DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GAME OF THRONES OR SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. THEY BELONG TO THEIR OWNERS
A/n: I am sorry this has taken so long but shit has happened within the past two months that made me get a HUGE writers block. But that was before I started watching the Chinese Drama Douluo Continent, and I started watching the Untamed again for inspiration. Since this part was mostly inspired by the anime the Ancient Magnus Bride I could not help but want to put some of that into this story. I also had inspiration from the Dragonriders of Pern Series for the structure of the Dragon Sanctuary and how Dragonriders work. Sorry though no telepathic dragons here. So anyhows enjoy this chapter and remember to leave a review at the end.
Ok enough with that on with the story.
THE WARRIORS OF WINTERFELL
Chapter 27: The Dragon's Sanctuary
THE NORTHERN GROVE DRAGON SANCTUARY
It was dawn when Jon woke from his slumber. The events from the day before had caught up to him as he groaned out loud. Beside him was Ghost as well as Baesa who happily slumbered on top of his head. The spider seems to enjoy being there and would often times be seen grooming Ghost much to the wolf's annoyance. Jon had to chuckle when he saw this. Getting up he dressed first before going out to the main area of His and Dany's sleeping quarters.
His Aunt was already up by the time he got there already dressed for the day. Her new uniform showed the new ranking of her status as a low level apprentice. Since here at the sanctuary rank is determined by experience Jon was glad for the downgrade. It would mean more people would speak to him properly instead of addressing him by his noble status.
"Good morning sunshine glad to see you're up," Dany said with a cheerful voice though Jon could see that she too had just got up. Her hair was not even braided yet.
"You're one for talk," he said to her as she laughed at him. Ghost followed him out with Baesa still on his head. The spider was more then happy when Dany offered her some lettuce. Ghost had gotten some meat handed to him by Jon in large bowl.
One thing he noted was that the students don't have to cook. There are people assigned to the cooking so all he and Dany need to do is keep their rooms clean and tend to their own equipment. Speaking of equipment Jon noted that the leathers that he had for his armor and weapons are looking a little worn. So he turned to the nearest person which was a boy who looked more like a weed then a human.
"Um excuse me? But do you know where I can find a leather maker or someplace where we work on leathers?" Jon asked the boy.
The boy turned to him and looked at his badge. Then he grinned showing off his rotting teeth.
"Just take the stairs to the right and follow it towards the third floor. Then make your way down on the right hand side till you reach a door with the leatherman's symbol on it." he said and Jon nearly gagged with how bad his breath smelled. Thanking him he quickly grabbed a few sandwiches and headed out towards the leatherman's chambers.
It took about half an hour before he reached the workshop and already he could hear a man bellowing orders to a group of people. Entering the shop the smell of the many dyes and chemicals used to tan the leathers could be smelled here and Jon quickly waited at the desk. One of the apprentices noticed him and called for the Leathermaster. The man who was about the size of a large bear walked towards them. He was of the Free Folk, Jon could tell with his rough demeanor. The man was also clad in leathers made for Free Folk with some fur sticking out at the edges.
When he saw Jon, his eyebrow went up a bit at the patch on Jon's shoulder.
"A new apprentice dragonrider eh?" he said and looked at Ghost who stood by Jon's side with Baesa on his his head.
"Well, we don't see many tame direwolves out here! You must be Jon Snow from Winterfell. I've heard a lot about you from some of the traveling merchants that come by here," the man said. His deep voice laughed at Jon's surprised look.
"Now don't give me that! My daughter Richael went to Winterfell a few years ago to study smithing there. That is how I know who you and your aunt are. Welcome to the Northern Grove Dragon Sanctuary," he said with a smile on his face.
Jon's face then bore a big smile on his own and took his offered hand, "The pleasure is mine! Mind if I borrow your shop my leathers are a bit worn," he said holding up his armor and what appears to be riding straps.
"Oh now don't you worry your head off! I will take care of it for you since you are going to be training to take care of the dragons. Just put the straps and the armor there and I will take care of it," he said to Jon and Jon was more then glad to put the items there. Then as he bid his farewell to the man. He then met Dany in the courtyard with several other low level apprentices.
They are all standing there as if nothing was going on. Jon got in line next to his aunt and waited for something to happen.
Then a shadow passed over them causing Ghost to whine and Baesa to hide in his thick fur. The sound of flapping wings and cold winds alerted them to the fact that they are not alone.
Just to startle them further a mighty roar was heard that blasted Jon and Dany's ears. Looking up in surprise a large pale dragon came swooping in. It's thick armored plating made it look like it was made of stone and wood. But when landing the plates moved as if it was fluid. Frozen in place Jon was startled to see the dragon up close.
That is until it started to charge at them.
Startled Jon and the others ran till the dragon was upon them and snorted snot and mist at them. It's roar was thunderous as it echoed across the valley. Others around them started laughing as the dragon lowered itself and someone hopped off. The crooning noises that the dragon made had the person smiling as they patted it down. The dragon then spread its wings and flew off again towards the holding pens containing the live stock.
