Ch.3 The Wild (252-253 ac)

Hiding would not help Aerys.

A wildling woman ran up to the tree he was in with tears in her eyes.

Aerys's heart skipped a beat. He tried to conceal himself as best he could but the dark colours he was wearing gave him away.

Shouted commands in a language he couldn't understand drew his attention to a pair of archers aiming at him.

'Wait!' He cried.

'I'm not a watchman, I'm a prince! My family will reward you for returning me, please mercy!'

'What the bugger is a prince?' asked one of the archers, in the common tongue. She had never had that word before. Then again, she preferred to speak the old tongue of the first men.

'What does it matter? Just kill the fool' Responded her fellow archer. He was taken aback by her hesitation.

'That is a child.'

'It's a watchman!'

'I'm not putting an arrow through a child's head.'

'He probably killed Ash!' Screamed the weeping woman below Aerys, drawing her own bow. She was standing above a corpse clad in furs Aerys had not noticed.

Thankfully for Aerys, someone else stepped in.

'Ella, Ash was killed by a sword clear as day. That boy couldn't lift a sword if he tried.' Spoke another wildling. The woman dropped to her knees by the corpse, her strength sapped by grief.

'Now, I don't know about this "prince" nonsense, but I reckon we could at least find out what he's about before hurting him. You better climb down here boy. You wouldn't last an hour out here alone anyway.'

Aerys did not have much choice. He dropped out of the tree and carefully approached the man who spoke to him.

The man was tall and strong with fiery red hair streaked with grey. He reminded Aerys of Ser Bennard though he could tell his personality was much less warm. Still, he was currently Aerys's only hope of survival.

'My name is Edmund, and you owe me your life. Consider yourself a… ward… of the Red Foot Tribe'

And with those simple words, Aerys became a wildling.

Aerys had thought the tribe would be more hostile to his presence. He was not quite prepared for the curiosity he encountered.

That first night, the wildlings camped somewhere in the woods Aerys couldn't discern. Edmund was insistent he wore anything other than black and for that He was grateful. He did not wish to know how they would have received him otherwise.

As it was, the few he saw were enamoured with his physical features. North of the wall, the blood of Valyria was rare. Very rare.

As he followed Edmund through the camp, hands would occasionally reach out to touch his stark-white hair. Every pair of eyes he saw stared deeply into his own, drinking in the purple of his eyes.

Bloodraven has the same features, Aerys thought. I wonder if they would be so curious of him.

Eventually Edmund came to a stop.

'This is my tent boy. It will be your home for the next few months.'

The tent looked like any other. It had no distinguishing features. It was neither the smallest nor the largest in the camp.

'You will wake up when I wake up. You will help pull your weight like the rest of us. You will do so or be left in the cold. I want to see what princes are made of.'

'Yes… er… my lord?'

Edmund threw back his head in laughter. 'Just Edmund boy. You'll learn quickly here. There are no lords in the wild. Only men. Men and beasts.'

The people he was with called themselves free folk instead of wildlings. He had to admit, the name was fitting.

The Red Foot Tribe were nomadic. They roamed the wilds north of the wall and looked down on those who lived in one place.

The tribe shunned rigid hierarchies. To them, everyone south of the wall were "kneelers" who bowed to one king. He was told all free folk held this belief.

The tribe itself did not have one leader to whom everyone answered to. Big decisions were made as a group. Most of the day-to-day items were decided by a few influential people.

Edmund was one such person. His position only grew stronger after the horrendous losses the tribe suffered at the "Black massacre" as the free folk called it. He was an outspoken voice against the attack.

A week later, they were attacking once more. The target this time was a small hamlet that was home to a score of other free folk.

Aerys didn't take part.

He spent the battle playing with the other children his age. By this point they had largely gotten used to his presence.

'Tag! Your it.'

'No fair! I just tagged you Eris. You can't tag me back it's against the rules! Tag someone else'

Aerys grumbled to himself at the rebuke.

'You made that up! I've never played that rule before.'

'Theres a dozen other people to tag just let it go.'

'Fiiiiine.'

Aerys had never had so many playmates. There weren't as many children his age at the red keep.

