AN: Sorry for taking so long in updating, I'm glad the story is liked.
As they rode in Celebmegil attempted to guess who each host was. The man, dark haired and grey-eyed, could only be Lord Eddard Stark, the woman next to him his wife, Catelyn. The teenaged boy at his side would be Robb, his son, presumably named after the king. The young boy next to him would be Bran, and the toddler would be Rickon, the youngest Stark. The older girl next to Catelyn was Sansa, and the younger one, Arya. He noted that each of the children had at a side a young wolf, the symbol of the Stark House. He noticed another wolf, an albino unlike the others behind the Stark family, at his side stood a young man who resembled Lord Stark more than the children Celebmegil had been informed were there. He surmised that the young man, who appeared to be related to Lord Stark, was the man's nephew.
Celebmegil was startled out of his thoughts, Robert leaped off his horse and proceeded to crush Ned in a hug. Celebmegil noted a small hesitation in the Stark before he recognized his friend and liege-lord. If Robert's tales were true, the friends had not seen each other for nearly nine years. Celebmegil heard Robert exclaim that Ned hadn't changed in the past years. Noting Stark's momentary hesitation before he bowed, he guessed that the King had changed.
Celebmegil dismounted while he observed the exchanges between the Starks and the Royal Family. When Robert asked to visit the crypts, Celebmegil noted both gratitude and sadness in Stark's eyes, Celebmegil arrived at the sad conclusion that someone both Robert and Ned once loved lie in the crypts. The queen, however, was annoyed she protested, complaining that they had ridden since dawn and that they should rest before visiting the crypts, after all "the dead can wait." Jaime took her quietly by the arm and the queen quieted.
The feast had begun in the great hall of Winterfell, which was hazy with smoke and permeated by the smell roast meat and baked bread. The hall was draped with Stark, Lannister, and Baratheon banners. Celebmegil noted that the Tully, Catelyn's House, banners were absent. He wondered at this, had Catelyn renounced the Tullys? It didn't seem likely. Could it be that the Lannisters believed themselves to be worthy of being displayed along the royal banners? Or was it, that as part of royal family, the Lannister banners should also be displayed. Celebmegil would make inquiries as to the standards of banners in Westerosi marriages.
There was a singer playing the harp, but something about the man was off. He seemed to only watch the king and the Starks, Eddard and Benjen, the First Ranger of the Night's Watch. He seemed to be wary of catching Benjen's eye, as he turned his head away whenever Benjen looked in his direction.
Celebmegil noted that Jon, Stark's nephew as he believed him to be, sat at a table removed from where the royal, and Stark, families sat. He did not seem too disappointed, and the reason became quickly apparent. The young boy was drinking various shots of alcoholic beverages. Celebmegil shook his head and then noticed the wolf pup beneath the table at Jon's feet. He had heard that the Stark children each had their own direwolf pup, and was now observing as Jon quietly fed his pale, white direwolf half a chicken under the table.
Celebmegil saw Benjen go and speak to Jon. Curious, Celebmegil waited a few moments then followed. He arrived just in time to hear Jon shout "I will never father a bastard. Never!" The table had fallen silent and Jon quickly left, attempting to maintain some form of dignity.
Celebmegil looked at Benjen who shrugged and shook his head, the sign of a long story that lay behind what had happened.
Celebmegil stepped outside to console the young Stark. "Jon."
Jon turned and asked, "Why aren't you at the feast?"
"I needed some fresh air." Celebmegil gestured towards the direwolf, "May I?"
There was a small hesitation before Jon nodded. As Celebmegil approached the white wolf he asked, "What's his name?"
"Ghost."
"Suilad feindraug. Im na mellon." (Greetings white wolf. I am a friend.)
When Ghost allowed Celebmegil to approach him, Jon remarked, "Normally, he wouldn't allow someone that close without my telling him."
Celebmegil grinned, "We Elves are good with animals." He frowned, "Why did you leave the feast? Why did you not sit with your uncles?"
Jon shook his head, "Uncle, Lord Stark is my father."
Celebmegil frowned, "Then why did you not sit at his table?"
"You don't know?" Jon appeared astonished. He continued, "My mother is not Lady Catelyn and she hates me because of it."
Celebmegil sensed Jon's uncomfortableness and returned inside. When he entered, he spoke quietly to Lord Stark, "Jon, your nephew," Ned's eyes looked shocked for a split second, before he regained his composure, "I apologize, your son. Is he Robb's elder?"
Ned shook his head, but Celebmegil had noticed his shock and knew there was more to Jon's than met the eye, or at least the eye of Men. Celebmegil made a mental note to speak to Ned after the feast.
As he returned to his seat, he felt a hand at his shoulder and heard a voice, "I must speak with you outside." Celebmegil nodded, and turned to walk outside. To his surprise, it was the singer who had wished to speak to him.
"Why do wish to speak to me? And why out here?"
"To answer your second question, I must have your word that you will hear me out before you do anything." Celebmegil nodded and the man continued, "I am Mance Rayder, I live north of the Wall. The people of the Night's Watch see me as a traitor for leaving the Night's Watch, even though I myself was born a wilding, they see my leaving to join my own people as being a traitor worthy of beheading. I would have stayed with the Night's Watch, if not for their strict rules, my cloak had been mended by a wilding who had used red cloth, the Night's Watch took that cloak away to give me one of pure black." He sighed, "But I needed to speak to you to tell you that dark things are rising North of the Wall, Others who bring back the dead, we will need your people's assistance before the end, as those of the Seven Kingdoms refuse to believe in the creatures that kill wildings every night."
Celebmegil was shocked, this place had almost even more conspiracies than King's Landing, "I...I will consult Carnuieth, I shall try to help you."
He heard a door open, Lord Stark was walking out, his face set in grim determination. Celebmegil looked at where Mance had stood seconds ago, but there was no one there. The man from Beyond the Wall was skilled, if he could hide from the eyes of Elves. Celebmegil took a deep breath and turned to face Lord Stark.
In the darkness of Barad-Dur, within the vastness of Mordor, the Dark Lord Sauron smirked when he saw his plans slowly begin to fall into place. Thousands of years ago, after his defeat at the hand of the Last Alliance, Sauron travelled in spirit form to north, he had found a group of people worshipping fire, it had taken a little effort and many years, but he turned those who had once fought darkness to using assassins born of darkness and burning men in sacrifice to R'hllor, as Sauron had taken to call himself there. It had been their burning that allowed Sauron to gather enough strength to reform after the loss of his ring. Even now, his red priests began to infiltrate Westeros, unfortunately, the prophecy of Azor Ahai could not be twisted, although Sauron led the red priests to be misdirected in the search for their savior. Melisandre, the red priestess heading to Dragonstone was lead to believe that Stannis Baratheon, one of the least liked men in Westeros was the precious savior. However, Thoros of Myr was a red priest who would be used to lengthen battles, slowly weakening the Seven Kingdoms to invasion from either Gilthrang's undead soldiers, or Sauron's own forces.
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