Snow
Third Person POV
After the dinner, Princess Prim and her entourage excused themselves for the night to return and think about the Lord Warden's offer. Ned let them go as he decided to also call it for the night.
But alas, Wyman Manderly has other plans.
"My Lord, I don't understand? Why didn't you offer them vassalage, to become one of your bannermen." The fat lord cried in confusion, worried and utterly flat footed from his Lord's unexpected move.
It's actually quite jarring to see the Quiet Wolf of the North pull such a move.
"There's nothing to say, Wyman. My decision is final." Ned simply said, drinking a warm cup of milk as he lounged on the man's office.
Wyman is still unconvinced, looking desperate as he paces around the office.
"But my Lord! Didn't you see the things they could offer to North?" Wyman gestured at the window, showing the distant smithies still running in the dark night. It's bellowing smokes and warm light giving the White Harbor a welcoming glow a warmth.
"The furnaces they gave us alone had considerably changed the White Harbor's economy! No longer do we need to go to the south for more steel. Our steel production is on the roofs and my craftsman even started branching out to glassmaking. If this continues on, we can elevate the entirety of the North's economy. We would be no longer be seen as the savage North but as a true kingdom in the height of its power!"
Ned sighed as Wyman continued on rambling about the changes and benefits of House Fiore's stay in the North. He can't help but smile and shake his head for the lord.
"That girl really warmed up to you, Wyman. Is this how you endorse your girl or granddaughter?" He jested, causing the fat lord to go red in shame in admittance.
"...I might got too close but still." Wyman denied it unsuccessfully. "But my Lord, you still haven't answered why? Why aren't you taking their house in." Then his voice took a somber tone.
"Their kingdom burned down, their people are dead and they are lost. They need help, my Lord." Wyman said, revealing his true intentions.
He pitied them.
His heart wrenches at the thought of the sweet young girl, who's family and home was laid into waste.
He felt sick, knowing that his letting a girl go on a possibly hopeless quest for revenge.
To possibly die a horrible death.
The same girl he shared lunch everyday with his family, taught history and shared culture with.
The girl is incredibly intelligent, talented and full of heart.
She's the granddaughter he- No, the entire Manderly house would die for.
Ned looked at him straight in the eye, not saying a word. Both men silently stared at each other, guessing each other's thoughts.
Manderly cannot fathom his Lord's mind, the Quiet Wolf being true to his name, silent and stoic.
Meanwhile, Ned can see the familial love his father once showed to him on the man in front of him. Manderly would die for the girl and her house.
The same love that he would also die for her late sister, Lyanna.
Ned sighed, "As much as you wish for her to stay in the north and live her life peacefully, hopefully, she wouldn't accept it if I offered her house vassalage." He said.
"Why so?" Manderly asked in confusion, why would Prim deny it.
"Because she had the same eyes as Robert does in the Rebellion against the Mad King." Ned said as he closed his eyes, remembering Robert's eyes in those days.
Eyes that wanted vengeance, blood and death.
Eyes that once again reflected to him after so many years.
They all had them. Even with their helmets on, he can already tell that Prim's entire crew had them.
They wanted revenge, to hurt the enemy as much as they hurt them.
"No, no! Little Prim is not like that! The girl I have met for 2 weeks can't be like Robert!" Wyman refused to believe it. Prim is nothing like that fat king.
A king who relishes in the death of an innocent Queen and the butcher of children.
He refuses.
"It's the truth,Wyman. You don't know Robert like I do." Ned snapped at the Lord's denial. "That girl is looking for revenge, nay crave for it."
"No matter what you do, you cannot change her mind. This is her decision, her mission and the fate she chose."
Wyman wants to refuse but he can see it. For all her intelligence, Prim is still stubborn for a girl her age, which is shown when she happily learned the entirety of Northern banners in one day.
The girl is too large in life.
Ned is right. If he tries to stop the girl in her quest, she will hate him and changing her mind is a fool's bet.
Wyman can't help but snort at the thought.
The girl is strong. Stronger than the Targaryen twins running in Essos in character.
He never stood a chance.
"And with young Jon Snow? What are you planning with him?" Wyman asked, changing the subject to another unexpected move of the Warden tonight.
The change of subject made the Lord Warden sighed, pinching his nose at the sore subject. Wyman got the gist immediately and took out a bottle of wine and changed the Lord's cup of milk for it.
"Thanks." Ned thanked the Fat Lord, before taking a sip. "It's better this way for that boy."
