The Farosi

AN: Well, the response from last time was extrememly positive and I'm glad to see so many have favourited this story, thank you.

Please enjoy and review.

I own nothing but my OC's

Chapter Two

The Lieutenant of Light Horse

CRACK!

The cloud of smoke filled the air and Jon Snow, Lieutenant Jon Snow, pushed the lever on the underside of his carbine and the spent cartridge was ejected from the breach of the weapon. The courtyard in Winterfell was occupied that day by several dozen people, a few Lannister and Baratheon soldiers who had nothing better to do, a large number of House Starks men, some of the servants and half a dozen of Jon's own men, were watching Jon showing Robb how his weapons were used.

'Type 2 Donley&sons Lever Action Carbine,' he said to Robb and handed him the weapon. 'It's only just been issued.'

'I like it,' he said and got a feel for the weapon. 'And this is what all of you have?'

'Just the Light Horse,' he explained. 'The infantry and heavy horse haven't got them yet but the Purple Boys have rifle versions.'

'Purple Boys?' he asked.

'The Royal Guard.'

'I see. Well, how long do you think it will take until the whole army has them?'

'A long time Robb. There's no need, I mean the reason we have them is that we need to attack and reload faster than those foot sloggers.'

'Foot sloggers?'

'It's just slang for infantry.'

'I'm glad I won't have to fight these carbines Jon.'

'So am I. Do you want to use it?'

'Of course I do,' he said and Jon passed him a bullet.

Jon watched Robb as he loaded the carbine the same way Jon had explained to him, lowering the lever to open the breach, pushing the bullet into the breach and then closing the breach before firing. For targets they were using the same ones used by the archers but directly against the wall so they wouldn't accidently shoot someone. Robb was able to hit the target to the cheers of the Stark men, although he didn't get a bullseye.

Nearly three years before this he had been in that very same courtyard saying goodbye to his brothers and father. As part of Farsos's plan to strengthen ties with Westeros they had decided upon the "Foreign Officers Programme" which saw them recruit the sons of noble families into the Farosi army and navy. The youngest age for this was forteen and many of his new classmates were the same age. Now, a fully trained and commisioned officer of His Majesties Army he and the rest of the 11th Regiment of Light Horse were sent to Kings Landing as part of the Embassy Guard, made up of one Regiment of Foot and one Light Horse, one thousand six hundred men, to protect the businessmen and officials working on behalf of the United Kingdoms companies and government. As the current ambassador was also the princess and future Queen of Farsos, there was also a company of the Royal Guard and a platoon of Royal Engineers led by one of the Westerosi officers.

Jon had been in the capital for three months by the time it was announced that they were going north to Winterfell. In that time he had gotten used to leading his troop of fifty men, most of the time they had been drilling, using their carbines and being involved in riding exercises. The only combat they had seen was in assisting the Gold Cloaks in catching smugglers, Jon remembered that he had killed someone for the first time doing this. They found some smugglers as they were unloading their supplies. Jon ordered the charge before they could escape, each of his men firing a shot at full charge before drawing their sabres. Jon had brought down his sword onto a smuggler and almost severed his head with one blow. As an officer he had to attend several parties at the embassy, at one of them he had met King Robert who had just complimented him on his resemblance to his father before he went towards the whisky servers.

After Robb fired a few more rounds from the Carbine he handed it back to Jon with a grin.

'I want one.'

'For army use only Robb.'

'Come on Jon, can't you work out something?'

'I can get you a shotgun.'

'Sounds good. That reminds me, I have something for you.'

'Yes you said earlier. What's the mystery?'

'This way.'

The two of them walked away from the yard and towards the kennels where Jon noticed that many of the dogs were worried about something as Robb led him towards a caged off stall.

'Not long before the king arrived, father had to execute a deserter from the watch. On the way back we found a Direwolf.'

'What? But Direwolves haven't been seen south of the Wall for centturies.'

'I know Jon but we found it. The wolf had died but it had a litter.'

'A litter? Are you telling me that there's a litter of Direwolves in Winterfell?'

'Yes. We found five of them, one for all of the Stark children. We've been keeping our pups in our rooms for now, stop them from upsetting the royal little prick Joffrey. Bran keeps breaking that rule though.'

'What are the odds?'

'I know. It's incredible but just before we left Bran heard something.'

'Go on.'

'He said he heard a whimpering so we turned around to see another pup.'

