"Inside this keep, everything you see is mine. Women, livestock, pig shit, the very dirt, it's all mine, and you don't get to lay one finger on anything that's mine without my say-so," Craster declared in a firm tone.
His eyes bore into Gale and Edd, emphasizing the importance of his words. "You steer clear of my wives, and keep your nose where it belongs, and we'll get along just fine, you hear me?" he demanded.
"Loud and clear," Gale affirmed without argument, while Edd responded with a simple nod.
"Good. Now get out of my sight," Craster dismissed them with a wave, his gaze finally moving away from the two men.
Gale and Edd exchanged bemused glances as they turned and made their way into the log hall. As they traversed the space, they observed Craster's wives busily attending to various chores.
Craster's warning was still fresh in their minds, and they took care to avoid any interaction with the women, ensuring they kept a safe distance. Edd couldn't help but let his gaze linger on one of the more attractive girls for a brief moment before quickly redirecting his attention, bearing Craster's explicit instructions in mind.
Once inside the log hall, Edd and Gale were greeted by the warm, comforting glow of a central bonfire that cast flickering shadows against the wooden walls.
The room was cozy but simple, with a rustic charm that reflected the harsh life beyond the Wall. They spotted Benjen, who was sitting on a log, hunched close to the fire, savoring a meal of plain bread and dried meat.
Benjen gestured for them to join him, and they readily complied, each retrieving their own rations.
Edd, his face still bearing a trace of bewilderment, couldn't hold back his commentary. As he bit into a piece of bread, he voiced his thoughts. "I don't know where a slimy geezer like Craster gets off having eight wives..." He mumbled.
"Some of them are actually good-looking to boot," he added, his eyes flitting towards a few of the women bustling about the hall.
Benjen couldn't help but chuckle at Edd's discomfort. "The man's got land, livestock, a roof, and a warm fire—all the luxuries of a wildling prince charming, you could say."
Edd's expression soured further. "I don't know about you two, but no amount of pigs would convince me to marry the old creeper were I a woman..." he grumbled, unable to conceal his disgust at the thought of being Craster's wife.
As they enjoyed their simple meal by the bonfire, Gale spoke up, his voice calm but matter-of-fact. He took a bite of dried meat, the tough fibers giving way to his strong jaws.
"Well, I don't think these women got the luxury of choosing," Gale remarked, gnawing on the meat. "Doubt Craster gave them any say in it," he added, forcefully biting off a piece with a distinct crunch.
Edd's brows furrowed in response to Gale's cryptic remark. "What do you mean?" he asked, a clear note of confusion in his voice.
Gale, his expression seemingly unfazed, continued to chew before explaining, "If you'll look closely, you'll see these women all have the same distinctive features: a drooping mouth, a flat nose, and blue eyes."
Edd's eyes widened with realization. "You... you don't mean?" he began, but his voice trailed off as he struggled to vocalize the unsettling conclusion he had arrived at.
"That's right," Gale affirmed, shaking his head with a grimace. "That slimy old bastard is fucking his own daughters."
Edd, still processing the disturbing revelation, turned to Benjen with a desperate look in his eyes. "That... that can't be," he stammered. "It can't be, right?" He implored, searching for reassurance in the eyes of the first ranger.
Benjen, with a heavy sigh, confirmed, "Afraid it is." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I just didn't think you'd figure it out so quickly," casting a meaningful look toward Gale, who remained nonchalant.
Edd's frustration and concern were evident as he turned to Gale, his voice laced with urgency. "That's not right! We have to do something about it!" he insisted, his eyes darting between Gale and Benjen, seeking their support.
Gale couldn't resist a smirk, taunting Edd with a playful tone. "So you're sympathizing with wildlings now?" he jestingly questioned. "This is completely different, and you know it," Edd retorted, eager to emphasize the distinction.
"That wildling bitch came for our blood, but-" However, he stopped mid-sentence as Craster entered the hall, prompting a stern glance from Benjen that silenced him.
Craster, eyeing the trio suspiciously, settled into his seat and took a casual sip from the bottle that Benjen had offered as a bribe. He leaned forward, curiosity in his eyes.
"And what's going on here?" he inquired, his gaze shifting from one man to another. "Something you'd like to share, maybe?" he added, a sly smile playing on his lips.
Benjen, maintaining his composure, gave Craster a pointed stare and replied, "Nothing for you to concern yourself with."
Craster's amusement faded into a sneer as he continued to study them, especially Edd, who was the most visibly uneasy. "Well, it better stay that way," he warned, his tone heavy with insinuation.
