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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 18:55:08 GMT -7
Katherine had watched the kitchen boy putting the stew into the bowl and for the first time she actually didn't feel like the Princess she had been or the Queen she was. She had given the boy a smile and the tucked into the food. Jon speaks to her and apologises just in case the food isn't any good. She puts her hand to her mouth and then says softly. "I'm so hungry that it would taste good even if it didn't" she said with a soft tease and then swallowed what she was eating. She then realised that for the first time she hadn't acted like a Queen but rather the seventeen year old girl he had first met in Winterfell all those years before. A girl who didn't care for rules and had been interested in him for a number of reasons. A soft laugh erupted from her lips and her dark eyes were back on him once more.
She then bit on her lip and looked down at the food. It actually didn't taste too bad but she wasn't sure if she should tell them or not so she kept that bit of information to herself and she took another bite of the food. It was true though, she was so hungry that she could see the beauty in anything.
Katherine never acted like a royal and she wasn't now but it seemed like she had a lot more to lose this time around than she did before but for some reason she needed a light moment to chase away all the dark times that she had felt over the last couple days. "I saw you training this morning" she muttered and watched him. "But if you need any help I'm sure some of my bannermen can give you a hand" she admitted and then took another bite of her food. If he wanted any help from her men then he only had to ask and she would make sure that they helped out after all the Night's Watch was giving them a home for a few days or so and the least they could do was help out if they were ever needed for anything.
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 19:18:17 GMT -7
Jon laughs a little once more, watching her as she greedily tucks into the bowl. It's a relief, actually. To see a girl like her letting herself be so comfortable in what must be a very uncomfortable place. Jon nods once, allowing her the moment to indulge even in this, and returns to his own bowl. They're eating quietly for another moment, Edric doing his best to keep to himself and not say a word, when Katherine breaks the silence. She mentions her bannermen, offers them as help, and Jon pauses his eating to look at her in faint surprise.
Edric looks as well, his scarred brow cocking upwards.
Thinking for a moment, Jon nods his head once more. "That...would be helpful. My men...many of them have been beyond the wall, but have never experienced real combat. And with the current state of things," he pauses for only a moment, looking to Edric who knows perfectly well what things he means, things he does not want to burden Katherine with, not when she has her own wars to fight, "Having trained men teach them how to swing a sword can only benefit us as a whole." He sets his eyes back upon Katherine. "Thank you." He smiles softly.
"Sorry I'm late," a voice interrupts, and Jon breaks his eye contact with Katherine to look up. Ser Davos walks across the great hall towards the head table, "Oh." He says, noticing the bowls. "You're still eating. Perhaps I'm not as late as I thought I was."
"Ser Davos," Jon says, sitting up a little straighter and regarding the man, "May I introduce you to Katherine Stark, Queen in the North." He motions towards Kat beside him, giving her a small smile. "Katherine, this is Ser Davos. King Stannis Baratheon's hand."
"Former hand, your Grace. I gave that title up when he began believing more in his fire god than the good of his own people," Davos corrects, stepping forward a little closer. "Now I spend the better part of my time helping the situation here as best I can."
"Better than I could ask for," Jon replies. "Sit down, grab a bowl. We'll have the meeting afterwards."
"Aye," Davos says and nods, stepping up towards the empty chair on Edric's other side.
Quietly, Jon hears Edric mutter, "Thank god."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 19:35:30 GMT -7
Katherine is happy when Jon actually agrees to let her men help out, she knew they were growing somewhat restless and knew that they could benefit from helping out as much as the Nights Watch would do. Plus she wasn't sure just what day her tiny child would appear and once he or indeed she did appear then they probably would be out of here so now was the best time to help out on the training front and it was true what he said they would benefit from the teaching. "I will make sure to send them your way" she said softly.
The door of the hall opened up and in came a man that she had seen this morning. They hadn't been introduced as they had been a bit far from each other but either way she put her spoon down when Jon introduced them. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ser Davos" a warm smile on her lips and she pushed her eyebrows together when he said about Stannis.
