The North's White Wolf

by RedKnight21

Before his death, Brandon Stark had a legitimate son, Nathan Stark, and heir to the North. After being saved by Ned Stark, Nathan strives to make the North strong so no one would see the North as the weakest realm in Westeros. Watch as Nathan raises the North to a new power never before seen in the North. (Rated: M for Language/Lemon)

6. Chapter 6

The North's White Wolf

Chapter 6

---

Third Person P.O.V

"Amazing as always Tobin," Nathan said as he tightened the gauntlet around his arm. "It fits perfectly... but it's a little tight around my cock." Nathan said with a wince as he shifted his hips.

"You said you wanted extra protection there," Tobin said as he strapped Nathan's armor from behind.

Nathan currently stood in a modest tent in his Black Wolf Armor while Tobin helped him strap everything on as Yin held onto his black fur cloak.

"I am still against this Lord Stark," Yin said with a small sigh as Tobin handed Nathan his helmet.

"You worry too much Yin," Nathan said as he grinned at the Yi-Ti girl and strapped his helmet on, completely hiding his face. "The worst injury anyone has gained today was a broken arm and collar. Nothing that can't be fixed with some rest, and seeing as I am one of the best young swordsmen in New Castle, I feel quite confident." Nathan said in a playfully cocky tone, his voice muffled by the helmet that left him unrecognizable. "Everything is going according to plan."

Nathan's plan was simple but brilliant.

When Nathan heard of the tourney that Lord Manderly would be hosting, he wanted to enter the Melee and show the Northern nobles his skill with a blade. Yet Lord Manderly had forbidden Nathan from entering for fear of him injuring himself, even Ned had sent a letter agreeing with Lord Manderly and told Nathan not to enter the Melee or Jousting. Nathan could have forced Lord Manderly to allow him to enter, using his status to enter. Yet Nathan had too much respect for Lord Manderly and his uncle to do such a thing. So Nathan would not enter the tourney as he knew Lord Manderly and Ned feared for his safety.

However, it wasn't long before Nathan was struck with an idea. If Lord Manderly and Ned feared for Nathan Stark's safety, then Nathan would not enter, but The Laughing Wolf would.

Nathan had read about many tales of Masked Knights or Mystery Knights. These warriors hid their identities behind their helmets as they entered tourneys, only identifying themselves through lofty titles. Most Masked Knights were simply nobles or knights looking to create some entertainment in tourneys, or some fame once their identities were revealed. However, a good number of Mystery Knights were able to leave their marks in history. Some of these Masked Knights included The Knight of Tears, Ser Blackshield, The Gallows Knight, The Serpent in Scarlet, Silver Fool, and The Knight of the Laughing Tree.

With a plan in motion, Nathan had Tobin forge a unique set of armor and a helmet that looked like a wolf.

"And you worry too little," Yin said, narrowing her eyes. "I have heard many nobles and knights have gained injuries that have left them lame or killed. You are talented Lord Stark, but you lack the experience that these men have."

This is why he liked having Yin as his advisor, as she wasn't afraid to tell Nathan her mind. Nathan had often heard of nobles who surrounded themselves with 'Yes-Men' who only agreed with everything they said, even if the plan was doomed to fail. Yin was one of the rare souls who would speak her mind, but not be too stubborn to change it if met with a strong argument, making her an ideal advisor and trader.

"You can only say you've truly lived if you have done a few foolish things in your life," Nathan said in a confident tone as Yin sighed and handed the young Stark his cloak. "I know this is foolish Yin, Tobin, but it's also going to be fun," Nathan said as he threw his cloak over his shoulder. "I promise I will be careful."

Yin and Tobin gave a reluctant sigh as Tobin handed Nathan his Longsword and ironwood shield, the crude drawing of the Laughing Wolf being easily visible.

"So, how do I look?" Nathan asked with a cheeky grin as he stood before them.

Yin gave a small smile as she nodded. "You are sure to leave a lasting impression," Yin said as Tobin nodded, proud of his work.

"The armor isn't heavily plated, as it's padded by leather and chainmail underneath," Tobin explained as Nathan started to move around in his armor. "You won't be stabbed, but if someone is wielding an axe or greatsword, you'll feel the force." The young blacksmith warned.

"Good," Nathan said as he swung his arms around. "So, who will the Laughing Wolf be facing?"

Yin pulled out a paper from her pocket and looked over it. "After the match between the Dustin and Flint knights, you will come up next and face a Ser Walder Frey."

Nathan's jaw dropped before he threw his head back while giving a booming laugh, making Tobin and Yin jump. "Oh, the Old gods are smiling on me today," Nathan said with glee as he tightened his hand around his shield, getting a confused look from Tobin but an understanding nod from Yin.

Suddenly the sound of a horn going off and a crowd cheering from the distance was heard, making Nathan grin.

"It looks like it's time for the Laughing Wolf to shine," Nathan said with a playful growl as he looked at Tobin and Yin, who still looked at Nathan with worry. "Wish me luck," Nathan said before leaving the tent.

---

On the tourney grounds, young Walder Frey stood with confidence around him as the crowd cheered for him.

As soon as he entered he declared he would defeat whoever the Laughing Wolf was and reveal who was beneath the helmet, getting applause from the crowd.

"It's most likely some present or lowborn noble who thinks they can make a name for himself." Ser Walder thought with a sneer as he started to tap the ground with his armored food. "I'll unmask this Laughing Wolf, and show the Starks and nobles of this frozen wasteland what the might of House Frey can do."

Ser Walder still hated the fact he had to run away from a boy who was barely a man. He would have challenged the boy if he was a normal noble and humbled him to his betters, however, Lord Frey expressed wanting to betroth a member of House Frey to House Stark and wanted all the Frey's to be on their best behavior.

"Yet the Starks have the nerve to reject the Freys," Ser Walder thought while grinding his teeth, feeling insulted. "The Freys are the strongest house in the Riverlands, we have ties to many Noble houses, and with House Lannister who has a Lannister that sits as Queen beside the King. The Starks should be begging us for one of our women." The thought as he tightened his hand around his sword. "I'll show these Northern savages the might of a Knight from House Frey."

Ser Walder continued to wait impatiently for his opponent, yet none had shown up.

"Where is my opponent?" Ser Walder called out, grabbing everyone's attention. "Did the Laughing Wolf run away in fear of facing a Knight of House Frey-"

"Who the fuck ran away!"

The knight from the south was cut off as the Laughing Wolf came strutting in, an air of confidence in every step he took.

"Do you think I would run away Frey boy," The Laughing Wolf said as he walked to the center of the grounds, facing off against the Frey. "I was just polishing my armor and sword. Have to get it nice and clean before it's covered in your blood and piss."

Ser Walder's face became angry at the Laughing Wolf's words. "Is that all you can do, polish your sword but not use it."

"No, no, I have your mum polish my sword for me," The Laughing Wolf said with a laugh, getting laughs in the crowd as Ser Walder's jaw dropped before he turned red with anger. "Now are we going to swing our swords and see who's better, or are you just going to keep talking about my sword? I know it's impressive and you've never seen a real sword before, especially one this big, but please focus on the fight."

The crowd continues to laugh at the Laughing Wolf's banter, the Northern laughing the most such as Lord Umbra pounding the seat next to him hard enough to break the wood.

Up in the observation box Lord Manderly was giving a booming laugh, while Ned had a shocked look on his face but couldn't stop the twitch of his lip.

Robb and Jon were giggling hard, they had fought and trained in the training yards with men who were not above such banter. They knew what 'sword' the Laughing Wolf was referring to.

Sansa and Arya looked confused at the Laughing Wolf's words. They could tell there was a joke as everyone laughed, but they did not get it.

Finally, Arya had enough. "Why is everyone laughing every time the Laughing Wolf talks about his 'sword'?"

Ned looked to have drunk Sweetfire straight from the distiller at Arya's words. Robb and Jon also looked shocked but could only giggle at Arya's naivety. Ned was about to explain but was quickly cut off.

"He's talking about his penis," Wylla explained, getting shocked looks from everyone in the booth. "Men always compare their swords to their penis, seeing it as a weapon."

Sansa's face turned bright red and she looked ready to faint. Robb and Jon looked at Wylla with pure shock before they burst out laughing, nearly falling out of their chair. Wynafryd shook her head at her sister's blunt response but looked very amused. Lord Manderly throws his head back with a booming laugh, loving the response his granddaughter had. Ned looked to have sucked a lemon as he groaned and rubbed his face, not wanting to have a talk about that with his daughters.

"Oh~," Arya said, finally understanding the joke everyone was laughing at. "...But that's stupid."

"Men can be stupid, that's why everyone laughs," Wylla said with a shrug while Lord Manderly laughed harder.

In the crowd, Tobin and Yin sat together and watched the banter between Young Lord Stark and the Frey Knight, both having different reactions.

Tobin was shocked by the words coming out of Lord Nathan's mouth. Whenever they had met Nathan Stark always held himself with the dignity of a Northern Lord, if a bit whimsical at times. Yet to hear the future Lord of House Stark talking in such a way was truly shocking.

