Warriors.
Beta: Darklord331
What a difference one man can make, until a few years ago Howland Reed would not have been sure of his answer, but now after three years of witnessing the miracles his lord's son had brought to his territory he was certain of his answer.
Jon Snow in the space of three years had radically changed the way of life in the Neck, what was once an expanse of swamps and smelly lagoons had turned into one of the most luxuriant and productive lands of the seven kingdoms.
Howland had been skeptical at first to follow the advice of a little older boy than his daughter and had been a skeptic now, giving in more out of curiosity than anything else. But once he had made the decision he had never had any regrets about it, and this was not due to faith or some other emotion due to sentimentality but due to sheer rationality due to numbers.
Zero like the number of children who died of starvation in recent years, was something unheard of, as sir and as father Howland knew very well, his land was subject to the largest number of infant deaths in the whole north, thus making the crannogmen one of the communities smallest of the seven kingdoms.
Howland himself had lost his firstborn before he could be a year old. His wife's desperate tears as she cradled her son's cold body still tormented him through sleepless nights.
But thanks to his new ward he didn't have to relive the same scene Jojen was growing healthy and strong just like Mera, his two sons had lost the typical greenish color of the crannogmen and one day they would stand taller than any other of their lineage.
And this didn't only concern his children but all the future children born on his land, thanks to the reclamation of the land the air had become healthier and cleaner, and not only had the quantity of crops also increased.
Reclamation hadn't been the only novelty Jon had made this unity to field rotation had resulted in crops never seen before but that hadn't been all.
Even taking into account the reclamation of the Neck remained mostly submerged in more or less deep water, in a stroke of genius Jon had proposed making rice a plant hitherto mostly ignored as their primary source of livelihood.
At first, Howland was hesitant because rice was a little-known and used plant, but Jon once again came to the rescue by showing a multitude of ways to use the staple.
With the food problem solved, the bastard Stark had concentrated on making the Reed house coffers and the whole Neck more prosperous.
The solution with which the boy had presented himself was once again ingenious, and its implications had been more than profitable, it was a method Howland was ashamed of and had never thought of salt trading.
Exploiting the outermost areas of the Neck where the water was particularly salty, the boy had created some salt marshes. Thanks to these the salt extraction had reached levels never seen before transforming the Neck from a land famous for being smelly and swampy into the largest exporter of salt of all the seven kingdoms.
The salt trade was a very lucrative business, within a few years, the finances of the Reed house had not only settled but had prospered to become the wealthiest house in the North.
The same houses that offended them the day before now sent crows begging for loans and money, fate had changed for the Reed house which over the years would rise higher and higher.
And all this was due to an almost nine-year-old boy, Lyanna would have been so proud of her son, she would never stop talking about his achievements.
But her close friend never had a chance dead even before her son could turn his first day, she would never see him become a man worthy of his father's throne.
A throne that Howland hoped would one day fall into the hands of the boy, Ned in his fear of his nephew and loyalty to his friend the king did not want the throne for Jon, but for the lord of the house Reed was more pragmatic.
The reality was that in recent years the seven kingdoms were falling into decay, weakened during the reign of the mad king and the subsequent rebellion, under Robert's rule they had not improved indeed with the amount of debts that the crown was accumulating they were getting closer and closer in shambles.
The reality was that the seven kingdoms had been united for better or for worse only under the dragons, the deer could have emerged victorious in confrontation with them but the power he had gained was unstable, every day more and more fragile, and only the wounds sustained by the last war prevented some kingdoms from raising their banners and proclaiming themselves independent.
In all this chaos, a worthy heir to the Iron Throne would have been the wind that could have turned the tide and revived a new golden age for all of Westeros.
And now Howland from his perch was watching this possible change as he took on four opponents at the same time and gave directions to his little Mera at the same time.
It was a sight to behold. Jon swung his swords with unparalleled grace as he deflected and dodged his opponents' attacks with an agility superior to any dancer.
From his position, Howland could not hear what the boy was saying but he could see his daughter diligently following the instructions by modifying and adjusting her position according to the advice received.
The longer he looked the more Houselord Reed could understand why so many people in Winterfell believed young Jon to be the son of Ashara Dayne, the child's composure and technique reminiscent of that of the late Arthur Dayne the sword of the morning.
Having personally experienced Ser Dayne's ability, Howland could see even more similarities between the two styles. Still, it was only these similarities to compare one style to the other would have been an insult to Jon's abilities.
Ser Dayne had been the greatest sword of the seven kingdoms, but even he with his incredible skills showed a slight imbalance when using two swords, it was that slight flaw that had allowed Howland to survive the onslaught of man and later to hurt him.
In Jon's style there was none of that, the right and left sides were in perfect balance leaving no room for any counterattack no matter if outnumbered enemies surrounded him.
The boy even seemed to have his eyes behind his back from the way he dodged and parried some attacks. His skills were so sublime that Howland concluded that the only reason the boy could lose was that he was facing an opponent who physically outnumbered him.
It was a truth that even Jon knew if his actions were any indication, the boy, even though he claimed not to be interested in becoming a warrior of great renown, trained more than anyone else, always pushing his body to the limit and the results could be seen even if he had not yet entered puberty the bastard Stark sported a physical form make most men jealous.
With a scream, even the last of Jon's opponents fell to the ground in defeat, body, and morale livid with defeat, no matter how used his men were to be defeated by a child less than half his age.
With the show finally over Howland got up from his seat resigned to doing the job that awaited him as his break was over.
To his great chagrin with the increase in wealth, there had been an exponential increase in bureaucracy and the work he had to supervise.
The gentleman of the Neck could not wait for the educational programs proposed by Jon to bear fruit so that the new ruling class that had arisen would come to lighten his workload.