"I have heard about the Fire God" she admitted "but I don't understand why people would change gods" she said softly. It was her personal opinion and then a thought came to her mind and she watched as Ser Davos moved from his spot and over to the seat next to the giant man from the courtyard.
The thought plagued her about the fact that she never had a Hand but neither did Robb but she guessed that was down to the fact that he wasn't in the race for the Iron Throne but still it would probably help her out a bit especially when she needed guidance on a situation. Katherine caught the eye of the giant man and quickly looked away and back down to her food before picking up her spoon once more.
She needed to get herself a hand
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 19:59:50 GMT -7
"I'm not much of a religious man myself, your Grace," Ser Davos replies, pulling closer the bowl of stew the kitchen boy pours for him, "So I can't say much as to why men choose this god or that. But it is in my opinion that Stannis was influenced by greed in his change of heart. The priestess of the Lord of Light promised him a great deal of things that the Seven or the old gods would not. And Stannis believed her."
"There is only one god," Edric comments, twisting his knife smoothly around his hand until the point faces downwards. He presses the tip gently into the wood, and lifts his grey eyes. "And he only makes one promise that all men must keep." Jon looks to him, first at the blade and then at Edric's face, seeing the seriousness there.
"Forgive me for asking, but..." Ser Davos begins, picking up his spoon and speaking without any kind of fear for the man. Perhaps the only one besides Jon who does, "I thought the free folk followed the old gods."
Edric pulls his knife from the table and heaves out a heavy sigh as he lays it flat by his empty bowl, "I'm not a wildling. And the old gods have done nothing good for me."
"This is Edric," Jon says aloud, interrupting any possible argument that might spurn from there and setting his eyes slowly back upon Katherine. "My..." he begins, but fails to know the right word for what he is. Friend seems too simple, confidant too vague, savior too pretentious. "What are you exactly?" Jon asks instead, a hint of humor in his tone.
"Your hound, according to your brothers." Edric replies in a grunt.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 20:12:41 GMT -7
Of course Stannis was pushed by greed, that greed was in the shape of the Iron Throne like most of the people had been. The only person who never wanted the chair was herself, Katherine used to look up at it when she was younger and be amazed at the fact her father was the one who sat on the thing but then after a while it stopped being amazing and started being a burden. The longer they ruled the seven Kingdoms the longer Katherine felt like she wanted to distance herself from her family. They might be the reason why she rebelled so many times.
She listened to both men before Jon interrupted them and looked back at her. Katherine nodded once more and then took another spoonful of food. She was never going to admit the fact that there was something about this Edric that frightened her but she guessed that they could pick up on it. That boy, Olly, had said that it was filthy for Edric to even be here but she never thought that the men of the Night's Watch passed judgment on so many things.
Katherine came to her last spoonful of stew and put the spoon back into the bowl before pushing it again. She watched the three of them and couldn't help but let a small smile pull at her lips. She then said softly to Jon "You and I need to talk, we have to catch up on everything, find me later?" She asked softly and watched him. It had been a long time since they had last seen each other and she needed someone she could talk too that she could trust especially when trust was limited to her men and that was it.
She needed someone to talk too that knew Robb and she needed Jon to talk too because he was her friend and Lord Commander of the men.
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 20:31:26 GMT -7
Jon laughs at that, and even Ser Davos snickers quietly to himself in between bites of his bear stew. But Edric just looks at the Lord Commander with a faint expression of annoyance, a hand lifting to stroke lightly at the black beard growing upon his jaw. Jon quiets finally when Katherine speaks to him, turning his attention away from Edric and back to the woman seated beside him. The smile softens on his lips, and he gives her a curt nod when she asks to speak with him later on. "Of course." He replies, blinking slowly. Though he has a feeling this conversation she wants is more than just a matter of catching up. It usually is. And with the urgentness of her arrival here and the conflict still occurring outside of the gates of Castle Black, talking quaintly about what's happened to them since they last saw each other at Winterfell does not seem like the most important thing. Nice as it may be.
