Chapter two is revised and up! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire, or its characters.
Chapter II – Not only swords can be used
| Lee POV |
Being back on the Wall was strange enough, but the circumstances made my return even stranger. I had not yet talked to someone other than the Lord Commander about my mission beyond the Wall. It was not pleasant. The poor new Brothers had no idea of what awaited for them.
The sun was beginning to appear when I came out of the bathhouse, my Brothers were now walking its way and I did my best to remain unseen, but they were quick enough to spot me.
"Look there, it's Peis. Bathing earlier so no one will see your little cock?" One guy on the group said, I didn't recognize them, possibly because of the time I was away. "I didn't want to make you embarrassed because mine is bigger." I answered and he scowled.
"Little piece of shit." The others around him here muffling laughter and that made him even angrier. So he advanced at me, hand closed into a fist to punch me, but I just dodged. Seeing me step to the side, he moved his arm sideway to knock me, but I just stooped, using my height as an advantage.
The others were coming too, to help their friend and I was surrounded…
"Stop." The cold and firm voice of Jon Snow called on the end of the hall. And apparently he was an authoritarian figure, since they backed away and ran, leaving me alone with Snow.
"Are you alright?" He asked his voice turning into one with concern. "Yeah. Thank you, knight in the shining armor." I joked and he laughed, looking at me. Something about his gray eyes always made me look right into them.
"But you sure are early. Have something do to?" I shook my head in response, beginning to walk, he joined me. "No, I just like to wake up early in the morning. Maybe I will train today."
"I don't see your sword." Jon said and I raised a brow, even though he couldn't see. "I don't need one to kick your ass." It was his time to raise an eyebrow.
"Really? So will you give me the honor to a fight?" I found myself smiling, but yet, he couldn't see because of my mask, I was safe.
"Sure, My Lord." He groaned something and kept walking. We made our way to the kitchen, he had to prepare the Lord Commander breakfast.
I sat there while he prepared the meal, observing, until his friend, Sam I think, walked into the kitchen. "Jon! I was looking for you!" He said excitedly, but stopped when saw me looking his way.
"It is fine, Sam, he is ok." Jon didn't even look at his friend to answer, just kept cutting the bread. Sam joined us hesitantly. "He is serious, boy, I won't kill you." I tried my best to hoarse my voice and at the same time keep it light.
"I heard what you said the other day and I am glad some guys here have the common sense to fear me instead of trying to beat me in the bathhouse." Sam gave me a confused and questioning look, but I wasn't willing to explain why I was up early nor why people were stupid.
"Some Brothers were picking on him, like they did to you." Snow answered and I turned to Sam. "So the knight in shining armor there helped you as well?" The chubby boy couldn't help but laugh at my comment and smile as well; at least he feared me a little bit less now.
"Jon does that; he helps the weak and helpless." I leaned against the table, my body turned to see Snow working while I sat in the bench, watching the knife go up and down as he chopped the meat.
"So… Peis, right? Where did you come from?" Sam asked, he seemed really friendly and probably tried to lighten the mood in the Wall by getting to know everyone. "Well, Sam… You can call me Lee, no need to be so formal. I lived in a village south the Wall; I guess I always wanted to protect people by coming here, after all I grew up in its shadows."
I could see on the corner of my eyes that Snow was paying attention to our conversation, though he said nothing, his face slightly turned to our direction and his expression calm. "What about you, Sam?"
"My father said it was either the Wall or a riding accident, I guess I preferred living here." I felt sorry for him, the Wall was not like that at all, it was far from safe and a glorious life.
"Aah… I miss the girls…" He muttered, letting himself be soak into thoughts. I turned to Snow; he still looked right at me.
| Jon POV |
When Sam asked Peis why he had come to the Wall I turned immediately to look at him, not expecting an answer at all, it surprised me when he pondered, but did answer the question.
"Well, Sam… I lived in a village south the Wall; I guess I always wanted to protect people by coming here." So he always dreamt of coming here? Just like me…
"What about you, Sam?" Peis asked, looking directly at Sam, but my eyes didn't leave his masked face. "My father said it was either the Wall or a hiding accident, I guess I preferred living here."
"Aah… I miss the girls…" Sam added and Peis turned to look at me, I didn't try to hide or turn away the fact that I had been staring. His cold blue eyes sparking intently and it met my own. It took me a few seconds to regain control and turn away to go back to my duties.
The Lord Commander breakfast soon was ready and I excused myself to deliver it to his quarters, leaving Sam with Peis.
I knocked on the door and the Lord Commander answered, taking the tray and closing the door again, I suppose he was busy with something and didn't like being interrupted.
I was feeling hungry, so made my way to the dining hall; most of my brothers were there, leaving almost no room to sit. I took some bread and oatmeal, one thing I missed about Winterfell was the food, so good and never repetitive like it was here.
Sam stood up and called me, waving his hand and I sighed before making my way to him, he was so flashy sometimes. His side was occupied by Pyp, so I sat next to Peis, who was still there to my surprise.
Sam and Pyp were talking about something, but I concentrated myself on my meal and sometimes looked at the man next to me, he had already finished eating, but still stood there silent.
"Problem, Snow?" He asked, low so only I could hear. "I just… Didn't imagine you sitting here enduring Sam…" I replied, also in a low tone.
"Life is full of surprises, Snow… Meet me in thirty minutes in the training yard." He patted my shoulder while getting up and leaving, making a few heard turn our way in curiosity.
Half an hour passed and I made my way to the training yard, Peis waited there, this time with a sword safe in his sheath. He sat on the floor, two wooden swords in front of him, he looked up.
