GoT Chap 1
Harry Potter: A Wizard in Westeros
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter or the Game of Thrones. The characters along with their respective universes are the property of JK Rowling and George Martin along with the production companies who made the movies and TV shows.
Author's Note: I know I may have fudged the sequence of some events but I did that on purpose.
Chapter 1 - Arrival
Harry woke up in the woods of a forest to the sounds of two men talking as they camped nearby so he immediately made himself invisible and stood to go near them, it is a blessing that true invisibility will not disturb the foliage nor would his steps break one of the many twigs on the ground. The two men were sitting on a fallen log beside a fire, discussing their plans for tomorrow.
"Ned, we have to move quickly and muster our men! I will not let that dragon spawn of a prince to keep my betrothed captive! He must pay for this with his life!" A tall dark haired man with dressed in a tunic with a stag on its breast said.
"I know that, Robert. Do you think I want my sister to remain with Prince Rhaegar? My father and brother were burned alive by that ma king in the capital," The other man called Ned said to Robert. Ned was also a tall man with brown hair and a solemn face. "Even now, we are being hunted by mercenaries hired by the king to prevent us from calling our banners. We do Jon, the man who fostered us, a disservice if we do not come to him for advice. We will need him if we are to rebel against the king, you know this. The Eyrie is only two more days' ride from here; we are only in danger for a few more hours which is a far better option than what you propose."
"I know, Eddard, I am just so angry that Rhaegar would try this stunt; he already has a wife and two children! I am not a saint, Ned, but even I have limits. There are many whore or even other noble women who would not refuse his advances, why abduct a daughter of a lord and betrothed to another lord?"
"I cannot claim to know the answer to that. Now, let us keep quiet and put out this fire, I do not want those sellswords to find us. The last group we passed is far too many for the two of us. I'll take the first watch; you go on ahead and sleep."
Harry moved away for a minute so that he can change his clothes into clothes similar to what the two men were wearing, for the first time in his life giving thanks for how backwards fashion in the magical world is, the clothes he bought in Diagon Alley were perfect for his current circumstances.
He cancelled his invisibility and changed into an emerald green silk shirt and black wool pants along with his dragon hide vest and boots. He also put on his belt and attached his hand and a half sword. He also took two daggers from his trunk, he placed one on his belt and the other in his boot. He moved back, invisible again, to the two lords' camp, he intended to follow them to a city and maybe even get to know them on the road. His legilimency probe on the two men told him they were good and honest men, Ned especially. A quick 'tempus' told him he had plenty of time so tagged both men with a tracking charm. He placed a muggle repelling ward on the tree he planned to rest under after he put a cushioning charm on one of the tree's roots.
It must have been just a few hours after he fell asleep when he woke up to clashing swords and shouts of men fighting. He quickly stood up and went to the camp. He saw that his guess was right, the two lords were under attack by eight mercenaries.
Harry decided to help the two men, figuring that they will owe him when they got out of the fight alive. Robert already had a deep wound on his leg which was bleeding profusely after killing one of the attackers.
Harry threw his daggers at two of the hired swordsmen, and both went down quickly, fighting Eddard as he was running towards them. He then helped Robert kill the three men attacking him before helping Ned finish off the last of the mercenaries.
"What is your name, young man? Robert and I owe you a debt for helping us against these brigands. My name is Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell and he is Lord Robert Baratheon of Storm's End."
"My name is Harry Potter. I woke up hearing the battle so I came over to help. Let me see your wound, Lord Baratheon, I have a few potions and pastes to help you."
The wounded man grunted his reply and removed his pants without shame then showed Harry the deep cut on his leg.
"Do you have some water or wine to clean the wound, Lord Stark? I would also need some fresh clothes to bind the wound."
Ned moved to their pack and got a skin of red wine and a clean shirt from Robert's things then brought them to Harry. "Here, you can use Robert's wine and one of his shirts."
"Give me my wine, Ned, that's the last of my arbor wine!" shouted Robert.
"Oh do be quiet, Lord Baratheon. I'll give you the rest after cleansing your wound, alcohol is good for keeping wounds from getting infected. Lord Stark, please press half of that shirt to the wound. I'll get a few things from my camp."
Harry moved two hundred yards into the forest away from the two lords. He then got a saddle, saddle bags and a roll up sleeping mattress along with a dragon hide bag which he hurriedly filled with a few potions and pastes before returning to the two lords.
"Drink these two potions, Lord Baratheon. I'll put some of this paste on your wound before I bind them," Harry said to the burly man while he treated the wound.
"Enough of this Lord shit, call me Robert, I owe you my life after all," said his patient.
"I agree with Robert, call me Eddard. I'll go and check on the mercenaries."
"Alright, then please call me Harry."
Eddard left and started to search the men for any identification or letters. He saw the daggers with a platinum lion's head pommel. He was surprised to see that the blades were made from Valyrian steel. He looked at Harry's sheathed sword which stood against a tree which had the same platinum lion's head pommel with tiny emeralds for eyes, he bet the blade of the sword was also made from the same metal. He brought them back to Harry who has just finished with his patient.
"These are fine Valyrian steel daggers, Harry. I could not help but wonder if you are related to the Lannisters of Casterly Rock, their sigil is a golden lion on a field of red. Your weapons bear the same device," said Eddard as he returned the daggers.
"I do not know any Lannisters. My family crest is that of a white lion's head on a black field and my sword and daggers have been in the family for as long as I can remember," replied Harry as he cleaned his daggers before sheathing them. He got up and got his sword from its place beside the tree and began to clean it too.
"He's no Lannister, Ned, just look at his black hair. Lannisters and their brood always have blond hair," commented Robert as he drank what was left of his arbor wine.
"You may be right, Robert. Stay here while Harry and I look for the horses of the mercenaries," said Ned.
"I'm not an old lady, Ned, go ahead, and look for them. I can defend myself well enough," replied Robert. "The horses should not be too far away."
Baratheon was right, they found eight horses tied to trees about five hundred yards away from the camp. Eddard and Harry took them all to the camp.
"I was set upon by three bandits yesterday and my horse was killed. May I take one of the horses for myself?" Harry asked the two lords.
"Take your pick, Harry, I suggest the white one, the others are too old and gaunt," replied Eddard as they searched the horses like they did the men. Harry nodded his thanks.
"Where are you headed, Harry?" asked Robert.
