Mufasa had slept with Ygritte due to an accident, but neither of them thought too much about it.
Ygritte was a Wildling and didn't care about such things; although she was married to Jon Snow, the feelings between them were more about a sense of duty.
Jon Snow was also someone who didn't care much for women; he was more like Eddard Stark than Rhaegar.
So, even though Ygritte was Jon Snow's wife, they didn't sleep in the same bed every night.
After resting in the tree hollow, Mufasa and Ygritte put the previous matter behind them and walked out, only for a massive black bear to approach.
This was originally its territory, and with two uninvited guests arriving today, it could finally have a tasty snack.
The black bear lunged at Ygritte, sensing that the red-haired one would be easier to deal with.
Mufasa forcefully shoved her aside, and the black bear pinned him down, its claws slashing frantically.
Fortunately, Mufasa had grabbed his shield beforehand. The Valyrian steel shield couldn't be broken, but the bear's strength was transmitted through the shield to Mufasa's body.
The powerful strikes made Mufasa feel wave after wave of heavy impacts on his chest.
"If only I'd known, I would have brought Heraka!" Mufasa thought to himself.
When he entered this competition, Robert said that for the sake of fair play, Mufasa couldn't bring Heraka, the Charcoal Fire Dragon Colt, or the Treading Snow Black Steed along, so Mufasa left them in King's Landing.
Just as Mufasa was at a loss, a sharp arrow struck the black bear in the back. Howling in pain, the bear got off Mufasa and charged toward the archer.
Mufasa saw Ygritte holding a longbow, charging at the black bear like a Valkyrie.
But this black bear was too massive, seemingly transcending the level of a normal beast and reaching the rank of a monstrous beast.
Even after Ygritte hit it with six arrows, it didn't die and continued charging at her.
Mufasa quickly grabbed the rose sword and rushed forward. Just as Ygritte was tackled by the giant bear and was about to have her head crushed under its paw, Mufasa decapitated it with a single swing.
The massive bear head fell to the ground, and Ygritte was drenched in blood.
Her lips twitched as she swallowed some of the blood. In the wild, they ate raw meat, so she didn't find the taste unpleasant at all.
That evening, Mufasa dragged the black bear's carcass back to the camp. Others came over to greet him when they saw him return.
"Mufasa, you actually killed a black bear. This size rivals the giant white bears from Beyond the Wall," said Benjen Stark of Castle Black on The Wall.
Benjen Stark had spent the day by Eddard Stark's side, reporting the latest situation to Robert and Eddard.
Their Night's Watch had discovered more bodies of brothers and Wildlings, all of which had been burned directly to ashes to give them no chance of resurrection.
"Bear meat is delicious! Let's have an extra dish tonight!" Mufasa said.
"Ser Mufasa! We of the Night's Watch wish to seek your help. I know you've recently forged many Valyrian swords for the nobles. We don't need a Valyrian steel sword; could you provide us with some Valyrian steel arrowheads?" Benjen Stark asked.
"Arrowheads, huh!" Mufasa rubbed the stubble starting to grow on his chin.
"That's actually a good way to save materials!" he said. If Others could be killed by a Valyrian steel sword, then arrowheads forged from Valyrian steel could kill them too.
"That's easy. You can do it yourselves without my help," Mufasa said.
"What do you mean?" Benjen Stark asked, puzzled.
"The Citadel must have a large amount of Valyrian steel hidden away. Otherwise, how could so many maesters wear Valyrian steel links around their necks?"
"The steel from one link is enough to be reforged into an arrowhead," Mufasa said.
"While what you say makes sense, I'm afraid we have no say over the affairs of The Citadel," Benjen Stark said with a bitter smile.
The two greatest powers on the continent of Westeros were The Faith and The Citadel. They dispatched maesters and septons to every lord. It could be said that a lord who didn't have a septon or a maester wasn't considered a legitimate one.
Furthermore, The Citadel and The Faith managed their own selection and recruitment exams; lords, including the royal family, could not interfere.
"It seems they need to be shown who's boss. I'll go find King Robert and Hand Eddard. Come with me!"
Mufasa and Benjen Stark approached the table where Robert and Eddard were drinking.
"Ah, Mufasa, you're here. I heard you killed a black bear. Well done! Joffrey killed a boar too! I hope I can eat some bear paw later!" King Robert said drunkenly.
"Your Majesty, the bear paw won't be ready until tomorrow; after all, it needs to be simmered for eight hours!"
"But there is something else I need to report to you," Mufasa said.
"What is it? Speak, Mufasa!"
Mufasa explained Benjen Stark's request for Valyrian steel arrowheads and his own plan to have The Citadel hand over the Valyrian steel links.
"The Citadel cannot be touched, Mufasa! You're still too young! You don't understand The Citadel's status in Westeros!" King Robert said, though drunk, he hadn't lost his senses.
"Is Your Majesty also afraid of The Citadel?" Mufasa asked.
"Mufasa, it's not fear. The Citadel's strength isn't apparent now, but it shows at critical moments. Royal authority is worth nothing before The Citadel and The Faith," Eddard Stark said with great apprehension.
Even in The North, he had a maester and a septon by his side; he followed the old gods, but he had to build a small sept of the Seven for his wife, Catelyn.
"If you want to know more about the foundations of The Faith and The Citadel, you can go ask House Hightower. I remember they came for the hunt as well," King Robert finally suggested.
Mufasa and Benjen Stark agreed that if they couldn't get a large amount of Valyrian steel from The Citadel, Mufasa would forge the Valyrian steel arrowheads himself.
Mufasa was invited by Joffrey to go for a drink.
"Hey, brother, I heard you killed a black bear. That's amazing!" Joffrey said, handing Mufasa a cup of wine.
Mufasa took the cup and drained it in one gulp.
"It's nothing, Joffrey! This hunt lasts for seven days; let's see who has more prey in the end!" Mufasa said.
"I shot a boar today. Look, these are its tusks. I took them off and made two ornaments; here's one for you."
Joffrey pulled out two necklaces, each featuring a boar tusk over a foot long.
"Since when did you become so primitive? Why do you like such primal things? Only Wildlings like wearing things like bones on their bodies," Mufasa said.
"Hehe, I just feel lately that a man should be a bit more like a primitive man to appear powerful! Although it also seems quite barbaric," Little Joff said.
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