Benjen chose not to engage further, turning his attention away from Craster, which seemed to irk him. The old wildling's dissatisfaction was palpable, and he tried to regain control of the conversation.
"Still... you crows sure have let go of any and all standards it seems," he commented, turning to Gale with an amused glint in his eyes. "Why, this one looks prettier than half my daughters," he said, chuckling mockingly.
Gale met Craster's jest with a deadpan response. "And you look uglier than half the animals in your pigsty," he retorted, unapologetically, earning a wince from Benjen and an involuntary chuckle from Edd.
Craster was taken aback by the retort, momentarily silenced. He started to laugh, seemingly in good humor. "A funny man, are you?" he mused, continuing to chuckle as he stood up and took another sip from the bottle.
Then, abruptly, his expression shifted from amusement to furious anger. With a sudden outburst, he hurled the bottle to the ground, where it shattered into pieces. "Think you can laugh at my expense?! Under my own roof?!"
The tension in the room hung thick as the threat of violence loomed in the air. Benjen, struggling to maintain his composure, could feel a headache coming on, and he barely resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. Edd's hand inched closer to the hilt of his sword, prepared to defend himself and his companions if necessary.
Gale, the source of the conflict, remained remarkably cool and collected. With a placating tone, he addressed Craster, raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "It's a jest, friend," Gale reassured. "There's no need to get heated. If my words have offended you, then I do apologize for that."
Craster seethed with barely contained rage, clearly unappeased by the apology. "You think apologizing is enough? After insulting me in my own home?" he spat, his voice tinged with fury. "I ought to get my axe and cut you where you stand!" He menacingly threatened.
Benjen, not willing to let the situation escalate further, swiftly stood up, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His tone was a clear warning as he intervened, "Let it go, Craster. The young man already apologized, and you were the one to start it."
Craster's gaze shifted back and forth between Benjen's face and the hand hovering near the sword. Finally, with a frustrated grunt, he relented and slowly sat back down. "Our agreement is mutually beneficial," he grumbled, "but there are limits to my generosity, crow."
With one final warning, Craster turned his anger toward Gale. "Let this be the last time something like this happens, or you'll be sleeping in the cold."
"Of course, you're a valuable ally to the Night's Watch," Benjen affirmed with a nod. The tension in the room began to dissipate, and he removed his hand from the hilt of his sword.
"We are guests here, and so long as we remain under our Craster's roof, you two will treat him with the utmost respect," Benjen instructed, turning his gaze first to Gale and then to Edd.
His voice was stern as he emphasized his point. "Do I make myself clear?"
Gale, maintaining his composed demeanor, responded with a nonchalant shrug. "Clear as ice."
Late at night, after Craster and his wives had gone to bed, Benjen approached Gale, seeking an explanation. "Mind explaining what that was about?" Benjen inquired, crossing his arms and eyeing Gale with a bemused expression.
Edd couldn't help but smirk at those words. "Now that's something I'd like to hear. First, you act like you don't give a damn, then you suddenly pick a fight with Craster..." He interjected, clearly eager for the explanation.
Gale responded with a blank look. "I'm shy to compliments. Craster gave me a pretty big one," he deadpanned, leaving Benjen momentarily speechless at the unabashed reply.
"It's not that I don't sympathize with Craster's daughters, but..." Gale continued, turning to Edd, who furrowed his brow in confusion. "Killing Craster would have been a mistake. He's likely been the difference between life and death for many rangers..."
Benjen nodded in affirmation at Gale's explanation. "Gale's right. Craster may be a despicable man, but he serves a purpose. We can't afford to stir up trouble when we're so far north and deep in wildling territory."
Edd chimed in, "Surely we can't let Craster get away with this?" He asked with a troubled expression.
"Well, it's not like there's nothing we can do," Gale said with a smile, his eyes flickering with mischief.
"We can always have Craster killed and get someone from the Watch to take his place... someone to disguise himself as Craster's long-lost son, come to inherit his old man's land," he added, a sly chuckle escaping his lips.
Edd's eyes widened at the audacious suggestion, his thoughts racing.
Gale continued, a touch of gravity entering his voice, "But then again, the situation wouldn't necessarily change for his wives... a great majority of the Watch were once rapists, murderers, thieves, you name it." He shook his head, the weight of the reality settling in. Edd's frown deepened, his moral compass struggling with the dilemma.
"At least the women would be free to leave that way," Edd said, his voice laced with empathy for their plight.