"We're done for today" As his opponents tried to collect themselves and leave Archer turned his attention to the only other child on the field
"Enough Mera" At the umpteenth call, the eldest daughter of the Reeds stopped sticking her spear into the mannequins and turned to Archer
"I can continue" The girl's voice was steely not suitable for a child her age.
"Knowing when to rest and when to work is also part of training, too much work not only brings no gain but is also harmful" Seeing the stubborn attitude of the little girl Archer decided to cut him off immediately before he brought more harm than good.
The little girl seemed to reflect a bit before nodding, dropping the spear, and joining Emiya's tail who was already heading towards the exit.
The Reed castle had become so familiar to the bastard that he no longer needed a guide, on the contrary he led the way while the girl trotted after him like a puppy, the servants who crossed their path were so used to seeing the duo move in sync that they simply bowed their heads in respect before returning to their duties.
In the Neck, few people were respected and adored like Archer, the lord of the Reed house had made no secret that all the prosperity and fortune that had occurred in his territory were due to the bastard of the Starks.
This had taken Archer's popularity to unprecedented levels, in the minds of the inhabitants of the Neck there was no doubt their hearts, and their loyalty was directed to Jon Snow.
The bowing of the servants' heads was just one of the ways people showed their gratitude and respect and by now it had become a common sight for Emiya to observe.
Normally the boy didn't pay attention to such attitudes as he continued on his way, but that day something made him stop
"Mera go ahead" Stepping sideways Archer moved the little girl forward as she stopped a thoughtful and grave look on her face
"But Jojen is waiting for us," said the little girl finally showing an attitude appropriate to her age and not the mask of stoicism she had worn up to that moment
"Mera", just saying the name of the little girl Archer put an end to the discussion, it was a sign of trust between the two that so little is enough to convince the girl to follow his orders.
Archer waited for the little girl to turn the corner before acting, her destination was a door to her right where a few minutes earlier she had seen a young servant enter.
A tiny figure accompanied by a slightly gaunt and haggard face gave her an air of pure anonymity, it was a face that seemed to be designed not to attract attention or be remembered.
They were all features of a fake face, Archer had just one look to see under the mask of skin and muscles worn by the servant and find a probable murderer.
The presence of an assassin didn't surprise much Archer. The changes he had wrought in the Neck were too big and rich to be ignored, with them the fragile balance that had kept the seven kingdoms dormant had broken, arousing envy and fear from those lands that in the beginning they held all wealth and power in their own hands.
The rise of the Reed house in its new golden age must have been seen as a threat by those who looked down upon them in the past.
The question was whether the killer had come for him or Lord Reed, Archer doubted anyone outside the Neck knew of his real contribution to the development that had taken place but it was in his nature not to take chances.
There was also the risk that the servant was not the only killer who had been hired and others were hiding in the shadows ready to act at the first opportunity.
"I can help you my lord" Not knowing that the assassin had been discovered brought about a normally friendly expression on her face as she maintained her cover.
The more Archer looked at the girl's face the more he was amazed at the workmanship of her mask, defining it perfect would have been an understatement, a normal person would never have been able to notice her presence.
A macabre work of art that fits perfectly into the category of mystical codes, as he had seen various mystical codes and mysteries in the past was something born of faith.
Even in a world where mana was almost nonexistent, the faith of hundreds of thousands of people could give birth to a miracle capable of bending reality.
"Yes. Could you tell me who you are?" it was an indication of the professionalism of the girl who, even when faced with such a question, did not give away her origins and maintained her mask of courtesy.
"This humble servant is called Yui."
"I didn't ask for this and I highly doubt your real name is Yui." Calm and courteous but still cold and direct Archer wasted no time
"I don't know what you're talking about mister." The smile on the woman's face seemed unchanged, but for Archer who could see behind his mask the first signs of abating were visible.
"Enough of this charade I know very well that you are a spy and a murderer belonging to the faceless men. What do I want to know and who do you work for." Emiya didn't even have time to finish speaking when the woman took action.
With a thud the tray he was carrying fell to the floor as the assassin sprinted towards Archer, a knife dropped from his sleeve to his hand sharp and black as night.
Archer had dated far too many assassins in his life, from being adopted by one to having one as a high school teacher. Even before he set foot on the path of heroism Emiya was familiar with how the Killers think and act.
So the heroic spirit that has become a child doesn't even blink at seeing the woman throw herself with the fury of a beast, the impetus of the assassin was exceptional even if her movements were rapid they were not sloppy at all the fury that pushed her was only l yet another mask that distinguished her.
In reality, his movements were succinct and clean almost mechanical not at all dulled by the heat of the moment, it was a style Archer had seen countless times in the past, especially from individuals who had been mentally conditioned.
Being brainwashed to make their members numb and without identity was typical of cults that train assassins, even without knowing the methods of the cult of the faceless man Archer could say with confidence that even the woman who was attacking had undergone similar training. It was very likely that the woman didn't even realize the seriousness of her actions, convinced that she was right even with her hands dripping with blood.
Facing zealots of this type was always annoying, no matter how much the difference in skill or level, how obvious their inferiority and imminent defeat was they did not give up. Even in the face of death they continued undaunted to try to fulfill their mission.
Archer had seen hundreds of people behave this way to his immense pain, especially among the children. Training individuals in a cult from a very young age so that they completely lose all sense of themselves was a reality that would not disappear completely in the future either, and Emiya hated it.
Of all the blood that smeared his person the one that weighed the most was precisely that of these distorted innocents unable to distinguish right from wrong who never could choose in their lives, chained by beliefs and ideals that had been forcefully hammered into their head.
And the assassin who was attacking him at this moment was yet another of these poor souls, maneuvered without even knowing she was convinced that with her actions she was doing a service for good.
