Chapter 6

Public service announcement

My time in Winterfell was good now that I had the lord in my pocket. Each morning began with sessions with the young man. Whether spiritual or political the young man came to the vessel for advice and absolution. The vessel obliged and did as asked. As reward I was given better rooms, free access in and out of Winterfell, as well as a seat on the high table to dine. The only ones still opposing my divine purpose was Theon Greyjoy, Maester Luwin and the septon.

But still my power wasn't absolute yet. The people continued coming to me for support but I could still sense doubters, the ones who prided themselves in their skepticism still lingered and I needed a reason for the faithful to defend me and their faith from these doubters. My ability to see the future if real was devils work according to a certain guard captain. The man had little to no support from his fellow guardsmen but neither did they stop him from his daily complaints. Truth was only a few people had been truly converted to my faction. Most of them were believers of the old gods and simply accepted me as a priest of some sort. I needed them to be much more than that, I needed a flock of devotees and for that I needed disciples to spread my vision.

And so it was ,that as the people dined in the great hall I stood and brought attention to my self by knocking of my drinking horn on the table. All in the room settled and silenced for me to speak. " Thank you good people and thank you Lord Robb for this wonderful supper." I said with my arms open as if hugging the whole room.

" I would also like to thank you for the hospitality given to me from you faithful folk. We started on a suspecting note but now we have established our united love for the Gods of the forests, ocean and skies. We have trying times ahead however and as the Vessel it is my duty to help ease these trials but to do so I would need to warn you of what those trials are. Winter is upon us my good people and to make things worse a war has been demanded of us by mad Andals. Our saintly lord has been arrested under false crimes. These villains dare to demand unconditional surrender of you noble folk and for it they threaten our most cherished princesses. Yes these devils deserve only ice and steel from us, their dead to be carrions feast and their prisoners gutted and disemboweled as sacrifice to our gods. Yes I want them dead as you do good people but a greater threat looms in the dark as we ready ourselves for that which is in the light. The gods have delivered you many heralds already but the enemy in front of us has blinded us from others we should be wary of. "

" I stand here and ask for the woman Osha to join me up here. Is she with us? Oh yes, come up my lady. The people need hear of your tale." To say everyone was shocked would be an understatement but more surprised than all was Osha herself. She was dressed in rags and looked as if she hadn't washed in years. She ate in the great hall as all the servants did but unlike them she was chained from wrist to wrist and ankle to ankle.

With help from a guard near her the prisoner was helped up even as she struggled against my demand. The woman felt no obligation to do as I asked but the guards of Winterfell cared not and she made it to me within a minute.

"Don't fear good maiden I only want you to be honest these people and nothing else." The woman looked like she wasn't too happy with me but she did stop her fussing.

" Turn around my lady and address the people. Where are you from my lady, and what brings you this far south?" The wildling only continued to stare at me. She glimpsed at the lord of the castle but he was only watching the spectacle.

"Speak my lady and I will make sure you need not wear those heavy chains any longer." With that promise she finally turned from me and looked at the people beneath her.

" I'm a Wildling from North of the wall. I came south because I hated it where I was. Now free me."

"No my lady you are not a wildling. You are a free-woman of the free-folk. A spearwife of countless battlefields and most of all a survivor. Am I wrong?"

"No, it is true." Answered Osha with a frown on her face.

"Tell them then. What it is that makes a seasoned warrior, run through leagues of ice and nothingness, climb up and down an unending wall and travel further still in lands full of hostiles ready to kill you for daring! Tell them the truth the gods sent me here to share with the people. The truth that you, the only survivor of this exodus knows."

Confusion was Osha's first reaction but then certainty replaced it. "There are terrible things North of the wall, unnatural things. I- I saw many friends raised from the dead and for them to turn around and kill their own families. Monsters from the worst tales and with them a terrible winter follows."

"There it is folks, the truth! The truth is that an ancient evil threatens the wall. The whitewalkers return and with their whites they could field an army the size of which could dwarf all others combined. All of us are in danger. But the gods have not forgotten you and so they sent me. We must ready a sacrifice good people to thank the gods for their intervention. I demand 9 goats, 2 cows, three cats and 1 oh so special man to give himself for sacrifice to the gods. I am here to fix the wrong but you my good people must help, you must sacrifice. It is only through faith and perseverance that we can live past this coming winter. Cheers! To the Gods of the forests, ocean and skies."

The people hesitated the toast but upon seeing Robb raise his goblet they joined in and with vigour. They clearly didn't know to believe my tale corroborated by the wildling prisoner but to many of them were bound to the old gods and already in spiritual crisis before the war. The people needed a spectacle and one as barbaric as human sacrifice was unspeakable. Tragedy had struck the house twice now in 20 years. They wanted a solution and I had one.

"Now who among you will volunteer? The gods demand a true hero willing to give themselves to the gods and prove that we are willing to die for the gods, that they are our hearts that keep us living."

The crowd silenced and began looking at one another. Who would break the deadlock the people seemed to be thinking. None was willing and so they looked at only so they didn't worry about themselves. The sinfulness of their nature breathed in the silence and only the selflessness of a good model would contrast the dirty sin hanging in front of them.

" I will! I shall give myself to the gods. For my family. My friends. Winterfell and the Starks! I give myself to the glory of the Old Gods." Answered the stablemaster Jon Goss. A man who was completely within my influence.

"Good Jon, good! It is good to see your courage and faith. The Gods would be most pleased with a virtuous servant such as yourself. However I only asked this of you so that this beautiful spirit would be known to all in this hall. Men and women who care and love and sacrifice are the ones whom the gods treasure. So all must be like you Jon. No the gods have already shown me the one they want."

I took a pause to look at the gathered herd. Among them one would be taken . Specifically I searched for the guard captain, eyeing him down with my gaze.

"Captain Barne I call upon you for this sacrifice. You who spoke against me. Not out of caution or skepticism but guilt. We have found your hidden cove in which you stored your stolen haul. The guards have already found enough evidence now we only seek your confession. You will be sacrificed to the gods. Give yourself to the gods and you shall live forever in their roots. You were chosen because you are the corruption the gods have asked me to cleanse. They want those like you, who fail community, who take instead of give. Lord Robb has allowed me to sentence you because of my help in finding your crimes. Eat captain and have your fill! For today it will be your last. Tomorrow we sacrifice."