The Road to Hell
…
Chapter 12: Heart & Hearth
I entered the tavern to see it in full swing as Legionnaires and townsfolk mingled. I spotted Rolly laughing with a pair of legionaries, a tankard of ale in his meaty hand, obviously enjoying a joke or story. I spotted Beskha engaging Cara in an arm wrestling match with Beorn, Erdrick, Asher and others giving yells of encouragement. Barmaids swiftly moved from table to table, bearing plates of freshly cooked food from the kitchen and jugs filled with mead or straight from the cellar.
"Aegon? You're back!" a voice called out to me and I turned my head to see Lindsy the barmaid walking up to me with a jug of ale in one hand and a tray of food balanced on the other.
"Lindsy, right?" I said to the barmaid who beamed at me.
"You remembered!" She was obviously pleased that I remembered her name.
"How could I not?" I replied with a modest smile.
"Here for some food and drink?" the barmaid asked me sweetly.
"Actually, I'd like to wash up first," I said almost straight away. "I think I could do with a hot bath," I added apologetically as I looked at my bloodstained clothes.
"You do," Lindsy quipped with an amused smile. "If you'll follow me, I can have a bath drawn for you right away," she offered.
"Thank you. I would like that very much," I said with a grateful smile. I then remembered Val who was standing beside silently. "Umm, I don't suppose you would like to wash up as well?" I asked the wildling tentatively.
Val gave me a small smile and nodded. "I would appreciate it," she said.
Lindsy then led us down a hallway and showed us to a small changing room. "You can strip off here and head into the adjacent room," she told us. "Your bath should be ready in a minute," she informed us.
"Thank you," I nodded my head. "Before we go in, how much will it cost for a bath?" I quickly asked.
"Five septims each for you two," came the prompt response. "Your clothes can be cleaned for no extra cost," she then added.
"That I can pay easily," I stated as I quickly counted out the funds and passed the gold one ounce Imperial coinage to the Barmaid who smiled and pocketed them.
"Now strip off," she ordered us and we hurriedly headed into the room to strip off. Val went behind a changing screen which thankfully wasn't transparent. Given how much Val looked like a Victoria's Secret model, I don't think my teenage hormones wouldn't able to handle it. I stripped off my Auxiliary armour as quickly as I could and headed through the door into the adjacent room where a large wooden tub that was filled with hot scented water sat in the middle of the space. I slid into the tub with a sigh of relief and almost immediately, the water that surrounded my immediate person became tinged with blood and dirt, turning a rusty, dirty orange-brown. I found a bar of soap that smelled of lavender and began to lather my body with it, turning the water into soapy suds.
I barely registered the sound of the door leading to the change clicking open, but I did hear the voice, "Room for one more?" I turned around to see Val, bare ass naked, save for a cloth that she held to her torso, thankfully covering the naughty bits.
"Oh!" I felt my cheeks go red and my ears burn. "Sorry!" I blurted out awkwardly and prepared to get out of the bathtub. "I should let you go first and have some privacy!" I stated.
"Don't be stupid, we're just washing ourselves," Val said with a glare as she dropped the cloth and slid into the bathtub before I could see anything. I hugged the wall of the bathtub as closely as I could, trying not to stare at the Wildling girl's full breasts which bobbed up and down enticingly in the sudsy water. "Problem?" I flinched and forced myself to look up at Val's blue-grey eyes as she arched an eyebrow at me.
"I'm sorry! I'm… just used to bathing alone," I replied and I looked away at the corner of the ceiling.
"We Wildlings often bathe together when chance allows it," Val informed casually as she took the bar of soap which was floating in the water. "We're all flesh and blood in the end. No need to be so prudish about it," she said matter-of-factly.
"Well, I shouldn't see a woman who I am not involved with on intimate terms naked," I protested as I tried not to looked at the enticing sight in front of me.