Gale sighed, his eyes heavy with the knowledge of the harsh world beyond. "Would they, though? Assuming the ranger posted here would be honorable enough to let eight young women leave, where would they even go?" He added, a sense of helplessness in his tone.
"They'd be devoured by wolves, claimed by some other wretched wildling, or worse..." He concluded, painting a grim picture of the women's potential fate.
"So we're supposed to sit on our asses and do nothing?" Edd asked, his reluctance evident. He was not one to stay passive in the face of such injustice.
Gale, ever the pragmatist, sighed and responded, "Sometimes it's better to do nothing. Killing Craster is a lose-lose situation for everyone involved." He leaned against a wall, his demeanor pensive.
"So long as the wildling threat persists, so long as the Night's Watch needs to patrol and scout the lands beyond the Wall, Craster remains a valuable asset—too valuable to lose, in fact." His gaze fixed on the ground as he spoke. "But his day would come, sooner or later," he concluded, a touch of grim determination in his voice.
Edd absorbed those words, the reality weighing heavily on his conscience. He was known for his pessimistic views on life, but the world always had a way of outdoing even his darkest imaginings.
To find someone capable of seeing and accepting an even darker truth even he was not comfortable with was disconcerting. In the hushed silence that followed, Benjen had nothing to add, seemingly in agreement with Gale.
However, their silence was soon broken by an unexpected voice.
"Well said, lad. Men like Craster are necessary so long as they serve a purpose. But they eventually outlive their usefulness..." a man emerged from the shadows, his approach stealthy.
He wore the garb of the Night's Watch. "I assumed we'd be traveling with heavy baggage, but maybe that's not the case," he remarked with an amused smile as he cast a curious glance at Benjen.
"Two balls of glum and doom, these two," Benjen replied with a smile, his gaze shifting between Edd and Gale. "But they can take care of themselves," he added, shaking his head in amusement.
"In any case, it's good to see you, Qhorin. You're earlier than expected," Benjen continued as he turned his attention to the newcomer.
"So I see," Qhorin said. He introduced himself, saying, "Name's Qhorin. Though most people call me the Halfhand." He raised his right hand, which had most of its fingers missing, and added with a smirk, "For obvious reasons."
Gale then introduced himself and Edd, saying, "Gale, and this is Eddison Tollet. Affectionately called the 'Otheless Freeloader' and 'Dolorous Edd,' respectively."
Qhorin chuckled and commented, "That's the Night's Watch for ya—the Wall tends to gather all manner of oddballs, each with their own story."
Sitting down next to Benjen, Qhorin got straight to the point. "Talk to me, Ben... what am I doing here?" he asked, his gaze locked onto the First Ranger.
"Winter is coming, and the wildlings might be rallying under one banner," Benjen explained. "You know these lands better than any ranger. You know Mance better than anyone," he added, emphasizing the significance of the Halfhand's knowledge.
"Aye, that I do," Qhorin replied with a sigh. "If the wildlings are rallying under one man, it has to be Mance indeed—granted that he's still breathing, and I'd wager he is," he added, his voice carrying a hint of concern.
"But that's not all, is it?" Qhorin questioned, his eyes briefly shifting towards Gale and Edd before returning to Benjen. He could sense that there was more to their mission.
If finding Mance Rayder, the most likely man to be the King Beyond the Wall, and possibly eliminating him was the sole objective, then Benjen would have chosen the most experienced rangers for this journey, not two younger men.
Benjen nodded in agreement. "Aye, we have a secondary objective, but it's not our priority," he confirmed as he glanced at Gale. "I'm at liberty to share the finer details, but you'll learn everything eventually." He added, emphasizing that there were some details he couldn't disclose due to Lord Commander's orders.
"I can live with that," Qhorin replied, not pressing Benjen for further information. "In any case, it's late, and we ought to get some rest," he suggested. "We have a long trip ahead of us."
With that, the group settled down to get some much-needed rest, knowing that they were bound for a challenging and uncertain journey beyond the Wall.
...
As Gale's heavy eyelids closed, and the dream realm took him, he found himself in a strange place that felt eerily familiar. Gagged and bound to a large rock, he could only watch helplessly, grunting in frustration, as he observed a group of humanoid creatures with pale gray skin and large, expressive eyes that shone a shade of lime green.
These creatures sat in a circle, whispering among themselves in a strange language that was entirely foreign to Gale's ears.
