Rays of light emerged from over the horizon, illuminating the land and gently waking the world and its people together with the chirping of birds. Harry stirred once his inner clock told him what time it was. A lifetime of waking up with the sun didn't let him do anything else now. Melisandre and Kinvara mirrored him and soon everybody was awake.
Their breakfast consisted of croissants, coffee, tee and milk together with madeleines and macarons, the last two of which Harry had planned to serve at yesterday's dinner. He hadn't been able to finish them with how pressed for time he had been, due to Bella.
Narcissa once more went to put up her stand. Today her escort was Kinvara together with Arrax. Harry, Gabrielle and Fleur went to grab Lyanna and start training the girl for the day. The rest sought distraction until the finale, even looking for Davos who they hadn't seen in a while.
Before they separated Narcissa said. "I'll say this now in case we don't see each other again until the finale of the melee. Please don't injure so many people this time. I was unable to properly enjoy it because I had to heal so many injuries. Among them gouged out eyes and slit throats, I might add! I was just so able to save a few of those." Annoyance clear to hear in her voice. Cissy was the only reason the Westerlands had more casualties than them. She sent a glare at Bella, making it clear who sent the most her way.
Bellatrix didn't care and instead took Harry's right arm into her own and nuzzled her head into his neck, inhaling his intoxicating scent. She sighed contently, causing Narcissa's eye to twitch and the rest to giggle while Harry smiled in amusement and exasperation.
Marcella replied with a huff. "Oh, come off it. We explained that it wasn't our fault they are so weak. Together with the facts that the sellsword publicly begged for death, you healing them and that Aerys will spread our story is enough to get them to drop their accusations."
Narcissa was about to say more, but couldn't. Courtesy of Harry she received a sensual kiss after he had embraced her with his left arm. Her annoyance melted away and her body nearly did the same. "What was that for?" Cissy asked after she was sure her knees weren't about to give out under her.
Harry simply gave her a one of his smiles reserved for only them. "No particular reason aside from the fact that I love you." he said into her ear with such tenderness that she couldn't prevent the smile erupting on her face as she leaned into his side. "Though, I also appreciate your efforts and wanted to thank you properly." it was followed by another peck on the lips. Narcissa moaned in disappointment once his lips were no longer on her own.
"I love you, too." she declared in turn, reluctantly letting go off his arm and making her way back to the spot from yesterday, a skip in her step. "Let's go." She said to her partner for the day. her bag contained everything she needed with Kinvara and Arrax were walking at her side.
After a short walk Harry and his Veela picked up Lyanna. Of course, Harry remembered his promise and showed up with unicorns, after quickly procuring them from back home. As the avenger of Unicorns he was allowed to ride them without issue, one could even say they flocked to him. Contrary to popular belief Unicorns did not abhor killing, did it themselves on occasion, as long as the one killed was despicable enough. One could be sure that every person killed by Unicorns was a right bastard. The magical creatures had a sixth sense when it came to that.
Even Hedwig came with him from back home, having simply attached herself to his shoulder, refusing to leave his shoulder.
Lyanna could only stare at him open-mouthed at the unicorns. She wore the clothes he had made for her last time, leaving her dress in the tent.
"I did say I would let you ride an Unicorn, didn't I?" An amused grin split across his visage as he held out his hand to pull her up. Harry was also happy that she did not seem to fear them due to Marcella's actions yesterday.
Completely overwhelmed Lyanna took his hand, pulled herself up and sat before him in the saddle. As they rode double she felt his firm chest in her back and his strong arms around her body to hold the reigns. It didn't take long to arrive at the training spot from the day before because Harry spurred his unicorn on, making a race out of it. Lyanna was lost in a haze during the ride imagining turning up with a Unicorn at the Joust and beating all the others, while enjoying the wind in her hair as the scenery literally flew by.
Her daydream ended abruptly once Harry stopped his steed, dismounted and helped her down. His owl flew onto a branch of a nearby tree. 'Strange I have never seen an owl in the light of day. Shouldn't a snowy owl be further north?' Lyanna thought a bit confused, though she banished these thoughts in favour of her lessons.
The King from Essos was clad in only his leathers, holding two blunt bastard-swords transfigured out of rocks nearby. Gabrielle and Fleur took the unicorns away to let them drink out of the God's Eye and graze a bit.
Stretches and warming up completed Harry let Lyanna repeat the different forms, looking for mistakes and correcting them. Once satisfied with that for the moment he sparred with her lightly, barely needing to make an effort. One did not need to be a swordsman to tell that Lyanna was barely a novice. Still, she had some talent. Harry's wives also gave pointers and even trained on their own a bit.
After the training was done Lyanna breached a subjects she had forgotten about until now. "Can I ask you something?" seeing him nod she admitted. "I want to take part in the Joust, but when we train I'll be too tired. Do you have anything to help me compete?" Lyanna was sure he had nothing against women fighting. After all he trained her and the show she saw yesterday only cemented that fact.
Harry simply scratched his chin, thinking. "Well, I can give you some powdered Hodag horn. Mixed with water it'll allow you to go without sleep for seven days and as a bonus it makes you immune to the effects of alcohol." The Hodags had come with the Delacour sisters and by now their population was stable again. The beasts were very welcome even though they ate mostly Mooncalves, whose dung was an effective fertilizer. Luckily, Mooncalves bred like rabbits and it was actually a relief to have them depopulated a bit by the creatures.
"Awesome!" the she-wolf exclaimed, hugging him in her exuberance and noting that she was sticky with sweat. "Thank you!"
"I'm assuming your family doesn't know about you taking part in the joust?" Harry half-asked and half-stated as he lightly patted her on the back. He couldn't imagine them doing so, no matter how much they loved her. A woman fighting was seen as unfeminine and Harry had noticed that Westerosi men and women looked at women fighting with disapproval. A woman needed to be prepared to fight a nearly impossible uphill battle to become a warrior. Women weren't allowed to be knights and neither was there a female equivalent to the status of knight. There simply was no place among them for women.
There were exceptions, obviously. In Dorne a few women fought according to Oberyn, but it was in no way the rule. Mostly it were female heirs of Houses that learnt war tactics and the like to become war commanders, not a warrior. In the North the women of House Mormont were forced to fight, making it less a choice and more a necessity. Funnily enough, from what Harry saw the Ironborn had no reservations of letting women fight. Then again, even a blind hen sometimes finds a grain of corn.
Lyanna shook her head, secure in the knowledge that Harry wouldn't judge her. "No, they don't." she admitted a ready and giddy smile burst forth. "I plan to enter the lists as a Mystery Knight and borrowed armour, shield and lance from a few knights." Harry just raised an eyebrow, causing her smile to diminish to a small embarrassed grin, but not without doing a huff. "Fine, I appropriated it from people who practically threw it away." Though, he only nodded and the expected scolding didn't come, causing her to look at him funny. She didn't even notice that she yet had to let go of him.
"What? Did you expect me to scold you?" Harry asked with a chuckle, gently lifting the girl off of him and setting her down beside him.
In reply Lyanna simply nodded sheepishly.
"I am not your father or part of your family. It's not my place to tell you what to do or to enforce certain behaviour. Besides, I have nothing against the occasional mischief." A merry twinkle appeared in his eyes. After all, it was her decision to steal that stuff and she'd have to face the consequences should it be discovered.
That cleared she couldn't resist any longer. Big grey eyes looked at him akin to a puppy begging for a treat. "There is something else. Can you lend me an unicorn to ride during the joust?" Just imagining herself riding on such a horse was enough to make her salivate. With such a steed she'd be an unstoppable jouster.