"Nowhere, really, I am just traveling to see Westeros. I am an only son and my father died a year ago while my mother died when I was still a baby," replied Harry as he piled up the belongings of the sellswords beside Robert who was sorting through them. The lord has made a small pile of money along with some jewelry from the dead men.
"Come and join us, we are going to the Eyrie, Robert and I will introduce you to our foster father, Lord Jon Arryn of the Vale," said Ned.
"Yes, we can use a good warrior like you," added Robert. "You have heard of the deeds of the mad king in your travels, haven't you?"
"I have, Robert, but I do not think I want to go to war and kill more men. I have killed many men in my life, I have no wish for more," said Harry.
"How old are you, Harry?" asked Eddard.
"I am sixteen," Harry replied simply.
"I can understand your wish not to kill any more men, Harry, but I'm afraid Robert and I will have to kill many before this conflict is over. What are your plans if you do not wish to be a soldier?"
"I am not sure. My father was a blacksmith and jeweler and he has taught me all he knows about the trade. I might follow his footstep when I am done with my wanderings."
"I see. It is not a good time to be a wanderer, Harry. Ned and I plan to form a rebellion to overthrow the king with Lord Arryn's help. Take this gold we got from the sellswords and you can start a smithy in any of our lands," said Robert. "Though I do not think you will need the gold. Your weapons and clothing along with the fine leather saddle and bags speak of high birth or at least a well off family."
"It is true that my father left me a small fortune and I was given a sheltered life, milords."
"Anyway, that is beside the point. I insist that you take the spoils of battle that we got from our attackers. There must be at least a thousand gold dragons between them," said Eddard.
"Very well, if you insist, milords," replied Harry. "I will take only a third of the money; after all, I am not a mercenary." He took one third of the gold coins beside Robert and placed them in one of the saddle bags after he removed the bottle of wine.
"Let us share this bottle of wine, milords, while you tell me why the two of you are alone here in the forest. Shouldn't you have guards with you?" asked Harry.
"We were out hunting a few days ago with three other men to take our minds away from our current troubles. Eddard's father and brother were burned alive by King Aerys in King's Landing after his sister was abducted by Prince Rhaegar. Lady Lyanna is my betrothed. Our guards died in an ambush yesterday, we think the mercenaries were sent by the king or his allies," answered Robert somberly.
"I see. My condolences to you and your family, Lord Stark," said Harry to Eddard. "Let me stand guard for a few hours while you two get some rest if I am to come with you to the Eyrie. I have rested earlier in my camp. How far is it the city from here?"
"It will take about a day and a half on a horse to reach the city. Thank you for taking the watch, I am also tired from the battle," replied Eddard.
"Wake me up in two hours time, Harry, I have already slept for three hours earlier," said Robert.
When the two were asleep, Harry cast a sleeping spell on the two lords before casting a strong set of wards to protect their entire camp. He trusted his magic to alert him if any intruders come within a mile of their camp; he was also exhausted from the ritual and the battle so he fell asleep quickly.
Harry woke up as soon as the sun rose up on the sky. He had gotten four more hours of sleep so he was feeling better. He sorted through his things and packed the necessities like clothes into a large leather bag and some precious gems in a small pouch along with his bow and two dozen arrows so that his new companions would not be suspicious of his lack of belongings.
He ate a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausages and bread in his trunk before waking the two lords since he knew food would be scarce while they traveled. He did pack a few dozen energy bars and beef jerky along with some tea bags into his large leather bag so that he can share with them later.
He cancelled the sleeping charms on the lords and made noise while he moved around the camp to pack up his belongings.
"Good morning, milords. There are some food bars by the fire I made from nuts berries and honey. I also made some hot tea to drink," said Harry as he finished his packing.
"What is this tea?" asked Ned.
"It is a drink that is made from dried herbs. It helps me wake up in the mornings," Harry poured tea into three wooden cups and gave one to each lord. Harry drank his first to show that he did not poison the drinks.
Stark and Baratheon gave theirs a sip and nodded their thanks. "This is good, Harry, thank you," said Eddard.
"Try these bars, and salted meat. It is better than eating nothing," he offered the wooden plate to the two lords who each took an energy bar and a piece of dried meat.
"I have never eaten this before, Harry. Where did you get them? They are very good especially these meat," said Baratheon.
"The meat is preserved using salt and a secret family recipe. I made them myself along with the nut bars. They are perfect for traveling because they will stay edible for weeks," answered Harry. "I can hunt some game later on if we are fortunate to see some."
"I see that we are lucky to have you along in this journey," said Stark.
"Think nothing of it. I'll go to the stream and refill my water skins. Do you have any that needs refilling?" asked Harry.
The lords each gave him a skin to fill with water. He took the containers and walked to the stream a few hundred meters away from them, when he was far enough away, he cast an 'aguamenti' on the four containers to fill them with water. He went back after a few minutes to the camp carrying four filled bags with water after he cast a cooling charm on his skins of water.
The lords have eaten all the food he left on the plate so he packed up the plate, cups and the kettle into a saddle bag after discretely cleaning them with magic.
He used his magic to get the animals to obey him and brought them to the stream to drink and gave them some carrots to eat. By the time he led them back to the camp, the lords have finished packing their things.
"I plan to bring the horses with us as we travel; do you have any objections to that?" Harry asked his two companions.
"If you think you can care for them then why not? There should be a few streams and fields where you can feed them while we stop for food and rest," said Robert as they mounted their horses.
"Good, taking care of the horses is not a problem, I have a way with them," said Harry as he spurred his horse to follow the two lords' lead. He then whistled for the horses to follow him. The two lords were amazed, the horses were following Harry after they formed up into two columns of four and three, Harry just smirked at the lords.
By mid day, they stopped for lunch by a stream. Harry had killed a wild boar with just one arrow to the head one hundred yards away. The two lords helped Harry by skinning the boar while the wizard prepared a fire so they can roast the boar.
"You are a very good archer, many would not have even hit the boar at that distance, let alone while riding a horse with a very strong wind," praised Eddard.
"I learned to hunt early in my childhood," said Harry.
"Ned is right, not many of the best archers in Westeros could have hit that boar from so far away in that condition let alone kill it in one shot," said Baratheon. "You should join the archery part of the tourneys; you can win much with your skills."
"I will keep that in mind, Robert, but thank you both for the compliment," said Harry as they grilled the boar's belly. He went to the horses after lunch and told the animals to eat and drink but to be sure and return back in thirty minutes. The horses neighed their understanding before dispersing.
