Chapter 3 Plans and Purpose
The trio sat in silence after Lord Reed had finished his tale as the fire crackled and popped. Egg was caught up in wonder at the magic of the Crannogman's story. He stewed in contemplation over the small, twisted man that had controlled the mammoth lizard lion. My family controlled dragons. I wonder if they were wargs as well. The Targaryens of old would've had no problem with the monster, they would've simply bathed it in fire with one of their dragon mounts.
After a time Lord Reed spoke up "fetch us some wine" he commanded, but there was no one in the the room other than them. A few moments later a servant appeared, as if from no where, bearing a pitcher and three cups. When one was filled and handed to Egg, the young Squire looked askingly at Dunk.
"Only one" Dunk said with a soft sternness.
They all sipped in silence for several long moments. Egg thought the taste was bittersweet, but his head began to feel light, and a bubbly happiness surged up from his belly, flooding his limbs. The Squire found himself smiling slightly for no reason.
"Where does your path lead?" The small Lord uttered in a quiet voice that rang with a sad curiosity. He never looked away from the burning wood as he swirled the wine in his cup. His eyes seemed far away.
Dunk thought the Crannogman might be asking more than it appeared, but he answered practically. "We plan to head to Winterfell, to help The Old Wolf in his battle with the Ironmen." Dunk told him "and then we wish to see The Wall."
Egg perked up at the mention of The Wall "Have you seen it?" he asked with the bright enthusiasm only a child can wield "is it as big as the stories say?"
Lord Reed looked at the boy fondly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Bigger" he said with a wink "no words can truly do it justice. A man must look upon it with his own eyes to truly grasp the scale of it. It will make a man truly appreciate the power that the heroes of old held."
Egg looked to Dunk "We must get there, Ser."
"We will" Dunk said reassuringly. "I want to see it just as bad as you, lad."
"You shouldn't take the Kings Road through Most Cailin." Edric Reed told them "It is guarded well while there is war. The soldiers there exact a high toll to enter The North, and they could bar you completely from entering."
Dunk looked perplexed, thinking of all the coins in his pouch. It'd be best not to spend any at all, and we can't chance not being allowed to enter! "We'll have to back track for weeks to take a ship" he said.
Egg was bold since he'd gotten some wine in him "I told you, Ser. We should've taken a ship to White Harbor."
Ser Duncan looked at Egg in frustration. The wine had gone to his head as well, but before he could muster an angry response, Lord Reed spoke up.
"There are other ways" The Lord said. "Other trails that you could take. These are my lands, I could lead you."
"That would be very kind my Lord," Egg said "you have our thanks"
Ser Duncan shot Egg a look, the wine had made the lad bold. The big knight wasn't comfortable around Lords, even one so kind as Edric Reed. He'd only ever gotten into trouble when he'd mixed up with his betters. He preferred to spend as little time in their presence as possible.
Lord Reed nodded solemnly. "I had planned to send a few men to Winterfell to help with the war. You may travel with them. The North is a large, wild country, and the bigger the group the safer you will be."
"You won't be heading North with us?" Dunk asked apprehensively.
"No, I must remain here and tend to my own country" Lord Reed informed him "although I know I will be sorely missed" he added with a wink at Dunk.
The big knight relaxed a little, although the insight of the small Crannogman unsettled him a little, it seems that he knows everything, even the thoughts in my head.
The room they were taken to was large and circular, with small arrow slits just like the rest of the tower. The walls were lined with bunks, and soft snores and grunts could already be heard from various beds when the pair entered the room. The duo found a bunk with both top and bottom empty, and they took their beds; Egg on top, Duncan on bottom.
Soon after Egg had made himself comfortable, he heard Dunk snoring softly. The sound was soothing to Egg, knowing that his knight was nearby. Sleep didn't come easily to him, despite the relaxed feeling he'd gotten from the wine. His thoughts swirled with ancient tales of Children of the Forest, wargs, heroes of old, and most of all, dragons. Eventually, the young prince drifted into a troubled sleep.
Egg walked through a dark, muddy forest. The ground was clear of any underbrush, so he made his way forward easily. He was sure of where he was going, he knew the way, he just couldn't remember the destination itself. The odd shaft of light pierced the forest's canopy, casting small pools of light on the ground. Vines lounged here and there, with trailers of moss hanging from them like a woman's unkempt hair.
The Young Prince made his way forward confidently, passed great moss covered trunks and lazy vines. Eventually his path was blocked by a strange fallen tree, sheared of its branches. The trunk was entirely covered in moss, leaving it a dark green color. It stretched far in either direction, so Egg approached it and was forced to walk alongside it. It was several steps beside the trunk before the prince realized it's odd texture. It was rough, like a file, and ridged. Almost like… scales. The thought came to late, the tree trunk seemed to deflate, and Egg heard a large Huff of wind, like an exhale. He ran.
As he dashed along the trail, trees flying by him, he heard a great thrashing and cracking sound coming from behind him. A great hiss emanated, and the snapping sounds got closer. He chanced a look behind him, and the massive lizard lion was too close. The monsters eyes had a look of determined hatred only a human could possess. At that moment his foot caught on a root, and the ground rushed up to smack him, hard. All of his wind abandoned him.
