The next morning, just before dawn.
The Ironborn raid was no minor assault. This one was a coordinated attack. The troops had been mustered by two minor lords.
Lord Saltcliffe and Lord Blacktyde had sent their brothers to lead the raid. Twenty-one longships and one galley carried six hundred men total.
They used Bear Island's many coves and rocky beaches to land undetected, or so they thought.
"Should we raid the smaller villages first?" Saltcliffe asked.
Blacktyde shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. "We go for the big fish first. Why bring such a large force only to waste it on villages?" He scoffed.
Saltcliffe shrugged and rallied his men. "We leave the ships to the helmsmen. No need to lower our numbers by leaving guards. We use our full force and fuck them hard." He laughed, joined by his men as they marched toward Mormont Keep.
They were about to climb a small cliff when they noticed a giant figure standing atop it. A small fire burned beside him, the flickering light glinting off golden armor.
They knew who it was. His presence on Bear Island could mean only one thing. Winterfell had sent reinforcements, and there was a chance Lord Eddard Stark himself was here.
Saltcliffe sneered and opened his mouth to speak, but a deep voice cut through the dawn.
"I am supposed to ask you to surrender. The forces of Winterfell are here, with Lord Eddard Stark himself. You have this one chance."
Ra's voice carried through the cold air.
Saltcliffe scoffed. "Did you think we would surrender? We are the Ironborn!" He shouted, and his men roared with him.
Ra shook his head. "I hoped you would not." He lifted his halberd and took a step forward.
Blacktyde sneered. "I heard you guard that flower of Drone. We'll visit her after we're done here." He laughed, but stopped mid-breath when Ra's eyes locked onto him.
Ra growled, crouched, and leapt from the cliff. The ground cracked when he landed before the Blacktyde men. He did not speak. He charged.
Saltcliffe and Blacktyde both rushed at him, their men following. But Ra moved like a bull through a cornfield.
He ignored most weapons. He killed by sheer momentum, crushing and cleaving, clearing his path with every swing of his halberd. He did not spare the fallen a second glance. His focus was locked entirely on Lord Blacktyde.
Blacktyde tried to hide behind his men, but a roar interrupted him. The sound shook him to the bone. Ra reached him, seized his head in one hand, and began to crush.
Cracks echoed through the chaos. Blood-curdling screams filled the air, begging for mercy that would not come.
Ra did not listen. He did not react to the blades stabbing at his armor. Swords, spears, even arrows as none could pierce the golden plates. They were children swiping at a mountain.
The cracking grew louder until one final crunch silenced everything.
The Ironborn stepped back, staring at the golden monster standing before them.
Ra leveled his halberd parallel to the ground and swept it in a single, fluid motion. Men were cut in half. Limbs and heads flew through the air.
At that moment, the northern defense force struck. They charged into the Ironborn ranks, finding only carnage and panic. Screams and the sounds of running feet filled the air.
Some Ironborn fell to their knees, surrendering desperately to the Northmen. Others fled toward their ships only to find Stark men already in control.
Saltcliffe screamed and stumbled toward Ned Stark. He threw his weapon at Ned's feet and dropped to his knees. "I surrender, my lord! Please, save me, my lord!" He clasped his hands like a beggar seeking salvation.
Ra did not strike those who surrendered. The others noticed. One by one, weapons clattered to the ground. Knees bent. The Ironborn broke.
The battle had been won before it even began.
Ra stood, covered in blood, halberd in hand, scanning for any who still held a weapon.
Two men stood in a daze, swords clutched tight, as if unable to accept the world before them. Unable to accept a world where a man like Ra existed.
Ra picked up two fallen blades and hurled them. Both men dropped instantly, swords impaled through their skulls.
The Northern soldiers worked in silence, binding and gathering the terrified Ironborn.
Sunlight crept over the horizon, glinting off Ra's blood-soaked armor. No one dared approach. The custodian simply stood, silent and still.
When the last prisoners were bound and the ships secured, Ra lowered his halberd and exhaled.
Maege Mormont was the first to step forward.
"After we're done here, I'll show you my daughters. Choose one, maybe two, if it gets you to stay with us." She grinned.
Ra chuckled. "How about I marry all of them? They're bound to be she-bears like you."
Maege laughed and patted his shoulder. "If it gets you to stay, I'll have more daughters to give you."
Ra blinked, speechless.
Her eldest, Dacey Mormont, overheard and joined them. "Mother!" she cried, scandalized. "I haven't even seen his face!" She pretended to whisper, but loud enough for all to hear. "What if he's ugly?"
Maege burst into laughter as Ra clicked his tongue.
"The women in your family are too annoying to marry." He grumbled, earning more laughter.
Ned Stark approached with a small smile. "His heart is already taken. Let us not bother the man."
He was joined by Jeor and Jorah Mormont. Dacey bowed politely. "My lords," she greeted, then stood beside her mother.
"I have some good news for you," Ned said, pulling a letter from his pocket and handing it to Ra.
Ra removed his gloves and hung them from his belt before reading. His hands trembled. He looked up at Ned.
"Thank you, Lord Stark. I am in your debt."
Ned laughed and shook his head. "There is no debt between us. It was Jon Arryn, the Hand, who convinced the king to allow this as a peace offering to Dorne." He nodded once and took his leave.
"It seems his heart really is taken," Dacey said with a sigh. "Now I'll regret not making a move, if he turns out not to be ugly." Her mother laughed heartily.
Ra was too happy to quip back. Jeor Mormont stepped forward, extending a hand. Ra nodded and shook it firmly.
"Thank you, ser, for protecting us," Jeor said sincerely.
Ra shook his head. "I did my duty, my lord. They would have brought suffering to innocents."
The rest of the day was spent preparing the prisoners' camp and dividing the captured ships.
Ned split the ships and spoils equally among the houses that had fought. He offered Ra his share as well.
"I have no use for ships or steel," Ra said.
"I could provide you gold equal to their value," Ned offered.
Ra thought for a moment, then nodded.
They feasted through the night. Dacey found herself regretting not making her move when Ra finally removed his helmet to join the table.
That night, Ra gazed at the stars and smiled, thinking of his future wife.
A/N: One or two chapters before we return to the HP world.
If I get enough power stones, I'll release a bonus chapter today.