A shake of his head came as the answer. "No, we promised the prince to not participate in the joust and a Mystery Knight riding an unicorn would cast doubt on us." something he definitely did not need right at this moment. Unicorns may like her well enough due to her intact virginity, but that had no bearing on his decision.
"You're not taking part in the joust?" Disappointment evident in her voice. She would've loved to test her skill against him and his wives.
"No again, we are no jousters and I am just a novice at riding." Harry spoke truthfully. He could ride proficiently because of Fleur's and Gabrielle's tutelage, however, he was by no means good enough to do a joust. "I also prefer flying to riding."
"Oh, I see." she was silent for a bit, but a gleam entered her eyes. "Can you take me flying then?" the she-wolf requested and added quickly. "We still have some time before the finale of the melee." the event was scheduled for the afternoon for whatever reason. It was still morning. Most people were just waking up and breaking their fast.
Shrugging his shoulders Harry agreed. "Why not?" a sniff and a grimace later he added "But first we have to wash up, we stink." without waiting for a reply Harry transfigured the ground, creating a hole out of smooth rock the size of a big pond. Next he filled it with water and heated it to the proper temperature, followed by removing his leathers and storing them inside his ring.
It left him standing buck naked before Lyanna, who could only stare at his toned and scarred backside while imitating a tomato. She looked on in envy as his wives joined him in the steaming water without hesitation, after stripping themselves. Gathering all her courage Lyanna did as the rest, her competitive nature didn't let her do anything less. Still, she couldn't help but feel inadequate in comparison to these two silver-haired angels. They were women with toned bodies of perfect proportions, while she herself wasn't even finished growing out of girlhood with her narrow hips, knobby knees and relatively small breasts.
Lady Stark could only stare at King Harry. She saw clearly saw the tattoo on his chest and his scars. A big one started at his shoulder and went across his chest diagonally to his hip, while others were on his arms. She assumed he had a few on his legs, but couldn't see them properly. An oddly shaped one was on his forehead above his right eye, normally concealed by his unruly hair. Clearly he possessed the body of a warrior, in more ways than one. She had seen her brothers semi-naked when walking in on them changing and knew they hadn't many scars, if any. No wars had been fought in the past years, leaving them free of such marks. Lyanna briefly felt the urge to ask how he got them, but refrained, thinking it too rude and personal.
Harry simply relaxed as Fleur and Gabrielle washed his body, gently tracing their fingers along his scars all the while. By now he knew enough about the two to not protest and just let it happen. He was going to repay them in kind soon enough. Though, Harry had to stop wandering hands from going too far, he didn't want to make more negative impressions. One look at Lyanna showed her moping, sunken until everything from her nose down was underwater with her brown hair swimming on the surface. Bubbles popped up as she exhaled through her nose.
A sigh escaped the last Potter, cursing his soft heart along the way. 'She is our guest. I should let her feel more welcome.' he thought as an idea came to him in a flash. Just as fast as ever he summoned the girl, causing her to shriek. Finally she sat before him, nearly occupying his lap.
"W..W..What are you doing?" she stuttered out, glancing behind her to see him with both silver-haired beauties cleaning him. Mindful of what was directly behind her she turned again, staring straight ahead. The edge of the pond was irresistible to look at all of a sudden.
Without a care in the world Harry replied. "Washing your back. You're our guest and it'd be terribly rude of me to leave you unattended." He had no sexual interest in the girl. To him she was just that, a girl. He was twice her age and he didn't know her well enough on top of it. Besides, Harry knew that being a virgin was a big deal for Westerosi ladies and from the talks at dinner yesterday he knew she was promised to Robert Baratheon. The man wouldn't shut up about it. Harry fucking Lyanna would only create more problems for him. Problems he had no intention of creating.
The she-wolf was only capable of nodding as she felt him gently wash her back with a cloth that hadn't been there previously. The wandering of his hands on the edge of her arse drove her wild. In an effort to prevent a moan of enjoyment from being released she bit her lip. Only half a mind was working on washing her front with a cloth handed to her, half-heartedly at that. Only the little willpower left in her prevented her hands from wandering behind her to take his manhood into her grip.
Finished with her back Harry frowned at the tenseness in her shoulders and back. "You're so tense. Are you sure you didn't strain yourself, Lyanna?" Harry asked, thinking she'd done more training than she was able to handle. Completely oblivious to the true reason. Without warning Harry began massaging her shoulders, working with the years of experience he had gathered from books and practise on his wives.
This time Lyanna couldn't stop herself as a satisfied groan left her slightly parted lips. "Maybe." she moaned, not willing to argue that she was okay. Mainly because Harry's exquisite ministrations would surely stop. On instinct she pushed herself further into his lap, brushing against his cock with her arse. She was nearly sitting completely on it and would've gone further if wasn't for his hands keeping her on his thighs. 'If Brandon or Ned could see me now.' she thought in the back of her mind, amused. His hands went down her back, working out her kinks and knots. Once finished with that his calloused hands took hold of her arms and did the same there. She hadn't even know how heavy her arms felt after the training.
His massage together with the hot bath managed to reduce the she-wolf to a pile of goo, letting her melt into his chest as she fell backwards.
Harry held out his hand and got handed a vial of potion from Fleur, who had summoned it from their tent. It was a bottle of Occamy Egg yolk shampoo, enough for all four of them. Taking a bit of water in a bowl Harry repeatedly let it flow over Lyanna's hair until it was sufficiently wet, having done it enough times in the past to know how. Satisfied he took some of the potion, put it onto her hair and started massaging it tenderly into her scalp, while his wives did the same to him. Careful to get it on every bit Harry took his sweet time. Unknowing that it caused Lyanna to grew more aroused. Harry washed out the potion and saw that Lyanna's eyes were nearly closed.
He left her alone for the moment and tended to his wives at his sides, not needing to remove the she-wolf for now. Though, with them he understandably took a bit longer.
Unmindful of his own nakedness he stood up and picked Lyanna up in his arms along the way. Living in Essos with his current lifestyle had destroyed every bit of shame concerning nudity. Unlike most Westerosi nearly all Essosi people had relaxed views concerning nudity. The Qartheen women wore dresses leaving one breast free, the Dothraki practically were one big exhibitionist community and the Warrior-maids weren't even worth mentioning in regards to that. Nor were all the former sex-slaves, as well as temple prostitutes and so on.
Finished washing the Veela dried and clothed themselves and went to tend to the unicorns before their flight.
Meanwhile Harry prodded the Stark girl, asking. "Where do you want to fly?"
"The Isle of Faces." Lady Stark replied, mumbling and already missing his skin on her own as he sat her down to dress. Like all teenagers she was curious about sex, though she knew the consequences and wouldn't go too far. "Green Men are said to live on the island." she added as an enticement, hoping that it would be enough and wondering if it was true. She stole a few more glances at his form, but had no idea if his cock was big or not. It having been the only one to be seen in the flesh by her.
A few spells from Lyanna's teacher saw her clothes clean and she promptly put them on while Harry simply let his robes flow onto his form after drying himself.
The two Veela were back after having made sure the unicorns were content and secure for the moment. "The Isle of Faces, where is that?" Fleur queried in interest, having heard the girl say it.
Lyanna pointed at the God's Eye towards a silhouette sitting in the lake, concealed by the morning's mist. "It sits in the lake. Legend says that you can get your future told by the Green Men."
