Jon and Ingfried joruney Westward down the River Reik hoping to make for the port city of Marienburg but along they way meet the fouler denizens of the Wasteland. Kindly leave a review please.
Do you think that Maesters Gilbert and Julevno suspect the same?' Jon asked, unthinkingly giving them the title that he was familiar with when discussing men of learning.
'It is possible. I cannot imagine that if I could think of it they could not. Especially my master.' She smiled proudly. She then paused and gave Jon a look.
'What is a master?' Jon gave a slightly embarrassed grin.
'It is what we call men of learning where I come from.' She nodded, appearing to approve of this and then returned to the subject at hand.
'After all, my master is the Magister Patriarch of the Celestial Order. They do not just hand out the title like a treat to children.' The smile fell from her face.
'Unfortunately, if that is the case, I do not know how you could be sent back. In truth, I have never heard of anything like this happening, if it is indeed the case. So, I have no idea how to reverse it.' At her words Jon felt his spirits drop. He found himself considering the possibility he could be trapped in this strange world forever. His mood most have shown because Ghost came up to him and licked his hand, while Ingfried smiled in a comforting way.
'Now do go despairing just yet. I could be wrong and like I said, my master is much more knowledgeable than I am.' She stretched and yawned.
'Well, it is late. No point in worrying about something that we cannot do anything about at the moment.' With that she rose and walked to the door.
'So, I shall wish you a good night and pleasant dreams. I shall see you in the morning.' With that she turned and left. Not having anything else to do, Jon decided to follow her example and too went to bed. The bed was surprisingly comfortable and he was soon asleep.
He was awoken the next morning by someone knocking on the door.
'Who is it?' He asked. He received no reply and was about to ask again when he remembered that he had taken the talisman off when he had gone to sleep. Rather than putting it on, he simply opened the door.
Beyond were two of the servants. One held a tray with a bowl of hot water and razor on it. The second one also held a tray, this one holding a bowl of porridge, a platter of bacon and a small loaf of bread a pitcher of some drink, Jon suspected ale. Wordlessly they came in as Jon stepped hastily aside. The first one placed the hot water on the table with the water pitcher while the second one placed the food upon the table. This done, they both bowed and departed. Once they were gone Jon quickly dressed, shaved and ate the food provided, which was actually rather good and the, replacing the talisman, he went in search of Ingfried. Fortunately, he did not have to go far to find her. He was walking down the hallway in the direction that he thought was the one towards her quarters, when he rounded a corner and there she was. She looked startled to see him for a moment and then quickly recovered herself.
'Ah, there you are. You have eaten I presume?'
'Yes, thank you.'
'Good, as we must hurry. My master took my advice and I believe that he may have found something. I cannot think of any other reason he would call for us so early.' With that she continued along the hallway, Jon hurry to catch up.
They hurried towards the study where they had spoken with Julevno and Gilbert before. Hans was there to let them in when they reached the door. Inside were the two men, bent over consulting a massive book. The words meant nothing to him and Jon found himself wishing that the talisman could translate written as well as spoken words. They were so engrossed in whatever it was that they were reading that they did not at first realize that he and Ingfried had entered the room. The two stood in silence for a several heartbeats, waiting for to be acknowledged by the two wizards. At last, Ingfried coughed slightly, which got the two men's attention. They turned to face Jon and Ingfried and smiled.
'That was a brilliant theory you had, my apprentice and it has borne fruit.' She stood a little taller and smiled demurely in a rather unsuccessful attempt to hide her pleasure at his praise. Julevno did not seem to notice, or at least gave no sign of it and continued speaking.
'After you spoke to me last night, I remembered hearing one of our order saying something similar in a lecture a number of years before. Master Gilbert and I have spent the morning looking into it and we have at last found it.' Here he paused and allowed the other wizard to take over, which he promptly did.
'Seven years ago, one Magister Hilger Adelman proposed the theory that there are realms beyond the seas, with magics separating them. He argued, like but unlike our own.' Gilbert paused and gave a slight smile.
'As you can imagine, it was not well-received. Many considered it nonsensical and unprovable even if it was true.' Jon mostly ignored that last part, focusing on the first half.
This Adelman seemed to know what had happened to him, which meant that he might know how he could be sent home. He felt his excitement rise at the prospect and he could not contain his eagerness. He turned to Julevno, who seemed to be aware of what Jon was thinking.
'Can we speak to this Magister Adelman?' Julevno shook his head, a strange expression on his face.
'I fear that Magister Adelman is no longer with us.' As fast as he had felt his hope rise, he now felt it fall. Julevno again appeared to sense what Jon was thinking, as he swiftly moved to speak again.
'You misunderstand me, forgive me for not speaking clearer. Magister Adelman is still very much alive to the best of my knowledge. What I meant is that he is no longer affiliated with the Colleges of Magic.
'After the lecture that I just mentioned people began to look upon him as being somewhat eccentric and his fellows began to shun him. Unfortunately, he is a rather prickly man and did not take this lying down. He became argumentative and disruptive. This situation deteriorated until he left in a huff and made his way to the College of Navigation and Sea Magic's in Marienburg.' At the two names Ingfried and Gilbert both made signs of displeasure, if Julevno noticed this, he ignored them, appearing to be deep in thought. He stood still for a time, tapping his chin with his finger. At last, he seemed to come to a decision and spoke again, more to himself than to the others.
'An exchange of letters would be too slow. No, it would be better if you were to go to Marienburg and speak directly to him.' This did not seem to please either Ingfried or Gilbert.
