Storm of the North

Chapter 11

QA

Nathan Lannister: I've taken your idea up for consideration and have already imagined a bit of a snippet. Check it out at the end of this chapter.

Winterfell, 298 AC

Naruto POV

Jon groaned as he kneeled on the training yard and tried to empty his stomach, but he didn't have anything to empty. It was the morning after the feast and Naruto had dragged him out of his warm bed to have morning training. The young man wanted clearly to go back to bed. Whether that was because Ygritte was still there sleeping or because he was hungover Naruto wasn't sure. A little bit of option one, a little bit of option two. Naruto let out a sigh at the sluggishness of the boy.

The feast had turned wild after Tyrion joined them. The shorter man had challenged Jon and Naruto into a drinking challenge. Jon would probably regret trying to keep up with Tyrion. Naruto had experience in drinking and fighting the next day, so he was just feeling kind of bad that Jon was suffering. He was also rather amused. He should take it easy with the boy today.

"Come on Jon! This is good training for a new situation. Now you know what a stupid idea it is to drink before a march next day" Naruto laughed. Jon only tried to puke more. They had run around Wintertown a couple of times.

"Go drink water, eat something salty and porridge. Then bring some to Ygritte. You can sleep the rest of the day if you want." Jon staggered away towards the kitchens.

Naruto went towards the edge of the training yard to pick out a training sword to get warm with. As he begun his movements, he felt his muscles stretching and warming. He went through water dancing movements , slowly mixing them with movements reminiscent of a certain Sword of the Morning. As the movements mixed they slowly gave way to something new. It was somewhat of a mix of the light footwork of water dancing and the heavy strikes of the Westeros way of fighting. Subtly the blade movements got lighter, more controlled and flowing. The imagined enemies around him, didn't slow his blade, but it seemed to pass through them. Hacking off limbs wasn't needed as the movement was so smooth it was cutting through like a hot knife through butter. His style was finally getting where he wanted it.

"Interesting movement you have there" Naruto heard from the side. He slowly brought his movements to a stop and turned to look at Jaime "Kingslayer" Lannister. Perhaps the most infamous man from Robert's rebellion, his nickname earned when he slew the Mad King. The man was at the Tourney of Harrenhall, where he was made the youngest member of the Kingsguard.

"Thank you. Care for a spar?" Naruto nodded to the man.

"I've not used a tourney blade in sixteen years. I train with live steel. I thought in the Northpeople preferred it that way." Jaime grinned smugly.

Naruto hummed in thought "Yes, we sometimes train with live steel. But this is my training yard and when I stand here to train, we use wooden blades for all-out spars. Either pick a wooden blade or piss off." Naruto then turned to continue his movements.

After the last sentence, Jaime was biting his back teeth, but still as told. He stomped over to the wooden blades like a petulant child. There were different ones. Some where long, some wide, some combinations. When he finally found one he preferred, it was looked like your average longsword. The man gave it a few practice swings. Naruto had wound down his movement as Jaime was looking for his preferred blade. Jaime turned and entered the yard.

As the spar got more intense, Jaime was being pushed. The man hadn't actually fought in quite some time. He had gotten used to training by himself or against the less skilled opponents of Kingslanding. Now that he was facing someone who kept in shape he was being pushed. Then it came. As they clashed and stopped for a moment, Naruto suddenly twisted his blade in a way that broke their deadlock and forced Jaimes blade above him. Jaime only had time to widen his eyes, as Naruto brought the blade to his neck.

"Yield?" Naruto spoke. Jaime could only nod in shock. He'd seen this move before. But it had been sixteen years since that day. The movement that ended the Smiling Knight in a duel against Ser Arthur Dayne. And this man had just used it against him.

As Naruto took the blade from Jaime's neck and turned to walk away, for a moment Jaime could see in his mind another knight overlap Naruto's form. Their build comparable. Both walking with a relaxed posture.

"Again!" Jaime suddenly almost shouted. Naruto turned to glance at him, then turned to walk away again.

"No. It would end the same. You aren't at your best and until you are, I've no interest in fighting you."