Yin however was less shocked and only a little surprised. She had seen Nathan hold himself to the standards of a Northern Lord when meeting other nobles and conducting business. Yet Yin had also caught a glimpse of Nathan's more playful side, such as when he starts to sing in taverns and buys everyone beer and wine when he's good and drunk, or when he laughs without a care and the dirty plays performed by murmurs. Yin could understand that being so courteous can be stressful, so relief was needed from time to time.

"I just hope Nathan doesn't offend a Noble House too much." Yin thought with a sigh as she was already thinking of sending gifts to quell any anger Nathan's little act may cause. The politics in Westeros weren't too different from that of Yi-Ti, only that the nobles in Westeros had more liberation when speaking, and depending on the insult it could last for a few years to generations. "Though given how much hate House Frey has, a minor appeasement may only be needed."

Back on the tourney ground, Ser Walder Frey was seething from the laughter in the tourney. He was supposed to show everyone his superior skills and have them stand in awe of a Knight from House Frey, instead, they were laughing at this fool's words.

Having enough Ser Wendel drew his longsword, throwing his sheath to the ground. "Draw your sword so I may cut you down!" Ser Wendle raged as he pointed the sword at the Laughing Wolf.

The Laughing Wolf gave a loud laugh while throwing his head back. "Silly Frey-Boy, you couldn't cut an apple with such a dull blade." The Laughing Wolf said before drawing his sword and throwing his shield. "But if it's a fight you want, I can give you one to remember."

Seeing both fighters were ready Lord Manderly quickly stuck his hand out. "Begin!"

As soon as the words were spoken Ser Wendel charged with a roar. The Laughing Wolf stood still as the Frey charged at him, once he got close Ser Wendel slashed his sword to the side.

Behind the Laughing Wolf's mask, Nathan's eyes narrowed as he quickly jumped back, the sword just barely grazing his stomach.

This didn't stop the Frey knight as he continued to hack and slash with his sword, a furious look with every swing he took.

"He's not half bad," Nathan thought as he parried a strike from above with his sword. With the Frey off balance, Nathan drove his shoulder into the knight's chest, pushing him back before the knight gave a quick slash, forcing Nathan to step back. "He's older than me and a bit bigger. He's been trained... but not very well."

Ser Walder tried to swing his sword up but Nathan quickly blocked the strike. Nathan then jabbed his sword into the Walder's armored chest and got a cry of pain as the knight stumbled back. When Nathan was about to jab his sword again Ser Walder saw this and looked a step back, ready to block. Seeing this Nathan took a big step forward and swiped his sword to the side, aiming for Walder's exposed face.

"Ah!" Ser Walder screamed in pain as Nathan's dull sword managed to cut Walder's cheek, drawing blood. Ser Walder stumbled back and grabbed his face before looking at the blood on his hand with pure shock.

"First Blood!" Nathan shouted while throwing his arms out wide.

This got cheers from the crowd and even roars from the Northern men. The members of House Frey were trying to cheer on their knight but were drowned out by the larger number cheering.

Ser Walder looked at his hand with shock before an angry look crossed his face. "You will pay for that peasant," Ser Walder said as he tightened his grip around his sword and pointed it at the Laughing Wolf. "You will not leave here on your own feet, you will be dragged out when I am done with you!"

"Such an intimidating threat Frey-Boy," The Laughing Wolf said in an unimpressed tone as he playfully swung his sword with one hand. "Let's see if you can back it up!"

With a furious roar, Ser Walder charged at The Laughing Wolf with his sword high in the air before bringing it down hard. The Laughing Wolf sidestepped the strike and jabbed his sword into Ser Walder's side, yet to the Wolf's surprise Ser Walder took the blow and swung his sword up, forcing the Wolf to block the attack and stumble back from the force. Yet Ser Walder charged with a roar of anger as he relentlessly attacked with no breaks.

"He's mad," Nathan thought as he brought his sword down only for Ser Walder to block the attack before ramming his shoulder into Nathan's chest. Nathan managed to keep himself from being pushed back as he spun his body, yet even then Ser Walder was on him in a second. "He's mad... but I can use this." Nathan thought with a grin creeping onto his face.

"Such anger while fighting," The Laughing Wolf said in a mocking tone. "Yet you don't have the skill to back such anger!"

As the Frey lunged forward Nathan side-step the strike but kept his foot stuck out. Ser Walder tripped forward and stumbled for a good moment, but managed to stay on his feet before spinning around and attacking once again.

Nathan kept his eyes on Ser Walder's shoulders and feet for any tells, and what he saw made him grin.

Ser Walder raised his sword high in the air before beginning it down with all his strength. Instead of dodging or sidestepping the obvious attack, the Laughing Wolf did something different. Bringing his sword up and grabbing the blade with his gauntlet, The Laughing Wolf took the blow easily. Walder looked shocked by the action and started to pull back, but the Laughing Wolf had already pounced.

Twisting the blade, the Laughing Wolf slammed the hilt of his sword into Ser Walder's face, using all his strength to deliver the blow.

As soon as the hilt hit, blood exploded from Ser Walder's nose making him cry with pain as his vision turned white, the knight grabbed his face with one hand in hopes of stopping the bleeding. Ser Walder tried to retreat, yet the Laughing Wolf was not letting up.

While Ser Walder stumbled back and tried to swing his sword, however, the Laughing Wolf roared as he smacked his sword into Ser Walder's with all his strength. Ser Walder's sword came flying out of his hand, leaving him defenseless.

Before the Frey knight could move the Laughing Wolf held the tip of his sword to the knight's neck, making Ser Walder freeze up.

"Yield?" The Laughing Wolf asked with a playful tone. "Or do you want me to end the fight with my fist in your balls?"

Ser Walder glared at the Laughing Wolf while holding his bloody nose and if looks could kill, the Laughing Wolf would no longer be laughing. Yet without a sword, he could not fight.

Dropping his shoulders and bowing his head, Ser Walder submitted in defeat and the crowd roared and cheered.

"The winner of this match is The Laughing Wolf of the North!" The announcer called out as the Laughing Wolf sheathed his sword while Ser Walder stumbled away, leaving his word behind.

The Laughing Wolf turned to Lord Manderly and Ned Stark before giving a dramatic bow. "I hope the Lords of the North found the fight entertaining," The Laughing Wolf said before he walked out.

In the observation box, Lord Manderly looked very amused as the Laughing Wolf walked out of the tourney grounds. "The lad is good. The Frey Knight might not be very talented, but he is an experienced knight and seemed to be older than the Laughing Wolf." Lord Manderly said as he rubbed his fat chin. "What house do you think he's from, my gold is on House Flint of the Widow's Watch. They have some funny men there."

Ned was quiet for a long moment before turning his eyes to the crowd, as they narrowed. "I think I have a pretty good idea..." Ned with a small groan.

---

Nathan stood off to the side while watching the rest of the Melee continue, keeping a close eye on all his possible opponents. Most were knights and warriors from the North and they showed much more skill than the Frey knight.

Speaking of House Frey, after their knight had lost the fight in such a fashion, all the members of House Frey quickly left White Harbor as they had no reason to.

"Damn," Nathan muttered with a wince as he watched Smalljon swing his dull greatsword with enough force to send a man flying off his feet.

There were two fighters Nathan was keeping his eye on. Smalljon Umber and Kodlak Whitemane from Bear Island.

Smalljon Umber was a monstrous young man, a full head and a half taller than Nathan and packed full of muscles that could throw a man in armor easily. Smalljon was also very skilled and experienced, as House Umber was one of the few Northern Houses that dealt with Wildling raids regularly. Also given who Smalljon's father Greatjon was you had a young but deadly warrior.

Kodlak Whitemane was a completely different fighter. While he was taller and slightly bigger than Smalljon, Kodlak was old as he already fought in two wars in his lifetime, well past his prime. However, Nathan quickly saw that Kodlak was not to be underestimated as he easily defeated his opponent, a knight from House Karstark. While Kodlak wasn't as fast or strong as Smalljon, he was still strong enough to push back a much younger man, but most of all he was very skilled and very experienced. Kodlak was always out of his opponents' sword range, parrying nearly every attack skillfully before countering with a devastating blow. By the end of his match, Kodlak was barely breathing hard while his opponent was beyond exhausted, making it easy for the old man to win.

The Melee continued without any issue, with men winning and losing their fights. Nathan observed every fighter and was amazed by their level of skill, making the young Stark want to spar with every single one to test his skills.

Once the sun had reached its peak The Laughing Wolf stepped onto the grounds, facing a knight from House Dustin.

The Laughing Wolf bantered with the Dustin knight, though he did not insult the knight or House Dustin. The Dustin knight was still annoyed by the Laughing Wolf's words, yet managed to keep calm and fight hard, actually forcing the Laughing Wolf to go on the defensive.

The fight ended when the Laughing Wolf managed to get a clean hit on the knight's armored head. This stunned the knight and made the older man stagger before Nathan punched him, ending the fight.

With the second round coming to an end the third round took off swiftly.

Kodlak faced a knight from the Vale, from House Royce. The Vale knight was completely armored and wore a thick steel helmet, he wielded a well-made Ironwood shield with a short sword in his free hand.

The Royce knight proved his skills by using his shield and sword skills as he traded blows with Kodlak and kept the old sellsword on his toes. However, Nathan saw one of the biggest flaws when using a shield, it blocked your sight.

