Chapter 6

The following few days were a routine of training, attending meals, lessons, and more training. Clive thrived in the bailey, showing off his skills with a sword whether it was in a sparring match with blunted training blades or with his actual weapon against straw dummy's. However, as each day passed, Clive was not content to just cut down a dummy. That heat had started to grow inside him again. The cause? It was firing arrows at targets for the entertainment of the girls watching them train in the yard.

"Still not feeling up to it, Lord Marquess?"

And there was his other problem today. Thorn. Bad enough that a Greyjoy was staying in the castle after the rebellion, but now he had to deal with both the squid and Thorn showing off in training.

"I am fine, Sir Thorn," he responds, doing his best to ignore all distractions "Just going through the motions."

"Then perhaps a spar would be more to your liking then?" Clive felt that heat returning as Thorn smirked at him "Should be much more beneficial than just swinging a practice sword around at nothing."

Clive begrudgingly had to admit that Thorn was right. With Joshua and Jill watching him, how could he refuse a chance to show his stuff? "Know what Thorn, I'll take that challenge."

There was a light buzz in the bailey. Stark guards gather round for a chance to see what their new guests could do. Clive mostly ignored them as he readied the training blade in his hand, Thorn opposite himself as Ser Rodrick officiated the match.

"Nice and clean boys, we don't want to upset your Archduke and Duchess, do we?" the aging knight gave them both a stern look "Right then, you may begin."

Clive spun to the left, avoiding Thorn's swing before coming back with one of his own, making the knight stumble. Thorn readjusted his posture, giving a shorter swing before bringing his blade up to parry Clive's retaliatory strike. The knight smirked, delivering a hard shoulder charge to the young Lord Marquess, knocking him onto his back.

Off to the side, Joshua was cheering for Clive, Torgal barking in support of his master as they watched the fight play out. While the young ladies of Winterfell all placed their own bets on who would win, one young lady watched with worry as the two boys went at it. Why boys had to be so stupid all the time, she would never understand. She could only hope that these two would stop before someone got seriously hurt.

"Who do you think will win Jill?" The speaker was a girl her own age, red hair and the more regal sounding voice…this was Sansa Stark. Lord and Lady Stark's eldest daughter.

"I do not know," she admits, frowning as she watches Clive roll away from another of Thorn's swings "Both are skilled in their own way. Sir Thorn is a brave knight, even if he is young but Clive has always been resourceful."

"Clive obviously!" Jill found herself giggling at Joshua's outburst. The little boy beside her almost glaring up at the older girls as they laughed at how cute he looked supporting his big brother "No one can beat Clive."

"Except Lord Murdoch," Jill points out.

The boy pouts "Except Lord Murdoch…but you'll see, Clive won't lose."

As if to support the claim Torgal barks. The little puppy kept his attention on the spar playing out before them. Jill too turned her gaze to the spar. One of the boys would win, though she knew not which, and one would lose. She only hoped that Clive would not be too hurt after.

"Yield?" Thorn asks, battering away at Clive's guard "Your arm must be getting tired of blocking only, come, why not take a swing at me!?"

Clive clenched his teeth as he was pushed back again. He could feel that heat returning. Was it his anger that was causing it? No, he had to focus. Just like Lord Murdoch had taught him; focus on the fight, nothing else. "I'm just taking my time is all Sir Thorn, waiting until you do something foolish as always."

"Funny coming from you," he scoffs "I'll show you just what a real knight can do, not like you'll ever be one."

Clive felt the heat leave him as Thorn came at him again. He brought up his training sword to block the swing. There was an increase in the heat around his body…but none within as he swung the blade. Thorn stumbled back, there was a gasp in the onlooking crowd. Distantly Clive could hear his little brother cheering for him. Thorn hit the ground, eyes wide as he stared up at Clive, a flaming sword in his hand. Blessing of the Phoenix indeed, the boy had done it, he had manifested the blessing. Clive too stared at the blade in awe, even as Sir Rex and Sir Cody both intervened in the spar to check them over. Clive must have been in shock, the first time utilizing the Phoenix's gift in such a way surely would be a shock for anyone.