"Hmmm, why so?" Wyman asked, pouring himself a cup of his own.
"The boy wants to take the black, to honor me." Ned snorted before taking a huge chug of wine.
"The black is only for criminals. I know your brother, Benjen, took duty at the wall but I assume Jon would have a hard time there, a noble bastard and all." Wyman said.
"I know and I wish to avoid that." Ned sighed, "That boy looked up to me, respected me and loved our family. Letting him join the black would be a disservice."
"And a way to hide him from his killers."
Eddard snapped towards Wyman, his hand curling on the cup, ready to bash the lord's head in.
Seeing this, Wyman held his hands high, "Peace my Lord, I didn't wish to offend you." He nervously said.
"What do you know?" Eddard growled, the wolf finally awakening after sleeping for many years.
Wyman snorted at the veiled threat. But beneath his brave facade, he is afraid. There's a pretty valid reason as to why Eddard Stark was called the Sleeping Wolf of the North.
A mighty beast, asleep yet alert. May the old gods have mercy on those who disturb its den.
But Wyman won't falter.
"Everyone in the North knows or suspects it, Eddard." Wyman said, making the man freeze before he let out an explosive sigh.
"Of course you all know." The wolf groaned.
Wyman snorted, "The entirety of the North knows who you are, My Lord. You won't father a bastard even with Robert's influence. Luckily for you, we are split on our opinions."
"Hmm, tell me." Now, Eddard is interested in what his bannermen suspected.
"Well, there are two guesses. Rumors say that you fell for a Dornish lady in the south, before the rebellion. They say your love bore fruit."
Eddard leaned back on his chair, reminiscing about the past. A distant yet fond memory.
A love that never came to be because of the Mad King and his Son.
"And the second one?" Eddard asked, fearing for Wyman's answer.
.
.
.
"Lyanna."
One word, one name was spoken yet its power invoked deep emotional reactions.
Anger, regret, pity, resentment, and love.
Eddard sighed before boring the fat lord with a sharp stare, "Everyone of you suspected this?" This confirmed Wyman's second theory.
The final nail to the puzzle known as Jon Snow.
Wyman nodded, "Aye. The entirety of the North knew you, Lord Stark."
"The Seven Kingdoms would burn first before you dishonor yourself and your house." Wyman continued, confirming the Warden's fears.
"... Why did none of you speak up?" he asked after a short pause. The edge of his voice is gone but replaced with a tired tone.
"I respected your decision, my Lord, but I can't speak for my fellow banner Lords. An investment, a play in the game or any other plans, no one knows." Wyman said. He truly doesn't know. He knows that most of the Northern House respected the Stark's action, a final spit to the rule of the Targaryen. But others like the Freys, he truly doesn't know.
"Nonetheless, my Lord. House Manderly stands with you and that boy." Wyman assured the lord.
"I know Wyman and I'm grateful for it." Truly, the North is blessed with loyal men like Wyman.
Suddenly, a couple of knocking sounds came from the door. Both men looked at each other before Wyman addressed the unknown guest.
"Who is it?" Wyman called out.
"Jon Snow, my Lord. I beg your pardon but I wish to speak to the Lord Warden, Lord Manderly." So it was Jon.
Lord Manderly looked at the Warden, who in turn signals him to let Jon in.
"Come in boy, your father is here." Lord Manderly called out.
Slowly, the door slowly opened to reveal Jon's figure.
"Pardon the disturbance, my Lord. I merely wish to talk to Lord Stark." the boy bowed, his entire demeanor passive and unsure.
Lord Manderly almost snorted at the similarities.
"Speak." Lord Stark simply said.
Jon opened his mouth to speak yet words failed him. He tried and tried yet not a single idea on how to say it without offending the Lord who sheltered him.
He can only voice out one word.
"Why?"
Silence filled the room.
Lord Manderly silently excused himself as the conversation was about to go to a more private affair between the two.
"Why? Speak up, boy. Say what's on your tongue." Lord Stark snapped at him.
The dam broke.
"Why! Why are you sending me away, my Lord! My duty is in the North! My home and family and yet you're sending me away! I was supposed to take the black and honor you!" Jon roared.
Years upon years of emotional abuse finally broke out. Jon grew up as a bastard and the entire North makes sure to remind him of it. Lady Catelyn abhorred him, seeing him as a threat against his own brother, Robb. The North hated him for Lord Stark's treatment, sheltering him while the other bastards of the North suffered.