The game continued for an hour before the adults returned.

'Eris lad! Take this back to the tent.' Said Edmund to a now groaning crowd of children.

He had returned with a trunk full of furs, loot from the battle.

'Do we all have to stop playing Edmund?'

'I'm afraid so Steph. Your Mother isn't far behind me.'

Aerys took the trunk without question, but he was secretly pleased. He hadn't wanted to stop either. He felt a sense of camaraderie with the other children. Maybe being a free folk wouldn't be so bad.

One month later, Edmund took Aerys with him on a hunting trip.

The pair snuck through the underbrush of the haunted forest in the early hours of the morning. Aerys had spent much of the past week doing exactly this in preparation for the hunt. Edmund would not take him if he gave away their position.

After an hour of slow progress, they eventually stumbled upon a group of deer of some kind.

'Watch closely boy.' Edmund wishpered. 'Do you see that one there?'

Edmund was pointing to a rather unimpressive specimen. It looked exactly like the others only in miniature.

'That one is a child. We don't hunt children. Its why you're still breathing. Out here in nature, if you start killing the children the herd dies out.'

Edmund drew an arrow from his quiver, easing it into place without pulling back on the bow string.

'That large one there?' He nodded towards a stag on its lonesome. It had the most impressive antlers Aerys had ever seen.

'That's our prey. I'm going to nail him in the neck. he'll die fast. That's the only mercy you get in the wild. If you fuck up the shot, and I'm sure you will on your first when the time comes, you'll have to track it down and give it mercy the hard way.'

It was only then that Edmund pulled the bow string taught. He carefully lined up his shot. When he was ready he held his breath so it wouldn't throw off his aim.

His arrow flew true.

The sound of the impact was barely audible to the huntsman, but it sent the other deer scurrying away into the woods.

Aerys saw none of it.

All he saw was poor Todd, taking an arrow to the eye.

Aerys's breathing became rapid as he hyperventilated, his pupils dilating as images of battle flashed in his head.

Arrows.

Corpses.

Blood.

It took Edmund a few minutes, but he eventually shook Aerys out of it.

'Breath normally lad, breathe.' Aerys's breathing slowed down.

'Us warriors sometimes get like this after a nasty scrap. I don't know what possessed those stupid crows to take a boy like you into battle, but it will get easier I promise.'

Aerys only nodded. He wasn't quite ready to speak.

'I know its not ideal lad, but we have to get that deer back to camp.'

They trudged forwards in silence.

Aerys had calmed down by the time he got back to camp. Edmund didn't want to, but Aerys insisted he teach the boy how to skin the kill. Aerys wasn't bothered by the blood.

That night, Aerys dreamed of taught bowstrings. Faceless archers dead set on drowning the world in arrows.

He swore to himself never to fire a bow.

A few more months went by before he bumped into a familiar face.

Aerys felt like he could be forgiven for not noticing him earlier. He generally avoided the adults. Many resented him for the battle that brought him to the tribe. Hateful glares became a just another part of his daily routine, alongside packing down the tent, cooking dinner, and following along with whatever Edmund saw fit to teach him.

At the time, he was helping some of the older children build a bonfire. Him and one of his new friends, a girl named steph, were gathering twigs and dried wood.

'…and then Ivar screeched like a girl and ran away!' Steph finished.

Aerys giggled in response.

'What a baby. Ivar needs to grow a spine.'

'We should call him Ivar the boneless!'

Aerys laughed once again.

There was a brief lull in the conversation as they gathered sticks.

'I wish Edmund would let me play more often.' He said forlornly. 'You have so much fun without me.'

'At least he cares about you. I don't think my mother likes me anymore. She's always with other people now that dad's gone.'

Aerys wrinkled his nose.

'She's always with Edmund.' He said.

Aerys often had to vacate the tent when Steph's mother, Ella, comes to visit at night. He assumed they must like fighting each other given the grunting and groaning he could hear from them after he leaves. Ella gets him to stay with Steph in her tent those nights.

'D'you think they're with each other now?' Steph said, suddenly upset.

'Ugh, I don't want to know.'