Jaime gritted his teeth and rushed towards Naruto with a thrust. Suddenly Naruto turned and parried Jaime's blow to Naruto's right side followed by a left fist to the knights right temple. Jaime went down like a sack of potatoes, his head dizzy, his balance shot. Naruto backed away a couple of steps, not getting into a defensive position. Jaime shook his head and wildly swung his sword at Naruto, who blocked the blade, stopping it's movement and kicked Jaime's hand holding the blade. The blade went flying off and Jaime clutched his hand in pain. The man was dizzy, in pain and pissed. Naruto hefted the blade to his shoulder and breathed out audibly with a sigh.

"You'll be staying here for two months. I'll fight you once a week, if you show progress. For now, you should train like you mean it. What you've been doing isn't achieving it. You're either not doing it like you mean it or you've reached your limit. I know it's not the second one, so get to training. I'll fight you in a week." Naruto then walked away towards the kitchens. Jaime got up and walked to the training blade, grabbing it and engaging one of the training dummies with renewed vigor. He had a Sword of the Morning to exceed.

According to the servants the King had taken a kitchen maid to bed with him. The maid herself wasn't exactly… impressed by the King's 'prowess'. Naruto had quickly washed up and was walking about without his shirt on, cooling himself off and leaving the shirt hanging on his shoulder, which wasn't exactly a new sight to the workers and servants of the castle. The older women even lightly teased Naruto with the fact that he should know how to dress, as he was to become a father. Naruto only laughed in response. Naruto grabbed smoked fish, water and dried meat to eat as he passed through the kitchen. He walked to the hall to eat, finding most of the Stark family and the Queen with her children there eating. He sat next to Lyanna, not minding the fact that the Queen and her daughter were looking at him. The Princess, Myrcella, was looking at him with redness on her cheeks and Cersei a very much gaping at the man's audacity.

As he started on his food Lyanna elbowed him lightly in the side until he put his shirt on.

"Lyanna, Naruto, join me in my solar after you've eaten" Ned spoke as he finished breaking his fast. Then made a hasty retreat towards his solar.

"I wonder what he messed up. He's already taken the job, what else can he do?" Lyanna murmured.

Naruto hummed in acknowledgment. The Queen seemed to be 'subtly' leaning towards them in an effort to listen in. Naruto got a small grin, leaned over to Lyanna and spoke in a low voice. Lyanna glanced at the Queen, catching her eyes and snickered at something. Cersei's eye seemed to twitch. Lyanna hid her mouth as she whispered something to Naruto, getting him to look at Cersei in turn, him making eye contact as well. After a moment he bit his lip as Lyanna continued whispering and then seemed to be holding back a laugh. As this was happening, Cersei got redder and redder, a vein bulging from her forehead. Little Arya then leaned in and demanded to know what they were whispering about. Naruto and Lyanna glanced at each other, then Naruto whispered to Arya, getting the girl to turn, look at Cersei and then being set off giggling. Cersei got up in a huff, gathered up her children and marched away.

Cat glared at Naruto and Lyanna, gathered Rickon and Bran and ran after Cersei, probably to apologize. Robb decided to express his curiosity "What were you laughing at?"

"Her reaction" Naruto spoke easily has he continued eating.

Robb blinked "But, she didn't react until Lyanna laughed?"

"Exactly, Naruto just told me to look at her and laugh at her" Lyanna spoke.

Robb shook his head in exasperation. Sometimes Naruto and Lyanna were hard to understand.

After they finished their meal Naruto and Lyanna headed to Ned's solar. Ned was there, pretending to be busy with 'paperwork'. He didn't lift his head to greet them. He looked like a young boy who was caught doing something wrong. Naruto and Lyanna sat down and waited for Ned to gather his nerve.

After a moment Ned began "Robert wants Lyanna to come to Kingslanding with him."

There stretched a silence after that sentence, which Naruto broke by humming in thought and then opened his mouth "If it's a Stark woman he wants, I'm sure it can be arranged. Just give me a knife, and he can fuck you shortly after. How's that sound?" Ned cringed, not helped by the fact that Lyanna was nodding her head in agreement.

Ned tried to be delicate "Listen Robert has promised-" Naruto interrupted "No."

Ned was starting to get frustrated "This is something that was ag-" Naruto deadpanned again "No."

Ned was getting red now "You will do as-" Naruto squared his shoulders and leaned forward in his seat looking into Ned's eyes "No."

