Chapter 2 - High Lord

Ellard looked at Nathan withwith some scepticismscepticism after coming out of his shoked state, and seeing that Ellard was doubting his words, Nathan spoke with one hand raised,raised, "I hereby declare that what I, Nathan Drake, had told Lord Ellard Stark is nothing but the truth."

As his words ended, a blue light shone on his hand, which surprised Ellard. Knowing that he would have no idea of what just happened, Nathan said,said, "What I did right now is similar to the oathoath the Northerners take, only this one is magical. If what I said was the truth, then the light would shine;; if what I said was a lie,lie, the light wouldwouldn't shine. No one is powerful enough to alter this magical oath."

Blinking his eye, Ellard said,said, "Okay,, I believe you,you, Lord Drake." Trumping his fingers on the desk, he asked "What do you want from me, for saving my nephew?"

Chuckling at that question, Nathan said,said, "Lord Stark, I didn't rescue your nephew for any reward. But I would like to ask you to let me live in the north. north. I have read the aura of the people that I have met, and I can conclude that they are people who are honest and hard--working. And it just feels like home."

After contemplatingAfter contemplating for some time, Ellard said,said, "Since you are a mage, I can't let you be part of the small folk. What's your age?"

"Sixteen years old,," Nathan said.

Nodding his head, Ellard calculated some things in his head and said,said, "Tell you what?? I'm going to make you aa High Lord in an unruly place.. Iwant you want you to make those unruly people straight and make that place prosper."

"I agree. Do I need to take an oathoath for that?" Nathan asked.

Nodding his head, Ellard said,said, "There is. Now kneel before me and repeat what I am saying."

Standing up, Nathan kneeled in front of Ellard, and Ellard started to recite the Lords Oath:Oath: "I, Lord Nathan Drake, High Lord of Skagos and Skane, Defender of Shivering Sea, swear my fealty to Lord Ellard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North,North, and his Heir, under the watchful eyes of the Old Gods."

"I, Lord Nathan Drake, High Lord of Skagos and Skane, Defender of Shivering Sea, swear my fealty to Lord Ellard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North,North, and his Heir, under the watchful eyes of the Old Gods." As soon as Nathan repeated what Ellard recited, a glowed blue and a thread of magic came from Nathan and tied itself toto Ellard.

When he felt magic enter him, Ellard asked with a little bit of confusion,confusion, "What was that?"

"That, my lord, was the aftereffectaftereffect of the magical oath. As long as there is a Stark in the Winterfell, a Drake from Skagos will be there for them in tough times and good times. times. This will last generations, and no one can break it except House Stark.Stark. DoDo something that would make the magic itself undo this oath."   oath." Nathan said as he stood up from kneeling.

Ellard slowly nodded his head and said,said, "Then, inin the year 86 AC, House Drake had taken up the position of High Lord of Skagos and Skane. You will have to make a coat of arms for your house;; do you have anything in mind?"

"Can I get a cloth the size of a banner?" Nathan asked.

Nodding his head, Ellard called for his guard,guard, who was standing outside,outside, and told him to fetch a cloth similar to the Stark banner. Withina few a few minutes, the guard came back with a cloth shaped likelike the banner. Taking it from the guard, Ellard toldhim to him to stay outside and gave the cloth to Nathan. 

As soon as he got it in his hands, he started to change the cloth colourcolour toto icy blue,blue, and a picture of a four--legged silver dragon with a pair of bat--like wings extended to the maximum, almost reaching both ends of the banner, was hovering in the middle of the banner.

Looking at the banner in fascination, Ellard asked "Why a dragon?"

"Because my name is Drake." Nathan said with a smile that he knew Ellard was asking if he had a dragon with him. He does have his loyal companion from the second life, but he did plan to get more from the Land of Always Winter.

Shrugging his shoulders, Ellard said, "Since you are a mage, then I'm sure that you will be able to take Skagos without any army. But if you need men, I'll give you my trusted men for your conquest."

"That won't be necessary, my Lord. I can take care of it; the good news will reach you in three days." Nathan said, and he wasn't making any false promises. 

"Alright. Stay the night and start your journey tomorrow." Ellard said, and he called for a guard from outside. He told the guard to show the guest room to Nathan and to tell a maid servant to take care of him.

Nathan had a well-deserved rest that night. He didn't try to use his gifts during the night, as he knew that he could do it during the coming days. 

When the moon was at its highest point, inside Lyanna's room, she started to spasm around with her eyes rolled back. She was throwing her arms and legs around like a person who was about to drown. After a few minutes of spamming around, she stilled on her bed, seemingly dead. 

The next morning, when the servant knocked on the door and there was no reply, she opened it with force. When she entered the room, she saw Lyanna on her bed, dead. 

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh" The servant girl screamed as soon as she saw the dead Lyanna. 

That scream woke up whoever was not up in the castle, and the ones who were already awake ran straight towards the epicentre of the scream, and the first person to reach the room was Nathan. 

Without checking on the servant girl, he went straight to Lyanna and checked her pulse, breathing, and body heat. Finding none, he concluded that she was dead. Biting on his finger, he extracted some of his blood and started to draw runes around Lyanna, and when he finished it, a projection of Lyanna was hovering above her, and in that projection, he found dark purple blood in her ears and stomach. 

Squinting at it, he drew a few more runes too and found what that substance is: 'Interesting. Using poison to kill a direct line of Starks. Who in the world has this kind of audacity to do this to a sixteen-year-old?'

Just as he concluded that she was poisoned, Ellard entered the room with four guards. Seeing Nathan standing next to the dead Lyanna, the guards pointed their swords at him, and Ellard asked in a low, icy, cold voice, "What have you done to my niece?"

"I would like to remind you of the oath I made to you, my Lord. She's your heir; I wouldn't be able to harm her in any way or form until the oath is broken from the Stark side." Nathan told him as he observed Lyanna more, and he noted that her face was turning purple with each passing minute. 

"Then what happened to my niece?" Ellard asked him again. 

"She's dead. Poisoned, to be exact." Nathan replied, and looking at the dark purple blood, he continued, "It's in something that she consumed. I don't know what it is, but if you give me permission to search all throughout the castle, I promise you to find any trace of the said poison."

"You have my permission. Search every nook and cranny of the castle! I need the culprit in my hands!" Ellard thundered out in rage and sorrow. 

Nathan just nodded at the grieving man and left the room in search of the poison.

[This fan fiction will be updated once per month]