Curiosity piqued Gabrielle said. "Sounds good, let's go." Her six wings burst from her back. Luckily, the Animagus transformation was different to their usual one in the regard that it did not tear their clothes up. Instead it changed it, allowing their armour to be corrected by adding some to the upper back, previously left free for their wings. She knocked Lyanna down to the ground, having been unmindful of her surroundings. "Oops, sorry." the Veela apologized, an embarrassed blush colouring her cheeks. Only Fleur saw the slight hint of vindictiveness in her silver-blue eyes.
Fleur's giggles evolved to laughter, while Harry couldn't suppress a snort followed by him joining Fleur. Lyanna glared a bit, but she huffed and looked away, suppressing the urge to yell. She doubted her teacher would appreciate her yelling at his wives.
"What about the unicorns?" Harry asked, not wanting the creatures coming to harm at the hand of Westerosi.
Fleur assured him after letting her own wings burst free. "It is taken care of." she and her sister had cast notice-me-not and disillusionment charms on the animals and added a small Muggle-repelling ward encompassing the small area at the lake's edge. It also didn't look like the unicorns were about to explore. From the looks of it they were simply about to enjoy the day by lazing about.
"Good." he responded relieved, his own shining and fiery wings coming out of his back. Next Harry picked Lyanna up from the ground, holding her bridal style. The unexpected action caused her to squeak out loud and blush an even brighter red. Not a word of complaint left her lips though.
A moment later they were in the air, flying through the mist towards the Isle of Faces. After a few whispered words the Delacour sisters suddenly went into a climb flight, their course changing towards the clouds, ever skyward. Harry with Hedwig beside him followed and they gained altitude quickly. Lyanna couldn't resist the scream leaving her lungs at the abrupt change of direction and the speed at which they flew, causing her to bury her face into his neck. Harry's response was to laugh, enjoying flying too much to care.
The Veela were enjoying themselves immensely as well, performing barrel rolls and somersaults, clearly challenging Harry with inviting looks as they flew before and around him.
Obviously, Harry's inner flyer couldn't ignore such a challenge. Grinning like a loon he gave chase, letting the euphoria of being in the air encompass him, loving the feeling of the rushing wind under his wings and in his face. Not noticing anything else he gave his all as he pursued Fleur and Gabrielle. Time lost its meaning, leaving only the flight.
At the end all three performed a nosedive out of the sky, straight to the ground of the Isle of Faces. The red canopy of the Weirwood trees came nearer and nearer until they pulled up, flying just so over, brushing a few twigs and leaves in the process. Lyanna didn't look but she screamed her lungs out regardless, feeling as if her stomach was dropping to her knees. She only stopped screaming once solid ground was back under her feet.
Standing on wobbly legs the she-wolf nearly fell and had to catch herself at the nearest thing, which was Harry. "That was, that was..."
Harry let her search for the words, thinking she would scream at him. His expectation wasn't realised once she found the words. Fleur and Gabrielle looked smug for some reason.
"Incredible!" she finally breathed out in an awed manner. Her grey eyes sparkled at the sheer thrill of flying, it was similar to riding.
Lyanna's words caused the Veela to scowl briefly at her, having hoped for a different reaction. They knew Harry was just playing a good host, but they hadn't appreciated to miss out on a bit of action because of the Stark girl.
Harry cracked a heart-stopping smile, saying. "I'm glad you think so." he made sure she was capable of standing on her own before he let go, missing the disappointment that flashed across Lyanna's face. Gabrielle and Fleur caught it however and decided to take action. Fleur smoothly took Harry's right arm between her bosom and Gabrielle did the same with his left. They weren't worried that Harry was about to start something with the girl, after all they knew Harry had no interest in fourteen year old girls. Still, an example had to be made that she should back off.
"What now?" Gabrielle asked Lyanna while looking around. In turn Fleur simply snuggled closer to Harry, carefully sending Lyanna a smug look that made clear that the little girl could never have what she and her sister possessed. Harry's love.
Feeling funny, like butterflies mixed with bees inside her stomach, Lyanna shrugged absent-mindedly. "I don't know, start looking I guess." confused, she frowned, wondering why such a simple action caused a primal part inside her head to start growling like a wolf. With her not having any female friends to note she had no idea what was going on with herself. Nor was her mother alive to explain.
Finally the group looked around, realizing that they stood in a clearing among Weirwood trees. Every single one had a face carved into it. Some looked sad, others solemn and the fewest were happy looking. Before anyone could say anything a crow cawed at them, catching their interest.
As soon as she laid eyes on the crow Hedwig launched herself at the black bird with a screech. The attack was fast and over soon, ending with the crow on the ground and in Hedwig's talons.
"What is it, girl?" Harry asked in concern, petting his familiar while observing the very still crow in her grip.
A hoot more hiss than anything else was his answer as the snowy owl glared at the crow.
"Someone is inside the crow?" came his confused reply. Harry had no idea how that should be possible or why someone wanted to possess an animal. Though, his experience with such wasn't good. Mostly memories concerning Voldemort's shade and his effort to stay alive by possessing small animals. Concentrating Harry tentatively sent a Legilimency probe at the bird, checking if it was just an animal or more.
'Touch the Weirwood trees.' said a disembodied voice, echoing inside his head, alerting all his wives to its presence as well. Though, none of them felt any harmful intent aimed at them. Having as much experience with mental connections as Harry told him no negative events were to be expected. After the message was delivered the crow went from still to manic and was shortly released by Hedwig, who settled onto Harry's shoulder once again.
"Should we do it?" Gabrielle queried, eyeing the white-barked trees around them, seemingly staring at them.
"Do what?" Lyanna near demanded, having no idea what was going on right now, looking completely bewildered. She hadn't known he could talk to animals. Though, Harry's next actions didn't do anything to dispel her confusion.
"We'll see." Harry answered Gabrielle and turned towards the she-wolf. "Do you know any kind of magic that is said to exist in Westeros?" his curiosity told him to simply do it, but the talk with his wives was still fresh in his mind, making him more careful.
Caught off guard Lyanna simply responded without thinking too much. "There are stories about skinchangers and greenseers, as well as grumkin, snarks, giants and the Others roaming the wilds North of the Wall." mere fairy-tales she would've added out of habit if not for the people before her embodying magic better than anyone else, proving it on top.
"Can you explain a bit what they are capable of according to these tales?" Fleur questioned, wondering if any of that was true.
Thinking, Lady Stark said. "Well, stories describe the Greenseers seeing through the faces of Weirwoods. During the War of the First Men against the Children of the Forest are said to have turned trees to warriors and sent beasts against humans. While skinchangers are said to change into wolves, bears or some other animal." she hadn't a clue if that was true or not and her only source was Old Nan.
'Hmm, skinchangers could be some type of Animagus.' Harry thought. 'While the greenseers are pretty much described with what we deal here. Do you think we should risk it?' he got a positive reply from the rest, should he take Fleur and Gabrielle with him, of course.
"Now that I think about it, there happened something weird in the last year. Something many people claimed to be a result of magic." Lyanna spoke up, remembering something that had happened in Winterfell. Not that she could ever forget it, having been directly there at the time. She looked Harry directly in the eyes as she said it. "A friend of mine, the stableboy Wylis, collapsed and seemed to have some kind of seizure. His eyes turned as white as milk and afterwards he couldn't say anything else than Hodor." when one was riding as often as herself, it was always a good thing to befriend the stableboy.
"And he was able to speak properly prior to the event? No history of him collapsing before or after?" Gabrielle questioned, her curiosity going through the roof. They also had a few hours to look into these things.
Lady Stark shook her head sadly, her brown hair swishing with the motion. "No, he just yelled to hold the door for a few minutes until all that remained was the word Hodor." She was sure Harry would never do anything like that. Guest Right was active and he helped many people already. Still, it was scary to imagine people capable of twisting the mind in such a way. On top of it Wylis was a good friend of House Stark. Brandon, Ned, Benjen and her all treated him with kindness. "Many people claimed it was the work of Wargs."