"Should we begin that meeting?" Ser Davos says, already swallowing his last bite.
"Yes. We should." Edric replies, giving Jon a contemptuous look as he rises to his feet.
"Aye," Jon sighs out, pushing his bowl away from himself. Before he stands, he turns back to Kat and says, "I'll find you afterwards." And then, together, the three leave the great hall.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 20:50:39 GMT -7
It was actually nice to have some laughing for a change, the last few days had felt like seven hells and she knew it was only going to get worse as the time went on. There was still this ache in her heart for Robb for everything that he would miss out on especially with their newborn but this had all been passed onto her and now she must keep fighting for his sake. To make sure that Robb didn't die in vain, she needed to make them pay and in the end she was going too but for this moment she was going to laugh and no doubt cry when she got back into her room but she needed the lightness that laughing brought with it.
Ser Davos said about starting the meeting and she nodded when Jon said he would find her after and she watched as the three of them left the hall and her behind. What happened up here probably wasn't any of her business but she did want to know a little bit about that meeting but she wasn't going to ask Jon and put him in the position of telling her things he didn't feel like she needed to know.
Katherine slowly moved to her own feet and out of the hall with the reminder that she needed to see William about the proposal she had put forward to Jon and thankfully he had accepted her help. It would keep her men from fighting amongst themselves, it would keep them from losing faith in her but so far they hadn't lost faith and it was that boost that she needed to get through the next few months and years.
War was going to be a bloody path but the Frey's had started it when they killed her husband.
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 21:40:27 GMT -7
They meet in the Lord Commander's office, a room just a door away from the bedchambers now kept by Katherine. Jon closes the adjoining door between the two rooms, and Edric locks the outside door. "Alright, where are we," Davos comments first, clapping his hands together and joining Jon at the map table. Edric steps forward, and stabs his finger north of the wall, only fifty miles from the tunnel.
"Yesterday's ride told me that the wildlings could be as close as here. Less than a day's march. The fact that they haven't attacked yet means that they're either waiting for something, or they know that there's an army outside our door."
"They have wargs," Jon sighs, pressing his fists into the surface of the table as he bends over the table, "It's possible they're using their animals to watch us. And if that's the case, they know that they still outnumber us a thousand to one. Stark bannermen included."
Davos rubs at his jaw, taking this information in with stride for a man who knows nothing about what lies north of the wall beyond what Jon and Edric have told him. But if what the knight has told them about his own experiences with the Lord of Light and Stannis' witch, perhaps it's not so hard for him to believe them. "You've met Mance Rayder before. Would he parlay with you?"
"He would," Jon nods, glancing up to him. "But he has no warm feelings for the Night's Watch, and the Night's Watch has even less for him. I go to him, try to strike a deal with him, and if he doesn't kill me first, I'd be called a traitor here. Allister is already trying to find any excuse to have me removed as Lord Commander, and my past with the wildlings is his main attack."
"And there's no way of compromise?"
"Mance wants to leave the north. The Night's Watch wants them to stay in the north. There is no common ground and each side will kill to get what they want."
"You're the Lord Commander," Davos argues, "If you tell the Night's Watch to yield and grant the wildlings safe passage-"
"They'll stab him in the back like they did Mormont and the wildlings will kill everything from here to King's Landing." Edric interrupts.
"We could fight with them, then." Davos says, changing tactic. "If what you've told me of the wights is true, then this is not only a threat to the wildlings but to us as well. If we join forces, push the wights back-"
"We'd all be slaughtered before the first night ended." Edric argues again, furrowing his brows. "And a crow fighting alongside a wildling? They'd kill each other before the wights could even attack."