Robb opened the stall and there, sitting on a pile of straw, was a large wolf pup, its eyes as red as blood and its coat was whiter than freshly fallen snow. The strangest thing about it though was that it made no noise, not even the slightest noise that any animal made, instead it sat there looking at Jon in utter silence. Jon walked in and crouched before the wolf and patted it on the head very gently, for a moment there was no response but then it licked Jon's hand.

'I think he likes you,' Robb said and smiled. 'Are you allowed pets in the Farosi army?'

'We are, troops of cavalry are allowed mascots as well.'

'Then you've got your mascot.'

'Does he have a name yet?' Jon asked Robb.

'No, most of the people here won't go near him.'

'Why not?'

'He just sits there Jon, not making a noise, silent as a ghost. He just makes everyone nervous.'

'I like him,' Jon said and stood back up. 'Silent as a ghost you said.'

'I did. Why?'

'Ghost. He's called Ghost.'

'Suits him I think. I can't believe you'll be gone so soon Jon.'

'Neither can I. I think the Princess just brought me all the way up here to just sign some papers.'

'I'm surprised father's buying guns, I mean after what happened on Dragonstone I didn't think he'd want to risk it.'

'I heard about that. Lord Stannis bought a lot of powder but he didn't check on how to store it properly.'

'I'm surprised anyone survived it.'

'Me too.'

'According to one of the servants at the embassy King Robert was furious when Lord Stannis died in the explosion. His daughter survived though.'

'What happened to her after that?'

'The poor girl's been a ward of the crown since then.'

'Is she looked after?'

'No, half her face is a mess of greyscale and the queen hates anyone who isn't her children and the King doesn't care about anything that can't get him drunk.'

'Poor girl. When father goes south he can keep an eye on her.'

'I hope so.'

'What's it like, coming back after all this time?'

'Different. I remember all those years we spent here, I remember the games we played but after three years away it doesn't feel like home anymore.'

'I understand Jon. We all have to grow up one day. Still, just remember that you'll always have a home in Winterfell.'

'Don't let Lady Stark here you say that.'

'It doesn't matter. She doesn't like you Jon but no matter what happens you are my brother.'

'I'm glad to hear it.'

'So, go on then, tell me what Whitestone was like.'

'The Whitestone Academy, it's just outside the capital of Farsos, that's First Sight. The place is surrounded by fields and woods though so it feels like its the middle of nowhere. The Academy is huge though, there rooms for hundreds of cadet officers and there are dozens of other buildings like the armouries, the stables and the store rooms. When I arrived I was billeted to share a room with three others, two of them were Farosi but the other was from the Reach, his name's Sam Tarly. We were all in the same classes and it was a nightmare.'

'Why, what were they teaching you?'

'Not just numbers and letters but we had to learn fitness, they woke us up at the crack of dawn nearly everyday and we had to do a run. That nearly killed Sam. I had to drag him along sometimes, and after that we were allowed breakfast.'

'Sounds rough.'

'It was, for the first year they taught us all the same, how to read maps, look at terrain, ride horses properly, fencing, field fortifications, commands and shooting.'

'I'm guessing you enjoyed the shooting most.'

'Of course I did. In the second year though we learned how to specialise, I signed up for the Light Horse and Sam went to join the Engineers.'

'What do the engineers do?'

'They make the more complex fieldworks, keep up the roads and build pontoon bridges, all important.'

'Sounds it. Why did you decide on the Light Horse, not the Heavy Horse?'

'It just felt right, the Light Horse needs men who can think fast, and I don't think the Heavy Horse will be around for much longer.'

'Why?'

'Gins make armour useless. The Heavy Horse wear armour and only have swords, lances and pistols. I'll trust my mens carbines over the lancers anyday.'

'I have to disagree, none of your men have any armour, in a hand to hand fight they won't stand a chance.'

'We don't let the enemy get into a hand to hand fight though,' Jon countered and gave a Ghost a scratch behind the ears.

'I still have faith in the sword over the gun.'

'Your mistake Robb. Should Ghost stay here or should I take up to my room?'

'Did you hear that?'

Jon was confused for a moment but then he heard it. A howling. The two brothers closed the stall and then walked outside where the howling was much clearer.

'Where's it coming from?' asked Jon, in his guts he knew something was wrong.

'Sounds like it's from the Broken Tower.'

...

The day had come and they were leaving Winterfell. Princess Radwen had decided to stay as well, to give Jon some time with his wounded brother.

'It's the decent thing to do Jon,' she said to him and smiled reassuringly.

