Price of Battle

Naruto looked over the Gods Eye, distracted from his thoughts by what he was feeling.

Even without paying particular attention to his surroundings he could feel the natural energy emanating from the isle in the middle of the lake. He had heard the story, about the Green Men protecting their sacred grove on the Isle of Faces, but he had mostly thought it to be just that, a story.

It was like the godswood inside Harrenhal, but more potent, if not necessarily more powerful at this distance. The clarity of nature was remarkable and there was a part of him that wondered what effect that would have on using Sage Mode. But he had no wish to turn into stone. Without the necessary chakra to balance the natural energy any attempt was doomed to fail.

The spring weather still carried some of winter's bite with it, especially this close to the water, but Naruto barely paid that any mind. At the Wall it had been cold. This was nothing at all.

He heard the footsteps, light as they were on the grass behind him, before whoever it was could say a single word, but he did not turn around immediately.

"Your star has risen remarkably in such a short time, if you don't mind me saying so." The speaker stepped up to his side. Short and slim, so much so that he could pass for a teenager or a tall child, but there was age to his eyes all the same, marking him as older than that.

"I don't believe we have had the pleasure," Naruto said, turning away from his view of the lake. Light green eyes under a mop of red-brown hair met his own blue ones. Clad in a shirt of bronze scales under a green tabard embroidered with a black lizard-lion he looked less a noble than many of the other high-born attendees Naruto had seen at the tourney.

"You are right of course." The short man sketched a quick respectful bow, before indicating the sigil on his breast. "Howland Reed, of Greywater Watch." The last part Naruto had already known. Memorising the sigils of the different noble houses was necessary if he wanted to fit in and learn as much as possible and had come easily enough to him.

Naruto reciprocated the bow and cheekily answered in kind, "Naruto Uzumaki, of nowhere in particular." He was still in armour himself, only recently getting out of the latest round of the melee. Coming out here and away from the tourney grounds had been an attempt to get some time to think. Alone. Though he supposed that a distraction was not so bad either.

"Of course. You will have to excuse my interruption, but I could not help but be intrigued."

"Oh? Which part intrigued you the most?"

There was a small knowing smile playing over Howland's lips as he turned to look over the water as well, a faraway look in his green eyes. "Impressive as your display has been, it was not the cause of my interest. No, I have seen you. In my…, dreams, you could say."

Hearing that instantly soured Naruto's mood, wiping the smile from his face. Dreams again. Prophecy and visions and dreams. He was really beginning to despise them. It took quite a bit of willpower not to sneer, though some of his feelings still reflected in his voice. "Your dreams, huh?"

Howland took note of his tone, though he seemed to interpret the discontent for doubt. "Not the usual kind, I assure you. I saw glimpses of the future, of many futures, and the things to come. You were a significant part of some of them."

"I'm not in the mood for meandering. Say what you mean to say." His voice came out sharper than intended, but Naruto did not feel like caring either way.

"Ah. Of course. I only wished to meet. To take my own measure of you, unclouded by memory and sleep. Mayhaps we will speak more some other time." With those words Howland turned to leave towards the tourney grounds, not running, but certainly making distance with some haste.

Immediately, Naruto felt a bit bad, though not enough to call out to the small Lord. There were enough things on his mind already, offending some random lordling was nowhere near the top of the list. He sighed to himself. He'd search him out later and apologise then, for being rude if nothing else.

A few birds circled above, drawing his attention away. With winter passing they were coming north again, leaving the warmer areas further south, in the Reach or even Dorne. Maybe he would go there after this tourney was over, Oldtown or somewhere further east.

This tourney was bigger than he had thought when getting the idea to participate. Politics had never been something he spent much time or thought on. Clan dynamics had been for Shikamaru and Neji and Kiba and the others, not him. As Hokage he would have inevitably been involved in such matters, but that time had not and would never come now.

What Naruto did know, was spy work. And every instinct he had acquired while training with Jiraiya was making one thing clear: there was a conspiracy here, a scheme running below the surface. He just wasn't sure what it was yet.

The King was here, the prince was here, a lot of lords were here, but who the root was Naruto could not say. Were all of them involved? How many sides were there to this? He didn't know, but did he even really care? Well, he was definitely curious. Either way he would have to be careful while investigating. Too direct, too unsubtle, and he'd probably end up hounded from the Kingdom.

Eventually, Naruto started heading towards the tourney grounds again as well. He still had some time until the next round, but there was something else he needed to see to first.

Grass turned into mud where countless feet had trampled in the last days, and Naruto was forced to weave his way through the thickening crowds of people to make any progress. Hundreds of tents had been erected, for knights and nobles and squires to have some privacy and space when they wished, and to allow work to be done without distraction. Donning and doffing armour, handling winnings and bets, medical care after injury.

Naruto opened the flap of the tent he had been looking for and entered without fanfare.

"Any change, Maester?"

Said Maester was a plump middle-aged man currently hovering over the unresponsive tent owner. The healer did not let himself be disturbed, simply continuing as he had and deftly finishing his inspection in his own time.

"No. He has not woken, and likely will not for some time. I just sent his squire for some more water and honey. There is little else I can do for Ser Leowald."

Guilt stabbed at him, but Naruto deliberately ignored that feeling. It had been an agreed upon fight, with the possibility of injury baked right in. The part that bothered him was not that he had caused an injury, even a serious one. It was that he had not meant to.

