[Chapter Size: 3700 Words.]
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Third Person POV
Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, 299 AC.
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The ship finally docked at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, while the men who took care of the small castle watched curiously as the vessel bearing the Arctican flag approached, having been in sight without stopping until it came to berth at the dock.
The sight of giants walking across the deck and of armed men, even though it was just a single ship, had left all the members of the patrol quite apprehensive.
The caution soon turned into a sigh of relief. What reassured them was the fact that five rangers began to disembark from the vessel at that moment.
Benjen Stark was a recent face to them, but the other four… everyone believed they had been dead since they departed years earlier, along with more than sixteen thousand men sent by the south to search for Arctic as a way to retaliate for the attack on Oldtown and the Redwyne and Royal fleets — an expedition that had become a great failure.
A year earlier, the Lord Commander had made a deal with the Arctican King after discovering that those men were still alive and imprisoned in Arctic after the army had been almost completely wiped out.
Harron Peake, the man in charge of commanding the small coastal castle, barely managed to hide his surprise when he saw them with the Stark leading the group, with Qhorin coming behind and three more.
"Hello, everyone. We're back," he said, opening a satisfied smile. After a year, Benjen was back at the Wall.
They had left Arctic more than four days earlier, traveling by sea while dodging the icebergs floating in the water, even using wildfire to destroy them as the giants hurled harpoons with the ship's scorpions.
"We received a raven a few days ago saying that the king beyond Arctic appeared in front of the Black Castle's gate saying that your war was over," said one of the men, as his companions approached, curious, watching Benjen, who kept smiling while carrying backpacks. Among them, there was a set of plates — his armor, made of Valyrian steel, a gift he had received — and his sword at his belt, his giant wolf was coming down right after the men, who were already used to the creature being so close to them. He had grown even bigger.
"Yes, the war is over. Jon defeated the Night King in a one-on-one combat," Benjen said, with a certain pride.
"There's no point talking to them, Lord Stark. They won't believe it," said Qhorin, approaching while carrying another backpack with his armor, just like the other three members behind him, survivors of the first conflict and the war.
"If you're saying we won't believe that you really fought an army of the dead for an entire year, you're right. We won't believe it. Why don't you tell us exactly what you did during this year there?" grumbled Harron, the local commander, while Benjen rolled his eyes.
"After everything, the Lord Commander fell with hundreds of brothers of the Night's Watch, but you don't believe it... this is foolishness... you're going to say the wildlings did all that..." Benjen mocked, and the men behind Harron were certainly uneasy.
"But, my lord, what about the long nights? The sun leaving in the same morning, the red light coming from the north during the darkness...?" One of the men seemed to agree with their words about the dead.
"We saw the dead rising as well..." another said.
"Some kind of sorcery trying to impress us? There is no army of the dead!" Harron mocked, before looking more closely at the armor. "Looks like you gained quite a lot."
"Stop being an asshole, Harron. We know what we saw," said another ranger just behind Benjen, one who had come with them from Arctic.
"Besides, we earned this, it's ours," replied the companion at his side.
"You believe in sorcery, but you don't believe we fought the dead? I'm sure the new Lord Commander believes it. And mind your own business. Like our companion said, the armor is mine, given by my nephew," Benjen growled.
"Alliser Thorne became a bootlicker of that king-beyond-the-Wall for some reason. I heard he's a Targaryen, son of that prince. So that must be why Thorne seems to be such a whore for those Arcticans... And you must feel quite proud, with a prince in the family," the man mocked.
"You say prince? I think you are mistaken. The last time I saw him, he was a king greater than any other," Qhorin replied, stepping into the discussion.
"Stories. Just stories."
"You wouldn't dare say that in front of him," said another ranger of the Night's Watch who had been in Arctic, looking at the men who were watching and listening to his words. "If you don't want to die, you'd better shut up and stop being so arrogant and ignorant," he mocked.
"What did you say?" Harron growled, before looking toward the ship and finally seeing two giants there, along with smaller men and others taller, all watching the conversation. He stopped suddenly. He could feel the cold in their stares, as if they were inviting him to find out what they would do if he continued insulting the king.
"Is this serious? We're going to give resources to these ungrateful savages?" a dwarf grumbled from the ship.
"Who are you calling savage, dwarf?" Harron said immediately, hoping to offend the small man, but he only laughed.