While they were preparing their dinner the next day, another large boar roasted on an open fire, twenty men at arms led by a knight flying the banners of the moon and falcon crest of House Arryn, sky-blue and white and a banner with a single white hammer on a black field.
"Milords, Lord Jon Arryn has sent us to look for you, your hunting party was supposed to have come back yesterday," said a knight.
"We were set upon by a band of mercenaries and killed our three companions; we have been harried by them until the day before yesterday. They attacked us in the dead of night. If it was not for Ser Harry Potter here, we would have been food for the shadowcats," grinned Robert to Harry and Eddard, who grinned back. They had offered to knight Harry but he steadfastly refused. "I knighted him on the road."
"That is true, Ser George, I would have knighted him too, for his valor and skill with the blade and bow, had there been knights in the North," added Stark quickly. This gave Harry no room to deny the knighthood.
"I see. You have our thanks, Ser Harry," said the old knight. "I am Ser George Hammer and these are my men assigned by Lord Jon to find and guard Lords Stark and Baratheon back to the Eyrie."
"I only helped a little, Ser George. Lords Robert and Eddard were doing well enough against the eight men attacking then," replied Harry.
"Yes, if you had not come to aid us, I would have bled out before being slain by those sellswords. Ser Harry killed two men with his daggers and killed two men who were upon me before killing the man about to run Ned through with his blade," Robert had already deduced Harry's disdain for praises so he praised him a much as he could, he had no doubt that he will make the younger man blush like a ripe tomato due to how much everyone in the Eyrie will want his story repeated. "Five well armed mercenaries within a minute of his arrival."
"Robert speaks the truth, Ser George, but that is not all. During the last two days that he's been with us, each day he fed us with a boar killed with one arrow as he rode on horseback at least a hundred yards away. You can see and taste it for yourself," added Stark who joined in on Robert's fun. He knew there would be precious few laughs in the coming days.
"I am sure, Ser George, knows of men just as good with a bow, milords. Come, ask your men at arms to dismount and join us for supper. There is plenty of boar for all of us," Harry attempted to change the subject a good meal is always better than idle gossip.
"My men and I will be honored to join you for our evening meal," said the knight. "It would seem Lords Eddard and Robert has many stories of your feats to tell us while we ate." The knight said this with a small smile; he had caught on to Robert's fun.
"Oh, let me tell you about..."
Robert and Eddard continued to regal the knight and his men while they eat of the boar Harry killed earlier. The wizard just endured the the two lords' fun, he would not begrudge them a few stories.
Early the next morning, they were climbing the narrow road up to the mountains; it could scarcely fit four horses walking abreast of each other. Speaking of horses, the men and Ser George were very impressed to see how Harry handled the horses. It was like magic, the knight said. Harry almost choked on the water he was drinking that time, the seven horses following them were still in their now normal column.
They passed a covered stone bridge and Harry saw men on the battlements and bowmen, ready to fire their arrows, just waiting for the orders. Twin watchtowers were joined together by a bridge lone knight went out to meet the party and they passed through the Bloody Gate. They were given lunch at the gatehouse before they resumed their trek to the Gates of the Moon, a castle which defended the way up to the Eyrie.
The Vale of Arryn was a beautiful place with slow moving rivers and small lakes which were filled with crystal clear waters. There were fields filled with various fruits and orchards along with many small hamlets beside the road they were taking.
They reached the Gates of the Moon in the early evening and they were immediately met by Lord Nestor Royce. They were invited to dine with him and naturally, Robert and occasionally Eddard gave their account of how Harry helped the two lords against the mercenaries. The Lord of Storm's End even showed his now healed wound and praised Harry's skill as a healer. Harry firmly denied this as he only used some secret family herbal medicines he had brought his travels. He did not wish to draw attention to his healing skills or his medicines, he wanted to help more people but he did not know when he can start planting and harvesting the needed ingredients for potions. The three travelers were glad to be given their own rooms and comfortable beds and were soon fast asleep.
They were again up early in the morning for the trip to the Eyrie and they were asked to leave their horses behind in the stables where they will be taken care of. Mules were given for the three men to ride along with two pairs of guides to help them with their luggage. Harry was quite content with the view that would have made some of the bravest men close their eyes; it was not a problem for the wizard because of his love for flying. Harry promised himself that he would go flying as soon as he can; the air was crisp and the sky cloudless, perfect conditions for flying.
They were given food and allowed to rest a bit while the mules were replaced at the first waycastle, Stone. This was repeated at the next two waycastles, Snow and Sky. From Sky, they were led on foot inside the mountain to its hollowed interior, if one looked up, you can see the foundations of the Eyrie. They climbed up to the Eyrie using steep steps carved into the mountain itself, more like a ladder than a proper staircase.
The Eyrie was composed of seven rather narrow towers grouped tightly together. It was entirely of white marble with veins of blue, it was rather beautiful to look at in the sunlight.
They were met by two men, one was a thin man with little hair names Maester Colemon, like all maesters he was a scholar, adviser and healer to the lord of the castle, and the other was a stocky man named Ser Vardis Egen, captain of the household guard. The usual introductions were given before the maester gave them Lord Arryn's message.
"Welcome back to the Eyrie, milords, Lord Arryn is waiting for you in his audience chamber. He has asked that Lord Stark and Lord Baratheon be led to him at once and to bring Ser Harry Potter to his room so that he can freshen up before the evening meal."
Harry just shrugged slightly and followed the captain of the guards to a small bedroom with a beautiful view of the clear night sky. It also had a small fireplace with a cheerfully burning fire to keep the place warn, he supposed being this high up in the mountain would make the castle cold, he was even able to see some snow in the castle Sky. He warded the room quickly and opened his trunk to have a quick warm shower and a change of clothes. It took him less than ten minutes do finish his ablutions and to get his gift for his host, a two liter bottle of fine merlot. All his belongings had their labels removed before he went on the trip to minimize questions. He relaxed on a chair with a bottle of chilled butter beer while he waited to be summoned for dinner. He has just finished his drink when the knock on his door came; he vanished his bottle and refastened his weapons before answering the door.
"Lord Jon has asked for you to join them for the evening meal, Ser Harry, I will lead you to them. My name is Bill Stone and Lord Robert assigned me to be your servant while you reside here in the Eyrie," a young boy of fourteen said to Harry who just nodded and told the boy to lead the way. The young man had golden blond hair and blue eyes and tall well-built body.