Before even getting a spot in the melee, he had decided to use no chakra while competing. No wind, no jutsu of any kind, not even a bit more strength or speed. This was a competition, a broadly fair one, and none of the others had any access to chakra themselves. It was about skill at arms. Like restricted sparring. And he wanted to test himself against these knights.

The strike had been powered by only his muscles and the rotation of the spin. Blunted edge had met steel helm with full force and metal armour had yielded. Naruto had simply continued fighting then, after Ser Leowald had made no move to stand, going for the next opponent with the same ferocity and strength, unaware of the exact results. Fortunately, he had not struck anyone else in the head, or there would have been another unconscious knight lying unresponsive in their tent.

Ser Leowald was laid out on a simple straw bed, comfortable enough for a few days of sleeping but nothing particularly fancy. His head had been bound in strips of linen, reddened slightly where axe head had impacted helmet. The steel and the padding underneath had absorbed much of the force, but not all of it, and flesh and bone had taken what remained.

"I'll leave you to your efforts then," Naruto said and left the tent again. He felt a bit silly even coming. It was only an effort to assuage his conscience in the first place, and a poor one at that. Either Ser Leowald would wake up, with neck pain and a headache, or he wouldn't. Checking up on the man changed nothing.

He did not have to walk far to reach the fighting field, where things had already been prepared for the next round to begin. The wooden viewing stands were only half full at the moment, with a few minutes left until the next match would begin.

With his armour still on Naruto did not need to make any additional preparations, so he looked for his horse to pass the remaining time. He had bought the docile animal near Harroway, where the seller had warned him that it would not serve in a fight, on account of the temperament, but he had never intended to use it for that in the first place.

He could admit that travelling on horseback was more comfortable than walking everywhere, but his one experience of fighting atop one in the Red Waste had been enough for him, he felt far better on foot once the weapons were out.

Naruto kept an eye out for the other competitors as he walked around the field to where his own as well as most of the other horses had found their place. The advantage of surprise he had gained by being unconventional had largely disappeared by now, though there was still some adjusting happening on the part of his opponents, so he had to look for other avenues. Preparation was a part of every fight after all.

Three of the opponents had distinguished themselves in the last rounds, and those were the ones Naruto intended to be ready for.

Robert Baratheon was not the tallest of the competitors but not far behind and built like an ox to boot. Naruto had watched the young Lord of the Stormlands unhorse three opponents in the last round alone, the heavy war hammer striking home with awesome strength. It was clearly a favoured weapon of the man, and Naruto wondered how much that knowledge had affected the pick of armaments by Lord Whent.

Brandon Stark was heir to Winterfell and the North and Naruto was confident in declaring him the best rider in the melee, though perhaps that was only his own inexperience talking. Once he was on foot Brandon spent as much time brawling and grappling his opponents as he did using his weapon.

Yohn Royce was older than both of the others, though far from being past his prime. Height and build alone made the man a powerful warrior though that was far from the only thing he had going for him. His bronze armour made him stand out among the competition, which was nothing to say of the markings carefully carved into the material. Runes of the First Men, Naruto had learned. Fittingly perhaps, it was a tradition dating back thousands of years among the members of House Royce of Runestone.

All three had distinguished themselves in the previous bouts, but they all fought quite differently. The Stormlord laughed and bellowed taunts over the field as he fought, no matter his opponent, while the other two were more measured, or at least quieter. Brandon had twice surprised his opponent by lashing out with a furious gauntlet or headbutt, while Yohn Royce overwhelmed others with skill and technique, turning defense into offense with quick ripostes followed by controlled aggression.

Still, all three were trained men, confident and capable, as were the other fighters. He would do well not to take any of them too lightly despite his own success.

"How are you, boy?" Naruto said quietly, right hand running along his horse's flank. He had never had a lot of contact with animals, ninja dogs and toads being the exception, but ever since becoming a Sage, he had felt a lot closer to them than before.

Of course, his horse did not answer, only moving its head a little in response to his touch. But talking to an animal made him feel less crazy than talking to himself tended to do.

"Well, are you ready for the next round?" Naruto chuckled to himself. "Not that you will do anything but keep them guessing." Quick fingers loosened the reigns from the wooden post they had been tied to and he turned to lead his horse to the field.

The same task was being performed by younger men and boys around him. Some looked as young as ten while others were nearer his own age. Squires all, for their lord or knight, still training and preparing to eventually be granted their spurs.

One of them, larger and older than most of the others, wore a tunic decorated with the silver fist of House Glover. Ethan, Naruto thought, if the conversations he had overheard spoke true. Squire to Brandon Stark and younger cousin to Robett Glover, one of the few nobles Naruto had exchanged more than a single word with already.

He thought about approaching him to strike up a conversation, but this was hardly the time for socialising. There would be time for that in the evening, with wine and feasting aplenty.

A few of the other riders had already found their way to the field, passing the remaining time by talking with others or checking straps and bindings, by the time he got there. Naruto had already done the same.

Even if he was still somewhat uncomfortable wearing so much armour in the first place, taking care to do so properly was no different than checking the edges of your kunai and shuriken after use. Maintaining your equipment appropriately was paramount.