Archer hadn't killed anyone for 2,985 days, almost nine years since his conscience and his hands had last turned red. To a normal person, this would have been almost an eternity, but to Emiya it was just a drop in the ocean of the immensity she had experienced.
Perhaps it had been a childish and utopian hope of his but Archer had hoped that this period of abstinence would become even longer, every day he woke up praying that he would not have to kill anyone else for the rest of his life.
And now as he calmly dodged Killer Emiya's stabs he feared that he might have to break his lucky streak and once again commit the nefarious act of murder.
The chances of being able to stop this crisis without bloodshed were almost nil, as a fanatic who had been subjected to brainwashed indoctrination she couldn't give up with a few words.
To be able to free the woman from the chains that had been placed on her would take time and patience and even then the chances of making her return to normal were low.
To be able to resolve this situation without having to resort to murder Archer would have had to lie and cheat, he would have had to make the lie the truth and the truth a lie and transform himself for the umpteenth time into a fake.
"Enough," Archer order after having disarmed the girl, as expected the woman didn't even give a sign of surrender despite the disparity of strength suffered up to now.
"I asked who sent you" Archer repeats as he stepped forward into the girl's guard and blocked her to the floor with a deft move.
"This girl will never talk. I do not fear death Valar Morghulis." growled the Killer as she tries to free herself.
Valar Morghulis all men must die the woman's words could be seen as a challenge as yet another way to demonstrate her beliefs and her faith towards her God.
Unknowingly with these words, however, the woman inspired Emiya to save her, the idea was crazy and would have cost the man a lot of the mana reserves he had accumulated with so much effort but to reach the dawn of the 2985th day Archer he was willing to risk it.
"Remember girl Valar Dohaeris all men must serve." At Emiya's words the girl's eyes widened as she recognized the second part of her creed.
"And you will serve and obey your god!" Archer used all his remarkable acting ability to pronounce those words, taking as an example the hundreds of gods and demigods, he had met and faced in the course of his existence.
How the skilled forger that was Archer was creating an imitation, substituting his image for that of the god of woman. A Faker in all respects capable of deceiving anyone except the most attentive eyes.
And the woman's eyes weren't at all sharp enough to see behind his momentous lie, especially if special effects accompanied her lie.
The god venerated by the woman was the god of a thousand faces, the very representation of death, a being who in this new world did not have a specific iconography being present in many religions with different names and aspects.
But even without a precise description, his faithful over the centuries had come to attribute specific characteristics to him, characteristics that ironically suited him almost perfectly.
The god of a thousand faces represented death and the contrast between this and live. Just as black was the mirror image of white, death was the mirror image of life, and no one could be more aware of this correlation than Archer.
In the course of its existence, the deaths that Emiya had caused were innumerable, all performed in the name of justice and the salvation of mankind.
And those actions of his had left a deep mark on his soul, his Unlimited Blade Works had been forged in blood and death and had become synonymous with fire and blood over time.
And now Archer was projecting part of this aura towards the woman, a subtle application of hypnosis combined with a slight pulsation of his Reality Marble was enough.
It was a minor alteration that didn't affect the physical plane of the world at all but a completely different reality had opened up in the girl's eyes.
Hundreds of thousands of thousands of weapons dripping with blood awoke on a reddish iron desert and holding each of these weapons was a different person, the shadow of a man, a woman, an old man, a young man.
A thousand and more faces for what in the eyes of the woman was becoming more and more the god she had so revered, with his words and his actions Archer was replacing himself more and more every second that passed for the image of the god that the woman it served.
To break the brainwashing to which the Killer had been subjected, Emiya was in turn subjecting her to another indoctrination, showing her a reality that would make her abandon the past path to follow a new route traced by him.
It was a selfish and morally questionable attitude, wrong on so many levels as to be worthy of a first-class magus, but at this moment Archer didn't care in the least about it, putting the results as always on everything that was honor or loyalty.
And now Emiya was posing as death itself, also resorting to showing the woman her past that she despised so much to convince her.
It only took a few seconds to completely convert the woman, Emiya could read it in her eyes after everything she had shown him, the killer's fidelity was assured.
"Who is your target?" Archer demanded; the woman was still pinned beneath him, but there was no more struggle in her any resistance she had previously shown had completely disappeared.
"This girl reports to her lord that her goal is lord Reed." In total submission in a matter of seconds using tricks and deceptions Archer had achieved a feat that others would have found impossible.
As for the revelation of who his target was, Emiya wasn't particularly surprised, Lord Reed's choice was the most logical and natural and also demonstrated that his enemy was unaware of the true contribution he had made to bring the Neck to these sizes.
"Who is the instigator?" This was the most important question, it was necessary to find out if the threat came from someone nearby or from some envious refugee miles and castles away.
Logic would have it that the figure trembling in the shadows was more likely to be someone outside the Reed household, a foreign Lord with interests in the same markets in which the swamp men now excelled.
But Emiya didn't trust pure and simple logic, he had seen and experienced too many actions dictated by human stupidity and selfishness and he couldn't risk it, especially in a world where ignorance and fear were still sovereign.
"I don't know, the old man didn't say it." a dead end which however had led to the discovery of a new road, as Archer had supposed the woman was not the only killer who had been hired there was still an assassin hidden in the shadows who seemed to pull the strings.
Someone high enough in the woman's organization to have the title of elder, the odds were that he was someone important enough to have the information he was interested in, Archer had to meet.
"Take me to him." It wasn't a request, it was an order, the woman believed him her new god, and Archer was going to act like one, he was willing to make this sacrifice if it meant ending this story as fast as possible.
After years of wandering the corridors and narrow streets of the Reeds, Archer thought he knew most of its facilities, while his knowledge was optimal, the bastard of Winterfell had to admit it wasn't as perfect as his journey with the female assassin. he was demonstrating.