"You have courage, man. I could crush your skull with a hammer and spread your brains all over the place. Don't make me go down there and beat you, break your legs and arms. And I wouldn't provoke me to do that, since it seems to be the only thing that works on you, with your brain stupid enough to even insult your own Lord Commander from what I heard..." The dwarf did not speak with arrogance and amusement, he truly expected to break that man.
Harron was about to respond, but suddenly a fist struck his face, making him fall to the ground with a groan. Standing over him was Qhorin himself. Everyone fell silent.
"That idiot is still going to get us killed here. Why did they choose him as a leader? Does the new Lord Commander know what we think? He himself called him a bootlicker of the Arctican king..." growled the man known as Halfhand.
No one said anything, while Harron continued rolling on the ground, covering his broken nose as blood streamed down his face.
Halfhand was highly respected by the Night's Watch. Obviously, no one there, even in those parts, would do anything against him.
"Well, anyway, we apologize for that idiot. He never had any manners and was caught trying to force his way into a noblewoman's room while serving as a noble's guard, from what I heard years ago... Seems that this behavior isn't limited to just being a damn rapist," Halfhand mocked, speaking to the Arcticans, trying to soften the impact of that man's words.
"Well, since the punch was well deserved, we can move on with this. Let's unload the resources the king gave," said the ship's captain, laughing, as his men quickly began to move.
The Watch removed Harron from the way, while several supplies began to be taken off the ship.
Eastwatch became, in a way, bizarre as a giant walked through the yard carrying crates, leaving them in the center before returning to the ship. The men of the Night's Watch watched as if they were insignificant before those creatures.
The dwarves were quite loud and didn't hesitate to kick a ranger who had offended one of them in the heat of the moment, which made the rest of the group no longer want to mess with those small men, strong enough to beat anyone who wished for that.
Benjen and the others then began to say their goodbyes to the Arcticans, with whom they had made friends during the journey over the last few days, even though they had not met during the war before.
As soon as they finished loading the last supplies — and the animals as well, such as the coursers they had received from the kingdom — the Arcticans began to return to the ship.
As they boarded and left the dock, they headed back to the kingdom. There was nothing more to do there.
"Well, let's go to Castle Black. There's nothing more to do here and we must present ourselves before the new Lord Commander... We'll let the Lord Commander send wagons to fetch the supplies," said Benjen. He didn't like Alliser Thorne, but he had to obey; after all, he and the others were still members of the Watch.
All five who had returned from Arctic mounted their horses, still carrying their own armor. They left Eastwatch behind, with Commander Harron in a corner, his nose bleeding and still full of anger, but with no one to defend him.
It took the group two days to reach Castle Black. They were received quickly, with shouts coming from the gate as it opened, while they passed through it into the yard.
The Lord Commander and the others were already waiting when Benjen and the rest dismounted from their horses, approaching Alliser Thorne as Lord Commander, who did not fail to observe them with curiosity. He had left a year earlier when Jeor Mormont was still Lord Commander and now found himself under the command of another man. That was a bit strange for him.
"The King of Arctic must have already informed you that he met with us," Alliser began. Benjen nodded, while Thorne relayed the news from the south.
"So you must know that your family is not doing well at all, Benjen Stark," he said in a more polite manner than Benjen ever remembered seeing. Perhaps out of respect for Jon, Alliser did not show his usual contempt.
"Yes, I know," Benjen said, with a certain sorrow. His brother had fallen, killed in King's Landing, his sister-in-law had been murdered, and no one knew whether Robb was still alive at that moment.
"Any news about Bran and Rickon?" Benjen asked, curious, since Jon had said that no one in the south seemed to know they were in Arctic, despite Jon saying they were alive — something many could interpret as a political maneuver to manipulate the North.
"The children haven't been found since the king said they were alive, but I believe they are somewhere. If they are still in the North and the Watch finds them, we will keep them safe at Castle Black. Don't worry, Lord Stark," he said.
It was obvious that he spoke with good intentions. Benjen didn't find it bad, but he also found it interesting that Alliser said nothing more.
Benjen merely looked at the companions who had come with him and gave them a meaningful look to remain silent — not only because of the nearly thirty dragons, as the king had requested, but also to keep it secret, for now, that Bran and Rickon were alive in Arctic.
"Well, anyway, welcome back, all of you. I'm sure you'll have much to tell about the war you fought in His Majesty's kingdom," Alliser said. Everyone nodded and began to settle in.