'My lord,' Gilbert said, appearing to stress the title; 'I do not believe that such a course of action would be necessary.
'The libraries here are far superior to those of their 'college,' if one can call it that. Also, while he may have been correct on this matter Adelman was given to…certain theories. There is not even any guarantee that such a journey would yield anything to justify the time, expense and risk.
'I remember him and, in addition to be prickly, he could also be petty. It is entirely possible that he could refuse to help for no other reason than to spite us.' Julevno was already shaking his head.
'It is precisely for that reason the boy must go in person.
'If we were to send a letter, he might very well see it as our attempt to mock him, or to undermine him with his colleagues in Marienburg. Besides, a face-to-face meeting with proof that he was correct will be something he cannot refuse. He will feel compelled to help, if only to show us that we were wrong.' As he stopped speaking Ingfried, who had remained silent so far, also spoke.
'Master, while I can see your reasoning for consulting him, is it wise to do so now?
'Geheimnisnacht is almost upon us. Is it really wise to be travelling abroad just now?' Julevno looked uncomfortable. For a moment Jon thought that he might say something,
'I know that the risk is great, but it must be done. Things are in motion and time is against us. You will have to travel swiftly, but Sigmar willing, you shall make it there swiftly and safely.'
'Me, Master?!'
'Of course, we can hardly leave the boy to wonder around on his own. You shall go with him and assist in whatever manner you can. I shall write a letter for you to take to Adelman explaining everything.
'Now go and make preparations. As you have said, Geheimnisnacht is almost upon us and it would not do for you to be caught out in the open.' With that he turned and began discussing something with Gilbert, clearly having dismissed Jon and Ingfried from his mind. Jon was not sure what to do and so followed Ingfried's lead when she offered a short bow and departed. Once they were back in the hallway, with Ingfried starting to walk back towards his quarts, Jon was able to ask her what was going on.
'What is this Marienburg that you were all speaking of?' Ingfried face took on a slightly contemptuous expression.
'It is a city west of here and it is ruled by a pack of money-grubbing merchants.' She paused and shook her head as if to clear it.
'It is, as I said, west of here; where the River Reik empties into the Sea of Claws. This position means that the city is the focal point for trade, making it extremely wealthy. That, unsurprisingly, is the source of the problem.
'You see, the city used to be part of the Empire; then, around seventy years ago, the merchants who rule the city just bought their independence from the Empire. There is still some bad blood, what with them actually claiming that they are free and so much better than us. Ha!' The last said in a derisive tone.
'They claim to adhere to some ridiculous idea that they call 'democracy', the idea that every man has a say in how things are run, as if the common herd would have any idea how that should happen.' Jon, remembering his own election as Lord Commander, felt compelled to defend the institution, but she continued to speak.
'They don't even adhere to it themselves, not really. What they have is a collection of powerful and wealthy merchant families who ensure that all the powerful offices are held by themselves and all the wealth that comes with them. It is plain to anyone who cares to look, yet still the common fools cling to them. It is maddening!' She took a deep breath and turned to look fully at Jon.
'Do you know what the most infuriating thing of all about them is?' Not knowing what else to do, Jon shook his head.
'It works after a fashion. They are one of the wealthiest cities in the Old World and despite the fact that their military strength is vastly inferior to that of the Empire, they have fought off all attempts to reintegrate them into the Empire.' She paused and then spoke in a tired tone of voice. Though he said nothing, to Jon this Marineburg sounded a lot like the description of Braavos from the lessons Luwin taught to him and the other children. His memories were interrupted as Ingfried continued to speak.
'So, we shall have to travel, in one of the most inauspicious times of year, to a place where we shall be subjected to a battery of sneers and snide remarks from fools and coin-fondlers.
'Well, there is nothing for it. Let us go and pack.'
As Jon did not have many possessions, he was soon ready to go. Ingfried to somewhat longer, but they were ready to go several hours before noon. Her possessions were loaded onto a wagon by two men, along with a plump, middle-aged woman named Hilda, a servant coming to see to Ingfried's comfort, while horses were brought for Ingfried and Jon. Jon was pleased, as he preferred ridding to spending days in a carriage. Ghost preferred it as well. Jon was surprised; however, to see that Ingfried would be riding as well, though he did not say anything. In addition to two servants who would be riding on the wagon six men would be riding with them. They were all tough-looking men, either mercenaries or men-at-arms in service to the College. They wore shirts of mail with breast and backplates over them; along with helmets, bracers and greaves. They were armed spears and shields, with swords hanging from their belts. Seeing their armaments Jon checked his own weapons and armour, pleased to see that someone had cleaned and oiled it and now it was as good as new. Once that was done, he mounted the gray gelding that had been given to him while Ingfried mounted her dun mare.
They rode out of the College grounds and through the city. It was even bigger than Jon had realized; perhaps it was even larger and more crowded than King's Landing. Fortunately, two of the men rode ahead to clear the street ahead of them and they quickly made their way through the city and as they did so Jon found the smell of water growing stronger. Eventually they reached a dock with a large barge tied up to it. Ingfried pointed to it.
'That is River Dancer, a trader which makes regular trips to Marienburg. Before we left my master assured me that he had sent a man ahead to secure us passage.' Even as she finished speaking a man, who Jon guessed was one of the officers of the ship from his dress came up. He clearly knew who they were and was nervous, compulsively rubbing his hands and breathing rapidly as he came up to them. Seeing this Ingfried frowned, apparently expecting that whatever the man was going to say was not going to be to her liking. The man came up to them and bowed.