Suddenly, one of them rose from the circle, her height rivaling that of a human child, and started walking toward Gale, a black, jagged dagger gripped firmly in her hand.
She continued to speak in the incomprehensible language, her voice growing louder as she drew closer. As she finally reached Gale, she ceased her whispering and raised the dagger, its pointed tip hovering above Gale's chest.
She placed the palm of her other hand on the dagger and slowly began to press it into Gale's chest.
Unimaginable pain coursed through Gale's body, but he could only watch in sheer horror, utterly powerless to resist as the dagger relentlessly plunged deeper and deeper into his chest.
Fortunately, Gale's suffering did not last long. An arrow suddenly struck the creature in her small shoulder, forcing her to release her grip on the dagger before it could plunge further into Gale's chest. The creature's wide lime-green eyes widened in surprise as she turned around, discovering a man dressed in black armor with a bow in hand.
Behind him, a sizable group of similarly clad men emerged from the green landscape.
Startled by the sudden appearance of these black-clad men, the creature let out a high-pitched shriek, and her companions swiftly rose from their seated positions, rushing to her side. With one last uneasy look at Gale, the creature turned and fled. The men in dark armor chased after the strange beings, determined to give chase.
As the commotion unfolded, the man who had shot the arrow approached Gale. He began speaking in an incomprehensible language, gazing down at the wounded man. Gale, weakened and his voice growing faint, could only respond with grunts, struggling to convey his distress.
The black-clad man seemed to realize something, reaching toward the dagger still partially embedded in Gale's chest. However, before his fingers could make contact, a chilling wave of blizzard erupted from within Gale's body.
It swept over the area, sending the man flying and transforming everything it touched into an icy, frozen tableau.
Waking up with a loud gasp, Gale reached for his chest, his hands instinctively searching for a wound that wasn't there. His heart pounded rapidly, and he took sharp, frantic breaths as he tried to orient himself.
His wide eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings, which were now encased in ice. Whatever had happened seemed to have jolted the others awake as well.
Edd and Qhorin were both on their feet, their hands gripping their swords as they stared at Gale with alarm. On the other hand, Benjen, who was more familiar with Gale's situation, could only sigh and run a hand over his forehead, watching the scene unfold with a mixture of exasperation and understanding.
"You gave us quite the scare, lad. What happened?" Benjen inquired, his tone a blend of concern and reproach.
Gale parroted Benjen's words with a dry chuckle, casting a brief glance at Qhorin and Edd, who seemed ready to cut him down at any moment. "Yes, quite the scare, indeed," he muttered, his voice shaky as he continued.
"I saw a bad dream... or maybe a memory. I'm not sure." He shivered, his distress palpable as he felt the weight of an intense, piercing gaze on his back.
Turning around, he saw a raven perched nearby, its obsidian eyes locked onto him. The raven let out a cry, its harsh caw echoing in the frozen landscape before it flapped its wings and departed into the dark expanse of the night.
Annoyed by the cryptic conversation between Gale and Benjen, Qhorin finally chimed in. "What the hell is going on here, Benjen?" He questioned, his patience wearing thin. "I was told I'd be traveling with rangers, not bloody White Walkers!" He added, his eyes locked onto Gale's pale blue, eerily glowing eyes.
Gale's gaze met Qhorin's, and he couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious under the scrutiny. "Gale's no White Walker, Qhorin. At least, I don't think he is," Benjen replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty. He shook his head. "If he was one... well, he's nothing like the White Walkers in our records..."
Edd couldn't resist adding his own touch of sarcasm. "Is that supposed to be reassuring?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Benjen, who seemed unfazed by his remark.
Qhorin's grip on his sword began to loosen as he absorbed the first ranger's words and noticed his calm, unsurprised demeanor. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with our so-called secondary objective, would it?" he inquired, his voice laced with suspicion.
Benjen nodded with a solemn expression. "More or less. I'd hoped you wouldn't find out about Gale's unique circumstances, at least not before we learned more about the wildlings' plans, but nothing seems to go as planned when he's involved." Benjen cast a complicated look at Gale, a mix of concern and annoyance in his eyes.
"In any case... Gale is not a threat," Benjen firmly stated, trying to alleviate the tension. "Put away those swords and make yourselves comfortable. It's a long story," he added as he headed over to the bonfire, picked up a piece of wood, and tossed it into the wavering flames, causing them to crackle and send sparks dancing into the night.
Qhorin sighed with an air of exasperation at those words but followed Benjen, sheathing his sword as he went. Edd, still apprehensive, hesitated for a moment before also lowering his sword and joining the two senior rangers. He did not, however, sheath his blade.
