"She should have shot more arrows into you…" Robb muttered, causing Jon to laugh. The men who had grown up as brothers bantered for a few short minutes more before the relative peace they enjoyed was shattered by a long, sharp blast of a horn.
"There could be no possible rangers returning…" Jon sat up quickly before another blast echoed around Castle Black and a cacophony of noise erupted outside Jon's windows.
"Wildlings." Jon breathed, before he and Robb both sprinted from his chambers into the courtyard where Robb's men and the Night's Watch were hurriedly preparing for battle.
"Sam! What are you doing?!" Jon called to his friend who was rushing out of the larder with a nervous look on his face. Robb shook his head, still unable to believe that this was the son of the fierce Lord Tarly.
Robb and Jon both donned their respective armors and armed themselves to take the winch together to the top of the Wall. Robb's crown was still present atop his head as he rolled his shoulders and took several deep, calming breaths. Jon was silent and brooding as always.
"Do you always wear your crown into battle, Your Royal Prick?" Jon teased, causing Robb to flash him a glare.
"Not now." Robb said tersely, causing Jon to sigh and nod.
"Don't die. I can't imagine what will happen to the realm if you do." Jon said quietly to Robb before the winch groaned to a halt and the two Stark men strode out to join the numbers of Robb's army and the Night's Watch atop the wall. They lit torches all along the top, as far as the eye could see, the castles that had been garrisoned by Robb's men rose to assist Castle Black for battle.
Robb and Jon walked to a platform on the edge of the wall to gape at what they saw. Half the front of the forest was lit up in an enormous blaze.
"The biggest fire the North has ever seen…" Jon repeated Mance Rayder's words with a shake of his head.
"My men will ride out in a two-pronged attack while the Night's Watch holds the Wall. I must ride at once…" Robb said, turning to embrace Jon in a quick hug before the brothers were forced to separate once more.
Before Robb could even lead his men out of the southern gates of Castle Black, a smaller horde of wildlings attacked, forcing Robb and his men to act in defense, and aid the Night's Watch as the Thenns attacked the southern gates. Robb himself faced some of the fiercest warriors he had ever met on that snowy courtyard, taking more than one wound as he fought harder than he had ever though possible, and he had won the War of the Five Kings.
Robb's longsword drove straight through the chest of a large hulking brute of a wildling, that had tried to behead Robb with his crude battleaxe. Robb would later learn that he had killed the Magnar of the Thenns, one of the fiercest and most feared wildlings from Beyond-the-Wall. After Robb pushed the bald corpse off his sword, he found himself face-to-face with a pretty redhead who had just made her way onto the battlefield, her quiver full of unsheathed arrows, one of which who she was aiming straight for Robb's heart. Robb knew who she was the moment he saw her.
"Ygritte, isn't it?" Robb asked, not moving an inch as battle raged on around them.
"How do you know my name?" Ygritte asked fiercely, drawing her arrow back further as she took a step towards Robb.
"I know your name…because my brother loves you." Robb said calmly, sheathing his sword to stand upright and face Ygritte as his men claimed a slow victory over Styr's attack party. Ygritte's eyes widened as she looked from Robb's face to the crown on his head and the direwolf embossed on his black steel armor.
"You're no crow." She commented, her arm faltering slightly
"No. I am King Robb Stark of Westeros. And my men have come to assist the Night's Watch. Put your bow down, Ygritte. Do not die tonight. Live, see Jon. I know he wishes to see you too."
"I don't know what you southerners are like, but where I come from, after you put three arrows in someone, they tend to not want to get too close." Ygritte said fiercely stepping closer to Robb to place the point of her arrow beneath his chin.
"YOUR GRACE!" Ser Garlan Tyrell roared, making to charge forward before Robb held up a hand to stop him.
"I'm fine, Garlan. Secure the castle." Robb called, causing Garlan to stop and stare.
"Secure the castle, Garlan. I am negotiating a surrender for my brother Jon." Robb commanded, causing Garlan to reluctantly turn away, sending two soldiers in his place to draw their sword on Ygritte who did not move.
"I know what happens either way. I put my bow down, they kill me. I kill you, they kill me." Ygritte said, her words somewhat desperate as she dug the point of her arrow into Robb's neck.
"Those are not the only choices. You have yet to kill any man here. You put the bow down, yield to me, and I will see that you are put in a cell. I don't wish to kill the woman my brother loves. Please. Put the bow down…" Robb implored of the redhead, who flicked her eyes around her to see that most of the Thenns were either dead or captures, and Robb's soldiers stood around her with their weapons drawn.
"Put the bow down." Robb said again, causing Ygritte to shout a roar of frustration and fear before throwing her bow and arrow to the ground. It was not Robb's words, but rather the sight of Jon Snow who had just walked out of the winch to lock eyes with Ygritte, that caused her to surrender.