The Lord Commander himself made it clear that the armor they had brought belonged exclusively to them. He had also already heard about the shipment and ordered a group of men to retrieve it, thanking Arctic for providing them with food and weapons when all the Seven Kingdoms seemed to have forgotten them. Even the North was in complete chaos and had no way to send resources. They were only not in a critical situation due to the supply shipments Jon had left with the dragon.
They entered the castle and, after a few days, returned to their routine. Benjen did not take up the position of First Ranger — at least, not yet — while Alliser tried to reorganize the Night's Watch, awaiting the arrival of the new resources.
Alliser also took care of Harron after what he heard from the five. Benjen adapted once again to the Wall over the following days, running with his giant wolf north of the Wall and training when he returned.
Benjen soon stood out in the yard, surprising everyone with how much he had improved with a blade. He had received training and even potions from Jon in Arctic, becoming much faster and stronger. There was no one who could compare to him now, and he soon gained the reputation of being the best sword of the Night's Watch, even more so when he wore Valyrian steel armor and wielded a magical metal sword, which gave him even more prominence.
This continued for some time, until one morning, while everyone was eating in the main hall, a scout of the Watch ran to Castle Black, stunned. He did not wait to speak to anyone and burst abruptly into the main hall, frightened, slamming the door shut as everyone looked at him.
"My lord, we have a problem!" he said.
Alliser stood up immediately, his gaze narrowing. "Tell me what this is for you to enter with all this madness," he asked in a threatening tone, one everyone was already used to.
"My lord, a large number of soldiers is marching here at this very moment, coming from the east," said the scout, making the Lord Commander raise an eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that? Didn't Eastwatch send any raven?!" Alliser asked, now more cautiously. He looked at the maester, who denied it.
"They appeared out of nowhere. They are carrying the banner of a flaming stag, from what I could see," he said, as everyone exchanged looks.
A flaming stag. Even those who were not fully familiar with the banners of the south knew what that meant.
"It's Stannis Baratheon," said the castle's master.
"We sent letters to the south asking for reinforcements to strengthen the Wall moons ago, since we know that a large number of wildlings is concentrated at Hardhome, but no one answered. That was before the first visit of the Arctican king. I just didn't expect it to be Stannis who would respond when no one else did."
"Stannis so far North... what does that mean?" Benjen asked cautiously. There was nothing good in that.
"Quick! Prepare the castle! Take your positions and reinforce the watches!" Alliser Thorne ordered immediately.
Everyone began to move through the castle. They didn't know what to expect from Stannis's men, and it took some time until the group finally began to appear on the horizon. About two thousand men advanced, with Stannis at the front, accompanied by his main advisors, toward Castle Black.
"So this is Castle Black... as old as the stories of the First Men," Davos murmured at his side.
"Yes. Let's go," was the only thing Stannis said in his dry tone, as they approached and stopped at a safe distance from the castle.
The messenger left Castle Black and met with a group of Stannis's men who were also approaching. He explained what was happening there and then returned to the Lord Commander.
The gate was opened for the visitors, and Stannis entered the castle, receiving assurances that he would not be attacked, just as the Night's Watch would not be attacked by Stannis's men.
A growl echoed when Benjen looked at his wolf, who was staring at the Red Woman beside Stannis as she approached them. She, in turn, stared back at the wolf.
"Calm down. Quiet, Raven!" Benjen said softly to his faithful companion, who was called Raven because of his black fur, and he obeyed after a few moments.
"Greetings, Lord Commander. We heard your request for help and came as soon as we could," Stannis said.
Alliser did not fail to raise an eyebrow. He truly disliked any Baratheon — or anyone connected to them — almost as much as Jon Stark. He hated him. The way Stannis spoke made it seem as though he had had no other option after his defeat at the Blackwater.
"We thank you for coming this far, but it will no longer be necessary," Alliser said in a dry tone. "The war is over," he added, making Stannis raise an eyebrow.
"The war is not over. Not while that bastard who passes himself off as my nephew sits on the throne, nor while the Boltons still control the North," Stannis replied. Benjen listened closely beside the Lord Commander.
"I am not talking about that war, but about the war against the dead. The King of Arctic emerged victorious," Alliser explained, with a certain coldness, making Stannis raise his eyebrow again and cast a look at the Red Woman, not understanding.
Wasn't he the one meant to defeat the Long Night? He wondered this with his eyes alone.