Not that the woman's knowledge was greater than hers, it was simply more specialized, it was probable that before daring to start her assignment, the assassin had repeated and studied her path hundreds if not thousands of times, all to better prepare herself.
It was an attitude that while Emiya could grudgingly respect having experienced it in his countless years as a Killer, back when he was still alive and closely following in Kiritsugu's footsteps obsessive preparation had become his mantra.
It was a habit that stuck with him even in this new life, due to a weakness he never quite got rid of no matter how high he climbed on his path to legend.
And even now as he followed his guide to an unknown destination Archer was thinking of all the possible variables not taking anything for granted, starting from the more negative assumption that this whole situation could be detected as a trap.
So with a caution that the boy did not reveal in his steps, he advanced towards his unknown destination in the hope of concluding all this tragedy without useless bloodshed-
"We are almost there my lord." After almost twenty minutes of walking through mud and water they finally reached their destination, it was a small house in one of the oldest parts of the floating platform which was the base of the village that surrounded Greywater.
Although the house was old and well kept, a sign that someone had spent time and effort making it livable, sitting on the porch was an elderly man with long white hair and deep wrinkles on his face that gave him a lived-in look.
With a glass of wine in hand and a welcoming expression, the man almost seemed to be waiting for them with open arms, as he smiled at their arrival.
It was all a lie, from his face to his attitude nothing about the man was true, even the age he looked was completely false, the face he wore was that of a man in his sixties while his real age was in his early years thirty.
From this alone the man's skills were on a whole other level than those of the girl who had brought him here, this was a first-rate killer at least by the standards of this world.
"Who is this handsome young man you brought dear niece?" even at the sight of an unexpected guest the man didn't drop his cover as he devoted himself completely to his character and the story he had invented for it.
"You know very well who I am," Emiya said quietly as she stepped forward, seeing his actions the girl who had guided him up here stepped aside thus allowing those she believed to be her superiors to face each other directly aware that from the result of this confrontation would decide his fate.
"Valar Morghulis Jon Snow," the man said with a smile, once he realized that his cover had been compromised the man didn't even try to hide his identity all while maintaining a perfectly calm and relaxed attitude.
A few words spoken by the man were enough for Archer to understand that to deceive this new assassin there would have been a need for more skill than the one he had shown to his apprentice.
"Valar Dohaeris Jaqen H'ghar" Archer's reciprocated greeting shows that he is no stranger to the identity or at least to one of his interlocutors, surprising the assassin in front of him for the first time.
"I had heard of the abilities of the Stark prodigy but even I had not imagined that his abilities would go so far as to betray my apprentice." There was a slight tone of surprise in the man's voice as he didn't believe his own either word whether it was the betrayal of his subordinate or the bastard's real abilities.
"I can assure you that you haven't seen anything yet." Emiya half-joke as he sat down in front of his new opponent, to be successful in these negotiations the boy knew that he couldn't hide too much for the first time in his new life he would have had to show what he was really capable of and not just a bland display.
Jaqen H'ghar was a man who to be convinced would have to experience hell himself, he would have to witness firsthand what kind of man was the being who was once called The Magus Wrought Iron the greatest Killer that the world has known.
"We'll see, we'll see," Jaqen muttered as he calmly sipped his wine, all while carefully scanning everything in the courtyard for any possible threats.
Archer knew exactly what the man was doing as he too was doing the same thing, the difference being the levels of accuracy with which each of them was performing his inspection.
Jaqen could only rely on his senses and his experience to evaluate any possible threat to his person, having to resort to speculation for everything that was not directly perceptible to him. Emiya didn't have these limitations. Everything in the courtyard was analyzed by her mysteries whether it was hidden or not.
That's why while the faceless assassin masked in front of him could not say with certainty what dangers he had brought to his doorstep, Archer had identified them all, from the thirteen traps ready to be triggered, to the dozens of hidden weapons, to the poison contained not only in wine but also in the mud at the base of the porch, not to mention the various death masks hidden in various places.
It was an impressive setup that would allow most enemies to be subdued while giving them a chance to escape and was completely useless against him.
Even without empowering himself through magic, Archer was confident he could escape all of this unscathed, mere discovery of the traps' location and nature, giving him an overwhelming advantage.
"Then why did the boy come to me?" after finishing his reconnaissance and finding no other threat the man asked the reason for the boy's visit even his incredible acting skills couldn't completely hide the curiosity in his voice.
"I came to see what kind of man says he follows my will," Archer said simply as he once again pretended to be the god of a thousand faces, shocking the man who expected anything but this with his words
"The boy raves this man only follows the will of his god." Jaqen doesn't even try to hide the anger in his voice, clearly offended that Archer considers him his underling
"Teacher the boy is our god," said the girl who up to that moment had done her best to remain invisible, her action was most likely due to the loyalty she had for her teacher who she feared might be punished for his disrespect.
"Silly girl we serve only Death, with your words you dishonor me and yourself for being deceived," said Jaqen showing even greater faith than that of his pupil.
His was behavior perfectly in line with what Archer would expect from a high-ranking cult leader, unknowingly the killer was behaving just as he'd expected, an unwitting pawn in the grand scheme Archer had created.
Lies and manipulation had long since become Emiya's way, he had left the times behind. He would fight all his opponents head-on
Regardless of how powerful they were as a weak individual he had to choose another way to deal with the myths and goals he had set before himself if he didn't want to be hopelessly defeated every time.
So during his very long existence, he began to study the various battlefields, arriving over time to predict the moves of his opponents, a blasphemous talent was born artificially so in him Mind's Eye True.
Compared to the abilities of other heroic spirits it was almost trivial. Still, that simple B-rank ability had allowed him to perform miracles and comebacks even against fate-blessed genies over time.
