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This story deserves to be available for readers to read. This Story was removed, it deserved to be available, Original Author is Blackwolf2019 as i don't own this story or its work.

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Chapter 23: The Pack Prepares

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(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Jon

Returning to Winterfell with his sister was something that Jon had never been happier to do. It had seemed to lift her spirits being in the Walls of Winterfell again with him, Rickon and the wolves. Jon knew her mother in that state would never leave her but seeing her no longer grief stricken like she was at Moat Cailin was something he was more than glad for.I will never forgive that thing for what she made my sister do.Jon had thought to himself as he held her on that day. He'd made his peace with Lady Catelyn in death but her actions, whether it be hers or whatever emerged from her resurrection, was unforgiveable in Jon's eyes. Jon had buried Harwin and the Northmen she had killed in the Lich yard of Winterfell. A place for those loyal to Winterfell.May they rest and never be brought back like that monster.

The thought of monsters was something Jon's focus had returned to. With the problems to the South dealt with for the foreseeable future, there was only the threat North of the Wall to deal with. Word had come of Hard Home that the Others had been spotted. The Watch and some of the Free-Folk had managed to get about 10,000 people, mostly women and children, before the place was starting to get overrun. The thought of more turned to Wights was worrying but Jon was glad he'd managed to get as many of the free-folk in the North. News from Hard Home had made the preparations all the more valuable. Dragon Glass from Skagos had all arrived and the supplies from the East were steadily entering the North. Pitch and tar were being made in bulk and arrows for the archers. The Wall would be well manned and defended. Jon knew that with his forces, reaching almost 50,000, mixed between the Houses of the Mainland, Skagosi, Free-Folk and Giants. It gave him hope that they could beat them back.

And hopefully Sam will have more knowledge.His brother of the watch had returned with Gilly and Val's nephew. He had seemed confident upon his arrival and Jon hoped that whatever he had found would be useful as the two sat in his solar. His friend looked much the same, albeit more relaxed. His nerves seemed less frayed than they were on the wall. He could take a guess why.

"I see time away from the wall with Gilly has done you good Sam." Jon said with a slightly knowing look.

Sam reddened at his words before raising his eyebrows at him. "I suppose it has for you as well, King in the North and bedding a woman that had once threatened to kill anyone who came close to her."

Jon started to laugh, his friend joining him.

"It's good to have you back in the North Sam." Jon said happily.

"Aside from the dead coming for us and the fact that it is freezing. So am I." Sam said lightly.

Jon smirked before turning to a more serious topic. "What did you find then?"

Sam smiled. "Lots of things despite the fact that most of the Maesters weren't exactly helpful. I had to steal most of the books I brought with me or I would have to wait until I was Maester Aemon's age before even seeing them."

Jon grinned at the thought of his friend stealing. His friend had grown in courage over the years. There was no denying that.Self-Confessed Craven my arse.

"But once I got a hold of them, and correctly translated half of the scrolls, it was much easier to get use out of the Citadel's knowledge. You have no idea how lazy there are. Half of it has been untouched for centuries at least. It is a complete waste."

Jon took a small drink before cutting his friend off as he rambled about the problems with the Maesters. "Sam, besides terrible Maesters, what did you find?"

Sam nodded at him. "Sorry Jon. You just have no idea what they're like. But anyway. On a practical level I know how to refine obsidian so it is less brittle."

Jon smiled. "I'm sure the men will appreciate that. It isn't the most durable of weapons. So will the blacksmiths."

"I also know how to make an oil which will burn longer. Not as dangerous as wildfire but it will continue to burn on the arrow for longer. I imagine it might be good for keeping everyone warm for longer in winter."

Sam went on for some time, going through the solutions that he would have put in place. It didn't surprise him that his friend had found so much.He's not one to do things by half measures.

His friend kept going before speaking about something slightly different.

"I also found some things on the first long night."

Jon could see the excitement on Sam's face. "Something more than the tales tell of how they were beat?"

Sam hesitated, taking a breath before beginning a speech. "Surprisingly yes. Sort of at least. The citadel came to be when the Andals invaded but they had managed to gather some useful documents in their founding about the first men. It wasn't much but the sources all speak of a pact."

"You mean the pact with the children?" Jon asked, remembering Old Nan's stories.Maybe Sam should speak to her for more knowledge.

Sam shook his head. "No, the runes and scrolls I found discuss the pact to beat the others in detail and that pact is always during or before the Long Night, depending on the source. It is never the ending point in these runes. The pact that ends it is much further along in the telling, and that is much vaguer. Lost to translations most likely… or they didn't like how we won."

"Did it say who we made the pact with?"

Sam shook his head again but his face remained excited. "Not exactly but I've been able to make a guess from how the tales are written. I think the first men made a pact with the others."

"You think the first men made a pact with the others." Jon said, unable to hide his shock.

Sam nodded, face turning more serious. "I do. It would explain why they are still here and not gone. We treated with them and made peace somehow."

"They haven't given us any options to treat so far." Jon said darkly.

"You're right but if I'm right there must have been something that forced them into it." Sam said, clearly musing on it.

Jon sighed and took a drink.An enemy that doesn't sleep, eat or drink. An enemy that kills indiscriminately. How do you treat with it?

"I'll have you speak with Old Nan. She knows many old tales. And speak with as many Northmen as you can. We've grown up around the runes that cover the North's stones. One of them might have read something once that has more to it." Jon offered hopefully.

Sam seemed excited by the prospect of conversation. He could tell as his smile grew at the thought.