Ned rose from his chair, Naruto following at the same time. Lyanna gazed passively at Ned "Brother, you seem to be under the impression that this is not part of The Game. That this will somehow bring a new brother to your family and that's it. I and Naruto are under no such delusions. This is two unwilling players making dumb moves. It, in returns demands drastic responses from the others playing. No. I will not be sold to your fat fuck friend as a broodmare. You can tell him, that next time he wants to try and get me, he should talk to Naruto. I'll have fun watching as Naruto beats the 'Demon of Trident' with his bare fists and the guts him like the fat stag he is. I told you once already. If you want someone to fuck him, do it yourself. We didn't go through the trouble of manipulating Pycelle into declaring me incapable of giving birth, so you could act dumb. If this is what you've become after seeing you 'friend' again, we should really start thinking about a new warden for the North and a new King since you two seem to be going prematurely senile."

Ned drew to his full height and hissed "What did you say sister?"

"I thought you were only going senile not deaf. We really need to get Robb ready. God's know you and your wife haven't gotten it done" Lyanna spoke with a tired voice.

Ned got redder and redder at his sister's words. Naruto finally spoke, drawing attention to himself "I told you before, if you wish to give away control of Winterfell to outsiders I'll take Lyanna and Jon to safety. Either grow some brains already or abdicate to Lyanna until your son is ready. You're not the second son anymore. You're not a Falcon who leads by honor alone. You're not a Stag that prances around. You're supposed to be THE WOLF! We should check the catacombs and the graves of your ancestors, make sure with all the turning they've been doing it hasn't thrown the lids off!"

Ned stalked around the table to stand in front of Naruto. The two men squared off. Naruto leaned slightly forward and growled "Go on, little doe. Say something clever, if you can. If not, run back to be fucked by a fat buck."

Ned clamped his hands around Naruto's throat who didn't react other than uttering after a moment of silence "Go on, strike me. You'll go out through that pretty window behind you desk." Ned wasn't strangling Naruto, but holding on to the man's throat. Slowly, but surely his hands came off Naruto's throat. Ned looked down at his hands, averting his gaze from Naruto in shame.

"Go on little doe, run to your buck. Go south with him. Abandon your family and their traditions. Make those who came before you weep in shame. But before you do, ask yourself: is this what Brandon and Rickard wanted of you? To sell the house of Stark? Because we still remember them. And neither Lyanna nor me think they would have felt proud to see you wear the direwolf with what you're trying to do here. You seem to think the direwolf has no cunning or subtelty, forgetting that the direwolf is a hunter. It's the one of the animals that surrounds it's prey with numbers and the only animal that moves in a way, that other don't know how many there are. If you want to be Stark, be the direwolf, embrace all a direwolf is. But if you follow the stag blindly, begin a new house for yourself. You can take a doe bending before the stag for your sigil." Naruto spoke calmly.

Ned was silent, and moved to sit in his chair. He sat down on it boneless, his head supported by his hands on his desk. Naruto, extended his hand to Lyanna who rose from her seat. Before they left Naruto spoke.

"Lyanna and I have waited and prayed to the old gods that you show us that you are a true direwolf. You've not done it. So far your followers have mostly seen your son as a trout as well. Remember what you father taught 'when the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives'. You've not acted a true wolf since your father died. You acted some cross between falcon and stag. And I've no idea if something like that will survive any winter. I'll follow a real wolf to hell and back. So, what are you? Hm? When you know, speak to us again, not before."

With that Naruto and Lyanna left. They closed the door silently as Ned thought on in silence. Ned looked to the side of the table where Ice was. What was he? Who was he? And what was his place in this game? Was he a pawn? Was he a player? He had questions to answer, questions he had always avoided. He grabbed a rag and Ice, then walked to the God's Wood's.

Robert had been pissy for the next few day's as Ned seemingly refused to speak to him. Oh, Robert spoke a lot to Ned, but Ned was silent. The nickname 'Silent Wolf' had never been so apt. He slept and ate regularly, but other than that, he seemed to only sit in the God's Wood's and cleaned Ice while looking at the pond the forest/holy place had. Then a… change seemed to slowly overcome him. He didn't grow or get younger or anything like that, but his visage shifted slowly during his time there. He looked… harder, decisive, resolute. On the fourth day since their talk, Ned invited Naruto and Lyanna to his solar.

As they stepped in, Ned spoke. It was simple, non-aggressive, but firm.

"Sit"

Naruto and Lyanna did as told.