"You certainly do not waste time in showing off," Elwin sighs, shaking his head as he and Lord Stark approach the crowd of gathered guards. Stark's men all make way, standing at the ready for their Lord. "I suppose this means we will be having a longer conversation than planned later on Lord Stark, but if you will permit me, I must see to my men first."

"Meet me in my solar after you are finished Lord Rosfield…we will have much to discuss."

Clive could feel the heat coming off his weapon, and yet he felt no warmth. His body wasn't burning up any more…but his blade was on fire. His weapon was on fire…and he was slowly starting to panic. Rex came up, fortunately for Clive, and swatted the weapon out of the boy's hands with one of his axes.

"You alright?"

"Y-yes…I'm…I am fine, thank you Rex."

The older knight gave a curt nod, moving over to help Thorn to his feet while Cody took charge of the situation at hand. Clive felt a lecture coming on as the knight approached him with that stern look of his, Elwin not too far behind him.

"Pick up your sword."

Clive glanced up at his father nervously "I…I'm sorry?"

Elwin gives him a reassuring smile "Pick up your sword Clive. It's alright."

Joshua smiled as he watched his brother pick his weapon back up. Rex and Thorn standing a safe distance away as the boy inspected the normal looking blade. "I…I don't know what you are expecting me to do with this."

"You ignited it," Elwin states "You harnessed the powers of the Phoenix to ignite your weapon Clive. There is nothing to be worried about."

"I didn't mean to…not here…not in front of them."

"They do not matter Clive; this is something to be proud of." Elwin lightly bumps his fist against Clive's chest "Now, let's see that again."

"Father…I'm not sure of how I even did it to begin with."

"Focus on the feeling Clive, what were you trying to do?"

Clive shifts in place, a small smile on his face "I was trying to shut Thorn up."

"Then do that again, but this time…feel it."

Jill watched as the Archduke walked away slowly. The other shields backed off from Clive leaving him alone in the training yard. The guards from House Stark looked curious as Clove raised his training blade. Just off to the side Theon elbowed Robb, laughing as they watched Clive.

"Little cheater's been found out, 'spose Lord Rosfield will let him keep his hand after this?"

"That 'cheater' Theon is his eldest son," Robb reminds him "And I doubt that a knight of Rosaria would cheat against a fellow knight of the same kingdom."

"And how do you suppose he managed to ignite his blade like that? Magic?"

There was a moment of silence as Clive focused on the feeling. The heat didn't build up within him this time. No. His blade ignited on command to the awe of the crowd. A single glance at Elwin for confirmation was all it took for Clive to swing the sword and the flames to dissipate. There was a slow clap beginning with Elwin, soon every guard and knight present was clapping as Elwin approached and clapped his hand to Clive's shoulder.

"That is what I meant!" he laughed "You see? That is the power of the First Shield of Rosaria. What you just did my boy…that was the Burning Blade, a technique first recorded centuries ago by one of the first to be blessed by the Phoenix."

"Is it always so…hot? Before first performing one of these techniques?"

Elwin shook his head "I cannot answer that question. When we return to Rosalith, there is something I must show you but for now…why don't you go and relax with your brother. I am certain he will be eager to congratulate you."

Clive hazard a glance in Joshua's direction, a smile tugging at his lips as he spotted his younger brother and Torgal cheering for him. Briefly a blush crossed his face as his eyes drifted to the left, settling on Jill amongst the noble ladies of Winterfell. "Right…Joshua."

Elwin chuckled as he pushed his son forward. Regardless of where his head was at, the boy could use a gentle nudge every so often in the right direction. Lest he lose his nerve and freeze up. "Rex, keep an eye on them, will you? And Cody, bring the chest to Lord Stark's solar, we have much to discuss today it seems."

The Sept was a gaudy building in Anabella's opinion. Every day since their arrival was spent within their own areas of expertise. Anabella's sadly was wasted with her trapped in the presence of Lady Stark and an old woman known as Septa Mordane. The old Septa was a staunch supporter of her faith and the nobility of the land. Above all, however, she was a chief cause for Jon's abuse as a child. For what else would you call what the woman spat out every other sentence?