"Our best bet is to fortify the wall. As best we can." Jon says, looking down at the map spread before him, knowing it's the only option they have, "Get more supplies, more men, if it's even possible..." His next thought turns his mouth sour, "We could write to the Lannisters. Seven hells, we could write to every King still calling themselves such, every lord in every hold, anyone with the power to help. Beg if we have to for what we need. Because if the wall falls..." He looks up at the pair of them, "All of Westeros does."
The meeting runs long, but every raven is released into the sky by nightfall, flying due south. Edric and Davos leave Jon in his office alone, and he slumps back into his seat and lets his head hang back.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 22:06:26 GMT -7
Katherine had had her own meeting with the men under her command. It still felt strange to know that they would do anything for her if she asked them too, and she did. She needed them to help train the men of the Night's Watch. She did get a few looks from them as if to say that these were the men to protect the lower Kingdoms and yet they couldn't even fight. What good were they? But in the end they relented and she found that she was more proud of them. It will give them something to do while they were planning. But she did need more men than the ones that she got and finding that house that she could truly trust was making her have trust issues with every house that she saw on the map.
In the end Katherine went back to her room, or rather Jon's room and she made sure that the fire was going well because it definitely felt like it was more colder now that it had been that morning. How in seven hells had Jon be able to bear all of this coldness? She could barely bear it now and she wouldn't be staying as long as he was. After all taking the Black was for life and sadly in the end Jon would give his life for these men but sometimes it felt like they resented him more than they probably did anything else. Especially that Olly kid.
She pushed all of that away from her mind and then waited long enough before she knocked on the door that separated the room to the office and when she heard Jon's voice the other side she opened the door and then leaned against the frame. There was a slight frown pulling at her features and she felt bad for Jon because it seemed like the man didn't get a break. "Is it that bad?" she asked after a moment. If he didn't want to tell her then that was fine but she wouldn't spill any secrets if he wanted to share some with her. If not then that was fine too.
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 22:27:10 GMT -7
A soft knock sounds at the door, and Jon lifts his head to say "Come in." When the door opens, Katherine steps in just to lean on the frame, her gaze upon him. Jon rubs at his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose before looking back towards the map laid out in front of him. Edric had marked the fifty mile line. Jon had marked how far their arrows would reach on all side. From here, the odds are far from their favor. He pulls in a breath. "When Lord Commander Mormont died," he says, eyes still cast down to the only plan they have, "I did not ask to replace him." He lets the words hang in the air for a moment as he remembers the great hall that day, the vote, the tie. "In my mind, I knew that most of the brothers here had no love for me or barely knew me. I was young, still am. And most of my watch has been spent beyond the wall, beyond enemy lines, among the wildlings."
He remembers the cave he and Edric lived in for nearly a year. The ice storms that kept him from returning. The wildlings who came and traded. He remembers Ygritte, with her wild fire-kissed hair and her smart mouth and the way she loved him. He remembers not wanting to come back.
"But Sam...you haven't met him yet. Maester Aemon's steward. My friend. He put my name into the vote. Gave a grand speech about my loyalty, my deeds. And...by some stroke of luck, I won. For some reason, these men chose me to lead them. And at the time, like any young fool, I thought it was an honor. That I could do some good. But now..." He shakes his head and pulls his lower lip between his teeth, biting harder than he should. "Now I realize that I was given the job of either leading my men to slaughter or cowering in this castle until the slaughter comes to us."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 22:44:15 GMT -7
Katherine listened to what he was saying and the frown was deeper this time. Responsibility this big shouldn't be put on shoulders of young people but it seemed like age didn't matter to people. Most young people had some important thing that was mapped out in front of them. For her it had been running the seven Kingdoms, that had been what her father had wanted for her after he died but it never worked out like that and for Jon it was now running the Night's Watch and things just moved in different patterns.
She sighed softly and then moved off the door frame and into the office more. She bit on her lip for a moment and looked down at the map. Her brown eyes scanning all over it but she was aware of where they were. It wasn't for her to say but sometimes people just needed to hear something from someone who wasn't part of their problems. Katherine tapped her fingers gently against the map before letting her eyes settle on him.
