Chapter 69: The Shadowtower
(Aerion's POV)
"I..." Willam said, "I don't understand, what do you mean the Dead killed Waymar?"
As we rode on our horses, approaching the Shadowtower, I looked up to see Vermithor flying above us in a circle, letting out a roar. The entire ride here, I noticed that he was feeling rather uneasy. I wonder how he'll take it if I got beyond north without him, hopefully he doesn't freak out.
Behind the Shadowtower, was the Wall, a 700-foot structure of pure ice. It's one of the most marvelous things I have ever laid eyes upon. And trust me, I've seen pretty marvelous things back at home. [a/n: ;) hehe]
"That's what they claim." I said as we approached the massive tower, "Apparently one of Waymar's men died and he rose from the dead, attacking him and killed him."
"That's impossible!" He said, "How is this even supposed to be taken seriously!? A cruel joke!"
"Look above you, Willam." I said, "Tell me what you see?"
"V-Vermithor...." He said
"A dragon." I told him, "A dragon that is bound to me due to my Targaryen blood. Is it so hard to believe that the dead can rise? I find it hard to believe as well, Uncle, but it's not out of the realm of possibility."
As we approached the gate to the Shadowtower, I felt Vermithor landing as he let out a roar.
Our horses shifted in unease as the Bronze Grouch walked towards us and snorted loudly.
"Vermithos, Lykiri." I commanded, "You are to stay here, do you understand?"
He lifted his head up in the air, opening his maw and growling deeply. It's as if he did not agree with whatever choice I was going to make.
"I have to go North. If you want to take me there yourself, that's even better." I said pointing at the massive wall of ice, "Do you want to? Go on, let's fly over the Wall."
He rumbled, lowering his head as he snorted. He backed up a bit, refusing the order. I was already aware that this would happen. Vermithor had been uneasy the closer we got the Wall and it made a bit of sense, King Jaehaerys had taken him to Castle Black back in his younger days and well, he was not willing to cross the Wall. How could any of this be any different?
As the Gates of the entrance opened, I saw that Vermithor turned around, laying down in the snow. I had made sure he had gorged prior to coming here, so I knew he wouldn't starve. It's staying warm that I worry about, but Vermithor didn't seem fazed by the cold.
"Here we go." Willam said as I turned to face the gates
I saw a man in all black, standing on the other side of the gate. He had dark brown hair and seemed to be quite tall and somewhat thin. He had a few scars on his face, his dark eyes looking at us.
"My Lord." He said as Willam and I approached on our horses, "Ser."
I nodded, "And you are?"
"I am Ranger Jorah." He said, "I am to guide you beyond the wall."
"Thank you for having us." I said as we dismounted our horses, "Is there men here? To oversee my Dragon?"
He nodded nervously as he looked at Vermithor that was far behind us, "Yes, there will be some." He said, "Lately, Shadowtower has been low on men, but we're fixing that issue. But some men will stay and oversee things. My worry is if the dragon won't....well, you know, do anything."
"Vermithor will probably slumber." I said as I looked back at him, "He's well-fed, so he won't cause a problem. Now if some Wildlings slip past and bother him, I suggest you stay out of the way, it won't be pretty. Other than that, there will be no issue. Just don't disturb his slumber."
"Very well." he said, "Please, come inside, it's quite warm by the hearth."
"Of course." Willam said as Jorah began to walk away
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"I received word from what happened outside these walls." Jorah said as we sat next to the hearth, "It's quite....well, unsettling."
I nodded, "From what Lord Stark tells me, this is quite the norm." I said
"Beyond the Wall, yes." He said seriously, "Not on this side."
"So it's true?" Willam asked, "The dead really rose and attacked my kin?"
Jorah nodded, "That's what they say. And I believe it." He said, "Before burning the bodies, Ser Waymar's face was mutilated by what seemed by the claws of the dead....it's really unsettling. I didn't think Wights would appear south of the Wall..."
"Wights?" I asked
He looked at me with a serious and grim face, "My Lord, Ser....." He said, "I've been in the Night's Watch since I was a boy, younger than 10. I started as a steward and worked my way up to a Ranger, the position I am in right now. I've been on several expeditions in my lifetime, the Night's Watch is the only life I've known. What's beyond this massive structure of Ice is much more than wild wolves, bears, and savages...there's another world out there...a much colder and darker world...."
"And Wights.....they're part of this world?" I asked as I leaned towards
"Wights are the dead arisen, transformed, and controlled by the powers that brought them back." He said, "Yes, a Wight killed your kin...but what unsettles us is the reason that a Wight was born...that could only mean one thing...they're close.....nearer than we'd imagine...."
"Who are they?" Willam asked
Jorah had sweat roll down his forehead as he looked at the fire, "I've not seen one since my first expedition." He said, "The memory still haunts me. It was in the ridge...near the Fist of The First Men....it held a spear made out of pure Ice. It had white hair, as white as the snow and nearly clear... its eyes were blue...bluer than any blue I've ever seen in a flower, painting, or any other object that has blue in it....."
I understood the sudden change in his mood. This was him reliving a traumatic memory of his past. I have seen this with veterans of battle, they suddenly speak about the moment that fundamentally changed them. Ser Gerold often did this to me about the fierce battle he and a few others had with the Mountain Clans back when he was a boy, younger than I am right now.
"Jorah." Willam said, "Can I ask you something?"
He broke out of his train of thought, "Y-Yea?"
"Why was Waymar and his men all the way out here? It doesn't make any sense." He said, "Traveling this far up north would've taken too long. I figured they would still be near Whiteharbour and such."
"I....I don't know." He said, "I don't know how they got up here so quickly. But.....the reason they chased the criminals up here may have something to do with why Lord Bolton's men were involved in the Long Lake."
"Hm..." I said as I looked at Willam, "Do you know who the person that was killed was?"
He shrugged, "N-Not really." I said, "But all I know is that Waymar was adamant about it."
"Was Waymar involved with things that you found.....strange, Willam?" I asked him
Willam looked away, "Hm...." He said, "Maybe....I don't know. He's been in Gulltown an awful lot of time."
"How can you not know?" I asked
"You know how Waymar was." He said, "He's always been in his own world, even when we went hunting, he would often trail off on his own."
I looked at Jorah, "Why were Bolton men involved in the Long Lake?" I asked him, "Something is not adding up...."
"I don't know." Jorah said, "No offense, My Lord, but you'll have to ask the criminals that they were chasing."
"If Waymar was adamant about chasing them all the way up here, Willam, then I can only assume it was personal." I told my uncle, "But what truly happened? We'll need answers from the criminals themselves."
"If they're still alive...." Willam said
"They could be....they could not..." Jorah said, "You are in luck. I have just come back from a quick scouting patrol this morrow. I followed their trail to Skirling Pass, at least one of them was injured. I figured I should return and wait for you two before we venture to that area. There's Wildlings, Giants, and Direwolves that could be in the area."
"Giants?" I said with a raised eyebrow, "They exist?"
He chuckled, "Oh yea." He said, "I figure it won't be hard for you to believe, My Lord."
"Hm." I said as I looked at Willam
"Trust me when I say this, Giants may be an issue for us Brothers of The Night's Watch." Jorah said with a chuckle,
"But we rather fight a Giant than a fucking Dragon."
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