In truth there was one part of wearing armour he disliked the most. Secured to his saddle was a simple steel helmet, the only part he had yet to don. Nothing fancy or complicated, just a rounded piece of metal to protect his head from swings or slashes. Yet he hated wearing the thing.

Unlike the visored helmets worn by many of the other competitors the restriction on his vision was minor at best, only impacting his peripherals but that still sufficed to make him happy to lose the thing after every round. Which was to say nothing of the adverse effect it had on his hearing.

Every little bit of spy training he had gotten told him that not wearing one was out of the question, he already stood out from the way he fought, and everyone here wore a helmet during fighting, without exception. But he still wanted to.

The minutes passed, all the riders assembled and mounted their horses, and then the grooms stepped forward again, weapons for this round in hand. A mace this time. Just as the other two times he had never used this armament in a fight before, but he did not let that stop him. Weapons were all alike, in the most important way at least. Iron or steel or even wood, to strike and slash and pierce flesh, and kill something that lived.

The other riders accepted shields as well, emblazoned with the device of their houses, but Naruto had neither device to emblazon nor a shield to use. Even if he had, he would have denied accepting it. Armour was enough of an adjustment, fighting with a big piece of wood and metal strapped to his arm would only make things worse.

Naruto did not even have to say anything for the man that had given him his weapon to remain by his side, patiently waiting to handle the reins once Naruto had dismounted. That bothered him.

Perhaps it was time to change his approach again. Winning while doing the same thing again and again sounded so boring. A flash of purple in his periphery. And he intended to win. And to exceed expectations.

Decrepit and old-looking, the King raised a hand towards the master of the games, to signal for the round to begin. The nails on his fingers were yellowed and had remained untrimmed for quite some time, as poorly maintained as the man's tangled hair and beard. If Naruto was honest the man looked half a corpse, though an angry one, deep-set eyes flitting all around as if any moment an assassin would be revealed to be hiding among the onlookers.

Trumpets asked for quiet and the master of the games raised his voice to be heard across the field.

"In the name of His Grace, King Aerys, the Second of His name and Protector of the Realm, let these men fight, seven against seven to determine the victor of this melee."

A horn sounded, spurs met flanks, and horses rushed forward. For the first time Naruto did not dismount.

If his opposite was surprised Naruto could not see it under the visor, but it did not matter now. Horseman against horseman was not a situation that favoured him. It was a battle these men had trained for years to master, and he had not. For that reason, he had no intention of actually engaging in it.

Hooves thundered over the ground, making the distance rapidly shrink, and then only moments remained before both sides would clash. Naruto disentangled his feet from the stirrups and crouched on the saddle, reins in one hand and mace handle in the other. The slightest touch on the leather made his horse swerve to the right, widening the space between him and his opposite slightly.

The horses drew so close that only a few feet separated them.

Abandoning the reins Naruto pushed off with his legs, forward and toward his opponent's shield. The silver eagle on an indigo field retreated under the force, and the man behind was too surprised to counter the attack.

They tumbled to the ground with a shock and a grunt echoed out of the closed helmet. Naruto's free left hand gripped the Mallister Lord's right arm by the steel vambrace, pressing it into the ground to bind the limb.

Dropping his own mace, his weight pressing onto the other men by his shield, Naruto forced the visor open and grabbed for his dagger. Valyrian steel met the air with a hiss and then the spell-forged blade hovered over one of his opponent's wide-open eyes. A flick of his wrist and the dagger would be buried to the hilt before anybody could react.

"Yield!" the man spat out, trying to move his head as little as possible, eyes fixated on the gleaming edge of the dagger. A moment later Naruto released his grip and stood, sheathing his dagger and taking up the dropped mace again.

All of the others were still mounted, horses paired up and pushing for any advantage, steel clashing with steel again and again. He could interfere in any of the matchups of course, but that was generally frowned upon, even if it was allowed. That suited him just fine.

Jason Mallister struggled to his knees and then his feet, no longer part of the fighting but still on the field for now. Their impact to the ground had been heavy but the plate he wore had surely prevented anything but bruising. Two quick young men were already running over, waiting on the sidelines for just this kind of event, to help the defeated from the field if possible and get riderless horses out of the way. The quicker that serious injuries were looked at the better, even if that wasn't the case this time.

Naruto saw the moment that Brandon Stark defeated his opponent, mace striking home with all the force of horse and rider both. Cheers erupted from the stands, for a moment louder than they had been since the start of this match, the crowd reacting to another display of martial prowess.

Brandon continued riding, wheeling his horse around and taking in the situation around him for a moment. Naruto raised his mace over his head, quickly catching the other man's attention. Brandon returned the gesture in kind and then he reared his horse before falling into a gallop headed right for him.

Lowering his stance slightly, knees bent for an explosive motion in any direction, Naruto rolled his right wrist, twirling the mace, ensuring a strong yet relaxed grip on the weapon. The horse rushed towards him, hooves throwing up sand and dirt with every step, the sound annoyingly muffled by his helmet.

The yards separating them disappeared quickly, the distance being closed under the power of the spirited black destrier. Naruto's eyes never left Brandon himself, unconcerned with the mount, the danger it presented to him negligent.

Naruto judged the distance close enough then and exploded forward. Two, three, four steps, and then he pushed off the ground, twisting in the air, to obscure his movements and to turn his body sideways, leg ready to sweep the rider from his mount. His priority was the same as always, get people out of their saddles. Making them yield without doing that was always a tall task.