Harry was led to the dining room where he saw his two companions seated at the table along with Maester Colemon and Ser Vardis; he sat where Lord Robert indicated which was beside the head of the table.
"We're just waiting for Lord Jon to arrive. He had to answer a call of nature," said Robert. "What is that you are carrying?"
"It is a gift for my host. I think it is a good way of repaying his kindness in accepting a stranger like me into his home," answered Harry.
"How I wish that all my guests would have the same manners, Ser Harry Potter. I am Lord Jon Arryn of the Eyrie," said a middle aged man with slightly balding head.
Harry rose from his seat and bowed to his host. "It is very gracious of you to grant me your hospitality, Lord Arryn. Please accept this man's poor gift to show his gratitude."
Lord Arryn took the offered bottle of wine and uncorked it. "It has a very fragrant smell, Ser Harry. Let us share a toast to celebrate your timely arrival to help these two young lords in their time of need." The lord of the Eyrie poured a small amount of the wine into the cup of each man. "This is better than some of the arbor wine that Robert loves so much. Such a smooth and refined taste. Thank you, Ser Harry. This is a very fine wine."
"I only bought two bottles of that wine from a merchant I was passing by. I would have bought more but I had to travel lightly," replied Harry.
"I hope the merchant passes by the Vale; I would purchase quite a few bottles from him. Come, let us dine!" said Lord Jon.
They quietly started the meal before their host asked Harry, "Ser Harry, tell us what happened when you saved the necks of my foster children. They refused to elaborate other than that you saved them from certain death, preferring that I ask you for the story."
"I only did what any fellow traveler would in times of trouble, milord. I helped them a little; both of them were doing well on their own. Nothing more." replied Harry.
"Well Eddard it looks like we have to be the one to tell the story, Ser Harry is just not a good story teller," said Robert. "There we were, Ned and I were alone in the forest when..."
"That is a marvelous tale, Robert. It is good that we have another young knight we can depend on in the coming war," said Lord Arryn.
"Ser Harry has stated his wish to practice his trade of smithing to follow his father. He has no wish to be a soldier who goes on the offensive to kill his fellow man but he will gladly take up arms to defend our lands. Robert and I have given our word to respect his wishes; he can help the war effort by making more swords and spears for us. Let us respect his wishes," stated Lord Stark solemnly.
"I can certainly understand your position, Ser Harry. Our smithies will be glad for your help. I understand you've met Ser George Hammer, his keep holds most of the weapon production for the Mountain and the Vale, I will assign you to him. Will that suit you?" asked Lord Jon.
Harry had peered into the lord's mind along with the maester and the guard captain, he only found good things, and they were all fair and honest men. He found the same with Ser George so it would suit him just fine. "I am happy be of service, milord. Thank you for respecting my wishes; I know not many lords would have granted them. I can move to the Forge tomorrow and start work the next day."
"Harry, I want you to join us in going to Riverrun in a week, Lord Jon and I are going to get married to the daughters of Lord Horster Tully. We will need his help to defeat the Mad King's forces," said Eddard.
"It would be an honor to be present at your weddings, milords," replied Harry.
After the dinner has finished, Harry asked permission from his host and the maester to see if he can read for a while. It was granted by the two men though the maester warned him that most books were in High Valyrian, seeking to discourage, Harry who just replied in fluent High Valyrian that it will not be a problem for him. He browsed the disappointingly small number of books available, maybe less than a hundred books. He planned to go back later and discretely copy all of them. He needed as much information as possible about his new world. He copied four books that he thought were important.
-A History of Westeros
-Places in Westeros
-A Genealogy of the Great and Small Houses of Westeros
-a map of the Seven Kingdoms
He also made a business deal with the maester; he paid the maester ten golden dragons for an updated list of the important lords and ladies of Westeros, the lands they control, who the important banner men were along with a description of their sigils. The maester protested that he had many demands on his time but a compulsion charm easily took care of the wrinkle.
Harry spent a few days in the trunk reading and analyzing the books and map. He planned an excursion to Oldtown soon to find more information of the land.
If he only knew how important dragons were in this world, he would have brought eggs not just a large stock of blood and body parts for potion ingredients. He was able to communicate with them with his gift of parseltongue, apparently, it works with all serpents, not just snakes. He did not think to bring any because it would really be a big responsibility to care for a dragon reserve.
The climb down to the Gates of the Moon took half the day, how Harry wished that he could just reveal his powers so that he could teleport, the novelty of traveling on a mule got old quickly.
Ser George was waiting for him when Harry and Bill arrived, their horses were already saddled.
"I was pleased to hear that you will be working with us at the Forge, Ser Harry, skilled smiths are hard to find. You have also been given a patrol schedule under me so that you can familiarize yourself with the Mountain and the Vale," said Ser George as they ride to the keep. "My ancestral keep is about an hour's ride east of the Moon Gate and it has been in the family since Aegon the Conqueror. My family has traditionally been the chief blacksmith of the Lord of the Eyrie and his lords. I begged my father to let me be a squire to a knight so Lord Jasper, Lord Jon's father, took me as his squire. I liked being a knight well enough but soon I grew disillusioned like you so I took up my father's hammer and learned my family's trade."
"I see. I do hope that I do not disappoint you. My father taught me how to craft metals from a young age, he said I was born with hammer and tongs in my hand. I would have continued in his place but he was murdered by a group of corrupt officials who wanted father to work for them, naturally I took revenge. I killed them all with no mercy. Their families wanted revenge but an old friend of father was able to broker a peace. All my family's possessions, land, and my exile for the peace. I accepted because it was better than wiping them out, I could not kill those innocent of the crime. I am lucky that my family had a small secret cave that they filled little by little over the years with gold and other valuable trinkets so I did not leave Volantis as a pauper, that was a little over a year ago. I have been traveling since then."
"I am sorry for your loss, Ser Harry, I too lost my family so now I am the last of my line. My wife and I were granted one child and she died about four years ago. My son, he was strong willed and impetuous. He would be about your age now if he had not died two years ago. He loved to hunt, shadowcats especially. I have repeatedly warned him not to do so alone but he never listened, always so sure of his strength. He was killed by two of the creatures he loved to hunt, to his credit; we did find both dead at his side when we located him days later."
"I am sorry, Ser George, for your loss. My own mother died giving birth to me." They were quiet for a few minutes before Ser George broke the silence.
"I heard you were invited to join the wedding party going to Riverrun. I am also going to be there."
