Wolf of Númenor

Chapter 6: A lovely party

Tonight's feast was in full swing; lords were drinking and talking, music was playing, and everyone seemed to be having a good time, especially the king. Jon's father was sitting right next to the king as he did the night before, and he put on a smile, but she could see he was not genuine. She had heard tales of Lord Eddard Stark and what kind of a man he was; he was similar to Jon but more serious, which he had to be considering his new position and everything the poor man went through during his early life. She truly felt pity for Jon's father; he had lost his father, brother, and sister during that war, not something that any man should experience. Comparing Jon with his father, there were apparent similarities in looks and personality-wise; both had dark grey eyes, long face, dark brown hair, both seemed to be fair and extremely honourable, even more so than the lords of the Reach or the Vale.

The queen seemed to be unamused, just like the last time, and the prince too. She looked at the two Stark girls sitting next to their father; during the short time she spent with Jon's sisters, she noticed that they were complete opposites of each other. The older one was more ladylike and more than a bit naive to the world's true ways, while the younger one was wilder and more like Jon in some respects; she liked them both. As she turned her gaze from the high table to look around once more, she noticed several more lords from the Stormlands, Riverlands, and even the North had arrived. The number of Northerners was small, but they had their table, and they looked like they were having a good time. The people around their table were the same as yesterday, with only new faces being Lords Sloane and Orme.

As she continued to look around, she also noticed several noble ladies looking in their direction, more specifically at Jon. She knew that look well, and she found it a bit amusing that they thought they had a chance at getting him. She turned her gaze towards Jon and her brother. Jon and Loras were their typical selves going around and talking and having fun with everyone they could, from people at their table to the Stormlanders. They were sitting at their table when Jon looked over Loras and stared behind him for a long moment.

"What is so interesting that you are looking?" asked Loras.

"The people at that table over there and Northmen," replied Jon. She and Loras turned to look at the table, there weren't many of them, but they sure knew how to get people's attention; they were almost as loud as the music.

"You know them?" she asked.

"Aye, I do," answered Jon. "The man over there is Torrhen Karstark, second son of Lord Rickard Karstark, the man next to him is Halys Hornwood, the man sitting at the end is Leobald Tallhart. The large man is Smalljon Umber, and the woman next to him is Dacey Mormont."

"Smalljon? That man looks like he is a giant," said Garlan.

"The Umbers are like that; they have giants blood flowing through their veins."

"Giants are nothing more than a myth," said Loras.

"And what do you know about the North and what's beyond the wall?" asked Jon raising an eyebrow at him.

"I know what's real and what is not; the Umbers are big, so what?"

"You won't be saying that once he hits you in the head," said Jon.

"So, the woman is lady Dacey Mormont?" she asked.

"Aye, I remember her and her mother coming to Winterfell when I was a boy; she was always nice to me," Jon said with a smile. "She will probably be fighting in the tourney."

"A woman fighting in a tourney?" asked Loras surprised.

"Yes, so what about it?" asked Jon.

"A tourney is no place for a lady."