'Lady Wizard, my lord. I fear that I have some rather unfortunate news.'
'Yes?' Ingfried asked, in a tone of voice which made the man flinch again.
'Well, you see, when your master arranged for your passage, a slight mistake was made.'
'Mistake?' Ingfried asked, in tone even colder than before.
'Yes. My lady. It appears that there are an unusual large number of people traveling for this time of year. I fear that there is only one cabin available for you and your companion.' This startled Jon and Ingfried's face flushed slightly. Her embarrassment swiftly turned to anger.
'This is unacceptable. We paid for two cabins, and we shall not be cheated.' The man paled and swallowed nervously but held his ground.
'Again, I apologize, My Lady, but I fear that there is nothing to be done. I can return the fee for the second cabin, but that is all.' Ingfried looked as if she was going to say more, but Jon stepped in.
'It is alright, I can sleep on the deck with the men.' He had certainly slept in worse places. To his surprise, however, the man still looked uncomfortable.
'I fear that that presents some problems as well.'
'What now?' Ingfried demanded in a tone of exasperation.
'I fear that it is the young lord's…companion.' This last was said with a pointed look at Ghost while making the now-familiar sign of Ulric.
'If it were to wonder the decks it would upset the rest of the passengers and crew. It would be best were it to stay in the cabin as much as possible. 'Out of sight, out of mind;' As they say.' Ghost looked up at Jon, clearly not overly happy with how this were going. Jon just sighed. He did not like how this was going either, but he really just wanted to have to voyage be done with. Ingfried must have read that on his face, as she said no more and merely nodded her assent.
Their baggage was quickly loaded onto the barge and the two men on the wagon departed, taking the horses with them. While Ingfried made her way towards the cabin. The craft was indeed crowded, mostly by men who had the look of wealthy merchants and their entourages. Nevertheless, the sight of Ingfried and Ghost quickly cleared a path to their cabin. It was of moderate size, but was comfortably appointed. It was dominated by a large bed, with a small table and a stand with a pitcher and basin on it. Also present was a large trunk. Hilda immediately set about unpacking and arranging things. Jon went to the window and watch as the barge began making its way from the pier and towards the may flow of the river.
Leaving Ghost behind Jon made his way back onto the deck. It was still quite crowded; with crew pushing long poles to propel the barge, other passengers either getting air like Jon or finding space on the deck and making themselves comfortable. Here and there people were coming together and chatting in the manner of travelers brought together by chance. Not having any desire to join any such groups, Jon kept to himself as much as possible, choosing instead to watch the city slide by. Again, he was amazed at how large that it was. Eventually; however, it gave way to fields and then to seemingly endless forests. Though there was nothing that he could put his finger on, the forests made him uneasy.
While the Haunted Forest was dangerous place; the longer the barge sailed through the forest the more the air of unease grew. There was an almost an air of malevolence about it. Indeed, Jon was prepared to swear that something watching them from the trees. Looking around he saw that many of the crew and his fellow passengers were feeling the same way. Though conversations continued, they were more subdued. More than one of them, apparently subconsciously, were reaching for various weapons. Their unease communicated to him and he felt his own unease growing.
'This was a mistake. We should have stayed in Altdorf until Geheimnistag passes.' Said a voice nearby. Jon looked over towards the source of the voices.
He saw two men, well dressed and well fed, with the look of brothers. Despite their appearance they had none of the self-satisfaction common to merchants. Instead, they looked on edge and were both nervously fingering weapons, though how well they could use them Jon had some doubts, his eyes playing over their soft, scare-free hands. His scrutiny of them did not go unobserved by the men. One, the elder by the look of him, met Jon's gaze, his fear making him belligerent.
'Looking at something, boy?' He demanded. Jon felt his hackles rise at the insulting tone of the man, but he forced himself to remain calm. Instead of snapping at the man, he addressed him in a civil tone of voice.
'Forgive me, Sir. I am a stranger here and I have noticed that everyone on this barge seems to be on edge. I must admit that I too have had a feeling of unease. I was hoping that you could explain what is causing it.' His words had the desired effect. The man clearly liked appearing superior and had the chance to display his superiority to someone, it also seemed to help him bring his unease somewhat under control.
'Well, young man, you have come to our blessed land at a rather…inauspicious time.
'Not only is cursed Geheimnistag approaching,' here he paused and took forth an amulet from within his tunic and kissed it. He then put it back and resumed speaking; 'But there are other dark omens as well.
'Raids by Greenskins have been on the rise and there have been numerous sightings of Beastmen.' He waved his hand to take in the barge.
'Even this close to Altdorf, the capital of the greatest kingdom of men, the creatures have been seen. As you can see.' Looking at those around him the actions of those aboard. They were all prepared, perhaps even expecting, an attack. Knowing this Jon remembered the feeling of being watched from the banks and he found himself looking again for unseen foes. The merchant saw this and smiled cynically.
'Now you understand,' the younger man said, joining the conversation for the first time.
'Believe me, we are heading towards dark times. All the priests say so.' At this the older man scoffed.
'You should not pay heed to such things, Hans. True things are bad now, but it is hardly the end of the world.' Despite his words, he did not sound as if he wholly believed them himself. Hans seemed to notice them as well.