"I never tire of being here," Catelyn says as she finishes her prayer for the morning "Ned had this place built for me to worship my gods here in the North. He is a very good husband, not unlike your Elwin I presume?"

Anabella fought the urge to roll her eyes "Yes, Elwin has been most accommodating in our marriage. Even comes to me for input on some political matters."

There was a scoff from behind. Anabella narrowed her eyes as that old Septa reared her dusty old head into the conversation "Forgive me Lady Rosfield but it just is not proper for a Lord to ask his lady wife for assistance on such things. It is the duty of the Lord to see to the affairs of the castle and kingdom. The Lady's place is in more…domestic areas."

"Like gardening, parties, betrothals for children and producing an heir?" Anabella's tone was frigid but not yet ice "And what do you know of a Lady's duties, Septa Mordane?"

"I know that no proper Lord would do this unless he had some reason to," She explains "Disloyalty perhaps?"

"Septa!"

Anabella held up her hand. Much as she loathed the woman Catelyn Stark was in Clive's old life…she could handle her own battles, verbal or not. "You are insinuating what you have always implied Septa, that my Elwin has a bastard somewhere that I do not know about. Are you implying this because you truly wish to make an enemy of me, or perhaps because you have seen it happen before?"

The old Septa nods her head, oh how Anabella wanted nothing more than to watch the old crone take a nasty fall "Precisely! Bastards are born all the time here, surely, they exist in Valistea?"

"Valisthea, Septa."

"Right, right…Valisthea. You must see it? If Lord Rosfield is being so accommodating it is because he has slighted you and wants you to forgive him. With how different that boy of yours is from your youngest I would assume he was the bastard but if anything, it might just be the girl who is."

Anabella felt her face twinge. A sharp wince of pain from her head, she resisted the desperate need to grasp at her own head and hope to the Flames the pain would go away as she stood. "Septa! While I…cannot disagree with what you are suggesting, I will hear no talk of my own flesh and blood, our ward even, being the results of some illicit affair that my husband had with a common whore!"

Septa Mordane looked like she had been struck as she stared back at the hateful glare of an angry Anabella Rosfield. "Y-your ladyship…"

"I cannot pretend to have any sort of control over you as this is Lady Stark's home, not mine…but if this were Valisthea, I would see you cast out of Rosalith for speaking such deceit, such lies, sch slander!"

Catelyn, taking pity on her old Septa, rose to her feet "Septa Mordane? Perhaps you should gather the girls for their daily lessons? I will keep Lady Rosfield company, surely, she must be tired still from the trip."

"A-at once your ladyship." The old woman hurried from the Sept, a sight that Anabella took great satisfaction in causing.

"I can understand not wanting your husbands' affairs aired for all to hear," Catelyn's voice broke through the brief joy Anabella was experiencing "But it is the truth. My own husband sired a bastard son during the rebellion. Even brought him to Winterfell to raise among our children, of course…his loss in the Greyjoy Rebellion was a gift from the Seven. Never again will that bastard grace these walls, nor will he ever be in my presence again. If Elwin ever does slight you in such a way, I would be more than willing to help you through it; seeing as I have been there with my own husband."

"You think me a fool?" Anabella scoffed making Catelyn frown in confusion "A bastard boy? A problem? Some form of slight against you or I? Do your gods not preach innocence in children? Your septons and septas, do they not tell you that children are a gift?"

"They do…but bastardry is a sin!"

"But it is not the fault of the child for being born, but the fault of the parent that sires them." Anabella closed in on her now. Catelyn Stark was a Stark only in name by marriage before the gods, she was a Trout through and through. Staring her down, standing before her, was a woman with the name of a Rose, and yet all the cunning and cruelty of a Wolf. "Yet you claim to be a woman of the gods and you stand before me to prattle on about the bastard son being the guilty party. Being the abomination and not your Lord husband who sired him in the first place. Have you no heart Lady Stark?"

"Where do you get off telling me what I should or should not do? In my own home no less!"