He had hoped to surprise Brandon with the manoeuvre, but if he had accomplished that it was hidden underneath the closed-face steel helmet, shaped to give the impression of a snarling wolf's head. A mace came towards him, seeking to bury into his midsection, the force surely enough to bruise ribs even though Naruto wore armour of his own.

His core tightened, muscles flexing to bring his shoulders forward. Brandon swung down and Naruto grabbed for the wooden shaft, fingers closing around the hardened ash, and bringing his legs forward as well, folding his body slightly. Legs impacted the oak shield right in the centre, all his weight suddenly pushing Brandon backwards and out of the saddle.

Without surprise bridging the distance completely, the fall was not as graceful as Naruto had intended, Brandon and him tumbling to the ground in a heap and rolling through the sand. The heir to the North had experienced this kind of fall more often than the heir to House Mallister had done, or was at least quicker to adjust, fists and elbows and knees struggling wildly and impacting Naruto's own armour.

They came to a stop with Brandon on top, wolf helmet slightly askew, denying him part of his vision. That did not seem to impede him much however, armoured limbs continuing to barrel down.

Naruto got a knee up and underneath his opponent, bracing his shin against the lower part of the breastplate, and with a hand grabbing onto the steel guarding Brandon's throat, half-threw half-rolled the other man off. With a flexing of his stomach and a motion of his legs Naruto flipped onto his feet, the added weight of steel no impediment once he had gotten used to it.

A quick look around revealed his mace discarded in the sand and two quick steps had him armed again.

Brandon had struggled to his knees and managed to right his helmet in that time, shield still strapped to his arm, though the wood had cracked, and the steel rim was bent from the fall. His mace had come out without a scratch, the flanged steel head still in place on an unmarked piece of wood.

They faced each other again, one of them now short a horse.

Then they were at each other, steel cutting through the air and biting into wood. Oak cracked and splintered even more, and Naruto ripped his mace free again, leaning back to avoid the swing that came to counter his aggression. His blood was rushing through his body, and his breathing started to pick up slightly. He was close, so very close to that point when everything else faded and there was only the fight to be enjoyed.

Two more swings were avoided in the same way, and then Naruto saw his chance, instead of stepping sideways, as he had been doing, he moved forward. A leg sweep made Brandon fall again, his shield to the ground. Naruto stepped onto the inside, binding the hand attached to the wood in place.

With his left hand he caught the wild swing coming for his hip and then he swung his own mace. Not for the head, but instead for Brandon's right shoulder. The pauldron had no choice but to yield under his strength, steel squealing, and Brandon reflexively pulled on the arm, struggling to free the limb without success.

"Yield," Naruto said simply. Other fights had drawn to a close as well by now, and people were pairing up again. He wanted to move on.

Brandon didn't. Gripping onto his foot with the hand strapped to his shield, he tried with desperate strength to dislodge Naruto's weight. Left and right he pulled and pushed, again and again. It did not work.

For a few seconds Naruto did nothing in response, simply watching the ineffectual struggle. A dark whisper was at the back of his mind, born by the sight of hopeless struggle and the memory of Ser Leowald, sprawled on his bed with a bandage around his head. He ignored that whisper, banishing it with a small shake of his head. He could get lost in his thoughts later.

Raising his mace again, the threat clear, Naruto repeated himself, louder and more forceful this time. "Yield."

Just as he was about to bring the weapon down, to crush steel even further, without regard for the bones beneath, Brandon's struggle ceased.

"I yield," he spat bitterly, rolling fully onto his back once Naruto released his weapon hand.

He noticed the sound of hooves behind him too late react properly, only managing a half-step back and a slight turn away. His helmet took the blow as it was designed to, but his head still rang for a few moments, the force knocking him over and into the sand.

Naruto caught himself on his hands, the fingers of his left hands closing around a fistful of sand, as horse and rider rode past him. Shaking his head to clear some of the cobwebs he pushed himself to his feet, the destrier already turning in his direction again.

The antlered helmet made Robert Baratheon even taller than he already was, his size and presence imposing, especially while mounted, but he barely paid that any mind. Mace still in hand Naruto undid the clasp on his helmet and ripped the piece of steel off. At the moment he didn't care that it had protected him from the strike just now, he was annoyed.

Annoyed at taking his first real hit, annoyed at the way the helmet impaired his hearing, and annoyed at the slight trickle of blood weeping from the side of his head. It did not feel serious, but like all head wounds it bled a lot.

Robert's horse scuffed a hoof against the sand and snorted heavily. Naruto focused again, mace in one hand and fistful of sand in the other. This was no time for deliberation.

"Hah! Very good!" Robert laughed uproariously and then spurred his horse forward, clearly intent on continuing even if Naruto was no longer wearing a helmet. That suited him just fine.

The horse gained what speed it could over the short distance between them, and Naruto waited, ready and prepared to make his move. A mace was unevenly weighted and blunt to boot but getting hit with a flying piece of steel would still have an effect. Especially if it was fast enough.

With a step forward Naruto threw, mace cutting through the air like a javelin, on a direct course for his opponent's face. Speed made the weapon fly straight and without spinning but Robert had been watching him from the beginning. He reacted, though not fast enough to completely block the flanged head with his shield.

