Song of A Northern Sorcerer

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Taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow, Jon Snow took a deep breath. He was desperately trying to get enough air back into his lungs as he bent down at the knees and slid his fingers underneath a large crate. In fact, by all rights, it should have been carried by no less than two grown men. Slowly starting to lift it alone, he leaned back to try and balance the heavy crate full of only gods knew what. But, no, his Master did not see it that way. In his own words, 'I've been neglecting your training,acolyte'. His master had stated this morning, 'So, now we will rectify that. You will help with preparations for the Sea Wolf's departure. And you shall do so on your own, with no help from the rest of the crew.'

Managing only a few dozen steps, Jon stopped just short of the gangplank, nearly dropping the crate in the process at the edge of the dock. Gasping desperately, Jon stared up the length of the gangplank, dreading the march before him. It was the fourth such trip he'd be making with the same sized crate this morning. And the trips were not getting any easier with each successive time.

Resting his hands on the crate, Jon took a quick look around the dock, taking note of the sailors and slave dock workers that were helping to load the last of the supplies Nox and Ser Manderly had ordered before they set out of what was without a doubt, the longest and most daunting part of the expedition. Watching the men work, Jon took note of those who were not present to help with the last loading of the ship, which were quite a few. Most namely Asha, Dacey, Small Jon, Eddard Karstark, and, most importantly, his own Master Nox.

The fact that Master Nox was not around was not necessarily surprising. The Northern Sorcerer had been rather, well, absent ever since they arrived in Volantis two days ago. For the past two mornings he would leave the Sea Wolf early in the morning before the sun rose and would not return till after the sun had set in the evening. No one, not even Jon, knew where he was constantly disappearing too. Though, truth be told, no one wanted to find out either. Nox, while a good man and one to be admired and idolized, was not one to go easy on anyone who tried to get in his way. The only time Jon had seen him in the city over the past two days was when he returned to the brothel housing Prince Oberyn at Ser Manderyl's request to deliver a message to the Prince of Dorne about their departure. Jon was sure that the knight of House Manderly had done this on purpose just to get a response out of Jon, which he succeeded in as Jon could hardly keep his the flush from his face for the rest of the day after several whores who'd seen him with Nox offered him some…varied services. But it was on this trip that Jon had spotted Nox in the city, sitting at an outdoor eating area and talking to a…Septa for some strange reason. But before Jon could meet up with his Master, Nox was gone and so too was the woman he was talking with. Strange.

The fact the others, a good portion of the crew, were missing this morning was not really a mystery either. When Nox wasn't in the city, he was in his quarters with Jon, Asha and Ser Manderly going over their approach to Valyria with the new information his Master had apparently acquired from one of the Triarchs of the city. The night before they'd finally settled on a course of action and this morning Nox had called the entire crew out onto the deck while the sun was still below the horizon.

When the entire crew had gathered Lord Nox had not minced words with them. He told the crew that they would be sailing around the southern tip of the Valyria peninsula and approaching the ruined city using a river that should lead directly to the heart of Valyria. However, they would not be able to take the Sea Wolf down the river due to the ship's sheer size and fear of running aground and being stranded. So, they would be taking the six lifeboats up the river, and that he needed volunteers who were willing to brave the dangers and potentially give their very lives to reach Valyria. At first, no one moved. But then Asha stepped forward, followed by Dacey, Small Jon and Eddard. With the nobles setting the example, it was a relatively short time before enough volunteers had stepped forward. Once he'd had enough volunteers, Ser Manderly being the only noble who had not volunteered due to him needing to captain the return voyage should anything go wrong, Nox dismissed the rest of the crew that had not volunteered.

The sorcerer had then walked up to the forty or so men and women who had volunteered to put their very lives on the line and handed each two gold dragons. 'This might be the very last time any of you see civilization again.' Lord Nox had explained to them all. 'No one knows what awaits us in Valyria. But be sure that everything that walks, swims, crawls and shits in Valyria will want to kill you in the most painful way possible. And know that should you fall behind; you will be left behind. And should you become a liability and put the rest at risk, I will kill you myself. Those of you willing to accept this, take two steps forward.'

The volunteers all stepped forward twice without hesitation. 'Good. Then take those gold dragons in your hand and live your lives tonight as if they might be your last. Because they very well might.'

Jon had wanted to head off into the city with the rest of the men and women, but Lord Nox had held him back, saying that he was still a bit too young for what the rest of them would be getting up to this night. And had instead assigned Jon with the daunting task of helping to load the Sea Wolf…without help.

Shaking his head, Jon squatted down and moved his fingers underneath the edge of the crate once more, ready to make yet another trek up the gangplank. "Excuse me, are you a cabin boy for this vessel?"

