A Song of Grace & Fury

It was when the Sun had almost set that I decided I'd make camp for the day and moved a bit into the forest that we'd ended up entering some two or so hours ago, going deeper so as not to catch attention of passers-by and possibly chance on something like a rabbit, or deer, preferably.

Understandably, the forest got darker a lot faster than the open plains we spent most of the day travelling through, and the tall trees cast strange twisted shadows on the forest floor.

I tied Roach around a tree, and stroked his long neck with a small smile, feeding him grass with my other hand, "Well, Roach 5033, I hope you survive a lot longer than your predecessors. I'm rooting for you."

For some reason, my horses were the first thing people aimed for when they tried to stop me and it didn't really take much effort to kill one... At one point, I'd stopped riding altogether because I felt too sorry for the poor things but I can't do that.

I'd be content to walk all the way to this so-called Winterfell, wandering and hoarding at my leisure as I went, but I was on an escort mission so certain compromises had to be made... including pit stops so the horse could rest.

"Are you seriously calling him Roach?" Arya asked curiously, looking at my beloved Roach with estranged eyes.

I glanced at her, "What would you call him then?"

"Hm... Daemon."

"About what I'd expect from a kid." I chuckled, letting go of Roach, "But you misunderstand little one, Roach is a mighty name. Way better than this Daemon or whatever."

She crossed her arms, "I doubt that."

Shrugging, I walked over to the tree I'd knocked down to make a seat and plopped down on it, "Did this Daemon of yours charge into an ancient dragon, sacrificing its life to protect its master?"

The girl relented after a few moments of silence, "A horse wouldn't do that."

"The original Roach did, put some damn respect on his name."

She opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by her older sister, Sansa, quietly rustling from her sleep. I ignored and snapped my fingers, tossing a flickering flame into the wood I'd piled before to make a rudimentary campfire as I made myself comfortable.

From the information the innkeep was kind enough to provide, the Kingsroad was constructed around a century or so go and ran all the way from some place called the Stormlands, where the Baratheons were from, through a kingdom called the Riverlands and then into the North, where I'd find Winterfell, the ancestral seat of House Stark, the rulers of the North.

I kept ignoring the fact that Sansa was almost awake in favour considering the immediate future.

Information on the Seven Kingdoms will be easily accessible once I get to Winterfell, I can read up on their history and geography, then go to whatever place tickles my fancy... The ongoing Civil War will only make the journey more exciting.

It takes roughly a month to go from King's Landing to Winterfell, if what Arya told me was right, I bet that journey will be cut down to a quarter of that courtesy of us not being as slow, or needing as many stops, as a royal convoy, so long as I don't find a side mission.

"W...Where am I?"

"Good morning." I waved my hand to the red haired noble girl, smiling politely, "Are you hungry?"

Arya looked a little too amused with the whole interaction... again, leaning against the nearby tree with a small smile.

May I should just shove this on her... see how she likes it.

Sansa stared at me in confusion before realisation flashed through her blue eyes, "You!"

It was odd to know these two were sisters, Arya was stern in her speaking and actions to a degree while Sansa was soft-spoken, more ladylike in her mannerisms... oh, that made sense.

Her gaze frantically moved all over her surroundings but her body remained frozen with fear for some reason, "D...Don't harm me."

Arya... snickered at her sister.

"Why would I harm you?" I asked with a deadpan, "Your father asked me to take you to Winterfell... Now, eat up and... try to get some more sleep cause we aren't moving till dawn."

I'd rather not go through a forest at night... it brings back bad memories of being ambushed by those blasted Night Cavalry for no reason other than being born.

"B-But why would father do that?"

"Cause your prince is mad." I shrugged, rummaging through the bag of rations for something to eat.

"Joffrey isn-"

"Joffrey had an innocent boy killed all because he couldn't even swing a sword properly." Arya interjected harshly, "He's bastard born too so it's better you forget him. He isn't your knight in shining armour."

Even a blind man would see there was some heavy baggage there.

"If you want to hear a tale of real adventure, ask him." She nodded at me.

What was I? Some kind of glorified storyteller?

"I have no stories to tell." I shot her down without a second thought.

I wish the Tarnished was here... he was the only genuine companion I'd ever had, others were superficial, wanted something or were taking advantage of me, he was just a dumbass that did whatever he wanted, a naive dumbass I wanted to see take the throne of Elden Lord with the belief that he would better than all others before him.

There was even that kindling girl... I wonder if she ever found out what she really was.

The Demigods were good, strange, but good in their own ways... but the Shattering ruined even that.

Even now, I don't know what Marika was thinking.

Or why little Ranni did what she did...no, I get what she did... I just don't understand why she did it the way she did... I tried to find her but she avoided me at all turns.

Godwyn was good.

I sighed and looked at the conflicted Sansa, munching on stale bread, "Don't expect much from people, you'll never be disappointed that way. You're the only thing that should matter to you."

They wouldn't get what I was saying, they're too young to understand, but maybe they'll remember my words when they need to count... It's flawed, but it works for me.

My age has to count for something?

Sansa didn't talk after that, sitting in complete silence.

"Joffrey wasn't who you think he was but hey, who's to say you won't meet the type of guy you want to meet? You're still a kid." I offered with a small smile, passing the bag of rations to her, "Really though, try to get some sleep."

I tuned out the two sisters afterwards and opted to keep watch instead... something about these woods seemed off.

It shouldn't take long for Sansa's infatuation to pass, they haven't known each other that long and she's still a child, she'll get over it... especially once Arya inevitably tells her that her father was injured by one of Joffrey's.

-

A day or two later, we came across another castle standing near a small river, one we needed to cross along the kingsroad.

It wasn't even half as impressive as the few I'd seen and looked more like a guardpost than an actual castle... It was incredibly small, but was in an elevated position that let the soldiers manning in survey everyone passing by it... not to mention the large tower extending from it.

The sparse trees weren't enough to hide us either.

"That must be Darry." Sansa whispered from behind me.

She'd become a lot more agreeable after Arya told her we broke them out of the Red Keep alone, cutting down a lot of soldiers in the process and escaping in the night, saving them from possible danger... and how I cut down half a dozen Lannister men that looked like they were about to rape a serving girl.

That was incredibly odd.

Was she scared?

"Darry?" I repeated, curious.

"They sided with the Targaryens during King Robert's Rebellion so they were stripped of their lands and wealth."

I really need to read up on their history.

"They shouldn't give you much trouble." She whispered hushedly.

Arya glanced at her sister strangely, "How can you be so sure?"

Coincidentally, since Sansa had woken, we had to change seating arrangements... The older sister rode on the back while the younger one rode on the front and both seemed oddly satisfied with that.

I patted Roach's neck, "Don't slow down, boy."

Better to just ride past them if possible.

As expected, the guards at the gate barely considered us as we rode past them at full gallop, casting nothing more than a brief glance before returning to their own conversations... 

Sansa smiled smugly at Arya from over my shoulder, "Told you they wouldn't do anything."

"Whatever." Arya huffed, rolling her eyes.

I just chuckled and steered Roach.

What was she even expecting?

This was a medieval society.

Nobody gives a rat's ass about some random passers-by beyond their personal safety.

And that's completely fine with me.

-

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