House of the wolf

“You sure you don´t want me to do anything else while I am in here?” she asks seductively while dressing a wound near my thigh. 

 

“Tempting. But I don´t want to aggravate my wounds.”

 

After she finishes I thank her and cover myself after she walks out. The guards came to my room I saw they were mostly healed or just not that badly wounded in the first place and all of them were rather young which is why they were assigned to follow me as Father likes to be with men who served him in the war and also the older members that were with me took the brunt of the damage jumping in first after me and throwing themselves at attacks meant for me during the charge.

 

“To survive such a harrowing experience you all did well after we return to Winterfell I will reward you handsomely but ask for your patience as we will stay in Essos for some time will you follow me” 

 

“Of course my lord we´re guardsmen of house Stark where you go we follow” 

 

“Good but don´t call me your lord while we are in Essos don´t even act deferential to me no one knows I am alive and anyone finding out about my identity might put me in danger now put anything that can identify you as Stark people in the hull with the gold and my wierwood bow.

 

“Yes my lord” They echo late on the uptake 

 

Since I can´t stand I spend all my time doing breathing exercises and trying to warg but it seems Hunter is too far away and I am unable to warg into any other animal so I focus on the breathing exercises. Just breathe and inhale, breathe and inhale, breathe and inhale, I end up in some sort of trance after a while my body subconsciously making minor adjustments to my breathing as I feel the bed swaying with the waves my ears begin to pick up people talking on the deck of the ship the wood creaking I close my eyes immersing myself in the experience even more, memorizing the current breathing patterns to every minute detail until all sound stops except for my breathing and after I open my eyes I see that my bandages changed again.

 

Standing up from my bed my hair falls on my face, I have always kept it long but there is a noticeable difference in length now, and looking down I see the same goes for my body in all areas.

 

Looking at my muscles in shock that I still have them! After laying on my back for so long, it seems the breathing exercise maintained my figure while I was recovering, using it subconsciously in my sleep.

 

And after putting on my clothes, which were on the table then my belt to hold my longsword and my axe leaving my bow in the hull of the ship as I used that as my weapon in the tourney so using it would be like announcing my survival to the world.

 

But if anybody knows enough about me to recognize the longsword and axe which I doubt many would but if they did, then they would no doubt know my face. But perhaps that is also not the case I think rubbing an itchy beard growing and my long wild hair down to my shoulder. 

 

Walking out of my room I see the deck some of my men on it carrying crates and the like quite busy as I realize the ship is docked at a busy harbor merchants everywhere with stalls lined up 

 

“My-” 

 

“Ed! You´re finally awake” Damon one of the smart ones exclaims covering for his friend's mistake. 

 

I smile “I see we arrived” and look up at what must be Pentos a big beautiful city with tall buildings some even at the port acting as bridges over the water. While I want to walk around and find a better view of it. As the city is much more beautiful than Kings Landing but ask “Where is York I did not see him in the boat”

 

“We took him to see a specialist in the city as he did not wake once all the way here and his injuries showed no signs of improvement” 

 

“And our other friends?” 

 

“Arstan Whitebeard and the captain are both in the city on their own business” 

 

Whitebeard? Looking confused for a second before laughing loudly for a bit I did not expect to hear that name ever again now all I need is to hear Barristan say a certain sentence and my life will be complete.

 

“And when did Arstan say he´ll be back” 

 

“By nightfall”

 

“Damon let's tour the city together until then” I say jovially but notice the guards look quite solemnly at Damon as he says “Sure thing” to me then nods back to them.

 

Walking on the tiled roads the smell in the air of spices and wine every step I take I hear music playing expertly not a nook or cranny is lacking these things.

 

“So how long did I sleep for this time I ask” As Damon next to me looks in thought troubled by something.

 

“...Another 2 fortnights. We made port a fortnight ago and there we learned some disastrous news.” He says voice distraught

 

Knowing this would be a serious conversation I go to a table and order strong wine taking a seat away from the crowd I pour in my cup “So what is it?”

 

Taking a deep breath Damon slowly opens his mouth “Ned Stark was captured in Kings Landing” Hearing the sound of wine pouring into the cup stop then started again me, not saying anything “…he was then brought forth to appear before the ki- to appear before Joffrey and to announce his acknowledgment of Joffrey´s claim to the throne and swear fealty to him” Still he gets no response except for the sound of a cup being emptied. 

 

“Ned Stark instead announced to the crowd that Joffrey was more like a jester than a king! Joffrey responded enraged that he would like to hear how the Hand, would respond when he lost his hand… when he heard no response Joffrey claimed that maybe his loose tongue is more valued…when he heard no response again Joffrey enraged ordered Ned Starks execution and his head cleaved from his body” 

 

I fill another cup and down it numb “...Arya, what about Arya?” I ask after a while 

 

“They claim to have her in their custody but no one has seen her”

 

Emptying another cup 

 

“Any news of Robb?”

 

“...The North has made Robb Stark King in the North! declaring for independence” He exclaims in fervor finally some life in his eyes no doubt excited to now be serving royalty but the news doesn´t fill me with wonder as it once would have.

 

“King in the North…huh” Be careful Robb

 

Walking back to the docks unsteadily stumbling while holding my flask I make it to the ship I lay flat on the deck looking up at the beautiful night sky shining brightly as though completely unaware of the sorrows I´m going through shining even brighter as if to get a better look at the show unfolding

 

Hearing footsteps I look to the right to see Ser Barristan silent for a moment “Ned Stark was the most honorable man I ever knew” 

 

“Don´t praise my Father´s killer.” 

 

“Wh-” 

 

“Honor is what killed him it ensnared him like an inescapable trap. The second he accepted Roberts's insane plea to fix all the mistakes he made for the past seventeen years of his rule. Could the honorable Ned deny a friend´s request for aid?” 

"Robert knew, I know he did he knew the vipers were coming for him he hoped to hide behind my father until he finally drank himself to death and planned to leave It all to my Father to deal with the aftermath but his cowardice that left him unable to bed his own wife at night and indifference he had to not discipline his children only made Ned take the fall with him.

“But as you said Father is an honorable man even if he could do it all again. Would he change his decision to help Robert? I don´t think so, he would probably just would´ve gone by himself to King´s Landing”

 

Ser Barristan says nothing.

 

“Did you find your Targaryen?”

 

“...She was last seen heading to Quarth I have been given three ships to find her”

 

“Her?”

 

“Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys is dead she is his younger sister it is said she hatched three dragons”

 

“...Well that´s interesting when are we going?”