Jon nearly dropped the crate on his toes. Biting back the curse that was threatening to leave his lips at having nearly broken something, Jon turned around and – froze. Standing just behind him, her eyes wide was an incredibly beautiful girl with the sun-kissed skin that was so common here in Volantis. Shaking his head to clear it, Jon stood up fully and face the girl who couldn't have been more than a year or two older than himself. The first thing he noticed, besides her beauty, was that she was free of any marks – tattoos – on her face, which meant she wasn't a slave. And given her dress and the way she held herself, Jon was willing to bet that she was of noble birth. And with the large rucksack slung across her back that was nearly as big as her upper half, she was looking to get away from this city for some time.

"Aye," Jon nodded. "Not a cabin boy, though. But I came on the Sea Wolf."

The woman nodded. "Sea Wolf. This is a Westeros vessel, is it not?"

"Aye."

The woman seemed to sag with relief. "Tell me, does the Northern Sorcerer ride this vessel? And if so, would it be possible to meet with himself or the captain? I wish to barter passage to Westeros."

Jon blinked. Then blinked again. Then had to keep himself from laughing outright. 'How Master Nox can predict these things… By the gods. One day, I can only hope to be half as smart as him. Either that, or he has some…what did he call it? Inside information?' It'd been just this morning, after dismissing those who'd be accompanying them into Valyria, that Nox pulled Ser Manderly and himself aside and informed them that a young woman would be coming to them today seeking passage to Westeros. And that she was to be given it.

"Of course, my lady," Jon said as politely as he could through his exhaustion. "If you'll follow me, I'll bring you to Lord Nox."

The young woman seemed surprised that her request had been granted so quickly. And the relief she felt was so thick and obvious that Jon could sense it easily through the Force. Taking her hand and leading her up the gangplank, Jon brought the young woman to Nox's cabin and, after knocking twice and waiting for his command to enter, brought her before his Master. Within his cabin, Nox was where he usually was. Sitting at one end of his table with a book in one hand and the fingers of the other gliding along the written words on the pages. How he managed to read without the use of his eyes was a skill Jon knew he would never be able to figure out. But Nox could read faster than any man he'd ever known. He swore his Master could go through a book a day, and that was a low estimate.

"Master Nox," Jon said, drawing a sharp look and spike of disapproval from the young woman. "This is, um…gods…I apologize. I never even asked for your name, my lady."

"Talisa," the newly named Talisa said simply, providing no family name, while glaring at Nox. "And I thought Westeros had laws against slavery?"

"It does," Lord Nox responded. "Quite harsh laws, in fact. And before this misunderstanding can continue, Jon is not my slave. He is my acolyte. My student. I am the Master and he is the learner."

Talisa seemed taken aback as she looked back and forth between Nox and Jon. "I apologize, my Lord. I did not mean to give offense."

"Yes, you did," Nox cut back, setting the book down. "And it's understandable. But rest assured, young lady. I know what it means to be under the whip. And I can guarantee you, I gladly follow the Westeros law on the matter. But that is neither here nor there, which is why I have taken no action during our stay here. Now, perhaps we could come to the matter of why the daughter of the Tiger Triarch Maegyr has come to a Westeros vessel with what looks like as many possessions as she could safely pilfer from her family home."

Shock ran through Jon as his head whipped around to Talisa. He knew of the Triarchs, the rulers of the City of Volantis. And this young woman was the daughter of one of them?! Why would she want to leave? And why was Master Nox dragging this out? He already informed Jon and Ser Manderly that he intended for her to come along with them.

As for herself, Talisa seemed to be on the backfoot as her face had gone slightly pale. "I – I have had disagreements with my father as of late and I…I wish to leave Volantis behind and start a new life for myself. Free of slavery. I can promise you that my father will not send men after me! And—And I have not 'pilfered' anything from my family's home that was not mine! You need not fear any retribution for taking me along."

"I see," Nox nodded, his fingers drumming against the tabletop. "So, say we take you with us. How do you intend to pay for passage? And what do you intend to do once we arrive at Westeros? Bringing the daughter of a Triach across the Narrow Sea is one thing. Leaving her to fend for herself and possibly get brutalized is quite another."

"I have coin to barter passage," Talisa quickly responded. "Enough to afford passage onboard any vessel and then some. I am also willing to offer my services as a healer in training to the men aboard the ship during your voyage. And…I know you are heading to Valyria, my Lord. And while I may not know a lot about the home of the lost Dragon Lords, I believe I can potentially offer some insight."

As Talisa made her offer, his Master just continued to stare off into the distance with his unseeing eyes. "Very well."

"I can also provide my services in translating an – wait…Did you say—?"

"I said that you can join us, Lady Talisa Maegyr." Master Nox repeated. "Though you will be sharing a cabin with two other ladies during the voyage. I hope that is not an issue as our space, despite the size of the Sea Wolf, is limited."

"Of course not, my Lord," Talisa smiled, a spark of hope swelling within her like a warm sunrise. "Thank you, my Lord. I promise you won't regret this."

"I'm sure I won't," Master Nox responded, a cryptic smile on his face. "Now, if you please, I have a feeling that my acolyte would like a word with me in private."

"Of course, my Lord," Talisa bowed before turning to him. "Thank you, Acolyte Jon. I look forward to speaking with you more once we are on the open water and Volantis is to our backs."