As the person came closer Jon immediately noticed that it was a male. The thick furs around him made it hard to tell the gender at first. He wore a hood over his head and a mask covered his nose and mouth. When the person saw the group cowering on the ground he started laughing confirming his identity as a male.
"Don't mind Zīragon he tends to do that to people quite often especially the newcomers," The man said as he pulled back his hood to reveal the face of an older male. His thick white beard didn't hide the many scars over his face. He had a very large scar over his right eye making that one blind.
"I am Oonu one of the many wingleaders of the Northern Grove Dragon Sanctuary. It is a pleasure to meet all the newcomers to this here parts," he said his speech seemed a bit off when he spoke the last part.
"Where do you hail from Oonu?" asked Dany aware of the stares she had gotten from the others around her.
Oonu laughed as he held his belly while his laughter rang across the valley. The echoes of it bouncing off the walls.
"I hail from Skagos from the northern most tribe. I originally found Zīragon not far from the ocean near my village. The mother dragon was killed by White Walkers leaving her clutch vulnerable to the elements. So I took the eggs to this here sanctuary. Since I was of age they asked if I wanted to impress any of the hatchlings. Glad I did for I would not have had become a dragonrider if I didn't," he said laughing.
That brought a relief to Jon and Dany as the man named Oonu then proceeded to tell them of what to expect when dealing with dragons.
"First and foremost for you newbies. Dragons are temperamental so make sure that their needs are met at all times. That means if your dragon needs something like an itch to be scratched and you're in the middle of a damn conversation. Your ass better be tending to those needs because a dragon doesn't know the meaning of subtlety." he said to the group gathered. They all laughed at his joke.
Just as he said it a shadow came swooping overhead and something dark and smelly landed near Oonu. A dark look overcame him as he looked up at the swooping form of the dragon that left his mess on the ground.
"Oh very funny ya asshole!" he shouted.
The rest of the class laughed at the antics of the large dragon up until Oonu glared at them. That shut them up quickly as he walked towards them his hands on his hips.
"You think that's funny don't ya?" he said and some backed away save for Jon and Dany.
"Alright why don't we get right into lessons since you wanted to laugh!" he said to them. That instantly silenced the group as they waited for Oonu to speak again.
"Alright you lot listen up!" he said and that got their attention.
"The first thing you will learn about dragon husbandry is cleaning up after them!" he said to the group. That got their attention as he pointed to the smelly mass behind him.
"Ya see this here pile of shit behind me?" He said and Jon and Dany had a sneaking suspicion that scooping up dragon shit was their first lesson of the day.
Sure enough that is exactly what Oonu had in mind, "You are going to clean it up. Dragon shit is highly fertile since they burn though a lot of calories. When they shit it has the same materials as lava but lack the pressure needed to become obsidian. So when a dragon shits it fertilizes the ground so these here carts are used to gather up the shit and take them to the compost pile for processing. We sell this shit all over the known world so don't fuck this up," he said to them. Both Jon and Dany winced at the smell as they got to work.
Oonu handed them masks to protect them from the smell as they grabbed their cleaning gear that was on one wagon and started working. He could feel the intense cold from the dung pile as they worked and thanked the Old Gods for Oonu giving them protective gear.
"Who knew that our first task of the day was the scoop out dragon shit!" one of their classmates said as they scooped up a pile and threw it into the nearby wagon. He was broad shouldered with pale skin and red hair. His green eyes and small beard showed how young he was compared to someone like Oonu.
"Well what do you expect, it is the same as dealing with a horse," said another classmate this one a rather small and frail looking male. He had a mouse-like face with rather large eyes and olive colored skin. His jaw was hairless and the hair on his head short and curly. If Jon and Dany didn't know any better he was from the south.
"And what do you know about horses? You look like you could blow away if a horse so much as breathes on ya!" said the first classmate.
"I know a bit, ma da he was a stableman for Lord Bolton before he died. I told him I wanted to work with dragons while my older brother sister over ma duties," said the second.
"Stableman you said? Well ya don't look like much more then a toothpick!" the first said laughing. The other one glared at him before looking at Jon and Dany.
"Ya, look like yous is noble blood? Where ya from?" said the second classmate.
"Winterfell," replied Jon as he put another pile in his cart. The others all looked up at them in surprise.
"Winterfell? Never had anyone from Winterfell grace us with their presence. The only ones who do are usually from da Night's Watch. Like old Ben, he comes here sometimes to say hi," said the second classmate.
"Ben? Benjen Stark?" asked Jon knowing his uncle is in the Watch.
"Nah not him, but I've heard of him. Nah we is talking 'bout Ben Troter he's a former thief from Winterfell. Got caught in Wintertown stealing a while back. Was sentenced to the Wall for life," said the second classmate.
"Ben Troter never heard of him," Dany said to them.
" 'Course you haven't dats because Ben is pretty old now. Been with da Watch since your grandparents were around. He is dat old! Haven't seen him for a year though. Probably bit the ghost if ya know wat ya mean," said the first classmate who shrugged his shoulders.
Now both Targaryens are curious as Jon had to ask, "Have you two been here for a while?" he asked them.
"Me, been here me whole life," said the first classmate sounding excited to be here.