'Deny it all you want, Albert, but you cannot deny the signs. All around us evil is stirring, and I doubt not that things will only get worse as winter sets in.' The two lapsed into sullen silence. Not wanting to hear any more either of gloomy thoughts or the brothers, if that was what they were, bickering he moved away. Despite this he found that his feeling of unease would not leave him, nor could he shake the feeling that they were being watched from the shore. This was not helped by the fact that the forests along the shore seemed endless and he could not see what, if anything, was lurking within.
Around noon the crew distributed food in the form of bread, beer and a thick stew which Jon found too actually be rather good. In addition to this a number of people seemed to have brought food of their own to supplement what was provided. An elderly man dressed in a simple robe beckoned Jon to join him and together they shared some dried apples the man had. Looking around Jon saw that the mood of those aboard, while still somewhat apprehensive, had greatly relaxed. With the sun high and with food in their bellies it seemed that many were now not so certain that disaster waited for them around every corner. After the meal the man soon fell asleep and Jon resumed his exploration of the ship, taking care to remain out of the way of the crew. As night began to close and it grew steadily colder, Jon returned to the cabin. Ingfried had changed into a nightgown, over which she wore a robe of heavy blue velvet. She was reading a book and looked up as Jon came in, as did Ghost who was sleeping by the bed.
'Enjoyed your exploration of this great vessel?' She asked, arching an eyebrow. Jon had to smirk. In a way she sometimes reminded him of Arya with her sense of humour. His thoughts were interrupted by her closing the book and standing up.
'It is early for me, but I believe that I shall retire.' Her eyes flicked to the bed, and she appeared to flush slightly. She looked slightly uncertain, but Jon spoke up.
'The floor will be fine for me.' It was true. The floor felt far softer than the ground he had slept on during the ranging. With his cloak and Ghost next to him he would be more than warm enough. He purposefully looked away as Ingfried shed her robe and climbed into bed. Though he tried to deny it, he had to admit that she was very attractive.
Stop it! He told himself harshly.
You broke your vows once! Never again! Though he tried to make himself think of his vows, other thoughts intruded on his mind.
Though he had broken his vows with Ygritte, when he thought of the time that he spent with her, he could not bring himself to regret doing it. In his mind, if he were to betray his vows with a woman again, he would also be betraying her. With these thoughts he slipped into sleep.
'WAKE UP!' The words cut into Jon's mind, forcing him awake.
He opened his eyes and raised his head, looking around. Ingfried was standing over him. She had thrown her robe over her nightclothes. Her staff was in her hands and a look of fierce determination in her eyes. As Jon rose to his feet he looked about, trying to determine what was going on. He did not see anything different; except for the fact that Hilda was cowering in the corner looking terrified. Looking to the side he saw that Ghost was fully awake and looking on edge. Jon turned back to Ingfried as he got to his feet.
'What is going on?'
'We are under attack.' She replied. To Jon's surprise there was a touch of eagerness in her voice and wild excitement in her eyes, which seemed to emit an eerie glow.
'Come.' With that she turned and headed towards the door. Jon quickly buckled on Longclaw and followed her to the deck.
All the passengers were running up and down the deck, some with weapons and others merely panicking. Those with weapons were clustering along the port side of the ship and staring out towards the shore. Jon pushed his way to the side of the barge, his efforts aided by people rapidly moving aside at the sight of Ghost and Ingfried with her staff. Once there Jon stared at the shore and the water.
At first it was hard to see anything as the sun had not yet risen and all was shadows and gloom. Gradually Jon could make out shapes on the water heading towards them. As they drew closer, he could see that they were crudely made, mismatched pieces of wood crudely lashed together. Of greater interest to him were the beings on them.
They appeared to be small, little more than children and skinny to the point of emaciation. More shocking of all; however, was their skin. They were a forest-green with yellow eyes and large pointed noses and ears. Of greater concern were the weapons which they held clutched in their hands. These were mostly spears, clubs and crudely forged swords and hatchets. Some had short bows and fired arrows at the craft. Most of these fell short, but several struck the side of the barge.
'Goblins!' Someone to Jon's left cried out. And the cry was taken up by others.
Jon had never seen goblins before, yet another strange creature of this equally strange world. Fortunately, though those around him were clearly afraid, Jon himself was not. While strange and clearly hostile, they were creatures of flesh and blood and the fact that the people around him, whom he assumed were more familiar with them, had taken up weapons. That meant that they could be killed.
Besides, he thought with bleak humour; They cannot be worse than the Others and their servants. As he thought that Ingfried came to stand beside him, a determined look on her face.
She raised her staff and began to chant in a language that he could not understand, even with the necklace that he was wearing. As she continued to chant a glow emanated from the top of her staff and the air seemed to crackle around her. Around them people drew back, many of them making signs clearly meant to invoke divine protection and ward away evil. Ingfried's voice rose in pitch and she suddenly thrust her staff towards one of the craft. Lightning shot from her staff and struck the craft. The crude raft broke and the charred corpses of the goblins were thrown into the air and then splashed back down into the water. Ingfried laughed in triumph and turned her attention to another of goblin craft.
Again she chanted and moved her staff, whipping it across her body. This produced a gust of wind so powerful that one of the attacking craft was capsized. She looked to Jon, an expression on her face which reminded Jon of an occasion when he had walked on his sisters' needlework lesson. Sansa had, as she usually did, done the work perfectly and had looked to Septa Mordane for praise. Jon's wits, never the sharpest when it came to women, struggled to find words. He was saved from having to think of something by a cry from the other side of barge.
