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The days blurred together on the long road south.
The royal column moved slower than expected. Rain had turned parts of the Kingsroad into mud, forcing the wagons to stop often. Ethan's thighs and back ached from long hours in the saddle, but he welcomed the discomfort. It reminded him that his strength was still limited, still earned through effort.
Current Status:
Strength: 24 (+1)
Agility: 23
Endurance: 22
Vitality: 21
Charisma: 26
Dragon Affinity: 9
Level: 10 (340/1500 EXP)
The single point in Strength had come after three days of helping the guards push stuck wagons out of the mud. No sudden system rewards. Just sweat and sore muscles.
Fourteenth Day – Evening Camp
The camp was set beside a wide stream under a grove of oak trees. Fires dotted the field like orange stars. The smell of roasting meat and wet wool filled the air.
Ethan was sharpening his sword near one of the smaller fires when Robb and Jon sat down beside him. The three of them had fallen into a quiet routine during the journey.
"You're getting better with that blade," Robb said, nodding at Ethan's sword. "Ser Rodrik would be proud."
Jon remained silent for a moment, staring into the flames. "King's Landing will be dangerous for us," he finally said. "Bastards… northerners… we don't belong there."
Ethan looked at both of them. "Then we make them respect us. All three of us."
Theon joined them a few minutes later, already half-drunk on cheap wine. "You lot look like you're planning a funeral. Lighten up! We're going to the greatest city in the world. Wine, women, and tourneys. What more could a man want?"
Robb laughed, but Ethan noticed the tension in Jon's shoulders. Being a bastard in the South would be harder than in Winterfell.
Later That Night
Ethan was walking the edge of the camp when he saw her.
Sansa stood near a small cluster of trees, away from the main fires, wrapped in a dark cloak. She looked over her shoulder nervously before waving him closer.
His heart beat faster as he approached.
"I told Mother I needed fresh air," she whispered when he reached her. "We only have a few minutes."
The moonlight filtered through the leaves, catching the auburn in her hair. She looked beautiful — and scared.
Ethan took her hand gently. "Are you alright?"
Sansa bit her lip. "Joffrey… he keeps watching me. Today he told me I should start calling him 'my sweet prince'. It made my skin crawl."
Ethan's jaw tightened. He pulled her a little deeper into the shadows and wrapped his arms around her. Sansa rested her head against his chest, breathing in his scent.
"I keep thinking about Winterfell," she said softly. "The godswood… our first kiss. Everything feels simpler there."
"I know," Ethan murmured, stroking her hair. "But I'm here. I won't let him hurt you."
Sansa looked up at him. For a long moment, they simply stared at each other. Then she rose on her toes and kissed him.
It was slow and sweet, full of nervousness and longing. Her lips were soft and warm against the cold night air. Ethan kissed her back gently, one hand cupping her cheek. He didn't push for more. He let the moment last, savoring the way she trembled slightly against him.
When they pulled apart, Sansa's cheeks were flushed.
"I think about you every night," she confessed in a barely audible whisper. "Is that wrong?"
"No," Ethan said, voice low. "It's not wrong."
They kissed again, longer this time. Sansa's hands clutched his cloak. The kiss grew deeper, more urgent, but Ethan held himself back. He could feel her heart racing against his chest.
A distant voice called her name — one of her maids.
Sansa pulled away quickly, breathing fast. "I have to go."
She gave him one last look, full of unspoken feelings, before disappearing back toward the noble tents.
[Sansa Stark Favorability: 68/100 (Strong Romantic Interest)]
Ethan stayed in the shadows for a while, calming his breathing. The slow burn felt right. More real.
Seventeenth Day – The Incident
Tension finally boiled over near a small crossroads inn.
Joffrey, bored and cruel as always, had been tormenting one of the younger squires. When the boy dropped a tray of wine, Joffrey struck him hard across the face with a riding crop.
Ethan was close enough to see everything.
The boy fell, blood trickling from his lip. Several northern guards looked away, uncomfortable. Ned Stark was further ahead with King Robert.
Before Ethan could think, he stepped forward.
"Prince Joffrey," he said, voice steady but respectful. "The boy meant no harm."
Joffrey turned slowly, eyes narrowing. "You dare speak to me again, bastard?"
The air grew thick. Several Lannister guards placed hands on their swords.
Ethan kept his posture calm. "I only meant to help, my prince."
Joffrey's face twisted with rage. He raised the crop to strike Ethan.
"Enough!"
Jaime Lannister appeared, grabbing Joffrey's wrist with a golden gauntlet. "Not here, Your Highness. We're still in the North. Save your strength for the capital."
Joffrey glared at Ethan with pure hatred before storming off.
Jaime looked at Ethan for a long moment, a faint smirk on his lips. "You have courage, Snow. Or stupidity. Sometimes they look the same."
[Favorability with Jaime Lannister: 18/100 (Mild Interest)]
[+80 EXP]
Nineteenth Day – Closer to the Capital
The air was growing warmer. The smell of the sea and smoke began to reach them. King's Landing was only four or five days away now.
That evening, while helping tend the horses, Catelyn Stark approached Ethan unexpectedly.
"Lord Stark tells me you saved Bran," she said quietly, studying him. "And that you've been… watching over Sansa during this journey."
Ethan met her eyes. "I serve House Stark, my lady."
Catelyn's expression was complicated — gratitude mixed with suspicion. "The South changes people. Be careful what you wish for, Ethan Snow."
She walked away without another word.
Late Night
Ethan sat alone against a tree, staring at the system screen.
He had saved enough points for a small purchase.
[Minor Training Manual (Swordsmanship) purchased – 250 SP]
Knowledge flowed into his mind — nothing overwhelming, just better fundamentals and a few new footwork techniques.
He practiced them quietly in the dark until his arms burned.
Small progress. But real.
As he lay down to sleep, the system gave a new notification:
[Main Quest Update]
Arrival at King's Landing – 4 days remaining New Side Quest: Establish a positive reputation with at least one major southern house.
Ethan closed his eyes, the distant sound of wolves howling in the hills.
The road was long. The game was just beginning. And this time, he would build his power carefully — one step, one relationship, one swing of the sword at a time.
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Don't forget: Power Stones, comments, and adding the story to your library mean a lot to me
100 Power Stones = Chapter 8 early.