Finding Yourself at the Edge of the World, a Tale of the Night's Watch
Chapter 1
Rydon Krall leaned over the rail and enjoyed the feeling of the sea's spray on his
face. He could see the shore of the mainland coming up fast and again for a moment
doubted the actions he was taking.
He pulled out the letter for the Lord of the Pyke again, and stared at it. If he dropped
it, just let go, no one would be the wiser. The letter to Lord Balon was a slanderous thing at
best.
It was a letter from Rydon, one of Balon's best captains, and one of the longest
served. Talking about how the old ways were lost and it was neither Robert Baratheon nor
Eddard Stark that had taken them.
The men of iron had thrown the old ways aside out of fear. The worshippers of the
Drowned God always said 'What is dead cannot die.' But then ran and hid their lives away.
They paid the iron price against fat merchant and green boys wearing iron, when they
should be going after stronger prey. Assuming of course that Balon or any ironman actually
possessed some form of strength. Balon hid behind the excuse of his son's life, hid behind
the words he had said to Stark and the other when he had been beaten.
Perhaps Balon hid behind these facts or others but one thing was certain he did hide.
Which he was too cowardly to hold the seat he did. An ironman of strength and courage
should by right and law take the seat from Balon but none had. No matter what Balon's true
strength was the weakness and cowardice that had consumed the ironmen was greater.
Rydon himself was no exception, not really. The fact that he doubted his strength
enough to consider his current plan of action was proof enough of that.
He would reach the mainland, hand the letter to his secondary and then make for the
Wall.
The Wall, the redemption of his strength. Against the true north he would have to
pay the iron price everyday and not for frivolous things like gold or saltwives but for his
life.
If he is unable to pay the price for his life north of the end of the world? Then the
Others can have him. The Others can have them all.
As the ship pulled into the harbour Rydon gave the letter and his instructions to his
secondary.
What is dead could not die.
What was too afraid to live could not be dead.