"Well, I am glad for that, I feared that I would not know anyone there. Lord Robert would undoubtedly need to talk to other lords, I would be left with just Bill to talk to, and he's painfully shy. I would like permission to craft my gifts to the future couples; I plan to create a pair of rings for Lord Jon and Lord Eddard to show their union. My ancestors were mainly blacksmiths but they made special jewelry orders for with enough coin."
"You have my permission Ser Harry. Do you think you can finish it in time?"
"I am confident that I can do so, I already have a base mold with me and a few suitable gems for it."
"I look forward to seeing you work. I must warn you, the other smiths are apprehensive about accepting you because they do not know you. You see, they guard their secrets jealously and they see you as an interloper. They will test your craft along with your patience."
"I guess that is to be expected, I have been having an unusual streak of good luck, and some opposition is to be expected. Frankly, I expected it because my different method of metal working, it may ruffle the feathers of traditional blacksmiths."
"Different in what way, Ser Harry?"
"Am I correct that you use the same hardness for the whole blade? Lord Robert said you did but he was not sure as he's not a smith."
"He is correct. You are saying that you make blades differently?"
"I would show you tomorrow but yes. My father used a softer alloy for the middle of the blade and the hardest for the edges and the point of the blade. It allows for a less brittle blade that would not easily break unlike a blade forged from a single hard metal. Brittle blades will be a problem for those living in cold climates and in winter."
"That is an intriguing method, I will be glad to observe how you work tomorrow."
They arrived at the Forge shortly and Harry was shown to an apartment on the second floor used before by Ser George's son. It had a medium sized bedroom that had a feather bed and a combined study and living area. Harry frowned at the lack of indoor plumbing. He resolved to find a way to obtain his own plot of land where he can build a small house that he can design to his liking. As he was getting ready for bed, a white owl which was remarkably similar to his long dead familiar flew through the open window and landed on his shoulder. Harry was confused, he thought there were no witches and wizards here yet here is an owl that moves like a trained owl for post.
Hoot!
The snowy owl butted its head on Harry's own head and nibbled at his ear like Hedwig used too.
"Hedwig? Is that you? How is this possible?"
Hoot! Hoot!
Hedwig just preened like he usually did as if she did not care how things were impossible.
Harry heard the unmistakable laugh he only heard once before, it had to be Death. "Thank you, my lady." Harry whispered. He felt a gust of wind caress his face, as if Death acknowledged his thanks. Harry tried to ponder how such a thing was possible but in the end he just shrugged it off.
"How are you girl? I have missed you so much! It has been ages since I last saw you," said Harry.
Hoot! The owl then proceeded to rub its head on Harry's cheeks, the tender action of his beloved owl brought tears of joy to his eyes, as he remembered how the owl was abruptly taken from him as he tried to escape Privet Drive on the eve of his seventeenth birthday. Hedwig just continued to nuzzle into him.
"Are you hungry, Hed? I'm afraid I don't have owl treats with me; I wasn't expecting such a wonderful surprise. Would you like some nuts and water? I promise to give you bacon tomorrow."
Hoot! Hoot!
"Okay girl wait here and I'll get some for you. You'll love it here, plenty of mice in the fields."
Harry made sure the door was locked before enlarging his trunk to get food and drink for his familiar. He set the plate of nuts and bowl of water on his nightstand and proceeded to talk to Hedwig again.
"I never bought another owl after you died, it didn't feel right. Ron and Mione were not pleased whenever I interrupt them with my patronus so I used a house elf to deliver my messages. I am so glad to have you back, old friend."
Hoot!
"Listen, girl, Nick showed me a ritual from an old book used by masters and their familiars. It will allow you to live as long as I am alive, we can understand each other better. It will also allow my magic to protect you, I'm not sure how that works but I don't care, I do not want you to be harmed. Will you allow me to cast it on you?"
Hedwig just looked at Harry like he was stupid for asking so the owl nodded her head for good measure.
"I know that you would want it too but I wanted to ask your permission first. Come here and I will start the ritual."
Hedwig flew to Harry's offered arm and extended her left leg as if she already knew how the ritual is done. Harry conjured a small scalpel and a shallow bowl and drew a small cut on Hedwig's upper leg. Harry let it drip seven drops of blood on the bowl before healing the cut and cleaning Hedwig's bloodied feathers and scalpel. He then drew a small cut on his palm and placed seven drops on the bowl with the owl's blood. He used the owl to draw runes on his chest and started to chant in Latin, a soft golden light engulfing them both. It was over quickly and Harry was awed by the feeling of absolute love and loyalty being sent over their bond. He sent his love for his familiar through the bond and Hedwig once again nuzzled into his cheeks. Harry fell asleep with a big smile on his face for the first time since he arrived in Westeros.
He woke up bright and early the next day, fully refreshed from his slumber. He had warded the bedroom last night so he proceeded to enter his trunk for a shower and some breakfast, he remembered to bring the promised bacon for his familiar who was still asleep so he went back to the trunk to start forging his armor that he would be making out of titanium alloy. He had finished the armor for his upper body when he felt the wards tell him that Bill was at the door. He stuck his head out of the trunk to shout that he'll be down to the dining hall for breakfast soon, the boy answered and left quickly so he went back to the trunk's apartment and took another shower and rested for a few hours before coming back out.
"Good morning, Ser Harry, I trust you had a good night's rest? And is that an owl on your shoulder?" Ser George was confused at the sight.
"Good morning, Ser George. Yes, this is my friend Hedwig. She has just arrived last night from her travels. I plan on making her a perch as soon as I finish the sword I agreed to make."
"I see. Let us have some breakfast before we head to the smithy. You mentioned that you will have your possessions sent to the Bloody Gate, when will it arrive?"
"I'll be sending a letter with Hedwig to the man I left them with in Gulltown later. It should arrive in three days after he receives the letter."
"Ahh, Hedwig is trained like a maester's raven, that is useful. I will notify them to have your things left there if that is fine with you. We can have Bill and a few others bring them here in a cart." Hedwig hooted snootily at being compared to a mere raven.
"That will be great, Ser George. My Hedwig is extremely intelligent, she understands me. She takes offense at being compared to a raven." The owl hooted once and preened at the praise.
"I see. She does seem rather intelligent. I am sorry for comparing you to the raven, Lady Hedwig," the old knight said as a joke but he was surprised when the owl looked at him imperiously and hooted once and nodded.
"See? My Hedwig is the best," said a grinning Harry as he stroked Hedwig's head.