And Jaqen was not even remotely at the level of those figures, when Emiya was able to see that the man moved as he had predicted his fate had been sealed, now he had to make only his prediction come true.
"But I'm Death," Archer said with an all-too-serene smile on his face, the kind of smile that would make even a trained and desensitized Killer shiver like the one sitting on the porch.
"Now I understand the madness must have reached the boy, how else would he dare to speak of death when he has never seen it." When your interlocutor utters incomprehensible words it was natural to think of madness and before the nonsense that Archer had just uttered Jaqen had also fallen in this oversight not believing in the slightest that the child in front of him could not only have told the truth but that it was a threat to his person.
The killer had already decided after having labeled his interlocutors as a madman and a traitor, his curiosity towards the two had diminished. Without it, there was no reason to let them breathe for a moment.
But just before the faceless killer could act, Archer moved, freeing some of his mana like the sky had been ripped apart.
Every living being had an instinct almost a mechanism; an alarm designed to go off at a predator higher up the food chain.
It is a warning, a warning to flee, to run away with all the breath you had in your body and more until your limbs give way. You are no longer able to get up, hoping to be fast and lucky enough to be able to escape the predator who gave the hunting because one and only one would otherwise have been the result.
For centuries strong with the mysteries and magic he had learned the faceless men had been the source of this fear, they had grown so inured to the sensation of causing terror that they had become immune to the very fear they carried.
In their vain glory, they had convinced themselves that they were at the top of the food chain and that they no longer had to fear anything, this conviction of theirs was now collapsing on them.
The presence that Archer was emanating at this moment was such as to freeze the air in the lungs of the two assassins, Emiya had become in all respects the avatar of fear and death, a god come down to earth ready to devastate anyone on his I walk.
Archer held this presence for no more than a second but it was enough to not only completely shock his viewers but anyone magically aware for miles around.
"As I said I'm Death and I 'm not happy with those who call themselves my disciples." The smile and friendly air she had previously kept completely gone, Emiya was now the pinnacle of seriousness an aspect that didn't fit the all to his young face.
"Death should be the last and greatest of scales that makes all men equal whether they are rich or poor, powerful or weak but those who call themselves my servants instead of maintaining this balance sell themselves to the highest bidder."
" We…. " the girl began, miraculously managing to recover before her master
"It seems that the faceless men have forgotten their origins, how they were created to give peace to the oppressed not only by granting eternal rest and the end of suffering to them but above all by bringing it to their tormentor's men who believe themselves above all even of death itself"
It was impossible at the time for Archer to end the cult of the faceless men, the only way he could mitigate the damage they did was to not only make himself the head of the order but also redirect their goals to a nobler nature however just as bloody.
"So tell me Jaqen H'ghar what should I do with you and your small order?" Archer asked his hand had been played. Now it was up to his opponent to answer but Emiya wasn't at all worried he had already predicted the outcome.
Today he may have killed no one taking his days without killing a little higher but it was only a matter of time, Archer could hear the clock ticking his days without violence were ending already indirectly his actions were causing a schism and the Brotherhood of the Faceless Men was only the first to suffer it.
"So the Freys want me dead?" Howland Reed asked wearily as he slumped back in his chair
"Does it surprise you? Considering the history between your families I'm surprised they've only just begun." Unlike the lord before him Archer was perfectly calm as he quietly sipped his tea.
After concluding with Jaqen and his pupil Emiya he wasted no time in returning to his guardian to report, the situation was too big and complicated to simply be swept under the rug once resolved.
Taking hold of a face-changing order of assassins was the sort of thing that needed to be discussed with your closest allies and advisers, and over the years Howland Reed had proved himself not only a close ally but also a confidant and friend.
Unlike the rest of the people of this world, the lord of the Reeds treated him as an equal not taking him for granted nor for his age or origin, a man who was not influenced by preconceptions or anything else who knew how to recognize the true worth of a man.
Howland Reed was a rare individual Archer could understand why his mother all those years ago had considered him her best friend and had been willing to fight for him.
"I have to thank you."
"There's no need, I did what I thought was right and then I owe you a lot, this is the least I could do."
"If saving my life and taking the reins of one of the oldest and most powerful orders in the world is the least I dare not imagine what you would do if you had decided to seriously repay your debt" From his words Howland didn't know if he was amused or something else
"You are my master Howland I am sincere when I tell you that I owe you a lot, as far as taking control of the cult let's just say that you were my pretext."
"You honor me with your words but I am not worthy to call myself your master it was more what I learned from you than the other way around " Archer simply shook his head knowing that the man would not change his mind no matter how hard he tried.
Howland might have thought that his teachings had been useless or obvious but the knowledge about the Greenseers and the children of the forest that he had passed on to him was invaluable to Emiya as it allowed him to understand the basis of the magic and mysteries of this new world.
Based on the information he had received Archer had managed to create a theory that not only explained the lack of mana of this world but also the vulnerability of the root.
Emiya had no way of confirming his theory but if it ever turned out to be correct, the ex-Counter Guardian would have a lot to say about the idiocy of whoever created this hodgepodge.
"Are you sure everything will be fine?" Howland asked returning to the original speech
"It shouldn't be a problem," Archer reassured
"The Freys don't even know they've hired a faceless man, they think they've hired a common killer."
"How is it possible?"
Archer just shrugged all too aware of how absurd fate is sometimes full of coincidences
"Call it coincidence or luck is the fact that the Freys thought they were hiring any cutthroat and not one of the legendary members of the house of black and white it was a coincidence that under the man they chose lurks Jaqen."
"So it all ends like this? Isn't there a risk they'll hire someone else?" It's a fact that men fear the unknown more than the known no matter how harmful or dangerous a known event is nine out of ten men will tell you they'd rather face this than an unknown danger.
