Bab 59: Prelude to War
PJO World
The Winter Realm, The Winter Fort
The Dragon Necropolis
The sound of battle coming from Albion's cavern echoes throughout the necropolis, drowning out all other sounds within The Winter Fort and alerting those above. The commanders have long been warned of this however and as such were prepared to calm their subordinates.
In the brief chaos however Jennifer was able to track Aemon down to the necropolis where he awaits the outcome, his hands gripping the pommel with such tightness that it squeaks and strains under the pressure.
"You'll break it if you continue that." says Shepard as she steps into view.
"Jennifer." greets Aemon with a nod of his head as he forces his hands away from his sword.
"Do you feel what he feels?" asks Jennifer.
"To some extent. His mind is open to mine just as my own is open to his." explains Aemon.
"Hmmm." hums Jennifer with a nod.
"You have questions." he says "Or rather Anakin has questions and you feel it would be best if they came from you." Aemon remarks as he turns to where Anakin stands in the shadows.
"It's unlike you." Aemon adds.
"What? To have questions?" asks Anakin with a raised eyebrow.
"To foster your doubts and worries to someone else." Aemon answers.
"Well, maybe I'm just learning to be considerate." Anakin says with a shrug.
"Doubtful." replies Aemon before turning to Jennifer. "Well? Out with it." he says, causing Jennifer to sigh.
"Is war really the right answer?" she asks. "Can't you do some politicking and fix this problem?"
"And this is why you will always remain a soldier." Aemon says. "Politics and war are not separate from one another. In fact, politics is merely the prelude to war. And when the politics in question involve the Unseelie Court then politics and war are one and the same. My subjects are neither human nor mundane, stop applying mundane human logic to them."
"But you're a human, or at least were until a few months ago." retorts Anakin.
"Keyword; was. I am a fae now and like all fae I feel more than any human comprehends." Aemon says. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to continue treating humans the same as before, to not take the smallest thing as a slight or offense, or to let a perceived insult go and not curse the offender into a life of impotence at best?" questions Aemon, causing Anakin and Jennifer to frown.
"I shall treat humans as their culture dictates for it would not do for me to curse some ignorant human for reasons unknown to him; however, when it comes to my subjects or any member of the supernatural world they shall face the full brunt of my wrath."
Jennifer and Anakin fall silent as they process Aemon's words, the roar of dragons and the sound of battle the only thing keeping the necropolis from being engulfed in silence.
"Fine, but that doesn't mean I like it." says Anakin finally.
"I care not whether you like it or not." sneers Aemon before taking a deep breath. "Now, let us turn our attention to your troubles. What plans have you concocted to win your war and defeat the Sith?" asks Aemon.
Rather than answering Aemon immediately, Anakin nervously turns his eyes towards Jennifer as if asking for help; only for her to shrug before urging him on.
"Well?" asks Aemon with a raised eyebrow.
"Nothing." says Anakin. "I don't have a plan, ok?" he says.
"I mean, how can I come up with a plan when I can't even trust anyone. According to Simon I become disillusioned with the Jedi council, the chancellor who I taught was a friend is actually the Sith behind it all, and to make matters worse Obi-Wan, my master, my mentor, my brother in all but blood sides against and leaves me for dead after cutting my legs off!" rants Anakin, his eyes briefly gaining a yellow tint to them.
For a moment Aemon says nothing, rather observing Anakin with an incredulous stare.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding here." begins Aemon as he approaches, causing Jennifer to tense up.
"You seem to be under the impression that all save but you were in the wrong, but that cannot be further from the truth." Aemon says with a sneer
"From what I have gleaned of Simon's tale, while the Jedi Council certainly had a hand in your disillusionment you were the one who made the decision to betray your comrades resulting in the death of thousands of your fellow allies, your crippling at the hands of Obi-Wan, and the death of your wife. You, of sound mind and body, made that decision; so stop whining like a boy and start acting like a man." lectures Aemon as he puts his face mere inches from Anakin, allowing him to see Anakin's eyes as they slowly turn from their usual brown to a light yellow.
Before Anakin can do anything an explosive round flies above his and Aemon's head.
"Enough." commands Shepard as she holsters her gun. "Take five steps back the both of you and take a deep breath."
For a moment it seems that neither would listen, but eventually Aemon happily obliges with a grin on his face.
"What's so funny?" demands Anakin.
"You have more self-control than I anticipated, it seems that there is hope for you yet." Aemon says.
"What are you talking about?" asks Jennifer.
"This is the Feywilds, the realm between realms and the birthplace of all fey. Here, the emotions you feel are unrestrained, heightened, and primal. I and the other fey remain unaffected for this is our home and our emotions are always felt on a more primal level, the same can be said for Simon. Percy has not had a reaction yet for nothing has agitated him, however, I theorize that he too should remain mostly unaffected due to his familiarity with the Mist. Meanwhile, Jennifer is a highly trained soldier and amongst the best of her kind, she is disciplined and possesses enough self-control that I wager would place many of your so-called Jedi to shame." Aemon says
"You, however, despite your Jedi training fundamentally lack the self-control necessary to feel your emotions without acting upon them; or so I thought." Aemon added with a tilt of his head.