There was a resounding smack. Catelyn Stark stumbled, falling back against a pew. Left hand coming up to her face, eyes staring in shock at an angry Anabella, her right hand still raised. "Watch your tongue before you end up losing it. In this sept, before me, before your gods…you would dare to confess to your own failing and then claim them as proper. I'll have you know this Lady Stark, not all bastards are as sinful as you claim. One bastard boy saved the life of a young maiden during a raid many years ago. He saved her life and was rewarded for his actions appropriately. Do you want to know what my dear husband discovered after that raid? Those savages used innocent children as fodder, lambs for the slaughter to take their place when our knights charged them. Each of them was a bastard child, each of them had a family, a name and we knew them not. So no, not all bastards are the creatures of sin that you profess them to be, just like not all noble ladies are as noble as you claim to be."

Catelyn Stark watched the Duchess storm out of the Sept in silent awe of her audacity. She could easily report her to the guard, have her locked up…and cause an incident. Glancing up at the ceiling of the sept she wondered just how true the words spoken to her with such fury were. Was she right? Was Anabella, right?

While Catelyn had her thoughts to occupy her time and wear away at her very soul, Ned had his own troubles to contend with.

"What was that Elwin?"

Elwin spared Cody a glance, chest firmly held in his grasp before returning his gaze to Lord Stark "That was the Blessing of the Phoenix, Lord Stark."

"Blessing? Phoenix?" he questioned "What madness have you brought to my home!?"

"Not madness, I assure you. Cody, if you please?" Cody stepped forward, setting the chest down on Lord Stark's desk "In this chest is a small portion of what we can offer you and the North in trade. And the beginning of a long explanation into what happened in the yard."

Ned eyed the two with suspicion. Jory stood by his side, ready to jump to his defense should he be needed. As Ned opened the chest, he could feel the tension inside building up before it gave way to wonder. "What sort of crystal are these?"

"Fragments of a much larger crystal," Elwin begins to explain "What you are holding are just smaller crystals, mined from the Mothercrystal in Sanbreque. Their value however is not in what they are made of but what they can do, what they are."

"What they do?"

Elwin reaches forward, grasping his goblet and a crystal "Allow me to show you," he holds the crystal over his goblet. Both Ned and Jory's eyes widen as they witness water begin to fill the goblet. "This is the blessing of the crystal. Magic, Lord Stark, in the palm of your hand."

"Had I not witnessed it I would call you mad…magic exists?"

"In Valisthea the crystals allow us to cast spells, perform feats that only magic could." Elwin grows solemn "But there are those among us who can do so without the aid of a crystal, Bearers, we call them. People like you or I…unlucky enough to be born the way they are."

"How are they unlucky? If they could create clean water…they could save entire villages alone."

"Aye, they could…but there are those in power across Valisthea who see Bearers as little more than slaves to be branded, sold, and traded for more luxuries." Elwin eyes the crystal in his hand "I would hope to see it all end…but alas I am one man and even as Archduke of the Duchy I know that I will not live long enough to see it happen."

Ned looks contemplative. Unknowingly he took the bait presented to him "Why tell me all this? You show me these crystals and promise that they can make life easier for all of us here…and yet, you also tell me that your lands have people who can do this without them…and that they are treated as slaves. Why?"

"Because I need your vow, Lord Stark."

"My vow?"

Elwin hesitated. Something he found to be an uncomfortable thing to experience "We will do trade with the North and the North only, a supply of crystals every other month, books on our lands at the earliest convenience as well as something more valuable than the crystals."

"More valuable? What could you possibly have that is worth more than magic?"

"Cody, do it." Ned and Jory watched as the stalwart guard of Rosaria stepped forward. Jory moved to protect his liege lord as Cody drew a dagger. The Northmen were stunned when instead of attacking Ned, he instead slashed his own liege across the arm. Elwin winced biting down as the pain came "Thank you…Cody. Lord Stark, if you will just be patient, you will see."

Cody reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small glass bottle filled with a blue liquid. As Cody uncorks the bottle and Elwin holds out his arm, Ned can clearly see the deep cut despite the blood running down his arm.