"I've only been here for about a year. Never been in any of the classes. Came here with a caravan looking for work. Mostly lived up in the keep high above the ridge. Never really set foot here till a few days ago." was the seconds reply. With that he scooped up the last pile of dragon dung and threw it into the wagons. The last wagon made its way towards a large pit on the far side of the crater. Jon could make out the workers unloading the carts and incinerating the dung.
"What do they do with all that dung?" asked Dany.
"Didn't ya here! We make fertilizer with it and sell it down south. The Reach mostly buys from us as well as people from the free cities and a few families from the River Lands but most of our customers are from the North, the Reach, the Free Cities and the Summer Isles. But mainly the Reach since they are so fertile. They think its volcanic soil that they are buying not knowing it is dragon shit. We keep it dat way to protect the dragons," said the first as he looked mighty proud of his accomplishment.
"So what do you do with all the earnings?" asked Dany wanting to know.
"We use it to pay for expenses of course. We also sell dragon products made from either dead dragons or their waste such as shed skin and scales. We help process the earnings at the keep on the crater's rim. Then we send it down so they can make their orders for supplies. We grow our food here of course but we have to import the seeds," said the first classmate.
"Why can't you store it?" asked Dany.
"Normally we do but recently things have not been as simple with the infestation we had of rats. We tried poison but that didn't work. Tried traps but theys is too smart and now we gotta deal with fire lizards and mink. They have been doing the best job but the rats are relentless. We don't know where they are coming from and if we did I bet the dragon hatchlings would enjoy a feast when they get shot out by the mink," said the first classmate.
"If I had to guess you guys are not dealing with rats you are dealing with brownies," said Jon. The other two men looked at him as if he'd grown a second head.
"Brownies?" they said to him. Jon nodded his head.
"Do the rats leave anything behind you know a scent or droppings?" Jon said to them and it was the second classmate that answered.
"No, they don't comes to think about it," he answered, "Why?" he asked.
"Rats always leave something behind, they are that messy. Brownies don't because they don't want predators to know where their main burrow is. So if we have a brownie infestation then the best way to get rid of them is to find the main nest and kill the queen," Jon said to them.
"Did ya have problems like this back in Winterfell?" asked the first classmate.
"All the time," said Dany as she pulled out her knife, "I had to deal with them a bunch of times myself," and the two men looked at them before Oonu walked up to them.
"Now, now what is this I see of people standing here for. I see you are done with scooping up the dragon shit for processing. Now look at the time it is past lunch. Let's head back for some food I am starving and then we will go over the expectations dragonriders are to be dealing with when they have their lodgings." Oonu said to them.
Lunch was spent pretty much how Oonu told them to. After cleaning up and washing up in the outside bathing area they met in the main hall. There they were met with other students and dragon handlers from across the crater. There was a reserve seating area for servants and other household caretakers. Jon sat down at the men's table while Dany sat at the women's he was stuck between classmate number one and classmate number two.
"So Winterfell, we nevers got ya name," said Classmate Number One.
"Jon, Jon Snow," Jon replied and the two men looked at each other before a gasp filled them.
"Wait, I heard of ya! You is Ramsey's friend!" said Classmate Number Two.
"You know Ramsey?" Jon asked surprised.
"Ya, me Da bred his horse for him. Sweet thing it was and Ramsey loved it. The poor boy was heartbroken when Lord Bolton made him give it up to go to Winterfell for his education. Luckily me da managed to sneak it to him. Which he was grateful," said Classmate Number Two.
"Wait? Your father gave him that horse?" Jon asked and Classmate Number Two nodded his head.
"Ya, Da bred that horse for him since he always helped around the stables. Was a good kid. Good thing he went to Winterfell who knows what would have happened to him if he stayed there at the Dreadfort," said Classmate Number Two.
"Wow, glad to know that our best friend was rescued," said Jon.
"So, you is Lord Ramsey's friend?" Classmate Number Two asked Jon and Jon nodded showing his consent the other man was overjoyed. He then sat closer to Jon much to Jon's discomfort.
"How is Lord Ramsey? You said he was at Winterfell? How are the Starks treating him?" he asked.
"Ya Asshole back off can't you see ya in his face. And can't you tell who he is you idiot his name is Jon Snow. As in the Jon Snow, Lord Stark's nephew!" said Classmate Number One.
When he said it Classmate Number Two backed off and looked down at the patch on Jon's uniform. There was the silver direwolf that was snarling.
As well as a real direwolf with a spider on its head growling at him. Squeaking in fear Classmate Number Two backed away and returned to his seat. Chuckling Jon patted Ghost's head reminding the wolf to behave. Baesa only chittered before settling after moving down his neck towards Ghost's back. Giving Jon the opportunity to stroke his wolf's head and give him pats.
"Holy shit!" said Classmate Number One as he spat out his food. The parts that got on Ghost was licked away by the wolf.
"Ghost stop scaring people and go back to the room," said Jon patting Ghost on the head. The direwolf only got up slowly and made his way back out the door. Baesa rode on his back like a horse rider. Some giggled at the sight of the spider on the direwolf.
"Well at least that confirms your identity its no wonder you are here in this here sanctuary," said Classmate Number One.