"Take her away. Put her in a cell and see that no harm comes to her." Robb said, to the confusion of his soldiers.
"We just won three wars, I do not intend to fight another when peace can be attained. Take her away." Robb commanded, walking away to be joined by the Blackfish and Ser Garlan who both looked very upset with Robb.
"To gamble with your life!" Ser Garlan exclaimed "What would Margaery say if she'd seen that?"
"That was beyond foolish, Your Grace." Brynden Tully said with a shake of his head, only earning a stern look from Robb in turn.
"I knew she would not attack me. I knew that. Find me Ser Alliser and Donal Noye. I have had an idea." Robb said, wringing his hands together as the dead Thenns were slowly cleared from the courtyard.
"Robb! What was that?!" Jon ran over to Robb's small group, after having shared a small moment with Ygritte as she was being taken away by Robb's soldiers.
"You owe me one, Snow. Your duty is to ensure that she bends the knee and adheres to our laws if I offer her citizenship in our country."
"You-…? What!? Robb, citizenship to the Wildlings?!" Brynden cried out, stepping forward to look at his King with worry.
"Most of the wildlings are normal people like you and me, Uncle. They deserve to live as much as we do. And I do not want to send my men to another fight. I will meet with Mance Rayder and offer him terms that he will have no choice to accept. Or else I shall crush him in the morrow." Robb stated, walking away from the three men to seek out Alliser Thorne and Donal Noye, the commanders of Castle Black.
They all said Robb was mad, that he had lost his touch for battle. Rumors flew fast and furious through Castle Black, but the Young Wolf cared little; he knew he was doing the right thing. The only problem had been finding a rider who would take Robb's offer for a parley to Mance Rayder. A rider who would have ridden out to face the front-lines of the wildling army. No man from the Night's Watch or Robb's army had been bold enough to volunteer. Only Jon Snow raised his hand.
There was no time to discuss it, and though Robb did not like the idea, he could not do anything but agree. Jon was given a horse, a torch and a white peace banner and rode out before Mance Rayder could have given the order to attack.
The gates of the tunnel opening stunned every member of Mance Rayder's army, who froze in their tracks when they saw a single crow riding out on a horse with a peace banner clearly held out before him. The army faltered in their charge and stopped just beyond the tree-line, watching as Jon Snow rode closer towards them. Jon stopped just a ways off from where the army had stopped, and he waited.
He waited as the army stared at him for a long, long time…until finally the army began to split down the middle to make way for Tormund Giantsbane atop a horse.
"Well, well, well. I feared we'd seen the last of you, Jon Snow." Tormund boomed when he faced Jon.
"I never knew you feared anything, Tormund." Jon said, causing Tormund to grin.
"Well said, lad. I see your cloak is black. Mance won't like that. If you've come to switch sides again, best climb back on that Wall of yours."
"I've been sent by King Robb Stark, First of His Name, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm to request a parley with the King-Beyond-the-Wall. King Robb wishes not for bloodshed, but has a force strong enough to destroy the wildlings should it be necessary." Tormund grunted at that, shaking his head before pulling out a flask to take a deep swig from it.
"Mance always wanted to parley. Never thought you crows would listen." Tormund muttered, walking forward to offer Jon the flask as a sign of good will. Jon accepted and took a long drink of a mead so potent it set his chest on fire and caused his eyes to water.
"Har! Can't handle your mead, aye Jon Snow? Very well. Take these terms back to your southern King. Mance will set up a tent right here in No-Man's-Land. At dawn tomorrow, the Kings will meet and speak. How does that sound to you?"
"More than fair. Call off the attack." Jon ordered, calling Tormund to tilt his head challengingly.
"Already called off when you rode out with that pretty white banner of yours."
"Very well. I shall see you on the dawn."
The Night's Watch was up in arms over Robb's intention to parley with Mance Rayder, and as his commanders and the commanders of the Night's Watch gathered in the dining hall, Robb was already weary.
"The Night's Watch swears political neutrality!" came a shout, causing Robb to stand on a table and bring silence to the room.
"This isn't about politics, you fool. Its about life versus death, I am trying to save lives. This army has seen enough battle and bloodshed for a lifetime, and there is still more yet to come. The Riverlords, the Stormlords and the Reachmen all wish to go home. It has been a long year for them, and the dramatics of the Night's Watch do little to improve my mood or theirs. The Iron Throne is mine, and the realms are ruled by me. You guard the realms of men, we should be working together. I do not wish to have to install my own command and change the terms of the Night's Watch, but I will so long as Ser Alliser Thorne continues to seek it." Robb said, turning to glare at the older man who visibly paled.
