Chapter 6 Back at it again with the stressssssss.
I don't know why I struggled writing this one but I did. So if it isn't as great: my bad.
Also, I've gotten a lot of great advice and ideas in the reviews I'd like to try and implement in later chapters. If you got any ideas or advice for me, holla at ya girl. I'm always down to be reminded that I'm a subpar writer lol. But really though, this is our story, let's write it together!
Jon thought of his new life true North as a test. Part of him knew it would be easier to go back to his sisters and brother and kill Drogon. Leave Daenerys for dead. Doing what Westeros and the rest of the world deemed right would lead to an easier life, but over time his ideas on what others told him was right had flipped and he tried to focus more on what he knew was right. Why couldn't he live in this free world detached from the rules and regulations of the one he was raised in? Why couldn't he make new rules? New, much better, rules.
Well, he could, technically, now that he was king.
His North would be different. Life beyond the wall would be better. The people took care of each other and depended on each other's different traits and hard work to survive. Just as he had watched the women of Widow's Keep worked with the clans around them to thrive, Jon knew the key to a successful life would be to work together. So with the help of Tormund, Sage, and Rosemary; Jon would try once more to unite the clans beyond the wall. Not to kneel, but to celebrate.
It didn't have a name, yet, but it did exactly what Jon wanted it to do. It united the people.
The unnamed spring fair was a place where all the clans could bring their crafts, harvest and recently caught game to trade and for once be together in peace. Jon didn't expect so many clans to turn up, but there must have been at least a couple hundred people scattered across a dozen clans at Widow's Keep. Seeing them get all get along was a much different experience than when Mance had last gathered the clans. Last time such a large number of clans were together they united for war. Now they were united for peace.
"I never thought the North could be like this." Sage walked the homestead with Jon's arm in hers as they took in the festivities. Thyme followed her mother closely; in the past couple days she had been sickly and she was worried.
Jon kept Sage up straight. She had lived a long, tiring and stressful life. She wasn't that old but her pains were catching up to her. "You've had quite the hand on making it all better, Sage. People trust your word."
"People trust you, Jon. I'm not sure why," Sage chuckled, "You may have been born a southern boy but you've grown into a true Northern man. Your blood is as much of the North as mine is. This is your place. These are your people."
"A lot of different people have been called 'my people,' Sage," Jon replied, "but your right. Something about the way the wind blows up here, about the air we breathe in here, all of it feels right."
"Like home?" Sage stopped and glanced at Jon, a smirk on her face.
He patted her arm, "Almost."
Daenerys walked the homestead alone. She dressed very simple, like the woman of Widow's Keep, and kept a scarf over her hair. It wasn't possible anyone here could recognize her but she wouldn't take any chances. The free folk who came to celebrate with them offered many things. Crafts, tools, weapons, meats and even services. Things she had never seen before, even after her many travels. The way they made things ended in results much different from the rest of the world. Even though they were only separated by a wall, it seemed nothing from Westeros truly carried over here. Daenerys was admiring a cart of dresses when she heard a familiar voice in trouble.
"Leave me alone!"
"Come on, I'm sure a pretty lady like you needs a husband. Who else will keep you warm at night?"
"Isn't that what you were born for anyway, to please your husband?"
Daenerys followed the voices with haste until she finally came across Parsley being harassed by a couple of clansmen she didn't recognize. One of them was trying to put his hands on her, and that made Daenerys furious. "Is there a problem here?"
The one man looked her way. He had strange tribal markings etched into his skin. She couldn't remember if she had seen a man like him before but one thing was certain: he made her very uncomfortable. "No problem at all. Young thing seemed to need some company is all."
"Parsley, come with me." Daenerys reached out for the girl but the clansmen pulled her back, his arm around her back with his hand with a tight grip on her arm.
Parsley whimpered as the man pulled her back, his clansmen close by and looking ready to fight. "I don't think we're done here."
"If you want to leave this homestead with your life," Daenerys got closer to them, her fist clenched tight. "You will release her immediately." She reached her hand out one more time, "Come now, Parsley. We are leaving."
With a sickening smirk on his face, the man let go. "I hope you two enjoy the rest of your day." Parsley reached out for Daenerys, who held her in a similar but softer fashion to how the man was once holding her and together the two started to walk away. "Oh miss," the girls stopped to look back at the men, "We'll see you later."
Daenerys bit her tongue and pushed forward with Parsley. They walked as far away as they could till they couldn't see the men anymore. Parsley finally stopped Daenerys with her words. "We should've slit their throats." She was red-faced and angry, tears falling down her eyes.
"This is a time for peace," Daenerys told Parsley as she turned to face her. She wiped the tears from her eyes, her hands holding the girls face. "It has to be. We've fought so hard for it. You need to tell Jon and let him-"
"No! We can't tell Jon! We just can't!" Daenerys could see Parsleys face become flustered. She liked Jon, and the poor girl didn't want to be seen as weak. "Thenn have always monsters. They deserve death." Parsley looked to the side to not make eye contact.
Daenerys sighed. She remembered a time where she would have agreed, but the old Daenerys had to stay dead for her to survive. Instead, she smiled softly and turned Parsleys head to make the girl look at her, "I don't doubt that they do, and they will get it, but only when it's right. Always remember sweet girl, all men must die..." Parsley smiled, only making Daenerys smile wider. "But we are not men."
