Chương 18: Bear Island
A moon later it was the seventh moon of 284, and a ship was traveling North from Naath, taking stops in The Arbor, Lannisport, Seagard, and finally approaching Bear Island, the seat of House Mormont. Sirius reminisced on the longest sea voyage he took in both lives and he looked forward to being on land again. He had no complaints though, as being together on a small ship made him and Missandei much closer. He called her Mesy and she called him Siri.
Missandei was deeply charmed by his handsome face and his strong athletic features, she did not mind his hulking figure as this somehow gave her a sense of safety in this wartorn world. Although one can't say she fell in love with Sirius, she at least accepted him now as part of her life, like a close friend who happens to love her.
They stood together watching the sun setting into the sea as the island was getting bigger and bigger in their eyes.
Sirius ordered the sellsails he hired, "We spend the night here and dock into the island in the morning." He turned around looking into her shining golden eyes and started filling her in.
"Mesy, here is the town island where House Mormont resides. They are a poor house, but they are deeply loyal and they have some of the best northern men and women. Here on this island, a young girl would not be given toys to play with, but a morningstar instead to learn how to crush skulls with."
Sirius continued, "Legend has it that King Rodrik Stark won Bear Island from the ironborn in a wrestling match, and gave it to the Mormonts. Ironborn would often raid the island while the men were out fishing the seas; as a result, the women soon developed a warrior culture much like that found on the Iron Islands themselves." Sirius summarized the history of this house and briefed her of their current members. They had, potatoes with grilled fish and crabs then they slept near the shore.
When the sun was the highest in the sky, a relatively small ship docked, it was quite large and eye-catching for this dock that usually had small boats and fishing boats only. From the ship alighted a towering man with shiny white hair with a huge stick covered in cloth roped to his back, an obvious bulge under his cloak due to a sword and some luggage. Next to the man, stood a petite young girl wit dark skin and golden eyes. Their slightly larger ship along with their unusual and foreign looks made the crowd of fishers, peddlers, and traders murmur amongst themselves in wonder.
Sirius ignored them, left with Missandei until they found a small inn to stay in. He paid for a moon of their stay and meals. He did not plan to stay that long, yet Missandei suggested they explore the island and he just could not deny her imploring golden eyes.
They stayed a couple of weeks with no harassment and everyone just ignored the two lonely foreigners who seemed to be leaving soon, especially since everyone was wary of the innkeeper who threatened everyone not to bother the best paying traveler he had for the year. Missandei felt closer to Sirius as he traveled through the island with her, they ran through the woods, hunted bears, he trained her in archery every day in the woods.
They had their fun to no end, she even started to sleep with him on the same bed. Nothing sexual would happen as she was still approaching 11 namedays. Sirius had no problems as his growth spurt due to his phasing was still going on and his physical body now was 20 years old although he was born 11 years ago. This will keep on till his body reaches the full maturity which is around 25 years, after that he will stay the same as long as he keeps phasing. Immortality is one aspect that he greatly appreciates in this world.
Sirius who abhorred the idea of sleeping with a young girl grew comfortable with it later due to his imprinting. He forgot that until the girl is a grownup the imprinting of the shapeshifters works differently. His imprinting makes him act like a guardian or older brother until she comes of age and matures as a woman, then these feelings turn into romantic ones. So Sirius accepted it and slept in comfort and warmth for a long time as he hugged her frail little body as they slept innocently like the little children they are.
He woke up early and could not move due to Missandeiclinging to his arm so he stayed still lest he wakes her up. Sirius started contemplating the final touches of his plan to subdue Ned Stark. That part of the plan was the most clear-cut and direct part. What comes after Ned Stark's submission is the hard part.
He needs to erase every trace of himself and make Ned Stark the figurehead to everything. He can not risk a clash with Robert at this point. Despite his future absolute control over Ned Stark, he doesn't wish to overuse the Alpha Voice as the accumulated resentment over its many uses might be dangerous at certain times.
He can stay there as a permanent sellsword in Winterfell. Officially at least, after pledging loyalty to Lord Stark, Geralt will go back to Essos to get his sworn brothers of one hundred men and come back to stay at Winterfell with his men. He will only be back in 289 just before the Greyjoy rebellion. This battle will give him the headstart needed for Geralt to spread his roots in the North and start effectively controlling the North through Ned Stark.
This plan allows Sirius to stay at Essos for the coming four years to live through the most crucial years of Kisara's childhood and early training. He can afford to leave her now under the care of his siblings guarded by a hundred fully armored Unsullied who do not allow anyone except for Sirius or his siblings. This can work for a few moons when she is too young and her memory is not developed yet.He needs to accompany her for the rest of the
time though to cement his presence as her father in her mind from an early age.
In these four years, he will finish all his plans for Essos until the canon time begins. Sirius plans to spread his influence more in the Dothraki through Khal Drogo and use more of the Dothraki Sea which is the best grazing place for all kinds of cattle, sheep, and horses. He will build husbandries to feed all of his lands enough meat and to mount as many soldiers as he needs. Also, Sirius will need to triple his naval power to spread his influence and trade over to the Narrow Sea and control the immensely rich Summer Islands.
All the eastern plans will need to be wrapped up before the Greyjoy Rebellion as after it Geralt will have to stay in the North till Jon Arryn dies. His train of thoughts was cut off as he felt movement under his arms.
He found Missandei with tussled unkempt curly hair and mischievous golden eyes peering at him as she pecked his cheek. "Good morning Siri"
"Good morning dear Mesy, did you sleep well"
Missandei yawned lazily while replying "Yes I slept well. but I feel like I could stay a while longer."
He pinched her nose "You lazy cat, wash up and let's go to the shore I will cook you some fresh fish from the docks. You love my grilled fish"
"Great, I am sick of the aurochs meat they keep serving in this inn," Missandei replied maturely as she tried to hide her excitement at spending time with Sirius at the beach. They tried it once while sailing and went into the water and although the sea was freezing cold she could stay comfortable warm by clinging to the back of Sirius who felt like a warm hearth burning in the water. He was so warm that she felt she was swimming in the waters of the Summer Sea back home in Naath.
They spent the morning swimming and ate a hearty feast on the shore with a stew of clams, crabs, and mussels along with grilled fish laced with butter. They feasted to no end and the smell of their fire gathered some onlookers who left hurriedly after noticing it is the foreigners' fire.
After feasting they took a short nap by the breezy wind on the shore and just drifted through sleep. Sirius' ears twitched as he heard screaming noises and sounds of metals clashing from faraway with his enhanced hearing. He woke up and looked closer and he saw a league away two ironborn ships with men landing on the docks from the second ship, while the first ship's men are already massacring the workers and traders at the docks. Sirius moved swiftly to the inn through the convoluted woods, secured the room with Missandei inside, grabbed his glaive, and left the inn through a high window, after fortifying its door.
He landed stably and moved hurriedly to the loud sounds at the market as the ironborn invaded through the docks. He saw various men and women with a bear sigil fighting the overwhelmingly numerous ironborn. He ripped the cloth around Black Reaper, raised it high, and joined the fray.
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