His men had showed their sympathies as well, Sergeant Osoni, his second in command of the troop, had taken over duties of drilling the men for Jon while he spent time with his siblings, Corporal Donley had provided him with a bottle of whiskey and the troopers had shown him absolute respect. Now he had to leave, the Princess needed to be back at the embassy to sort out the dealings for the Farosi military exercises in the Arbor for the next few months. The King agreed as well, he needed to get back to the capital as soon as possible for his "Kingly duties", whatever those were.

Jon had inspected his troop that morning, Ghost at his side, and then dismissed them, telling them when to be ready to leave. After that he walked through Winterfell, going through the halls he had grown up in, now he was a man of the Farosi Army and it was time say goodbye to Bran, one last time. He waked into his younger brothers bedroom and she was there. Lady Stark was haunched over her son, looking down mournfully at him as she looked, as if by just looking at him she could heal him. For a moment he considered leaving but no, he didn't. Remembering White Stone he cleared his throat and Lady Stark looked at him as outside Bran's wolf howled.

'What are you doing here?' she asked Jon, sounding half dead as she did so.

'I came to say good bye, Lady Stark.'

'You said it. Now go away.'

There was a time, years ago when he was a child, that those words would have sent Jon running away to hide in his room. Not anymore. With confidence he stepped further into the room and came to stand on the opposite side of the bed from Lady Stark. She glared at him, the look was as cold as the touch of an Other.

'I told you to leave. We don't want you here.'

'He is my brother,' he reminded her and crossed his arms, matching her glare for his own. 'I am a soldier, Lady Stark. Do you really think you can send me running like the child I was?'

Now she was stunned, the look on her face was one of someone who had been challenged for the first time in many years. Jon would not let her scare him off again.

'I'll call the guards, bastard.'

'I'll call my troopers. No matter what happens I'll see my brother.'

'Make it quick,' she told him and looked away from Jon.

So Jon knelt next to his brother and put his hand on his shoulder.

'Bran, I'll come back and see you again. Next time I have leave I'll come back and tell you all about the capital. The Red Keep, the embassy, you'll love to hear about it. Farsos as well, I'll tell you all about it. Goodbye Bran,' he then kissed Bran on the forehead and stood up, just as he was about to leave the room she spoke again.

'Jon,' he turned and looked at her, at the woman who had never called him by his name. 'It should have been you.'

That was the last straw.

'Is that all you wish to say Lady Stark?'

'It is.'

'Good. In that case I think you need to know something. If you want to speak to an officer of His Majesties armed forces you say use rank. When I am in uniform and on duty you will call me Lieutenant Snow unless I give you permission to use my name. It almost wasn't Lieutenant Snow, in Farsos they do not use bastard names, not in a very long time and I had every right to be known as Jon Stark under Farosi law. I turned that down so it would cause no strife between you and my father. I suppose that means under Farosi law they see me as having more a right to the name Stark than you do.'

He turned on his heel, the spur of his boot scraping on the floor, and left, his boots snapping against the floor as he left Winterfell and, after saying his last farewells to Robb, he went to his men, they mounted and, at the word of the Princess, they began to ride out, the large collumn of Lannisters, Baratheons, Starks and Farosi rode away from Winterfell and headed South. Soon the party reached a crossroads where Jon noticed Tyrion Lannister, the Queens younger brother, riding north with Uncle Benjen and some Lannister soldiers and there Jon had an unusual feeling. It was as if something else should have happened on that spot, something that was not possible anymore. Slowly Jon turned south and rode on, never looking back.

AN: So, I would like to tell you where the inspiration for this story came from. I have always been interested in the history of the colonial era when European colonies were established across the world. It was an interesting time where ancient cultures had to interact with the new. Films set in this era, such as Zulu and The Last Samurai are favourites of mine so I wanted to come up with my own version of that but set in Westeros.

Princess Radwen is an OC I came up with years ago for a now deleted Lord of the Rings story but I liked her so I decided to bring her back for this. The technology level of Farsos is roughly equivilent to Europe in the mid 1860's to early 1870's, with weapons such as revolvers and lever action carbines as well as the caplock rifles used by Farosi infantry.

As for Jon standing up to Catelynn, he's been away for over two years by this point and has been trained in this worlds equivilent of Sandhurst so I don't think that his fathers wife could intimidate him anymore.

Review Responses:

Pinoy Gamer: Thank your for your review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

darkstel: What do you mean by antique addition, I'm not sure what that means. Could anyone please elaborate?

So, please review and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.