A Song of Grace & Fury

"Gah, what the fuck? Did Miyazaki have some hand in creating this world?" 

I groaned, feeling thick sludge squish into my shoes, between my toes, and stick to pants as I led Roach by the reins through one of the biggest swamps I'd ever passed, beaten only by the one in Caelid after Malenia went nuclear with her rot against Radahn... at least it didn't rot through my body with each passing moment so that was a plus.

Swamps would always be annoying no matter the world, they hindered movement, had tons of insects flying about, smelled like Morgott's home, and ruined my clothes without exception.

"I feel like I'll need to bathe for a full day."

"It's not that bad." Arya commented with a small giggle.

"How about you lead the horse and I sit on it then?" I've stumbled over a dozen times after entering this Marika forsaken place because the elevation changed randomly... At least I can still follow the road somewhat.

We'd entered here after a few days of travel after passing Darry and according to travellers we ran into along the way, they're part of a larger region called The Neck and span a rather significant distance too.

If the smell and terrain wasn't bad enough, there was also the fact that visibility was absolutely fucked more than half the time. I tried to find a local to guide us through the place but apparently, the denizens of this place are particularly reclusive.

Stingy cunts.

Sansa looked around skittishly, "H...How long do you think we'll be in here?"

I didn't blame her for being scared.

"What? Scared?" Arya japed with a mischievous grin.

"And you aren't?" Sansa quipped back indignantly, swatting a fly away from her face, "How are you so calm? It's disgusting... I see snakes and by the Seven, the insects."

I was keen on exploration but... exploration means proper maps, and most of all, a change of clothes.

All three of us are still wearing the same clothes we were days ago, and couldn't find any opportunity to bathe either.

"I'm more surprised we haven't encountered something like a lobster or crab yet..."

This seemed like the sort of place those things would inhabit, unleashing fury comparable to the dragons themselves on unfortunate travellers that were just trying to get to their homes or something.

In fact, I don't think we've encountered anything beyond snakes and frogs during our journey.

Thankfully, Marika smiled on us and before long, the imposing ruins of what was possibly a massive castle once came into view... The walls were dark basalt, tall enough to form a complete visual barrier to what lay beyond them... if only they were segmented and destroyed in places.

Three dark towers, two of them extremely crooked, frowned on their surroundings, spaced apart in a way that would make it near impossible to attack one without getting peppered by arrows from one of the other two.

I'd write them off as abandoned if not for the fact that even at a distance, I could spot several flames flickering through the missing windows and archers cautiously eying us from above due to my enhanced eyesight.

"Here's hoping we don't get attacked for nothing."

"Hey Sansa, that's Moat Cailin isn't it?" Arya nudged her sister with her elbow, narrowing her eyes at the distant castle.

Sansa nodded shortly, "I think so, yes."

Arya pointed at the widest tower, one that had a massive gate built into it, "That's the Gatehouse Tower..." She then pointed at the one farthest to its side, leaned over, "And that's the Drunkard's Tower... We passed through here on the way to King's Landing... but they should be empty."

I clenched and unclenched my free fist as I prepared myself for a possible confrontation.

"Careful, Roach. Don't follow in the footsteps of Roach 4000."

-

"Halt!" A soldier barked from above as soon as we neared the gate, wearing grey mail and a helmet that concealed most of his features, "State your business!"

He held up a torch and leaned on the wall, trying to get a closer look.

"Just passing through!" I shouted back with a cordial smile, gripping Roach's reins.

He narrowed his eyes, "The way's clo-"

He was forced to stop short when a robust man in full armour shoved him aside by the shoulder... I couldn't help but snicker at his bushy grey moustache as he narrowed his eyes, "Do my eyes deceive me... Lady Sansa? Is that you, my lady?"

I looked back at Sansa quietly, noting her confused expression.

In the blink of an eye, over a hundred arrows were trained at me specifically.

"Identify yourself! You better have a good explanation for this, boy!" He barked loudly, a hand at the hilt of his sword.

Raising my arms in surrender, I smiled.

It was always entertaining when someone called me a boy or something along those lines seeing as I was probably older than their bloodline as a whole.

"I'm Karl. Your liege Lord Stark tasked me with safely escorting his daughters back to Winterfell. To that end, we need to pass through here." I explained as clearly as was possible, slowly lowering my hands, "Seeing as I've gotten them through two kingdoms at this point, I reckon it's unfair to just shoot me for no reason."

If they did shoot me, I'd introduce them to a certain trick that wiped Stormveil Castle off the face of the Earth... and compared to how large that was, calling this place a hovel would be an overstatement.