After she left, Jon turned to his Master. "Can you see it, Jon?" His Master asked before he could say anything. "Put the pieces together. All the clues are there."

Frowning, Jon thought deeply on everything that had happened since they'd arrived in Volantis. Nox's disappearances. Being pulled away from the ship by the Tiger Guards the moment they made port. The information he suddenly got regarding Valyria. And then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit him. "The Triarch." Jon stated, glancing up at his Master. "It was the Triarch who gave you all the information about Valyria. And—And the price of the information was that we have to give his daughter passage to Westeros."

Leaning back in his seat, Nox slowly and lightly began to clap his hands together. "Not bad, acolyte. You arrived at that conclusion quicker than I thought. Perhaps you have been paying more attention to my lessons, outside of combat, than I originally thought."

Jon felt both delighted at the praise and insulted at the backhanded compliment. But that was just Master Nox. "But why would he want to let his daughter go? Even going so far as to pay for her passage away from her home?"

"When you figure that out, acolyte, I will be truly impressed," Nox commented as he picked up his book once more. "Now, don't you have more crates to load up? I believe you are on your fourth crate."

Jon's mood immediately dropped. "Yes Master."

"Best get back to it then," Nox said, flipping open his book. "But why you are simply using brute strength instead of the Force is just plain stupid, if you ask me."

Jon had taken a single step towards the door before his master's words reached him. "What?" He asked, turning back around. "Use the Force, but—but you said that I wasn't allowed to!"

"Did I?" Master Nox asked, not turning from the book. "When did I do that?"

"When you told me to help load the supplies!" Jon all but yelled back, his frustration mounting at his master going back on what he told him.

"Really? Tell me, what were the words I used when I gave you your instructions this morning to help load the ship?"

Jon opened his mouth to spit the words back at his master, but then stopped. 'What were his exact words?' "You told me I had to help load the ship. And that I had to do the work of two or more men alone."

"Yes, I did," Nox nodded, flipping a page. "And where, in those instructions, did I say that you were not allowed to use the Force to help in your task? Hm? Wording is very important, Jon. Perhaps, next time, you won't let your frustration at being denied something cloud your thoughts when someone tells you something. Back to work now. But, first, show Talisa to her quarters. Shoo."

It took the Sea Wolf almost two weeks to navigate around the southern edge of the Valyrian Peninsula and arrive near the opening to the river that Nox hoped would lead them right to the heart of Valyria. 'This is the right course,' Nox thought to himself, feeling once again the familiar thrill of entering the unknown, staring death in the face and spitting on it. 'The Force will guide us. Even the dark side of the Force seems to want this…anomaly gone.'

It was a strange sensation indeed. This land was saturated in the dark side of the Force in such a way that Nox felt a wave of nostalgia for Korriban. But despite the dark side having such a strong hold, there was something…off about it. A strange hunger. Something strange was giving birth to this abnormal dark side. And while many aspects of the dark side could be considered 'unnatural' to most, whatever was causing this sensation was abnormal and wrong even by dark side standards.

Breathing deep, he let himself slowly sink into the cold of the dark side as he reached out through the Force and began following the path of the river. He could sense…pain. Suffering. Fear. Hunger. Twisted life forms struggling to survive as their bodies were forcibly adapting to the malevolent dark side energies that saturated this land they called home. 'Never thought I would find a Korriban so far away from, well, Korriban.'

"So, this is the river that will bring us to the home of the dragon lords of old, hm? Guess I was expecting something more…grand. Maybe some dragon statues on the sides of the river or at the very least sphinxes. Apparently, the old dragon lords loved those creatures almost as much as dragons."

"The Valyrians of old were indeed ostentatious, Prince Oberyn," Nox countered, not bothering to turn towards the Dornish Prince that'd saddled up next to him beside the railing of the Sea Wolf while the crew worked on lowering the half dozen lifeboats down into the water. "But, in the end, time is the master of all. No empire, nor structure, lasts forever. The flux and change of life will not allow it to be so."

Beside him, the cocky Prince scoffed good naturedly. "It is far too early in the morning for philosophy, sorcerer."

"Perhaps if your paramour hadn't kept yourself, and over half of ship for that matter, awake last night, it wouldn't be too early for philosophy, Prince Oberyn," Nox shot back, his concentration still mostly on the river leading inland.

"Ah, but what a night it was," Oberyn chuckled. "So, tell me, true sorcerer. Do you really think we will make it to Valyria and back with so few? Thousands have tried for hundreds of years. And none have succeeded. The only one that is known to have made it to Valyria and back was Princess Aerea Targaryen. And the only reasons she succeeded was because she rode abreast Balerion. Though, given her fate upon returning to Westeros, saying she succeeded in finding Valyria was not a cause for joy."

"We will," Nox stated, pushing away from the railing. "Thousands have tried for hundreds of years to discover the lost knowledge and riches of Valyria. And all have failed. But we will succeed because we have something those in the past didn't: Jon and I. Gather what supplies you need, Prince Oberyn. We leave as soon as the boats are loaded."