"You see this injury I trust?" Elwin gives his usual smile "I would not be able to fight very well with this, but…with what we offer for you and your people in trade…that is no concern."

Elwin accepts the bottle, downing its contents with gusto. Much to the amazement of Jory and Ned, the wound began to heal, and the blood began to dry up. Something that would have taken Maester Luwin nearly an hour to clean and seal up was mended and dry within seconds.

"Potions. Remedies for simple ailments and the like, we can make them easy enough so there is no real hinderance upon supply." Elwin chuckles, showing off his now healed arm "Now…about that vow?"

"What is it that you want from me exactly?"

"Just a vow promising to keep what you have learned of the origins of the crystals and bearers to yourself…as well as what happened in the bailey with Clive."

Ned's frown deepens as he leans back in his seat "You would have me promise all of that? I would be a fool not to accept given what you have promised. But why tell me at all if you were just going to do this anyway?"

"Because, like you, I would be a fool not to. Valisthea and Westeros are large continents. If it is possible that we could arrive here within a few weeks by ship, then there is a good chance that they could as well. The Dhalmekian Republic itself would fit right in with Dorne. I ask for that vow from you only to protect my own people. Imagine if the lords of Westeros attempted to come to Valisthea to get their hands on a Mothercrystal?"

"It would lead to war between the lands…to say nothing of the cost of even holding one of these crystals."

"Precisely." Elwin hands the empty bottle back to Cody "Lord Stark, even if one of the kingdoms were to gather the troops needed to fight and hold a single Mothercrystal, the supplies and reinforcements needed to maintain that hold would strangle any kingdom not from Valisthea to its breaking point. Even then, the lives lost would be…too high to count."

Ned eyed the chest of crystals on his desk, almost as if he expected it to strike him "So…the crystals then?"

"I would prefer their use was limited to emergencies…however, I understand that I cannot force you to use them so sparingly."

Jory eyed his lord as he was deep in thought, weighing every option that he could. From the sounds of it, neither side had much to truly gain in the event of an all-out war between their people. Jory didn't much like their chances either if magic was something even their armies employed. Leave him to fight a man with a sword or spear, never one that could turn the elements against them.

"Very well, Lord Rosfield, I accept." Eddard hoped he looked the part of a gracious Lord who had just been handed some form of miracle from the Gods themselves. He did not feel like it. "You still owe me an explanation on the Phoenix and that blessing it gave your boy."

Elwin chuckles "But of course, I won't keep it from you."

The last days spent in Winterfell were a blur for Clive. Already halfway through their journey back to White Harbor, the young man found there to be little of the trip he wished to remember. Now here they were, nestled around the fire while Rex and Cody handled the sentry duty for the night. Far too long had Clive been listening to his brother gush about his newfound skill. Burning blade or not, it was a powerful technique, perfect for his preference to swordsmanship.

"I don't suppose you fancy a drink, Lord Marquess?" Clive rolled his eyes as Thorn took up a spot beside him "Funny, I could have sworn that you were more animated than this. Coeurl got your tongue?"

"I'm just not in the mood to dull my senses, that's all."

"What's there to be dulled around?" he gestures at everyone sitting near the fire "Our best are currently on sentry duty; our charges are all here having a merry time. Why shouldn't we indulge just a little?"

"If drink and merrymaking was all there was to being a knight then you, Sir Thorn, would be the best of them all."

Clive received a shove for his comment. The boys shared a laugh, one of the few nice moments in their growing rivalry. As Thorn had his drink, and Clive stared up at the stars that sensation of heat returned. Clive stood up suddenly, feeling the heat grow searing across his back. He could hear something faintly, ringing in the distance but he could not place it.

"Something wrong?" Thorn asks as he too stands "Clive?"

There was a shout. He spun, sword in hand, and swung. A body dropping to the ground, fresh blood on his blade. "Bandits."

Rex grit his teeth as he fought off three of his attackers. Somewhere to his left he knew Cody would be handling however many he could, but for right now these three were his main concern. There was no telling how many had snuck up on them, or got past the pair, but he needed to end these three, and quick. In the dim light of the fire, Rex could faintly see their faces; none of them he recognized from Winterfell but just who they were he could not say.