Howland was no different from this point of view was no different faced with the possibility of always having to look behind for a possible dagger in the dark feeling fear and dread.
"Fortunately for us, Jaqen is the de facto head of the Westeros branch of the faceless men, every assignment must be approved by him before being accepted and he is well aware that he must not accept any assignment that concerns me," I reassure Archer
"Is it possible that his loyalty to you already reaches this point?" Reed's doubt was all too understandable Archer didn't blame him too he would have been hesitant about Jaqen's loyalty if he didn't know what he had shown the man
"He may not be faithful but for the moment he won't dare go against me and also for this reason he will prevent any other member of his sect from interfering with my affairs" Not being able to reveal the whole truth Emiya kept to part of it for reassure his teacher
"How long will this status quo last?"
"At least until Jaqen has finally decided against me" This seems to finally calm Howland
"As for the normal assassins, I'm sure your guards can take care of them. If you want to be safe, put some beastlings to check the most at-risk areas. But I doubt there's a need for that before long, the Freys will have more to worry about than you."
"You're not going to have Walden killed?" Howland asked worriedly
"No." the idea had crossed Archer's head and in the past, he would have wasted no time in killing the Lord of the Crossing with his own hands, it had only been his vow not to kill combined with any problems that the death of these he had brought
"Walden's death would bring nothing but trouble, after sending an assassin to our doors we will be prime suspects, and with my presence here it wouldn't take long for the Tullys to come knocking on our door seeking vengeance masquerading as justice." This was the real reason why Archer didn't act didn't want to give even the slightest excuse to Lady Stark to persecute him not so much for himself but not to bring more disorder within the Stark family.
"No, what we have to do is much simpler and more harmless." A smile that would have made Rin proud began to appear on Emiya's face and startle Howland.
"Gift?" the older man asked trembling, still frightened by the face the boy was making
"Walden Frey is a mean and greedy man who is too attached to his seat and we will exploit this weakness of his. His love of power has led the man to be wary of his many sons, fearing that one of them might overthrow him."
"I can see where you are going and I'll stop you soon none of Walden's sons would dare go against him they fear and idolize him too much to tremble to snatch the scepter from him" As an experienced politician it was not hard for Howland to see what Archer's aim was but knowing in advance which pawns were on the board he could instinctively tell that the boy's plan would not work.
"I agree." Archer's absence completely throws Howland who didn't expect the boy to agree with his critical words.
"But we don't have to get these guys to betray Howland we just have to make them believe that they did it with a paranoid man like the Frey lord it won't take long."
"You want to make it look like there is a fire when in reality there is only smoke." was admiration in Howland's voice as he realized his student's plan
"Exact. All you have to do is publicly thank one of Walden's sons for his help and give him a considerable amount of money as a sign of friendship and gratitude."
"This will alert Walden who will question the nature of my relationship with his children and who he can or can't trust. In this way, the Reeds will no longer be his first concern but his children."
"You look too superficial under normal circumstances you would be right but the rift that would have arisen would have been superficial, Walden might even laugh at us for giving him money."
"What am I missing?"
"The obvious fact that you're alive that your killer not only failed but wasn't even worth mentioning in any rumor or anything. Taking all of this into consideration it would almost appear that you were warned of the attempt on your life thus managing to stop the killer before he could act."
"And after my profuse thanks and gifts to one of Walden's sons, this mysterious well would acquire a face, suggesting fire when there is not even smoke in reality. You would turn a lie into truth it's brilliant." Howland said admiringly, finally managing to understand his pupil's plan.
"Southerners think they are the only ones capable of playing Game of Thrones but not even the most skilled Southern player would be able to keep up with you a Northerner." It was clear that lord Reed found the whole situation amusing and ironic
Archer just chuckles at his master's remarks compared to all he had been through in his life and the intrigues he had witnessed and participated in. The little intrigues that the lords of the seven kingdoms had so much fun inventing were boring and trivial.
Emiya likened these gentlemen to bored children with too much power who didn't realize the consequences of their actions by acting too rashly to achieve what were only small gains and successes.
After having a good laugh Howland became serious again almost contemplative "Your time with us will soon be over, in a few moons an escort will be escorting you to Winterfell, and from there you will go to bear island before then let me give you a gift for thank you for everything you have done for me and my people."
"As I told you there is no need to thank me you and your family have done a lot for me."
"I insist on more what I want to give you is something that should have belonged to you from the day of your birth." After saying this Howland does not wait for Archer's response before starting to fumble with his desk looking for something.
The drawers were opened and closed, some were left slightly open while others completely closed Archer takes a few seconds to figure out what Howland was doing.
The desk was not only this but also a safe and now Howland was unlocking it to recover the gift that he had decided to give him. It was a sign of the lord's trust in him that he was unlocking his secret safe before him.
With a dull click, the safe was finally unlocked Howland wasted no time in recovering its precious contents before throwing it at Archer
"This rightfully belongs to you, it was your father's." Here's another difference from anyone else Emiya knew Reed wasn't afraid to talk about who his real father was.
Where the old Nan did not know the truth and where Ned Stark was too fearful and hurt to speak of Rhaegar Targaryen, Howland did not have these limitations, and once he realized that Archer was worthy of the trust and responsibility that the truth entailed.
Curious Archer, I look at the contents of the bag that had been thrown at him, there were two rubies the size of a newborn's fist
"When I died the rubies that adorned his armor scattered throughout the Trident, many tried to recover them but none succeeded. In a twist of fate, they ended up in my hands without meaning to, almost as if they had fallen on me by divine will."
Archer wasn't listening anymore all of his attention was focused on the stones in his hands. As a companion of many lives of Rin Tohsaka Emiya, he had become a jewelry expert and could tell that the gems in his hands were of the highest quality some of the best he had ever seen and they were rubies.
