[Chapter Size: 3700 Words.]
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Third Person POV
Kaeth, 300 AC.
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Arctic's letter had arrived in the middle of the night at the small county manor that oversaw the great apple plantation. It was the Valewood estate. They were not a great lord or a renowned house, nor were they part of House Kaeth, but they held lands serving the vast domains of their lord, Lord Kaeth. They were vassals to their lord, holding the status of minor nobles.
There was no maester on the estate, but it certainly had guards, servants, and even knights. It might not have been as organized as a great house, but it still possessed wealth and, therefore, men to work for it.
Many of their men had been called to war when House Tully summoned House Kaeth, but they returned after the great mess of the North's defeat, and the Freys even allowed the soldiers to go back, or at least those who survived the war.
And so they were taking care of the county, avoiding most of the common folk who came to it like flies. Lord Kaeth had also forbidden them from entering, harvesting all the good apples and already sending them to the castle before people started stealing. The Freys themselves had also ordered supplies to be sent to their men both at the Twins and at the siege of Riverrun. Lord Edric Valewood was also fortunate that Lord Kaeth had sent another two dozen men to further reinforce the county's defenses, against both bandits and refugees coming from every region.
So it was even strange when a raven simply arrived in the middle of the night while they were gathered in the hall, entering and moving directly toward Lord Valewood, who sat at the center of the main table. It made him stop eating, somewhat startled. Even the conversations in the hall between guards and servants ceased, everyone staring at the raven now standing in the middle of the main table.
It then took a few light steps toward Lord Valewood, who noticed the letter tied to its feet. There was only one kind of raven that arrived there in such a way, coming directly from House Kaeth's castle to deliver orders. A raven flying directly to a specific place instead of the rookery meant something very strange was happening.
He grabbed the letter awkwardly, which even caused the raven to peck his hand. He exclaimed in surprise while angrily shooing the bird away, and it flew off the table and perched on one of the pillars supporting the hall's ceiling.
His eyes immediately went to the symbol sealing it. It was not the sigil of House Kaeth, but rather a very different banner, though still recognizable.
His eyes turned toward the knights, and he raised the letter for all to see.
"Tell me, do you recognize this?" he asked.
As some of them left the table and approached the main area, looking at the symbol, their faces became slightly worried.
"It belongs to those people from beyond the Wall... Arctic's banner." one of them said with visible concern.
It was already known for drawing attention at that moment, and not only because they might come to wage war alongside a claimant to the throne, supposedly a son of Prince Rhaegar according to Lord Stark's latest declaration, but also because they possessed an extremely powerful force at sea, their battles against the men of Westeros, and their conquests in Essos. So it was normal for knowledge of that banner to be passed along among knights and nobles during lessons with the maesters. Arctic held the status of enemy among the Seven Kingdoms.
"Why would he send a letter to us?!" Lord Valewood looked worried, but soon opened it and began to read.
[You will open the county to refugees of the war. This is not a request. I have also sent a letter to Lord Kaeth, and if he wishes to complain about anything, we will attack with our countless ships at sea. I will settle this with Lord Kaeth, while I expect you to already do your part. And I will be watching the county. If there have been rapes and abuses committed by your knights, I will know, and you will pay under proper law.
Jon Arctic, king of all 10 kingdoms that make up Westeros.
]
His words were direct, not only as an order to them, but also as a threat toward their lord. There was no doubt that their lord would comply with the demand as well.
He could not help but swallow nervously. What were they? They only had forty soldiers and four knights to keep the county untouched. Even though the seat of House Kaeth was closer to the sea than the county itself, Lord Valewood still became deeply worried about it.
Quickly, he summoned his men in the middle of the night, while they gathered with torches outside the manor to discuss the matter. They were very afraid, although they could not simply open the county without an order from Lord Kaeth.
At the same time, Jon continued with his men again at dawn toward the county, while they traveled along a different road from the North and also from the one that passed through the seat of House Kaeth.
The group encountered more people, and Jon also noticed some hidden camps. Some families were living in the middle of the forest, building small houses just to have a roof over their heads for the time being while waiting for the war to end.
