Chapter 275: Bandit Attack
On the Road, Stark Lands
POV of Domeric Bolton
"This is so cool!" Arya shouted as Ygritte demonstrated her capabilities as a horse archer to the young girl. She was still not the best at it, but she was getting there.
"Can I learn this in Dreadfort as well?" Arya asked, and Ygritte grinned at the younger girl as they travelled through the mud trail from Winterfell to Dreadfort. The mud trail would turn into a proper road after White Knife River, but that was still a long way ahead of them.
After the debacle with the Queen, Domeric had spent only one more night in the castle as he had planned before leaving, though not before having yet another unpleasant meeting with Lady Stark, in which she asked him to ask the Old Gods for help so that Bran could heal and wake up quickly.
Then Domeric and his men prepared their horses and set off with Arya and two direwolves.
Compared to when Domeric arrived in Winterfell a few days ago, he had two more Valyrian swords with him upon his departure.
The Lion's Claw and the Ice, which Lord Stark had given to Arya for safekeeping, along with the two Stark guards who were sent to get her settled in before returning to Winterfell once Ice had been reforged into two one-handed Valyrian swords.
The fact that Lord Stark sent his family's Valyrian sword with just two guards to protect it showed just how much the Lord trusted him. It made him feel warm, but more so because he had been trying to improve his House, Bolton's, reputation for years, and it was finally showing results.
"Of course." Ygritte said, "You can learn anything you want there. In fact, I'm sure Lord Bolton would even hire personal tutors to teach you any weapon you might want to learn."
"Don't go promising such things on my behalf." Domeric said and then added, "But you're right about that," and Ygritte laughed.
Her laughter came to an abrupt end when one of the guards behind them shouted, "Riders."
Domeric turned his head and looked behind to find that about two hundred bandits were chasing them.
Well-armed, well-equipped bandits riding on good horses.
He used a far-eye, the name people in this world give to the telescope, to look closely and found that the 'bandits' were not even trying to hide their identities very well, as the Red beneath their bandit attire showed.
"The Lannisters," Ygritte said without even looking through the far-eye. The enhancements he had given to her eye proved to be just as useful when she was trying to hit targets from long distances.
"We should run. There are only 25 of us." One of the Stark guards said, "We have a good lead on them. We might be able to reach the White Knife and get some Bolton reinforcements from there."
"Doubtful," Domeric said. "Unlike the Northern horses, which are hardy and built to withstand the cold, the Westerland horses are bred for the sole purpose of being large and fast. We'll never reach the White Knife."
"Oh gods! Are we doomed then?" The other Stark man said, looking like he was about to piss his breeches at the mere sight of an overwhelming foe.
"No." Domeric said, "Arya is now my ward, and she is in my care. It would be highly irresponsible of me if I let any harm come to her. You two will ride ahead with Arya. Do not go too far. We'll catch up to you by the end of the day."
The Stark men looked at him like he was mad.
'Hmm…'
Looking closely, Domeric was sure that these men didn't go beyond the Wall with him, where he defeated the Weeper with ease. He had no idea why Lord Stark would send such inexperienced men with him.
"You… you are mad."
"Watch your tongue, boy," Varko said, and the Stark guard nodded meekly before both the Stark guards turned to Arya, who was watching the byplay with some barely concealed anger and frustration.
"Come on, Lady Arya. We must leave." The first guard said. Arya shook her head, "I'm not leaving, and neither are you. They're already undermanned as they are. Every single man will help. No, we are not leaving. We're staying, and we will fight."
"Lady Arya." The second guard pleaded, but Arya still shook her head.
Domeric was touched by both Arya's bravery and her unwillingness to leave them behind to save her own skin.
She might have looked underconfident when she was among the other ladies in Winterfell. In her opinion, all of whom were more beautiful, more elegant, and more graceful than she was, after all.
But unlike those ladies, Arya had other inner qualities. Something that Domeric was starting to see now.
Especially because while his men knew that they were not really in any actual danger thanks to their magical armor and magical weapons, the same couldn't be said of Arya, who was trying to hide the shaking of her hands subtly.
She honestly thought that they might die here, and she was still willing to stay with them.
She almost reminded him of Hermione for a second. Not the confident and intelligent woman she had grown up to be, but the shy and awkward kid she had once been.
A girl who lacked confidence in herself but was still brave enough to accompany him and Ron in their life-threatening yearly adventures.
If Arya had gone to Hogwarts, she would undoubtedly have become a Gryffindor, Domeric thought.
Domeric now understood better why Arya couldn't keep up with her lessons and the other Ladies at Winterfell. It was challenging to teach a Gryffindor anything by simply sitting them down and lecturing.
Gryffindors learned best through action and fun.
It was good that Domeric had recognized this side of Arya. This way, he knew how to educate and train her better.
But now, he couldn't allow Arya to be any more stubborn. She mustn't see what would happen here, both because of the massacre that would ensue and because of the magical methods he would employ.
So Domeric secretly summoned his wand, and the new Yew-Thunderbird wand appeared in his hand.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.276: 24 vs. 200
Ch.277: Arya Starts Making a List
Ch.278: Experiments on White Walkers and Wight