"You certainly have a way with animals. Come; let us get started with the day."
"Let me just go and write my letter to Gulltown. I'll be back in a few minutes,"
Back in Harry's room, he conversed with his familiar.
"I'll pretend to write a letter for you to bring to Gulltown. Bring it back to me later after you hunt. I'll conjured a wagon that will be left at the gate in three days, filled with my things. I'll see you later, girl!"
Hedwig nodded once and took off with the letter. Harry changed into his old sleeveless tunic and brought his dragon hide apron and gloves with him.
He received some unfriendly looks as they entered the smithy; his reception was similarly cold when he was introduced. He did not pay them any mind; he simply nodded to each of the five smiths and went to work. A few hours later, he showed Ser George the finished bastard sword, it was unadorned but the blade gleamed brightly.
One of the smiths, a few years
older than Harry from his appearance, challenged Harry to prove his blade's worth. The smith named Fritz boasted that the blade he made was better and that Harry wasted much time in forging just one blade after three hours of work while he had produced three in the same time frame. Harry learned that this Fritz was a dead knight's son and that he was an expert swordsman. He was a well-muscled man so the others thought this would be a short fight. Harry just shrugged and accepted the challenge. He asked Ser George to inspect his sword before the fight. The old knight praised the craftsmanship of the perfectly balanced sword.
A crowd had arrived to witness the impromptu duel between the two smiths; Harry even saw Lord Eddard smiling and pointed out Lord Robert who was busy taking bets against Harry.
Lord Robert noticed Harry's eyes on him so he turned to him and asked. "What? I'm just letting them try and win money. It's all in good fun, Ser Harry." Robert had a mischievous look as he said this.
"Yes, milord, I'm sure it is," replied Harry with a smirk.
"I want a look at that sword after the fight, Ser Harry," said Eddard. "If it proves any good, I want you to make one for me and I'll pay handsomely for it," this brought murmurs from the crowd. They knew Eddard was the Lord of the North, a land almost as big as the entire six kingdoms combined. A commission for such a lord will make any smith's status increase.
"I promise to make you an even better one, milord. I had to rush making this blade but I believe it will work just fine," said Harry. He understood what Eddard was doing.
The fight took longer than expected. Fritz wanted to end it quickly and humiliate Harry by using his considerable strength. Harry just parried the attacks again and again. Harry could have ended it quickly but he wanted to show that his blade was better so he allowed his opponent to hammer his sword until the he got the opportunity he was looking for.
Fritz was careless with his style; he assumed Harry was not a skilled opponent. Harry struck when the chance presented itself; he gave a strong overhead swing, deliberately using the edge of his blade to hit the edge of Fritz's sword. The brittle blade shattered into two. The cheers of the crowd must have set off Harry's opponent so Fritz ran into the forge to get the other two swords he made earlier and attacked Harry again. Harry saw the two lords and Ser George trying to stop the fight so he shouted to let it continue. Harry moved like lightning and sent one of Fritz's blades flying; he continued to press his attack until the opportunity to destroy his opponent's last sword came. Once more Harry destroyed the other man's sword, he approached Fritz and placed his sword to the man's throat before asking him a question.
"Do you yield?"
The other smith was red in the face with shame but he replied a nod.
Robert wanted to humiliate the arrogant man so he smirked and asked in a loud voice, "Lord Stark and I did not hear your reply, blacksmith. What did you say?"
"I said I yield, Lord Robert. I yield," replied the embarrassed man who has not yet moved from his kneeling position. Harry had already sheathed his sword and approached the defeated smith to offer him a hand. Fritz slapped it away and stormed away through the now jeering crowd.
"Congratulations on your victory, Ser Harry, it was masterfully done," said Ser George.
"I knew you were good, Ser Harry, but I did not know you were that skilled. That Fritz may be a braggart but he had some skill with a blade, I congratulate you." said Eddard.
"Thank you for the coin, Harry. I can have a good night in the tavern later. I will get you a wench that will give you some good tender loving care," said Robert. "I never liked that man, Ser George. He was even more arrogant than I am! Just because his father was a knight, he lorded it over the other citizens of the Vale."
"Thank you, Lord Robert but I have to decline. I still have to make a perch for my owl. She arrived last night and she will be most displeased if I do not finish her perch," said Harry.
Hoot! Hoot!
Hedwig landed on Harry's shoulder with the reply from Gulltown.
"She is a beautiful bird. May I pet her? I have seen some owls like her in the North," said Eddard. The owl flew and landed on Eddard's arm.
"She is a snowy owl so it makes sense that other like her can be seen in your land. She understands what we say, Lord Robert, so you should be careful what you say."
"What, can she speak too? It is just a ruddy bird, Ser Harry, not a person," said the barrel chested man.
Hedwig looked imperiously at the Lord of the Stormlands before she flew behind Robert and cuffed him with her wings rather strongly. She landed on Harry's shoulder and had a smug look on her face.
"Ser Harry warned you, Robert. Hedwig really is an incredible creature," said the Lord of the North.
Hedwig hooted twice and preened her feather. They all just laughed at the owl's antics.
"I was serious when I said I wanted to have a look at your blade. Come, show it to me," said Ned.
Harry drew his sword from its borrowed sheath and presented it to Lord Stark.
"It has perfect balance and there are only a few nicks than be easily fixed with a whetstone. I expected it to have many deep nicks from the way that man Fritz was hammering it," said Eddard.
"I let him punish my swords' edge to show how it can stand against abuse. Let me prove it one more time," said Harry.
The three other men followed him to a small boulder. They still have a few onlookers, curious at what the two lords and the two knights were going to do. Harry handed the sword to Robert.
"Lord Robert, go ahead and use the sword's blade on the boulder. You seem to have the biggest forearms among us four," said Harry.
Robert gamely used the sword to whack the boulder rather vigorously. After about ten swings, he stopped and examined the blade and passed it around.
"It was nicked deeply quite a few times as you can see. No blade can stand up against the boulder without taking damage save for a Valyrian steel blade. What I wanted to prove was that my sword did not break or shatter from the abuse Lord Robert put it through. Can a blade made using the traditional blades?"
Ser George passed the sword to the onlookers and answered Harry. "None of our blades could have survived more than six swings as powerful as the ones Lord Robert did earlier. It would have easily shattered as early as the fourth hit."
Murmurs of agreement were heard from the crowds, a few knights and men at arms were amongst the onlookers.