Jon did not interrupt or approach those people. Perhaps it was better for them to live in such places, isolated within the forest. Even so, Jon approached those areas and began creating fruit trees around them. So it was natural for them to be greatly surprised when apple and orange trees, pear trees, peach trees, and plum trees suddenly appeared, all filled with healthy fruits, without anyone understanding where they had come from so suddenly, with most believing it was some kind of divine intervention, which for them normally meant the Seven Gods.
In any case, the group continued forward, while their objective was to reach the county.
And there it was 1 day later, after passing through the two mountain ranges by a secret and little-used road, they found their objective. Jon observed Lord Kaeth very carefully and how he was reacting to the letter.
He was certainly terrified. Even though he had yielded to the Freys at that moment, he feared being attacked by Arctic, with them clinging to any opportunity to survive.
So it seemed certain that Lord Valewood would receive his letter already accompanied by Lord Kaeth expressing his goodwill in providing shelter for the refugees within the county. The letter had been sent yesterday, and Jon was satisfied that his plan had worked.
They also found several people around the region, all trying to enter the county, but being rejected and attempting to settle nearby, because there was no war in the Kaeth region aside from the coast, which had been attacked by ironborn during the last moon.
"What are we going to do, my king? Do you wish to speak with the people first or go directly to the county?" Lancelot asked when the group arrived at a crossroads after leaving the mountains behind.
"We will first speak with the one responsible for this place," Jon said as they headed directly toward the estate.
He approached Barristan Selmy.
"Tell me something, Barristan... what are the chances of recruiting forces from among the refugees to create some kind of order force within the Riverlands? After all, we need to deal with the banditry spreading among former soldiers and people who have lost everything and will eventually turn to that kind of life to survive..." Jon asked.
After all, they could not take care of everything. It was not only a problem with outside men, but even the people of the Riverlands themselves were returning to committing vile acts against one another.
Not even the Freys and the Lannisters were able to deal with them, or restore order to the kingdom with the war having ended so recently. Although they themselves were not directly affected, the common people were terrorized, being raped, robbed, and killed.
"It will be somewhat difficult, Your Majesty, given the number of young men and even unmarried ones we are likely to find. Not to mention that we will have to see which ones are not traumatized by the war."
After hearing Barristan Selmy, Jon found himself analyzing the refugee camp with his eagles in the sky. There were at least two hundred people in one of the places. If he was correct, there would be at least six or seven people among those two hundred who fit those descriptions.
After all, most of the young men had been recruited for the war, and many came out traumatized. Perhaps if Jon managed to take at least three or four among them, it would still be a rather optimistic result.
"We shall see about that. If we can at least assemble a force of around two hundred people, we can at least leave some defense in these lands," Jon said.
Barristan Selmy nodded.
"You are right, Your Majesty. Although your plan is somewhat difficult, I am certain that if there is someone capable of achieving it, it is you. You can inspire people," he murmured.
Jon said nothing more, and they continued directly toward the county.
They were quickly spotted, with more than two dozen horses advancing through the area. As soon as they were seen by some scout, certainly more men came after them, not liking the sight of twenty men and at least forty horses suddenly advancing through their lands, especially when they carried no banners.
Jon raised his hand while his eyes rested upon them. Everyone was preparing for a possible fight.
Jon did not worry even for an instant. Even with a small number, the Arcticans were more robust and far more skilled than anyone in that group could ever dream of being. Not to mention that Jon could, if he wished, bring down every horse in front of them.
"Who are you? What do you want?" asked the one who seemed to be the leader immediately.
The county's men were all cautious, ready to attack those strangers who had arrived. There were not only warriors, but also what seemed to be a family and three women.
"We are here to request shelter for these people and also speak with the leader of this place," Jon said, catching the men somewhat by surprise.
The soldier in front did not seem to like it very much. He was certainly a knight.
Meanwhile, another man approached him.
"Wait. We should inform Lord Valewood about what is happening here. You know he received orders from Lord Kaeth."
"Only you come with me," the man then replied, pointing directly at Jon, who was the leader of the group because of his voice, while everyone else remained silent.
"No," Lancelot was the first to speak up.
But Jon raised his hand for him to calm down while staring at the soldiers.
"It is alright. I can handle this," Jon spoke in a calm tone.
