Okay this one has taken a full month to get out, explanation for that down below.
Other than that hope you enjoy the read

Castle Black, The North, Westeros

Eadric sat on the edge of the courtyard of Castle Black, sharpening his sword. Light snow was falling and the howl of the wind brought back welcome memories to the Nord, for him the North was a good, hard place. In the woods there was always the occasional deer or auroch to hunt, some meagre offering to Hircine for the time being. He'd embraced the wolf blood within him several times since he'd arrived, first was on the way to the Wall from Winterfell and the rest had been while here, the centre of the Night's Watch. It amused him endlessly when there was talk about a monstrous wolf lurking in the forests nearby and the sometimes incredulous reactions to him returning from the hunt carrying a deer while the howling had so clearly been only a scant distance away.

Jon's Direwolf though, Ghost he'd named it, had often returned his howling and he was sure the animal knew what he really was. The way the wolf was looking at him from his place chained to a post on the other side of the courtyard all but confirmed it, distrustful and challenging but also curious. Smirking to himself Eadric slid the whetstone across the Skyforge steel blade, letting the metallic sound ring in the air.

The sound of footfalls on the light snow roused him from his thoughts and task. Looking up he saw a watchman walking towards him. "Lord Commander Mormont awaits you in his chambers." He spoke plainly.

Nodding slightly and sliding his sword into its sheath on his belt Eadric stood and followed the Watchman. Ascending some stairs and quickly reaching one of the corner buildings in the small castle the Watchman opened the thick wooden door to Mormont's chambers.

Entering the room Eadric saw the Old Bear sat at his desk. "Haraldsson, take a seat. Cooper you can go."

The Nord nodded and sat down opposite Mormont and Cooper, the Watchman left.

Jeor picked up a jug that was on his desk and poured two horns of ale, setting one down by Eadric. "Maestor Aemon tells me you came to him, something about the White Walkers."

Eadric picked up the horn and drank some of the ale. "Aye. Tarly said the last time three blasts were rung was a thousand years ago. Maestor Aemon confirmed that."

"You think that was a White Walker attack?"

The Nord sighed. "No." He downed the ale in his horn and set it down on the table, empty. "A thousand years ago in Tamriel there was a period known as the 'Intereggnum'. The Cyrodillic Empire had fallen and many of the powerful races tried to replace them." Eadric explained, drawing a raised brow from the Old Bear. "During that time the Daedric Prince Molag Bal tried to invade Mundus."

"Daedric Prince?" Mormont lifted the horn to his lips for a moment before lowering it again. "What are they?"

Eadric leaned back in his chair. "Depends on who you ask. To many they're the enemies of all life, to some they're gods to be worshipped. With all of them though it depends on which prince it is. Molag Bal is one of those that's despised by most about everyone, besides vampires." Of course to Eadric himself most were not his concern, though Hircine would always be his patron.

Mormont breathed out. "Right. And you say this thing tried to invade your land?"

"Tried and failed. Most don't know about it." Eadric answered. "I only know about it because some Imperial scholar wanted good men to defend him during his recovery of the Imperial Library after the Second Great War, so he hired the Companions. One of the old tomes he recovered concerned the invasion, otherwise people have forgotten it."

Jeor nodded slightly. "And you think we could've been attacked by the same things?"

"If three blasts were uttered a thousand years ago and it wasn't the White Walkers then aye, that's what I think it would've been." The Nord nodded and looked up at one of the windows, watching the snowfall outside of it. "Do you know if there was an attack on the Wall two hundred years ago?"

Mormont shook his head. "No, last major attack on the wall was seventy years ago. The Northmen threw them back. Why?"

Eadric nodded slightly. "The Oblivion crisis happened two hundred years ago. Mehrunes Dagon, Daedric Prince of change and destruction invaded Tamriel and wiped out the blood line of Talos."

"I see." The Old Bear breathed out. "The reason I called for you..." Eadric raised a brow, so his questions to the Maestor weren't the reason he was summoned. "I've decided you're going to join the Rangers in their activities. You may not want to take the oath but I can still put you to more use than just sparring with the new bloods."

The Nord looked at Jeor for a moment before nodding slowly. "So I'm going to go North of the Wall?"

"Aye." Jeor nodded simply.