"Tomorrow, I will be sitting down to parley with Mance Rayder, who among you will join me?" Robb called. Jon, Garlan Tyrell and the Blackfish were the first to stand. Donal Noye, grizzled blacksmith of Castle Black also stood, causing the other Black Brothers to go silent. Donal Noye's support was a heavy thing in Castle Black.
"I will join you, Your Grace. Too long have the Watch battled the wildlings while larger foes lurk Beyond-the-Wall. Peace is what the Night's Watch was founded to preserve. I haven't forgotten, and I hope my brothers have not either." Donal said rather poignantly, earning a smile and an appreciative nod from Robb.
The next morning, Robb rode at the head of an arrow formation of his men and Night's Watchmen who rode to where Mance Rayder had set up his tent as promised. Robb and Jon were met by Tormund who nodded to them, before looking at Robb's crown with an expression torn between amusement and respect at such a war-like crown.
"Mance is waiting for you." Tormund grunted good-naturedly, before pulling the flap back to allow Robb, Jon, Ser Garlan, Brynden Tully and Donal Noye into the tent, which was warm due to a small fire that was burning beneath the smoke holes of the tent, near the fire was Mance's wife Dalla and her sister Val, both of whom looked at the party briefly.
"My wife's time is near, soon our child will be with us. Dalla and Val will stay, they know what I wish to say to you all." Mance Rayder stated from where he sat behind a small round table in the center of the tent.
Robb felt his heart hammering, for he knew that this entire negotiation depended on his diplomatic skills. It was why he had spent all night talking to Jon about Mance.
When Robb and Mance locked eyes on each other, Robb did not look away, instead walking to the seat that was obviously intended for him and remained standing, looking down at Mance until the man rose to offer Robb his hand.
"I see Jon Snow has been telling you we do not like kneelers here."
"I asked." Robb said, joining Mance to sit down. Jon took the seat beside Robb as the others remained standing behind them.
"Donal Noye, you old bastard. Still alive?"
"Could say the same to you, Mance. Thought Denys would have killed you years ago." Donal retorted gruffly, causing Mance to smile.
"Oh, he tried." Mance finally turned to look back at Robb.
"So the Young Wolf is in my tent. I must admit, I felt intimidated when Tormund told me who wanted to see me. Even here, even beyond your Wall, I've heard of your accomplishments, Robb Stark." Mance said, his tone clearly relaying that he respected Robb.
"I do not know if that is a good thing, but I shall take it as so. I began my last war to save my father and sisters and relieve my people from the yoke of the Lannisters. One war turned into three, and when I took the Iron Throne, I made an oath to protect my people." Robb's words earned a nod from Mance.
"Aye. Tormund, bring us some cups." Mance called, who said nothing until he poured a white liquid into the cups for himself, Tormund and Robb's party to share a toast.
"To protection." Mance said raising his cup.
"To peace." Robb countered, raising his own as Mance gave a shadow of a smile. They all drank, and all the hardened men of war lowered their cups to have their eyes water and their chests burn.
"That's not wine." Ser Garlan Tyrell rasped before giving a slight couch. Tormund clapped the Tyrell son on the back with a laugh.
"No it's not. Its a proper Northern drink, boy! Who's this one? Why's he got flowers all over him?" Tormund asked through a burp, causing Robb to flick his gaze over to Garlan.
"Ser Garlan Tyrell is the brother of the woman I intend to make my Queen, and he is one of the greatest warriors in the Seven Kingdoms." Robb said, earning a half-proud smile from Garlan who blushed slightly.
"Tormund fucked a bear." Mance said in return, causing Brynden Tully to let out a short, sharp burst of laughter that he quickly tried to disguise with a cough, the King of the Freefolk smiled before his gaze flicked to Jon to see that the Bastard of Winterfell was eyeing a blood great warhorn inside the tent. Eight feet long, it took up almost a quarter of the tent. It was huge and black with bands of ancient gold that were etched with runes of the First Men.
"Yes. The Horn of Winter, that Joramun once blew to wake the giants from the earth." Mance nodded to Jon who turned wide eyes back to Mance.
"Ygritte said you never found the Horn…" Jon accused, causing Mance to chuckle once.
"Did you think only crows could lie? I liked you well enough, for a bastard…but I never trusted you. A man needs to earn my trust." Mance declared, earning what sounded like an approving grunt from the Blackfish.
"If you've had the Horn all along, why haven't you used it? Why bother besieging the castle and sending the Thenns south? If this horn is all the songs say, why not just sound it and be done?" Jon demanded from Mance, only to have Dalla answer as she went through her labor.
"We free folk know things you kneelers have forgotten. Sometimes the short road is not the safest, Jon Snow. The Horned Lord once said that sorcery is a sword without a hilt. There is no safe way to grasp it." Dalla answered breathlessly as she held her swollen stomach.