"When I was younger I heard about the men of the Night's Watch and how bravely they guarded us against the wildlings of the north" she said softly and then shrugged up a shoulder slightly. "The usual stories that people are told" she muttered. "So the image of the men cowering in the castle seems foreign to me" she admitted. Katherine had been told how it was an honour for men to serve in the Night's Watch but what sort of honour was it that men like Jon had to give up everything to take their vows and then are meant to lay down their lives. Maybe it was because she was female and didn't really understand but just from being here in the last couple of days it was hard work up here. It was cold and it seemed very lonely being this far north.
"It's probably not what you want to hear but sometimes we have to get out in front of a problem before it hurts everyone that we care about but I'm not the one who is Lord Commander in this" Katherine gave him a slight smile, strands of her dark hair falling around her face as she looked down at the map once more.
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 23:08:28 GMT -7
Jon watches her come into the room and stand at the map table, her posture and steps as graceful and poised as any Queen's should be. It's been a long time since he's seen anyone move the way she does, like the world is one of their making. The men here, the free folk...they know that they're all just parts of a rotating wheel. Pieces on a board moved here and there. They lumber and stomp and leap when ordered to until they no longer can. His eyes follow her hands as she places them upon the map, tapping lightly on Castle Black.
Her sentiment is nice. The same kind he'd had in the days leading up to reaching the wall. He had imagined ten thousand heroes dressed in black, courageous and fierce and honorable. Warriors of the highest order. Stronger and braver than even the Kingsguard, giving their lives in order to keep the realms of common man and nobleman alike safe. He had longed to be one of them. Begged his Lord father. Begged his uncle. Fought and trained and bloodied himself to get here. And...
"I have a hundred men, Katherine." He says after a moment, looking up at her with sad and honest eyes. "Most of which are builders and stewards, who've only ever held a sword on the training field. A hundred men..." He bobs his head, keeping his eyes locked upon her, "Against ten thousand wildlings marching towards the wall." He presses his lips flat. And then, finally, he lifts himself out of the chair. He crosses towards a small cabinet against the stone wall, where a clay jug of wine he's only touched twice resides. He pours himself a glass and looks back to Kat in a silent offer. When she nods, he pours one for her as well. Not too full. Only enough for either of them to get a taste. "My first ranger," he continues, walking back to the table and handing her her cup, "has despised me since I came to the wall. The other rangers are either dead or..." he stops himself from telling her about the wights, silencing that thought by swallowing down wine. "And I have a man from beyond the wall whom...everyone here fears as my second in command, because he's the only one I truly trust."
He sets his cup down onto the table, and turns his eyes back towards her. "The Night's Watch is no longer the grand order that the stories made it seem. It's a starved, broken thing."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 25, 2017 23:28:13 GMT -7
When Jon told her that he had a hundred men she couldn't believe that was all he had. She sighed softly under her breath and looked over at him and her eyes widened when he said about the fact that there were ten thousand wildlings heading this way. It didn't seem fair that nearly every house had more men than Jon did to fight with. In the beginning Robb had had twenty thousand and even then that wasn't enough for him not to die.
She watched as he got up from his seat and then nodded when he offered her a drink of wine. It had been a while since she had had a glass of wine, in fact she couldn't really remember, most of time she liked to make sure that she had a clear head whenever Robb went into battle. "What is with that man?" she asked after receiving her glass of wine and took a sip of it. She never knew anyone who clearly despised Jon as much as this man did. Just watching them argue had been enough to make Katherine wish she hadn't troubled Jon up here but it seemed like it would've happened whether she was there or not. Jon then said about Edric and for the first time she decided it was best not to say what was on her mind because she was one of those people who feared him. Maybe it was his size or just the fact that he was different from them, she wasn't sure but there was a feeling there that he could make you piss yourself without even having to do anything and she guessed many of people already had done that.
