Disclaimer: The IP of Elden Ring and A Song of Ice and Fire belong to FromSoftware and Goerge R.R. Martin

Steigir

Steigir grunted as he took the blow to his shield. His opponent was strong, but they were also slow. The man had overextended with his longsword and Steigir took full advantage. He countered with a swing from his blade at the now open warrior. Steigir would not be able to take another blow like the one he just took, so he decided to end things quickly with his opening counter. He focused on his blade and in that moment he felt the magic come forth. The shield he had held in one hand found itself on his back in instant, in the next he held the pommel of his sword in his grip in its sheath at his hip. There was no warning for the blow that felled his opponent. Only the flash of a sword and blood on the snow. A single slash too fast to be seen by his opponent. While the clansmen he had been facing had been granted a longsword by Ragnar for his strength, Steigir had been one of few that Ragnar trusted with the katanas. Katanas did not need strength to be wielded but skill. They were skinny blades but in the hands of a skilled master, it was a precise instrument of death.

"That was good, Steigir" Ragnar praised "But you could do better, you're timing with the Ash of War was perfect and you wield an Uchigatana well" he continued "But you do not use your shield to it's true potential" came the criticism from their leader. Ragnar had decided his shadow needed to know how to fight if he was to follow him across the seas. Their leader had been trying to teach Steigir how to parry with his shield, but the young man had found this to be no easy task. His timing was still incorrect, and he would be more likely to tire and fold or to take a blow should he attempt to parry.

Steigir looked back to his oppnent that should have been busy dying, instead standing up as the wound that went from his belly to his shoulder healed in front of everyone's eyes in the yard. This was one of the reasons they could practice lethal blows on one another. The Old Gods had Blessed the yard. Should a warrior be wounded, they would be healed before they could bleed out. It did not stop death, but it was close enough that the warriors of Hardhome felt no fear when facing each other armed with magic weapons.

The sound of steel clashing against steel made itself known all around the training yard. Everyone was training. Since Ragnar had made his announcement, a new sense of purpose had rooted itself in the citizens of Hardhome. This was felt the most in the training yard. No longer was the yard just home of the Watchmen, but it seemed all the fighters had decided to be prepared for the new world their leader would create. The Young, the Old, the Hunter and the Spearwife. All were sighted in the yard.

Their voyage would be soon. They would only have one more sennight of training in the yard before the flag of Hardhome would be known to the east. And once Hardome was known to the east, the south would look north. Ragnar had been clear to them all. They would have to avoid the southerners till they had enough ships to threaten them with war.

'No one believes for even a second that the Crows or the Starks would stand by while Hardhome grows into the city Ragnar wants' thought the young man 'And Ragnar no doubt wanted his city to be a threat to the south' Haval had gotten the plans for the ships from Ragnar, and the first one he had Haval build was a longship, which was telling to Steigir. He had heard Ragnar say multiple times that longships were best used for raids. They would be quick and devastating. And there was no one to raid in the north. Ragnar had made this known to the first idiot to suggest it. Hardhome was the only settlement north of the wall with access to the sea. This made it clear to Steigir, that there would eventually be raids on the south or even the east. Everyone was preparing.

"Again Steigir" Ragnar's voice woke Steigir from his thoughts "This time with no Ash of War, once you learn to parry with your shield, I will show you how a true samurai wields a katana" Ragnar stated to the young man "Parrying is not limited to a shield Steigir, that blade you wield requires skill" Ragnar hinted to the young man as he sent a new opponent at his shadow. And Steigir readied himself for another bout.

Ornald

The docks of Hardhome had never been more packed than they were the morning the men prepared to set sail. It seemed the whole town had come to see them off. While no one would question Ragnar they also knew that sailing was inherently dangerous without even considering pirates or the fact that the men of Hardhome were not experienced sailors. This first voyage would determine if Hardhome's future truly lay with the seas.

Ornald stood next to Ragnar as the men boarded the ships. The two longships and single cog were all boarded before long, with 50 sailors manning each. 'The Cog dwarfed the longboats but that was why Ragnar had used it for lumber transport' Ornald reasoned. The ships all shared the same flag tied to their mast. A white weirwood with red leaves on a blue field. Ornald had noticed that Haval had used the same blue as the cloth that trailed behind Ragnar's armour. It was quite a sight for Ornald.

But they were not Hardhome's only fighting force. While Ragnar would take most of the men and some spearwives with him to Braavos, Ornald would have most of the spearwives and the Watchmen to defend the town. Ornald had no doubt they would be up to the task. Ragnar had personally trained the Watchmen, and Ragnar would not accept weaklings. Ornald had not been too worried about attacks from other free folk. The Haunted Forrest had been quiet as of late. It seemed with Hardhome rebuilt most of the free folk in the forest had moved to the town. No, what unsettled Ornald was the fact that they had not sighted any Crows since Hardhome had been rebuilt.

