to Jon and some ale as well. Davos accepted the refreshments from Val, told Rykker where to leave the bucket and then gently ushered them out while conveying his thanks.
He sat down next to Jon and looked at him. "Castle Black, Jon? Did Ser Jaime or Prince Renly spot the dragons? Did they confront you?"
Jon looked at his plate, trying to think of a good reason to postpone talking about this subject but not finding one. "Perhaps we should ask Ser Arthur to join us for this conversation. I am in no mood to explain myself more than once."
Davos looked at him as if trying to read all the answers from his face. When his eyes fell on the plate of food that was still untouched, he relented.
"Come on, son. Your food is getting cold. Eat something and refresh yourself. I'll fetch Ser Arthur and will return when you had ample time to finish your dinner and cleaned yourself up a bit."
Jon nodded and looked at his plate again.
When Davos returned with Ser Arthur, they found their Prince passed out from exhaustion in the same spot where Davos had left him, his direwolf slumbering next to him. At least the plate of food was half empty. Davos took the heavy cloak back from where he had put it earlier and covered the young man.
Now he would have to wait to hear what had happened exactly at Castle Black. He only hoped the situation did not need immediate attention and that Benjen Stark would not enter a hornet's nest unknowingly.
Interlude 18: Breaking the stalemate
The view was simply majestic. Although he had studied the map of Westeros and had expected that the carved out coastlines of the Fingers in the Vale would be quite picturesque, nothing had prepared him for the impressive sight the mountains of the moon formed. He admired the vast chain of mountains with impressive peaks that were close-knit. Each mountain top seemed to strive for dominance over its neighbour. No wonder the area had never been conquered by a conventional army. It looked impenetrable.
The Eyrie itself was situated on the highest peak. Jon looked at it from afar but kept to the plan and descended just enough to fly at a slow pace between the mountains ridges. Both dragons made sure to stay out of view of the fortress to land in the woods near the Bloody Gate. Confident that Lord Stark would have given Lord Royce at least a hint of his arrival he walked up to the Gate alone. He was aware that Rhaegal was peeking through the bushes, his green head hardly visible to the unsuspecting eye. Viserion had reluctantly agreed to keep his distance for now.
The first part of the plan went smoothly. Lord Royce was summoned and Jon had little trouble persuading the man that he was not a threat but a most welcome ally that was capable of breaking the stalemate in one fell swoop. His resemblance to Lord Stark was the most helpful factor. Lord Royce admitted his first thought upon seeing the young man was that the rumours were true and that he stood before the son of the deceased Brandon Stark and the rightful heir to Winterfell.
For once Jon did not hesitate. Following Howland Reed's instructions he revealed his true parentage. He stressed that his uncle, Lord Stark with the collaboration of several powerful allies had been laying the groundwork for a Targaryen restoration for seventeen years already. He quickly refuted the lies that were spread about his parents' relationship and gave a short summary of what really had happened in the aftermath of the Rebellion. He convinced him that they were on the verge of taking the throne away from Robert Baratheon with minimal bloodshed and that an important step in their plan was to take Littlefinger out of the game. Although they had sufficient evidence, a confession from Lysa Arryn would seal the traitor's fate irrevocably.
The loyal knight of the Vale was totally on board when Jon promised that in exchange for his support he would name Lord Yohn of House Royce the regent of the Vale until Robin Arryn was old and healthy enough to take over his duties. In any event Lord Yohn Royce was guaranteed a position on the small council as soon as Jon or rather Aegon Targaryen was officially proclaimed King of the Seven Kingdoms.
Soon enough two dozen knights led by Lord Royce were making the ascent. Just before they reached the steep, narrow mountain path where they might come under attack from the archers or be besieged by stones or oil, Jon showed up with his two dragons. He easily neutralised the handful of guards that half-heartedly defended the fortress because they were left now choice by their increasingly irrational Lady. They stood down at his first command and looked almost relieved in spite of the uncommon view the two large dragons made.
Jon left Viserion in place and ascended the rest of the mountain until he could circle over the inner courtyard. As predicted by Reed, Robin Arryn came running up to him, excited to see a real life dragon. Jon trapped the boy in the corner of the courtyard with Rhaegal's large body. The dragon's tale barricaded the door the boy came through so no one else could enter the courtyard from inside the castle. Jon dismounted and talked to the boy of the amazing things he saw when he flew over Westeros and reassured him that the dragon was very friendly if he behaved. He gave Rhaegal a few minor commands, like puff some smoke, lift your head toward the sky and breath a small flame, nod yes, shake no. The nine year old clapped his hands after each trick and Jon had trouble answering all his questions since the young Lord hardly listened to any of his answers before coming up with a new one.
When finally Yohn Royce climbed into the courtyard from the mountainside the little boy was quite enthusiastic to see the knight and asked if he had finally arrived to teach him to fight with his new sword. The knight easily lifted the boy in his arms and promised him that from now on he would receive daily lessons. The boy clapped his hands once more and gave Lord Royce a kiss on his cheeks. "I told mama you would come to see me but she wouldn't believe me. Can I visit your place and play with all the children again?" Jon looked flabbergasted. Everything went literally as Lord Reed had told him. Never before had a vision of Lord Reed been so detailed and so accurate. He instructed Rhaegal to release his hold on the door and the knights that had made the ascent with Lord Royce soon had Lysa Arryn in custody.
A satisfied Lord Royce smiled when he told Jon that there was not a single casualty and that all the guards that had been forced to defend the Eyrie had immediately surrendered to him and been pardoned.
Jon stayed at the Eyrie that night and cemented his bond with Lord Royce. They decided that Bronze Yohn himself would lead the party that escorted Lysa Arryn to King's Landing to stand trial. Once there Royce would ask for a private audience with Lord Eddard Stark. Depending on the outcome, the Vale would either pledge their support to the Targaryen cause or stay neutral. He also promised to make every effort to convince his people not to spread rumours about the presence of dragons at the Vale and Lord Royce would keep Jon's parentage a secret for now. Jon left for the Driftmark with the assurance that at the very least the knights of the Vale would not take up arms against him.