"I'm not a stag. I'm not a falcon either. I'm not blind, deaf, dumb or senile." Ned gazed at the two sitting in front of his desk. "I am the Stark. I always felt like I was a Stark, but never the Stark. And as long as you live in the North, you'll do as I command. Is that understood?"

Naruto and Lyanna didn't speak, just stared back at Ned.

"Naruto, I'll need you at Kingslanding. I need you to act as my eyes and ears. Before we arrive, I need to know the players and what they've done to get where they are. I need to know their lovers, wives, their favourite foods. Lysa Arryn sent a message to Cat telling her that the Lannisters were behind Jon Arryn's death. We'll dig the truth out even if it was under a mile of shit. And when the truth is known, we'll have Robert give the pin of the Hand to Tywin for all I care." Naruto spoke with finality. A moment of silence and Naruto spoke.

"Why? Why do we even need to go? Why you?" Ned considered his response "Because, he raised me and I deserve the truth of what happened to him."

"And Lyanna?" Naruto got ready to throttle Ned.

"She'll stay here and teach Robb to rule. Like a Stark." Ned, pulled some of the paperwork he had been neglecting and got to work. "Also, while I am south Lyanna, you'll act as warden."

"Yes, brother" Lyanna spoke softly.

"Good, dismissed" Ned didn't even look up to see the proud smiles on their faces.

If Ned had told Naruto and Lyanna of the feeling of fog lifting during his time in the God's Wood's and the whispers he heard, they might have been saved trouble later down the line.

To be continued…

Below is a drabble for Nathan Lannister, this is my short/loose take:

A small patter of feet could be heard as little Jaime Lannister ran through the halls of Casterly Rock. He suddenly darted into one of the rooms. He slammed it close with a grin a leanedon the door, brething heavily.

"Jaime, what's wrong?" Spoke Jaime's mother Lyanna, looking up from her book.

"Nothing! Just, umh" Jaime tried to come up with something.

Then there was knock. Jaimes eyes widened and he dove behind the curtains, his mother just looking at him questioningly.

"Milady, sorry to bother you. Have you seen your son?" Came from Maester Volaris who was knocking.

"I saw him this morning. Did he do something again?" Joanna looked at Jaime's hiding place with a bright grin.

"Yes, I should say so. He somehow has seem to have concocted an intresting method of paint usage. What the boy sees in oramge I cannot fathom." the man spoke in exasperation.

"I see, well if I see him, I'll give him a talking to" Joanna spoke.

She could hear the man leaving while grumbling.

"He's gone" Joanna spoke. Jaime came out woth a sheepish expression.

"So, what did you do?" Joanna was giving her son her full attention now.

"I made something called a 'paintbomb'. It's something that has paint inside it and when it breaks open it spreads the paint in splash" Jaime spoke proudly.

"And why did you use it on Volaris" Joanna tilted her head.

Jaime looked down and was scuffing the ground with his shoe "He said Naruto wasn't real. That he was all in my head. So Naruto showed me how to make the paintbomb. I think we proved him wrong."

Joanna smiled softly. 'Naruto', at least according to the maester, was an imaginary friend Jaime made up to compensate for not having any real constant friends other than his sister.

"Jaime, you know, maybe the maester is right. I've never seen Naruto my self.

Jaime seemed to stop and think, then he looked to her side where the book was open, or rather above it.

"The fall of Val- Valer- Valyria, is rec-recorded as a kataclysmic event, that destroyed the valyrian freehold. It was started when the volcanoes surrounding it errupted sim-simultanusly." Jaime spoke, looking at the spot from across the room.

Joanna blinked and digested the information, then patiently she spoke "Jaime where did you learn that?"

"Naruto read it from the book you have open. He said 'maybe this will prove it' and told me to repeat." Jaime told her like there was nothing wrong.

Joanna slowly turned her head to the side and tried to find any trace of someone standing there. She couldn't. Good thing Tywin didn't marry her for her looks only.

"Jaime, will Naruto answer questions if I ask them?" she spoke slowly and deliberatly.

Jaime again looked to her side and said "Yes, he said he'll answer as long as it's not too personal."

Joanna would spend many afternoons after this day with her son, just them giving this Naruto questions. It would be their little secret since anytime Tywin came in to the room Naruto wouldn't speak according to Naruto.

Some things needed to be said.

Next update, next weekend. Reviews always appreciated!