After saying goodbye to his family in the Winterfell courtyard. he rode away from his home and to the outskirts of Wintercity where the troops that he would lead to Pentos, were currently waiting for him. The troops that he would lead his first campaign with, are made up of veteran troops that his brother led during his Iron Islands campaign and also new recruits that just joined the armies.
The reason why the troops he led would be a mixture of veterans and new recruits is because if the troop are fully made up of veterans than there is a chance that they wouldn't listen to his orders, since they would see him just as a green boy, even with him being the current heir of his cousin and also a graduate of the military academy. While if they were all made up of new recruits, they would be too new to really be that effective in war, and this could lead to losing a lot of them in the war. Since they wouldn't really have the experience in fighting a war. That is why his cousin decided for him to lead a mix troop of veterans and new recruits. Since the veterans can help command the new recruits while the new recruits could learn how to survive the war from the veterans. This arrangement would hopefully make them not to lose to many men in this war and also conduct it more efficiently.
There is, of course, another reason why his cousin also decided to mix the armies, since his cousin is quite paranoid of the veteran soldiers becoming attached to their commander and them being more loyal to their commander rather than to their family. Making him always rotate the personnel legion after sometimes to another legion to make sure they didn't get too attached to their commander and also their legion. The efficiency of the armies would be proven even before they departed for war, as the moment he arrived in the camp, the men were already standing ready for them to start their journey to White Harbour, so that they would be able to board their ships that would sail them to Pentos.
"Lord Stark", a tall man with beard wearing a combination of a fur and armour of the armies with a wolf pommel sword on his side, called out to him when he arrived in the camp. Both the sword and the clothing of this man would mark him as a high officer in the armies. Since most of the lower officers and also the rest of the armies aren't allowed to wear this kind of clothing or even own a sword with a wolf pommel.
"Yes."
"The army is ready to march my Lord."
"Good, then have them ready for the journey to White Harbour."
"Yes my lord."
"Soldiers," He shouted causing the soldiers to stand more straighter and have them hold their spear more tightly for the infantry while the cavalry would hold their rein more tighter, "March." The marching order that the man shouted would not be met with an answer from the armies, since instead of doing that they would start marching. The sight of thousands of men marching in a steady pace and orderly fashion while playing musical instruments and singing is something that is breath talking and looks almost out of this world.
It would take them a couple of days of journey to arrive in White Harbour, and after arriving there, the armies would camp outside the city, since they would have a day's rest before they boarded their ship and sailed towards Pentos.
White Harbour is one of the oldest cities in the North and one of their biggest port cities, making it very much vital to the trade the North conducted into the outside world especially to the Free Cities. The city itself is made of white stone making it resemble Winter city with the only difference being that the stones that the city that it is built with is much paler than the one that is used in the construction of Winter city. Also unlike Winter city that houses a lot of magnificent structure, White Harbour is currently lacking any meaningful structure, outside of the White Harbour University, but comparing that to the Winter City University is kinda comparing a house in a city and a house in a village.
The only thing that the city has going for it that beats Winter city is their port, which has an inner and outer port that enables it to anchor more ships than other places. Also the two ports make the cities almost unconquerable from a sea-side attack. Since you need to attack the outer wall first to conquer it and with it being heavily protected by the sea rock, anyone that attacks it loses a significant number of their manpower. Not to mention even if they were able to conquer the sea rock and the outer wall, they still needed to conquer the wall that separated the inner and outer wall, making it really impossible to successfully attack the cities.
While the armies camp outside of the city, he and some of the higher rank officers would stay in New Castle, the home of the Manderly. Since with his family name, he would always be offered to stay in any castle or merchant mansion in the world. While his companions were offered to stay in the castle mostly because of their rank. New Castle is located atop a hill that grants it a view of the city and beyond, since the castle is taller than their city walls. The castle itself resembles the Manderly old castle of Dunstonbury and like the rest of the city the castle is made of pale and white stone.
"Jon Stark", Lord Wyman Manderly said to him from his position on his cushioned throne that is located in the other end of the entrance door that he and his companions just passed to enter the great hall of the castle or also known as the "Merman Court", where the Manderly hold court and feast. The great hall of the castle has it walls, floor, and ceiling made of wooden planks notched cunningly together and decorated with all the creatures of the sea.
"Lord Manderly.", He said with a bow towards the current lord of White Harbour, after he eats the bread and salt that the servant serve him and his companions with.
"No need to be formal with me, after all we are soon going to be family." The lord of White Harbour said with a smile in his voice.
"Of course, Lord Wyman."
"Have you eaten yet?" The lord of White Harbour asked him.
"I'm afraid I haven't my lord."
"Well that is something that should be fixed immediately.", Lord Wyman said, before ordering the servants to bring out some food for him and his companions. The lord of White Harbour also invited him to sit at his table, while his companion would sit at another table. Something that isn't out of the ordinary since with his family name would make them sit at the lord's table in any castle. While eating his food, the lord of White Harbour would make small talk with him.
"So Jon, how is my granddaughter relationship with your cousin."
