Chapter 14 6 страница

" It is getting late, " Ned noted while motioning for Lady Talisa, who was obviously the reason why the three of them were there, to take a seat. " I am curious as to what is so urgent that it could not wait until morning. "

" I apologize for the hour, Lord Stark, " Talisa began, taking the offered seat and offering Ned a thick book that he could tell just from the lingering aura around it as one of the ones that'd been recovered from Valyria. " But I have been translating some of the tomes and scrolls that Lord Nox recovered from Valyria and – and I believe I have found something that concerns the North specifically. I've marked that pages that I believe you will be most interested in. "

Taking the offered book, Ned flipped through the pages until he reached whatever it was that Talisa had found. And it wasn't difficult to tell when he had. Ned's entire body froze up as confusion and fear warred within him. " This…" the Warden began as he took in whatever was on the page before him. " This is a detailed map of the North. An incredibly detailed map of the North. "

Getting up from his seat, Nox stepped up beside Ned enough to glance at the page through the Force just as Wyman came up to his other side to do the same. The map encompassed two whole pages within the book and was without a doubt the most detail-oriented map of the Northern region of Westeros that he had ever seen. And that included the maps that were housed within Winterfell's library as well. The only unusual markings on the map were several areas that were marked with red coloring. The largest of which seemed to belong within a small mountain range less than a day's ride from Winterfell.

'It's a survey map, ' Nox realized with a start. He'd seen quite a few during his time so it was easy to recognize it for what it was. The only question that remained was what exactly the Valyrians were surveying.

" Once I saw the map, I began translating as much of the passages relating to it as I could, " Talisa continued as the three men continued to stare at the map. " The Valyrians used some form of magic I believe called 'blood scrying' to locate a specific type of metal ore. "

" Metal ore? " Ned questioned, looking up from the map. " I recognize this mountain range. My ancestors have sent many crews to it to try and find anything of value, but they've always returned empty handed. "

" Perhaps they just didn't know what they were looking for, my Lord? " Talisa countered. " But regardless, according to the notes in the book, the Valyrians believed that the regions noted on the map contained a type of metal ore that, once smelted and properly formed, could rival their Valyrian steel. "

" A metal that could rival Valyrian steel?! " Wyman near shouted. " Is such a thing even possible?! "

While Nox kept his opinion to himself, his mind was racing. There were a few metals throughout the galaxy that could be considered on-par with Valyrian steel. But if one were to narrow those down to a true 'rival', then that considerably shortened the list. In fact, there was only one type of metal that he could think of off the top of his head that could be considered a rival to the steel the Valyrians had created. Beskar. 'If a vein of beskar truly exists on this planet…then it's value in the eyes of the Empire and the Republic would be such that both sides would organize to claim the world regardless of its current technological level. And that isn't to mention what the Mandalorian clans would do to get their hands on an untapped vein of beskar. That is if it even is beskar and not some other metal alloy. Which is possible. But even still, the chance to have pure beskar just sitting within reach… I'll need to work on a way to increase the potential of the blast furnaces. In its current condition, it wouldn't even be able to warm the beskar, let alone reach a temperature to properly form it. '

" What do you make of this, Nox? " Ned asked.

Scratching at his short-trimmed beard, Nox frowned as he mulled his response over in his head. " I am no expert on the Valyrians. But if there is one thing that I have learned about them it is that they were not necessarily a people to exaggerate about a potential advantage or threat. And that their magic was far more potent than I had originally theorized. They had a keen interest in the Starks and the North as a whole. The blood of the First Men and their potential magic was the primary reason for their interest, and we've confirmed that already. Perhaps this was a more…material reason why they were interested in the North. At the very least, I believe that it is worth checking out. "

" I agree, my Lord, " Wyman added. " If there is even the slightest chance that these writings could prove true, I believe that we should look into it. "

Nodding, Ned closed the book and handed it back to Talisa. " Thank you for this, Lady Talisa, " the Warden of the North said. " If it is not a bother, I would ask that you continue your work translating this book and help us in anyway you can. In return, I will grant you any boon that you ask of me. I owe you that much already for what you have done for my men today. "

" I am merely paying off my debt owed to both Lord Nox and your family, Lord Stark, " Talisa replied, taking the book back from Ned. " But as for a boon, if I may be so bold, the only thing I would ask of you would be to be given a chance to learn at this new college you and the sorcerer created and perhaps even teach. "

" Done, " Ned agreed almost immediately, drawing a light smile from the young woman who curtseyed before leaving the tent.