Then the horse was close enough and Naruto threw with his other hand. Sand distracted the mount just as mace did the rider, allowing him to sidestep the wild and confused trampling, turn towards Robert, and pull him from his saddle.

Robert Baratheon was taller and heavier than him, but gravity affected the man just as it did everyone else, near three hundred pounds of muscle and steel falling and impacting the sand with a heavy thud. One of the antlers attached to his helmet cracked near the tip and the man's horse squealed in discomfort from the pulling on reins and stirrups.

Naruto moved in quickly, not giving the Stormlord any time to adjust. One foot holding down the right arm at the elbow he unsheathed his dagger and knelt, edge closing on the eye holes set into the helmet. Robert struck out with his free hand, but Naruto caught the gauntlet in his own, neutralising the attempt before it could accomplish anything.

"Yield," Naruto insisted.

Robert bucked and struggled and pulled, trying to bring all of his considerable strength to bear, but it made no difference. Naruto lowered the dagger an inch, tip kissing the black-coloured steel just above the eye. If Robert moved his head too much, he would take out the eye himself, without any further movement from Naruto.

That did the job.

"I yield."

Naruto stood and let go in one movement, leaving the Stormlord on the ground. Sheathing his dagger at his hip he looked for the thinned-out competition. There were no riders left, everyone having dismounted for one reason or another by now. With the two men he had just beaten cleared from the field there were only two others left.

Bronze Yohn Royce was locked into a battle with Ser Garth Hightower, maces striking shields more than they did armour. Both men favoured a more careful approach to fighting but even Naruto could see the edge in experience that the Valeman held.

Taking his eyes off the bout for a moment Naruto scanned the field for his weapon. His mace was still where it had landed after being deflected off Robert's shield, slightly covered in the sand that had been thrown up by the man's horse.

Weapon in hand he walked closer to the last battle, horses and men being led off the field around him, to clear the space for the benefit of the onlookers if not the competitors.

With nothing else to do but interfere in the duel, which he did not intend, Naruto simply watched, ready to confront either of the two men once their match had concluded. Even if he and Ser Garth had started on the same side, there would only be a single winner today.

Another blow was blocked and deflected as was the following aggression from the other side. Yohn stepped back just enough to evade the next swing, and Ser Garth overextended, earning himself a hit in the shoulder, the steel pauldron denting under the blow. The Hightower knight flinched but stood tall nonetheless, though his ability to move the arm as he had been doing was clearly reduced.

They continued.

Ser Garth acquitted himself well, but his opponent was relentless, focusing on the compromised side with all the following strikes and exploiting the advantage that had appeared. The aggression forced him back, making him retreat one step after another in an effort to avoid further hits.

Something had to give eventually, and it was Ser Garths footing in the end. He stumbled, though Naruto could not see from what, and Bronze Yohn moved in to finish him. A precise strike disarmed the fallen knight and the Valeman worked quickly to force a submission by dagger.

The crowd's cheers grew louder, celebrating another defeat, and he readied himself to serve the final one. Ser Garth was helped from the field, clearing the space for the two of them. A spot of grey among the sand drew Naruto's attention. One of the horses had thrown a shoe in the fighting, the curved piece of metal denying the Reachman his final chance at victory.

They faced off, a bit more than five yards separating them, and waited. This time there was no horse for Naruto to work around and instead just a straight up bout on foot. That also meant that he could not use the act of dismounting his opponent for an advantage.

"You do not wish to don your helmet?"

"No," Naruto said, shaking his head. The bleeding had stopped already, but he still felt far more comfortable without a piece of steel on his head. The other man accepted his words with a simple nod.

In moments, a hush had fallen over the onlookers, an expectant quiet setting in, ready and waiting for this final clash.

Naruto could admit to himself that he was hopeful, that Bronze Yohn would be able to offer him a real fight, unlike those before him. On some unseen signal they both started moving.

Careful, deliberate steps had them circling each other without ever coming any closer. There was no real point in doing so, but Naruto could feel the excitement building, and his opposite seemed to be on the same page as him, to make this a memorable spectacle for everyone.

Still, Naruto had made the conscious choice to circle right. Baiting Bronze Yohn onto the horseshoe, to trip as Ser Garth had done, would in all likelihood not work, but perhaps the Valeman would not expect him to be pointedly aware of the trinket.

From one moment to the next they were both rushing forward. The very first step brought some change, a difference in the situation Naruto could not pinpoint except to note that it had in fact appeared.

But then there was a mace coming for him and he was in the moment, mind on only the fight and how to win. Bronze Yohn's shield was more ruin than anything else, the oak ripped, and the metal rim bent in multiple places, yet it still protected him well enough.

Naruto wove around the other man's weapon, evading two quick swings, and then retaliated with a heavy strike that was easily blocked by the shield. The flanged head ripped into the wood, tearing small chunks off as he pulled it away again and stepped back outside the range of the downwards counterattack.

A quick half-step forward allowed him to grab for the weapon as Bronze Yohn was bringing it back up, hand closing around the ash handle just below the head. The Valeman struck out with the ruined remains of his shield, but Naruto turned his body so that the oak hit his shoulder and not his head.

Leg extended in front of his opponent he made to pull Bronze Yohn forward by his weapon and armour, over the leg and into a tumble to the ground, but the older man was ready, abandoning his mace to avoid the throw and punching with a now empty gauntleted fist.