"Hey there, boy." I offered a hand so he could get up and he accepted it, I noticed his hands were significantly smaller than mine and his gloves were hard and different than any I've ever seen.
"Like my gloves? They are special ones. No sword has ever cut them." Peis took one glove out, throwing at me and I caught it. It seemed like iron gloves, but the metal was different from everything I had ever seen.
"I won a few years back, before coming to the wall, my father gave to me. It was exported from somewhere really far away, I don't know where or what it is made of, but it helps me a lot."
I gave him the glove back and he put it on, looking at me. "So, you want to fight? Until one yield?" I nodded while getting in my position, Peis just stood there, looking while I took a wooden sword.
"Oh boy, you are going to be sorry…" He whispered before positioning himself, without sword, just his hands in front of his body, which was strange, but if he was going to give me such an easy win, it was his call.
I attacked first, aiming my sword to his arm, but he dodged it easily, it was obvious that he was faster than me, probably because of the height difference.
I attacked again, this time vertically and hit the air inches to his left, Peis had dodged again and his palm met my back, not strongly, so I just ignored it, turning myself to strike again, horizontally. Attack that was dodged again as he just bent down, his palm meeting my right arm this time, without strength.
"Come on, Snow. Show me what you got." He yelled, teasing me, but I kept calm and went for another attack, this time faster and stronger, he dodged and hit my wrist with the palm of his hand.
I looked to Peis's face and he stepped back, looking at me, by the look in his eyes, he was smirking inside the mask.
"It is over, Snow." He announced and I felt confused. Over? How this could be over if I was standing without a cut or even tired? I was about to open my mouth to protest, but…
That's when I felt my arm fail and the sword fell from my hand to the ground, hitting the snow with a muffled puff. A strong and unexpected pain hit my back and I fell to my knees, looking up to Peis, who still looked at me with the same expression in his eyes.
I tried to get back, but my arm didn't respond me and neither did my back. "What have you done?!" I shouted angrily.
"I told you I need no sword to fight. Just my hands are enough to put a man bigger than me on his knees." I looked at him with the anger increasing inside me by the second and the pain wasn't making it any easier.
The few times he had hit me had done this? But there was barely impact at all. Peis must have seen the realization across my face, because he kneeled down in front of me.
"Exacly, Jon. The places I hit you were no ordinary places. You see… Our body is formed by points, some vitals and some less important. With one simple touch, I can make your arm useless."
I felt his hand on my arm, the same place where he had hit before and the control I had over my arm was restored, but my hand felt numb. The next touch was on my wrist and the numbness went away.
"I can take your pain; I can increase it, just with a simple touch in the right place." He pressured his hand on my back and the pain went away and so did my anger.
"Where did you learn this?" I asked, low tone, looking right into his eyes. "My father taught me." I felt unsatisfied with his answer and even frustrated, but now I could see why he was a Ranger and one of the bests, according to Lord Commander Mormont.
He kept kneeled down in front of me and I realized I wasn't blinking much and looked right into his eyes. It seemed to be happening a lot lately.
"I can teach you if you want." He said, sitting on the floor clumsily and I sat too. "I don't think I would learn. I am good with a sword."
"I see… Well, I can use a sword if you'd like. I bet I am better than you with that too." His tone was a mocking one and I laughed for a second before standing up. "Ok, show me what you got." I had my sword back in hand and Peis lazily stood up, taking a wooden sword too.
He bowed slightly. "My Lord." I mocked once more before positioning himself.
"Come." He ordered and I obeyed, wilding my sword and striking with it the faster I could, I had to win this time.
Even though he was fast, the sword seemed to be heavy for him, even it being a wooden one. My attacks were stronger and each time he defended, he backed away one step.
After all, I was better with a sword. And stronger as well, I could see he was tiring easily.
He stepped away from the wall that was nearing his back and I turned quickly to dodge one attack that came my way.
I laughed, it was fun having someone other than Sam train with me, and it was important that Peis was better than Sam with a sword and without it, made it even more fun and challenging.
Peis tripped in a rock hidden in the snow and had to try his best to keep standing, but that was an opening. I rushed forward, pushing him against a tree, my sword touching his neck, while my other arm and my body pressed his body, leaving no room for him to escape.
"Do you yield?" I asked, trying to sound cold and surly. "No." I was a little taken back because of his answer, but didn't back away. The blade touched his neck with more firmness, but his eyes were defying and he looked straight into mine.
"Do… You… Yield?" I asked once more, pausing after each word this time. I heard footsteps and a gasp, but didn't turn to see who it was.
"Never." I was a little frustrated. How could he defy me when I am the one with sword against his neck?
I leaned closer, my body even more pressed against his small one and my faces inches from his, but he looked even more defiant.
"Jon!" I heard Sam's voice and turned for a second to look at him. My mistake, this one second led Peis to kick me between the legs and the world went black.
It took me a few seconds before feeling the excruciating pain hitting my body, beginning with my legs and going to my head. I hit the ground, my hands reaching my injured part in a desperate act to try to ease the pain.
"Ha! I said I would never yield. Do you yield?!" I could see that Peis had kneeled next to me when my sight came back, his sword pointing to my neck. I could see one drop of blood falling from his, probably that is what caused Sam to yell.
"I yield." I said finally, between groans of pain. "But you cheated."
Peis stood up, laughing happily to himself. Sam came running to us, looking at him. "You are hurt!" He said and I felt bad for hurting him, my will to win quickly disappearing and becoming guilt.
"Don't worry; it's just a small cut. I guess your friend here really wanted to win. That's two wins for me, Snow." He winked one eye before leaving, I knew that behind the mask was the biggest grin ever.
I still felt every single part of my body aching, with a sigh I just let myself rest on the snow.