Frowning Harry placed his hand on the nearest Weirwood, confident in his Occlumency to repel any possible invader. And if not there were still eight others the attacker had to deal with. 'Anybody there?'
'Yes, I am.' came the same voice from before.
'And who're you?' Harry demanded, not wanting to play games right now.
After a brief moment of silence, after getting used to the fact that there were people listening in, the voice continued. 'That is better left for a meeting face to face.'
'And why would we go to you?' the King from Essos countered. Not the least bit impressed so far.
'I think we have important things to discuss, like the future.' it came again, still calm and collected.
Harry gave his best mental snort. 'The best way to predict the future is to make it happen.' the last Potter had little interest in Divination, though Melisandre and Kinvara were leagues above Trewlany with their predictions.
'I can't really disagree with you on that.' the voice said with an odd inflection. 'Still, aren't you interested in learning about the magic of Westeros?'
Pondering that a bit, Harry replied. 'As long as it doesn't take more than five hours. We have to be somewhere by then. More future meetings not taken into account.'
'Excellent.' a picture of a massive Weirwood tree standing in a snow-filled forest was transmitted to them. 'I'll see you shortly.' with that the conversation was over.
A short discussion was held through the bond with the final consensus being that Fleur and Gabrielle were to accompany him to beyond the Wall.
"Okay, how about we go to Winterfell, heal your friend and then we go beyond the Wall to look for skinchangers?" Harry proposed to Lyanna, knowing that the she-wolf was most likely unable to resist such a thing. Also healing the friend of House Stark would give him more points with them, which was never a bad thing.
Lyanna didn't take more convincing. Going on an adventure beyond the Wall beat looking for Green Men any day of the week. "Sure." Lyanna said, smiling brightly.
A moment later the four of them were enveloped in flames as Harry transported them via flame-travel to Winterfell, having seen the castle from the outside days before. The group arrived in Winter Town, that for the time of year was actually somewhere approaching full. With half the houses being occupied.
In silence they walked through the market square towards Winterfell's great main gates. They had a gatehouse made of two huge crenelated bulwarks which flank the arched gate. The drawbridge wasn't lowered at the moment, forcing them to fly over it. Though, not before they made themselves invisible with disillusionment charms. Lyanna had no intention of letting her father or the Maester see her right now, too many questions would follow. Luckily, no one saw them go invisible.
Winterfell was a huge castle complex, spanning several acres, defended by two massive walls of grey granite with a wide moat between them. The outer wall was eighty feet high, while the inner wall was a hundred feet high. There were guard turrets on the outer wall and more than thirty watch turrets on the crenelated inner walls.
The group landed in the biggest courtyard, containing the stables and the place where Wylis was most likely at this time of day, feeding the horses. One look was enough to spot the person in question. He was over seven feet tall with brown eyes, a brown beard and thick hair covering his arms and most likely the rest of his body.
Fleur cast a quick Muggle-repelling and silencing spell around the stables, preventing them from being discovered.
Only Lyanna was revealed to the world once more, calling out as happy as she could. "Hodor!" it having become the name he responded to instead of his name given at birth.
The gentle giants eyes lit up as he heard the familiar voice. "Hodor!" he exclaimed back happily, his shout thankfully suppressed by Fleur's spells. A heartbeat later Wylis moved, quicker than a man of his stature should be able to. He swiftly covered the distance between him and Lyanna, enveloping her in a hug. Though, he was very careful to not squish too hard, having been scolded by Old Nan for it repeatedly. "Hodor." he said, still happy.
"I'm glad to see you, too." Lyanna said with a weak grin, patting him on the back. She felt bad for Wylis and that she hadn't visited as often as in the past. It just was so hard for her to see her friend reduced to this state. Only able to say his name and unable to even grasp concepts he should already know. "I brought people to help you."
"Hodor?" Wylis questioned in confusion, putting her down he looked around, but saw no one beside his friend.
Further conversation was stopped when Gabrielle cast. "Petrificus Totalus, Stupefy." the grey and red light hit the gentle giant in quick succession at point blank range.
What Gabrielle hadn't expected was for Wylis to still be conscious and moving. "Hodor?!" he roared pitifully as he swayed and staggered, supporting himself on the walls. Much like a bewildered bull, not knowing what was happening.
"How?" the Veela said dumbly. Her target certainly moved slower, but he wasn't out for the count. "Petrificus Totalus, Stupefy." again her spells hit and this time he fell down, but still twitched. Another repeat saw him lying stiff as a board. Only the minuscule rise and fall of his chest indicating that he was alive and well.
"What happened?!" Lyanna demanded with a shout, trying to flip Hodor over unsuccessfully. He was much too heavy for her to move.
Becoming visible together with the rest, Harry replied, scratching the back of his head, stating. "It seems he has giants blood in him, making him somewhat resistant to magic." luckily, Wylis wasn't a full or even Half-Giant. Otherwise stunning wouldn't work. "He is just unconscious." Harry assured the distraught girl and flipped the man on his back, seeing his eyes were thankfully dull and open. Meaning everything went as planned, mostly.
"Why did you attack him instead of just healing him?" Lyanna demanded. She was put out with their methods, having not wanted harm to come to Wylis.
Fleur's response soothed Lady Stark's nerves somewhat. "Such a procedure is best done with the patient following instructions to the letter. With your friend being a lackwit at the moment we saw it better for him to be unconscious, otherwise there can be complications." she left out that those complications are more often than not messy.
While Lyanna digested that Gabrielle wondered inside the bond, not wanting to upset Lyanna any more. 'Do you think it will work? We don't know if he is resistant to magic affecting the mind.'
'He is unable to stop me and I won't change anything, except repairing the damage done.' Harry answered and was already working on it, breaking their connection for now.
The mind of Wylis was a mess, as if an incompetent wizard used Legilimency on him repeatedly, charging in like a bull and trampling everything in the way. A peculiarity was that there seemed to be a command embedded into Wylis mind. 'Hold the door?!' Harry though incredulously. 'What kind of command is that?' Did another magical make it over only to amuse himself with extreme Muggle-baiting? The thought was chilling, but nothing had reached their ears in regards to that. On top of that only purebloods or people raised in the Wizarding World amused themselves with Muggle-baiting and they had absolutely no idea how to blend into normal society on top of it. Besides, Harry doubted that the remaining morons of the Wizarding World were capable of creating portals or duplicating Fleur and Gabrielle's feat.
Discarding that ridiculous notion Harry went to work, repairing the young man's mind, beginning with erasing that despicable command. From then it was fortunately a smooth process. Nothing was out of place, due to the fact that not much time had elapsed since Wylis' stultification. Harry only needed to reconnect the fractured connections and it'd be done.
On the outside something akin to half an hour went by as Harry stared the big guy into the eyes without blinking nearly the whole time. Luckily, the petrification kept Wylis' eyes open. That done they reapplied the disillusionment spells and took down the Muggle-repelling and silencing spells.
The group left the stables just after Fleur revived the big guy.
He groaned and sat up groggily, eyes blinking rapidly, feeling as if he was overrun by a horde of horses. "What happened?"
Lyanna was held back by Harry, lest she gave them away. A moment later Harry transported them beyond the Wall, directly in front of a massive Weirwood surrounded by smaller ones. A small entrance the size of a cleft could be seen in the wooded hillside, halfway up between the weirwood trees. They could practically taste the magic in the air, feeling a ward against undead protecting the area.