"I don't suppose you lads would be willing to surrender?" they laughed at his request "Well…don't say I did not warn you then."

Rex moved in, dodging to the left from one sword swing, bringing an axe up and burying it in his opponent's chest. The knight grasped his former foe by the shoulder and turned the body just as another came in, trapping his weapon within the corpse. He then bashes his free weapon into the bandit's skull, dropping two with relative ease.

"Still want to play hard to get?" The last bandit grit his teeth and rushed him. Rex sidestepped and slashed across his shoulders, the pain making the bandit drop his weapon, before kicking him to the ground. "Congratulations, you just volunteered."

"Rex!" There was Cody, punctual as ever "You alright?"

"Not even a scratch, you?"

"Same…and you have a prisoner, that is unlike you."

Rex shrugs "Strange lands require strange strategies…even if I would prefer to gut him."

"You stick with him; I'll see to the others."

"As if I could refuse." The bandit tried to crawl away, a firm boot planting itself on his back and forcing him into the dirt "I would not try that again, I might just miss your back and go for your head instead."

Thorn ducked beneath a swing, bringing his blade up and pushing it through the man's chest. That was one bandit for him. At least he could say that he and Clive were tied, but just where did they come from? There was fighting all around them. Thorn couldn't see clearly enough to make out exact numbers, but he knew this was not a case of quality but quantity. Bandits were never real threats unless their numbers were high, and theirs were. But as he went into battle with another one, he could not help but think this was far too convenient to be random.

Clive was of a similar mindset as he knocked his opponent to the ground, blade at his throat "Yield!" the man seemed to surrender, his sword being tossed away.

There was a scream in the dark, all the distraction that would be needed as he looked away. Foolishly he looked away from his foe, trying to pinpoint where that scream had come from in the dark. The heat was building up again, enveloping him as he searched. There was a sharp pain in his side, Clive swung out of reflex.

The bandit's body dropped with a dull thud, a dagger in his hand. Clive wincing as he presses his left hand to his side to stop the bleeding. "Damn it!" he curses his weakness "Should have kept an eye on him…but what's done is done."

There was a second scream, some shouting too. What was going on out there? Clive stumbled from the body, downing a single potion as he approached the fire. He could see his family clear enough with Torgal at the front barking at a bandit. Clive felt his body grow cold as he took in the site before him. The bandit was slowly backing away from his family, but he had a hostage, dagger to the throat just pressing lightly enough to not break the skin but if he felt threatened there was only one conclusion possible. But the hostage was the problem, not only for being a hostage but because the hostage was Jill.

"That's it…nobody do anything foolish, and I will leave in peace with my lads." The bandit kept a tight hold of the girl "And the little miss here will be just fine, we wouldn't want to damage the goods now, would we?"

"Vile snake!" Elwin shouts, gripping his sword tight. He had fended off an attack from the front, never once thinking in the heat of the moment that they would come from behind as well. "Release the girl!"

The bandit threw his head back and laughed "You think I am that stupid? Second I release the girl you will try and kill me, probably succeed too, but long as I have her…you cannot touch me."

Clive slowly crept closer, watching the man back away. As he pulled Jill along, putting more than enough distance between himself and the Rosarian royals, the bandit tugged the poor girl into he darkness. Elwin frowned as their bodies were lost in the sea of night. The fire light not nearly enough to illuminate the area as he would need. But then, he saw something in the darkness. A flicker of the flames perhaps? Quick as it appeared it was gone.

"Elwin…what is happening?"

Before he could open his mouth to respond there was another flicker of the flames, this one much larger. Much closer too as Clive appeared before him, a crying Jill held tight in his arms. The feeling of relief that washed over him was one of the greatest Elwin could say he remembered feeling in his life. Seeing Clive like this, acting every part of the First Shield that he had worked so hard to become.

"Well done my boy," he says, getting the briefest of looks before Clive turned his attention back to the girl.

"Your Grace!" Cody came running, Thorn in tow "Is everyone alright?"

"Cody…we are fine, though I believe that Clive might have need for some rest after tonight."