Val had an amused look in her blue-grey eyes as she scrubbed herself with the bar of soap, rubbing it slowly on her upper chest. I had to suppress a moan of longing; fucking teenage hormones. Val smirked at me dangerously and I felt like a cornered deer trapped by a hungry she-wolf.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I deadpanned as I felt my self-restraint be tested to its limits.
"Enjoying what?" Val asked me innocently with that smirk on her lips. Her beautiful kissable lips.
I suppressed a groan of frustration and I spun around to stare at the wall of the bathtub. Bad idea as I felt Val press up to me and I felt her full and undoubtedly perky tits squash up against my back. I flinched as the Wildling princess's arms wrapped themselves around my neck.
"Are you a virgin, little recruit?" her smoky voice whispered in my ear.
"None of your business!" I bit out as gruffly as I could, but my voice cracked as I spoke the words which made Val chuckle in my ear. Fucking hell, the sound of her near throaty chuckles had me harder than anything I'd ever felt before in my old life.
As I prepared to turn around and draw a thick line between me and Val when the sound of someone knocking on the door interrupted us and Lindsy's voice called out to us.
"Would you like some assistance?"
I made to say no to the offer, but Val beat me to it, saying, "Yes, we would!"
The door swung open and sweeping was Lindsy. To my relief, and my hormones displeasure, Lindsy was still wearing her barmaid uniform, although I would swear the front was unbuttoned a little to show off her perky bosom a little more. "What would you like help with?" she asked with a sweet smile.
"Little recruit could use some help washing his back," Val was quick to inform and she spun me around to show my bare back to Lindsy who smiled as she took the soap from the Wildling princess. I was face to face with Val who gave me a shit-eating smirk as Lindsy began to softly scrub my back. I couldn't help notice that Val's breasts were squashed up against my narrow chest. My ears burned with embarrassment as I tried not flail around like a wild man as I was essentially trapped between two admittedly attractive young women.
"Are you alright?" Lindsy asked me. "You're very tense," she pointed.
"I'm more used to bathing alone," I confessed deciding honesty was the best policy in this instance.
"Are we making you uncomfortable?" I sighed as I heard the almost hurt tone in Lindsy's voice.
"N-No," I stuttered out in response. "I'm just not used to this," I explained.
"Well, don't worry. We won't do anything you're not comfortable with," Lindsy said to me kindly. Once she felt my back was clean enough, she reached in the water and lifted my left arm and began to gently scrub it. Val grabbed my right and scrubbed it softly. As embarrassed as I was feeling, I strangely felt pleased with this; something like this had never happened to me in my old life given to my hilariously bad luck with women which led to me becoming borderline asexual.
Once the girls felt my arms were clean, Val then said, "Would you mind if you scrubbed my back?" She looked up at Lindsy who smiled and nodded politely. The Wildling looked at me with a wicked look in her arms and asked, "Would you scrub my front?" She thrust the bar of soap into my hands. Steam was pouring off my head not just from the bathwater as I hesitantly scrubbed Val's upper chest. Thirty plus years of nothing and now I was scrubbing a gorgeous woman's body while naked in the bathtub with her. I briefly wondered what my old schoolmates would say if they knew I was doing this?
I made sure to avoid Val's breasts which made her glare at me. "Afraid to touch a woman?" she asked me challengingly.
"We're not intimate enough for that," I said dully.
"We're naked together in a bathtub. We're as intimate as it gets," Val shot back.
"Your friend's right. It's a very intimate experience for a man and woman to share a bath together," Lindsy said helpfully as she grinned at me. She was enjoying this. They both were and I felt like God was laughing his arse off at my predicament.
"Indeed," Val agreed with Lindsy's sentiment. "Besides, we wildlings aren't like you southerners. And your commander told me that I'm your responsibility now," she said with a wicked look in her eyes.
"I think you've got the wrong idea," I said flatly.
"Oh? Don't like girls?" Val teased me mercilessly.
"No!" I said a little too quickly. I then scoffed and added, "I just don't think we're that intimate enough to do something like this."