However, that was not what commanded their attention. In front of them was a small being between two to three feet tall. Its skin was nut-brown, dappled like a deer's with paler spots, ears like a bat and three fingers and a thumb with sharp claws instead of nails. Most intriguing were the large eyes looking at them. They were gold and green and the pupils were slitted like a cats, like Harry's own. Only that her sclera were white. It was clothed in a cloak of leaves and its hair was a tangle of brown, red and gold, autumn colours with vines and twigs and withered flowers woven through it.
One thought was running through Harry's and the Veela's mind. They just found the House-elves of this world!
"Welcome" it spoke in a high and sweet voice. Only Harry was nearly bowled over, hearing the voice being drowned in a crushing amount of sadness. "My name is Leaf and we expected you."
Narcissa was happy that the healing of the people was coming along nicely. Most were still wary and it seems some condemned them for Marcella's actions yesterday. 'Not that that is a surprise.' the youngest Black sister frowned internally, wondering what kind of mess that would evolve into.
It was two hours before midday that House Frey visited her stand. Narcissa stared at the old fart leading them, because he looked exactly like that useless Squib Filch. And just like Filch he closely resembled a weasel and had a little bit of vulture in him. His scrawny and hunched shoulders held his head on a long neck. His hair was grey, thin and nearly gone. Under his chin was hanging loose skin, every breath seemed to make his jowls quiver. Most notably, he sat in a wooden chair carried by four boys that could only be his sons. From one look at his fingers Narcissa deduced he was ailed by gout.
Behind the lookalike were two more of his sons with their weasel-like looks, making Narcissa wonder how many he had. Though, one had a solid build of a warrior with only the beginning of a little fat on his belly. He also had the marks of a recently caught pox on his hands. The second was also old, around fifty, but looked more polite and amiable. "So you're two of the famous Queens from Essos, eh?" came the annoying voice of the old fart.
'Magic help me, he even the pronounces the eh like Filch.' Keeping her true thoughts to herself Narcissa replied without any inflection, making it very clear that she wanted this over and done with as quickly as possible. "Yes, what of it?" From the looks the old bastard was giving her figure she was glad she had chosen a dress appropriate for Westerosi and Magical Britain standards. It covered her whole body from shoulders down to her toes.
Kinvara in turn was glad she was sitting on Arrax' head, concealing her body a good bit. Now the priestess regretted to wear her Phoenix-feather dress. She felt dirty just by getting looked at by that old fart. Her dragon reacted to her mood, never taking his yellow reptilian eyes of the worm before him.
"Well, I expected some kind of ugly and hideous monster from how people describe you." Walder Frey explained his cloudy eyes racking over her form, leering at Narcissa. "Heh, I always know what's going on beneath a dress and see that's not true!" A shrill cackle followed his words, followed by his sons laughter. Only the oldest and most polite looking one sent an apologetic look her way.
Growing even more frosty Narcissa retorted with an iciness that made the Land of Always Winter look like a place for a summer vacation. "Any reason you came to my stand, other than to insult me and stare?" she was a moment away from scowling. Still, she stayed her hand, not wanting to make more of a fuss than necessary. Even if the man was seemingly a shiver that looked for a spine to crawl up.
"Straight to the point, eh?" the old Frey spoke, still blatant in his leering. "We're here for this useless lump." he hit his solidly built son on the head, causing him to flinch much more violently than such a tap should warrant. Indicating an abuse victim or an untreated concussion. The latter much more likely when the son didn't cower in fear. "Go on tell her why you need her service, Ser Muttonhead." a mocking gleam entered the Walder's eyes, seemingly delighting in humiliating his son.
His sturdy son's cheeks were flaming, if from embarrassment or anger wasn't known to Narcissa.
The oldest of Walder's sons decided to calm the situation down. "Father, you forget yourself. We're here to ask for help and haven't introduced us yet."
Glaring at his heir, Walder spat. "Did I ask you for instructions in courtesy? You're not Lord Frey yet, not until I die. Do I look dead? I'll hear no instructions from you." Despite that the old man introduced them properly. There was Stevron Frey, his heir. Merrett Frey or as he was known to Walder, Merrett Muttonhead. The four boys that had been carrying his ancient ass were Raymund, Cleos, Rhaegar and Tytos Frey. The old man himself was named Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins and the Crossing.
With that thankfully over Walder began to force Merrett to state his problem, taking delight in his son's embarrassment and shame.
Before that theatre could go any further Narcissa had already all the information she needed. "You need something to take care of your pox, a branding on your behind and a head injury in form of a concussion." that stunned the Freys into silence, causing her to raise an eyebrow. A mocking gleam was in her eyes as she folded her arms before her, asking innocently. "Did I forget anything?"
Merrett could only shake his head. Fear was evident in all their eyes at her knowledge. "How do you know that, witch?" the one known as Cleos Frey, son of Genna Lannister and Emmon Frey, demanded as he hissed out the words. The coward had a weak chin and thin face that was white from fear.
Still not impressed, Narcissa answered with barely perceivable revulsion in her voice. "Easy, his hands have the typical copper penny rash of pox on them." she pointed to the hands of Merrett. Her voice grew colder again as her eyes bored into the brute's. "By the way, touch me with those and you won't like the outcome."
As if she didn't just basically threatened to cut a man's hands off, she simply continued looking at all of them. "He also flinched rather hard, considering the force behind the tap he got, indicating a previous injury to the head." now she gave a fanged grin. "As to the branding, well once I heard his name it was clear. Nearly all squires I treated couldn't resist boasting. The so called Kingswood Brotherhood came up often enough and to make themselves look better they bashed on others. He came up frequently due to his various nicknames Firearse, Flaming Cheeks and Burning Fawn among others." an amused and condescending chuckle escaped her "Did you know that he was rescued no more than six times, all by different squires in different situations and from different people? Even by some who weren't even in the Kingswood at the time according to some."
Obviously the squires lied about their exploits to impress her. Not that their boasts sounded very awesome to Narcissa's ears. After having fought all kinds of deadly and dangerous creatures and a bloody war it took more to impress her than fighting simple outlaws. Then again she tended to compare other men to Harry and that saw the other so called men losing, badly.
After all, how many men could say that they killed a Dark Lord, a thousand year old Basilisk, as well as winning a deadly Tournament and defeating a horde of soul-sucking demons before the age of fifteen? In her eyes there was only one true man on this world and she was married to him. Harry also didn't need to boast, his actions and skills showed quite good what kind of man he was.
Merrett made his nickname, Flaming Cheeks, every honour as his face lit up like a fireplace.
Using the Freys stupefaction she picked up the correct potion. She also looked for the same combination of Essence of Dittany and Burn-healing salve she gave the boy Sandor. "Drink this!" She handed him a vial of bright green potion and waited for him to drink it and until all the marks of his pox were gone to treat him further.
"Come here!" Narcissa commanded and he obeyed. Peering at his head she laid a hand on it and cast. "Episkey." afterwards she hit him lightly on the head. He did not flinch this time. "There all better." giving him the ointment in a small wooden jar she explained. "Put that on the affected area and the branding should be gone by tomorrow."
With that the visit of House Frey was over. Thankfully, she had stunned them too much for them to talk more.
A few more patients came and went, but she was interrupted by Marcella rushing towards her with Bellatrix and Melisandre in tow. Meleys was still at their tent making sure nobody entered without permission. It may be closed magically, making it impossible for a stranger to enter, but that didn't mean a dragon sitting in front of it was unnecessary.
"What is it?" Narcissa asked, already thinking up possibilities and scenarios which Harry could've caused in such a short amount of time. She loved him more than anything, but she also knew it true that he was a magnet for trouble most of the time.