'MORE COMING FROM THIS SIDE!' A voice rang out. This caused a fresh stir of panic among the passengers and crew. No one seemed to know what to do.
Jon's mind took him back to the battle at the Wall when he and his brothers had faced Mance Rayder and his Wildlings. Donal Noye had left him in charge of the top of the Wall and he had fought through the night. Looking around him, he knew what to do. Drawing Longclaw, he held it above his head and yelled as loudly as he could.
'HALF OF YOU WITH ME! THE OTHER HALF STAY HERE!' He then turned to Ingfried.
'Keep this side safe.' With that he turned and headed towards the other side. Perhaps it was because they had no other idea of what to do; or perhaps it was due to Jon's commanding tone of voice, either way when he went many came with him.
They rushed to the other side of the barge and in the gathering light he could see more of the crude craft coming towards them. As they had only just been discovered and there was no mage on this side and they had gotten more than halfway towards them by the time they were discovered.
As they pressed along the side of the barge, Jon called out to the handful of men with missile weapons, a few crossbows and a man with one of the strange, exploding weapons that he had seen before. He pointed them out.
'Concentrate fire on the closest one! Once it comes alongside, move on to the next!' They indicated their acknowledgement and began shooting at the nearest craft.
Some of the creatures were struck and fell from the raft, but there were so many that Jon was not sure if was making any noticeable difference. It was clear that many of them were going to make it. A commotion behind him made him turn around. Six or seven men, all members of the crew by the look of them, had taken up the poles which they used to pole the barge and were going to attempt to use them to fend off the creatures. Once they had them, they hurried to the side, though they had difficulty pushing their way through the crowd to get to the side. By that time the first of the craft had reached them. Crude grappling hooks were tossed and while most of these failed to catch several did and the goblins swarmed up onto the deck.
Up close they were even uglier and they stank. They wielded crudely-forged swords, hatches and knives. Some were even more primitively armed with stone clubs or even what appeared to be bones of large creatures. They attacked with surprising viciousness, but with little skill or coordination; they appeared to rely more on their numbers and the fear that they inspired to overcome their foes. Their small size was also proving to be an advantage.
Jon had arrayed the men along the deck, in as much as they had done so themselves, as if they were fighting other men. While it had helped to an extent as the raft were lower in the water than the barge and so they were easily able to repel the first attackers. As more and more of them swarmed up Jon found that the attackers could get right up to the defenders where their small size made them hard to fight in such close quarters and the men behind could not reach them to help. One of them ran up to Jon and attempted to stab a rusty dagger into his leg. Jon tried to thrust down with Longclaw, but was having difficulty thrusting down with all those around him jostling and pressing up against them. With some difficulty he was able to get his leg back, first to avoid being stabbed and then to deliver a kick which sent it stumbling back over the side of the craft. Not all the men were as fortunate and their cries of pain joined those of the goblins. Not all the defenders; however, were so disadvantaged.
Ghost quickly demonstrated that their crude leather armour was no defence against his fangs and he had no difficulty reaching them and the men's fear of him ensured that he had more than enough room. One goblin hesitantly tried to stab him with its spear. As it got close enough to try Ghost lunged forward. He used his head to bat away the spear then then bit down on the goblin's head. The skull held for a moment and burst like a squeezed grape. Another took advantage of its fellow's demise and jumped on Ghost's back, grabbed a handful of its fur and attempted to stab the direwolf with a knife. Ghost responded by throwing himself on the deck and rolling around, crushing the small creature beneath him. Once he regained his feet he charged into a knot of the creatures, biting and clawing. Jon had no time to watch as he had foes of his own to deal with it.
Despite the sailors using the poles more of the craft were reaching the barge and more of hateful creatures were climbing aboard. It seemed that they were endless and only their lack of coordination kept them from overwhelming the defenders. That and one other thing. Jon soon realized that the creatures were as cowardly as they were vicious. As soon as it was apparent that they were not winning it would not be long before they would try to flee, they were soon going out of their way to avoid going anywhere near Ghost and those men who clearly knew how to fight. Just then pain shot through his leg. Looking down he saw one of the creatures grinning as it twisted a knife in his leg. Jon cursed and shook his leg, the creature having a surprisingly strong grip. Once free Jon kicked it in the chest with such force that he could swear that he heard bones breaking. The creature screamed as the blow shot it from the deck and into the water.
That done, Jon spared a quick glance at the wound. Fortunately, it did not appear to be as bad as he had first had feared, the blade having barely made it through the boot to break the skin. Having assured himself that it was nothing that he needed to be concerned about at the moment he looked about to take in the battle. At the moment things were not going well for the humans. The goblins had clearly quickly learned which of the humans could fight and which could not. They had focused their efforts on those who could not and were steadily forcing the humans apart into small groups. Worse, even more craft could be seen approaching from the shore.
Seven hells! Jon thought ferociously; Is there no end to these damn things?! Just then the whole barge rocked forward so sharply that many on both sides were thrown to the deck and some even fell into the water. As Jon looked about for the cause he was struck by a stench which was truly horrific. It seemed a combination of dead fish and rotting vegetation. As he looked about he saw two dark shapes on the deck of the barge and it appeared that they were what was pulling at the barge. Looking closer to his shock he saw that they were an enormous pair of hands, hands as big as those of a giant. He heard the sound of something being hauled from the water and a face appeared.
It was a hideous thing, like one of the monsters from Old Nan's stories, covered in scales and river weeds with a large nose and floppy ears. Of greater concern; however, were the large teeth in its mouth. It tried to pull itself up onto the deck, but its size worked against it and all it did was force more of the barge into the water. From nearby someone screamed.