"I request that you make a sword like that for me, Ser Harry. Price is not going to be a problem."
"I thank you for your patronage, Lord Stark. I am honored to make one for you."
"I want one too, Ser Harry, but not a sword, I want a war hammer. I like the satisfying crunch of armor," said Robert.
"It will be done, milord. Let us go back to the smithy so I can write down how long you want your weapons, milord. I will try and match your expectations."
The party went back to the Forge's smithy and Harry went to work on Hedwig's new perch, he also repaired most of the damage done on the first sword he forged in his new world. Ser George took it and hung it on the wall near Harry's work bench.
The next few days were busy for Harry. He made the rings for the wedding and the sword and war hammer for Eddard and Robert. He used a wolf's head with ruby eyes for the pommel and wolf paws with claws for the guard of Lord Stark's hand and a half sword while he decorated the war hammer of Lord Baratheon with the lord's sigil, a stag. He also crafted a simple one handed sword for Ser George as a gift for letting him stay in the Forge with the handle and guard designed like a hammer.
He was swamped with orders of various weapons from Lord Arryn and his lords and knights. He allowed the now more welcoming smiths to observe him work and encouraged them to ask questions. Lord Arryn had ordered two special swords, one for him and the other for his future father in law, Lord Tully. Lord Jon's sword was shorter than Lord Stark's by a few inches, and was the same length as Lord Tully's. The pommel of Lord Jon's sword was shaped like a falcon with sapphire eyes and a guard shaped like outstretched wings. Harry got a bit more creative with Lord Tully's sword, the pommel was like a trout's tail fins, the grip was the body and the head was at the center of the guard. He used a ruby and a sapphire for the trout's eyes, the colors of House Tully.
Harry finished his complete knight's armor, all done in titanium alloy. The helm was the head of his lion form with large emeralds for its eyes and the armor for his upper body had two embossed roaring lions standing on their back legs with fore legs extended as if to strike one another each had an emerald eye while the gauntlets and the sabatons were shaped like a lion's paws. He used an emerald for each of the gauntlet's claw. His shield had an embossed lion's head.
He could afford to make the armor thicker than normal because the titanium alloy was light weight, it may be as thick as the armors currently in use by the knights but it was comparably lighter and tougher than normal armors. It was made even tougher from the dragon hide he used for lining. He made his armor shine brightly because he wanted to belong in the company of the lords. He saw that knights usually had capes so he made a cape of acromantula silk dyed black that can easily be removed by unlocking the heavy gold chain. He thought the armor and cape looked ostentatious but he just went with it.
His stuff was delivered by a man named 'Hagrid' in large cart drawn by six strong horses; the soldiers let him through the Bloody Gate and inspected the eight trunks along with the covered mannequin wearing Harry's armor.
"We need you to open the three locked trunks so that we can inspect them," a short soldier told Hagrid.
"I don't have the keys for them. What do you think Ser Harry would put in them? They are locked for a reason," replied Hagrid. "You can look into them later if Ser Harry allows it but you are free to open the unlocked ones."
They saw the gleaming armor and the long locked trunk filled with several Valyrian steel weapons. Two large trunks were filled with fine clothes and leathers. One large trunk was filled with bars of metals for use in forging weapons and another was a blacksmith's equipment. Another large trunk was filled with large leather bags of spices and herbs like saffron, cloves and peppers; Harry found out that they were really expensive here. Lastly, there were two medium sized trunks which were locked; he filled one with ingots of pure silver and gold while the other had precious gems of various sizes.
Ser Harry was 'away' so Ser George accepted the delivery. "These soldiers wanted me to open the locked trunks. I don't have the keys only Ser Harry has them. I told them to ask for permission later," reported Hagrid to Ser George.
"You did the right thing, Rubeus Hagrid. I will talk to them. Would you need a place to stay for the night or do you plan to leave right away?"
"I'm going to go back to Gulltown. I got a few men waiting for me; they helped guard the young man's things. Thank you for your offer, it is kind of you. Goodbye, Ser."
"Goodbye, Hagrid. I'll take care of Ser Harry's things."
Ser George berated the soldiers for looking into the private things of Ser Harry, a letter had been previously sent to the knight in charge of the gate saying that Harry's possessions were not to be touched. Harry arrived as the soldiers were apologizing.
"I see my things are here, Ser George. Is there a problem?"
"I am ashamed to say that some of your trunks were opened for inspection by the soldiers guarding the gate. Lucky for them that the locked ones were not forced open or they might be facing a few lashes!"
"I'm sure they were only doing their duty to safeguard the land, weren't you men?" He addressed the soldiers. He noticed a crowd has gathered because of Hagrid's arrival.
"Yes, Ser Harry, we apologize again for the invasion of your privacy," said a red faced soldier. "I must compliment you, Ser; you have the finest set of armors I have ever seen. Were they of your making?"
"Thank you, I made them from some metals my father found in the Dothraki Sea. Anyway, you are forgiven. Go on back to the gate."
The soldiers quickly mounted back on their horses, thankful that they were spared Ser George's tirade. The two knights both noticed the people gathered around the open smithy.
"Is there anything we can help you with?" Harry asked politely he knew they only want to see what the large cart brought.
"Can we see the armor, Ser?" A little boy asked Harry. The group of kids looked excited; he knew they had few diversions so he was persuaded. He made a mental note to make a playground for the kids once he returned from the wedding.
"Maybe. But I need each of you to give me a kiss on the cheek!"
The adults laughed as the small children eagerly ran to Harry who had knelt earlier so they can kiss him. He was now laughing as the kids piled on him. "Okay okay, I'll let you kids see it."
He arranged the stand of the mannequin before placing the heavy cloth covered mannequin on it. Harry asked on the kid who wanted to see his armor to pull the thick wool cloth cover.
There was a chorus of oohs and ahhs from the crowd as they saw the beautiful and ornate armor for the first time.
"That is a beautiful piece of art, Ser Harry, not just armor. You will be a sight to behold when you ride in that white charger of yours, I think you will put many envious lords to shame," said Ser George who was enjoying putting the fully articulated mannequin into different poses like a big toy. "It is a shame there will not be a tournament in honor of the wedding, the coming war will not allow for it."
"Ser Harry is the White Knight!" Shouted several of the young boys. "We will cheer for our White Knight as you pass by when you go to Riverrun!" shouted another.
"It looks like you have a new name, Ser Harry, it is a fine name," said Ser George who then turned to the gathered residents of the Vale. "The show has finished, go on back to your homes. Ser Harry will not be showing the rest of his things to you. Go on now!"