"There is a trial going on against that blonde girl. Cersei Lannister I believe her name was. She is apparently charged with the abomination of incest." Marcella replied with amusement in her voice.
"I'm guessing there is more?" Narcissa was mildly prepared for what came next.
"Yes, apparently to save the reputation of his son Lord Lannister argues that his daughter used a love-potion made by us to seduce her brother." Melisandre explained, glancing at Marcella. She'd done enough damage to their reputation already and Melisandre didn't appreciate Marcella's amusement concerning this situation. Sure, Westeros would still trade with Essos and the opinion of Westerosi had no real bearing on the people back home. But why make it harder than it had to be? She was also worried about the reputation of R'hllor. Though, if someone could turn that around it was Harry, Azor Ahai reborn.
Narcissa just nodded and packed up without explanation to the smallfolk. "We cannot let that stand unanswered." pocketing her stuff she asked. "Is Fleur still away with Harry?" they could really use some of the Veela's legal expertise right about now.
"Yes, unfortunately." Melisandre replied, confirming Cissy's suspicion.
"I'll call them." Bellatrix added cheerfully, reverently putting a hand on her stomach where her Phoenix tattoo was located. Similarly to the Dark Mark their own could also be used as a fixed Apparition point, enabling them to come to each others aid in a heartbeat. It was also capable of summoning each other by alerting the recipient with a slight burning sensation. For Bellatrix it was heaven to have that mark on her. Essentially giving her a built in booty call. Of course she wasn't abusing that privilege, though now and again she surprised him at work and vice versa.
"Andy stayed, doing damage control and such through Aerys, who is at Cersei's so called trial." Marcella explained, getting over her amusement and acknowledging the situation for what it was.
"Good." was the only thing Narcissa said as they made their way through the gossiping masses.
The being known as Leaf led them inside. Well, after getting uncomfortably close to Harry, pulling him down, taking his face into her clawed hands and looking him directly into the eyes. One could confuse that with something romantic, but Leaf simply inspected his eyes in wonderment. After she composed herself she led them down, shooting glances at him the whole way.
Under the hill was a vast, silent cave system extending far below filled with bones of thousands dead. The branching tunnels full of white roots were cramped, more suited for the diminutive beings size than their own. Down and down they went, through a cavern as large as Hogwarts' Great Hall, containing stalagmites and stalactites. Further on, the passage was littered with more bones. Bones of birds, beasts, some looking like they belonged to children, but had only four fingers. Others clearly belonged to Half-Giants, but judging from the amount Harry guessed they were normal sized giants for this world.
Some skulls were placed in stone niches along the walls.
Going even deeper they saw more chambers full of bones, reminding Harry uncomfortably of the Chamber of Secrets. Shafts plunged so deep into the earth that one couldn't hear a stone hitting the ground. Murders of ravens inhabited the cave, judging by the echoes of caws the group heard from within.
There was no sunlight, moonlight or starlight to be found beneath the cavern under the hill. Though, Harry, Fleur and Gabrielle could see just fine with their eyes. Still, Lyanna was going with them and hadn't their abilities. As a solution Harry simply cast Bluebell flames around them, commanding the flames to follow Lyanna.
The route steeply descended to a great cavern opening to a black abyss, with a swift river six hundred feet below in which small fish swam.
"What are you?" Harry asked their guide along the way. Curious what they were and why they looked so similar to House-elves. He also needed to distract himself from being confined to such a small space, even if he could simply use Apparition or flame-travel to get out. Hedwig stayed outside, enjoying the snow too much for the moment. Being a snowy owl and all.
His wives listened attentively, rather focussing on the being than on the fact that they were deep under the earth. Just like Harry they disliked being confined to small spaces. For that reason they loved the Palace of Love, which had many wide windows that let much light in, as well as big open rooms.
"Men call us the Children of the Forest, giants call us little squirrel people, but in our tongue we call us those who sing the song of earth." Leaf explained, the sadness not having left her sweet voice.
"Oh, it's just you resemble beings from back home and I wondered if your species were somehow related." Harry explained still not looking away from their guide.
Lyanna was simply silent, too enthralled by everything. She was meeting legends of the past! Children of the Forest in the flesh right before her, talking, walking and living. A glance at Harry, Fleur and Gabrielle revealed that they took that world shaking revelation as if it was an everyday occurrence. Something she couldn't wrap her head around. Then again they shook the nice and neat view of Westerosi on a daily basis.
"Which species would that be?" Leaf inquired with genuine curiosity. She had never seen any human quite like him in her more than two-hundred years of life. Be it in appearance or character.
In response Harry got a fond smile on his face, absent-mindedly noting that they passed several more so called Children of the Forest. "We called them Elves. One of my friends, if not my best friend was one. His name was Dobby and he helped me out more times than I care to count." Among it help with the Tri-Wizard and finding the Room of Requirement. Harry hadn't bound the elf because Dobby was happy as a free elf and Harry respected that wish, knowing the value of freedom himself.
Leaf didn't say anything, but the others of her species did mutter amongst themselves. [What are they?] one asked. [Why are humans here?] another hissed out. It seemed every species appreciated gossip as much as others and had prejudices. The third and oldest looking one hit the second over the head. [They're here to meet the Last Greenseer. Don't be rude. I can sense strong magic from them.]
[Thanks.] Harry responded with a smile in the beings direction.
All stopped talking immediately, every head whipped around and every eye was focussed entirely onto Harry with an eerie intensity. Confused he turned to their guide, asking. [Did I say something wrong?] hoping he hadn't offended anyone with his actions or lack thereof.
Gabrielle was the first to break the silence. "Harry, what language are you speaking?" it sounded like his voice when using the abilities of his Phoenix form. It hadn't been words, but the soft chiming of tinkling bells, the rustling of leaves in the wind and the creaking of burning firewood.
Even more confused Harry replied. "The Common Tongue, what else?" that's what it sounded to his ears at least.
Shaking her head the Veela disagreed. "No, you spoke with your Phoenix voice."
Coming out of her stupor Leaf looked at Harry with even more wonderment in her eyes. As Sadness was leaving her voice and hope filled her for the first time in decades, she asked. "You can speak the True Tongue? No men should be able to do so!"
Harry scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Apparently I can." he muttered, thinking that it must be the same as with Parseltongue, where it didn't sound any different for him. Trying to deflect he said the first thing that came to mind. "To be fair I'm also fluent in the tongue of reptiles."
That did nothing to calm anyone down. Only Lyanna inquired. "Tongue of reptiles?" she learned more and more of the world and it was nothing like the Maester said. Just showed how much that idiot truly knew.
"Yes, it is called Parseltongue by my people. Most think it can only be used to talk to snakes, but in truth I can talk to snakes, dragons, wyverns, turtles and lizards." it had come as a shock at the time, but it only made sense. When he could talk to snakes and dragons what was so different from the other reptiles? It was just a different dialect, so to speak.
"That's so awesome!" Lyanna breathed out giddily, having practically stars in her eyes, wondering if he could speak to the Lizard-lions of the Neck she saw coming south and what these animals had to say.
Not wanting to delay any longer Leaf stopped any further conversation. Such things could wait for now, no matter how much she wanted to interrogate the human male before her. She led them across a natural bridge across the abyss. Around a corner was a pale, skeletal husk of a man wearing rotted black clothing enthroned into the tangled roots of a Weirwood. His skin was corpse white, aside from a red blotch on his neck and cheek. The man's fine hair was extremely long, reaching down to the earthen floor. One eye was red and the other was missing. Roots were surrounding the man, growing through his body, including the socket of his missing eye.