"Well then now that I know you are from the North why don't you tell me your names," Jon said to them. The two men looked at each other before beaming at him.
"Well then Jon Snow, me names Arakul I have no last name. I have been living here all me life with dragons and dreamed of having one. So here I am training to one day have a dragon. Me da was killed by bandits and me ma died when I was young so I am here raised by the people in this here Sanctuary." Classmate Number One said to Jon and the other took out his hand and they clasp arms.
"Pleasure to meet you Arakul as you know I am Jon Snow and that there is my aunt Daenerys Targaryen," he said pointing to Dany. Dany waved from where she was eating with a group of other girls.
"I am Jaxar Dayne from the Dreadfort. As you know me da's Lord Bolton's stableman but me Ma was the Head of the Kitchens there. Now she is retired and lives just outside the Barrowlands in a village along its border. She has arthritis you see and so the area near Greywater Watch has better treatments for her ailment there," Classmate number Two said to Jon.
Jon also clasp his arms with him and said the same greeting.
"As for the direwolf his name is Ghost he was a gift from my uncle Lord Stark. The spider we named Baesa she is from an outpost at the foot of the mountain," Jon said to the two young men in front of him.
"Wow an ice spider in your possession they said that they will be beneficial to you," said Arakul. Jon's eyebrows were raised and so Arakul went on to explain.
"Her venom though used in defense has some medicinal properties. It can prevent frostbite for starters. It keeps da blood from freezing if you mix it with Wesroot and Dragon's Tongue. Her silk also prevents freezing if you intertwine it with your coats. That is why the freefolk keep a few of them around to help with mending their clothes. The animal skins can only do so much. When you put ice spider silk underneath it you are warm and at the same time cool when you go to warm climates. It has magic in the threads that adjust to the temperature." he then opened his shirt and showed Jon the threads inside. He could barely see it until something shown from underneath. There Jon could make out the silken threads.
"Ok I get it now," he said as Arakul put his shirt back in place.
"Yeah the silk is in the stitching but its magic goes throughout the entire shirt. Kind of neat even when it goes through the pants." said Jaxar. He was more then happy to add to the conversation.
"So Jaxar are you by chance related to the Daynes in Dorne?" he asked the other man.
"Distantly related, me great grandda moved North to study horse medicine when he met me mum. Instead of taking her back down to Dorne he remained up here since her family was in debt to Lord Bolton. He was the fourth son of Lord Dayne of Starfall ya see. The bastard never like me ancestor and so when he found out his son married a commoner from the North he disowned him. So to earn coin he worked as a stableman to Lord Bolton to pay off his debts to Winterfell. When he was done he remained at Lord Bolton's service ever since." Jaxar replied.
Jon nodded, "So when did your father die?" he asked Jaxar and the other man shrugged.
"Da died doing what he loved and that was horses. Me mum was too ill to work for him so when Lord Ramsey went to Winterfell she went to the Barrowlands. I went up here to study dragons because dragons was me passion. Me mum said it was best for me since me heart was not into horses. But I know all about them from me da. She said if I wanted to and it does not work out for me up here I can be a stable boy for any hold in the North. But if that doesn't work I wanted to study with the Dothraki in Essos. They say that they are the best horsemen around and that their horse is an extension of themselves. And from what I heard they respect a man who has a passion for horses," Jaxar said to them.
"So if you don't get a dragon you want to study with Dothraki," said a voice and they both turned to see Dany standing behind them her hands full with a sandwich that she made at the women's table.
"Well ya, why not? Someone has to keep the family tradition if anything happen to me sister," said Jaxar.
"Your sister?" Dany asked him as she sat down next to Jon.
"Yeah, she runs da stables now. So Lord Bolton turns to her if he needs a new horse," he said to Dany. Dany nodded as she finished her food.
It was later when they returned to class that Oonu had something different for them this time. It was one of the dragon dens but unlike the ones they had seen coming in. Dany and Jon were surprised that this one was a mess.
"One of our riders has recent passed away a while back. Normally we clean the home ourselves but after seeing how much of a disaster it has been it was decided to leave it to the new recruits. This serves as an example of what not to do in a dragon's weyr." Oonu said to them and they stood up straighter.
"We learned the art of dragonriding from the Valyrians more then five thousand years ago." Oonu said to them as he walked in front of the line of recruits.
"One of the things they emphasized to us is the art of keeping a weyr clean! It is important because a dragon will make a mess of the weyr. That is why we have the living quarters behind further in the cave system. That way a dragonrider can remain with his or her dragon for twenty four hours a day. And part of it was to make sure that the weyr remains clean of debris and shit. So that means keep your stuff out of the weyr. There are tunnels and hallways behind in the living quarters so you can get your stuff through there. Never bring it through the main weyr unless it is too big to fit in the tunnels. Even then you need to make sure your dragon is not in the weyr when the delivery occurs. Or else their tails or their wings would accidentally smack that dam thing out of the weyr and into the crater below. And we don't want that to happen," Oonu said to them.
The group was then made to clean the weyr out where there was scales, shed skin and feces, but the sand there was reeking of the smell of urine and had to be changed out. It was a long task and it took them to nearly nightfall to do it. But the four trainees were able to finally get the dragon holding area of the weyr clean.