Of all the precious stones in this world, there was no doubt that the ones he was most connected with were rubies, it was a ruby that saved his life centuries ago when he was still a foolish idealist and it was always the same ruby he had allowed his summons in the real Grail Wars.
And even in this new life, a ruby came into his possession as if everything were part of some great cosmic design. Having been set in armor in the past Archer could read more or less the history of rubies and their last owner and conclude.
His father was a sad man crushed by the responsibilities that his title and lineage entailed. Succubus of a father who saw him only as a threat and the desires of a nation that saw him only as the only hope for a better future free from the tyranny of a king too crazy to govern.
The only person who had seen him neither as a threat nor as a hope but as a simple man was Lyanna Stark. It was a story seen and revisited a hundred times, the kind of cliché that most writers of romance stories would use in the future.
The moments spent with Lyanna had been the best and worst in the life of the silver prince who for once in his life had abandoned his duty to pursue his happiness. However, his utopia had been poisoned by the awareness of what his actions had brought about.
Theirs had been a dazzling love that unfortunately was not meant to last but even in his last moments, Rhaegar had thought of Lyanna and their still-born son Archer fearing their safety threatened by both the throne and the rebels.
Most likely that constant thought had been a worm that had plagued him throughout the battle inevitably leading to his death by not being able to fully concentrate on his fight with Robert Baratheon. A tragic death for an equally tragic life, for a man who might have achieved greatness in other circumstances.
Maybe it was because of this new young body but Emiya felt a tear roll down her cheek after reading the story of the rubies and with it part of her father's story.
"Thank you" What else was there to say
After three years and a little more, Winterfell looked more beautiful than ever, justifying the saying that distance makes the heart yearn. And yet, despite the happiness of seeing his new home and embracing his brothers Archer again, he felt a frown on his face.
His time in the Neck had made him forget the condition and state of his home, Winterfell was a beautiful castle but the centuries of weather had taken their toll leaving scars on what was otherwise a shining example of architecture
And it wasn't just the buildings that suffered from the cold, even the people he saw on the street seemed to him to be thinner and hungrier than they should have been. The improvements and innovations he had expanded into the Neck had not come this far despite the urgings of his father and brothers.
Emiya didn't blame Robb and Sansa, these were still young and their words didn't yet weight to approve such important reforms.
It was a different matter for his father-uncle Ned Stark was overlord of Winterfell and all of the north, nothing should stop him from importing the reforms Archer had proposed.
But instead of acting the man wavered making his people suffer as a result. Knowing Ned Stark the man was waiting to see how the changes Archer had imported into the Neck proved effective.
In order not to waste precious resources, it was a prudent attitude of those who tried to think about the future. Yet, for Lord Stark's too much prudence of people now suffering when all of this could have been avoided if the man had shown more trust towards him, Emiya found himself a bit annoyed by this lack of faith.
"Are you well my lord?" asked the Killer noting her annoyance
"Yes don't worry Maiya." Archer reassured the woman he had mentioned.
After taking the assassin under his wing, Archer had thought of the many ways he could rehabilitate her, the first of which involved giving the assassin an identity that he could call his own.
The name had been chosen by recalling the story of another woman who had experienced a similar situation, a woman saved from a murderer who had become a murderer in turn and had found death in this new life but also identity.
Archer hoped that this new Maiya would be more fortunate than the previous one, also helped by the fact that Archer was not Kiritsugu and would not be so blind to his underlings.
"I'm just looking forward to seeing my brothers again."
"I understand," Maiya said it wasn't true. Even after months spent under his care, the girl had difficulty understanding the most basic of emotions, her training allowed her to read and pretend them but understanding them was still far from the girl's possibilities.
But Emiya only saw hope for her that she was now aware of when having to pretend or not without slipping into some mask was an improvement.
"How should I deal with young gentlemen?" This question was also a marked improvement from the past Maiya wouldn't bother at all and would just stay invisible waiting for orders.
"Act normal but be careful with your words my family doesn't know about my other identity and I don't intend for them to find out"
"As my lord commands."
With things now clarified the rest of the journey continued in silence, Archer didn't want to talk and was mentally preparing for the meeting that would take place shortly.
His readiness was set immediately when a dark spot leaped from the low walls onto his horse. Emiya and the Killer had sensed their attacker for some time, but Archer would never have believed that his attacker would be foolish and daring enough to leap off the walls.
Archer had almost had a heart attack when the shadow was thrown, it was only thanks to his preparation and superhuman reflexes that Emiya was able to safely grab the shadow avoiding that hurt.
It is said that one day is enough for a person to change until he becomes unrecognizable. Normally this change was mental, but in rare circumstances, it could also be physical.
Even more than three years had passed since he had last seen her Archer could not fail to recognize Arya Stark the shadow that had attacked him. Her younger sister had grown from a screaming infant into a bold, fiery brat.
The observation he had made so many years ago proved to be correct. Arya had not grown into a lady, on the contrary, a wild wolf would have better described the child.
"Arya!" A worried cry rent the air as a worried but furious Sansa stepped forward. Blue eyes and red hair time had only accentuated these features making the little girl look like a doll in the future there was no doubt that her beauty would have fascinated all the seven kingdoms Emiya already felt a headache forming at that thought.
"Sansa no need to shout." Robb's calm voice cut through Sansa's agitation as he too showed himself to Archer after so many years. His brother had grown older over the years, he was tall for his age and the first hint of muscles could already be seen on his figure, a sign that he trained regularly even if he was no longer there to assist him.
Behind Robb trudging bow-legged was a child with black hair and gray eyes identifying him as a Stark while. It didn't take long for Emiya to discover his identity, the child must have been the youngest of his brothers born a few months after he had left for the Reeds.
