Disclaimer: I do not own the series "A Song of Ice and Fire" or "A Game of Thrones". It belongs to George R. R. Martin as the Author of the books and to any and all others who published the book along with those who made the television series. Any characters I may use belongs to them as well.
Chapter One
A ranger walked through the icy passages of the Wall. He was caped in black and booted with leather. His long sliver hair normally flowed to his waist, but it now blew in the cold icy wind of the night. His eyes seemed to match feeling of the land down North, a light and cold blue. "My turn on watch," the ranger's voice called out to another sitting by a small fire. He looked like most the others here; heavily coated in whatever they could find, most always seen around a fire, and brawny. Oh, with a side of sword.
The other smirked as he looked at him. Emil wore a thinner shirt under his cape and just one pair of pants while others wore two or three. "We all know you're bold, Emil. But you can't bold the cold tonight," he chuckled and stood. As he passed Emil, the ranger, he gave him a pat on the back. Emil sat down in his place and faintly hear the voice call back, "Keep that fire going!"
Emil snorted. Don't you tell me. He leaned back and looked at his work area for the night to come. The Wall continued to go upwards and the little opening for the watch was quite narrow. The distance from his back to the wall opposite was only two of an arm's length. The fire next to him radiated a little warmth against the cold. The drop off was only a foot away.
Looking out beyond the wall Emil feel some peace. Odd, for beyond this wall is a threat, or so is told to them by all superiors. The snow blanketed forest called with the howl of the wind in the night. While on duty nothing was heard from others or spoken. You sat there and watched. Waited. Nothing was seen down below for who knows how long. The so-called "White walkers" or "Others" whatever name you please to call them, have not been sighted for ages.
Emil drifted off in thoughts of his own, the frost of the night nipping at him and all others who sat on watch. They were to 'watch' for anything going on down below, but honestly, nothing happened down there for many, many years. Would this time be different? Emil always kept that thought in mind. Why not be optimistic for some excitement in this bleak and boring place?
Next thing he knew, the sun was about to rise. His limbs were all frozen to place. Emil cursed under his breath - which showed in the still cold. He had fallen asleep for a good while. Why hadn't anyone woke him? Because if you screw up on the Wall you deal with your own consequences, or the consequences are dealt to you. Emil cracked his neck and broke his icy clothes off of the floor or himself. He walked to the hall that led down to the elevator. Walking there a few of the other watchmen broke a small grin once they broke eye-contact and pushed past him. Oh yeah, I'm sure Doctor told them already.
Emil stepped into the elevator, as did another cloaked man in black. The door shut and the ride down commenced. Emil barely heard a chuckle escape the man's mouth. As quick as a snake lunges his hand grasped the other's neck and Emil held him up. The guy grunted and desperately tried to free his own neck with his two hands. Emil tipped his head to the side a bit and spoke in his dark voice, "Think something's funny about me?" His straight face and cold, piercing eyes must of pierced the man's heart because of his reaction. He began crying a bit and pleading him to let him go.
Emil, a ranger, was highly above this 'watchman'. He was a recruit, and yet to take his vows. If this man was to make a vow, his cowardice would make him a steward indeed. For, if the man were not a coward he would have fought… or least of all not wept like a baby in a cradle. Emil sighed and released the man. He coughed and caught a breath of air on his knees. Emil stood in place, lacking all emotion and motion as the door opened. He stepped out as the man behind him got up slowly.
The training yard was full of recruiters and sparring. The Lord Commander watching them all. Emil stealthily moved to his quarters in Hardin's Tower. The one door with a lock on it stood clear in view. He moved towards it quickly so no one would hear him. "Emil! Come here old boy!" came a jolly voice from a few doors down the hall. Emil closed his eyes and sighed. All most there. Emil regrettably moved to the opened door. Inside was a ton of gadgets and gizmos which Emil - nor any other man of the Wall - knew not what they would do if activated. Sitting at a desk was a large man with short white hair and he was turned away from the black cloaked man at his door. He wore regal clothes and had a rather large staff at his side for moving around and fighting with whenever he needed to. He was Doctor. He raised Emil from child to the man he was today.
"Hello Doctor," Emil sneered as he stood right outside his door.
"Well do come in lad. It's been a while" Doctor waved his hand for him to enter, still not even looking at him.
Emil quietly walked in and shut the door. There was a chair in front of his desk, of which he sat in so they could talk face-to-face. The man had a smirk on his face as he leaned forward and rested his chin on his folded hands. They stayed like this for a good while. Emil's dull and emotionless face looking at Doctor's smiling and slightly chubby one. Finally he got fed up with him, "What do you want, Doctor?" Emil yelled out.
Doctor's smile faded a little, but it was still there as he leaned back again. "Now, now. No need to get upset. We were just having a good telepathic talk there, that's all." He turned in his chair and slowly got up with his staff. "You're not very nice to me, even in your head." he chuckled. "Though some things I had said were sure-"
"We didn't have a tele…pavic conversation." Emil cut in before he got too far. He stared at him coldly as he responded. He always stared at him coldly when he responded. You could never know what was coming out of his mouth next.
Doctor stopped in his place as Emil spoke. "Telepathic, my dear boy. And if that is so, then forget I ever said anything! Now why did I call you in here?" He pondered on that for a moment and put a hand to his forehead and massaged it. Doctor snapped his fingers. "Ah! I did not see you come in last night from your watch! Did you get lost? Hungry? Find a girl? Find a man?"
Emil stopped him there. "No. First of all; do you really wait and watch for me to return when I go on watch? It's not like I ventured off into the North. I'm just on top of a castle of ice. Secondly, I just fell asleep Doctor. No midnight snack. No women. No…" he remembered his last comment. Find a man? He jabbed a finger at him "Hell no."
Doctor scoffed at his last comment. "My dear boy, are you against men getting with men? I hear it is quite a thing around these parts. Also," he walked to him and tipped Emil's chin up. "Why is your skin not blue or cold if you really did sleep up there?"
The cloaked man yanked his head away from the man's hand. "You tell me." he growled. "Any other man would have died up there." Emil showed him his frozen clothes and put it to his hand. Doctor jumped back. "Tell me, Doctor, why can I do things nobody else can? Extraordinarily different things that would kill other men?"
A soft smile appeared on the man's lips. "Emil. What makes every man different? Extraordinarily? Every man has something that makes him a oath taker here. It's what makes us all survivors." He tapped a finger to his head. "My knowledge for example." His finger was now jabbed at him. "Your endurance of the extreme cold." The finger of importance flung to the door. "Or another man's strength out there. His agility. His skills with a blade or axe or hammer."
Emil shrugged his shoulders and stood. On his way out he patted the doctor's back. "Thanks for the talk, Doc." Before closing the door he slipped out, "and get some sleep!" Damn fool hasn't slept for days working on that new 'project' of his. Emil stopped at his own room. Retrieving the key from his inner coat pocket and putting it in the lock another voice called from the hall. It was a man he'd never seen. Or perhaps he had, but just cared not to remember.
"Lord Lair, the Lord Commander needs an audience with you immediately." He spoke like a dog he was. A dog for bigger dogs to bark orders to.
Emil needed something from his room first. He waved at the man saying a "Yeah, yeah," and entered his own place. The room was dark with no windows. No need, he knew exactly where it was. Emil leaned in and his hand clenched onto the hilt. The long blade of his - also latched onto a belt - was sheathed. Inside was a fine made sword that could pierce any armor here. He belted himself, locked the door quickly, and walked to the Lord Commander's room with the messenger following scared behind him.