They were all meant to meet in the large hall of the main house for a feast. Many clansmen gathered to the point where every seat was taken and many were standing. The meal was in full swing, and from his room, Jon could hear what sounded like everyone getting along. He was about to leave his room when he heard a knock on his door. On the other side was Daenerys.
"Daenerys…" Jon would've never expected her to visit him here, but the look on her face gave away something was wrong. "Daenerys what happened?"
"Do you know that the Thenn kill and eat their enemies? They also prey on children…" Jon could see the fire in her eyes as she went on. "So tell me why those savages eat in these halls with the rest of us?"
"Not all Thenn are horrible, Daenerys." Jon tried playing both sides, but it only seemed to anger her more.
Daenerys got in Jon's face her finger pointing at him. "These Thenn are! You are their King! You need to fix this."
Jon could see that something bigger was going on with her. "Did something happen? Did someone hurt you?"
"It shouldn't matter if it was me!" Daenerys got offensive, "You need to do something! They need to know that they don't get to just do as they please anymore. No one gets to, there has to be rules and laws! The people need to respect not just each other, but you as their leader."
"So what would you do?" Jon used this question carefully, partially to get the advice of an experienced leader, part to see if and how Daenerys has changed.
Daenerys took a deep breath and tried to repress her anger. "Being King or Queen means sometimes you must make the hard choices. Your people won't always like it, but in the end, it must always be what's for the best. You know deep down how to always choose what's right, Jon, you don't need me to tell you."
Jon was confused, to say the least. Weeks ago Daenerys wouldn't even look his way, now here she was in his room telling him what to do. There had to be more behind what angered her but it was certain she didn't want whatever it was to complete skew how he reacted to the Thenns."I will say something, Daenerys, I promise."
Then there was an odd moment of just… staring. Jon looking at Daenerys, and she staring back. This longing feeling that he had shoved deep in the back of his heart suddenly came rushing back to the front. He was used to Daenerys with her extravagant braids and elegant dresses, but this Daenerys was much more simple. He noticed her hair had no braids and was left long and flowing. She wore a plain handmade dress, similar to something Parsley or Rosemary would wear, but to Jon, she was the most beautiful she had ever been.
She took a deep, shaky breath and then started to leave, "I-I will see you in the hall."
"Right…" Jon faced away from her as she left, hearing the door slam as she exited the room. What was he thinking? She didn't want him like that anymore, and even if she could who was he to think that he deserved her love. Not after what I've done. She shouldn't waste it on me.
The dinner was going well when Tormund stood to his feet and banged his hand down on the table before him. "Listen here you fucks!" The room got quiet as everyone looked his way. "Alright, I know you're having fun but we need to talk! Since the beginning of time, the Free Folk have wanted nothing more but to do as we please!" The people whooped and cheered to his words, "Ah, yes, it was a good time! To be slaughtered by our brothers, robbed by our neighbors and torn apart by the Endless Winter." Suddenly the people got quiet. Even Jon wondered what the hell Tormund was getting at. "But you know who came to bring us South when the dead roamed the North? Jon Snow!" Some of the people started to cheer again. "This Crow risked his own life to help us. Lost his life to free us! Then after he was brought back the stupid fool risked it again to slay those dead fuckers and bring us spring!" The excitement in the room was building up. Jon could finally see what Tormund was trying to do. "He may be part Crow, but Jon Snow has more Northern balls than the rest of you cunts! Free Folk don't bend the knee," Tormund held his favorite tusk shaped flask up to Jon and smiled, "But I will stand with my king, The True King in the North!" The clansman cheered and whooped, banging on their tables in excitement. Though some of the things Tormund said were a bit on the exaggerated side, a lot of it was true. Jon sacrificed a lot for the Free Folk. They were his people and he was their King.
"The Crow isn't my King." A voice said above the cheering. The people stopped and looked around for the source. After a moment a Thenn man rose to his feet, "Can't be free and have a king."
"There is a difference between reckless freedom, and having someone to make sure the peace is maintained and the people are safe." Jon rose to his feet, "I'm not here to give our people restrictions, I'm here to make sure that everyone here is treated with the respect they deserve."
"You talk like you're one of us," More Thenn rose as the man spoke, "But just because you've fucked one of us doesn't mean you are one."
Now, Jon was pissed. "You don't have to be here, but leave," Jon snarled, "and I promise you will regret it." As tensions grew higher, different clansmen stood up with their hands on the hilt of their swords to protect Jon. All the standing clansmen look among each other, waiting for someone to make a move.
"Take your hands off your weapons!" Sage cried out from her seat as she slowly rose, Parsley and Thyme helping her. "My Keep is a place of life, not death! My sisters and daughters were saved from our hellish home by our King, Jon Snow. And on my land, his word is the law! So either sit down, Skinna, or get out!"
Skinna smirked, his men started leaving as he let go of his weapon. "We'll be seeing you around," he bowed in mockingly before turning around to leave, "King Crow."
The room was quiet once all the Thenn were gone, and all eyes were on Jon. As he looked out to the crowd he felt a sudden rush of anxiety. It was overwhelming, to say the least, the idea of all these men placing their trust in him. Their lives, their families lives, were now all in his hands. He looked at all their faces until he came across Daenerys, and to his surprise, she was smiling.
She lifted her cup in the air as she stood. "To the True King in the North, long may he reign."
"The King in the North!
"The King in the North!"
"The King in the North!"