"Like what?" Val asked but the mirthful look in her eyes betrayed the fact that she knew exactly what I was talking about.
"This!" I almost shouted. "We're not married and we probably won't ever be," I then said more calmly.
"And who says we're not?" Val asked hotly.
"What the fuck does that mean?" I expleted.
"For my people, stealing someone is what you southerners would call marriage," Val informed me. "And you stole me," she said with a lazy grin.
"I did not steal you!" I protested vehemently. "I rescued you! There's a difference!" I said.
"And your commander making me your responsibility, is that not what you would call marriage?" Val asked teasingly.
"It is not."
Lindsy watched me argue with the Wildling princess, an amused look in her eyes as she said, "Shall I leave you two alone?"
"I'm done here anyway," I muttered as I climbed out of the bathtub, suddenly uncaring if they saw me naked. I quickly grabbed a cloth and wrapped it around my waist and headed back to the change room where I found my Auxiliar uniform freshly cleaned and dried. I dressed myself just as Val walked in with a towel wrapped around her body. An apologetic smile was on her lips as she looked at me.
"I was only teasing you, you know?" she said to me.
"Well, don't," I snapped out. "I don't likeit when people, much less women, tease me like that," I said tiredly as I prepared to leave the room.
"I meant what I said before." I paused to look at Val and she continued, "Stealing a woman in my culture is what you southerners consider marriage and you stole me from those, what di you call them, Forsworn? And I could do much worse than have you steal me."
I sighed, feeling tired than before and replied, "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong man for that." I then turned around and headed back into the tavern.
I found my fellow auxiliaries and legionnaires all eating and drinking. And to the surprised of no-one, I found Rolly kissing a comely looking barmaid sitting on his lap and Asher was well into his cups, laughing loudly. Beskha was doing what I believed were shots of booze with some legionnaires, her cheeks a ruddy crimson colour. Legate Jamal was joking around with the innkeeper.
I spied an unclaimed table and sat down in the leather chair, sighing tiredly. Shortly after, Lindsy came up to me, her expression kind and concerned. "Not going to join your fellow soldiers?" she asked gently.
"I'm not good at social gatherings," I simply said. "And I've had enough of people for one day," I added tiredly.
"Alright, I'll bring you some food and drink. You look like you could use it," Lindsy said to me with a kind look in her eyes. I nodded my thanks and sat staring at the crackling flames of the firepit in the middle of the room. Val then joined me, though thankfully, she sat opposite me and we sat there in silence. Lindsy soon returned with a tray of food and a jug of mead and two cups for me and Val.
Setting them down on the table between us, Lindsy said to us, "Here you are. On the house."
I made a protestive noise, but Lindsy raised a hand to stop me. "Dragon Bridge knows what you did for this town getting rid of that Forsworn camp," she told me. "Consider this a gift from all of us," she said.
I sighed and nodded, too tired to argue as I took a slice of roast venison and put in my mouth to eat. Val took up a bread roll and ripped the baked item into chunks and ate them. Lindsy poured us a cup of mead each which we took with a grateful nod of our heads. Lindsy then left to serve some other customers.
As we ate in companionable silence, Rolly came lumbering over. "Here he is! The slayer of those Forbidden bastards!" he slurred out. He was clearly drunk if the way he slurred words and how red his cheeks and nose were. "Sing us a song, lad!" he urged me. "We need a song to liven the mood!" he declared.
This was followed by noises of assent. Val looked at me in surprise. "You can sing?" she asked.
"Nothing special," I tried to say when Rolly cut me off.
"Aye! Our prince can sing like a nightingale!" he said proudly. He looked at me with unfocussed eyes and asked, "Sing us a song, lad?"
I sighed as I got up from my seat. I could tell that if I sang a song they would all leave me alone.
I got up at the front as everyone stumbled to gather in front of me. I stared at my audience flatly, looking very tired and put upon. I thought of what song to sing; nothing fast paced or exciting I thought to myself, that would just get these drunk idiots calling for me.