After a few moments silence between the two the horn at the top of the wall blasted. Both Nord and Northman stood quickly and waited for a second or third blast. When none came Jeor looked at Eadric before walking to his chambers door and opening, exiting.

Eadric quickly followed the older man and upon exiting the spartan chambers looked up at the top of the Wall. Squinting he was able to see the elevator begin to descend.

"Open the gate!" A watchman called out.

A group of watchman quickly darted for the inner gate winches and inserted the wooden beams that they could pull down to lift the heavy chains. As the gate slowly raised the elevator too descended and sooner had it opened then the wooden thud of the elevator was heard around the courtyard.

Out of the now opened gate darted a saddled horse, lead by a watchman who was frantically trying to bring it to a stop.

"That's my uncle Benjen's horse." Eadric heard Jon call out as he ran up. Stopping and looking at the horse for a few moments he turned and looked at Mormont."Where's my uncle?"

...

"You came to us as outlaws, poachers, rapists, killers, thieves." Mormont spoke to the assembled new recruits to the Nights Watch. Eadric was watching from one of the covered railing on the small walls of the castle, so as not to get in the way of the ceremony. He understood the privacy such an event should have. "You can to us alone." Mormont continued. "In chains, without friends, without honour. You came to us rich, you came to us poor." Every watchman in the castle was present, watching the ritual. "Some of you bear the names of proud houses, others only bastard names or no names at all, it does not matter. All that, is in the past." He gestured to the Wall behind him. "Here, on the wall, we are all one house." he looked back across the recruits, and Eadric saw that Samwell was whispering something to Jon, who hadn't spoken since his uncles horse had returned. "Tonight, you take your oaths. You'll hold no lands. Every man here will become your brother."

Beside him Thorne had his usual scowl on his face and was looking at Jon and Samwell, but not saying a word while the Lord Commander spoke. "Any debts you had before you came to us, are gone, you owe no one but your brothers anything. Here." He held up a scroll. "You begin anew.

Descending the steps he kept on speaking. "A man of the Night's Watch, lives his life for the realm, not for a King, or a Lord, or the honour of this house or that house, not for gold, not for glory, nor a woman's love." Eadric leant against the wooden railing, he was beginning to see why many viewed this as a literal dead end. "But for the Realm and all the people within it. You've all learnt the words." Up on the platform Thorne stepped forward slowly, looking over the recruits. "before you take your vows, think carefully before you say them. The penalty for desertion is death."

Mormont stopped for a moment and looked across the recruits. "You can take your vows here, tonight, at sunset. Do any of you keep to the old gods?"

Jon slowly stood. "I do, milord."

"You want to take your vows before a Heartree, as your uncle did?"

Jon nodded. "Yes, milord."

Mormont nodded slightly. "You can find a Weirwood a mile north of the wall, and maybe your old gods as well."

Sam also tentatively stood. "My Lord, might I go as well?"

Mormont looked like he was maybe raising a brow but Eadric couldn't tell for the distance. "Does house Tarly keep to the Old Gods?"

"No, my Lord." Samwell shook his head. "I was named in the light of the seven, as my father was, and his father before him."

"Why would you forsake the gods of your farther and your house?" Thorne asked, his scowl deepening.

Sam seemed to chose his words for a moment. "The Nights Watch is my house now, and the Seven have never answered my prayers, perhaps the Old Gods will."

Mormont nodded slightly. "As you wish." Sam nodded in thanks and sat down alongside Jon again. The Old Bear unravelled his scroll. "You've all been assigned an order, according to our needs and your strengths." He began reading out names and Eadric figured the ceremony part over and began to walk to the stairs and down into the courtyard, only vaguely listening to the listing off. "Jon, to the Stewards." Was the one that stood out, it sounded strange, Jon was by far the best fighter of the recruits and yet he was stuck doing domestics.

Looking up at the platform Eadric saw Thorne was smirking, his work no doubt. While the Nord respected Thorne he realised he could be a very spiteful man.

When Mormont finished reading out the names and began walking to his chambers one of the senior Watchman, Jaremy Rykker if Eadric remembered correctly, stepped forward on the platform. "Rangers, with me." Taking that as his cue Eadric pushed himself off the railing and circled the fort before stepping down into the courtyard and over to the now gathered group of new Rangers.

