Chapter 9
Horus Greystark
A/N: I know the timelines don't always add up, and it's really easy nitpicking it, but it's a real headache figuring it out and I just decided to just write and not worry about it, lazy I know, but I don't really care that much about the timeline, I care more about the narrative. Thanks to .737for the review and thank you to everyone who's followed and favorited my story, I'm very self-conscious about my writing and you have all been a big help. Next chapter will be a POV from Jaxon.
"Mine and my family's condolences to you at this difficult time," said Smalljon Umber as they all sat together in Beren's solar, "the times I had met your father, he always seemed to be a strong and wise man, and I am sorry to have arrived now, entertaining a guest is the last thing on your mind."
"Don't worry yourself Smalljon," replied Beren, "it was my father's time, but thank you, you're a good man."
"Hopefully good enough to become your brother by marriage, your sister is very pretty, though I think it would be best if we waited a few years before marriage, she is quite young."
"I couldn't agree more, she is much too young to be married," said Beren, "joining our two houses will strengthen both of us."
Horus began to tune the two of them out as they droned on and on in their negotiations and lordly speak. He didn't know why Beren had asked him to be here as well, what could he possibly contribute as the third born son? No matter, he just hoped this would end soon, then he could leave and do the thing he should have done a long time ago. He would be going down to the village near the castle and telling his favorite girl there he could longer see her. There had been many whores and fisherman's daughters for Horus, never fucking the same one twice, except for one. Her name was Sera and she was a lovely girl the same age as him. He had thought he loved her, but in truth, it was just youthful lust and his brother had had enough. You are the son of a lord, you cannot marry a daughter of a fisherman, Beren had told him, and he was right.
Suddenly Horus realized they had stopped talking, and were looking at him. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening, what did you say?"
Smalljon laughed while Beren shook his head. "We asked if you also agreed with this betrothal, brother."
"I see no problem with it, though I don't see how my opinion can carry much weight. The brother you should be asking is Canas, he's always been fiercely protective of our sister."
"Beren said as much, I plan on stopping by Winterfell on my way back to Last Hearth to meet him," said Smalljon, "and if that's enough my lords I'd like a meal and some sleep."
Beren and Horus both nodded as Smalljon stood and walked out of the room, and as soon as he left Horus saw Beren drop his lordly façade, his face changing drastically, making him look much older and so very tired.
"It feels strange, being called 'Lord Beren', father was the lord for so long, I don't think I will ever live up to his legacy."
"Don't worry about living up to father's legacy, you'll create your own, you'll be a great lord, I know it," Horus said.
"You never pay very good attention brother," said Beren
"What?"
Horus was surprised when Beren started laughing, "You can never pay attention when you have to sit still, how many times did Maester Qarson rap your knuckles with that stick of his?"
"Too many times," Horus said as he laughed, "I hate having to stay still, you knew that and you told me to sit in on your meeting."
"Your opinion will always carry weight here brother, that's why I asked you for it, you may think differently than I do about something, and it's always good to have a second opinion."
"So that is going to be my life brother? Living here? Serving you and your children until I die? I can't do that brother; I need to forge my own path."
Beren hung his head, "I know, but wherever you go, know that you will always have a home here, that there will always be a place at my table for you."
Horus stood up, he put his hand on his brother's shoulder and smiled. "I know Beren, and I'm not leaving anytime soon, I won't be going anywhere until after Jenny's wedding, then, I don't know."
"Everything will change, won't it? In a few more years, I'll be the only one left here."
Horus laughed and shook his older brother's shoulder, "I doubt that, by then you'll be surrounded by all your children, one of which, you'll name after me."
Beren laughed then, "You're right, and I'll name my son after you, when the seven hells freeze over."
Both brothers laughed then, and Horus took his leave, Beren would be fine, they'd all be fine. Horus was sad his father had died, but he had never been very close to him. He loved his father, but they just never got along, his father being a very honorable man, and Horus' tendency to fuck every woman he meets caused them to clash. In honor of his father, he was done, no more fisherman's daughters, no more whores, and no more of the castle's serving wenches, his mother always dismissed them when she found out anyway. Horus was on a mission today, he was going to see Sera and end it.
Horus made his way out of the keep and towards the stables, heading for his horse. Stone Keep sat close to the shore, it's intention had always been to spot and potentially repel ironborn raiders, and there was a fishing village just a short ride from the castle by the sea. Horus rehearsed in his head over and over what he was going to, hopefully it would be relatively painless for them both.
As he rode into the village, everyone was noticing him and recognizing him, it wasn't hard for them, regarding some of the looks he was getting from the girls, and their fathers. As he rode closer to Sera's home he began to break out in a nervous sweat, a very uncharacteristic thing for him. Horus dismounted and knocked on the door, he was surprised that it was Sera that answered.
"Horus! You're back!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"Yes," said Horus as he pushed her away.
"Would you like to come in? My parents won't be home for a while," she said with a smile, and Horus knew what she was thinking, he wanted to, she was very pretty, but he couldn't.
"No, I can't, we have to stop doing this."
Sera looked crestfallen, she wasn't dumb, she knew it would end eventually. She had just hoped it would be a different time. "I understand, I do love you Horus, but I've always known you didn't feel the same. I guess I just hoped you'd grow to love me."
"I'm so sorry Sera."
"What's her name?" Sera asked him.
"What?" Horus was caught off guard.
"Horus, I'm not a fool, you would only be ending this if there was another."
"It doesn't matter, it'll never happen, I need to accept my lot in life," Horus said.
Sera was struggling not to cry, she was going to tell him, but now she couldn't, not without making it worse. "Go, just go, I love you Horus, but you're right, you're highborn and I'm just a fisherman's daughter. We can never see each other again; I hope you understand that."
"I do," said Horus as he turned around and walked away.
Sera walked back inside and shut door, tears running down her face, wondering what she was going to do with Horus Greystark's child, growing inside her.
As Horus rode back to the castle, he saw a rider, riding hard in his direction, as he got closer he recognized it as his cousin Artos.
Artos stopped his horse right in front of him, "Horus, Beren needs you back at the castle now!"
"Why? What's wrong?!"
"Lord Eddard Stark has been imprisoned, and Lord Robb has called the banners. We're marching south!"
"What of our uncle?" asked Horus.
"We don't know, but Lord Beren needs you to help prepare, we march for Winterfell tomorrow."
They rode hard back to Stone Keep, exhausting their horses, and when they rode up, they immediately went straight to Beren's solar, where Smalljon and Beren were in deep discussion.
"I'll ride with you to Winterfell, my father will be there with the men from Last Hearth soon after, and then we'll kill Lannisters together."
Beren nodded and looked up to see his brother and cousin walk in. "Good, you're both here, Artos, you will remain at Stone Keep as castellan," Artos opened his mouth to protest but Beren cut across him. "I will broker no argument cousin; I need you here to watch over my family."
Artos nodded as Beren turned to Horus, "Horus, you will command the horse, and I will ride in the vanguard. We leave tomorrow, any questions?"
They both nodded, the instructions were clear and there was much to do, unfortunately, a lot of that was going to fall on Horus' shoulders as their mother walked in, quite flustered.
"Beren, Juliana has gone into labor, the baby will be here soon."
Beren looked shocked and unsure, so Horus took charge. "Brother, I can handle things here, go to your wife and see your firstborn."
Beren nodded and smiled at his brother, then ran off, Horus sighed, it was going to be a long night.