'TROLL! They have a troll with them!' Jon had no idea what a troll was, but it was clearly a bad thing. For a moment Jon thought that at least the creature could not get at them, then it opened its mouth wide.
From its maw spewed a vile smelling substance. Whatever it landed on; man, goblin or the barge began to burn and melt. The screams were horrible and seemed to go on forever, nor were they the only sound. Rising above them all was another sound. A chackling high-pitched laugh. After a moment the source became visible.
Across the creature's, the troll's, chest were several straps. These straps were connected to a seat on its back. Sitting on the seat was another goblin, but this one was different from the others. It wore an elaborate headdress of feathers, teeth and primitive-looking charms. In place of a weapon, it was waving a staff toped with a human skull. It began to chant in a high-pitched, slightly deranged, voice. As it did so green lights appeared in the skull's eye sockets and spread in a green nimbus to encompass the rest of the skull. The goblin's chanting rose still higher and it thrust its staff at several humans. A bolt of green lighting shot out. It struck the humans, who barely had time to scream before they fell to the deck, little more than charred bones. All while the goblin laughed manically.
Jon stared at the creature in horror. It could work magic! Just like Ingfried! How could he beat something like that? He angrily shook himself. It was not the first time that he had been in a situation which he thought that he could not win; he had not given in then and he would not now. Without thinking he began running towards the creature. As he did he saw Ghost running at his side.
The troll saw him coming and turned its head toward him. For a moment Jon feared that it was going spit up more of the vile substance which had wrecked such carnage among the defenders, but it did not. Instead, it let go with one of its massive hands and reached out with an impossibly long arm to slap at him. If it were to hit him Jon had no doubt that it would crush him like a mosquito slapped by a man, so Jon would not let it. At the last moment Jon threw himself into a role and the hand passed over him. He rose swiftly and lashed out with a blow of his own. Longclaw struck the back of the troll's hand and sank deep. The troll roared, though in pain or anger Jon was not sure and tore its hand free.
It struck at Jon again, but the blow was clumsy and Jon avoided it without difficulty. As he did so he saw that the wound that he had inflicted had already healed. The troll had clearly had had enough. It placed both of its hands on the deck and pushed. The barge rocked again and wood splintered, but the troll was at last able to haul itself up onto the deck, the wood creaking beneath it. It stood there for a moment, wobbling as it tried to get its balance as its weight caused more rocking and then moved towards Jon, or rather it tried to. On its first step its foot went through the deck, going almost to its groin. It thrashed and struggled about, splintering more of the deck, but it could not get free.
As Jon looked on, trying to decide how to best exploit the situation, he saw a man break from the battle. Looking he saw that it was one of the men that had escorted them to the barge. He was the oldest of the men, with hair mostly gray and his face lined with a number of scars from old battles, Jon thought that some of the men had called him Rolf. Rolf had sheathed his sword and had several flasks in his hands. He appeared to be trying to get around the troll, but its wildly flailing arms prevented this. At last he gave up and instead cocked his arm back and hurled with one of the clay flasks with all his strength. It flew through the air and struck the troll in the side of the neck. It immediately shattered and a thick substance began to slide down over its body. Even at a distance Jon could detect the odder of lamp oil. Rolf, preparing to throw the second flask, caught his eye and must have seen Jon's puzzlement.
'IT DON'T REGENERATE WOUNDS CAUSED BY FIRE!' So saying, he threw the other flask of oil at the troll, this time hitting the chest.
Rolf then ran to a lantern hanging on a nearby hook. He snatched it up and cocked his arm back again to hurl it at the troll. Unfortunately, while it did not appear that the troll knew what Rolf was planning, the goblin on its back did. It screeched in rage and sent another bolt of green energy that took Rolf full in the chest. He gave off a horrible scream which seemed to go on forever before it finally ended and his burned corpse hit the deck. Again the goblin laughed.
Jon cursed.
What he would not give for his bow! He grabbed his sword when he learned of the attack, but had left his bow in the cabin. Another goblin rushed at him and he cut it down. As it stuck the deck it landed next to another of its kind, one which had a bow. A very short bow and poorly made at that, but it was a bow and there were still two arrows in its quiver. Jon chose not to question providence. He snatched it and grabbed one of the arrows. He ripped some of the rotting cloth one of the goblins worn and wrapped it around the arrow. He then put it in the flame of a lantern till it ignited. He then aimed and fire. The bow was unfamiliar and he tried to draw it back farther than it would go. It was also designed for a goblin, a creature much shorter than himself. Nevertheless, the arrow shot towards the oil on the troll. Before it could reach its target the troll's flailing arm nocked it aside. Jon cursed and snatched up the second arrow.
Again he tore and wrapped cloth around it. This time; however, as he ignited it he saw several more goblins rushing towards him. Before they could reach him he launched the arrow, even as he realized his error. He had not gotten enough oil on it. As it flew through the air the wind put it out. Jon threw down the bow in disgust as he turned to face his new foes. He ran the first through and then jerked it free to behead another. This caused the others to hesitate. Jon was about to advance and take the battle to them when a bellow from the troll seemed to make the whole barge shake. All stopped to look and Jon was stunned by what he saw.