'She's fitting in nicely with the Northmen, ' Nox thought as he took note of the approving sensations coming from Ned and Wyman as they watched the woman leave. As well as the less-than-pure thoughts that were coming from Robb. 'Hmm, there is potential there. From what I can tell, the Starks have almost exclusively married into Northern families for Force only knows how long. It's amazing they haven't become as inbred as the Targaryens after all these years. Ned marrying Catelyn was good in terms of introducing a bit of diversity into their line. Robb's thoughts are already becoming centered around her. And Talisa at least finds him cute, bordering on handsome despite being a few years older than him. Perhaps a little push…but nothing invasive. Arranging circumstances so that the two of them work near each other shouldn't be too hard if she stays in Winterfell. I'll just have to keep her academically stimulated enough so that she doesn't want to leave. And then, I'll merely step back and let nature take its course. The main trick will be in helping Talisa prove her worth to the Lords of the North so that they don't throw a bitchfit over another foreign Lady Stark. '

" Do you think there really is a metal out there? I'm mean, here in the North that could rival Valyrian steel? " Robb asked, the excitement in his voice plan for all to hear.

" Possibly, " Nox shrugged. " But just finding the ore will be half the battle. The other half will be trying to figure out how to smelt and form it into something usable. "

" What do you mean? " Jon asked, his head titled slightly to the side. " Shouldn't we just be able to use the blast furnace to melt the metal down and the-"

" Oooooooowhooo! " The howl cut off Jon and froze all conversation as the five occupants of the tent all looked as one towards the tent flap.

" That was a wolf's howl. " Wyman commented, his face set in a heavy frown. " But wolves never come this close to such a large group. "

" Oooooowwwhhhoooo! " Reaching out through the Force, Nox was nearly knocked back a step at what he found.

" That is no ordinary wolf, " Ned stated, throwing open the tent flap and marching out into the night.

Following Ned out of the tent with Robb and Jon quickly behind him and Wyman lumbering to keep up, Nox followed the Warden of the North as he made his way through the camp towards its edge. The howling had not gone unnoticed by the rest of the camp, many of whom, still anxious after the fight with the Wildlings earlier that day, were holding whatever weapons or clubs they could get their hands on and looking around wildly trying to find the source of the howling. As they reached the edge of the camp line, they were met with Ser Jory and a handful of Stark men at arms.

" Lord Stark, " Jory said, his eyes scanning out over the dark landscape.

" Jory, " Ned replied, holding his hand out to stop everyone from following him. " Everyone put your weapons down. Now. No one make any sudden or unnecessary movements. "

Many of the Northmen looked quizzically at one another, but their loyalty to their Warden won through their confusion and they slowly lowered or sheathed their weapons. Once satisfied, Ned marched out several paces from the camp before kneeling on the ground. Nox wasn't sure which part of what happened next shocked him more. The fact that he could sense Ned reaching out through the Force for something or someone, or the fact that whatever he'd been reaching out for responded in a gentle probe of its own.

" By the Old Gods! " Jory gasped while the men of the North involuntarily took a step back as the creature that was making the noise stepped out of the darkness and into the light of the camp. " Is…Is that—? "

" A direwolf. " Nox answered the unfinished question before reaching up and slapping down the crossbow of the Stark man that had come up next to him. " Your Lord said to lower your weapons. Try that again, and I'll shove it so far up your ass that you'll be able to lose that bolt out of your mouth. "

Out in the field, Ned remained perfectly still as the pony-sized direwolf cautiously approached the line of humans. " That's the same wolf from near the Wildling camp! " Robb said excitedly, moving to join his father only to be stopped as Nox held out a hand in his path.

" Now is not the time to interfere, " Nox stated calmly, keeping Robb and Jon back as the direwolf came within a single pace of Ned before stopping.

No one in the camp said a word or even seemed to breathe as they all watched the Warden of the North hold out his hand towards the head of the direwolf. A head that was easily as large as a man's chest. The wolf inched its snot to within an inch of out of the outstretched palm and then…licked his hand.

" You Starks just keep managing to surprise me over and over again, " Nox said quietly to himself as he felt the feather light touch of a bond forming between the patriarch of the Stark family and the near horse-sized wolf standing before him. And then, as if that wasn't odd enough, a light yipping noise came from behind the wolf as six small wolf pups pranced out from around their mother to greet whoever she'd led them to. " Well, that certainly isn't something that you see every day. "

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