After many long talks and meetings, the people of Hardhome finally made their decision. It wasn't easy. The Free Folk didn't trust southerners. Can't blame them; same was the case with the people south of the Wall. For them, Free Folk were nothing but a bunch of wildlings, hence the name.
While they didn't trust him, they trusted Mance Rayder. They trusted Tormund Giantsbane. Jon Snow's name might come in that list in future if I haven't changed it so much already. It's really mind-boggling how much Jon was able to accomplish in his stay here in the North in just a few years in the TV series.
For the time being though, both Mance and Tormund's presence was trust enough for more than half of them to agree to follow my plan — but with one condition.
They would only go south after I and my group and safely entered Castle Black. Basically, being the second group of wildlings to cross the border. Honestly, this entire thing was pointless if anything. With just their sheer number, any kind of trap the Night's Watch erected would turn meaningless as long as the wildlings were beyond that Wall. The Wall was the only thing which stopped them.
But since they needed proof, they will have it. They needed to see that the southern men weren't lying, and that the gates would open for the Free Folk without a trap waiting for them. So be it.
I didn't mind. I understood their doubt. As long as they agreed to come, I would make it work.
Still, not everyone agreed. Some of the Free Folk leaders refused to leave the North. They didn't believe in Mance's dream, or they just didn't want to trust any southerner, god or not. I had no idea what to do about them. But I hoped that once the first group crossed the Wall safely, even those who doubted me would change their minds.
That was a problem for another time.
Right now, they had something more important to do.
"To the north we go then." I smiled as I got my little bit of gear and rations in order before departing from Hardhome.
"I fail to see what makes you so excited about marching directly in the direction of an immortal undead army who would like nothing more than to rip us apart and make one of their own," Jaime chided as he got his gear in order. He wasn't the only one who didn't wish to go; however, he was the most vocal.
"If you wish, then you can stay back. Be my guest… no, their guest until we come back." I smiled and pointed at those wildlings who were glaring at us all with open hostility.
While most just outright ignored us after Mance and Tormund showed trust in us, even Benjen, there are always a few who are always ready to cause trouble.
Jaime, seeing this, shut up. Death was everywhere no matter where he looked.
"I'm coming," Benjen said. He might be among the few who really wished to go north and see the enemy for himself. Gotta give him respect for that.
I don't have to take him with me, but I am gonna. Because I want him to see with his own eyes, the real enemy, because that is the only way Jaime Lannister will seriously act when he goes back to the capital. Use his influence and money to join the fight when time comes.
I remember him being arrogant. He was like that in the show and even here. However, I do believe he can redeem himself. Not sure what his fate was in the book or in the show, but here he has a chance.
And I'll make sure he does that, even if that requires me to wipe him for it.
"Why are we going there anyway? We already know they exist, right? Why not just go back, relax, eat, drink, and fuck until he comes to us?" Tormund intervened. Though he wasn't complaining about going north, he still would have preferred not to go into enemy territory like that.
"Because there, I believe we would find answers to why this monstrosity exists in the first place — who's calling the shots, and most importantly, how many of them there are."
---
Jon and Sam stood quietly outside the old, broken-down hall of Craster's Keep. The fire crackled behind them as the night grew colder. Their minds were not calm. What they had just learned disturbed them deeply.
"The bastard's been giving his own sons to those fucking things…" Jon all but growled at this. What kind of parent does that? He doesn't believe even someone as petty as Catelyn Stark would do something like this to her husband's bastard.
Gilly had told them everything—how the boys were taken into the woods, how Craster called it a gift. A sacrifice.
"This is something the Night's Watch needs to know," Jon said, his voice low.
Sam nodded. "If only we had some crows to send over..."
Of course, they didn't know that Lord Commander Mormont had known this for years—and kept it quiet.
They were ready to leave. Gilly chose to go with them. Jon hesitated though. She was pregnant. Going out there with them wasn't safe. However, she didn't wish to go with the other women either. She didn't want the child to grow up like the others. She wanted him to live free.
The other women, Craster's daughters and wives, had made their choice. They would not follow Jon and Sam. But they would no longer live in this cursed place either. They planned to leave and find wildling camps, to live on their own terms. Before that, though, they had one last thing to do.
They burned Craster's Keep.
The fire roared behind them. Flames climbed high into the sky, casting shadows on the trees. It was as if they were burning the evil along with the wood, setting themselves free from years of suffering.
This was another reason Gilly had no other option but to follow Jon and Sam. While there were many of her sisters, none knew how to fight. At least going with Sam and Jon was safer in this case.
Not to mention she wasn't sure how the other wildling camps would take her. A normal girl, maybe, but a pregnant girl with someone else's child? Now that was not something any man would accept. Not even as a slave.
She wasn't good at hunting or other things either. Meaning the chances of her finding a place among the other wildlings while the baby was still in her was insanely hard.
That's why she was apparent to go with both Jon and Sam. Ultimately they accepted Gilly. While she was pregnant, she was only a few months in. Still quite capable of getting around. They just hoped that they weren't making a mistake here.
Jon and Sam, alongside Gilly, had just begun walking away when they heard footsteps and movement in the woods.
"Who's there?" Jon shouted and took out his sword, ready to defend. What he worried about the most wasn't even white at this point but rather other Night's Watch members looking after them.
But to their shock, it wasn't the Night's Watch, or the Wildlings, or the White Walkers.
"Jon?" came a surprised voice of the exact boy he was looking for.
Jon stared in disbelief. "Bran…"
It was Bran. And he wasn't alone. With him were Sandor Clegane, Jojen, and Meera. Jon recognized Sandor clear enough but not Jojen and Meera. He was immediately on the defensive seeing Sandor.
"Fuck…" Sandor, recognising Jon, cursed and took out his weapon. Seeing this, Meera on the side did the same.
xxx
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