As he walked up the senior Watchman nodded slightly to him, no doubt Mormont had previously told him. "So you're all Rangers now. That means you're the Watch's sword, you're the ones who go north of the Wall." He gestured to the massive Ice structure. "Now." He looked back at the new Rangers. "Lord Commander Mormont has decided that Haraldsson will join the Rangers."

Most of those present all looked at Eadric. Among them Grenn was smirking and Rast was scowling, seems he still remembered his half choking.

"Right. Niko, Escan, you're to report to the Shadow Tower. Report to Commander Mallister, he needs more men." He waited for the two he addressed to nod, which they did. "Haraldsson, you'll come with me and First Builder Yarwyck north of the Wall when Snow and Tarly take their oaths." Eadric nodded once and Rykker addressed the others again. "Rest of you, there'll be a ranging tomorrow, see what you're made of."

...

The gate slowly raised, the ancient metal creaking as the heavy chains lifted it. Beside Eadric were Jon, Sam, Rykker and the First Builder Yarwick. As well as Jon's direwolf, who had occasionally turned to look at the Nord while it happily trotted ahead of its master. When the outer gate finally opened fully the five men and direwolf passed through the threshold, into the real North.

After stopping for a moment to wait for the gate to close the five began the trudge to the Haunted Forest. "Only about a mile." Yarwick stated before looking at Eadric. "You're not taking the vow are you?"

"No." Eadric shook his head. "Got a wife to think about, she's with child."

Rykker snorted slightly. "Plenty of us had wives to think about." The remark earned him a glance from Jon and Sam but the Ranger either didn't notice or didn't care. "What's her name?"

"Njada Stone-arm." The Nord replied. "She'd kill me if I took your vows."

"Stone-arm? Weird name." Jaremy muttered.

Eadric chuckled. "Most Nords have names like that. She got hers when a Snow Troll threw a stone at her shield, didn't even leave a dent."

"Snow Troll?" Yarwick asked.

"Aye, Snow Trolls. Big as three men and stronger than five."

"Their fat's used to make potions." Samwell mentioned, drawing looks from everyone. "I read it in a book." He explained.

Eadric saw Jon smirk slightly, a rare show of emotion. "Aye, it's used to make potions. Good trade, if you can kill them."

Rykker nodded slightly. "I can imagine. How do you kill them?"

"Same way everything else, with cold Nord steel." The Nord replied. "But Trolls are also week to fire, only thing that stops them healing themselves."

"Heal themselves?" Yarwick asked, doubt in his voice.

Eadric looked across at Sam, presuming he already knew. "The... ah... Nords of Skyrim say that Trolls can heal any damage done to them besides fire, given enough time." Sam explained and also looked at Eadric, who nodded slightly.

"Aye, you let a Troll run off wounded, it'll come back the next day with a grudge."

Jaremy grimaced. "Glad they aren't out here."

The Nord shrugged slightly. "They're just a part of life in Skyrim. Most villages either have the local Hold Guard to rely on or their own warriors, keeps us on our toes."

There was a period of silence again as they trudged over the snow. "What's Skyrim like?" Samwell asked. "I've only read about it."

Eadric chuckled slightly. "The northern parts are like this all told, just more mountainous. " He began to explain, glancing at Ghost every now and then. "You'll find wolves like that there as well, big and as white as snow. The south holds most of the forests, Falkreath is the biggest though the Rift's is big as well. To the west is the Reach, old homeland of the Reachmen which the Nords conquered thousands of years ago."

"Reachmen? They still around?" Rykker asked, raising a brow.

"Aye, they're still around, as the Forsworn. Little more than brigands and rapers." Eadric frowned slightly, he'd killed more Forsworn than he could count now. "North of that is Haafingar and Hjaalmarch. Haafingar is mountainous and the capitol hold of Skyrim while Hjaalmarch is just one big swamp. And right in the middle." The Nord smiled slightly. "Is Whiterun Hold, heartland of Skyrim and home to its greatest city, Whiterun."

"Home to the Companions and the Skyforge." Sam piped up.

Eadric chuckle and looked across at Sam as they continued their trek. "You read a lot about Skyrim haven't you?"

"There were a few books on it at Horn Hill, very old books."

"Lucky for you you're in the Stewards, Tarly." Yarwyck chuckled. "And Maester Aemon's Steward at that."