"So what, you pissed me off to see how much it would take for me to become a Sith?" asks Anakin.
"Yes and no." says Jennifer, drawing their attention to her. "While he definitely said all that to piss you off, he wasn't lying to you, Anakin. It was your decision to ally with Palpatine that caused a lot of your tragedy."
"So what? I was supposed to let Padme die?" questions Anakin as straightens his back.
"Anakin, that dream was a possible future at best or a self-fulfilling prophecy at worst." replies Jennifer. "Padme had a bigger chance of surviving if you didn't side with Palpatine, especially since the Dark Side is geared towards healing, at least not without sacrifices."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" asks Anakin.
"Nothing, because it will not come to that." says Aemon as he pats Anakin on the arm.
Before Anakin can reply, Alflyse melts out of the shadows of the necropolis with a book in hand.
Taking the book from her, Aemon briefly skims its contents before a smirk grows on his face.
"Come, it is time to win this war before it even begins." Aemon says as he walks out of the necropolis.
…
…
…
Westeros, Beyond the Wall
106 AC
Beyond the Wall, the northernmost area of Westeros, the lands north of the Wall. The lands beyond the Wall are primarily wild, untamed and uncharted. The climate is harsh and bitter, especially in the far north in the Lands of Always Winter. The region immediately north of the Wall includes the haunted forest, a vast taiga-forest which covers most of the area, extending from the Wall to the furthest lands of Thenn. While no true roads exist, numerous game trails, paths, and old streambeds, called "ranger roads", are used by the Night's Watch and free folk alike.
The people inhabiting the land refer to themselves as the "free folk", but are known by the people of the Seven Kingdoms as "wildlings". The lands beyond the Wall are bitterly cold year round, but many free folk reside from the furthest reaches of the haunted forest to the hidden valleys of the Frostfangs, including the valley of Thenn.
The Free folk are split into countless cultures, tribes, clans, villages, and raiding parties, some reasonably cultured, others savage and hostile. Normally the various Free Folk tribes would not care one for what happened to some tribe or village nowhere near their own; however recently news has been spreading through the lands Beyond the Wall of a tribe of outsiders conquering Free Folk villages, clans, and tribes all the while styling their leader King.
The Raven Clan, a clan of self-named vikings that are weaker, slower, and less durable than the average Free Folk yet were able to conquer many a tribe, clan, and village due to their powerful king and his brother.
Sigurd Styrbjörnsson, leader of the Raven Clan, is said to be a man of great stature. Standing at six and a half feet tall with brown hair shaved at the sides and a well groomed beard, he wears armor never before seen by the Free Folk and wields an ax in one hand while his other hand wields a two handed sword.
Unlike his subjects who have proven to be weaker, slower, and less durable than the Free Folk despite their skills at arms, Sigurd's physical prowess easily far outsrips even the greatest of warriors he has encountered thus far. His mere presence alone makes up for the shortcomings of his people.
Accompanying him is his brother, Eivor Wolf-Kissed. Whereas Sigurd can be said to stall amongst the tallest of men, Eivor can only be said to be average at around six feet tall.
However, many a clan chief met their end at his hands as opposed to his brother's. For while Sigurd is a behemoth that plows his way through warriors, Eivor is as cunning and agile as the wolf that is said to have left its mark on him.
Eivor is fast and agile, precisely slipping through the many gaps left by the opposing warriors with his twin axes, reaping lives as if he were an Other himself.
As with Sigurd, his physical prowess is said to easily outstrip the greatest of warriors. As such between he and his brother it is as if the weakness of the warriors of the Raven Clan never existed.
As such the two brothers venture throughout the lands beyond the Wall, conquering tribes, clans, and villages while slaying rival warriors in the name of the god, The Allfather Odin.
It is like this that Jaehaerys finds the lands between the Wall, in turmoil and in the middle of a war that spans the entirety of the territories beyond the Wall.
The chaos has spread so far that the Night Watch has stopped ranging beyond the Wall since the arrival of the Raven clan, preferring instead to man the Wall and prepare in case these two brothers should turn their eyes towards the Wall.
Ravens have been sent to Winterfell and King's Landing with these grave tidings, with Winterfell promising aid should it ever become necessary; King's Landing however has remained silent on the matter, not even a raven acknowledging the news has been sent in response.
Jaehaerys however, cares not for any of this yet for he has come beyond the Walls with one purpose and one purpose only in mind, to alleviate the wolf dreams that have been plaguing him since he set foot on Westeros' soil.
Author's Note: Here's the latest chapter. As usual, tell me what you guys think. If you want to support me or read ahead, you at my patreon: patreon.com/servantambrosius
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