And no one said anything else. As much as Lancelot and the others thought it was risky, Jon entering enemy territory without proper armor left him very exposed.
But Jon had his plans. Animal control, magic... he could deal with that group easily, not to mention that he had become superhuman many years ago after changing his physique through potions.
In the end, he left his group behind and advanced with the other man who had asked him to follow, entering the county and following those men from behind.
As he moved forward, Jon could not help but like what he saw. Those countless apple trees, the people still removing the apples and placing them into wagons, although they were clearly in a hurry with the intention of taking the apples to their lord Kaeth before opening the place to the refugees...
"This place looks wonderful," he could not help but praise with a smile, while the men merely nodded.
"We protect this place and hope it remains safe that way," one of them said, certainly as an indirect remark toward Jon.
Jon did not seem to care about the hostility as he observed the place.
"You do not seem to be a known knight, but you certainly carry yourself like one. Still, you also seem young and possess a noble bearing. Can you tell us your name?" one of the knights asked, looking at Jon analytically. The king of Arctic knew he would be noticed easily because of his unusual bearing. He still wore a hood to completely hide his face and physique, but there were many other things people could notice.
Jon rode perfectly. Even though it was only a ride toward the center of the county, it was still clear that he had great control over his animal. The cloak also revealed the build of a warrior and showed no trace of fear despite being surrounded by more than twenty possible enemies who could kill him over a single wrong action or word.
"You could say I am not a knight officially anointed, but I take some interest in the philosophy and see value in following some of its dogmas..." Jon said thoughtfully, while the man seemed curious.
"Well, I hope you are not some charlatan using the name of knighthood," another man said with some dissatisfaction. He was older, with graying hair, but still had a strong physique and wore a full steel armor.
Jon merely observed him and shrugged.
"I like the idea of knights protecting the weak, which clearly does not apply in places like this, driving away civilians lost and wounded by war..." he mocked.
"What did you say...?" The older man from before seemed offended by that, while placing his hand on his sword and already drawing it from the sheath.
"You should know that by drawing that sword against me, you have already sealed your fate..." Jon raised his gaze with a hostile tone for the first time. He might even have provoked it, but he had not spoken any lies.
The reaction of the men immediately became somewhat hostile, after all, he was threatening one of them in the middle of the group.
"Calm yourself. We should report this to Lord Valewood," another spoke.
As they continued onward, another group approached. They stopped, leaving Jon aside while discussing the situation. The new leader appeared to be a knight of higher rank, as the men complained to him.
Jon saw the man frown at him, while he himself remained very calm before those men.
A moment later, they approached Jon with some caution.
"Hey, you are strange... can you remove the hood?" the new knight in full armor asked.
Jon did exactly as requested. The man analyzed him quickly and narrowed his eyes upon seeing his appearance. Black curly hair, a sharp jawline, and green eyes, strangely bright.
"You do not have a common appearance," he said. "Do you belong to some house?" That question seemed to bother some of the men.
"No. I do not belong to any house of Westeros," Jon said.
It was not a lie. After all, the Targaryens no longer belonged to Westeros.
"Then I presume you are with the Arcticans. Can you tell us who you are?" he asked. And if the previous question had already bothered the men, this one made them even more uneasy.
"You could say that, yes," Jon said calmly. "I am simply Jon. And I am with them. We are here to verify whether both the king of Arctic's request and Lord Kaeth's orders are being carried out."
He revealed that for the first time, since none of the other men had asked directly. The man studied him for a moment before turning his horse.
"Please, follow me. Lord Valewood will speak with you."
With that, Jon followed the men along the road lined with apple trees. None of them provoked him again, and Jon did not concern himself with them either.
They continued until they finally arrived at the manor, where they found what appeared to be Lord Valewood with his family, while a man had already ridden ahead to warn them about the situation.
Lord Valewood studied Jon while his men positioned themselves at the sides.
Jon dismounted from his horse and stepped forward before the man.
"I assume you are a representative of Arctic," Lord Valewood said. Unlike a great castle, this place was not all that impressive.
"Yes. I am here to ensure that both the king of Arctic's request and Lord Kaeth's orders are being fulfilled." He repeated what he had told the knight earlier.
The man nodded, although he seemed somewhat dissatisfied. But Jon had not yet finished.