Clive paid them no mind. He set Jill down, partly unwilling to let her go again after this "Are you alright, milady?"

The girl pulled him into a crushing hug, as crushing as a young lady could make it anyway, pestering him with muffled words of thanks. Cody and Elwin went over the details of the skirmish itself. Injuries far too minor to worry about, easily fixed with a potion or two, but they did have on prisoner to interrogate.

"We'll start burying the bodies now," Elwin says with a hard look upon his face "Let Rex know that the interrogation can begin at once. I want whatever he can get out of this man before dawn breaks. We will leave at first light."

"And the prisoner?"

"We do not have room for a prisoner on the journey back, when it's over, kill him."

"It will be done my lord," Cody gave the rosarian salute before marching off to find Rex.

Elwin watched him go before turning his attention to the knights around him and his family. Jill had calmed down somewhat, Torgal doing his best to cheer the girl up while Joshua tried to be a distraction in his own way. Clive still lingered, sword at the ready, but did not interact further. Elwin cleared his throat, getting their attention on himself. Single look of understanding passing between he and Anabella though hers looked far more argumentative than his own.

"Clive Rosfield," he speaks slow and deliberate "Come here lad."

Clive slowly approaches, the heat from before was gone yet again but now he wished it remained instead of this sudden desire to flee before his father. "Y-your Grace?"

"Kneel."

Thorn felt himself bristle at that word. He knew what was coming…not that Clive was undeserving of it, but he was his rival. It should still be a few more years before this would happen. As Clive obeyed his lord father, and the Archduke drew his own sword Thorn saw only an opportunity for his own growth to excel with a worthy rival knighted at last.

Joshua smiled widely as he watched it all play out. His father knighting Clive, asking him to stand as a smile to match his own was reflected by his father. He knew that Clive could do it on his own, he didn't need the blessing of the Phoenix to achieve this…though it did help.

"I present to you all Sir Clive, of Rosalith." Elwin laughed as the boy seemed to shy away from the attention. Leaning in he whispers in his ear "You earned this, take pride in your abilities Clive, this was not given for a lack of real skill."

"Thank you, father."

"Lord Manderly," Elwin greets the Lord of White Harbor with a pleasant smile "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company? Here to see us off?"

Wyman gave the Archduke a wary look. Ned's letter had detailed the trade agreement but there was plenty that was left unsaid, though he did not know that part. "Yes Lord Rosfield, and an apology of sorts. Your arrival here was not the most welcoming we could have given you, but you surely understand that your house colors are very similar to some old enemies of our lands. It was not a personal attack on yourself my lord."

Elwin laughed it off. Of course, he knew or rather had an idea of how things surely went after their departure, he was not a man known to make many mistakes in his preparations. "Think nothing of it, though I must confess that I find myself liking the air this far north…somehow it is more hospitable than back home."

"I wish you a safe journey Lord Rosfield, and hopefully next time you come this far north I can show you how we in White Harbor welcome our guests properly."

"I will be looking forward to it Lord Manderly," Elwin made his way up the ramp, a knight of Rosaria waiting for him on the deck "Any problems Sir Colt?"

"None my lord."

Elwin smiled "And the search?"

"Found nothing." Colt smirked beneath his helmet "They tried to see if we were an invasion force, got a nasty shock when they found the ship wasn't undermanned as they had hoped. I doubt they wanted to commandeer the ship, but if they had tried…"

"You would have set them right and we would be dragging you out of a cell for your troubles."

Where Cody was a well-disciplined knight and Rex a very unorthodox one, Colt was a mix of them both; he followed orders well enough, but he knew how to fight dirty and was not afraid to do so. Elwin considered the three some of his best, but those three were not an army nor were they invincible. "If the situation calls for it, I will give them a taste of what the Duchy teaches its knights."

"As you always say my friend." Elwin and Colt enter the captain's cabin, Cody already hunched over the map "Cody, you should be resting for the trip, not plotting a course again."

"I'm sorry your Grace but I cannot. I need to refine the path we took here originally for our trade ships when they make their own journey this way north. After that bandit attack and what we learned I…I do not want another failure my lord."