He huffed and cast a glance at his men, "What are you waiting for? Open the bloody gates already!"

-

"Lord Helman Tallhart, my ladies."

The man knelt to Arya and Sansa, recognition flashing the face of the latter as her eyes widened ever so slightly.

I... just curiously watched the gruff looking bowmen all around us, their faces reflecting confusion mixed with disbelief and awe.

A few kept their eyes trained on me, but probably because they still thought I was dangerous somehow... people were odd like that at times.

"I did not expect to find you here." The older man admitted stoically, standing up to his full height, "Your mother, ordered myself and Lord Galbart Glover to fortify Moat Cailin... I was seeing to that command."

Sansa nodded gracefully while Arya looked around with shining eyes, she'd genuinely enjoyed the journey here and I could relate to her reasoning.

"Now, if I may be so bold, what brings you here?"

"H...He told you already." Sansa looked my way, slightly nervous about the sudden situation, "Father ordered him to take us back to Winterfell."

Helman nodded and turned to me. He looked me up and down apprehensively, a hand on his sword, before nodding, "Good man. My men will see to it from here."

An understandable course of action.

But I haven't been paid a single penny for spending days escorting noble ladies, escort missions that came with no rewards always made me want to hit a wall... and the wall always broke.

"Yeah... I'm afraid not." I spoke up with a small smile, "I'm supposed to take them there and I will, one way or the other."

His eyes turned sharp, "Is that so?"

Before the situation could devolve, Sansa spoke, clutching the hem of her soiled olive dress with her dainty, pale fingers, "Lord Karl escorted us from King's Landing, kept watch without sleep and made sure we were fed while eating next to nothing himself... You sat here during that time, Lord Helman... What right do you have to antagonise him?"

Wow, I really wasn't expecting Sansa to be able to stand up for something... Arya maybe, but not her.

How did she even pick up on the veiled hostility?

Arya looked extremely confused with her sister's actions, looking between her and Helman.

"I... I apologise, my lady. But, are you sure you would trust a Southerner over your own men?" He spoke hesitantly, and to his credit, he relented fairly quickly under the chastisement of his liege's young daughter.

I looked at the man's eyes, and asked my question in the simplest way possible, "What in the fuck is a Southerner?"

He looked at me apprehensively before nodding in some kind of understanding, "Very well, then at least allow a few of my men to accompany you."

"You know what, Lady Arya?" I perked up, making the girl look over curiously, "I think we need a break... a change of clothes and some good food, don't you?"

She paused for a moment before smiling slyly and nodding, "I agree, my good ser."

Time to burn through their rations for trying to deprive me of my reward.

"Of course. At once, my lady." Helman bowed slightly, "Arrange quarters and food for the ladies of House Stark! ...and their mercenary as well."

-

Once the Stark sisters were escorted away, I approached Helman, "Is there any news of Lord Stark?"

The man studied me for a few seconds before shaking his head, "There's been nothing. Though, the North steadily grows restless... The King sent a letter to Lord Robb Stark, debasing him for his sisters' escape... I suppose your arrival will be welcome news in a tense situation."

So... Joffrey ascended to the throne, that meant Ned's plan went to shit like I told him it would.

Things couldn't be too bad though, considering they had no hostages to leverage over the North now that his daughters were safe and sound... but then again, from what I knew, Joffrey was batshit insane.

From what it looks like, the Stormlands and the Reach have already chosen their own Kings.

The North and the Riverlands are bound by marriage and blood since Catelyn Stark is actually Catelyn Tully, eldest daughter of Hoster Tully, Lord Paramount of the Riverlands... Same with the Vale, the one region I haven't seen even a bit of save for their tall mountains on the way here... The Lord Paramount is Catelyn Stark's younger sister.

The Westerlands will support him, seeing as House Lannister rules them but... he's not in a very advantageous position at the moment.

What are the chances he executes the one card he does have holding back three Kingdoms?

"What have you seen so far?" He spoke up inquisitively, turning to face me, "What do you make of this situation?"

"The idiot's dumb enough to do something nobody's going to like." I sighed.

He nodded stoically, "Well said, friend. We can only hope the Gods are kind."

Well... he changed his attitude quick.

-

Hope you enjoyed.

Leave a comment and/or suggestion for the story.

Let's see, 800 PS... It's a massive ask but like you guys kept violating the goals lower than it.

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For those of you who were asking about advanced chapters (You know who you are), you can find up to 7 (one behind) ahead at patre0n.com/Bleap.

Ideally, I'd have 8-9 ahead but the ones for this turned out a lot longer than what I usually do, so I figured 7 was enough for a start.