Silent as his namesake Ghost had gotten near the troll. Moving at a run he had charge the creature and lunged at it. The impact of him hitting it had forced the troll's head to the side, exposing its throat. The direwolf tore into the troll's throat. His claws dug into the troll's chest as he bit and shook his head about, tearing off chunks of flesh before they could regenerate. Copious amounts of blood was spraying out on to Ghost and all the area around them. The goblin was squawking in outrage and appeared to be trying to use its magic, but was hindered by it having to struggled to keep its seat. Suddenly the troll issued a final gurgle and went rigid. It went limp and began to fall backward. The goblin screamed in panic and dropped its staff as it tried to free itself from the straps holding it to its seat on the troll's back. It did not make it.
Even as Ghost leapt free, the troll fell from the barge, its bulk forcing the goblin underwater. Spindly arms thrashed about for a moment and then went limp and splashed into the water. The barge lurked again as the body of the troll, its leg still trapped, threatened to pull the barge into the water. Seeing what had to be done Jon started running towards the corpse.
'HELP ME!' He cried to several men who were nearby as he reached the leg.
Raising Longclaw he brought it down on the leg again and again, chopping at it as if it were a piece of wood. The others too joined in as they reached him. Soon all of them were covered with blood and it seemed that they were not making any progress, the limb remaining in place no matter how much they hacked at it. At last; however, with the tearing of flesh and tendons, the limb came lose. For a final time the barge rocked as the troll's body slid into the water while the lower part of the leg fell to the bottom of the barge with a thud. Jon took a step back, panting heavily as he felt the effects of his exertions. For a moment he feared that the goblins would take advantage of their distraction and weariness and attack them. He looked about and saw that he need not have bothered.
They had seen the deaths of the troll and their wizard and these had taken the fight out of them. They cried out in fear and despair and were running for the side of the barge. They were clearly trying to get back to the craft that they had attacked the barge from, but unmanned they had mostly floated away. Some of the goblins hopped about in a panic, only to be skewered by the vengeful humans, while others threw down their weapons and leaped into the water. There was a final frenzy as the defenders finished off those goblins who failed to jump into the water. There were a few desultory shots from the defenders at the goblins struggling in the water, but there were only a few with missile weapons and it seemed that the goblins were mostly drowning anyway, then there was silence.
For a moment most simply sank to the deck, exhausted from their efforts. Jon wanted to as well, but he could not. He did not know how the battle was going on the other side of the barge. He had to make sure that they were alright. Reluctantly he turned towards the other side of the barge. He was about to call for the others to follow, when he realized something. There were no sounds of battle coming from the other side. For a moment he feared the worse, then the sound of cheering was heard. Jon and several others hurried over to the other side to find the scene similar to the one he had just left. Human and goblin corpses lay on the deck, but the goblins were in flight and the humans were cheering. Several people came up to slap Jon on the back, though most kept a respectful distance from the blood-covered Ghost. Jon accepted these, but he was mostly looking for Ingfried, at last he found her.
She was standing a little off by herself breathing heavily, her hair in disarray. As he came near her, she looked up and smiled. Jon saw the battle lust that he had seen on the faces of his brothers in the Watch after the battle at the Wall. As she saw him she made a visible effort to gain control of herself. Jon stood back to give her space. After a moment she seemed to calm down, the battle lust replaced by weariness. Jon saw too that she was slightly leaning on her staff for support. Finally, she addressed him.
'I see that you are alright, that is good. I take it that we won?' He nodded and she smiled wearily.
'Goblins.' She said condescendingly as she shook her head.
'Kill their leaders and they lose heart and run away. No stomach for a proper fight as any Dwarf will tell you.' Jon was not sure what dwarves had anything to do about it, but in his opinion the goblins had fought quite with enough heart for his liking. Though he did have to admit that they had broken quickly once their leader had fallen. With the battle won the survivors had to turn to the grim tasks of assessing the damage, aiding the wounded and dealing with the dead and there were many of the last two.
Nearly a third of those who had fought had been killed or wounded. Jon was no maester, but he could see that some of those who were wounded were not going to survive, it was clear that for all her magic Ingfried had no skill at healing. Quietly she had informed him that wizard of the Light and Jade order might have been able to save some of them, but she had no such skills. With only wine and other spirits to ease their pain the cries of the wounded were impossible to get way from. There was also the question of what to do with the dead. The bodies of the goblins had simply been thrown over the side, but the people were reluctant to do so with their own dead.
Ingfried informed Jon that in the Empire people wanted to have their dead laid to rest in the grounds of temples dedicated to the Morr, a god who sounded something like the Stranger to Jon. This was so that the priests could pray for them and their bodies protected from the deprivations of necromancers. Jon, who had seen the dead that walked himself, was dismayed to learn that the same could happen here and could understand why people would want to prevent that. Unfortunately, he was not sure that that was a realistic option.
The barge had been heavily damaged and not only was it moving slowly; there was also the very real possibility that it might yet sink. Some talked of turning back to Altdorf, while others argued that they should press on to a city known called Carroburg. From what he had heard Jon reasoned that it appeared that they were about halfway between the two. In the end they decided to continue on, the current was carrying them towards Carroburg and if they were to turn back they would have to fight against it. In the end the dead were wrapped in cloth and placed as far away, which was not very far at all, from those still living. These had taken to clustering together and sleeping on the deck in an effort to get away from the smell, which grew as the voyage continued. There was also the fear of another attack.
While it did not seem likely that the goblins who attacked them would return; people muttered that there were other threats, some far worse, lurking in the forest. In addition to the crew many of the passengers also kept watch, Jon among them. After the attack it seemed that the forest was even darker and many jumped and several shots were fire at shadows which were likely nothing. Jon always took the night shift, both to avoid awkward moments with Ingfried, though in truth there was so much going on that both of them had more important things on their minds and to keep Ghost away from people.
