Chapter 17 5 страница

The sorcerer's head tilted to the side. The cloth covering his eyes making it impossible for the bard to even guess what the man was thinking. " Leaving? In the middle of the night during the timing of the guard's rotation? If I didn't know better, I would say that you didn't want anyone to make a fuss over your leaving, bard. "

" That is exactly it, my Lord, " the bard said, eyeing the gate and keeping a firm hold on his dagger, though he doubted it would do any good should the sorcerer press the matter. " I'm not used to such attention from Lords and Ladies but—"

" Not used to such attention. Yet, you are a bard, and a good one at that. Surely, Lords and Ladies from across the realm pay you good coin and fawn over your abilities. Yet, you say you are not used to their attention? " The sorcerer chuckled, taking a step forward, which prompted the bard to take his own step back to try and keep the distance between the two of them. " I do enjoy these games, bard. But recent events have soured my mood. So, let us drop this little charade, Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall. "

Mance acted without thinking, drawing his dagger and letting it fly from his fingers in the same movement the moment he was named. But, true to his first thoughts, the dagger never reached its target. Instead, it just…stopped. Hanging in the air between the two of them. A fact that Mance realized he shared with the dagger as he found his body unable to move as some sort of invisible force seemed to press upon him from all sides. Not enough to hurt, but certainly enough to keep him from moving even a single muscle.

" Now that wasn't very nice, " the sorcerer sighed, walking forward and plucking the dagger out of the air. " Is this what is considered a proper greeting north of the Wall? If so, then I can understand how your people have earned such a bad reputation. "

Mance eyed the dagger warily or, more accurately, the one now wielding the dagger. " Is this where you kill me, sorcerer? "

If anything, the sorcerer looked offended by the question. " Why do people always assume that I'm going to kill them in situations like this? " The man sighed. " While I have no qualms on killing, or a lot of things to be honest, I am not a wasteful man, Mance. And you? You are far more valuable alive than you are dead. So, we can either have a quick chat and you can be on your way. Or you can try and fight me again, in which case I'll fold you in half, shove your head up your ass, and leave you to suffocate to death. Your choice. "

Mance felt whatever holding him disappear as his earlier motion now caused him to take a now involuntary half step towards the sorcerer, who was holding his valyrian steel dagger hilt first towards him. " Not much of an option, sorcerer, " Mance sighed, taking the offered dagger and sliding it back into its sheath.

" True, though you would be amazed at the number of idiots who don't see it that way. Now, come, let us walk and talk, " the sorcerer said, nodding towards the Hunter's Gate and setting a slow pace towards Mance's freedom.

The unease Mance felt upon first being caught by the sorcerer did not lessen in the slightest, even as his way of escape drew closer and closer. " So, what is it that the famed Northern Sorcerer wishes to speak with me about? "

" The Others. The White Walkers and their army of the dead. " The sorcerer said, not hesitating in the slightest. " That is why you are working so hard to gather the tribes of the Wildlings, or Free Folk, together is it not? Don't bother saying it's not. Osha has already confirmed that aspect of your motivation for us. And before you ask, no, she did not betray you. I'd be surprised honestly if she even recognized you. But I've known about your presence here since the moment you stepped foot into Winterfell. "

Mance had nearly missed a step at the start of the sorcerer's speech. " You're not one to beat around the bush, are you, sorcerer? "

" Don't let this conversation fool you, Mance. I can talk in circles around anyone and probably convince half the population the sky is green instead of blue if I truly wanted to. But such conversations have their time and place, and this is neither. Now, what do you know of the White Walkers and their army? Any texts that Winterfell has on them can be considered mere conjecture at best. "

Frowning, Mance slowed his pace as they reached the Hunter's Gate. " In truth, I know very little about the White Walkers, and even less of their motives. I only know the stories I've heard and the results of their presence after they've long left. They bring the cold. A biting cold that can make even the worst winter storm seem like a warm breeze in comparison. They kill everything yet leave no bodies behind. Instead, they turn those they kill and add them to their ranks of dead that march beside them. "

" And have you seen them raising the dead before? " The sorcerer pressed.

" No, I have not. And nor have any others. The White Walkers are…efficient. They leave no witnesses behind to tell the tale of their presence. The only clue as to where they've been are the empty settlements with nothing missing besides the people who called it home. But I have seen them before. Near the lands of Always Winter. I saw their army of the dead, stretching out farther than the eye could see. As soon as a I saw them, I knew that I had to get my people south of the Wall. It is said that there is ancient magic within the Wall that can keep the dead from crossing into the south. I'm not gathering the Free Folk and looking to raid the south Sorcerer. I'm gathering my people and running with my tail tucked firmly between my legs to hide behind the Wall and weather the storm that is coming. "

Mance wasn't entirely sure if the sorcerer believed him or not. But at the very least, he seemed to be considering his words. By his own admission to the Northern Lords, the sorcerer truly did believe in the White Walkers, though why and how Mance wasn't sure. But he supposed that didn't matter. All that mattered was that perhaps the most powerful being besides the King south of the Wall believed in the White Walkers. And, more importantly, he had the ear of the Warden of the North, the primary obstacle to the Free Folk crossing the Wall because, in all honestly, Mance knew full well that his former Black brothers would not be able to stop all of the Free Folk from crossing the Wall should they actually try.