'We have been in Hardhome for over a year. Why haven't they yet come for us?' Ornald wondered 'Are they truly ignorant of Hardhome or do they not have the numbers to attack a walled settlement' The former Chief thought to himself as he watched as his leader was the last to board the cog. 'It doesn't matter' Ornald decided eventually 'I will ensure Hardhome remains safe till Ragnar returns'

Hardhome meant everything to the man. When he had followed Ragnar he had done so out of duty to the man that had spared him as well as to apease his gods. This had changed when they managed to build Hardhome. While it was Ragnar's idea, Ornald had helped build it. It was he who directed and helped with the building of the walls. It was Ornald who had welcomed tribe after tribe into their settlement and it was Ornald who had to make sure each settler had a home and food since Ragnar stated that no soul within Hardhome would ever know hunger. He was getting older and Hardhome felt like his mark on the world. His woman and their only child had been taken by a chill two winters back. The boy had not even gotten to be named yet. The man had never wanted another family after that. All that mattered was the tribe. But Ragnar was leading them now and Ornald needed something to leave behind when the Gods came for him. He was brought back to the talk he had with Ragnar that morning.

"You wish for the gates to remain open in your absence?" Ornald asked his leader confused.

"Yes Ornald, if they abide by the laws of Hardhome and take part in guest right at the gate, all free folk are welcome. Those that don't will find a Watchmen's arrow in his throat" Ragnar stated to the man.

Realization struck Ornald at that moment.

"You wish to become King Beyond the Wall" He whispered his thought out loud before he could stop himself.

"Aye" Ragnar replied in an infuriatingly casual tone.

"It won't work. The free folk won't just move to Hardhome because you have walls. The Thenns have walls. You don't see the rest following them." The former Chieftain had almost screamed at his leader. "And should you manage to become king, every King Beyond the Wall has only brought the free folk to ruin" The man had said this in a more pleading tone to his Chieftain. He did not wish to see his new home in ruin.

"Aye, you are correct. The walls of Hardhome won't unite the free folk under me, but it will bring enough of them. The desperate ones, the ones willing to put away their pride and build a better home. The rest will be brought to heel by the Army of Hardhome and their King. Once they see what Hardhome represents they will start banding together in fear. Making it an easier and quicker quest than fighting every single war band in the north. Uniting our people is a task approved by the Gods. It is a task I will complete by any means." The redhead replied to his second in command within his private Solar. "And to your point about the previous kings, they were fools." He stated.

"They only cared about raiding the south, they never cared about the free folk. They only cared to make a song for their children, a song of glory and violence. But they would not leave them a legacy. They would rather take than build. Not even old Hardhome before its own destruction had been built by a King Beyond the Wall." The man said, as he condemned the previous kings.

"They were fools Ornald. Fools that led even bigger fools. Do you believe me to be a fool?" Ragnar had asked his second.

Ornald would call Ragnar many things including dangerously ambitious, but fool was not a word he would associate with Ragnar. And he had a point. The kings of old had not left anything behind of note. Just a legacy of ruin. Beal the Bard was slain by his own son. That king had managed to steal a Stark bride, but he paid dearly for it. He could not fight the Stark lord that had come to take his head, lest he be named kinslayer. The southern lord had no such fear and slew his own father when Bael refused to fight. Raymun Redbeard had managed to unite the free folk with strength and wit only to fall to southern blades. His last legacy was the bloodline of his brother, a known craven. The old kings were a sorry lot, in Ornald's opinion. Ragnar had built Hardhome which made him better than the previous kings by that fact alone to Ornald. And while Ragnar valued strength, he did not antagonize the other tribes with raids. If anyone could unite the free folk for more than one generation then it would be Ragnar Redmane.

"No Ragnar, I do not believe you to be a fool" Ornald replies to Ragnar. "I simply do not wish to see our people be devastated. This is why I am cautious, but I will put my belief and faith in you Ragnar. Do not disappoint me"

"You won't be Ornald. Hardhome will never fall while I have air in my lungs and blood in my veins" The giant stated.

"I Shall return with our men. With food and drink. With gold and knowledge. Hardhome will see greater fortune than you could have ever even imagined Ornald, and within our own lifetime no less." Ragnar stated with conviction as he looked his lieutenant in the eye. "We will be Great" And Ornald believed Ragnar.

The horns blew on the dock as the ships sailed away. The Watchmen were saying farewell to their leader. It was this echoing sound that brought Ornald out of his thoughts as he turned away from the sea and made his way back to the Great Hall.