Worthy of your Love
Chapter 7: Queen in the North
Recap
On their own they only had ten ships and that too not high warships. So they hired sellsails to make it to king's landing, most likely on fortnight they would make to capital of Westeros and he would be able to meet his friends after long time. He already got words from kings landing, it was going to be the best contract, roots in westros was something every living soul craved for and he was no exception.
Seeing an old friend, for normal man would be a good news, but not for him, he still remembers Mance Rayder, his brother with whom he trained, broke bread and drank all night. Even after all these years of fighting each other and killing each other men, he couldn't let go of all those memories.
Mance Rayder, once sworn brother of night's watch but now King beyond the wall. He united every single wildling clan to fight against nights watch, which was a disturbing new and even more disturbing to witness, the wilding camps stretched all the way to the horizon.
On lord commander's command, they had set out to gather information and patrol the wilding camp area at hard home, but things never works out as planned. He drifted from his brother, and got himself captive, present for King beyond the wall. His captors seemed to be very proud of their achievement.
So now he was walking with his hands roped behind his back, without his sword or any other weapon. But the big problem was their number, he didn't even want to estimate the count. Even if every single of his brother kills hundred wildling, that won't be enough.
But suddenly the entity which took all of his attention was the giant, in front of him, living giant in flesh and blood. More than at least thirteen feet, walking in front of him holding a huge wooden log that would usually need at least thirty full-grown men to even move it by an inch. He was sure he felt the fear piecing to his bones. 'Giants, what else do they have'
"Don't look them in the eye crow, they are shy but when they stop being shy, they get angry, and when they're angry, I 'have seen them pound the man straight into ground like hammer on a nail" he heard, as one of his wildling companions tried to prove their worth in his own way.
But whatever, he had no wish to anger a giant, so he moved towards where his captors beckoned, way to Mance's camp was quite long and much entertaining, with men and woman cursing him and his brothers and small children throwing anything which they could get their hand on.
Mance's camp was not much different from rest of wildlings camps, he expected something better for king beyond the wall but then again they were wildlings.
As he entered, at once his gaze met Mance, his old friend, his saviour back in time. Still slender frame, though have quite laughter lines at the corner of his face. And why not, fucking any girl he could find and fathering sons and daughter without getting his head chopped was contentful for any man.
As he was pushed inside the camp, Mance stood up, walked toward him,
"We have Qhorin Halfhand for you" one of his captor said, who wore a skull on his face and covered his body with dead bones.
"Thanks for the gift lord of bones, you can leave us" Mance commanded in passive tone. And they followed.
"So brother, long time" Mance said with a short smile,
"Yes, sorry didn't send you ravens," he said sarcastically, Mance laughed at that,
"Haven't changed, still holds to your humour" Mance asserted"
"In this cold, you gets to hold naked girls, I consider at least my humour" he replied with a smirk.
Mance looked at him silently for a moment, before beckoning him to sit, he could feel the gazes of others in the room, one with axe and other with sword, both ready to cut him down at first signal.
As he sat, one of wildling prepared two cups for both of them, it was good, it was really good to have drink before going for his grave.
"So what's plan for me, burning me alive, chopping off,"
he asked for what seemed inevitable.
"It's still time for that, don't worry, you were my brother once" Mance responded with firmness in his voice.
"King beyond the wall, command suits you" he said,
"Whatever, but thing is there's a reason….. We all are here, more than 100 thousand men and women, dozens of tribe" Mance voiced, but now his tone was grave,
"That something to consider, how did you do all of this," he asked curiously, wildlings were nothing if not unyielding and persistent.
"you want to know what it took to unite 90 clans, half of whom want to kill other half for insult or another…..so listen, I told them if we don't make it south of the wall, we all gonna die…and that's the hard truth" Mance finished picking up his cup and taking up a sip,
He remained silent, he knew that there was something wrong beyond the wall, and many of his brother choose to die rather than live in night's watch. They claimed to have seen white walkers. Many believed them, many didn't but there it looked like that wasn't all madness. Maybe there was some reality.
"Even lord commander knows, what's out there, but still he remains ignorant" Mance pulled him out of his thoughts,
"Lord Commander is doing, what every lord commander has done before him" he spoke looking at Mance in the eye.
"And that's what, killing my people, wall was never meant to keep us out, it was raised to keep those vile creature out." Mance snapped at him,
Somewhere in his mind, he knew Mance was telling the truth,
"And now what, you march on wall with your Army…..you are a fool if you think you can make it past the wall," he urged fiercely, although it was a lie.
"No, we have men, we have giants, mammoths, pathetic nights watch won't be able to stop us now." Mance said challengingly.
He was getting short on words but he could not let them attack the wall right away,
"Starks will march down whole north, their army cutting your men in half in pieces….that will be the fate of your people," he voiced without showing any hint of doubt in his voice, he already knew about downfall of starks, and instability in Northern houses, but wilding doesn't know what happens south of the wall, so he would take advantage from whatever he could.
He want them to be in doubt, in doubt of their victory. At least it would buy Lord Commander sometime to get help against wildlings. And seemingly, his words hammered quite an effect on Mance.
"What happened…..don't tell me you did not think about it…." He smirked at him.
He knew he was running over uncertain ground but he had no choice.
"Well don't worry, we'll see about that," mince replied trying to hide his disquietude Qhorin hammered in his head.
"Take him out, give him food and water….." Mance ordered his men, without looking at him.
But he was contented, even though he was Mance's prisoner, still he did his work perfectly. Now he just hopes that Northern houses respond to Lord Commander's call and come to their aid before its too late.