While the Royce Knight was hiding behind his shield from Kodlak's attacks trying to wait for an opening, Kodlak spun around the knight's body and managed to hit the knight in the back of the head with the guard of his sword, knocking him out with one blow.

"That old man is too swift on his feet than he has any right to be," Nathan snorted as Kodlak gave a bow before walking off the tourney grounds.

With Kodlak off the ground, Smalljon Umber came marching forward, House Umber and Greatjon being the loudest. The crowd cheered for the large young man, as Smalljon was favored to win the Melee as he was young, large, strong, and the son of Greatjon Umber.

"Come out here Laughing Wolf of the North! Face the might of House Umber!" Smalljon roared making the crowd cheer.

Nathan couldn't help but feel a grin cross his face as he tightened his helmet around his head before marching off.

---

Smalljon crossed his arms while waiting for the Laughing Wolf. The whole tourney Smalljon had been observing the Masked Knight as he knew he would face the warrior.

The Umber had no idea who the Laughing Wolf was, and he honestly didn't care. The Laughing Wolf was strong and would give Smalljon a good fight, but in the end, Smalljon was confident he could win.

"The Laughing Wolf is barely a man, and not as strong as me." Smalljon thought before his eyes narrowed. "Yet he is skilled and crafty, I can't let him take me by surprise."

Smalljon was brought out of his thoughts at boots stomping on the floor and turned to see the Laughing Wolf enter the grounds.

The Laughing Wolf kept walking forward until he was only a few feet away from Smalljon. The Laughing Wolf tilted his head up and let out a loud whistle.

"Damn, they sure grow you Umbers big," The Laughing Wolf said while scratching the back of his head. "What's the secret, lots of milk? Or did your ancestors fuck the giants?"

Smalljon couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh. "All day you have been making this melee entertaining, it's been quite fun watching you!" The large man said before his eyes turned fierce. "But it's come to an end, Funny Wolf," Smalljon said as he drew his sword.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The Laughing Wolf gave an obnoxious laugh as he also drew his sword and brought his shield up. "Sorry Smalljon Umber, but I have one more act to put on after beating you!"

Both warriors stood ready, waiting for Lord Manderly to start the duel. Smalljon felt his heart start to beat harder as he felt the excitement build inside him while Nathan tried to keep his heart steady.

Lord Manderly looked to both fighters before swiftly bringing his hand down. "Begin!"

Smalljon tried to lung forward but the Laughing Wolf acted first. Swinging his arm to the side the Laughing Wolf sent his his shield flying from his arm, straight at Smalljon.

The large man was caught off guard and threw himself to the side to dodge, but the shield still hit his shoulder. This gave the Laughing Wolf an opening to lunge forward with his sword.

Giving a roar Smalljon swung his greatsword up with one hand with enough force to nearly knock the Laughing Wolf's sword out of his hands. Smalljon stumbled but managed to stay on his feet as he brought his sword up, grinning at the Laughing Wolf.

"You're a crafty little bastard," Smalljon said before he charged forward and started to swing his sword, forcing the Laughing Wolf to go on the defensive. "But it won't be enough!"

Nathan gritted his teeth as he blocked every one of Smalljon's swings, each strike was felt through Nathan's sword and into his hands. The young Stark knew he couldn't be on the defensive for long or he would swiftly lose.

When Nathan saw Smalljon sweep his greatsword to the side, instead of blocking Nathan ducked under the sword, his body crouching low before he lunged forward.

Smalljon's eyes widen at the lung, however, instead of jumping back Smalljon jumped forward. "Can't swing your sword at this range-FUCK!"

With Smalljon so close the Laughing Wolf couldn't swing his sword as it was too long, however, Nathan had found other ways to attack with his sword besides using the blade. Flipping the sword down, Nathan lunged the hilt of the sword into Smalljon's chin, which kicked Smalljon's head back.

Yet despite the ringing in his jaw and stars in his eyes, Smalljon grits his teeth, and with a roar swings his sword with all his strength. The Laughing Wolf's eyes widened as he barely brought up his sword just in time, yet to the Laughing Wolf's shock he soon found himself off his feet and thrown to the side.

Rolling with the blow the Laughing Wolf was soon back on his feet, yet he felt his left arm sting from the blow he barely blocked. Smalljon was rubbing his chin with an annoyed expression before spitting out a glob of blood onto the floor.

"Crafty Wolf," Smalljon said as he brought his sword up, a grin growing on his face. "Come at me! This won't end until one of us can't stand anymore!"

"Well, you can just walk away and let me win," The Laughing Wolf said with a laugh as he also brought his sword up.

"Please, I know that look in your eyes. You want this fight just as bad as me!"

What Smalljon said was true, Nathan did want this fight. It was the first fight where Nathan could feel himself being pushed to his limits, with the danger of injury making his blood pump and his heart pound.

"Are you two going to keep flirting or are you going to fucking fight!" Greatjon roared from the side, getting some laughter from the crowd.

Smalljon and Nathan grinned before they charged at one another. The two started to trade blows, with Nathan relying on his speed to hit Smalljon, while Smalljon used his strength to make Nathan stagger with every blow.

The Laughing Wolf jumped back as Smalljon brought his sword down, with the armored knight panting hard as he kept his distance. Smalljon however didn't relent and chased after the Laughing Wolf, swinging his sword as the Wolf dodged every attack.

"I can't keep this up," Nathan thought as he panted hard while leaning back to dodge the swinging sword. "My body is already feeling heavy, and it's not easy to breathe with this damn helmet on... but I can't beat him."

Nathan had been able to hold his own against Smalljon, using his smaller size and speed to move faster and hit before Smalljon could react. However, while Nathan was able to bruise and bloody Smalljon, these injuries were not enough to stop the large young man, if anything they only made Smalljon fight harder.

"This man is built like a castle and as strong as a bear!" Nathan thought as he grit his teeth as he blocked an extra strong attack, making the young Stark stagger back. "Even if I hit him, I won't be able to do anything that can stop him."

The Laughing Wolf closed in and tried to swing his sword up at Smalljon, but the large man grabbed the Laughing Wolf by the neck and threw him to the ground fairly easily. The large man lifted his foot and tried to stomp down, but luckily the Laughing Wolf rolled out of the way before jumping to his feet.

Panting hard Nathan took a deep breath, held, then let it out slowly. "I need to end this fight in one go."

"Come at me Smalljon Umber and fucking kill me already!" The Laughing Wolf yelled while laughing like a madman.

Smalljon grinned and charged at the Laughing Wolf with a roar. Instead of dodging or raising his sword, the Laughing Wolf stood his ground.

With a roar, Smalljon brought his sword down with all his strength, and that was when the Laughing Wolf acted.

Gritting his teeth Nathan parried the downward strike, redirecting the blow to slide off his blade and hit the ground. With the opening, Nathan roared as he brought his blade down and slammed it into Smalljon's head.

Everyone gasped at the clean blow as Smalljon roared in pain as he stumbled back, yet remained on his feet as blood started to run down his head. If the blade had been sharp and not dulled the Laughing Wolf would have split Smalljon's head open like a pumpkin. Yet the strike was a clean hit that would have fallen most men, yet Smalljon simply growled as he shakily raised his sword.

The Laughing Wolf didn't waste any time and threw his sword to the ground before tackling Smalljon around his waste. Everyone watched with amazement as the Laughing Wolf roared before lifting the large Umber off the ground and then slamming him down with all his strength. With the large man on the ground, the Laughing Wolf quickly pulled out a dagger and held it to Smalljon's neck, making the young man freeze in place.

"Yield," Nathan ordered the large young man, the playful tone gone from his voice.

Smalljon didn't move a muscle as he stared down the Laughing Wolf with a glare in his eyes, yet the Laughing Wolf glared right back.

After a few intense moments, Smalljon slumped, and Nathan let out a breath.

"The Victor, the Laughing Wolf!" Lord Manderly called making the crowd applaud and cheer.

Nathan sighed as he stood up and stuck his hand out to Smalljon, to which the young man took the hand.

"I hate to admit it, but you were better," Smalljon said with a grunt as he stood up, and once again Nathan found himself looking up at the larger man. "If we were using real swords, that strike would have killed me."

"If we were fighting for real, you'd grab me by the neck and use me as a weapon to fight off everyone else," The Laughing Wolf snorted as he started to walk away, getting a laugh from Smalljon. "Tourneys are only good for training or putting on a show, they are useless when compared to real combat."

Smalljon watched the masked knight disappear as the crowd continued to cheer. Something about the mysterious warrior struck Smalljon as strange, he was well-trained, so he was possibly a noble or a knight's apprentice, but Smalljon could tell he lacked real fighting experience, he did not lack combat but in killing, as the only killing blow the Laughing Wolf did was the final one that struck his head, yet whoever trained him was not afraid to fight dirty.

"Hope you win little wolf," Smalljon said with a chuckle as he left, planning to drink a barrel of beer to stop the slitting head pain from the blow he took. "Then again, I hope Kodlak kicks you in the balls."

---

"Fuck!" Nathan screamed in pain as he struggled not to move. "More gently Yin!"

Nathan found himself in a small tent as Yin applied a poultice to his bumps and bruises since Nathan's armor did prevent anything from breaking, but it still hurt. Yin was far from a healer but she knew the basics of how to apply bandages to injuries. Off to the side was Tobin, looking over Nathan's armor to see for any dents or dings, which he found a lot.