"Welcome, Harry Potter. Or do you prefer Black or Peverell?" the man in the tree rasped in a dry and slow voice, as if he had forgotten how to speak. One could see amusement shining in his red eye. He chuckled a little, but it sounded more like wheezing to Harry's group. "I've had my eye on your family for quite some time."
Rising an eyebrow in interest Harry prepared himself for a confrontation out of instinct. Fleur and Gabrielle tensed as well when Harry retorted. "I know, how could you know that we are able to travel hundreds of leagues in the blink of an eye otherwise?" looking at the thin frame of the man as if inspecting him, Harry questioned. "How did you do that though, when you are chained to this tree? Unless, you are some kind of seer." It seemed Lyanna was correct with what kind of abilities a greenseer possessed. Not to mention that Divination wasn't limited to the future, but one could also see events happening in the past or even in the present. Out of all of this the past was the most useful, because it was already fixed, the information irrefutable.
"You're correct in that assessment." the old man confirmed. "I am what is known as a greenseer. The last of my kind, able to view the past, present and future."
"I thought as much." Harry threw back, not relaxing a bit. "I am guessing you know our names already, but let me introduce ourselves nonetheless. My name is Harry." he pointed towards his wives. "This is Fleur and Gabrielle." lastly came Lady Stark. "And this is Lyanna Stark."
It seemed not every Child of the Forest was enthused about the idea of a Stark in their midst. [What is a Stark doing here? The dirty traitors!] one old wrinkly child shouted out. His words sounded like an angry torrent of water, ready to smash down any opposition. He reminded Harry of Kreacher.
That set of a discussion among the small beings that had followed them, due to being interested in Harry. A few of the younger ones were apparently indifferent to Lyanna and had no interest in her or her family. The rest and the older ones were another matter entirely.
Lyanna noticed that and asked Harry. "What are they talking about?" some of them were glaring at her in a fashion that was definitely unfriendly.
It wasn't Harry that answered, but Leaf. "They are discussing the many betrayals we suffered at the hands of House Stark."
Indignantly, Lyanna squeaked. "What?! We never..."
She was unable to finish as Leaf silenced her with a simple gesture. "Yes, your ancestors did!" her voice not soft, but hard as stone. "Like all of the First Men we welcomed you at first, until you cut and burned down our Weirwoods and decimated out forests." Harry felt like an avalanche was about to descend upon Lyanna. "A son of Garth Greenhand, Brandon of the Bloody Blade, slew hundreds of us at the Red Lake." no one needed to be a genius to know why the lake got that name. "After the agreement of The Pact we withdrew into the deep forests. Not that it stopped House Stark from still chopping down the woods, reducing our space of living even further." Leaf's voice rose in intensity, like a wind building up towards a hurricane. "Following that we formed an alliance with the Warg King, who resided in the Wolfswood at Sea Dragon Point. We weren't even attacking anybody, but again House Stark descended upon us with the intent to kill, driving us further north." clenching her fists at the memories gained from the Weirwood, Leaf went on. "They even took the daughters of the Warg King as prizes, despite them having taken the Old Gods as their own and knowing full well that taking slaves was forbidden."
The small being had an impressive glare, Harry gave her that much. "When the Andals came and slaughtered the First Men, your ancestors even had the gall to ask us for help after driving us beyond the Wall. Needless to say we didn't come!" Leaf's glare seemed to take on a mocking quality. "You Northmen always say the North remembers, but you know nothing!" She spat, crossed her arms and went to sit down in a corner of the room, apparently supervising.
The rest left the humans alone, leaving only silence, a bowl of mushrooms, a pensive group and Leaf behind.
The awkward silence was broken by Harry. "Well, we introduced ourselves. What's your name?" he asked the skeletal man.
"I wore many names when I was quick and today I'm called the three-eyed crow, but my mother gave me the name Brynden." Brynden replied in his scratchy voice. He pointed to the bowl of mushrooms. "Please, eat." a branch from his throne of roots grabbed one for himself, which he ate slowly.
Taking the clear invitation to Guest Right, Harry and company took the offered food. Lyanna was the first to eat one of the mushrooms, taking no chances with potential hostile magical creatures.
"You wanted to talk about the future, so talk!" Harry demanded, having no patience for games with how much was already going on at the moment. He crossed his arms and stared expectantly at the old man.
If Brynden was anything but calm he didn't show it. "Very well. As you know I'm a seer and as such can foresee the most likely outcome for the future." his one eye swept over the assembled people before him. "However, in the last three years that future was smashed to pieces. Every single thing points towards you as the source of that change."
Harry simply sighed, knowing that it couldn't be any different. "Obviously. We had a big impact on Essos and the ripples that has on the future will be felt in Westeros and elsewhere." he admitted. "Though, as far as I know a seer isn't omniscient and only able to see the future from the present point in time, not taking in the changes to come. That means should something unforeseen change then the future will differ accordingly." It basically meant that when someone wants to do, for example, kill another person, but something happens in-between those two points, then the outcome can change. "It is like you said. You see the most likely outcome, not the definite one."
Looking at the man in front of him intently, Brynden smiled. "You seem to know much about Divination. Are you a practitioner of the art?"
The King from Essos scoffed loudly. "Hardly, I just have much experience with it due to me having been a subject to prophecy in the past." he scowled and balled his firsts as he remembered that. He had researched much about Divination to find a way out of it. "At the time, People stronger than me thought they knew the outcome and disregarded every other possibility." seeing and feeling his rising distress Fleur and Gabrielle grabbed his arms trying to sooth him. He relaxed shortly after. Grinning a bit smugly, Harry went on. "I fulfilled the prophecy, just not how they wanted it to. Not that they know it is fulfilled in the first place." Harry had told no one but his wives about what happened in that graveyard.
Now even more intrigued, Brynden inquired. "What was the prophecy about, if I my ask?"
Shrugging, Harry recited the prophecy that had ruined and dictated his life for the first fourteen years of it. That part was over and done with and everyone important in his life knew it, so he had no problem laying it out there. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
Brynden was silent as he dissected the wording, but decided to do that at a later time when he didn't have guests.
"Anyway, I don't really need another seer." Harry said, bringing Brynden out of his thoughts. "I already have two." Melisandre's and Kinvara's predictions gained from Fire-omens were at least more accurate than the ramblings of that old bat Trewlany.
"You mean those two red priestesses, I assume." Brynden retorted with an insulted tilt to his raspy voice. "It may be that they are better than me." they were not, but to insult people close to the man in front of him wasn't a good move. "But do you have a spymaster who knows his craft?"
Going straight to the point Harry responded. "I don't." Melisandre may be good in the magical side of things concerning spying, but not in the mundane one. As demonstrated by the fact that she had no idea how to create a functioning network or similar to combat these mute children from the Spider. Marcella had some knowledge about it, but her occupation was stressful enough already. "Where are you going with this?"
Seeing that his partner in conversation had little patience left, the three-eyed crow explained. "Obviously I want to offer my services as a spymaster for you."
"Why?" Gabrielle blurted out, looking at his form encased in roots.
Fleur chimed in. "Not to mention that you are bound to this tree. Leaving seems not very possible for you from how integrated you are into the tree." it looked like some kind of symbiotic relationship. As If Brynden gave the tree nutrients, while the tree kept him alive.
"I don't need to leave." the old man countered. "Animals are my eyes and ears and I can see through the eyes of weirwood trees." he didn't even look at the two incredibly beautiful women. Having lived such a long life, Brynden had long since left the needs of the flesh behind.