"No man goes hunting with only one arrow in his quiver," Mance Rayder said, running a hand through his hair as he did so. "I had hoped that Styr and his Thenns would have taken your brothers unawares, and opened the gate for us. But I had not anticipated the Young Wolf arriving with all haste to garrison all the castles. How many men do you have? A hundred thousand? Maybe more?"
"More." Robb said cooly, leaning back in his chair to observe Mance
"Aye, perhaps you have the men. But so do I. And if I wanted to, I could send them all marching right now to bring your Wall down with a single blow of this horn." Mance said, patting the horn somewhat affectionately.
"Why don't you then?" Robb challenged, causing Mance to look up with a cold glint in his eye.
"Blood," said Mance Rayder. "Maybe you'd win, maybe I would, either way...my people have bled enough."
"Your losses haven't been that heavy." Jon pointed out, causing Mance to turn to him.
"Not at your hands." Mance studied Jon's face. "You saw the Fist of the First Men. You know what happened there. You know what we are facing."
"The Others ..." Jon said quietly, causing the gathered people in the tent to subconsciously shuffle closer together.
"They grow stronger as the days grow shorter and the nights colder. First they kill you, then they send your dead against you. The giants have not been able to stand against them, nor the Thenns, the ice river clans, the Hornfoots…"
"Nor you?" Robb asked curiously, causing Mance to flick his gaze back to him as his scarred and grizzled cheeks tinted pink in shame.
"Nor me." There was anger in that admission, and bitterness too deep for words. "Raymun Redbeard, Bael the Bard, Gendel and Gorne, the Horned Lord, they all came south to conquer, but I've come with my tail between my legs to hide behind your Wall." He ran his hand along the horn again with a sigh.
"If I sound the Horn of Winter, the Wall will fall. Or so the songs would have me believe. There are those among my people who want nothing more ..."
"But once the Wall is fallen," Dalla said from her corner by the fire, "what will stop the Others?" her words causing Mance to beam at her.
"A true Queen I have found…" Mance smiled, causing Robb to think of the real Queen waiting for him to return to her.
"You called this parley, Robb Stark. What do you have to say?" Mance asked, looking back to Robb.
"Lay down your weapons, stop fighting against me and the Night's Watch." Robb said causing Mance to scoff before Robb continued
"I cannot allow your people to cross the Wall today. They will never adhere to our laws instantly, and I don't intend to let my people suffer for that. What I will do is this…I know that we have yet another year and a half before the Walkers march onto us, I offer you to establish your people here, on the Northern side of the Wall and build your settlements from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea to Westwatch-by-the-Bridge. If you settle here, your people can make a choice between living comfortably by their own ways north of the Wall, or they can adapt and come south to become citizens of Westeros where they will kneel to me. I don't intend to conquer you, I am giving you your freedom of choice. Here, you can assist the Night's Watch in fortifications and we can begin training your able-bodied warriors to fight, while giving those who want it rigorous teaching in adapting to Westerosi life. Those who are deemed worthy will be allowed to cross the tunnels over the next year and a half to settle in the Gift, the land is fertile and plush, but has fallen to disuse due to raids by your own people. If you settle here, I will be able to send trade ships and caravans to bring you supplies, here I can send builders to help you build homes and settlements. Here, you can be free…and our two peoples will never have to feud again. And when the Others arrive, we will all face them together. This is what I offer you, Mance Rayder." Robb said, sitting back in his chair to have his own followers stare at him in complete surprise, they had not expected Robb to make this offer, and clearly neither had Mance Rayder who looked at a loss for words.
"That is…logical…" Mance managed to get out after a long, long time,
"And generous." Brynden Tully said, causing Mance to look up at him.
"Aye. Very generous…if you can promise me these terms, Robb Stark. I can promise you that I will enforce them amongst my own people with an iron fist."
"Good. Because if any more innocents die at the hands of the wildlings, then I rest the blame entirely on you." Robb said rising from his chair to offer Mance his hand. Mance chewed his lip for a moment before rising to shake Robb's hand.
"You're a tough negotiator, but I can see why you are the King."
"I am the King because I won the war, when the realm is at peace, I will count myself a good and just ruler. Have your people lay down their weapons and raise peace banners. I want you and your high command to meet with the Night's Watch command. We will sign a treaty that everyone must adhere to, for if we do not…then we might as well hand ourselves over to the Walkers without opposition." Robb declared, as Jon rose to stand beside him and his party prepared to leave.
"Very well. I did not expect this to end this way, but I cannot say I am not pleased…" Mance said in a gruff tone as Robb's party left his tent to mount their horses and return to Castle Black.
"Nor I." Robb said with a nod and a half-smile.
Author's Note: Heyyy everyone, so once again thanks for the continued support of this story.
Do leave a review!