"Impossible," said the woman, visibly shaken by the revelation. "Only the Prince That Was Promised can defeat the Great Other," she stated firmly, refusing to believe it.
"It is true. I was there. I saw my nephew drive his sword into the chest of the Night King — or as you called him, the Great Other. He was destroyed, shattered into many pieces, and his army of the dead fell to the ground, inert," Benjen said firmly, even finding the woman's reaction somewhat amusing, as she seemed blinded by her own ideas, but also surprised that she knew of the Long Night — even though the Long Night no longer existed.
"This cannot be true," she denied. "You must be lying."
"What did you say?" Benjen growled, and even his wolf answered with a similar growl.
"Well, I think we can talk about this more calmly," Alliser Thorne tried to appease the situation. It was obvious that both sides would defend their ideas, believing the other to be lying or insane, and that would not end well.
Stannis made a gesture with his hand and turned to his men.
"Bring me bread and salt. Stannis Baratheon will be a guest of Castle Black," the Lord Commander said, then.
"It is Your Grace!" muttered one of Stannis's more active advisors, casting a look at Alliser and at the group of a hundred men, opening a mocking smile. He seemed eager to provoke as much as possible two enemies of the Targaryens.
'Do not be so arrogant. You will piss yourself when you see Rhaegar's son.' Alliser Thorne kept that thought to himself. Even so, he did not try to argue any further.
The ritual had been performed, and the Baratheon men — at least the main council, along with the guards — would remain in the castle. The others had to camp outside, obviously.
They discussed what the next steps would be, while the Night's Watch remained uneasy.
Alliser was shocked by Stannis's suggestion.
"You want to recruit the wildlings of Hardhome?" It sounded insane, but at the same time, it made a certain sense. He needed men. He needed an even larger army.
"The North needs to be free. I intend to attack the Boltons. That is why I want to bring the wildlings south of the Wall, gather them, and make them fight in exchange for land and a better life than living beyond the Wall," he said. None of those present seemed comfortable with the idea.
The days passed. Stannis had already sent ravens to the North asking for support for his cause, now that the lordship had been taken and the North was under Bolton control — something nearly everyone despised.
He received the first reply letter, and it was from the Mormonts, with a firm and short message: the only king House Mormont would obey would be a king of House Stark. They would only recognize a King in the North whose name was Stark, the letter said.
That led them to seek out Benjen the following day, which surprised him when he was called to give his opinion on Lady Mormont's letter. Benjen spoke about tradition.
Until the moment came when Stannis asked Benjen a direct question.
"Kneel before me, and I will make you Lord of Winterfell. You will rule the North, and then your children." Stannis had no idea the children were alive.
"No," Benjen replied immediately, without thinking twice. "I do not intend to go anywhere beyond my cause here with my oath."
"Still, we have heard that you went north to fight with Arctic and even received armor worth a castle..." Davos could not help but speak up.
"As I said, Ser Davos, this is my cause. The dead were destroyed, and I fought alongside the Arcticans because my oath was always to defend the realms of men, whether on the Wall or farther north by aligning myself with those you consider wildlings... I do not know exactly what I will still face, but I certainly will not abandon my vows nor take Winterfell."
"You speak as if you had other living relatives worthy of Winterfell. Robb Stark is captured, no one knows his whereabouts, and his siblings are likely dead as well, with no news of them. Your niece is married to Tyrion Lannister in King's Landing. It does not seem right for Winterfell to be left without Stark blood..." he said.
It seemed very easy to manipulate by speaking of vengeance when one could try to use it politically. However, Benjen would not fall for that; Winterfell would belong to another Stark, period. After all, there were living relatives with Stark blood — Stannis simply did not need to know that.
"No," Benjen replied again, firmly. "I will not be part of this."
"What a shame," was all Stannis said in the end when he saw the determination in Benjen's eyes.
At that moment, the Red Woman took a few steps toward the window after hearing the sound of wings.
"Is there a problem?" Stannis noticed her strange behavior.
When she turned to him, she did not seem angry or show any other emotion — only acceptance.
"Someone is watching us," she said, looking at the bird flying away. She knew there were eyes behind the creature's mind. Even on that side of the Wall.
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Raccoon Here:
I may be wrong, but I think Benjen's direwolf is black, and now that I remembered Winter, Lord Stark's giant she-wolf... I should mention that she was also killed in King's Landing during Lord Stark's capture.
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