Looking at the man as if gauging his sincerity Harry asked. "What do you get out of this?" Melisandre offered her services to proclaim him something and he only accepted because her knowledge had been useful. So what was this man's agenda. Harry had had enough time to learn that very few people did things out of the goodness of their hearts.
Harry's eyes seemed to look past Brynden as he looked into the man's red eye and throwing a Legilimency probe his way for good measure.
Every fibre of Brynden's being screamed at him to evade the question or lie. Having been born a bastard, serving as spymaster for forty years, playing the game of thrones, as well as having been the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch would do that to a person. In the end Brynden decided to answer honestly. "Stones bleed in the mountains of the east where flesh is cast like steel. Ice sings up north. In the west waves of pitch eat eyes and down south great black beasts stir. Dawn will break through Lightbringer." he let his words settle in before going on. "Things were set in motion by you, if you are aware of it or not. Things greater than all of us. I simply want to help to prepare for it as much as possible."
'That wasn't ominous at all.' Harry deadpanned inside their connection. "You talk as if the end of the world is about to happen."
'Maybe that is a trait every person capable of seeing the future has.' Fleur suggested. 'Melisandre and Kinvara certainly seems to believe something is on its way. Not to mention Trewlany and her predictions of doom and death.'
"It most likely is, though like you said the future is in a constant state of flux." the old man shrugged. "However, I am of the opinion that when you want peace be prepared for war."
"Wise words." Harry could admit that much. He practised the same, after all. His surface thoughts also did not reveal any malicious thoughts or planned betrayals. "If you are to be my spymaster then you can't be stuck in this tree." Before the three-eye crow could take it as refusal Harry said casually. "So, I have to rip you out of it."
Stunned, Brynden pointed out calmly. "Then I'll die." He would like to leave this state he was in, but knew it to be impossible.
Waving his words off, Harry replied. "Nonsense, you'll be better than before." he pulled out his mokeskin-pouch and grabbed two vials. The smaller one was holding a blueish-silver liquid and the other clear water. He gave Brynden the silvery liquid first. "Drink this."
"What is this, if I may ask?" the old man inquired with curiosity and wariness coating his words.
"Blood from an unicorn." came the answer from Harry.
A hiss from behind them revealed Leaf, who jumped out from the shadows. [Did you kill a unicorn to get it?] the small being demanded, nearly spitting flames at him. Her voice sounding akin to a storm of fire, decimating trees in its wake with ease.
[No.] Harry replied calmly, switching to the True Tongue on instinct. In stark contrast his voice sounded like the soothing waves of the ocean, washing away the burning anger, smoothing over hate, soothing tempers and smothering the fires of Leaf's rage.
That seemed to calm the small being instantly. "Good." she said in relief, throwing the others present for a loop.
"You accept my word on it, just like that?" Harry said, switching back to the Common Tongue. The words tumbling out of him at the beings behaviour.
The reply was as swift as the wind. "Yes." she said, also switching back to the Common Tongue. Her words were sincere and apologetic. Leaf talked further, explaining her reasons. "No one can lie in the True Tongue." that was why it was called the True Tongue. "How did you come by the blood, then?"
Harry frowned, but answered anyway, hoping to build better relations. "If you must know, I killed the man who was responsible for killing the Unicorns."
"I see." Leaf said stunned and impressed. The blood of an unicorn cursed anyone who drank it. Even those who were even remotely accountable for its death. Only an avenger of Unicorns, acknowledged by magic, meaning he had no desire for their blood and wasn't responsible for the unicorn's death in any way shape or form, was exempt from that. "When you are finished with him come talk to me, please." was all she said before leaving to search for the rest of her kin.
"Weird." Lyanna said, having no idea what they had talked about or the significance of it. She also hadn't forgotten the words about House Stark and their supposed treachery against the Children.
Harry shared the information with Fleur and Gabrielle through their bond, simply giving them access.
Brynden stare as well, never having heard a man speak the True Tongue. Or see Leaf act like that. The three-eyed crow drank the liquid, but felt not much different. "What was that supposed to do?" He knew many things, but not everything.
"Make you temporarily immortal." Harry's answer stunned the man, allowing the King from Essos to cut him out of the tree with Lightbringer. Harry removed the roots, freeing the old man from his self-made prison. Next he pulled out all the roots in Brynden's body, unmindful of the injuries he gave the three-eyed raven. Not that they mattered. From the amount he drank, Brynden was effectively immortal for the next few minutes. Though, burning him to death would be incredibly painful and also lethal. It was more like, as long as the head and torso were somewhat intact the person would live for the duration of the blood's effect.
Pulling out the last of the roots, Harry had left a mangled corpse before him, littered with holes and leaking blood all over the floor. The only thing keeping the old man alive was the unicorn blood. Not wasting any time Harry took the vial with Elixir of Life and poured it down the man's throat.
As a result wounds healed and closed themselves up. His skin grew taut again and his muscles regained their former strength. Even his missing eye regrew itself.
He took shuddering breaths, his lungs breathing and expanding once again. Gaining oxygen through the air instead of the tree. The roots had been buried completely inside his body, piercing all his organs. A few moments later Brynden Rivers stood on his legs for the first time since thirty years. "Incredible!" the man marvelled at his body, balling his fists to see how strong he was and patting himself up and down, ignoring his mouldy clothes. He looked like a man in his thirties, fit and strong.
Next he knelt, as was customary when meeting a king. More importantly, it was his new king. He had briefly thought about serving the Targaryens and he could indeed go to them, but that brought problems. Firstly, they wouldn't believe him. Secondly, he hadn't been exactly well loved in the realm due to his actions, which many considered dishonourable. And suddenly reappearing as if coming back from the dead was a sure way to end up on a pyre set by the Faith of the Seven. Thirdly, he could achieve much more while working for Harry.
"I am yours to command, my king!" Brynden said with all the formality someone in rotten clothing and stinking like a dried pile of manure could achieve.
Harry sighed again, repressing a groan. In turn Fleur and Gabrielle shook from suppressed giggles.
"Stand up, Brynden!" Harry commanded, cleaning the man with a few spells and repairing his clothing. For good measure he magically braided the man's long hair and summoned blue-bell flames to follow the man. Harry wanted to get this over with and be under the sky once again. The last Potter hated enclosed and small spaces. "Do you need anything else from here before we leave?"
Standing up, the now middle aged man shook his head. "No, I have all my things hidden in this cave." to demonstrate the Great Bastard went behind the roots and returned with a longbow made out of weirwood and a sword made out of Valyrian Steel.
"This is Dark Sister, the sword of Visenya Targaryen!" Lyanna exclaimed giddily, taking in every detail of the legendary blade. The stories about Nymeria, Visenya and Rhaenys had always been her favourites. She knew all the details of the blade and more.
"Indeed, it is." Brynden confirmed, fastening the scabbard onto his repaired belt. "And no you can't play with it. It is no toy!" he added upon seeing her look. A look he had often seen upon the face of Daena Targaryen, also called the Defiant for her desire to compete in Tourneys and other martial pursuits.
Lyanna just scowled at him, huffed, turned away and pouted.
"Alright. As soon as I finish talking with Leaf we can leave." Harry said and made to look for the diminutive being. Fleur and Gabrielle by his side and Lyanna together with Brynden trailing behind. The girl was making conversation with the historically important figure. Mostly about the battles he had been in and Dark Sister.
They found the Children of the Forest by expanding their senses magically into the earth. The group found them a bit deeper into the cave, on one of the lower levels. From the looks of it they seemed to be in a heated discussion. But only Harry truly understood what little he heard. Though, they stopped talking as soon as Harry came into view.