"You've taken more injuries when facing visiting Essos fighters at the docs," Yin said with a small scoff as she applied the bandages around Nathan's bruised arm. "What was that one, the duel wielder, he was running circles around you, left you bruised and bloody, and nearly took all of your gold you bet."

That made Nathan wince as he looked away. "Essos fighters fight differently than most in Westeros. They don't wear heavy armor and use speed and skill rather than raw strength." Nathan said before he gave Yin a grin. "If I hadn't fought them I wouldn't have learned how to favor speed and dodging rather than brute strength," Nathan said as he looked down at his bandage hand. "Smalljon was good, one of the best warriors I've ever faced. He knew how to use his large size and strength to his advantage and had faced many wildlings and killed them. However, he's never fought a fighter like me, one who favors speed and skill over brute strength."

Hearing the excitement in the young Lord's voice made Yin smile as she continued to apply bandages. In Yi-Ti there was a warrior class of people who dedicated their lives to fighting known as Shi, be it with martial arts, swords, spears, bows, or any other weapon. Yin had heard tales from her father of how passionate said warriors could be, and from seeing the cold North Yin was seeing the passion in the young Lord she served, along with the other Northerners. It wasn't the same as Yin's home, but it did remind her of it.

"Okay," Tobin said as he whipped his brow of sweat and placed his hammer down. "I've managed to fix it up a bit, so you should be okay to wear it again."

Yin pulled her hands away from Nathan's body as the young Stark stood up. "Swift as always Tobin," Nathan said as he started to put his armor on, but did so slowly with Tobin's help.

"You need to be swifter, the mummers should be done soon," Tobin said as he glanced at the top of the tent to see the sun poking through.

There was a break put in place for Nathan to rest and regain some energy before the final bout, murmurs and bards were to play to entertain the crowd but it would only be for a time.

"So..." Tobin said as he bit his lower lip. "How do you feel facing Kodlak Whitemane?"

Nathan started to place his armor on his body with a serious expression. Throughout the tourney, Nathan had been keeping an eye on Kodlak as he was one of the contenders most likely to win given his vast experience and skill.

"Unlike Smalljon, Kodlak uses skill to match his strength. While he's not in his prime, he still has years of experience from two wars and years as a sellsword." Nathan said in a serious tone as he put his boots on.

Nathan had seen some of the attacks Kodlak had pulled off and the young Stark knew just no one could have done it. Footwork and timing are needed to pull off such complicated moves, just one wrong move could end up with a person losing their head. Kodlak went into every fright with a stoic expression or gave his younger opponents a grandfatherly smile. When they were giving him a good fight he would grow an excited smile and even encourage his opponent to keep fighting before bringing a swift defeat.

"I'm going to win," Nathan said with a determined expression, getting a surprised look from Yin and Tobin as the Stark grabbed his helmet. "I have trained with a sword for as long as I can remember. I have won many fights and lost a few. But I have always gone into every fight only thinking of victory. Whether it was against Lord Manderly's sons, an experienced knight, my uncle, or Smalljon, I have only thought of victory." Nathan said as he looked at the two with a wide grin before slipping his helmet on. "So, to victory." The Laughing Wolf said with a laugh as he walked out.

Tobin and Yin were looking at Nathan with awe as he walked away, both feeling the words said by the young man as they quickly exited the tent.

---

The Laughing Wolf of the North marched onto the tourney ground, many of the people chanting his name while others chanted for Kodlak's victory. Speaking of Kodlak, Nathan had finally come face to face with the old man as he stood in the center of the tourney grounds and got a good look at him.

Kodlak Whitemane was a tall man with broad shoulders and large hands. He wore silver armor while wielding a greatsword. When the Laughing Wolf looked at the older man's face he instantly noticed the wrinkles that showed his age, along with the grey-white hair and long beard to match. There was also the red war paint on the right side of his face that looked fresh.

The Laughing Wolf stood across from Kodlak, the older man giving the Wolf an amused smile.

"No banter for me?" Kodlak said while rubbing his chin.

The Laughing Wolf snorted at the old warrior. "You're old and fought in two wars, anything I say you've probably heard at least a dozen times." The Laughing Wolf said as he drew his sword and threw his shield to the side. "I rather fight you and win the tourney."

Kodlak threw his head back and laughed looking at the armored wolf with an amused smile. "I like your spirit wolf," The old warrior said as he drew his sword. "Let's see if this old man can teach you a few things."

Lord Manderly looked at the two warriors as everyone watched with anticipation. The Fat Lord then raised his hand before bringing it down swiftly.

"Begin!"

Without warning the Laughing Wolf lunged forward while japing his sword for Kodlak's head. The veteran warrior showed his skill by parrying the strike at the last instant before swinging his sword down, locking the Laughing Wolf's sword at the hilt. Kodlak then raised his foot and kicked the Wolf in the chest, sending the Wolf stumbling back.

Kodlak went on the offensive and started swinging his sword, making the Wolf go on the defensive. The Laughing Wolf tried to fight back or escape but Kodlak used the range of his sword to keep the Wolf within his reach.

"I don't see an opening!" Nathan thought with grit teeth as he blocked a powerful downward strike from above, making the young wolf grind his teeth as he felt the force in his bones. "Any time I strike he counters!"

The Laughing Wolf swung his sword upward but Kodlak sidestepped the swing and hit the Wolf in the side with his sword, knocking the Laughing Wolf to the ground. Fortunately, the Wolf rolled with the force and was on his feet in a second, pointing his sword at the large man before him.

"He has years of experience, he'll expect everything I throw at him," Nathan thought before realization hit him. "So let's do something he won't expect."

Dropping his guard the Laughing Wolf ran low to the ground and once close enough he swung his sword sideways, which Kodlak easily blocked. However, the Wolf lunged forward and smashed his armored fist into Kodlak's jaw.

The older man winced but kept his composure before throwing the Wolf off with a swing of his sword. Both fighters were on their feet and pointed their swords at one another. Kodlak had a bit of blood coming out of the corner of his mouth but it looked to be nothing serious.

The Laughing Wolf then started playfully swinging his longsword as he slowly walked forward. Kodlak tilted his head at the display but just swung his sword. The Wolf ducked under the swing and used his sword to hit Kodlak in the knee, this got a hiss of pain from the old man yet he managed to stay on his feet and swing his sword down at the Laughing Wolf, who had already moved out of the way.

This continued for several long moments, with the Laughing Wolf peppering Kodlak with swift hits. Kodlak gave as good as he took since whenever he could he would swing his greatsword with enough force to send the young Wolf onto his back.

The crowd was growing restless as they all demanded someone to win, yet both the Laughing Wolf and Kodlak ignored them. The Laughing Wolf went for a downward strike but Kodlak blocked the attack before locking their blades.

Kodlak then twisted his blade and spun it, and before Nathan could blink his sword slipped from his hand and was thrown far to the side.

"FUCK!" The Laughing Wolf yelled before he lunged forward.

Before Kodlak could swing his sword the Laughing Wolf grabbed his sword with his left hand before punching the older man in the face. The Laughing Wolf grimaced as he saw the older man barely flinch from the punch even with his gauntlet on.

With a roar, Kodlak throws the Laughing Wolf off before swinging his greatsword with all his might, smacking it into the Laughing Wolf's side.

Nathan grits his teeth as plain flares in his side as he is thrown to the ground. The young wolf tried to get up but was kicked in the side, making him scream in pain before a heavy boot stomped on his chest.

"It's over young Wolf," Kodlak said as he pointed the blade to the Laughing Wolf's throat.

Nathan froze as he looked up, staring into Kodlak's eyes. The old man had a calm but fierce look in his eyes, a look that told Nathan that if it was a real fight and if Nathan moved, Kodlak would take his head without hesitation.

Slowly bringing his hands up, the Laughing Wolf gave a small chuckle. "I yield."

With that, Kodlak took his foot off of the Laughing Wolf's chest he helped the young wolf up. Once up the Laughing Wolf grabbed Kodlak's hand and held it in the air.

"The winner!" The Laughing Wolf of the North yelled. "Kodlak Whitemane of Bear Island!"

With that the crowd roared and cheered, the people throwing flowers and coins into the tourney grounds. However, the celebration was quickly cut short.

"Take off the mask!" Someone in the crowd yelled.

The Laughing Wolf whipped his head around with wide eyes as more and more people were demanding for the Laughing Wolf's helmet to come off.

"Take it off!"

"Shead the Helmet!"

"Reveal yourself!"

"Show us what kind of man you are!"

Soon practically everyone in the crowd was chanting for The Laughing Wolf to take off his helmet. Nathan even saw Arya, Jon, and Robb chanting with excitement in his eyes. The Laughing Wolf looked to Kodlak who only looked amused.

The Laughing Wolf chuckled as his hands moved to his helmet. "Sorry to steal the show." The Laughing Wolf said as he slowly started to unclasp his helmet, bringing excitement to the crowd.

Kodlak just chuckled as he sheathed his sword. "I've had plenty of glory in my youth young Wolf. I know when it's time to step aside and yet the young ones step forward."

"Well this young one," The Laughing Wolf said as he took off his helmet, getting gasps from the crowd. "Apreashiates its," Nathan said with a cheeky grin as Kodlak's eyes widened in shock. "On behalf of House Stark, I thank you for the duel, Kodlak Whitemane."