Rykker nodded in agreement. "Aye, you may be the worst fighter I've ever seen, but you'll make a decent Maester one day."

Sam somewhat smiled at the meagre support for his new position but Eadric noted Jon's expression harden somewhat as they continued the rest of their trek in silence. After maybe half an hour trudging through the snow the group eventually came to the edge of the Haunted Forest and followed Rykker as he lead them to the Weirwood tree a few minutes into the forest.

Arriving at the tree in short order Eadric had to admit he found the tree quite reminiscent of the Gildergreen in Whiterun, if whiter and with faces carved into it. Though when he looked closer he saw the faces seemed to have tears coming out of their eyes, the sap having leaked out. When all five had approached the tree Jon's wolf, Ghost, ran off seemingly going for a wander.

"This is it." Yarwyck stated. "Kneel as boys."

Both Jon and Sam knelt in front of the Weirwood and after glancing at each other for a moment they looked up at the face in the tree. "Hear my words and bear witness to my vow." They began. "Night gathers and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my live and honour to The Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."

"You knelt as boys." Yarwyck spoke when they finished their vows. "Rise now as men of the Night's Watch."

Jon quickly stood himself up and helped Tarly also stand when it seemed he was having some slight trouble. When they were both stood they embraced, both of them smiling. Yarwyck and Rykker approached them and clasped their hands each in turn before pulling them into a quick embrace with mixes of 'well dones' and 'congratulations'.

As the new men of the Watch were embracing though, Ghost returned. "Jon." Eadric spoke, drawing the other's attention.

"What's he got there?" Sam asked when he saw the wolf was carrying something in his mouth.

"Looks to be a hand." The Nord replied, seeing it clearly in the wolf's mouth.

"God's be good." Samwell exclaimed.

Jon meanwhile walked up to his wolf and knelt down next to him. "Give it here Ghost." The direwolf complied and dropped the hand next to Jon as Rykker trudged over.

"Seven hells. Snow, get your wolf to lead us where the bodies were. Haraldsson, with me." He commanded.

Jon nodded and looked back down to Ghost. "Lead us to him." The wolf lowered his head and began trotting off, closely followed by Rykker , Eadric and his master.

It wasn't long before they came upon the place where Ghost had retrieved the hand, its owner lying against a tree. Walking over to the dead man Rykker kneeled down and looked at his face. "Jaffer Flowers, a Ranger." He looked over his shoulder. "He was with Benjen."

Jon grimly nodded and stared at the body, along with the wound Jaffer's corpse was pressing his remaining hand against, the wound that killed him.

Eadric looked down at Ghost, the wolf was wagging his tail slightly and kept on glancing at a point a few metres away before returning his gaze to Jon and Rykker. Raising a brow the Nord trudged over to where the wolf was looking, knowing the behaviour of the animals. Soon he rounded a large tree and saw another body, a much larger Watchman was laying face down against the snow. "Got another one over here." He called out.

After a few moments both Rykker and Jon were stood beside Eadric. "Must be Othor." Jaremy muttered before walking over to the corpse and, with some effort, rolling him over. "Aye, it's Othor."

"Was he with my uncle as well?" Jon asked.

Jaremy glanced over his shoulder. "Aye, he was." He stood up. "You two stay here. I'll tell Yarwyck and Tarly to go back for a sled, we need to get them back to Castle Black for burial."

Eadric Haraldsson - Hircine
Skjor - Hircine
Mystery person - Try guessing
Delvin Mallory - Nocturnal

Now for that explanation I owe you all. In truth this is the third attempt to get this chapter done, with the first two both being based in Kingslanding during the Lannister grab of power but both of those felt off and I kept on having new ideas. Since the plot down there is vital to pretty much everything else but beyond the wall a few chapters in the future I knew I had to be certain what I was going to be going. That and I wanted to keep Season 1 relatively intact because of all the juicy stuff in season 2 onwards. So yes, to prove many of your fears, this means Eddard Stark has to die and the War of Five Kings has to begin. However I promise that once the season 2 timeline starts, all bets are off with regards to where this heads.
Now that's done with feel free to leave a review and if there's anything regarding the possible future of this you want to discuss/tell me about, please PM me about it.
As always you guys are great and it always feels amazing to see that view counter slowly rise, we've reached 7300 by the time I'm writing this so you guys are awesome!