Chapter 14: Chapter 14
*Cyrus POV*
After me and my brothers Robb, Jon and Bran joined our father, Rodrik and Thoros to watch him pass judgement on a deserter of the wall, we watched over young Bran.
It would be his first execution. His first glimpse into the cruelty of the world. If you didn't have what it took to survive, you would be crushed.
I never had too much of a problem even when I was younger.
I remember when Robb and Jon saw their first battlefield they puked and hardly ate for a few days. But over time they got used to it as does everyone.
But we made sure to stay close to Bran, knowing he won't be having a good few days.
Upon reaching the area outside of Winterfell and seeing the young member of the Night Watch restrained while kneeling on the ground.
Seeing the sight Bran tensed up, father turned to Bran and said
"Do you know why I brought you here?"
Hearing fathers question Bran shook his head.
"It's the way of the Old Gods and the North. Always remember, the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. Do you know why we do this?"
Not hearing a response Robb quickly helped Bran out.
"Because if you can't look at the man in his eyes after judgement then they probably don't deserve the sentence."
Seeing the smile on fathers face with Robbs correct response, I whispered "arse kisser" at Robb. Bran and Jon chuckled which helped ease Bran a bit.
"Thats right Robb, glad to know you were paying attention to your lessons instead of focusing only on your little competitions with your brothers. So do you understand why now Bran?
"Yes father."
After hearing Bran's answer father approached the young man and asked his name, after providing his name as Will father asked if he had any last words before he passed the sentence.
"Aye, I know that I broke my oath. I know I should've gone back to the wall and warned them, but... I know what I saw... the ones from the stories, White Walkers."
After telling us a fanciful story of how he a two other rangers had departed north beyond the Wall to investigate reports of wildling in the Haunted Forrest. After discovering a number of dismembered corpses arranged in ritualistic manner on the ground and a dead little wildling girl pinned to a tree dead.
After reporting to his companions and returning to find the little girl and bodies gone, his companions had him go look for the bodies.
During his search he found the dead little girl stalking him, her eyes had a bright icy blue glow.
When he ran bacm to his companions he witnessed another White Walker kill his companions brutally.
After the White walker threw one of his companions heads at Wills feet he ran south of the wall going renegade.
I didn't believe a word of it. I had been beyond the wall many times and never once seen anything like that. Sure there were some cannibalistic wildlings so definitely seen some sick things but no walking dead.
After asking his father to not tell his parents that he deserted and that he died fighting the wildlings instead and asked for his body to be burned.
Just as father was handing out the sentence Jon spoke to Bran
"Make sure you don't look away Bran, father will know if you do."
Seeing Bran flinch but give a nod in confirmation, he watched as father beheaded the man. His face getting paler as the head rolled onto the ground until he couldn't hold it in anymore and threw up what we ate earlier.
But what really had me guessing is the look on fathers face when he turned to get back on his horse. His eyes were trained on the Red Priest almost with a questioning look.
It was hard to tell. Something I wasn't aware of maybe, or maybe he actually believed that guy talking of the dead returning. I mean I can even resurrect people, I haven't done so on a person since that would just cause a host of problems I just don't want to deal with.
Could you imagine what people would do if they knew you could bring back a loved one? Well I can and that's definitely not something I want. Thankfully I never had a need when I was younger cause I know I would've done it without second thought.
On the way back from the execution a guard had told us of some strange tracks on the road ahead. After we investigated the tracks a large Direwolf was found dead, skewered by the antlers of a large stag.
She wasn't as big as Fenryr but I felt pity none the less, I had known the wolf and she had been around the area for a while but I hadn't seen her for a while.
Just as we were about to leave I felt multiple life signs coming from under the direwolfs body, they were weak which was why I didn't detect them sooner. After finding 6 pups, Bran was the first to mention he wanted to raise a direwolf, Robb quickly chimed his agreement adding it was a gift from the Gods since there was 6 pups and 6 Stark children who didn't already have one.
His brothers and sisters were always jealous that he had a pet direwolf and they didn't. But now each of them would get their own.
After returning to Winterfell and the remaining siblings saw the puppies they jumped around in joy quickly picking their puppy after agreeing that they would be responsible for their own pups and that if they died they had to bury them themselves.
After naming their pups, me and Jon got into a scuffle because he had said he was going to name his pup after me since we both looked alike. Needless to say no matter how much I beat him he refused to name his wolf anything other than Ghost.
Robb named his Grey Wind, Sansa named hers Lady, Arya called her Nymeria, Bran chose Summer and our youngest brother named his Shaggydog. He was young after all.
But I did witness father, Rodrik and Thoros head off to his solar in haste.
I will have to find out what they are up to, or maybe I should head North of the wall. Haven't been up that way in a while.
*Ned Stark POV*
I couldn't get that young mans story out of my head the whole trip back to Winterfell.
Remembering what Thoros had said back after the Greyjoy Rebellion after we spoke the day after returning.
His tale of an impending war between the living and the dead, it was too unbelievable.
Plus all I had was what he said his Lord of Light told him in the flames, no other reports from the Wall or anything after.
But now, it's hard not to question. I saw the look in his eyes, I could see the terror in his eyes. He spoke truth as he saw it at least. Those weren't the eyes of someone trying to deceive to escape judgement. It was like he wanted to die after seeing whatever he saw.
His eyes were devoid of hope, only fear and resignation.
I decided to have a meeting with Thoros and Rodrik to discuss things. I may have to dispatch someone to the Wall to investigate further. I know Cyrus will go in a heartbeat and if he goes so will Jon and Robb.
After they had found out that Cyrus had been beyond the Wall they have been trying to get me to allow them to see what its like.
But if what Thoros and Will said is true, I don't know if I could risk anything happening to any of my children.
Should I go myself make it me and the boys? I would feel safer and would ensure the Commander of the Nights Watch wouldn't cause issues in letting a party through.
I guess I will need to wait till after our discussion before making any final decision.
The only thing I know for sure is that we need to get to the truth. If the Whites are real then we need to me ready. We have been focusing on the South all this time, while the wall is severely undermanned and in disrepair. Out of the nineteen fortified castles along the wall only 3 are manned currently.
Shadow Tower, Castle Black and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Those are the only ones manned and they are nowhere near enough to successfully defend against a large coordinated assault.
They can only fend off minor skirmishes, and reports of wildling attacks south of the wall have definitely increased over the years. Something is happening beyond the wall and I need to know what.
The Citadel reported that we were in for the longest summer in history but the North Remembers. It always does.
And the worst winters always followed the best summers.
Winter is Coming.
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