Nathan glanced around and enjoyed the shocked looks of everyone in the crowd. He saw the look on Smalljon's face, which looked to be shocked before amusement crossed his face. Greatjon simply laughed with an amused look as he drank a tanker of beer. Looking into the box Nathan saw the looks on everyone's faces and found them all quite amusing.

Arya, Jon, Robb, Sansa, and even Wylla and Wynafryd looked at Nathan with shock and awe before they all cheered his name, Arya, Jon, and Robb being the loudest. Lord Manderly was giving a booming laugh while looking at Nathan with glee, clearly amused by his Laughing Wolf act. Ned Stark had simply sighed while shaking his head, but Nathan could see amusement, pride, and even a bit of approvable in his eyes, however, it was overshadowed by the disapproving frown he wore. Nathan only wished the Freys stayed to see the shocked look on their faces.

Kodlak was shaken from his shock and let out a booming laugh. "It was nothing Lord Stark, I found the duel to be quite entertaining."

Soon, Kodlak was presented with the prizes for winning the Melee. Kodlak was gifted a hefty bag of gold, the largest out of all the events, a well-crafted greatsword that looked to be brand new, and a new horse saddle made with the finest leather.

With that, the White Harbor Tourney came to an end with the smallfolk returning to White Harbor with a good story and memories while the Nobles headed for New Castle for one final celebration feast.

---

"I can't believe you were the Laughing Wolf!" Arya had said for the tenth time, bouncing around Nathan along with Robb, Jon, and Sansa as they all hung off him. "You swung your sword and took out that Frey knight like he was nothing."

"And you were able to lift Smalljon into the air, and he's about as big as our father," Robb said with excitement as Jon nodded along.

Ever since returning to New Castle Nathan's cousins did not leave his side, all four were bouncing and hanging off his body while asking question after question. At first, Nathan found it amusing, but it didn't take long for the young Stark to find their boundless energy tiring, especially with Nathan's sore and bruised body. Ned Stark was no help as he just looked at his children with amusement and satisfaction, finding his children suitable punishment for Nathan's little show.

"I had a feeling it was you," Ned said with a small snort, getting shocked looks from his children and a surprised look from Nathan. "Your father did something similar in his youth, not to the extent you went, or as showy, but he did participate in several tourneys in his youth," Ned said with a fond smile as he placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "When I saw the Laughing Wolf I had a feeling it might be you... it seems to run in our family..." Ned said with a faraway look before shaking his head before he narrowed his eyes at Nathan, who gave his uncle an uneasy grin. "I am upset with you... but you came out unscathed, and the Northern Nobles are impressed with you." Ned said while he and Nathan glanced around.

Many of the Noble Lords were drinking and laughing while talking about the duels of the tourney. The main topic of conversation between the Northern Nobles was the melee, specifically the duels that involved Nathan, or the Laughing Wolf.

Everyone found Nathan's duels both highly amusing and impressive. Amusing because of the banter and his unusual fighting style, and impressive as he was able to make it to the final round of the tourney and hold his own against a skilled veteran who has fought in two wars. The Northern Nobles especially found Nathan's duel with Ser Walder Frey to be the most amusing given the beating Nathan gave the pompous knight.

During the feast, Nathan met both Smalljon and Kodlak.

Smalljon had bandages on his head that were slightly red, yet the large man still drank his fill as if nothing was wrong.

"So look's like we got that fight after all Lord Stark," Smalljon said with a chuckle as he drank a tanker of ale. "You were a slippery fucker, and you knew how to get on my nerves," Smalljon said while narrowing his eyes at Nathan. Smalljon's father, Greatjon, had told his son that he would up his training and that he got lazy in fighting by only relying on his strength.

Nathan gave a cheeky grin as he grabbed his tanker and took a big gulp, much to Smalljon's pleasure.

"I wanted to put on a show that everyone would remember," Nathan said with a satisfied sigh at the good ale. "As I said before, tourneys are just for training inexperienced warriors and putting on shows. The Reach might think a tourney can substitute real combat and war, but the North knows that's horse shit."

"Here-here!" Smalljon laughed as they clanked their tankers and took a big gulp together. "So, I take it you have real combat experience, beyond that slaver you took down."

Nathan nodded as he started to feel his face become slightly flush from the alcohol. "Lord Manderly's sons have taken me on a few outings to take care of bandits in his lands," Nathan said as his face turned slightly grim. "Killed a few bandits, sent the rest to the Night Watch," Nathan said before his grin returned. "I've also faced several fighters from Essos at the docs, the way I moved is what I've learned from them during our duels."

"That explains your slipperiness," Smalljon said with a laugh as he gave Nathan a sideways glance. "He's still uncomfortable with killing, though from our fight he seems willing when push comes to shove." Smalljon thought before shrugging. "Ah, he'll get used to it. Every Northerner does, and hopefully, well have another spar in the future."

After talking a bit longer Nathan said his farewell before making his way over to Kodlak.

Kodlak was invited to New Castle by Lord Manderly to which the sellsword accepted with gratitude, and much to a few surprises it turned out Kodlak could come to White Harbor with a few guests. There were eight of them and all wore different sets of leather armor and used different weapons, Nathan even noticed two women among the group and a man who looked to be from Essos.

When Nathan approached all of Kodlak's companions stood up straight and turned to Nathan.

Kodlak turned to Nathan and gave the prince a respectful bow along with his companions. "Lord Stark, greetings."

"You beat me and won the Melee, for tonight you may just call me Nathan," Nathan said with a smile, getting shocked looks from the sellswords and a small chuckle from Kodlak.

"Very well Nathan," Kodlak said with a small laugh as he smiled down at the young boy. "May I ask what brings you here?"

"I just wanted to speak with you," Nathan said as he took a spit of his tanker. "I'll admit I never heard of you until today, but from what my uncle and Lord Manderly have said you are highly respected in the North."

"I just fought in a few wars and lived to tell my tale," Kodlak said with a faraway look. "When you live as long as I have, you see war as for what it truly is."

"And that is?" Nathan asked as he noticed the shift in tone.

"War is horrid," Kodlak said, giving Nathan a serious look for the first time. "War brings out the best in warriors, but it brings out the worst in everyone else."

Nathan nodded his head with a grim look on his face. "Aye, I couldn't agree more." The young Stark said as took a big gulp of his tanker. "War is shit."

Unknown to a few Nathan hated the idea of war, as it was a war that started after the death of his Father and grandfather that saw the death of many, many people. Nathan knew the war was necessary as the Mad King wanted to kill House Stark and Baratheon and the North wasn't going to simply roll over onto their bellies. However, the simple thought that the Mad King would start a war that killed thousands over his madness sickened Nathan. This was why Nathan promised himself he would never start a war, but he would end one.

Kodlak noticed the look on Nathan's head and bowed his head slightly. "I knew your grandfather, even served under him in the War of the Nine Penny Kings," Kodlak said, getting a surprised look on of Nathan. "Even in a foreign land he led his men to victory and showed the spirit of House Stark. What happened to him... he did not deserve such a thing." Kodlak said before smiling at Nathan. "I am sure he is smiling down on you, Lord Stark, for helping build a Northern fleet." Nathan smiled like that as Kodlak raised his tanker. "To Rickard Stark, the Lord of the North who fought for the North, and who the North fought for him."

Kodlak's companions raised their tankers along with Nathan, who all called out Rickard's name before downing their drinks.

"So," Nathan said as he was poured another tanker by the servants. "Who are your friends? I didn't see them enter the tourney."

Kodlak smiled as he looked at his companions with pride, something that made them all stand up straighter. "Young ones I've picked up along my travels, Smallfolk, sellswords, and the like, wanting to change their lives," Kodlak said with pride as he looked at his companions. "I hope one day with them I hope to accomplish my dream with their help." The old warrior said while gulping his tanker.

"Your dream?" Nathan asked with a surprised look on his face. "I wonder what kind of dream an old warrior like you has?" Nathan asked, wondering if Kodlak wished to be noble, to own his keep, or simply wanted riches.

Kodlak laughed heartily while throwing his head back before looking at Nathan. "Oh, I don't wish for Lordship of riches Nathan Stark," Kodlak said as he recognized the look on Nathan's face, the same look he saw on a lot of nobles. "I wish to build a place. A place where warriors band together and gather to drink and feast to our heart's contents, to share stories and accomplishments of our fights and honor. I wish for this place to be grand and welcome all warriors who hold honor in the highest regard and must prove themselves to enter." Kodlak said with a strong passion that Nathan had not seen in the old man.

Nathan looked thoughtful before smiling. "It's a grand dream, Kodlak Whitemane, one I hope to see in the future."

With that Kodlan and Nathan continued to talk to one another with respect, Nathan even asked Kodlak for some tips when it came to fighting.

The feast continued into the late of night with many Northern Nobles ending up drunk and singing, including Nathan himself. Ned Stark was shocked beyond belief when he saw his nephew climb onto a table and start proclaiming himself the Laughing Wolf of the North while singing along with the other drunken nobles. Even in a drunken state, Nathan fended off Ned who tried to pull him down as he jumped from table to table while singing and dancing. This got cheers and laughs from all the nobles even as Nathan kicked food and drinks off the tables as Ned chased after him.