'Well, I do. Here, take my pile over to the fire. I want to go bug her.' And off she went, dumping her load into Aerys's arms and running off.

Aerys didn't really take notice, but it was the first time he was alone in quite a while. He trudged back towards the fire they were building in the centre of camp.

'I have to say lad, I'm surprised you've lived this long.' Came a voice from behind.

Aerys stopped in his tracks.

He'd thought Stew's voice would only remain in his nightmares.

'Well?' Stew said. 'I expected you to scream or something. I know you thought I died.'

Aerys was shaking when he turned around. Sure enough, before him was none other than the young ranger of the night's watch, Stew.

Stew had seen better days, clearly. There were bandages around his left arm.

He wore the same grey fur and sheepskin as the other wildlings and even had the same weapons as them on his person. A crude mace made of rock and wood hung loosely at his side. A rough looking bow distinctly of wildling make was slung over his shoulder.

He would have looked like any other free folk Aerys had seen were it not for the contempt that seemed to radiate out from him. Stew hated his disguise. The clothing seemed a personal slight to him.

'How are you alive?' Aerys asked, shocked. 'No, forget that. How are you going to stay alive? If the others figure out who you are, they'll kill you.'

Aerys may not have liked Stew, but he didn't want him to die either.

'How am I to survive if I return to the Wall without the prince in tow? By the time I return, Arty will have told everyone that I knew about your little deception, and they'll place my head on a spike!'

'Oh.' Aerys said dumbly.

'Oh? My entire life is in your hands and all you have to say to me is OH!' Stew shouted.

'Won't someone hear you yelling?'

'Theres no one here to hear us boy. The others are…busy.'

Aerys did not like the way he said "busy".

'I'm sorry Stew. I… I don't know what you want from me.'

'I've been planning our escape for months boy.'

Our? Aerys thought to himself. He didn't dare voice that thought out loud. Stew was scaring him.

'There's a pair of horses I stole from the wildlings.' Stew continued. 'The other wildlings won't be back for some time. We can be off tonight. Now. Don't think I haven't noticed what you've been up to boy. I've been dealing with Wildlings longer than you, and trust me, it's better you come with me. By the gods, it's better to die like Bloodraven and the others than stay with them.'

Aerys could not stay silent at that.

'Bloodraven isn't dead.'

'What?'

'He ran away! He took Dark Sister and left us all to die!'

'Don't be daft. None of us really liked Bloodraven but he was our Lord Commander. He would never-'

'NO! Bloodraven ran. He ran, and one day I'm going to go after him. I love my family, but I won't return home without Dark Sister. My family would never allow me to go after it'

Stew rolled his eyes. He hadn't seen Bloodraven or his sword since the battle, but what Aerys was saying was too improbable. He'd served under Bloodraven for months, and in all that time Bloodraven's dedication to the Night's Watch was borderline delusional. He ran the watch like he was preparing for the apocalypse. What reason would he have to betray his brothers?

'Look, I don't care about Bloodraven right now, we can talk about that later. But this would go a lot smoother if you came with me.'

Aerys had made up his mind by that point. He turned and sprinted away as fast as he could. Responding to Stew would have only wasted time.

Stew didn't waste time either. He honestly thought Aerys would try to fight him not flee, but his refusal was unsurprising. When Aerys moved, Stew moved after him.

Aerys was slippery, the ranger gave him that. The boy made it half-way to the centre of the camp before Stew finally wrestled him to the ground.

Aerys cried out for help, but he was certain it was futile. He could see the smoke from where he was on the ground. Stew had somehow set half the camp aflame.

'I told you boy, the others are busy!'

'Not that busy.'

Those were the last words Stew ever heard.

Ella skewered the watchman through the neck.

'That was for ash.'

Stew died choking. Aerys didn't look away. Ella didn't remove her spear until she was sure he was dead.

'Th-thank you ella.'

'Don't thank me yet boy. I've come to get you. You're helping with the fires'

Aerys sighed. 'Of course.'

Fighting the fire turned out to be satisfying work.

The conversation about Stew, however, was rather unpleasant.

Aerys didn't know it, but it was on his ninth nameday that the decision was made to return him.