"I imagine I'll have to wait until after your wedding though. I don't think any of the North will sit and talk runes with me."

Jon chuckled. "No, but us Northmen like a good tale when we drink. I'm sure you'll find things of interest besides a brawl between the Great Jon and Tormund."

Sam blanched at the thought before smiling. "We've come along way from the wall."

"Aye, that we have. All the more reason to win when the war comes for us."

And I will. Brandon the Breaker did it. And I will too.

Arya

The wedding was a short one in the Godswood of Winterfell as all Northern weddings were. But it was still a special one. The wedding of Jon and Val was the first Stark wedding to be held in the North since her Grandfather. Something the Northern Bannermen had been pleased with as they gathered around the Heart Tree. It also cemented Val's place as Queen in the North and a member of House Stark. From what she'd been told by Val, she'd already stolen him by free-folk tradition but Jon had insisted on the wedding in front of the Heart Tree to make her position undisputed by any.

Arya looked happily as the two kissed deeply in front of the Heart Tree. It was quite the sight, the King and Queen in the North, surrounded by Direwolves, snow and the blood of the First Men. The sight was met with applause before a call for the wedding feast. It would most likely be the last one until after the fight against the others. The armies of the First Men would be marching for the wall when the Night's watch called for them. Jon felt like that would be soon. The distance from Hard Home to the wall was long but the dead didn't sleep."All the more reason for the North to celebrate."Arya had said to him.

And the North was celebrating. That much she could see as she looked around the hall. The Mountain Clans were drinking with the Glovers. Laurence Snow, now Hornwood, was stuck in a dance with the Lady Alsyane Mormont. Great Jon Umber had got into a drinking competition with the Skagosi as they told tales of their adventures until they were interrupted by Maege Mormont and Tormund, clearly planning on wiping the floor with the lot of them. Both in drink and tales. The two had tough ones to beat, being part of the group that had robbed from the Lannisters. Arya hadn't believed it until she'd seen the golden armours. Umber looked eager for the challenge, clearly wanting to prove he could hold his own better than the wildling as he glared at him. Arya wasn't the only one watching the scene unfold as she noticed Lyanna Mormont scowling at her mother and newly revealed father.That scowl would have broken Septa Mordane.

Arya smiled at the thought of it as she looked at the Mormont, sitting with the other Lords' children and heirs. Rickon Stark among them.

"It's good to see the young Prince with people. There was a time when it was just me and the wolf he would talk to." Osha said as she walked up towards her.

Arya could only agree with that as she looked at her brother and young pack of his own. It was made up of Gawen Glover, Ned Umber, Tormund's son Dryn and daughter Lyanna Mormont, Sons and daughters of the Skagosi Lords and the Princess Shireen and Devan Seaworth. It made quite the group.

"He's got something lost from the war." Arya said with a smile.

"It might keep him sane when you and your brother both have to go to war." Osha bluntly said.

Arya nodded. "He won't like it still when that day comes."

She'd been home enough to know Rickon had a temper. He'd been away from his family a long time. He had gained the Wolfblood in droves and had been unchecked. Though Jon had been doing well to focus it in their sparring in the mornings, or at the very least tire him out for the day's duties. Arya had happily joined in that routine.

"And it'll be me that will have to keep him from acting like a savage." Osha sighed in mock annoyance.

Arya heard Jon laugh as he came over to them. He was giving them both a wolfish grin.He's got that Wolfblood as well.

"You'll have more than enough help. Val and Old Nan will keep him in line. If not, I'm sure the Lady Lyanna and Shireen will keep him from too much."

Osha snorted as she walked to join some of the free-folk, leaving Arya with her brother.

"You're leaving Val here when we eventually go North?" Arya asked.

Jon nodded. "Aye, one of us has to be at Winterfell when we march. I trust her to run the North and look after Rickon should the worst happen while we're at the wall."

"And you're not going to try and convince me to stay here?" Arya asked teasingly.

Jon started to laugh again and ruffled her hair. "You're too stubborn for that. Besides, you're doing well learning what works best from everyone whose faced them. The war would be lost without you."

"I'm glad you see it that way." Arya said happily.

The two both smiled at each other until Jon looked at her seriously. "As much as I'd want to keep you from harm, I know that you'll not want to be left behind."

Arya hugged her brother. "I don't want you to get hurt again either. I saw the knives at the wall. I won't let it happen again."

Jon nodded as they hugged. It was broken with a loud call from the Liddle. "I think it's time for the bedding! See who dares strip the Queen in the North to her chambers!

The chant was met with a cheer as a small group of men went towards Val. Arya expected a few to get a black eye in the process. To her amusement, it wasn't Val that they would have to worry about, Ghost had joined the group. He was eyeing them wearily. It had forced them to only pick her up instead of the usual activities. Arya could see the satisfaction on Val's face from ghost's presence.She's one of the wolves now.

Arya looked to Jon before he was carted off by the women, giving quick look to the wolf then with that wolfish smile. Arya grinned back as she realised what he'd done.He barely seems to leave when he changes into Ghost.

The two groups made their way of, with bawdy songs being sung and cheers for the King and Queen in the North. Arya smiled at the sight before looking to join Rickon.I'll not let anyone hurt us Jon. I won't have anyone threaten our pack.

Hope you all enjoyed it! Bit of a lighter chapter this time around. The next time we see Jon he will be back at the wall. The fight wae the others will be soon. Next chapter will be a Val one. Any questions fee free tae ask.