Hate upon ridicule, he endured them all. Just so he could one day repay Lord Stark's act of kindness, a cruel yet kind gesture for a bastard like him.
Yet Lord Stark is throwing him away.
"Why! Why are you doing this! All I ever done in my life is for you! All I endured just to bring honor to you! So why-" Jon's rant stopped as the Lord Warden stood up, seizing him by the hem of his clothes.
"And do you think taking the black will honor me, you damned fool! All you will just do is waste my efforts in nurturing you to what you are now!" Lord Stark roared back at him, the wolf stirring within once more.
And so does Jon's wolf.
"So getting rid of me is the best choice! To throw away your shame and dishonor!" Jon snarled back.
"So you could live your goddamn life, child." Lord Stark hissed, "Do you think I didn't know what I have caused you?! How much suffering I indirectly inflicted upon you. I thought I did you kindly but I was a fool! All I gave you of your entire life is suffering! Suffering!"
Jon stopped fighting back.
He didn't know.
He didn't know Lord Stark noticed.
"But why?" Jon whispered, his anger simmering down in shame for his conduct.
Seeing the boy's reaction, Ned let go of Jon and took his seat back. He reached towards the cup of wine and drank before addressing the young man.
"Cause you are a Stark, bastard or not, you're still my blood." the Lord Warden sighed in an exhausted tone.
"Then let me take the Black, I'll honor you in doing so by serving the Seven Kingdoms at the wall." Jon begged the exhausted warden, kneeling in turn as a sign of his dedication and loyalty to the Stark's.
Any day, it would have work.
But today is not that day.
"No." one simpler word shattered that notion.
"Whatever delusions you have of joining the black, throw them away. You will join House Fiorire, be knighted and bring honor to your name and your name only." Ned continued.
"But-"
"No buts." the Warden cut him off with a snap before sighing, "You are bastard, Jon but you're still a Stark. I don't want you to rot in the north. To suffer disrespect and indignity to your position."
"So I begged you boy. Take this chance I gave to you, be more than a bastard Stark."
Jon Snow is stunned.
Eddard Stark, Lord Warden of the North is begging. Never in his dreams he would see the warde- no, father so vulnerable and emotional. The silent wolf of the North is always regarded as a stoic figure in the Seven Kingdoms.
Yet here he is, showing love and remorse for all the years he had suffered.
Jon can't help but feel like such an ungrateful bastard.
"I-I won't be able to see you all again if I go." Jon said, trying and failing to hold his tears.
"I know. But I know you will never forget."
The damned broke.
With a cry of anguish, Jon threw himself to the man who justly raised him like a true son, crying in his arms for this might be the last he will ever see the family he had grown up with.
"Let it all out son, let it all out." Eddard said as he embraced the boy, a lonely tear falling down his cheek.
He had done a very, very desperate gamble.
He is sending his nephew to whatever war the House Fiorire is fighting. He doesn't know if he will die or return safely one day with head held high.
But it's better this way than the certain death that would come if he stays in the Seven Kingdoms.
Whatever that is brewing down in the south, it is bad. He can feel it in his gut, the wolf howling.
Winter is coming for them.
So for the first and last time, both father and son(nephew) savored their last moments together.
For this will be their last one.
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WhiteBase ship
In a dark room, a certain Goddess reborn slept.
Yet her dreams are filled with nightmares.
Ice and snow spread across the land.
The dead walk again and with them, death is a mercy.
Leading the charge of these ghouls, a cold and pale figure stood out.
And its eyes bore straight to her.
Celestine woke up again with a gasp before finding herself alone in her room.
Another vision again?
She frowned. It's been almost a month since they arrived in this new world and since then she was plagued with dreams of her grief and failure.
She failed her people.
A failure of a Goddess.
A false title.
Yet those dreams are just one of many.
She's been having visions. Visions of terrible things.
It was an unreliable skill of hers, only working at anytime it wants and she has no control over them. Nonetheless, the visions gave her an edge during her war with Olga in times of need.
And now, warning her.
Winter is coming for the North.
The dead walk once more to bring death to the living.
In the far East, dragon's will rise in the sky with their mother, a mad Queen.
Dark tidings are coming for them in the future.
And she must act.
A damsel no more, it's time for her to take her duty.
She failed her world, yes but not this handful of people she has left.
No more.
Finalized Combat Crew MS
Mika: Strike Freedom
Alicia: Red Comet
Claudia: Destiny Variant
Jon Snow: I am Gundam
Prim: Riders of the Sky