"Well, the last time I saw them together they seemed to be amicable to each other.", He answered the lord of White Harbour's question, even though he guessed the lord of White Harbour would probably already know the answer to this question. Since he probably has some spies inside of Winterfell and Winter city that reported to him about the happening inside Winterfell.
"Well that is good to hear, since even though my granddaughter already sent me a letter telling me the developing relationship that she had with your cousin, it is always good to also hear from other people that are also there."
"Yes." He said with an agreement in his voice with what the lord of White Harbour said, since it is always better to also listen to other people's assessment of things rather than just hear it from the sources. As sometimes the sources of the information could be compromised or be incorrect. Especially with how important the wedding between Wynafard and his cousin is for her family so it isn't out of the realm of possibility that she would lie to her grandfather to make sure the wedding goes forward. Since it is well known that the lord of White Harbour is quite protective about his granddaughter. So if she told her grandfather that she couldn't connect to his cousin or him having too many vices.
The lord of White Harbour would literally pull the wedding. Not caring about the repercussions if the wedding is cancelled, after all for the Lord of White Harbour, the happiness of his granddaughter is more important than anything that he could gain from the wedding. Something that is quite admirable after all not many people would care that much about the happiness of their family member if they could gain what the Manderlys would gain from the wedding.
But like everyone else Wynafard knows how important the wedding is, so even if his cousin is a bastard she would probably still make sure that the wedding goes forward. After all, the marriage wouldn't just cemented their position as the second most powerful family in the North but also gain them a foothold in Winterfell for at least two generations. It would also possibly make the Northerners that still see the Manderly as outsider would finally consider them as part of the North. After all, with how most Northerners still consider the Stark as their king and with how his cousin is consider being the champion of the old gods, would help them in this regard.
"What about you then?"
"My lord?" He asked, knowing the implied question that the lord of White Harbour has, but not really interested in talking about it again.
"I know you understand my question Jon".
"I haven't really thought much about that kinda stuff." he said, the same answer that he has given to his family about this subject
"Well you should, since your cousin is now going to get married to my granddaughter, you are probably one of the few last desirable marriage candidates for any noble house."
"My family already mentioned it to me.", he said, with a bit of a bored tone, since his family already talked about this topic with him a lot of times. So he was kinda bored that they would talk about this stuff again. Not to mention he kinda suspected the reason why the lord of White Harbour is talking about this stuff is so that he could try to push his other granddaughter to him. After all, even though the lord of White Harbour really cares about his granddaughter and already has a foot hold in Winterfell. It is better for him also to have the current heir of Winterfell also tie with his family if his cousin dies before the wedding or having a child with Wynafard, so that should anything happen, his family's future is still secured.
Also even though he only knows Wylla from meeting with her a couple of times and sometimes writing to each other, with their close age and also already knowing each other. The lord of WhiteHarbour maybe believe that with that foundation that there is a chance that they could like each other enough to warrant a betrothal contract, and his theory could be considered true, since just a few minutes later, Wylla entered the hall.
"Jon", Wylla said to him with wide eyes and surprised in her voice, after she entered the hall, even though she sounded and looked surprised to see him, he isn't really sure that it is a real reaction or a fake one. Since it isn't out of the norm for noble children to be taught how to act.
"Wylla", He said to her and when she came close enough he would kiss her hand, Wylla herself unlike her sister would dye her hair green changing it from her natural blonde, but people can still see her original colour since her eyebrow remains blonde.
"So when did you arrive?", She asked him after she greeted her grandfather with kiss in his cheek and also ordering the servant to bring her some food.
"I think about an hour ago."
"Oh, so not that long ago then."
"Yes."
"How was your journey from Winterfell, Jon."
"It was good."
"You know before your cousin made the Northern road, it was very hard to travel in the North.", the lord of White Harbour said.
"So Wylla I am kinda surprised that I would see you.", He said trying to get a reaction from her if she really is just here because of a coincidence or being ordered by her grandfather to go here.
"I mean this is my house so why should you be surprised by seeing me.", she said while looking to him
"No, I mean meeting you right now, since most people usually are busy during this time.", he said since he knows most noble should be studying during this time.
"Well, I already finished learning from my septa."
"Really?," he asked with surprise in his voice since it's isn't really that usual for someone to finish their studies during this time.
"Yes, I mean I only needed to finish knitting my handkerchief.", She answered him.
"Isn't that hard to do.", He asked remembering how his cousin hated doing knitting and how she would always try to get out of doing, since it is quite a hard thing to do and quite time consuming, so it's quite a surprise that she would able to finish it that fast.
"It's quite hard."
"Then how did you finish it that fast?" He questioned her.
"I already made it yesterday and just needed to put some finishing touches for it to be finished, and the design of the handkerchief isn't that complex.", She said to him with a shrug of her shoulder.
"Oh, still that is quite impressive."
"Thanks, so how long are you staying here?" She asked him.
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Ah, yes, for the war in Pentos.", She said with a nod of her head, he wasn't one bit surprised that she would know about him being sent to the war in Pentos, since his cousin has been using it for propaganda purpose for quite a while.
"Yes."