The gathered crowd slowly dispersed, their show has ended. "We really need some more entertainment for the people of the Vale," said a smiling Harry. The old knight just laughed at Harry's jest and called a few men to help Harry bring his belongings to his rooms. "I doubt this will all fit in your room. You can use the storage room across your apartment. It locks so your things will be safe, there are no windows there. Here, this is the key. I am the only one who has the other key for the room," said Ser George.
"You have my thanks, Ser."
Harry went two locks for the plain wooden chests containing his tools and spare metals bars, he will be leaving it in the store room of the smithy. The rest were taken to his room in the case of his clothes and leathers. The spice chest, along with the three other locked chests, was placed in the locked storage room. He placed strong locking charms and sticking charms on all eight chests to prevent them from being opened or moved. He had the mannequin and armor moved to his study. While he was there, he sketched a few ideas for his playground.
During their dinner that night, Harry discussed his plans for the playground with Ser George.
"I have an idea for the kids I would like to share with you, Ser George."
"What do you want to do, Harry? Please, must I remind you again that we agreed to do away with the Sers when we are alone?"
"Sorry, George. Okay. I plan to make a few things for them to play with." He showed the old man his drawings.
"You plan to use metals for these? I'm afraid that will not be possible. Lord Jon has earmarked the remaining coals, leathers and steel for the coming war. We cannot spare them for the kids, as much as I want to do so, this is a good idea for them. Perhaps when the war is over we can put your plan into action then."
"I see. Would seasoned hardwood like oak and ash be easier to buy? How about good thick rope?"
"That would be quite easy and cheaper. Both are available in Gulltown, they use it for the ships."
"Good, I'll use oak and rope instead of steel then. Please write your letters and I can send them with Hedwig. Lords Jon, Robert and Eddard were generous with the amount they paid for their swords, I can pay for it easily enough."
"That's settled then. The only problem would be the location."
"We can use some of my own land to build your playground on. The sounds of laughing children will be good for this old man's soul; I think a hundred yards away from the smithy will be good. The wood workers would be happy to help us do this, after all their children will be the ones to use it."
"Do we need to get Lord Arryn's permission to start the playground?"
"I do not think so, it is on my land, and I think he would approve."
"I have a few steel bars that I can melt down to make nails and fittings. I do not want to use the steel for the weapons; the soldiers would need them more."
"I will write the letters tonight so Hedwig can deliver it to the trader we will be buying the wood and rope from. It should be ready be delivered when we come back from Riverrun."
Two days later, the host of Lord Arryn and Lord Eddard, composed of about five hundred people, mostly mounted knights and foot soldiers set off for Riverrun. Harry and his armor garnered a lot of attention. The crowds can be seen pointing at him as they passed.
"By the seven, Ser Harry, you will steal the attention of the guests from our future wives if you were your magnificent armor to the wedding," said Lord Arryn. The lord looked like a hedge knight beside Harry. "I am sorry that we do not have time to have a tournament after the wedding. We must call our banners as soon as possible. Lord Stark's banner men should be joining us on the Trident in two days."
"I have a black silk surcoat that I plan to put over my leather armor on your wedding. I fear this armor is too ostentatious, I apologize, milords," Harry said to the three lords he was riding with.
"Oh, do not worry about it. Any lord would be proud to wear such a fine armor. I am actually slightly jealous of you, you shine brightly like a jewel and I want a similar set of my own armor," said Robert.
"It does not bother me all that much, Ser Harry, I knew when I saw that on display in your study that you will be wearing the best armor in the seven kingdoms," said Eddard.
"I would make you all an armor like this if I could, milords, the metal my father found was barely enough to make this set of armor and a shield. I thought about making a sword out of the shield but my father said my Valyrian steel bastard sword was good enough which is true but imagine a sword made from this metal, it would be a terrible beauty."
"It would have been beautiful, Ser Harry. It would be a match for Ser Arthur Dayne's sword, I saw it in action at the tourney in Harrenhal," said Ser George.
"Yes, the Sword of the Morning, a magnificent sword. It is said that it was forged from the remains of a meteor. Maybe that is how your father got that metal, a meteor," said Lord Eddard.
"Maybe, milord. Your guess is as good as mine," answered Harry.
They pitched camp that night near the end of the High Road. Highborn and lowborn men both slept on the cold hard ground. Harry woke up before the crack of dawn to hunt for food; he was able kill a good sized deer using his bow and arrow. The three lords, Harry, Ser George and Bill ate well that morning. Harry sent the rest to the lesser lords of the vale. He had chosen to ride wearing his dragon hide armor instead of the titanium alloy. He rode ahead of the host for some quiet; the body of men was so noisy with the clattering of armor, the hooves of the horses and the chattering of men. He ranged a kilometer ahead of them to hunt for his lunch and he was lucky to find four fowls. He tied them on his horse and went back to the host. Quite a few rich men tried to buy the fowls from him but he refused them all with a smile.
"I love traveling with Ser Harry, I'd never go hungry with him," said Lord Robert, patting his full stomach.
"Well I do not think there will be more food to hunt later, we are nearing populated places," replied Harry.
"We'll have no problem with our evening meal, I have sent a servant ahead to book the Crossroads Inn for us so we would have a hot meal and a soft bed tonight," said Lord Jon.
"I thank you, my lord, but wouldn't you rather have one of the other lords have the room? I can make do with my sleeping roll, it is soft and warm enough for me," replied Harry.
"You deserve it after the good food you for breakfast and lunch, I will not take no for an answer, Ser Harry," said Lord Jon sternly.
"I am honored to accept your invitation, Lord Jon. I meant no disrespect; I just thought one of the lords may have been a more prudent choice. You will need their swords for the battle head," said Harry.
"I know what you mean, Ser Harry, but if I have their allegiance with a hot meal and a soft bed, they would not be the sort of men I want in a battle with me," Lord Jon answered seriously. "They could just as easily turn on me for a bigger reward."
"I see your point, milord, and I am sorry for speaking out of turn," replied Harry.
"I would have more knights like you who thinks about how they can serve their lord, too many seek glory and riches for themselves," answered the Lord of the Eyrie. "Come now, let us pack and prepare to ride once more."
The Northern host, somber men clad in plain and well used armor, joined the Eastern host a few hours after lunch. They now numbered a little over a thousand men and it took the host five more days to reach Riverrun.