Brandon Strak only looking at him Archer could guess all his potential of all the people he had met in this new world he was the most magically gifted.
The child's aptitude was such that it surpassed that of his brothers, Archer himself did not know if he would have been a match for his cousin without his memories. Luckily the child did not have access to his power and in all likelihood, he would never have had it thus saving himself all the tragedies that such a great potential would have brought to the conditions of this world and the lack of a master who knew how to stem them would have allowed him to live a normal life.
However, Emiya made a note to have the child checked periodically by someone skilled in magic to make sure of his condition and avoid possible disasters.
Mera would have been perfect for this task, her pupil had a good head on her shoulders and despite her young age, she knew how to show the right prudence towards magic and the dangers deriving from it.
"Sansa, Robb it's good to see you again," Emiya smiled.
"It's good to see you too Arya, Bran"
"Jon?" Sansa asked confused.
"Don't say you don't recognize me little sister" Archer joked.
"Jon!" With another yell Sansa and Robb ran toward Jon happy to finally see their brother
"Are you Jon, my brother?" Arya asked curiously still in his grip
"Exactly." Once again Archer confirmed his identity and once again he was greeted by a cry of happiness.
Arya didn't stop there with a not inconsiderable display of flexibility she managed to wriggle just enough out of his grip to hug him.
"I wanted to thank you for all the letters and gifts you sent me."
"Everything for my little sister"
"Hey I'm here too" Sansa yells jealously
"Of course," Emiya reassured as she hugged Sansa too
"Best brother ever," the Stark sisters simultaneously declared
"Hey, it's me what am I?" Robb asked mockingly as he joined his sisters too
Immersed in that familiar and at the same time unknown warmth Archer felt something strange, it was as if a spark inside him had started to burn again and a long-lost will could rise once again.
Blood crimsoned the otherwise white snow, what was once pure was no longer so besmirched by death.
Nine and more years, three thousand and more days had evaporated in a matter of seconds, once again Archer had done the action he hated the most but perhaps he was better at killing.
It had been ambushed as they were making their way to Mormont Emiya lands and her escort had been attacked by brigands. The Kraken insignia on their shields and breastplates identified them as Greyjoys.
Archer knew that the ironborn used to raid the coast but he would never have believed they would be so bold as to attack an armed convoy sporting the Mormont but mostly Stark insignia.
The Mormonts could be a small house and therefore the Greyjoys from the top of their seat could afford to offend and attack it but the Starks were one of the remaining seven great families.
They were the rulers of the largest territory of the seven kingdoms and armed wing of the current king, as well as close allies of two other of the seven great lords. Attacking them was not only illogical but downright suicidal without the right precautions and justifications.
Yet, without any of it, the Greyjoys had dared to attack, strong in the element of surprise and their numbers eager for blood and raids.
The marauders had shown no mercy or mercy, perhaps aware that the only way to get away with such a wicked action was to leave no witnesses.
Taken by surprise the convoy that Emiya was part of panicked, the soldiers proved unprepared for such an attack too confident that the insignia they carried protected them from any danger.
Despite the assault suffered and the chaos that had ensued Archer was still perfectly safe. The enemy level was so low as to be little more than an unruly rabble nothing he could not handle with ease and he was confident that even the men who they accompanied would be able to resolve the situation once the chaos of surprise had subsided.
As Emiya had predicted after an initial moment of confusion the men Stark and Mormont demonstrated their superior training managing to hold back and repulse the assault.
But years of peace had made Emiya forget one of the greatest lessons he had learned in his life. Arrogance was one of a warrior's greatest enemies and a possible mother to defeat.
And since he had been unconsciously reborn Archer had become arrogant not in his attitudes but in underestimating his enemies, too aware of his strength compared to normal people he had forgotten a profound truth.
A sword that is not meant to hurt will not hurt no matter how hard it is swung if there is no desire to harm others behind it it is nothing more than an adornment good for intimidation and little more.
And Archer had remembered this reality too late until now he had only threatened never to act seriously, even in this battle he had limited himself to disarming and knocking out his enemies in the hope of not killing anyone.
In his selfish desire, he had made a mistake and someone had paid for him. The opponent he had just knocked out had gotten back up with the intention of revenge and was no threat to Archer.
But a young guard who had witnessed the scene had made himself think with his actions to protect his lord and for this he lay dead at Emiya's feet.
He had brothers, children, parents, and lovers Archer didn't know, he didn't even know the name of the man who had died for him. An ordinary face for an ordinary man his death would not have changed anything in the grand scheme of things, his departure should have made neither hot nor cold to a man like Archer accustomed to dancing with death.
Yet, in her heart, Emiya suffered as if she had lost a brother, for that individual whose name she didn't even know. It was because the moment he saw the life leave his eyes that he knew he couldn't live this new existence free of bloodshed.
Had he been reborn into the modern world there would have been a fair chance of being able to live a normal life without having to bear countless deaths on his conscience.
But once again his grade E luck had made itself felt and he was born into a world where sword and violence still ruled and with the lack of a stable government to act as holder, situations like today would only become more frequent.
With the death of that young soldier, the innocence of this new life had also died, and without it, there was nothing to hold Archer any longer.
His sword moved lazily as he decapitated the man who had caused so much pain and to whom he owed his umpteenth rebirth, without looking back Archer made his way into the fray his blade was a venomous snake that claimed victims with every bite no c 'was hesitation in his actions removed all doubt.
The weak will of someone who wanted to harm no one had been replaced but it hadn't returned to what it once was of the man who might have been called the king of assassins.
Archer had accepted that even in this new existence there would be death and blood but he refused to retrace his old path.
The experiences and regrets he had accumulated required that he forge a new will a new path to not make the same mistakes of the past, no longer as an assassin a monster hiding in the shadows but as something nobler and just a Warrior.
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