" You know of Stark's plan to go North and treat with you, " Nox said, breaking the silence between the two of them. " While he trusts my word about the White Walkers, without actually seeing them, he cannot just open the Wall for your people. In fact, even if you did provide proof, Stark cannot and will not allow the Free Folk south in mass unless the Others are right on your heels. There is simply too much bad history between your people and the North. "

" Then what is the point of coming to the True North and treating with my people and myself if not to open the Wall? " Mance asked, wondering just where this conversation was going.

" First, to start trying to build some form of communication between our people. And second, Stark was adamant that he would not be allowing any Wildlings south of the Wall. However, he said nothing about those who are sworn to House Stark and the North. "

The sorcerer's meaning was not lost to Mance. " The Free Folk do not kneel. "

The sorcerer sighed and shook his head. " Such a narrow view of things. Tell me, Mance, the Free Folk have declared you their king after you earned the right to lead them, no? They follow you and take your orders, yet you also must appease them at times to keep their loyalty. And then there are the Thenns who, by what I've heard, have a system of nobility all their own that mirrors the noble Houses south of the Wall. Your people have their own laws that they follow and punishments in place for those who break them. So, tell me, Mance, outside of the fact that your people do not physically go to a knee to show respect and reverence for their leaders, what is the difference between those north of the Wall and those south of the Wall? "

Mance didn't want to admit it, but the man had a point. It was one that he had noticed himself some time ago. And, in truth, the Free Folk did not entirely hate the Northerners as much as the Northerners hated the Free Folk in any case. The Free Folk saved their hatred primarily for the Crows. But that didn't mean his people would willing sit down and feast with the Northerners with ease. " Regardless, my people will not bend the knee to Stark. "

" Not all of them, no. But ask yourself this question, Mance, what is more important? Your people's pride or your lives? " Nox asked, making Mance more than slightly uncomfortable. " There is without a doubt many who would simply not be able to adjust to life south of the Wall. But there are over a hundred thousand of your people stretched across dozens, perhaps hundreds of clans. Can you truly say that there are not at least a few clans that would take the offer and swear allegiance to House Stark in return for safe passage south of the Wall and land of their own? "

It was a fair question. And as he thought about it, he was sure that he could perhaps one or two clan leaders who would swallow their pride and swear themselves to Stark if it meant being allowed to live safely south of the wall. The problem was the moment he advocated for such actions there were those who sought his position that would act. Harma Dogshead, the Lord of Bones, the Weeper, and Alfyn Crowkiller being chief amongst those who would be looking to usurp him of his position. The Thenns might be interested, but they had no want of anything south of the Wall and preferred their home in the Valley of the Thenn. But, perhaps, at the very least, an arrangement could be made between the largest group of Free Folk and the Northern Lords.

" I suppose that the reason you are letting me go is to use my position amongst the Free Folk to push a few of the more lenient clan leaders to take Stark's offer when he comes North to treat with us. " Mance stated rather than asked.

" Yes, " Nox nodded. " All it takes is one or two to take the offer and the others amongst your people will start to see the benefit and become more open to the idea of coming south and swearing their loyalty. "

" Perhaps, " Mance nodded, seeing the logic. " However, this will cause a break amongst the Free Folk. It's taken me near twenty years to get the tribes North of the Wall united. There are as many cultural differences and grievances north of the Wall as there are south. And several differing tongues. As it is, my position as King-Beyond-the-Wall is hanging on by a thread. If I advocate for the Free Folk to swear allegiance to the wolves, there are those who will see it as a betrayal and will not hesitate to break off and go back to the way things were as warring tribes. "

The sorcerer didn't seem in the least bit perturbed with the idea. " You're at a crossroads, Mance. You can either try and save most of your people here and now, which will cause those who wouldn't be able to live south of the Wall to break away from you. Or you can stay as a whole, stay north of the Wall, and then pray to your gods that you can keep two steps ahead of the Others as they begin hunting your people down. The choice is yours and your peoples. Your 'freedom' or your lives. "

" Fuck, " Mance sighed, shaking his head and taking a few steps away from the sorcerer. " You're not making this easy, sorcerer. "

" Times like these are never easy, Mance, " the sorcerer replied with a shrug.

" Aye, that is for sure, " Mance nodded as the sorcerer's words went through his mind. 'Save as many as I can, or force my people to take their chances against the Others. ' " Alright, sorcerer…You and Stark ain't leaving me much choice. I'll ready my people for talks with the wolves. And I get a chief or two ready to accept Starks offer. I just hope you realize this will more than likely lead to war amongst my people. "

" Hold up your end of this ploy, Mance, and I will use my power to aid you and yours if and when the time comes, " the sorcerer stated with a note of finality.

" I'll hold ya to that, sorcerer, " Mance nodded, knowing that there was no backing out now as he held out his hand. " May your gods be with ya, sorcerer. "

The sorcerer nodded and took hold of Mance's arm. " And may the Force be with you, King-Beyond-the-Wall. "

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