"Before we can speak, one of the knights here drew his sword on me after hearing harsh truths. I would like to know if he would be willing to duel me. Unless, of course, his earlier display was nothing more than cowardice, and his strength amounts only to threatening common and unarmed people?" Jon asked, looking directly at the gray-haired man in armor.
The entire place fell into an extremely tense silence because of that.
"My lord, I..." Lord Valewood tried to speak, but the man himself, irritated by the provocation, shouted.
"Fine!" he said vehemently. "If he wants a fight, then it is time to put this brat in his place!" the older man said angrily at Jon's open challenge, adding to the frustrations from before.
"My lord, I do not think we should..." Lord Valewood seemed very hesitant. He did not want to injure someone sent by Arctic, what if this person was important?
But Jon merely shook his head.
"Do not worry. If I am injured or die here, Arctic will not seek revenge. Just see me as an insignificant representative," Jon lied.
Although he had not revealed his identity, he had not initially intended to start a fight either. However, those knights certainly irritated him.
How could they live by abusing the common people the way they had been doing during these past moons? He had seen the abuses through the memories of the animals over the last few days in that county... A bunch of cowards taking advantage of the refugees' fragility.
Jon was not going to kill them for their past crimes at that moment, but he would keep an eye on them from now on and act when necessary. It was good to set a proper example already. And the man who had drawn his sword on him earlier was perfect for that. Jon would never allow someone like that to live anyway.
The men opened space while the servants and the people working in the apple plantations watched the unfolding situation in surprise. A circle formed in front of the manor.
The knight put on a helmet and approached while unsheathing his sword, holding it with both hands. Jon also took his own sword and lowered it in front of his body.
"You are not going to wear any armor?" Lord Valewood asked Jon, who shook his head.
"I do not need it." He appeared arrogant before everyone.
Jon seemed calm, not even taking a fighting stance, and the knight mocked this, believing that Jon, despite having a very unusual appearance, looked like someone unfamiliar with martial arts.
So he advanced to kill him quickly.
But, in a swift movement, Jon changed his stance and managed to move the sword aside before striking the man's helmet directly with a thunderous force.
The knight became dizzy for a moment, lost his balance, and fell. Jon's blade had not pierced the iron helmet or injured the man, but it scraped it with such force that it left a deep mark, while the man fell to the ground in shock, trying to recover from the dizziness caused by the impact to his head.
Everyone looked at that somewhat surprised.
When he got back up, Jon remained standing still, without even attempting to attack him again.
The knight looked at Jon with even greater anger, wondering what had just happened. He advanced once more, now with rage embedded in his attack.
But his sword was quickly parried by Jon's blade before Jon struck directly at the knight's chest, scraping against his armor with such force that it sent him falling to the ground again.
Jon remained standing still. He said nothing.
The men whispered around them, some watching in shock. It was not only the speed and technique, certainly the strength Jon possessed was abnormal. No one knocks down a man wearing armor by striking his chest...
"Let us end this," Jon said.
The knight also wore chainmail. Jon would need to deliver a precise strike if he wanted to finally bring him down.
The man, already mad with rage, charged at Jon once more.
But now Jon also lunged toward him, parrying his blade before delivering a thrust with superhuman force straight into the knight's chest.
Even using an ordinary blade, he managed to pierce the armor and the chainmail, going all the way through.
Everyone was left speechless upon seeing blood burst forth with a blade emerging from the gray-haired knight's back.
The man staggered in sharp pain, struggling to remain standing before collapsing to the ground, dying while still twitching, his heart pierced.
Jon picked up the knight's blade from the ground, whose name he did not even know. It did not matter.
"I do not want the armor or the chainmail, but I will keep the new blade," Jon said.
His own sword was already ruined because of the impacts. It had even bent slightly, becoming useless after piercing the knight's armor, so he would need a new blade.
He then turned toward Lord Valewood, who stood there watching everything in shock, swallowing nervously.
Jon did not seem to care about the hostility he was receiving from everyone at that moment. He had just slain one of them right in front of their eyes.
"So, Lord Valewood... how about we finally speak now? Or, if anyone wishes to avenge your companion here, feel free," Jon challenged them openly.
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