Word of how Ghost had slain the troll spread quickly among the people on the barge and it was not long before it seemed that everyone was more convinced than ever that Ghost was an agent of Ulric, if not an avatar of the god himself. In addition to making the sign of Ulric people had begun to leave offerings of food before the direwolf and some even dared to touch him, apparently thinking that doing so would bestow a blessing upon them and Jon had had to keep an eye on Ghost to prevent him from taking fingers and arms off. Thus, he tried to keep Ghost in the cabin during the day and brought him up on deck at night where he could get some limited exercise and not have to deal with as many people.
At last, four days after the attack, the reached Carroburg. As they drew near Jon saw that it was more of a large town rather than a proper city. As night fell the docked and the dead and wounded were taken ashore. Ingfried was able to arrange lodgings at one of the town's inns. Fortunately, they now had separate rooms. As Jon was finishing his supper Ingfried came in and sat down. Jon poured her a glass of wine from the bottle, and they drank. At last, she began to speak.
'Well, the barge will be undergoing repairs for some time, and we cannot afford to wait for repairs to be made.' Jon, who had suspected as much, nodded his agreement.
'Are there any other barges going to Marienburg?'
'Not for several days at least. It seems that travel is becoming more dangerous?' She paused and frowned. As if sensing his unasked question, she continued.
'It seems that our barge was not the only one to be attacked recently and from what I heard, the caravans are not doing any better.' She paused again.
'This is unusual and disturbing.'
'What do you mean?'
'It is not the attacks themselves that I worry about. It is where they are occurring.
'There have always been attacks, but not like this. Take the attack on our barge. I cannot recall an attack occurring so close to Altdorf. Not only that, but the number of attacks is also increasing in frequency, on both water and on land. Something is stirring them up and I do not know what it is. All my attempts to divine it have proven fruitless. For the present all that I know is that threats are pouring out of the forests and are growing bolder in their attacks, or more desperate and I do not know which is worse.' They sat in silence for a while as they mulled it over. At last Jon spoke again.
'So, what are we going to do?'
'Well, we do not really have a choice. We have to get to Marienburg. If we cannot find a barge within the next few days, we shall have to risk the land rout. If we do that, we shall have to hire more guards.' She paused and gave Jon a considering look.
'We should also see about getting you some armour if we do so. I fear that the road will grow only more dangerous as we continue onward.' With that she rose and left Jon for the night to consider her words.
As it stood the question of armour had to, at least temporarily, be put aside. Ingfried discovered the next morning that a caravan was heading to Marineburg, and she was able to secure a place in it for Jon, herself, and the remainder of their escort. While it would be slower than by boat; Ingfried had learned that no barges were going to Marineburg for at least a week, and she refused to wait that long. They would not just be traveling with the caravan; however. Since attacks were on the rise any who travelled with the caravan and were capable of doing so would be required to aid in the defence in the event of an attack. Also, she added with only minor bitterness, knowing that she was there to aid in the defence would make the presence of a wizard more palatable. Once again Ingfried had to use her letter of credit to procure horses for Jon, herself and the remainder of her escort and a spot on a wagon for her maid.
The caravan left two days after the barge arrived at Carroburg. While still mostly unfamiliar with the world that he found himself on; it was familiar enough for Jon for him to notice things that did not seem right. One such thing was the fact that there appeared to be far more guards than was usual, there seemed to be nearly as many guards as there were merchants, but he supposed after all that he seen it was to be expected. The guards had the look of mercenaries to them; men made rough from a life of traveling and fighting. One; however, which drew his gaze, was not a man at all.
The one which drew his attention was a massive creature, almost as tall as the giants beyond the Wall. While nearly as massive as the giants, that was where the similarities ended. This being was more like the giants from Old Nan's stories, resembling a large man. He was a grotesquely fat, so much so that it seemed impossible that he would be able to move with any speed at all. He wore trousers which appeared to have been sown together from various pieces of cloth. His armour consisted of a massive metal plate on his belly and crudely beaten metal helmet. His weapon was not a sword, as Jon first thought, but rather a massive cleaver-like weapon. Ingfried followed his gaze and gave a slight sneer.
'An ogre, a monster from the east.
'Watch your wolf, the brute might eat him.' Jon was not sure if she was jesting or not, but just then the ogre belched loudly, and he decided not to risk it.
Once they set out the caravan moved with surprising speed. The road was a well-made as the King's Road and the caravan master pushed them hard, clearly fearing an attack. In addition to having guards amongst the wagons there were pickets on both sides. As with the ride to Altdorf the road was lined with an almost continual forest and Jon was far from the only one with his hand near his sword. Every now and then the trees would break for a farm or other holding, but for the most part the forests held dominion.
The first day started before dawn and Jon found the going easy. It seemed that, despite the presence of the river there seemed to be a great deal of land traffic between Carroburg and Marineburg. The road, while not as large as the King's Road, it was a wide and paved. This was good because after the first day there was rain or snow as often as not and had the road not been paved it would have been reduced to a quagmire and progress would have been impossible. Jon, hardened by his time at the Wall, was not bothered much by the cold, though many of the others did not share his endurance. Many of the merchants in the caravan clearly were more used to lives in the cities and did not enjoy their time on the road still it should be an exciting time of and thus they set off for some newfound adventure.
