The Greatjon stopped laughing. Karstark shut his mouth. Roose Bolton stared at the table instead of making eye contact. The lords listened quietly as the marching orders were given: foot soldiers would march straight to the Green Fork, while the giant knights cleared the Kingsroad of Lannister scouts.
The scouts of Lannister's who tried to run south were already dead. With the plans set, the meeting ended. Turning away from the lords, the young commander left the area.
...
Inside the command tent, the System's barrier blocked out the freezing wind. The space was completely quiet and warm.
Roslin sat by the fire in her silk and wool clothes. Seeing him walk in, her shoulders dropped. She stood up and let out a long breath, skipping any questions about the dead captain outside.
Without saying a word, he unbuckled his leather armor and threw it on a chair. The rush of the meeting was over, replaced by the need to plan. He walked to the large bed and dropped onto the thick furs.
Following quietly, Roslin climbed in beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder and put her arm across his chest. Soon, she was breathing slowly, fast asleep. He ran his hand through her hair, looking up at the dark tent ceiling.
System
A blue screen popped up in front of his eyes.
Current Balance: 11,620 MP
Active Passives: Winter's Skin, Venom-Purge, All Black (The Death Tax)
Saving that many points during a march made no sense.
For now, he needed soldiers.
Opening the [Summoning] menu, two choices stood out. Spend 5,000 MP to make his own body stronger, or split it up. Using 3,000 MP would buy ten more Blood Knights, leaving 2,000 MP for his own stats. That plan still kept 6,620 MP safe for emergencies.
The decision was easy. Only foot soldiers focused entirely on their own strength. Kings didn't fight every single battle in the mud; they send someone else to do it.
Buy ten Blood Knights, he ordered.
[Purchase Confirmed: Blood Knights (x10). Cost: 3,000 MP]
Set spawn location outside the tent.
Out in the freezing mud, ten giant men in red and black armor stepped out of thin air. They took their spots around the tent without making a sound. Added to his first four, that made fourteen giant guards.
Moving to the [Attributes] tab, the remaining 2,000 MP went into speed, reflexes, and health. Since 100 MP equaled three months of hard training, this was like getting five years of daily workouts all at once.
[Purchase Confirmed: Attribute Enhancements. Cost: 2,000 MP]
Fire ripped through his veins. Clenching his teeth, he felt his muscles twitch and pull as they grew thicker and faster. Sweat dripped down his face. He forced himself to stay perfectly still.
Minutes later, the burning stopped. Letting out a slow breath, he opened and closed his free hand. His fingers moved faster and lighter than ever before.
[Current Balance: 6,620 MP]
The sudden heat from his skin made Roslin stir. She lifted her head from his shoulder and blinked sleepily in the dim light. She knitted her brows, looking at his face with a confused expression.
Reaching out, she placed her hand flat against his chest. Her fingers slipped higher and brushed right over the wound...
Alaric decided to test her reaction. He sucked in a sharp breath and tensed his jaw, acting like the touch sent a spike of pain through him.
Roslin jerked her hand back instantly. Her eyes went wide. "Oh! I am so sorry, my lord," she said quickly, sitting up a little. "I didn't mean to press on it."
Alaric let out a short laugh. He reached up and gently pinched her cheek. "I'm just teasing you, Rose," he said. "It doesn't hurt. Why are you looking at me like that?"
She rubbed her cheek where he pinched it. She looked back down at his chest, then slowly placed her hand back on him. She pressed her fingers lightly against his arm, then moved to his stomach.
"It's just... you feel different," she muttered. "You feel much more muscular. Harder."
Alaric rested his head back against the furs and smiled. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Roslin's face turned red in the dim light. She kept her hand flat against his stomach, feeling the solid, dense muscle underneath.
"It is a good thing," she whispered. She looked up and met his eyes. "But you were already so strong. I don't know how I will keep up with you now."
Alaric smiled. He grabbed her waist and pulled her back down against his chest. She gasped quietly as her body pressed against him.
"You will manage, Rose," he said. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm. "Go to sleep. We have a long ride tomorrow."
Roslin didn't argue. She rested her chin on his chest, closed her eyes, and let the quiet warmth of the tent pull her back to sleep.
The next morning, the camp packed up fast. The Northern army moved out before the sun fully cleared the trees. The foot soldiers marched in a long, steady line. Alaric rode at the very front. His fourteen Blood Knights marched around his warhorse, creating a moving wall of red and black steel. The ordinary soldiers stayed far back, giving the giant monsters plenty of room.
They rode hard all day. By late afternoon, the ground changed. The frozen dirt turned wet and soft. The freezing wind carried the smell of deep river water and mud.
They reached the Green Fork.
Before Alaric could command the giant knights to move forward, the sound of fast hoofbeats came from behind the front line. The Northern soldiers stepped aside quickly to let a single rider through.
Ser Rodrik Cassel pulled his horse to a hard stop right next to Alaric. The old knight looked out of breath. His face was red, and his horse was covered in sweat.
"Alaric," Ser Rodrik said.
then back at Alaric. "A small group of riders just caught up with our rear guard."
Alaric turned his head. He kept his face completely blank. "Who is it?"
Ser Rodrik gripped his reins tightly. "It is Lady Catelyn Stark."