Katherine put her glass down on the table and she looked over at him. "It's not going to be much but my men will train yours up for as long as we're here and maybe get them ready for the wildlings" she muttered and then looked down at the map once more. It wasn't going to be nearly enough to stop the wildlings from coming in. "And you've contacted the other houses?" she asked and once more looked up at him "My sister included?" Katherine wasn't sure if Cersei or the other Lannisters would help the Night's Watch because they were too busy fighting a war but for now if her men could help train them up then it might be a start. She would say she would help him more but she wasn't sure just how much longer she would be here and the last thing Katherine wanted was to cause anymore trouble.
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Post by Ray on Aug 25, 2017 23:44:52 GMT -7
Jon shakes his head slightly when Katherine asks what's wrong with Allister, not knowing the true answer himself. Perhaps it's simple. Perhaps it has only ever had to do with the fact that Jon has challenged him every step of the way, too proud to stand down from a man just because he's bigger and more experienced, too proud to let a foolish man make foolish decisions. But Jon challenged Mormont too, argued with him, disobeyed him, and Mormont only ever respected him for it, only ever rewarded him. Maybe Allister was just looking for someone to lash his anger out on, and instead of Jon caving in, he bested Allister at his own game. Either way, the only thing that matters is that it's getting worse. Allister's venom is spreading through the ranks, making it hard for Jon to know who to turn to when he needs someone.
"And I thank you for that," Jon replies, looking to her. "I would train them all if I could but....I don't think we have that much time." Not if the wildlings are only a day away from descending upon the wall. And that could happen at any time. Tomorrow, or even a month from now.
"Aye," he nods. "Mormont sent ravens before we trekked north, warning every house of what was out there, but I sent another round tonight. Hopefully someone hears us this time and sends us men and supplies. I'll take anything I can get. Because otherwise..." Otherwise he has no idea how to survive this. But that's the risk he took, joining the Night's Watch. To live and die on the wall. To protect it with everything he's got. And maybe this is how he'll fulfill that oath. "I would ask you..." Jon begins, sighing a little, "To spare a few men, but...You're fighting your own war. And training the men is enough."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Aug 26, 2017 0:02:20 GMT -7
Katherine didn't need his thanks for her men helping out. "My men are restless and want to descend on House Frey so giving them training to do might calm them for a bit" she admitted and couldn't help the slight smile that pulled at her lips. "And if the wildlings attack while we're here then we're not going to let you go at it alone" she said and looked up at him but really them attacking could be any time, it could even be after she leaves and then they would really be in trouble. She knew it was probably foolish but if they had to help out here then so be it. She wasn't going to let her men just sit outside the gates and ignore what is going on in Castle Black. Katherine wasn't that kind of person anyway.
"Well for now put my men to work as you see fit, if by the time we leave there hasn't been an attack then hopefully we will be leaving you with somewhat trained men" but even she knew that the real training came into force when they were facing the real thing. It didn't matter how much they trained it would be nothing compared to the real thing. She grabbed her drink and took a sip of it before putting the glass back. Katherine moved away and back into the adjoining room to get the other map of the houses down south from here.
"I'm not sure you will get anything from my sister" she admitted and laid her own map on the table and looked down at the houses from where they were. Katherine could see Kings Landing from where she was and sighed under her breath, that had once been her home and now it felt like she was a criminal because of how she had left. She moved her dark eyes up and looked at him when he said about the fact Mormont had sent ravens before but clearly none of them had listened and she guessed that it might've been around the time she came into contact with Robb and no one had trusted her when she first arrived at his camp either. "You know I would help you if I could but if they don't attack before I leave then I will have to take all of my men with me, I have to find some more men of my own" she tapped the map and sighed once more. Never had she known it to be this bad and now she found herself wanting to help him out more than anything but she knew she couldn't and a part of her felt bad about that.
"I'm sorry," she said after a moment and kept her eyes on him "that I can't help you as much as I would like"
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