By the time evening rolled around they had the entire weyr done and cleansed. When they started walking down the back hallways towards the mess hall again Dany had to ask Oonu.
"So what happened to the dragonrider who passed away? Did he die of old age?" Dany asked.
"Nah fucker died from his own stupidity. His dragon was in poor health due to the mess you just cleaned up. Damn thing could barely fly with how damaged his wings became due to the clutter. That is one of the reasons why you keep your weyr clean. So that way a dragon has room to groom itself and it doesn't get any sores while shedding. The reason why we have sand in there is that it hold the heat of a dragon's fire as well as keep the smell of dragon waste down. This particular sand is from the volcano itself. You see all dragons breathe fire. The difference in the fire they breathe. Ice dragons have fire that burns and freezes you to death. It is so cold that you feel like you are burning when in fact you are freezing that is why their fire is blue. It is supper cold instead of super hot. A fire drake on the other hand has fire that varies depending on diet. Their flames can go from red to blue depending on the heat that is being admitted." Oonu said to them.
"So a clean hold is to ensure that proper hygiene is played out for both dragon and rider," said Jaxar.
"Aye, just like you are taking care of a horse eh horseboy," Oonu replied to Jaxar. The other man seemed to understand now. As they walked down to the crater floor and towards the main hall.
LATER THAT NIGHT
Jon was standing in front of the three eggs that are set in the special incubator for them. The fires of the volcano made them feel warm to Jon's hands. He could see the baby dragon's from within as they grew in the egg. The fire was so hot and bright that you can actually see into the egg. All three appeared perfectly healthy and fine.
"There you are!" said a voice and Jon turned to see Dany walking down the steps from the incubation room.
"Sorry, I had to check up on them. They had such a rough journey to get here," Jon replied and Dany nodded towards him, "I know," she said.
Jon stared into the fire again his aunt remained silent as she too watched the dragons. She could make out their little hearts as it beat against the light below them. Each flicker of the flame induces a beat and they could not wait till the little ones hatch into fine hatchlings. It made her leap for joy at her families gift. She and Jon had already agreed to name two of them after her brothers Viserys and Rheagar. The third dragon however was up to them since both the sound of Balerion and others were a blasphemy to their namesakes.
"Still haven't decided on a name yet?" Jon asked his aunt. She shook her head in response, "Really?," she said to him with her eyebrow raised in inquiry.
"Yes, I haven't decided yet since the last hatchling is probably the biggest one. We know Viseryion is probably going to be the baby of the group. Rhaegar is of course the middle child but the last one...he maybe the youngest of the three but he will be the biggest I know it!" Jon said to her.
"Oh are you comparing the dragons to say...the direwolves?" Dany said to him laughing as Jon turned red with embarrassment.
"I am sorry I've never done this before," Jon replied and Dany laughed at his antics.
"What? You know it's true, just look at Ghost! He is now probably bigger then Greywind," Jon said to Dany and the girl could not help it but laugh harder at her nephew.
"I know that! He is the runt of the litter after all," Dany replied trying to control her laughter. It was all Jon could take from his aunt. Then she took his hand laughing, "Come on nephew time for bed you don't want to miss another morning of shit scraping don't ya," she laughed at Jon's disgusted face. She then pulled him in the direction of their room.
CASTLE BLACK
"We have visitors!" a man shouted from the lookout tower overlooking Castle Black.
Men and women rushed out to meet who it was that was coming. A group of horses and wolves raced down the road to meet up with the residents of Castle Black. When they neared the gates had opened and they all entered the castle walls.
Robb Stark on top of his wolf Greywind sat tall in his armor. Beside him was Bran Stark on top of his own wolf Summer with his own head held high. The people who lived in or around the castle stared at them in awe at how two members of House Stark rode direwolves like the days of old. Many of them parted to allow them time to enter.
When they entered they were greeted by the castle occupants as well as members of the Night's Watch. Then everyone moved out of the way to let a single person through. Covered in thick black furs that are held together with a thick black chain with a sword in the shape of bear's head on his hip the man walked up to them with the gait of a man who has seen too much. When he stood in front of both Stark Brothers he gave a formal bow.
"My Lords Stark, what brings you here to Castle Black," the man said to them.
"Commander Mormont I am here to take my brother Brandon beyond the wall. The Three Eyed Raven Brynden Rivers summons Brandon Stark to the Weirwood Tree on the hill," Robb said to him.
"Then you shall stay for the night here and another night in the city beyond the wall. There you will receive the blessings of the Old Gods before you make your way to the tree. Is he to be trained in the sight?" Lord Mormont said to them and Robb nodded, "Aye,"
"Then Castle Black is yours for the night," he said to Robb. Robb then dismounted Greywind and then went to help Bran down from Summer. One of the other men dismounted and unloaded the wheeled chair for Bran. Bran was lowered into his chair and strapped in to make sure he stays there. He was then wheeled towards the mess hall where others waited for him. Greywind and Summer were led to the stables to rest along with the horses.