Gale, maintaining a respectful distance between himself and the others, quickly gathered his bearings and joined them. He was acutely aware that Edd and Qhorin might be wary of him.
Benjen began his explanation, addressing the elephant in the room. "You both know about the unending reports of Wights and White Walkers we've received for a while now," he began. Qhorin and Edd both nodded.
"Well," Benjen continued, "I was on an expedition to look into it when I found Gale... his eyes glowing blue and wrestling a bear on the snow with some strange magic, far north of the Haunted Forest."
Benjen delved into great detail, providing a comprehensive account of his reasoning for trusting Gale instead of resorting to violence and the extraordinary events that had transpired since he'd encountered Gale north of the Haunted Forest.
He recounted the wildling scout encounter, the fierce battle against the Thenn raiding party, and the subsequent outbreak of Gale's unique powers.
"Going out to find Wights and discovering Gale instead... it didn't feel like a coincidence," Benjen stated. "So, I took him to the Lord Commander."
As he spoke, Gale nodded in agreement.
"The Lord Commander generously decided to spare my life, but no one knew what to do next..." Gale commented. "Luckily, Maester Aemon was there to lend us his wisdom. He and I spent countless hours combing through the library, searching for anything that might explain my condition," he added.
"After months of sifting through tall tales and substanceless gibberish, we stumbled upon a rather peculiar book: 'How I Became a Wildling: A Maester's Guide to Savage Lore.'" Gale couldn't help but roll his eyes at the absurd name.
"The hell kind of name is that?" Edd asked, his face contorted with bemusement.
Gale smiled at Edd's reaction. "It's the kind only a madman could come up with," he replied. "The author of the book, one aptly named Maester Oddric, disguised himself as a wildling and lived among them for over ten years to learn everything possible about their culture before writing it."
Qhorin couldn't help but smile strangely, his skepticism evident as he shot a look at Benjen, half expecting this to be an elaborate prank. Benjen shook his head, his expression grave. "I've wished this were mere foolery since I first heard of it, but I've seen the book myself. It's a troubling reality," he admitted with a heavy sigh.
"Ha! And here I thought nothing could surprise me anymore..." Qhorin mused, a chuckle escaping his lips. He turned his attention back to Gale. "So, what did this Maester Oddric have to say?" he asked, clearly intrigued.
Gale sighed and began to recount their findings. "We didn't find anything in the wildling tales and legends that matched my condition. However, there was an old wildling legend, something about a Greenseer called the Three-Eyed Raven, who supposedly knew anything and everything there was to know..."
Qhorin's face contorted with disbelief. "Don't tell me... we're here to search for this so-called seer, aren't we?" he grumbled, anticipating a challenging journey ahead.
The room fell silent, the weight of their purpose hanging in the air. "This is ridiculous..." Qhorin muttered, his frustration apparent. He couldn't fathom the idea of seeking a mythical, omnipotent being they knew next to nothing about.
Benjen responded with a simple, "So is the very notion of magic, yet here we are." His gaze turned to the icy enclosure where Gale had been sleeping, a reminder of the enigma they were now entangled with.
"You know better than anyone, Benjen, about my loyalty to the Night's Watch... I've always followed the Lord Commander's orders without hesitation, but this..." Qhorin began, his voice trailing off at the end of his sentence. His frown reflected his skepticism.
"This sounds like a wild goose chase. We don't even know where to start looking..." he added, his reluctance to embark on such a quest evident. He didn't want to waste valuable time on what seemed like a futile endeavor when he could be contributing elsewhere.
Gale stepped in to provide some reassurance. "That's why Benjen said it's only a secondary objective. Our main goal is to gather more information about the wildlings and their plans..." Gale said calmly.
"But we're not completely clueless... the dream I saw might be our way of finding this Three-Eyed Raven..." He explained, hoping to alleviate Qhorin's concerns.
Qhorin paused, appearing to mull over Gale's words. "Fine. I'll lend you an ear, at least, lad," he finally conceded after a brief silence. "Tell me what it is that you saw..." He added, his eyes locked on Gale, clearly curious and willing to entertain the idea.
Gale began to recount his dream. "I think I saw how I was created... how I came to possess this power, but that's not all..." he said and proceeded to describe the dream in detail.
He also added a fabricated element, mentioning a massive, ancient weirwood tree with a face carved into it as it was his only clue to the Three-Eyed Raven's cave.
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