Travelling in the swamps and marshy terrain over the neck has never been something to be expected. His people protected north for thousand years, living in secrecy under the shades of Nature.
But when his men told him about a boy making in the swamp flying stark banner all alone, he felt disputed, he knew all starks were gone and remaining were either prisoners or Missing. But in the end he decided to see who comes to their place with Stark banner. He sent his men to get that boy to him but blindfolded.
When he heard about the death of Robb stark, he grieved for him and mourned for house stark, but if there's really hope for restoring house stark, he would do that in a blink.
He was sitting on the high table, when his men brought the stranger boy, in front of him. According to his command he was blindfolded.
He beckoned his men to remove the blind folds. Boy had dark hair, even had good muscles on his body. As folds were taken off, he saw his eyes, which seemed little bit familiar.
"What's your name" he asked,
"Gendry Rivers my lord" boy answered stammering on his words which he could understand, place was rather shady for outsiders.
"Gendry, you came bearing Stark banner in our land why….and choose your words carefully" he voiced in his harsh tone, he wasn't to be follied with some treachery especially on stark name.
"I come bearing message from Lady Stark, my lord" Boy replied in a slurry,
Suddenly rage blurted in his blood,
"Do you have death wish boy, Lady stark is no more, you could have chosen a better lie" he said with emerging anger in his voice. He didn't wanted to kill a boy but if he dared to come in their home and spit lies to them, he would gladly see justice done.
"no, my lord….its Lady Arya stark, who sents words for you, my lord" boy said, defending himself. Sweat was beaded on his forehead.
But still he wasn't convinced, Arya stark was captive in kings landing. It couldn't be possible for her to send word at least without getting caught. He glared at boy, in an attempt to intimidate him to spill the truth.
"Arya Stark is captive at king's landing" He averred without breaking his gaze from the boy,
"Yes and that's why she asked me to get this to you," boy moved his hand inside his tunic to pull out a rolled up paper.
He winked one of his men, his men took paper from boy and passed it to him. It was without any seal, all more reason to doubt.
"How do I know you are telling the truth, or this letter is truly from lady Arya" he asked,
"Lady Arya said you would believe him, once you read it, my lord" boy responded but this time his tone was stern which somewhere assured him that boy was telling the truth.
He unrolled the parchment, 'it's no harm to read it, even if it's a lie.'
'Lord Howland Reed of greywater watch, I Arya stark sending this letter to you to ask for your aid. My father told me more than once that you are one of very few whom he would trust with his life, while many of loyal houses betrayed their oaths, still, I believe, you would stand true to your words to House stark.
I understand, it's hard to trust the credibility of this letter, being in your position it's hard to trust anonymous letter by stranger, but I wish to assure you of my identity.
People never saw you after Robert's rebellion, but I remember you, I hope you remember, I was about seven and you came to Winterfell, you were with father when I came across both of you, and then father introduce me to you. You patted my head and even told me that I look like my aunt. And in there father made me promise to not tell anyone about you being at Winterfell.' Suddenly image of a girl in Boyish attire, with messy hairs, dirty breeches, pretty face came in his mind. Yes, he visited Winterfell many years back and only Ned and Lady Arya knew about his visit. It cleared his doubt, letter was surely sent by Lady Arya. He then again turned to letter to read further.
'I think it would have quench your doubts, so now I would come to grave matters. I heard about condition in north and it's not what my father would have wanted for our people. Bolton shoudn't be allowed to keep Winterfell, Winterfell belongs to starks.
Umbers, Karstarks and Cerwyns have joined Boltons but still rest of north remain loyal to house stark. If whole north unitedly fight against Bolton, North would again be independent.
As long as Boltons holds Winterfell, north will remain under lannisters grasp and I will not allow that
So I want you to send words to all the loyal northern houses and organise the revolt against Boltons. It won't be difficult. Get them to raise their banners. Make them remember their oath to House stark, I will leave this task to you lord reed.
Cerwyns won't cause much problem. Attack Last hearth and Karhold at the same time discreetly without giving them much time to defend, Both Last hearth and Karhold are not defensive keeps, they would fall shortly. Bigger challenge will be Winterfell, for that I already devised the plan, breaching Winterfell's wall is impossible. So our men will infiltrate, whole castle is surrounded by double high walls, but the walls on the sides of broken tower is not guarded as place is most vulnerable but your men would be able to climb up the Broken tower and make way for others easily. Once your men made it through broken tower, they would move toward northern gate and open the gates for our army to enter the castle. It won't take long to get rid of castle once our men make it inside the castle.
Kill every Bolton and until Rightful heir of Winterfell comes, hold Winterfell and North with pride. Also with stannis Baratheon ready to storm kin's landing, lannisters won't be of any help to Boltons. It will be a swift victory.
And one more thing, my name should remain reticent in all of this. Tell everyone if anyone try to betray House stark, winter will come for them. Keep it discreet until time comes and north should remain out of any conflicts.
And it's not a request, its command, uphold your oath to House stark.
Arya of house stark' he finished with frown on his face, it's not a jape. Lady Arya want him to get whole north to fight against Bolton.
But it was his duty, duty to hold the oath his ancestor made, oath he made to Ned. It won't be an easy task but he has to do it. And all those traitor would pay for what they did. He turned his eyes to the boy in his front.
"You really just had something boy" he averred,
'North will unite under stark name once again, but this time, not under the king but Queen in the North'
A/N- so new chap. It's long time but see if you like it. If you do then leave reviews and follow up.