"I am Nathan Stark, White Wolf of the North!" Nathan yelled at the top of his lungs as all the nobles chanted his name and cheered him on. "And on my father and mother's name, I will make the North stronger than ever before!" The young wolf roared, making the other noble roar along with him.

Yet despite Nathan's foolish antics Ned couldn't help but smile in amusement. Happy that his nephew was happy at the very least.

---

"I... regret... everything..." Nathan groaned before he hurled it into a wooden bucket. "I... regret... so much-" Nathan's cheeks puffed up before he spilled his guts into the bucket.

Yin sighed as she saw young Lord Stark in such a state, she gently rubbed his back while a servant handed him a cup of water, which Nathan used to wash out his mouth.

It was currently the day after the feast and Nathan was living through the effects of drinking too much beer, ale, wine, and food. Nathan had been hungover before, but never to this extent given how pale his skin was and how sunken his eyes were.

"Yup, that's a bad hangover," Ser Wylis said with an amused laugh as he folded his arms before Nathan. "You're going to be feeling it for the day, maybe even the next few days."

"Please, give me a cure Ser Wylis," Nathan groaned as he clutched the bucket in his arms. "I can't take this, I'll never drink again, I'll even stop making sweetfire-" Nathan was cut off as he felt bile rise in his throat but managed to hold it back.

"Water and light food are the best cure," Ser Wylis said while shaking his head. "I've even heard that simply drinking more will make the pain go away until you recover."

"Water... just water for now..." Nathan groaned as he took another cup of water and drank it swiftly. Giving a small sigh as a servant took his bucket, Nathan looked at Yin. "How are my uncle and cousins?"

"All are fine and well," Yin said with a polite smile. "Your uncle had very little to drink and your cousins fell asleep well before your... performance," Yin said while holding back a laugh.

Nathan blushed red with a groan as he recalled his drunken antics last night. The only silver lining was the fact that many of the Northern Nobles joined Nathan in his antics once they were good and drunk, but that didn't stop Nathan from feeling embarrassed.

"You have quite the singing voice, Lord Stark," Ser Wilys said with a laugh as the servants tried to hold in their laughter. "Well, I'll leave you to heal and inform my father that you can stand and talk at the very least." The large knight said as he turned and left.

Once Ser Wylis was gone Nathan sighed as he rubbed his face. "Yin, please have servent bring me a light meal to help settle my stomach, and draw a bath," Nathan said before he stood up and a serious look crossed his pale face. "Also, I wish to discuss my uncle and Lord Manderly, please inform them both that I will be ready by noon. I will also need several documents from my study to be brought to me, along with a few other items."

Noticing the shift in Lord Stark's tone Yin gave a firm nod. "I will inform them both Lord Stark," Yin said as she made her way out while taking the servants with her.

Nathan gave a tired sigh once he was alone in his room. Since his uncle had come Nathan wanted to discuss some topics but couldn't find the time as he came just before the tourney started. Now with the tourney over Nathan could finally talk business with his uncle and Lord Manderly.

Giving a small grunt Nathan stood on his shaky legs and made his way over to his desk. "I don't know how long uncle will be here, we have much to discuss," Nathan muttered as he started to collect his documents.

---

"You look like shit," Ned Stark deadpanned as he looked across from his nephew.

"Your words, they wound me, uncle," Nathan said with his deadpan stare before he snorted.

Ned shook his head yet still looked amused while Lord Manderly gave a small laugh. The three found themselves in one of Lord Manderly's meeting rooms, a large stack of papers by Nathan's side along with Yin standing behind him.

"First, uncle, let me introduce you to Yin Song," Nathan said while gesturing to Yin, who took a bow. "We met some months ago and she has proven to be an asset with her skills as the daughter of a merchant."

Ned regarded the young girl besides his nephew with a critical eye. He was informed of Yin Song by both Nathan and Lord Manderly, a girl from Yi-Ti whom Nathan saved from slavery. Ned had been worried that Nathan had fallen for the girl's foreign beauty, or that the girl was trying to seduce the heir to House Stark. However, Lord Manderly informed Ned that he kept a close eye on the two, and neither had made such advances and that the girl's skills were true.

"So Nathan, why have you called us here?" Ned asked while giving his nephew his full attention.

Looking over some documents Nathan handed them to Ned who looked them over. "Months ago I purchased a device known as a distiller, a device used to make Brandy and Rum, an alcoholic drink known in Essos." Nathan started to explain as Ned read over the documents. "I had hoped to use the distillers to create a new Northern alcohol with things grown in the North. After some experimenting, I was able to create two new drinks, Sweetfire, and Northern Spirits." Nathan said as Yin poured two cups of the drinks for Ned from two glass bottles.

Ned gained a shocked look as he read over the documents and looked over the drinks while giving them both a small sip. He had heard of Brandy and Rum during his visits to Gulltown while fostering in the Vale, but never thought much of it since it was so expensive. Robert had gushed saying how much he loved the taste of Brandy and how much he wished Westeros could make their own. His nephew couldn't make Brandy, but he made something with what could be grown in the North.

"After I discovered sweetfire Lord Manderly agreed to take control of the business since the farms I've made have yielded large amounts of Rye, which is needed to make sweetfire," Nathan said as he folded his hands. "In exchange for taking over the sweetfire business, House Stark will gain 30% of the profits that are made with sweetfire, and Lord Manderly has gifted me 50,000 gold as payment."

That had made Ned's jaw drop. To be gifted so much gold could only mean Lord Manderly saw great value in Nathan's creation, and would not let the opportunity pass.

"This... this is amazing Nathan," Ned said while looking at Nathan with pride but saw that Nathan wasn't finished. "But why are you informing me of this?"

"As I said, I have sold sweetfire to Lord Manderly, however, I plan for House Stark to keep the Northern Spritis," Nathan said as he pointed to one of the documents. "Northern Spirits requires White Beets to make, and from what Maester Luwin has informed me, out of all foods that grow on our land the most plentiful is White Beets," Nathan said with a grin. "The great thing about Northern Spirits, or Spirits, is that they require very little to make yet can produce a lot. Something that would be a boon for House Stark in the long run."

Ned nodded his head as he could understand what his nephew meant. Luwin had already had a winery commissioned near the gooseberry farms on Nathan's order and in a few months House Stark would be the only noble house of the North to produce wine, which would gain them much coin. With Spirits added, House Stark may become more rich than most houses in the South.

However, Ned noticed Nathan's serious look hadn't dropped. "Is there more?"

Nathan nodded as he sighed. "Lord Manderly and I have been running the numbers, and even if we greatly expand the rye farms and increase the number of distillers we can not make enough spirits and sweetfire to supply all the North much less Westeros and Essos," Nathan said while leaning back in his chair. "The reason I created this drink was for the North to produce something we could sell to the South and gain back any coin we use to buy food and other things. However, two great noble houses aren't enough to create such a large amount. Not to mention that once sweetfire and spirits become popular, many nobles in the South will try to copy my idea and sell their versions of Sweetfire and Northern Spirits." The young Stark said as his eyes narrowed. "By that point, the North's hold on sweetfire and spirits will become weak and we will lose our advantage."

Ned couldn't help but grimace as he saw what Nathan said was true. The moment other nobles found out how to make sweetfire and spirits, they would create their own claiming it was both better and cheaper, the same way wine is made all over Westeros. After some time the value of sweetfire and spirits will fall and the North won't make much coin.

"I can see the problem," Ned muttered as he gained a thoughtful look, trying to come up with a solution. "How could the North keep their hold on sweetfire and spirits?"

"The same way the Reach has such a hold on wine," Lord Manderly said with a wide grin. "By making more than everyone else in Westeros."

Ned looked confused so Nathan explained. "The Reach has a hold on the wine trade because they produce more wine than anywhere else in Westeros and even Essos. For the North to keep its hold on hard alcohol, we need to make more than anywhere else." Nathan said before a wide smile crossed his face. "That's where our plan comes into play uncle."

"What is this plan?" Ned asked while giving Nathan his full attention.

"Upon my return to Winterfell, I need you to send ravens to all Great House nobles in the North and invite them all to Winterfell for a Grand Meet," Nathan said, getting a shocked look from Ned.

"All of them?" Ned said in shock. While the North was large they had few Great Noble Houses when compared to the South, yet to call all to Winterfell would still include at the very least 16 noble houses. This was what a Grand Meet was, to invite the strongest houses together to hold council.

"Yes, all of them, House Glover, Mormont, Bolton, Umber, Reed, every single Great House Noble Lord must be invited," Nathan said with a serious look. "The invitations should be sent as soon as you return to Winterfell to allow the lords time to prepare, along with House Stark."

"But why invite so many nobles?" Ned asked with a raised brow. "The only time so many nobles join together for a Grand Meet is in times of war."

"Trust me, uncle, this is all part of my plan," Nathan said with a confident smile as he started to explain why he required all the Northern Great House Nobles for the Grand Meet.

As Nathan started to explain his plan Ned's eyes widened more and more until Ned looked floored, while Nathan had a satisfied look.

"That... that is brilliant Nathan," Ned said with a shaky laugh as he processed Nathan's plan. "If your plan works the whole North will prosper like never before, we will even become the envy of those in the South."