Adjusting quickly, Naruto twisted further letting the fist sail past his head and striking out at the man with his own weapon, the wooden handle impacting the back of the steel helmet with a crack. Completing his body's turn he stepped away, outside the reach of a follow-up punch.

Whatever effect he had imagined the strike to have, it did not occur, and Bronze Yohn Royce simply retreated away as well, down a weapon but still equipped with his shield.

That confused Naruto. He had not used his full strength, but a hit like that should have dazed the man for a second at the very least, even through the helmet. His eyes caught the reflection of sunlight on the bronze armour, and the runes carved into the surface. They did not flash with power, or react in any other way, but his gut was still telling him to pay attention. Warding from harm indeed.

Considering the two weapons he now held for a moment, Naruto threw the newly acquired one to the side, too far away to pick up quickly but not completely out of reach. So tantalisingly close in fact, that the prospect of picking it up before one of them was defeated was very distracting. Appealing, and yet an obvious bait.

Bronze Yohn clearly considered it, nonetheless, though he stayed in place in the end.

Naruto advanced, keenly aware that he may have to actually exert himself here. They met each other again, mace to shield, but this time there was no opposing weapon coming to punish him, only a steel gauntlet. Fortunately, he was far more used to a bout involving fists and legs than he was one with weapons.

Avoiding the Valeman's attacks Naruto continued reducing the shield to dust and splinters, every attack ripping apart the oak or denting the steel rim into an unrecognizable mess.

He knew what his opponent was trying to do, the path Bronze Yohn was using while retreating slowly bringing them closer and closer to the discarded mace, but he allowed it to happen all the same. His heart was beating quicker now, ramping up.

The exchange continued, rising in intensity with every moment, the hits Naruto scored on the bronze armour doing little but scratching the material slightly.

Muscles and steel worked together, to counter the greater experience and skill of his opponent. Naruto was relentless, pushing and pushing, forcing retreating steps with every blow. The crowd faded, their cheering and hollering forgotten and there was only the crash of steel on bronze, again and again.

Here he could bring his strength and speed to bear. For every attack the Valeman made, he answered with two, then three, then four.

Reality snapped back into place. He was the last one standing on the field, Bronze Yohn at his feet, defeat on his lips. Too much.

Naruto turned to the stands, where people were hollering and cheering for him. He could not enjoy it fully. So close, so close it had been to an actual contest. But not quite.

This wasn't like fighting Sasuke, or training with Kakashi and Jiraiya, when his heart would beat like a drum, his breathing deep and fast, air burning his lungs on every inhale.

These were some of the best knights and yet it felt like they had no chance against him, no matter their struggle. It tainted the moment, that dark whisper returning to the back of his mind, that this was like pushing around children, like going to first-years in the academy and beating them bloody. It took all the enjoyment out of fighting.

Naruto bowed to the stands, to King and court and country, and left the field.

After two hours of eating, drinking, and talking Naruto was ready for some fresh air. Excusing himself from the latest offer to join some lord's household guard, he began weaving his way through the crowd of people towards the nearest exit. A few noticed and then greeted him with smiles or a clap on the shoulder, while others took special care to make it seem like they did not even know who he was, much less what he was doing in the hall.

The corridors were filled with revelry and celebration as well, warm with the heat from torches, hearths, and countless people. After ascending a few flights of stairs Naruto exited onto an inner rampart, the godswood visible not far away. In the low light discerning the red leaves of the ancient weirwood from the surroundings green was a near impossible task but he could feel the exact position, nonetheless.

Winterfell had been huge and incredible. Harrenhal was monstrous and terrible. Whether that was a result of Balerion's flames or something else he could not say.

The evening air was pleasantly cool against his skin and the stars and moon were already bright in the sky, quickly drawing his gaze away from the black stone that had melted under a dragon's fury.

Unbidden, the sight woke a memory in his mind: two shining eyes, a mismatched pair of blue and green. Naruto shook his head, banishing the moment. Half a year and Shiera still haunted him.

There was a comforting steadiness in the view, nonetheless. No matter where he travelled, the stars did not change. Not at the Wall, not here, not in the far east. They had been as they were long before he had come here, and they would remain that way for long after he died.

Slippered feet on stone drew his attention and Naruto turned his head in the direction of the noise.

"May I join you?" Ashara Dayne asked, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. The part of his brain that noted the movement was outmatched by the one that was focused on her eyes, purple and twinkling with laughter. Perhaps growing up on tales and around people that possessed dojutsu had affected him in unexpected ways.

"It would be my pleasure," Naruto said with a small smile. She joined him, leaning against the stone and looking over the treetops. They remained in companionable silence for a little while, the muted sound of the celebration in the background.

Her favour was still tied around his arm and for a moment he considered making that the topic of conversation, but he thought better of it. "I hope I exceeded your grand expectations of me today," he said, meeting Ashara's eyes again.

"Hmm," she hummed, her lips twitching into a smile, "they were quite grand. You were so confident in your victory yesterday; I could not help but adopt those expectations as well. Winning alone, would not be exceeding them, then."

"I feared that my meagre accomplishment would not suffice," Naruto sighed in mock defeat and shook his head. "I will have to do my best another time then."

They chuckled, enjoying the merry moment shared between just the two of them.

"I had thought to find you sooner, but no one could point me in the direction of your tent."

