Chapter Ten: The Council of Ice and Blood
The Great Hall of Winterfell was colder than usual.
Renji stood at the center, flanked by Maera and Serenya. Nyira of Asshai lingered in the shadows, her golden eyes unreadable. Before them sat the Northern lords — grim, skeptical, armored in tradition. Lord Eddard Stark presided, his expression carved from stone.
The topic was simple. The implications were not.
Renji had returned from Essos with power. With allies. With a vision.
And now, he was asking for trust.
The Proposal
Renji stepped forward, his voice calm but resonant.
"Magic is returning. Not just in whispers, but in storms. The East stirs. The South schemes. And the North… must prepare."
Lord Wyman Manderly scoffed. "Prepare with blood magic and foreign women?"
Renji didn't flinch. "Prepare with knowledge. With unity. With strength."
Lady Barbrey Dustin leaned forward. "And what do you offer, mage?"
Renji raised his hand. A pulse of crimson light shimmered, forming a map in the air — glowing runes marking key locations across Westeros and Essos.
"I offer insight. Protection. And alliance."
Serenya stepped beside him. "House Tyrell supports this initiative. Quietly, for now."
Maera added, "And I've seen what's coming. The Archive showed us. Shadows rising. Thrones bleeding."
The hall fell silent.
Lord Stark finally spoke. "You ask for trust. But trust is earned."
Renji nodded. "Then let me earn it."
The Trial
That evening, Renji was summoned to the godswood. Lord Stark waited with Jon Snow and a dozen guards.
"A test," Ned said. "Not of power. Of character."
Renji stepped into the circle. "I accept."
A prisoner was brought forth — a deserter from the Night's Watch, accused of murder. He begged for mercy, claiming innocence.
Lord Stark turned to Renji. "Use your magic. Read his blood. Tell us the truth."
Renji approached. His fingers brushed the man's skin. The blood whispered — fear, guilt, violence.
"He's lying," Renji said. "He killed his brothers. For coin."
The man screamed. The guards dragged him away.
Lord Stark nodded. "You spoke truth. That earns you a place."
Maera's Evolution
Later, in the library, Maera practiced her magic. Her fingers traced runes in the air, forming sigils that pulsed with silver light. Renji watched, impressed.
"You're growing fast," he said.
Maera smiled. "The bond helps. But it's more than that. I feel the Archive in me now. Like a second heartbeat."
Renji stepped closer. "You're becoming a mage in your own right."
Maera touched his chest. "And I'll use it to protect you. Even from yourself."
The Tension
Serenya entered, her expression unreadable.
"You're building something," she said. "But you're also dividing."
Renji frowned. "What do you mean?"
Serenya looked at Maera. "She's growing stronger. Closer. And Nyira watches from the shadows. You're forming a court — but courts fracture."
Maera stepped forward. "We're united."
Serenya's gaze was sharp. "For now."
Renji placed a hand on both their shoulders. "Then let's stay that way."
The Whisper
That night, Renji dreamed.
He stood in a field of swords. The sky was red. A voice echoed — not Aiko's, not the Archive's.
The blood is not enough. The heart must choose.
He awoke with a gasp.
End of Chapter Ten
Renji had earned a place in the North. But power breeds pressure. And unity demands sacrifice.
The court of ice and blood had begun.