Egg forced himself to his hands and knees, desperately trying to fill his lungs. When he looked up, his path was blocked by the high walls of the Red Keep, it towered above him, standing stalwart against the forest like a boulder in a stream. But something was wrong. The keep was in disrepair, many towers collapsed and roofs caved in. The keep was covered in snow, like layers of dust in an old room that had been closed off for years.
In his amazement at the sudden appearance of his home, he'd forgotten his immediate peril. The prince remembered too late. A puff of warm wind ruffled his clothes, and Egg slowly turned around.
The beast was face to face with him, it's great head lowered to his level. Hatred burned in its eyes. Quick as lightning, it snapped him into its jaws. Three times it chewed before swallowing. Egg screamed as the massive teeth punched through him like a sword through parchment. Then everything went black.
He opened his eyes in a place so dark that closing them made no difference. Egg touched himself gently, feeling for the places his body had been punctured with the monster's teeth, but there were no holes. His body felt different, it was more muscled, and there was hair in places were there had been none before. His attentive puzzlement was broken when two dotted lines of light sparked into being before him.
As he approached them, he was illuminated by the strange light. The prince was now a man grown. He was garbed in kingly garments of red and black silks. He felt a weight upon his head, and when he reached up tentatively to feel what he donned, a crown was there. The points of light grew into focus as he got closer, and they appeared to be Eggs.
The first row cracked and opened as he passed them, and small dragons crawled out. They puffed little balls of smoke and flame as the prince passed, gazing at them in wonder. Each row of eggs he passed grew larger, and the dragons that sprang forth from them became larger as well. Egg wanted desperately to stop and inspect the beasts, to touch them, feel them, but some magical force drove him forward.
The prince continued taking unwilling steps passed massive dragons until a dais appeared in front of him. Seven bright kings stood upon it, light emanated from them as if they were made from starlight itself. Some of them were dressed in beautiful silks and satins, others in bright shining armor. All of them had silvery hair of various cuts and styles, and deep purple eyes. Egg felt small and haggard by comparison.
"They have forgotten" said the king in the middle, his voice a raspy wist that seemed to echo through the darkness.
"Who?" Egg asked. His voice sounded shrill and childlike by comparison "forgotten what?"
"Light must be returned to the world" Said the king directly to the right of the center. He was in a silvery armor of a style Egg had never seen, its colors shifted with ripples in the light. "Or else darkness will reign forever."
"What must I do?" Egg asked, but the light of the kings began to flicker and fade. A great head, as wide as the dais, appeared from the darkness behind them. It was a white dragon, it's eyes a crisp blue.
"Egg"
It raised its head, sucking in a great breath of air, and along with it the kings warped and stretched, disappearing down its gullet.
"Egg"
A flame of myraid blues surged from the beast's throat, hurtling towards the prince. He squatted down and threw up his arms to shield himself. His clothes began to burn as the flames grew closer, and then-
"Egg!"
Aegon awoke, and sitting up quickly he slammed his head on the ceiling. The Squire fell back into the bed rubbing his head with his hands and groaning.
"That's going to welt" Dunk said peering over the edge of the bed at him. "Up lad, we're breaking our fast and then Lord Reed is leading us out." Egg groaned once more.
The was a small dining hall on the bottom floor of the tower, with circular tables and a large hearth. A fire was roaring and the Crannogmen chatted merrily as they ate. These folk seemed to be content at all times of the day.
Dunk and Egg took a seat at a table with two other small bearded men who greeted them kindly. They broke their fast on fried frog legs, some type of bitter root they'd never tasted before (Egg immediately decided it wasn't for him,) and cinnamon steamed crabapples.
"I hardly fit in that bed last night" Dunk lamented as he chewed a bite of the bitter root.
"It didn't seem to keep you awake for long, Ser." Egg replied, closely inspecting a frog leg before he bit into it.
"Aye" Dunk said through a mouthful "I make good use of a real bed when I get the chance to enjoy one"
After they'd gathered what few things they had, the duo exited the tower into the stormy morning. The rain had hardly let up at all. They found their mounts already saddled and fed. Seven Crannogmen of roughly the same height, stature, and dress stood about in a circle, with Lord Reed in the center. They were speaking a strange tongue unknown to either knight or Squire. Finally, the Lord turned to them.
"Good morrow, friends." Lord Reed said with a soft smile "The rain won't be as bad once we get into the forest, but I'm afraid you'll have to go on foot and lead your mounts. The paths are narrow and the branches low. I had your saddlebags filled with more food that should last you the remainder of your trip. There's hardly an inn to be found between the Neck and Winterfell"
Egg thought of the root from their breakfast and frowned slightly. Dunk looked at him as if to say don't earn yourself a clout in the ear.
"You have our thanks, my Lord." Dunk said.
"Very well. It is a long trek before we get to another sheltered place. We must be off if we're to reach it before nightfall. No one wants to be caught in the swamp after dark." Eric Reed added grimly.
The group walked up the Kings Road a ways before they turned off left, onto a barely perceptible path. Dunk and Egg were last in the line, with only one man taking up the rear behind them.
Egg shivered and felt his hair stand on end, as his nightmare dash through the forest last night popped into the forefront of his mind.
Then, they were swallowed up by the forest.