I then began with a rhythmic humming, deep and low before singing the first verse.
Far over the Misty Mountains cold,
To dungeons deep, and caverns old
We must away, 'ere break of day,
To find our long forgotten gold.
Watched my audience gauging their reaction. They all seemed to sway back and forth like wheat in the breeze as I sang the first verse.
The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning, in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches, blazed with light.
The wind was withered on the heath,
But in the forest stirred no leaf:
There shadows lay be night or day
And dark things crept silent beneath.
I then gave deep low vocals as my audience watched fascinated by my song. They'd probably never heard its like before, which worked to my favour as I sang the next verse.
The Wind went on from West to East
All movement in the forest ceased
But shrill and harsh across the marsh
Its whistling voice was released.
Farewell, we call to hearth and hall!
Though the wind may blow and the rain may fall,
We must away 'ere break of day
Far over wood and mountain tall.
We must away! We must away!
We ride before the break of day!
I ended the song there and was met with thunderous claps and cheers and people tossed me coins in both septims and drakons.
"Another one!" some drunk villager called out. I shook my head and replied, "That's all I have in me for tonight. I'm going to bed…" This statement was followed by some drunken complaintive noises by they were quickly quelled when Legate Jamal rose up and spoke in a stern commanding voice.
"Leave little recruit alone! He's had a hard day killing Forsworn. He wants to rest, let him rest!" The Legate then looked around as if daring anyone to speak up in protest. When none dared to, he looked at me and nodded. "Get some sleep, little recruit. We leave for Solitude in the morning," he informed me.
I nodded and prepared to shuffle off to find a bed I could collapse in. I was then directed by the innkeeper where I would be sleeping. And to my surprise, I found out that Jamal had arranged for me to be given a private room, which I wasn't complaining about as I wanted some privacy to sleep.
But that sentiment was quickly dashed as I found Val waiting in the room sitting on the edge of the bed. "What are you doing here?" I asked her sullenly.
"Thought I'd follow your lead and get some rest myself," she replied. "I've had a long day too," she said matter-of-factly.
I sighed, too tired to argue. "Fine," I muttered. "I'll sleep in the chair," I then said as I looked at the chair in the corner of the room.
"The chair is too uncomfortable to sleep in," Val informed me. "And the bed is large enough for us both," she then said. A sly smile crept over her face as she added, "Besides, if we aren't married like you say, then you needn't fear anything."
I grunted, still too tired to argue. I then crawled into the bed, turning on my side to give Val the impression that I wasn't in the mood for teasing.
"Good night," the Wildling princess then said to me as she crawled into bed beside me.
I grunted in response, too tired to make a human response as I felt my eyelids droop heavily and slumber claimed me.
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: There! The twelfth chapter of this is done and dusted and it looks like Val has gotten it in her head that she and Aegon are effectively married, much to his consternation. One can only imagine what Jon Connington will say if and when he finds out that his foster son has gotten married to a wildling.
Some of you have been in contact with me about other ASOIAF/GoT characters that could appear in this story and I've also been brainstorming a few. A friend gave two suggestions; Domeric Bolton the trueborn (and dead) son and heir of Roose Bolton, and Daemon Targaryen the Rogue Prince and husband/uncle of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. Granted both of them are in the series, but since magic could be involved, I'm considering one of them might show up in the story. I also thought of bringing in Gendry Waters/Baratheon in the story and I have the idea that he lives in Whiterun working as a Blacksmith's apprentice under Eorlund Greymane and learning the secrets of forging Skyforge steel. Speaking of which, I have the idea of making Skyforge steel the equivalent of ASOIAF's Valyrian steel and there's even a mod for such a thing in the game which would surprise ASOIAF at seeing such a steel be so plentiful, relatively speaking since the game only shows the Companions mercenary guild using such weapons made from it.
And apart from that, I haven't got too much more to say so I'll leave this here and catch you all in the next one.
Be kind to one another,
Angry lil' elf.