"Heh. Yes, they would not have," he answered, amused. "When I came to Harrenhal I had no clear plan to participate as I have. Procuring a tent or pavilion was not something I concerned myself with."

It had made settling all the accounts after his victory more difficult but half the men he had beaten had already paid their dues, ransoming back arms and armour. In addition to the champion's purse, he had taken possession of a rather substantial amount of gold already. Not that he knew what to do with all that coin yet.

"Truly? You should take care then, that none can use this chance to lighten you of your new burden."

Naruto grinned. "They will not find that to be quite so simple, I imagine."

"No? How so?" Ashara asked curiously.

"If my lady allows, it would be my pleasure to show you." He held his right hand out toward her, inviting her to join him, his grin growing slightly wider. She considered for a quiet moment, searching his face with her eyes, before laying her own hand in his.

"I will be in your care then."

His eyes wandered upwards, taking in handholds and possible stopping points, whether windows, gargoyles, or other protrusions from the walls. He had not made the climb from this side before. To the roof and then further up.

Harrenhal's towers were as large in scale as the rest of the castle, though they numbered only five. The nearest two: Kingspyre and Widow's, were connected to each other by a stone bridge, and were the most central structures of the whole castle, right next to the main keep.

"Don't scream," Naruto said and swept Ashara off her feet.

His first jump brought them above the exit they had both used, and the next one followed immediately after, starting their journey to the top. Ashara's breath hitched and her arms locked around him in a panic, wildly clutching at his clothing.

Not even a dozen jumps later they had reached the building's roof, but instead of stopping Naruto simply continued going higher, up the Widow's Tower to the very top.

The King and his court, as well as the most prominent guests, were being housed in the two connected buildings, in rooms all over the incredibly tall structures. Yet at the very peak, where Balerion's flames had been hottest and most furious, the stone had melted and changed, collapsing rooms and stairs, so that the higher parts were inhospitable, if they were reachable at all. From the inside, that was.

It did not take him long, even with a scared and surprised passenger clinging on for dear life, to reach his goal and pull them both over the half-crumbled piece of wall that was all that remained of the highest room's exterior.

Where there had been windows before, only the sill remained, everything above broken and crumbled away long ago. The former room was large, but half of it was filled with debris and a smooth mass of melted black stone, leaving only a smaller space to stand in near the side.

In one of the two corners were Naruto's possessions: his armour, weapons, and everything else he had to his name, all placed into a neat pile with his prize on top, barely illuminated by the low light of moon and stars.

Slowly Ashara relaxed her grip, pulling her face away from where she had been pressing it into his chest and meeting his eyes. He greeted her gaze with a cheeky smile. "You didn't. I'm impressed."

Gently lowering her to the ground, she stood on her own feet again.

For a moment silence reigned, and Naruto thought that perhaps he had gone too far, but then her lips began to twitch with barely suppressed laughter that soon boiled over. It was a merry sound, that quickly made him join in her amusement. Their chuckles echoed far in the wide-open air, but that did not concern him much.

"I can see how someone could find difficulty in getting up here," Ashara said, once their laughter had subsided, looking down into the dark night, punctuated by the light of torches all over the castle and the tourney grounds. "But trespassing on these grounds? It seems I imparted my favour on a common criminal in truth." She shook her head, faux reproach in her voice.

Naruto played along, a grin fixed to his face. "Common criminal, you say? I would have thought I deserved at least to be called an uncommon one, rare even."

"It seems your arrogance simply knows no bounds, to steal an innocent maiden and pretend you are better than some brigand," Ashara sniffed, crossing her arms.

"I could not bring the sight down with me and was left with no recourse. I'm sure the Princess will understand," he countered, his own smile growing just as hers did. They laughed again, and settled near the windowsill, looking into the night in companionable silence.

Naruto had heard of the Hightower in Oldtown, standing even taller than the Wall, with a signal fire at the very top. Apparently, you could see the whole length of Westeros from up there, though he seriously doubted that claim. Maybe he would try that out soon, the Citadel was in Oldtown too after all.

"In Starfall, the highest tower has a view on the western coast of Dorne, where the Torentine flows into the Summer Sea, but on a clear day you can see for miles beyond that point, out to where the ships seeking port in Oldtown or Lannisport are sailing," Ashara said, eyes fixed on some point in the distance.

"Perhaps I will be able to see it someday." Naruto saw her glance in his direction before answering.

"Perhaps you will."

How long they stood there enjoying the sight, Naruto could not say, but he would not have minded if it had been hours. Ashara shivered slightly and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, quickly gaining his attention.

Up here the air was much cooler and the wind stronger, easily driving a chill into your flesh without a fire to keep it at bay. Chakra kept him warm even without one, but Ashara was not so lucky.

"Should we head down again? There is still enough time in the night for another dance." Naruto held out his hand again and she easily accepted, allowing him to pick her up and begin the way down. He had not paid it any mind before, but with her arms wound around his neck he could very clearly feel the curve of her breasts through her gown.

He was keenly aware that Ashara was a very beautiful woman.

It did not take long to reach the same rampart they had come from, and Naruto touched down on light feet, bringing them both right to the door that led back inside. They headed through the entrance together, the noise immediately even louder and quickly joined by the warmth of the many fires.

Just before they could enter the Hall of a Hundred Hearths, and join the feast again, they were met with an older man in white armour and cloak, a sheathed sword at his hip. Perhaps Naruto only imagined it, but what looked like disapproval flashed through the man's eyes at the sight he encountered.