LATER
"Thank you for receiving us Lord Mormont," said Robb as he and Bran took the bread and salt from the plate in front of them.
"As I said Castle Black is yours," Lord Mormont said to him and as he feasted with the others at the table the place was noisy with the sounds of chatter. It was something that filled Robb's ears every time he traveled with others. This time he was traveling on official business instead of pleasure.
"Robb are we going to pass the Dragon Sanctuary on the way to the tree?" Bran asked.
"No, You will be going directly to the tree which is no where near the Frostbacks that Jon is at. I however will be traveling home as soon as I drop you off." Robb replied to his younger brother. Bran nodded sadly knowing that his cousins are out there while he has to travel alone.
"Oh don't look at me that way I have to send a raven to them anyways once we reached there. Hopefully they get it before I leave to return back to Winterfell," Robb said to Bran.
"Yeah, you know that we wouldn't be traveling if the Raven hadn't summoned me," Bran replied.
Robb nodded before drinking his ale and enjoying his stew. It was two weeks before that Bran had been summoned to come to the Three Eyed Raven's lair. It was a rare treat for a Stark to join. Then again only those who show promise for magic and greensight can go there to study with the ancient master of the dark arts.
It was then that another person walked up to them being led by a large young man. The person was old, very old. The chains that mark his plain robes and his white hair could only make him to be the Maester of Castle Black, Aaemon Targaryen.
"Ah Maester Aaemon it is a pleasure to see you again," Robb said to him with a warm smile on his face. Though the old maester can't see the smile he returned a toothless one all the same.
"Ah Robb Stark I know your warm voice anywhere. How are my niece and grandnephew doing?" he asked him.
"They are doing fine as far as I know. Jon and Dany are currently at the Northern Grove Dragon Sanctuary studying about dragon husbandry," said Robb and the old man smiled, "So it is true then of what I heard that fire drakes have returned?" he asked him. Robb nodded before he remembered that Maester Aaemon can't see him so he replied.
"Aye, they are back. Three dragon eggs have been delivered to Winterfell from Essos. Sanctified at a temple to R'hllor in Volantis I believe though I could have the location wrong," said Robb. Bran shook his head before saying, "Pentos," which caused Aaemon to laugh.
The young man that came with Aaemon helped him to sit down at the table next to the Stark brothers. The high table for the Night's Watch is not much different then the table at Winterfell. The difference is that there is no fancy chair for the Lord Commander. The chairs are all the same with the Night's Watch sigil behind them. Men and women all share the space with some volunteering to pass the ale or any sort of drink to anyone who asked. The fire pit in the middle of the room as well as the fire place behind the Commander's table gave the room quite a bit of warmth. Then again winters here are very old and The Wall doesn't help matters either.
"So Lord Stark you said that you will be traveling towards the tree?" he asked Robb and the eldest Stark son nodded to Lord Commander Mormont.
"Aye, Bran here will be studying greenseeing," Robb replied while Bran continued to eat in silence.
"I see, I also heard what had happened with the incident at the tower," he said to Bran. Bran looked up from his bowl of stew to look at him with sadness in his eyes.
"They said I should regain mobility in my legs in a year's time," Bran replied to him. Lord Mormont nodded his head. "Don't rush son I had the same kind of accident as you. Had to get surgery I bet didn't ya?" he asked Bran and again the young man nodded. But when he mentioned a similar accident Bran could not help but ask.
"What happened?" he said.
"I was riding with a few others back on Bear Island. Fell from a cliff when a bear attacked my horse. I fell a ways and landed on my back. They had to take me to the Maester who did an emergency surgery on me before further damage could be done to my spine. If it wasn't for the skills of that maester I would have been crippled for the rest of my life," Lord Mormont said.
"Did you have to wait a whole year before you could walk again?" Bran asked. The man shook his head, "No, it was nearly five years before I could walk again. Then again I was not as young as you Lord Stark. That is why you will be walking much sooner then I did." he said to Bran.
Bran has a look of shock on his face when he heard Lord Mormont's story. Bran drinks from his milk cup. Since he is a boy drinking ale is not allowed till he is older.
"Do you know of the White Walkers and the Others coming down from the North?" Robb asks Lord Mormont. Lord Commander Mormont sighs before he took a deep swig of his ale.
"Aye, they are gathering their armies still in the Thenn Mountains. However the Free Folk have managed to get out in time so there were no living casualties thank the Gods. We still do not take unnecessary risks so I asked your uncle Benjen to lead a team to keep an eye on them. So far they have reported no new sightings," Lord Mormont said to Robb and the eldest Stark brother nodded in thanks.
"Tell me Lord Stark how has the search for the Lady Sansa coming?" Lord Mormont asked him, changing the subject.
"It is going well, in fact we have a location thanks to my sister Arya. Sansa has been found in King's Landing," Robb replied while finishing his plate and moving on to desert.
"King's Landing is a vipers nest of intrigue, she should be weary," Maester Aaemon replied as he ate his soft stew. He himself drank milk since his stomach can no longer take wine or ale. The man next to him helped him with wiping his mouth.
"Say I haven't seen you before when I last visited are you a new recruit?" Robb asked him. The young man nodded sadly, "Aye, was kicked out of my family because I was considered too weak," said the man.