"So how are you feeling during the evening before your first voyage to a war."
"I'm feeling alright right now, but I'm not sure how I would feel after I land there.", he said since he knew that even though he didn't feel anything right now, he couldn't be sure about what he felt later. After all he knew most people would be nervous in going for their first war, maybe not now but there is still a possibility that he would feel the nervousness of landing in Pentos or during the voyage there. Hopefully, if the nervousness come it would be in the voyage not went he landed in Pentos, since it would make it harder for him to lead the men especially if he get cold feet during the battle.
"Understandable, after all this is going to be your first war, and the first one is always the hardest, after that the other war you would participate in the future would be nothing.", The lord of White Harbour said to him.
"Really?" He asked him since even though he had already read and listened to what the lord of white harbour told him, it is always good to get first hand information about what the lord of White Harbour probably has done in the past.
"Oh yes, it is like participating in your first battle, you feel nervous and all the other stuff but in the end if you survive, then in your next battle you would stop feeling that stuff."
"That's good, to hear." He said since he knew that this wouldn't be the last war that he would participate in, if he survived that is. The rest of his time in the hall would be spent making small talk with both the lord of White Harbour and Wylla, before he would ask permission to go to his room, so that he could rest from his journey here.
The next morning he would have breakfast with the Manderlys in the great hall before he would go to ancient fortress of Wolf's Den, since that place is the only place that has a heart tree in the whole city, and he wanted to pray in front of the heart tree for possibility last time for the foreseeable future. He would go to the ancient castle using the secret tunnel that connects it with the New Castle. The ancient castle itself has not been used by the Manderlys ever since the creation of New Castle, making the place not been repaired for many years, with it being easily noticed if you just see the wall that is in a state of crumbling. But even though the Manderly haven't lived in the castle for a long time, it didn't mean they stop using the place, since they have now used the place as a prison.
The Godswood of the castle was quite crowded when he arrived there with a large number of his men there and also some smallfolk. This wasn't surprising to him one bit since both the veterans and the new recruits would, probably like him, also want the gods to protect them and give them some guidance for this war. The heart tree of the Godswood itself is very large with its limbs passing through walls and windows of the castle. After he finished praying, he would go back to New Castle and say goodbye to the Manderly family, before going into the inner port, to board the ship that would take him and his men to Pentos.
It would take a couple days for them to arrive in Pentos, and during that time he would be discussing the tactics and what would happen after they landed in Pentos with his higher ranking officers.
"So you're Jon Stark." A tall bearded man said to him after he landed in the proto port that is build near Pentos to anchor the ship that is sent by his cousin for this war
"Yes." He said toward the man
"Well you don't look like much." The man said while looking him up and down and looking like he didn't like what he was looking at.
"I assure you I can fight." He said knowing that the reason why that man said that is because he didn't look like someone who can fight.
"I doubt it."
"Then why don't we have a spar?" He said while gripping the handle of his sword
"Careful what you wish for boy." The man said before taking a few steps backward and taking out his sword. The spar itself wouldn't last for that long since just as they were clashing their sword, the man spat in his eyes before kicking him in the leg, making him fall into his back. The man then pointed his sword into his neck.
"You cheated." He said to the man.
"No I didn't." The man said while pressing his sword into his neck.
"Yes you did."
"Tell me, why do you think I cheated?" The man said after removing the sword.
"Because you spat on me during our spar." He said while wiping out the remaining saliva that is still in his face.
"And you think that's cheating." The man said with a questioning tone while raising an eyebrow
"yes." He said knowing that what the man did is cheating after all this is supposed to be just a spar.
"Let me tell you something boy, there is no cheating in war. In war there is only the survivor and the dead, and if you don't want to be dead, you need to use everything and anything to your advantage."
"But we aren't at war, we are sparring." He said toward the man.
"Do you know why we even spar?" The man asked him.
"So that we would be ready if we ever got in a fight."
"Well yes, so the point of a spar is to prepare you for a fight and in a fight your enemy will never fight fair, so you should also learn how to fight unfairly even in a spar."
"Ok."
"Good." The man said while helping him get up.
"Let me guess you aren't used to being bested in a spar." The man said to him while he was patting down his clothes to get the sand out.
"No."
"Well it's better that I beat you before you go to war, since your arrogance is going to get you killed." The man said with a pointed look.
"I know that." he said to the man, since he had already been drilled about it during his schooling in the military academy.
"Really." the man asked with surprise in his voice.
"Of course, I was taught not to be arrogance during my academy years." he said
"And yet you are still arrogant enough for me to beat you." The man said.
"You cheated."
"And as I said before there is no cheating in fighting." The man said before walking away from him but he would stop after a couple steps and turn back toward him and asked.
"Aren't you going to follow me?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Because we need to discuss the plan for this war." The man said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"What." He said about the man's statement.
"Commander." One of the soldiers that is walking near them said toward the man.
"Come on boy, the command tent is in this way." The man said toward him before resuming walking.
An; sorry for the long wait guys, and I also wanted to give a huge thanks you for RiceHot who beta read this chapter and also beta read the previous chapter.