Carliene Stark

Part III - Winter's Reign - Prologue

Part III

WINTER'S REIGN

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Ned

I heaved my rough-spun linen sack onto the back of the sand-coloured horse. The shaggy gelding gave a snort and stepped aside shortly, his ears flicking back, making me fear he would throw his head around and bite me again. But he didn't, just lowered his head as if he were tired of me already. I new not to complain. I was lucky to have a mount at all, even though it was the last the stable at the Crossroads had to offer. It would still be better than walking, something I would have easily expected Lem and Mudge make me do.

I looked back at the inn. I truth I would have preferred to stay. To look after and protect the orphans. I mangled to make a few friends here and I considered to be far better people than my fellow brothers. Lem and Mudge thought differently of course. To them these children were just 'cold corpses come winter'. I was pretty sure they only stayed as long as they did because Lem enjoyed the free drink and to stick his hand up Jeyne Heddle's skirt. 

Now the drinks as running out and there was not enough left to be handed out for free and their remaining brothers had bigger ambitions. So I had to tare my gaze off the inn and pull myself into the saddle heavy-heartedly. I did not want to return. Protecting orphans had been somewhat honourable, even if just by name. But doing whatever Thoros of Myr and Horwin and Jack-be.lucky were doing... I could feel my stomach twist, just thinking about it. 

I had wanted to be a knight by now. But what happens to a squire when his master dies?

"Come now little Lord" Lem called with a wide grin when I did not catch up to the two men fast enough.

"That is not my name" I told them angrily when the gelding had walked up to their mounts. A grey plowhorse and a spotted mare.

The large man shrugged "Was you that keeps reminding us of yer title"

And what a mistake that was. I had bene tired of being ordered around and sent out on fools-errants. It was always Ned the boy, Ned who hasn't even made his first kill, Ned who will never be a man, Ned who has never even talked to a girl. Ned the noble. So one day I had had enough and reminded them that I wasn't just the laughing-stock of the group, to be pushed around and made fun of, but that I was the Lord and heir to Starfall. Since then they made fun of me for that and called me little Lord at every opportunity.

I should have left when I had the chance. How often had I though that way? But Starfall was all the way on the other side of a war-torn country. And as jack-be-lucky would put it: I had more chance of shitting gold like Tywin Lannister, than ever making it back alive and unharmed.

"You sad to leave?" Lem chuckled as the two of them rode ahead and I followed. "Had an orphan sweetheart did ya?"

"I did not!" I could feel my cheeks heat up. Not because I was lying but because the very thought made my heart race.

"Then what ya blushing for? Finally got yer pick wet?" the two men laughed amongst themselves for a while, once again at my expense and once again with me unable to join them. "What was the redhead's name again? I am sure she would have spread her legs wide if ya told her all about yer lordship and yer fancy castle. Only they don't do ya much good out here, do they?" the large man went on to tease. 

I could only glare at his yellow hood. I told myself that he was just jealous, because he knew he was just a sad old knight, long past his days of doing anything worth mentioning. But it made me no lass cross with him. 

"Lost ya tongue again boy? " he barked back at me, turning shortly. "Or does it not please his lordship to talk with the likes of us?"

It did not. I found myself avoiding it more and more these last few months. We were no longer dig good. No matter how much they repeated that we were doing the Lords work and that we were men of god. If it were true then it was a cruel god we served. Murdering and torturing with no sign of mercy. What kind of god would demand such barbarity?

"Ya should be glad to leave, if the tales are to be true, there are better days heading our way" Lem Lemoncloak sighed. "Riches and glory. Maybe ya finally get to make yer first kill, boy" 

Mudge turned to look at him. "Is it true we'll be leaving the Hollow Hill then?"

The large knight nodded. "Aye, I think so. There is an army marching north ya see. A big-un. With fruits from the reach and gold and silver that could fill our pouches nicely and offer us a good livin through this winter" he looked up at the grey sky.

I followed his gaze. The comet was covered again, a shame truly. It had interested me greatly and I had spent the last clear nights awake and staring up at the sky, wondering hat it could all mean. I never managed to figure that out, but I could have sworn that I daw a second streak just below the first before they hid behind the clouds.

"I wasn't much looking forward to spending the winter in that stuffy cave. But what does the mistress think?" Mudge pondered as he pulled his cloak closer. 

"Oh I think she is the most eager to leave. See there's redcloaks in the army. Thousands of them" he explained in a conspicuous tone.

Mudge gave a gasp. "You're joking" he exclaimed excitedly.

My eyes still travelled across the grey sky and a snowflake grazed my forehead. Maybe that was what the red comet meant: Lannister blood. 

Lem chuckled again. "Soon the trees will be hanging with ripe crimson fruits all the way from the Trident to Moat Cailin" he said excitedly. 

Mudge was more hesitant. "We've never went up against an army though. What if we are caught?" he pointed out. 

A fair point it was. The brotherhood was more skilled in fighting smaller travel parties and snatching sin gee targets form the road.

"Don't tell me yer afraid of redcloaks now, just because there's a bit more of them. We have the Lord on our side remember? And they will all go pissing their pants once they meet our mistress" 

It seemed that was all the encouragement Mudge needed as he laughed along with the knight. The he turned slightly on his mount, "What do you say boy? You're up fro killing Lannisters?" he urged.

My brows furrowed. "They are all going north. Why?" 

Lem shrugged. "Should it matter to us? The Lord has placed them in our path, should we question his motives?"

A dull thought from a dull man. Sometimes it surprised me that he even made it this far. Lord Beric would never have brushed this off so easily. 

"Isn't this the Targaryen army? I hear there are Tyrells, Brackens, Hightowers, Lannisters, Mootons and Targaryen savages from across the sea, all marching together. And all heading north" I recalled the rumours that the travellers in the Inn had been spreading the days prior. 

"Just means more treasures for us to steal, boy" the yellow knight insisted. Then he nudged the man next to him. "And I am certain the mistress would give her right arm and leg to get her hands on a real golden lion" he sounded almost like an excited child. 

Mudge leaned over slightly, speaking in a more hushed tone, yet still loud enough so that I could hear every word from a few feet behind them. "I've bene hearing something even more exciting. Something that might even soften that stone heart of hers. I hear there is a wolf in that army. 

A she-wolf, finally travelling home"

Off to Part III, I hope I get this down a little faster.. I've been trying a new system of planing and writing and I hope it will work out. 

Hope you enjoy.