"What is your name?" Robb asked him and the man looked up with a smile, "Sam, Samwell Tarly," the man said.
"Samwell Tarly? Lord Tarly's oldest boy?" Robb asked him and the man nodded.
"Lord Tarly is a cruel man to send his son here instead of to the Citadel. The boy wants to become a Maester but his father wouldn't have it. The Tarlys are bred to be warriors not scholars but I suppose there is a hiccup in every generation or so." Maester Aaemon said to Robb. Robb looked throughtful and then he remembered something from a while back.
"Sam, didn't you get a letter from Lord Tyrion?" Robb asked him and the boy shook his head, "No, my father ripped the letter and burned it before I had a chance to read it," Sam replied sadly. Robb can understand where this was going. It was well known in the south that Lord Tyrion Lannister is the Librarian of Winter. A job that is not to be taken lightly and if he written to Sam it could mean several things.
"I will send a Raven to Riverrun to see what Lord Tyrion thinks." he said and asked for the rookery after meal.
"I will help with the ravens Lord Stark since Maester Aaemon has put me in charge of messages," Sam replied to him and Robb was grateful for the assistance. Bran could only watch in silence as the events unfolded.
LATER THAT NIGHT
Bran sat there in front of the fire while Robb had gotten undressed for the evening. His eyes looking into the flames as if trying to see the future though them.
"You know the fire priests of R'hllor in Essos can see visions through the flames," Robb said to him.
"I really wanted to see Uncle Benjen," Bran said to him and Robb sighed, "I know brother, I wanted to see him too. But you know that is not happening right now. Not with the way things are going up north."
"Is it because of the Others and the White Walkers?" Bran asked and Robb again heaved a sigh, "Aye, winter is coming Bran there's no stopping it. All we can do is prepare for the great long night and hope we are ready." Robb said to him.
"I wish I was able to walk," Bran said to him and Robb leaned over and placed his hand on Bran's shoulder. The other boy looked up from where he was gazing at the flames to meet his brother's eyes. Robb had knelt down to be at Bran's level. His hand hasn't left his shoulder when he spoke, "Bran, Lord Mormont took five years to heal. You are going through only one so don't fret about it. You will be well enough to fight with a sword soon enough. And besides I heard that Lord Brynden is a very strict teacher. So you will be in good hands," Robb said to Bran.
"But I don't want to study magic, I want to learn how to be a knight like Sir Rodric or Sir Jorah Mormont." Bran said to him and Robb chuckled, "You will, but you will be a battlemage a knight with a magical background." Bran gave him a skeptical look.
"Oh don't look at me that way I've read about it in history books. Battle Mages are warriors who are trained to both wield magic and learn the fighting arts. If you are going to learn from the Three Eyed Raven that means you are going to learn not only magic but fighting arts too," Robb said to him. Bran snorted, "I call on your bullshit," he said to him cussing which made Robb laugh.
"Ok, if you don't take my word for it then ask him yourself when he comes to you." Robb replied to him and Bran turned away to look into the flames. It was hard to see things the way they do and seeing his teacher only in dreams also is worrisome. Bran thinks he is going mad just seeing him and then telling his parents. He looks down at his hands and at his legs.
"Where did you read about battlemages?" Bran asked him finally after a few minutes.
"It is in the Wolf Rider's book. Didn't you read it?" Robb asked him.
"I've read some, not all of it. It would explain why Arya is mad at me for going though," Bran said to Robb.
Robb laughed knowing where this is going, "Arya is in King's Landing dealing with her mission from father. Don't let her anger get to you. Besides when she comes back she will have battle experience and you will be a battlemage. Just think about it," Robb said as he helped Bran to bed.
The boy was safely tucked in before he felt his eyes close indicating that he was asleep. Robb then slipped out into the night air to let Bran settle. It would not do for him to be awakened when he has things to do. Walking out he leaned his head against the door when he is sure that Bran is asleep. It is not likely he would wake for Lord Brynden Rivers is not one to be kept waiting. So he walks away down the dark hallways with his cloak on.
"Sam," he greeted Maester Aaemon's assistant as he went to fetch the Maester something to drink. Sam only gave him a quick hello before he was on his way.
Robb made his way to the elevator that would take him to the top of the wall. Pushing the lever the elevator rose upwards to the top. When he got there Lord Mormont was waiting for him.
"Lord Mormont?" Robb said as he exited the elevator.
"Lord Stark," was the reply and Robb saw the city beyond the wall for the first time. The many lights and fires that littered the city has Robb thinking of Winterfell.
"Imagine that the South thinks we fight the Free Folk for dominance here on the Wall," Lord Mormont said to him.
"Aye, we did once before we forged the Triad Treaty," Robb replied to him.
"Now our alliance will be put to the test as our ancient foe returns. Thankfully we have preserved through the centuries to ensure that we are fully operational for when the time comes," Lord Mormont said to him.
"I sense a but?" Robb asked him and the man sighed, "Year after year since I've joined the Watch and became Lord Commander the Wall has been growing weaker. Structurally it is fine, but its magic has been fading. I am sure you sense it too," he said to Robb. Robb nodded his head remembering what the Shifu had said to him. The magic is weakening and it needs to be renewed.