Stew's actions had proven to the others that Aerys was, in fact, a prince. Most of the Red Foot Tribe didn't really care. Several didn't really understand royalty as a concept. It was a loud minority that called for Aerys to be returned.

In the end it was Aerys himself that made the decision. He missed his family, and to make matters worse the unfriendly faces around camp were getting increasingly violent.

It took three weeks for the tribe to arrive close to the Wall. It took another few days for someone to make contact with castle black.

Edmund was among several others who volunteered to make contact. This involved climbing up and down the Wall while evading any watchmen, followed by approaching Castle Black from the south under a banner of truce in the hopes they aren't immediately killed on sight. They would then need to convince the watchmen to send a procession out into the haunted forest where they could bargain with the tribe for the release of the prince.

Aerys wasn't made aware of the danger. As far as he was concerned, Edmund would succeed because he had yet to fail. The prince was still nervous. The procession would likely include another member of his family. One of his uncle's most likely, if not his own father.

When the procession came Aerys could tell immediately that it wasn't his father. His father would not have ridden out without a kingsguard. There was no white cloak among the hundred odd riders that approached.

The free folk awaited them in a clearing a few leagues northeast of Castle Black. Aerys stayed close to Ella who he had been entrusted to while Edmund was away. Edmund himself was, thankfully, with the royal group as they approached.

Most of the group stayed near the edge of the clearing as a small handful rode out to meet the free folk. Aside from Edmund they also had with them the three-headed dragon banner of house Targaryen, half a dozen Knights in Targaryen colours, a lone black brother to represent the Night's Watch, and the king's eldest son, Prince Duncan.

'AERYS!' The prince yelled, spurring his horse into a gallop at the sight of his nephew.

'We thought you died.' He said, relief colouring his voice.

'I'm okay, uncle.' Aerys responded. He was happy to see his uncle Duncan. He was a kind man.

'let's not get all lovey dovey now boys, we still have terms before we give him up.' Ella interjected.

'We should kill you where you stand, wildling.' Spoke the night's watchman, before spitting at the ground in disrespect, 'We could free the prince by force.'

The free folk moved to respond, but Prince Duncan spoke first.

'If you give the wildlings reason to harm my nephew, I will kill you myself. Edmund braved great danger to get to us and we have exactly what they asked for. Theres no reason for this to devolve into violence.'

'As for you…Ella I presume? We have the steel here with us. My men are wheeling the wagons forward now.'

'We won't give him to you until after the tools are with us.'

'That's fine. There is one last scruple however.'

'Scruple?' Ella asked, confused. She didn't know what that word meant.

'He means there's a catch Ella.' Said Edmund

The watchman spoke up again.

'If we are to give you these tools, you must promise not to harry any of our rangers, nor try to climb the Wall for the next ten years.'

This drew several angry comments from the free folk.

'They weren't going to give anything up unless we promised not to attack them.' Explained Edmund.

'They wanted it to be forever, but I talked them down to ten years. One year for each wagon load. Come on, for what we're asking, we've no need to mess around with kneelers for that long surely?' He continued.

'Is it everything we asked for?'

'I swear it.'

'Fine.'

There were more grumbling but ultimately the deal was too good for them to pass up. The steel weapons and tools would give the Red Foot Tribe a significant edge over other free folk.

'A pleasure dealing with you.' said Prince Duncan, his tone indicating the opposite.

Ella nudged Aerys in Edmund's direction.

'Anything you want to say before we hand you over lad?' she said.

Aerys looked into Edmunds eyes meaningfully. He had said his goodbyes to the others earlier, but he couldn't tell Edmund the truth with his uncle around. He was going to miss being a member of the tribe, but he was going to miss the old red head the most.

Before long, the Wagons were in wildling hands, and Aerys was given over to the royals.

Aerys spent the journey mentally fortifying himself.

Prince Duncan might be nice to him now, but once they returned to Castle Black, Aerys was due for a serious scolding. The free folk would have outright beaten him for what he'd done, but somehow the prospect of a disappointed uncle Duncan was worse in his mind.

Still, Aerys stood a little taller than when he set out in the first place.

He'll face the consequences of his own actions.

He won't be like Bloodraven.