"Well, I didn't come up with this plan all on my own," Nathan said as he looked at Yin. "It was Yin who pointed out that even if Lord Manderly and I stock up as much Sweetfire and Northern Spirits as possible we still wouldn't have enough to supply all of Westeros and Essos, at least not before someone else discovered how to also make hard alcohol."

Yin seemed to blush before clearing her throat and stepping forward. "Back in my homeland, there is something known as the Silk Trade, where powerful noble families own insects known as Silkworms that produce silk. These families keep an iron hold on their silkworms because if everyone gained silkworms, the silk they produced would lose value. It is even common for said families to send assassins and small armies to prevent the spread of silkworms." Yin said with a serious look while Ned looked shocked by such a statement, to send an army over a worm sounded ridiculous. "I realize that no matter how hard Lord Nathan may try to keep the making of Sweetfire and Northern Spirits a secret nobles in the South will find out as Rye and White Beets can be grown in the South, and creating a distiller is not too complex. This is why I proposed a different approach be taken with the Sweetfire and Northern Spirits given Lord Manderly and Lord Stark will not be able to keep a hold on such a product for long."

Ned was surprised that the Yi-Ti girl had proposed such an idea for the North.

"Yin was it," Ned said the girl's name slowly, feeling it strange on his tongue. "If I may ask, why are you going out of your way to help the North?"

Yin looked surprised by the question before glancing at Nathan who gave a nod, with a small sigh Yin spoke up. "As you know, I am a long way from home. As I am now, likely, I will never return home, at least not without risking my life." Yin said before taking a breath and smiling at Ned. "However, I will not give up. I plan to continue living and return to Yi-Ti one day, even if I must make a life here to do so." Yin then looked to Nathan and smiled at the Stark. "Lord Nathan saved my life from a fate worse than death, I will repay his kindness however I can." She said with a determined look on her face as she gave a graceful bow.

Ned was surprised by the determination of Yin Song, as most women in Westeros were rarely determined or showed such spirit.

The Quiet Wolf gave Yin a small smile and nodded to the girl. "Then I hope you continue to assist my nephew," Ned said, getting a surprised and grateful look on Yin's face. "So Nathan, what do you want me to do?" Ned asked his nephew, giving him his full attention.

"As soon as you return to Winterfell I want you to invite all the Great House Noble Lords. If they can't come they must send someone to represent them." Nathan said as he took a sip of water and winced at the pounding in his head. "I return to Winterfell in two months, that should give them and us enough time to prepare," Nathan said before he blinked and realized something. "Uncle, Larence Snow is still not legitimized, correct?"

Ned blinked and nodded his head. "Yes, Larence is still a Snow, however, I have written to Robert and he easily agreed to legitimize the young man. He wanted to come to the North to legitimize Larence, but Jon Arryn disagreed as Robert was needed in King's Landing." Ned said with an amused smile as he cleared his throat. "Robert said he would send the documents by messenger whenever we need them."

"Hmm, then let's kill two birds with one stone," Nathan said as he gained a thoughtful look. "While we gather all the Great House Nobles to Winterfell will also use the opportunity to legitimize Larence in front of them. He will bring a bounty of fish and sea game to show the value of Sea Dragon Port for the North and help smooth his new role as a minor lord. Larence will have to prove himself in front of the other Lords, and all will mostly see him as a pawn or upstart, however, they will also see his value as a possible ally and want to get close to the ships in the port. We'll also invite House Forester as Larence is set to wed Lord Forester's daughter."

Ned hummed as he agreed with his nephew. Most Northern Lords respected action rather than simple words, even from House Stark. If Larance wanted to be respected by the other nobles of the North he would have to prove himself with his actions. They might not like the fact a bastard was becoming a noble, but they would respect him.

"I will make the arrangements as soon as I return," Ned said with a small sigh before smiling at Nathan. "Already making plans upon your return."

"Oh I plan to enjoy the rest of my time in White Harbor dear uncle," Nathan said with a smile. "No serious work, just training with my sword, reading, visiting mummer plays, and the like." However, the young Stark paused before he frowned. "Well, there is one thing I plan to do before returning to Winterfell."

"And that is?" Ned asked as he saw his nephew's face.

"I am thinking of making a trip to Skagos," Nathan said with a straight face and a small grin, while Ned looked shocked by the statement to the point he nearly fell out of his chair.

"Why, by the Old Gods, would you want to go there?" Ned asked with a serious look on his grim face.

Skagos was a large island in the mouth of the Bay of Seals. While the island is technically a part of the North it was mostly independent to the point that House Stark rarely collected taxes from the island, mostly because the people rarely had any coin to give, mostly trading goods for more goods. Skagos also had a bloody history and most of the Northern Lords saw them no better than wildlings or raiders, as the people of Skagos raided any ship they didn't trade with regularly. There is also the fact that the people of Skagos rebelled against House Stark to claim independence and wared with the North for years, killing thousands of men and even Lord Barthogan Stark before the rebellion was put down.

The people of Skagos claim to have pledged to House Stark, but rarely do they answer the call of House Stark.

There were also many rumors of the people of Skagos practicing human sacrifices to Weirwood trees, mating with beasts to produce stronger warriors and cannibalism. The rumors have never been confirmed but it still made many sailors wary of going near such an island.

"There have been many rumors going around of the island of Skagos, such as the Children of the Forest living on the island, the people being descendants of giants, and so on," Nathan said with a wave of his hand. "All false, but there is one rumor that has grabbed my attention," Nathan said with an amused look on his face. "Skagos is the home to unicorns or something unicorn-like," Nathan said as he handed a document to his uncle. "Lord Manderly and I have contacted a fishing village in House Karstark lands that regularly trade with Skagos and the traders have mentioned seeing large, hairy horse-like animals with massive horns on their heads."

Lord Manderly nodded while rubbing his chin. "It was a bit of a hassle, but I've managed to contact the Lord of House Magnar of the Kingshouse and he's agreed to sell a large number of unicorns to us in exchange for rye, rice, and an assortment of tools and weapons."

"We don't know exactly what these animals are," Nathan said with a shrug. "They may be simply goats that can only grow one horn or some kind of hairy horse. However, the fact that they have survived so long on Skagos proves how resilient they are and will only thrive in the North."

Nathan hadn't only been looking for foods that could go in the North, but also animals that could thrive. Most animes that could survive in winter were already in the North such as sheep, goats, chickens, and cows could survive the long winters. Other animals such as Horses and pigs could also survive if they had good handlers, but it was no shock is most were found dead. The only animals Nathan had found that seemed to thrive in the cold were the Yaks of Ibben, and hopefully, the addition of these unicorns would make another livestock thrive in the North.

However, there was another animal Nathan panned to get a hold of that was found in Essos. They were known as turkeys, large birds that could fly unless their wings were clipped. Nathan had tasted a turkey during one of Lord Manderly's feasts and found it delicious. Given the fact that turkeys were larger than chickens and had more feathers, it stood to reason that they would survive in the North after some time and perhaps help.

With the help of Noran Narios and the Iron Bank, Nathan was able to purchase a large number of turkeys to be taken to Winterfell by the time he returned.

"I understand how useful they may be, but I don't want you going to Skagos," Ned said in a firm tone as Nathan opened his mouth, but Ned raised his hand. "I could handle the tourney, but this is different. Even if Skagos has pledged to House Stark they follow their laws and I will not have you risk your life for a simple trip." Ned said while narrowing his eyes as Lord Manderly and even Yin nodded.

Nathan wanted to protest but the look in his uncle's eye told the young Stark the Quiet Wolf won't budge. Giving a small sigh Nathan nodded his head.

"Alright, I promise I will not go to Skagos," Nathan said while looking into his uncle's eyes.

That was enough for Ned as he sighed in relief. When Nathan made a promise he always kept it no matter what so Ned had nothing to worry about. Seeing Nathan give a childish pout made Ned snort.

"Don't worry nephew, you'll have your chance for adventure soon enough," Ned said as he glanced over the documents. "Is there anything else I should be informed of?"

Nathan and Lord Manderly continued to talk with Ned about what Nathan planned, going over the details to share with Luwin once he returned to Winterfell. They continued to talk until the sun started to set and they exited the room.

Ned and Nathan walked together as they made small talk.

"So, when do you return to Winterfell?" Nathan asked his uncle with a small smile.

"A week from now, your cousins wanted to see you for so long, Arya practically begged me to send her here to White Harbor every other day," Ned said with a small laugh, remembering how stubborn the girl could be.

"Then I will be sure to make the most of their time here," Nathan said as his smile widened. "While I spend time with Arya, Robb, and Sansa, you should spend time with Jon."

Ned nodded with his smile. With his return with his son, Jon was always by Ned's side, the young boy gushing about his time with Nathan in White Harbor.

"Father, Nathan, there you are!" Nathan turned just in time for Arya to practically tackle his side with Jon, Robb, and Sansa not too far behind. "We were looking all over for you." The young girl said with a pout that Nathan found adorable.

"Sorry Arya, we were having a meeting," Nathan said as he picked the girl up and placed her on his shoulders, getting a happy laugh from the girl. "But that's over, so now I can spend the rest of the day with you and the others."

With that, the Stark family marched forward as the children laughed while Ned and Nathan smiled.