"Cody there was no failure," Elwin assures him "No one died, no injuries were too great for a potion to fix and above all you did your duty well. Relax, get some rest, and tell Rex to spend his days up here until I say otherwise."

Cody chuckles at that. The ship rocks somewhat, the waves pushing it along as they set sail. "Perhaps you are right…I'll go and check on the Duchess, then I will rest your Grace."

The doors to the cabin burst open, one of the guards that had accompanied them to Winterfell stood in the entryway out of breath. "My Lord!"

"What is it?"

"The Duchess she…she's collapsed!"

"What!?"

Elwin moved past his two stunned knights "Anabella!"

AN: Don't you just love a good cliffhanger? No that is not a hint that someone will be hanging from a cliff or over one…least I don't have that planned at the moment. Last chapter was a filler one. NO question about that, this however I am much prouder of…mostly because it took a decent while to reach the halfway point of the guideline for it. If anyone has a complaint about Elwin execueting a prisoner...it's a bandit. Were it a knight or an affiliated member of an army there would be no execution, so as he is a criminal and they are the ones who were attacked...bandit heads will always roll in those cases. Hopefully this holds up more than its predecessor and establishes more of what I am going for far as game mechanic incorporation. And as it was a big favorite on ao3, should the chocobo being a menace and the like catch on…we might just keep it that way, use them sort of like Carthage used Elephants against the Romans in the sense of their cries startle horses. Maybe. I'm not planning on that happening any time soon so relax.

furvustocs: You're welcome. Think I finally got the hang of your name without having to constantly check how it is spelled.

Guest (Dave): Cool

ww1990ww: Y'know something…no one on ao3 brought this up which is kind of shocking to me. It's part of why I do not like it. Travel distance is weird. I checked on the official wiki for the books, the vessels of Westeros are archaic even by medieval standards. Your war ships are little more than a bireme from Roman times, sailing ships in description are leaning towards great big vessels like we expect of the era portrayed but even then, are significantly smaller. Going off that, and what we see within the game I figured out that it would be a significantly shorter trip for anyone from Valisthea, so if Westeros would have taken a few weeks then Valisthea would take about a week or two. The land journey as well is a bit more guess work than anything else. Castle Cerwyn is a half day walk from Winterfell, and on the map looks close enough for that to make sense. Phoenix Gate is within that same ballpark distance and yet looks further away and is close enough to Stillwind to be walked to within relatively the same amount of time but just barely while it is midday. Going off those moments within the prologue of the game it would stand to reason that with the chocobo's you could cross quite the distance; granted your men on foot will be exhausted. As for your second part…did you really think I would not have thought that part through? Keep in mind that right now the Empire is staunch allies with Rosaria, so there is no conquest there. Likewise, Rosaria is not as undefended as you seem to be thinking it is. Byron is an interim leader for the moment, Murdoch is still there with their best troops to defend the land, and where Dhalmekia is concerned…there's nothing to be gained from attacking Rosaria. The realms fight over their Mothercrystals…at least when it isn't the Iron Kingdom that wages a war. I've thought long on almost every aspect for this, it's just the travel between that seems a little off because there are not enough numbers to utilize for it. If it helps ease your worries, I recently acquired a timeline for the books that was meticulously crafted to determine when things happen, which means travel from place to place as well. But where that fails to provide, I guess you will just have to hope I don't make a journey too long or short. And upon rereading the chapter…did not see any specific mentioning of how long it took to get from point A to point B, only mentioning the first night's sentry duty being Clive, and the tail end of their voyage. But if you can find it, feel free to send me a DM. I am not unreasonable, more confused as it was not intended to imply a definitive amount of time. So, if it does say an actual amount it took for a fact, then that is a typo and needs to be corrected.

InfinityMask: Well, I am glad you think it looks like fun. Can't say I understand what you think I have planned for Anabella though…although you do present a challenge now, do I keep responding to reviews to old chapters or move forward? Decisions, decisions. I'm joking, I love the comments and knowing people enjoy what I am doing. Even if it is not their cup of tea. Hope you keep enjoying it…unless it somehow lost you already.