"Ser Barristan?" Ashara asked, once it became clear that the knight was focused on the two of them.

"My lady," he inclined his head in a respectful nod, "the Princess requires your presence, at once."

A change came over Ashara in response, thoughts of revelry and enjoyment clearly forgotten for duty and obligation. She turned to him, an apology on her lips, but Naruto raised a hand to stop her, an understanding smile on his lips.

"Another time then. The tourney will no doubt supply further opportunities." Sometimes duty called unexpectedly, even for noble ladies. That, he understood. You never knew when a mission would come knocking on your door either.

"Another time," Ashara agreed, and quickly hurried off, in search of Princess Elia.

The knight of the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan Selmy, if Naruto remembered correctly, remained, only throwing a quick glance at Ashara's back. They both waited a few moments in silence, the disapproval on the older man's face now blatant and unconcealed, one hand casually placed on the pommel of his sword.

Naruto was unconcerned about the unspoken threat, though he was unsure just what he had done to this man to cause this kind of reaction.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, one eyebrow raised, when no explanation was forthcoming. "I do not believe we have had the pleasure."

Ser Barristan simply continued to glower, an angry set to his armoured shoulders. "It would have been no pleasure, for me. Lady Ashara is a noble woman of high birth, and you a common freerider." Before the man could continue Naruto interrupted, an inkling of what the problem was developing.

"I assure you, the Lady took no issue with anything I did."

Ser Barristan's scowl deepened even further. "Keep your distance from now on, or there will be consequences," he eventually said, and turned to leave, unblemished white cloak swishing behind him.

'Who rained on his parade?' Naruto thought to himself, unsure just what he had done.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 22. I am finished with 23 and working on 24 and 25 currently.

This chapter just kept expanding more and more as I was writing, and ended up being the longest yet.

Howland Reed is very interesting because even five books in, we have never met him, certain theories notwithstanding. However Meera's story to Bran about Harrenhal is his story. In that chapter Meera and Jojen say that Howland does not have green dreams/sight, but he went to the Isle of Faces to learn the magic of the Green Men and here that means he got glimpses through the weirnet. Of course for Naruto that is a bit of a sore spot.

I'm trying to not make Naruto inexplicably favour anyone he meets too much just because they are protagonists/the good guys in the books.

Robert Baratheon is around 6'6 but Yohn Royce is compared to the Hound in stature, who stands at about 7' making him even taller. Naruto obviously destroys the competition anyways. They are skilled and well-trained but at some point superhuman speed and strength are just too much, especially because Naruto is no novice in combat, even if the weapons they are using aren't what he is accustomed to.

Nonetheless, Naruto mostly fights unconventionally, to the Westerosi anyways. Knights were often killed once they were grounded and could be swarmed, when a well-placed dagger can penetrate the softer spots/gaps in the armour. Combat between knights in plate tended to involve a lot of wrestling.

I did not mention this in last chapter's notes but plate armour largely meant that two-handed weapons were used far more. The advantage of a shield is negligible when you are walking around in steel that does the same thing anyways. Might as well use that freed up arm for something more destructive.

Maces and warhammer or warpicks were a lot smaller than they are often portrayed in fantasy. By weight they are comparable to a sword, somewhere around 3 to 5 pounds, but that mass is centralised in the head and not balanced over the whole thing. Speed of the swing is also very important. A weapon that is too heavy ends up doing less than one that is lighter because you can't swing it very quickly.

Shields evolved a lot in the medieval period. The type they would be using was mostly strapped to your arm, sometimes with an additional strap over the shoulder. That way you can use the reins with that hand while still protecting yourself.

Naruto is of course not completely aware of the schemes running at the tourney but he is paying attention and slowly figuring things out.

Barristan thinks back to the tourney at Harrenhal when he is in Meereen. According to him Ashara was dishonored at the tourney, she looked to Stark because he didn't crown her Queen of Love and Beauty, and she looks a lot like Dany. The simplest explanation for that is, in my view: Brandon slept with her because he was a womanizer, she fancied him, and Dany and her both have purple eyes. Alternatively she fancied and slept with Eddard, and is therefore the mother of Jon Snow, Dany, fAegon, and at least a dozen other children. There are a lot of theories regardig her.

Brandon is poorly defined as a character on account of being dead for sixteen years at the beginning of AGOT, but from what we know, him sleeping with Ashara after he talks to her because Ned is too shy to ask her for a dance would make him a pretty big piece of shit, wolfblood or not. In this story he may think about doing so but wanting and doing are two very different things.

Barristan is like 45 at the tourney, and a celibate knight, what exactly he was thinking would happen had he won the joust, I do not know. I am also not trying to bash him here. Naruto, like some of the characters he meets in Meereen, runs right up against his sense of honour and chivalry so he isn't going to be particularly happy about them doing things he disapproves of.

If anyone actually thinks that Naruto is gonna heed that warning at the end, I have a bridge to sell you.

I moved the story from the book category to the show category this week. Shiera and Ashara are not available as characters so they no longer show up at the top. I don't think it will bother anyone, but the category is bigger, and I would guess that some readers came from the show anyway without reading the books themselves, so the distinction was mostly window-dressing anyway.

As always thanks for reading and reviewing. Until next week.