For the next two weeks, Nathan caught up with Robb, Sansa, and Arya, spending most of his time with his cousins doing various activities.

Nathan spared with Robb to see how the boy's training was going. Nathan could tell right away while Robb was competent with a sword he didn't have Jon's talent. However, Robb proved to be smarter as the boy had shown a great understanding of tactics and strategies despite his age.

Nathan had taken Sansa out to the market and showed the girl all the exotic items from across Westeros and Essos. The girl's eyes practically sparkled when she saw the pretty dresses and jewelry, and when she gave Nathan those puppy eyes, the young Stark couldn't help but buy her a few things, much to her pleasure. Sansa had also taken a liking to the mummer shows Nathan had taken her to, practically absorbed in the love stories between princes and young ladies.

Arya had shown to have the most fun, smiling with glee practically every second Nathan spent time with her. They went horseback riding and trained in archery, and Nathan even showed Arya a few tricks with a wooden sword.

Jon had also spent a great amount of time with Ned, the two catching up without worrying about Catylen breathing down their necks. Ned was happy to see his son filled with so much life, having known the boy to have a sullen face like himself.

During Ned's stay Nathan and Lord Manderly had started their plan to collect the unicorns from Skagos. Nathan had even commissioned Kodlak and his companions to accompany the ships in case pirates or the Skagos natives caused trouble, to which the old sellsword was more than happy to comply. So the ships were sent with Ser Wendel leading the ships.

By the time the ships left, Ned found it was time for him and his children to return to Winterfell.

"I will see you in about a month," Nathan said as he hugged Arya and Sansa, who looked a little glum but kept a smile on their faces, Robb was taking it better as he and Jon gave each other a brotherly hug. "Trust me, the time will simply fly by."

Nathan then turned to his uncle who was tightening the saddle on his horse. Ned smiled at his nephew as he patted his shoulder.

"I will see you soon Nathan, and when you return to Winterfell the Lords of the North should arrive soon after," Ned said before he gained a serious look on his face. "Are you sure you wish me to send the letters? We can simply send ravens and messengers, it will not take much for the Lords of the North to agree to your plan."

"They will agree, but they will not respect me," Nathan said in a serious tone as he looked into his uncle's eyes. "If I send messages like this they may not take my plan seriously. I need to show a strong hand as the future lord of the North for them to follow my plan. If I show weakness they may test the boundaries, which will make me show force."

Ned was quiet for a moment before he nodded in agreement. The Lords of the North were loyal to House Stark but they would not easily follow a weak Lord of the North. Many Lords of House Stark had to prove themselves to the Lords of the North. Ned proved himself when he fought in the war between House Targaryen and Baratheon, and his father, Rickon Stark, proved himself by fighting in the War of the Nine Penny Kings.

While it was known that Nathan was the one to push for the construction of a port in the west to defend against the Ironborn and bring wealth to House Stark with the construction of mines, he was still seen as a green boy. Though his actions in the tourney did help his reputation, much to Ned's amusement.

"Very well, I will make sure everything is ready," Ned said with a smile as he hugged his nephew.

With that Ned and his children left White Harbor with an escort of guards.

Nathan smiled as he watched his family head back home as he returned to New Castle, planning to enjoy his final days in White Harbor with Lord Manderly and his family.

---

1 Months Later

For the next few weeks, Nathan spent his final days in White Harbor enjoying his time with the Manderly family and the city. Such as training with Ser Wylis, having long talks with Lord Manderly, and going to a few mummer performances with Wylls and Wynafryd, Nathan even got to know Leona better.

Nathan had also gotten to know Henry of White Harbor. The young boy was barely 12 and was illiterate, he had very little in the way of skills but when Nathan tested Henry's archery, he was amazed. Nathan had given Henry 30 arrows and asked the boy to hit a target as many times as he could as fast as he could. Heny had managed to hit the target 23 out of 30. Most grown men would barely hit 15 at the speed Henry was going, skilled archers would hit 25 on average. For Henry to hit so many at a young age was very impressive.

"You have the talent to be an amazing archer Henry," Nathan said as he took the boy aside and talked to him, who listened intensely. "However, a true warrior needs more than just talent. He needs skill and experience, and to be mentally sound." Nathan then brought up two wooden swords and handed one to Henry. "Have you ever held a sword before?"

"No Lord Stark," Henry said in a nervous tone. "I could never get one, the bow I had before was given to me out of pity by a shop owner."

Nathan nodded his head in understanding as swords were not something an orphan could simply buy.

"Well you'll be training with a sword," Nathan said as he held up the wooden sword. "Bows are good for killing from far away, but you can only kill so many before someone gets close. Let's see where you stand in skill. Come at me."

Henry gained a nervous look as he clumsily held his sword up. "M-My Lord, what if I injure you-"

"Henry, if you manage to gravely wound me with a wooden sword you have never held before, I will make you king of the North." Nathan deadpanned before giving a small smile. "Have some faith in your Lord's skill."

That seemed to calm Henry down as he held the wooden sword before charging at Nathan. For the entire spar, Nathan tested Herny's sword skill, and the boy had no skill with a blade at the moment. He had no fences, little strength, no technique, little when it came to talent.

Yet the thing that Nathan noticed most was Henry's determination. The boy never stopped swinging his sword and trying to land a hit on Nathan, even when Nathan would hit him when Henry dropped his guard.

After a few more swings Nathan lowered his wooden sword. "That's enough Henry, I have an idea where you stand."

The poor boy dropped his sword to the ground while panting for air, sweat dripping down his face.

Henry gained a worried look and looked ready to speak, but Nathan raised his hand.

"First, let me say your skills are not that uncommon for someone who has never trained," Nathan said in a serious tone as he looked down at Henry. "You lack training and with time you will learn how to wield a sword," Nathan said with a smile as he folded his arms. "Tell me Herny, what do you want?"

That made the younger boy blink at the sudden question. "What I want my Lord?"

"Yes, what is it you desire?" Nathan asked again as he rubbed his chin. "Everyone wants something, be it gold, status, power, or lordship, everyone has a goal they wish to accomplish. What do you accomplish, Henry of White Harbor?"

The young archer looked confused and scared by the sudden question as he looked to the floor.

"I... I wish to be more..." Herny said as stared at the floor. "I... I don't want to be a simple sailor or a merchant or just an ordinary guard. I have no desire to be a lord of a castle, but I... I just don't want to be some orphan anymore." Henry said with a frustrated look on his face.

Nathan was silent as he took in Henry's words and understood them. Many peasants wished for noble power or any power, to become like the heroes in stories who started from humble beginnings before becoming legends in history.

"Well, I think I can help with making you 'more'," Nathan said, making Henry look up with surprise. "I can have you trained, I can have you learn to read and write, but how far you go will be up to you." The young Stark said as a serious look crossed his face. "This won't be easy Herny, you will face hardships and may fail. Do you still wish to come with me?"

Without a word, Henry fell to one knee before Nathan.

"You saved my life Lord Stark, I owe you nothing but my best," Henry said and Nathan was surprised by how serious he sounded. "Please teach me, Lord Stark."

Nathan was quiet for a moment before he nodded his head. Henry was young and had both talent and a drive to be better, how far the young boy went was completely up to him, and Nathan was willing to invest.

After that, Nathan purchased a set of leather armor and a fine bow for Henry. He then had the boy train with the guards and even Jon to help him build up some muscle.

During the last week of his stay, Nathan had a feast with Lord Manderly and his family, even Jon was invited. There was a somber air at the table as most of the Manderlys knew this would be the last meal they had with Nathan for quite some time.

"I don't want you to go," Wylla said bluntly as always, making Nathan give a small laugh as Wynafryd nodded. "You can be the lord of the North here."

"Winterfell is my home Wylla, it's where I need to rule," Nathan said as he reached over and grabbed Wylla's hand, making the girl blush red. "But I will be doing a lot of business with House Manderly, so I may visit White Harbor more often."

"And you will always have a home here," Lord Manderly said with a firm nod. "Should you ever find yourself in White Harbor House Manderly will always have its doors open for House Stark, and you Nathan."

Nathan smiled at Lord Manderly's family as they continued to dine together.

Once they finished and the servants started to clean up Nathan felt a small soft hand tug at his arm.

Looking down Nathan saw Wylla smiling up at him. Despite being only two years younger than him Wylla had more confidence in herself than most grown women, though she was a head shorter than Nathan.

"Before you leave I need to tell you something," Wylla said as she gently pulled Nathan down.

Nathan raised a brow before he lowered himself to Wylla's level. "What is it you wish to tell me-" Nathan cut himself off when he felt Wylla's lips on his own, making his eyes widen.

Wylla pulled back with a cheeky smile. "I wanted to tell you, you are very handsome Nathan." The young girl said before she skipped away while giggling.

The white-haired Stark was left speechless before he let out a laugh.

He truly was going to miss White Harbor.

---

21N: The Laughing Wolf rises!

I hope everyone found the chapter entertaining and that everyone continues to read.

Not much to say in this chapter, as it was relatively simple.

1) The Fight: So I tried my hand at a realistic sword fight in GoT. I have done sword fights before but they were less realistic and more anime. I am open to feedback and suggestions.

That's all I have to say at the moment. If there are any questions, please PM me or leave a review!

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