"Shifu mentioned something about it. She said that the wall's magic needs to be renewed and we are pouring everything we have into remembering what it is. But Shifu told us it is useless." Robb replied to him and the older man nodded in agreement the distant moonlight illuminating his features.
"It is useless, the magic was made to keep the Others and the Night's King out of the North, out of Westeros. The Free Folk know that what lies in the True North is more terrible then anyone can imagine and death itself rises in the Lands of Always Winter." Lord Mormont replied to Robb. He turned to look at Robb and saw the features of the man who now rules over the North.
"You have the makings of a true leader Lord Stark. I hope that when the day comes and we ride into battle you will help lead our troops to victory," he said to him. Robb nodded before he watched Lord Mormont depart leaving him alone with the wind and the moonlight. Walking towards the edge he could see the city and the forest beyond the city. He could see the distant Frost Fang Mountains to the West and thought about Jon and Dany. Both of them must be working hard to become dragonriders just like their ancestors were before them. Though Robb thinks that Jon and Dany are destined to leave Westeros and journey East towards their ancestors homeland of Valyria. It was like a premonition into the unknown. Sighing, Robb sat down cross legged on the edge of the wall and began to focus his mind into a bird.
He felt the bird that he warged into. It was an owl a perfect bird for flying in the dark. He could feel every bit of air as he soared on the wind and flown over towards the forests beyond. Such magic was known in the North and only those like the Starks have the ability to pass it on. If they have magic again after three hundred years then things are looking up.
But at the same time as Robb pulled back into his own body he knows that it is also a sign that the Great Long Night is coming. Looking up towards the sky Robb could barely make out the red comet that is supposed to appear in the sky only when the Great Long Night approaches. Rising up from the ground he took one last look at the city below. He knows that when he and Bran make their way into the city below they have to get some much needed supplies before they make their way through the haunted forest towards their destination. The Weirwood Tree of the Three Eyed Raven.
As the biting winds start to get to him Robb finally made his way down after walking to the other side and looking at the lands of the North.
His lands.
His home.
Such a view from on top of the wall shows Robb that even here on the edge of the world it is worth protecting. When he walked towards the elevator that made his way down Robb could not stop thinking about the journey he and Bran has to take.
FLASHBACK TWO WEEKS AGO
Bran woke from a fitful sleep. His brow sweaty and his eyes wide with fear. Summer whined his distress as Lord Stark and Lady Catelyn entered the room. Rushing to his side Catelyn was the first to wipe away his sweaty brow.
"Bran my boy are you ok?" she asked him and the boy nodded his head.
"You had a nightmare or did Lord Brynden visit you again?" Lord Stark said to Bran as the boy was busy catching his breath. When he came around to facing everyone he was nearly out of breath as if he was running.
"Lord Brynden said….. that I am to go to him at his cave at the sacred Weirwood tree," Bran said to them. Catelyn gasp in surprise and fear and Lord Stark had a hardened look on his face.
"Wake Robb," he told a guard outside of Bran's door as he stepped out. Catelyn was busy holding Bran as he cried.
PRESENT TIME, CASTLE BLACK
Robb remembered being woken up when his father's guard came to summon him. He had just gotten back from helping Lord Stark track down those bandits near White Harbor. After getting out of his armor and having a bath he was looking forward to going to bed.
Well that was before the guard had summoned him and his father told him that he is to take Bran north to the sacred tree. It was hard to do but Robb knew that his brother needs to go. Just like Arya had to go south to find Sansa and Sansa remained in King's Landing. Why Lord Tyrion had to go to King's Landing. For the heir to the North Robb was not looking forward to the trip.
But at least he has Greywind and Bran has Summer. Both wolves served as not only their loyal steeds, but their protectors should something happen. Especially Bran who is unable to defend himself right now due to his injuries. Robb will make sure that his brother is taken care of.
That much he swore to himself as he returned to his room and found his brother sleeping soundly. Getting undressed for bed was a good feeling for Robb who allowed himself to bathe and then to finally crawled under the furs. As he closed his eyes Robb could see the comet in the sky in his mind's eye. He knows that time is not on their side and as he sent a silent prayer to the Old Gods. He hopes that when the time comes that the North will be ready to keep their ancient vow. For if the North falls then all of Westeros falls.
TBC
A/n: Ok it has been a long while since I posted anything for this story so I will just lay it out right here. Then I am going to bed. It was hard dealing with work, asshole bosses, hospital stays and then this. Well at least I got it done. The muse has not left it was just overwhelmed. One thing at a time I supposed.
But as you can see I have two parts to this chapter. Jon and Dany and Robb and Bran. The reason why I did this is because this is where things are starting to change a bit more. As Jon and Dany start preparing themselves for the arrival of their dragons Robb and Bran are traveling north to seek out the Three Eyed Raven. Now I am going more for what the books say for the location of the tree of the Three Eyed Raven. It makes my world much simpler then guessing.
So as always please leave a review but no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS OR FLAMES PLEASE! THANKS!