α•ℓισи•ιи•ωιитєя

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor follows his gaze and murmurs," What do you do when someone you care about deeply is suddenly pulled into the vortex of hate and war... And you know... You just know... They shouldn't be in such a cruel world... What do you do? How do you save them an not yourself?"

[cardon131313]

     Stephen had to turn his face away, pretending to have seen something dash by, before he could speak again.
      -"That is a difficult question. When your own desires and what you consider as duty clash, you must choose what is more worthy. The world is cruel. And you cannot hide anyone from all of that cruelty. But you can try to prepare them for it."

[CrimsonMoon]

" But what if this person... Forget it," Hregor shakes his head and frowns suddenly," But... What would you do if a lannister fled up here?" He winces a bit at the question but there was no going back now

[cardon131313]

Stephen searched for a second, before anwering truthfully;
-"Sorry, Lannister rings a bell, but I don't remember what it refers to. Ask Kindrean about that tomorrow morning. He's the one who'se travelled throughout the country. Probably knows every crowned head in the Seven Kingdoms."
The towers of Castle Black loomed closer, and he thought more practically about the approaching future. When was his next patrol again?"

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor nods faintly and closes his eyes, not sure whether he was relieved or suspicious or what the hell to feel... He breathes in the crisp air and opens his eyes again," I will... Thanks, For everything," he forces a smile but it doesn't last long

-TIME . SKIP-

When Kindrean had left her alone and the door was closed, Ari dug through her satchel, finally finding what she was looking for. She waited until it was most likely early morning before She threw the ragged blanket over her head as she took out the tiny jar of green fire, turning it over in her hands," Shh..." She whispers, almost like crooning a child back to sleep

[cardon131313]

-"Rise and shine, beauties, rise and shine, here comes the wildling with a sharp knife and a clear conscience." The wake up call of the rather deranged steward of the Lord Commander. The one he used in worst case scenarios.
-"What's going on?" Stephen roared through the door. The man was allmost deaf, and often spoke out loud what he meant to think silently.
-"Half the continent's raven's landed in the tower yesterday, is what. The old maester needs his assistant as bloody fast as he can, and ain't you told us you'd found one?"
Stephen grunted and dressed himself quickly. Brothers were moving around in the corridor too. Evidently something was afoot.

---

Kindrean woke up slowly. It was cold again. He rolled over in his covers, and slowly gathered his wits. Just like every day for the last four years, he bagan with his ritual return to reality, whispering the words to the small shiny stone he allways held close to him.
-"Mum and dad are dead. Uncles and aunts are dead. The manor is burnt, and Sarah died in the fire. I'm a vagabond. I walk the roads. I worry no one. I am invisible. I will find...no, I have found Stephen. I will find Norman. I will survive."

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor woke with a start and immediately dressed, evidently he was used to waking up on a single call. The boy rushed quickly to Stephen and asks quickly," Do you need someone who can read..?" He looks around, easily tellingthat many of these men and boys were illiterate...

-/-

Ari poked her head out when she heard the murmurs, hiding the jar again and tip toeing to the door. She listens and frowns faintly,"..." The other man was Kindrean's brother... Hmm... She could use that later on

[cardon131313]

-"Aye. Follow me quickly, I'll lead you to the Maester, and I'll get news on what has been killed during the night. I will meet you back in the Maester's tower, and then we will find a way to get to Kindrean and your sister." Stephen caught a young steward by the shoulder and instructed him to lead Gregor to the Maester's tower.

-/-

Kindrean breathed slowly, and pushed himself up. Another day to face. He rolled up the furs and the rest of his affairs. He needed to wake the girl now, as soon as he had finished with preparing himself to leave.

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor nods faintly and mumbles a 'Yessir' before following after the steward quickly, unable to stop the cold sweat that had broken out on his skin.

-/-

Ari pauses to hear if he had something else to say to whatever deity he was speaking to but steps back quickly and quietly when she hears him rise. She back pedals quickly to the bed and throws the blanket over her head, feigning sleep. She eard him mumbling about his dead family... What if her family ended up like that too..?

[cardon131313]

   -"Probably nothing." The steward muttered. "The commander will panick about allmost anything. 'Bout time he passed out and we got usselves a new lord." The maester was waiting in his tower, half blind as he was, he was reading a letter, holding it close to his eyes.
   -"What is this? Are you the man Stephen promised? If you know how to read, tell me what is written in those letters. They don't come from the Shadow tower or Eastwatch, I've got those letters from the other cpatains of the watch. I think I reckognised some wax seals." He pointed to a small stack of letters.

-/-

    Kindrean banged his fist against the door, and nudged it open, letting the light of his lamp fall on the bed.
   -"Time to get a move on, there. We need to get to Castle Black before breakfast - or whatever excuse for a meal they have - goes cold.

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor nods enthusoasticall," Yes sir, I am..." He listens politely... Or pretends to listen but his eyes were already roaming over the letters, trying to make out what they said from a distance. When he hears the old man give him a sort of release, he rushes over and starts to read the first letter quickly

-/-

Ari jolts a bit, not expecting such a rough entry but sits up quickly and nods," Sorry!" She squeaks as if somehow it was her fault that the food at Castle Black was literally crap or that it was somehow herfault it was so far away...

[cardon131313]

-"Commander, the rangers."
The lord Commander beckoned them in and studied them for a while. Good men, all of them, most of which he had known for quite some time. And then there was Stephen, who had built his reputation in the Shadow Tower, as an unequaled ranger. And then rumours had begun. He had requested a transfer to Castle Black several months ago, but that had done nothing to allieviate those murmurs.
-"Brothers, we have recieved a great deal of news. Now, we are still waiting for confirmation of most of them, but I can allready tell you that..."

-/-

Kindrean picked up his sacks and slung them over his shoulder.
-"Is your coat warm enough? We're going to have to walk the half-league to Castle Black. It's not too long, but it can get cold."

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor read each letter, feeling more and more relaxed and relieved despite the desperation in some letters...

-/-

Ari nods and pulls the coat tighter over her shoulder," Yes.. I'll be fine, thank you," she murmurs, not lookin him in the eye

[cardon131313]

-"We are going to pass under attack. We aren't sure when, or by how many wildlings. But I sent out Carrow, Nicholls and Jebert out three days ago. They haven't returned, but all of their ravens have. Simultaneously. We must therefore prepare for an attack from an unidentified force. And I don't like those odds. I need five volunteers to leave, each on their own, to scout out whatever is coming at us."
Stephen stepped forwards. He was hesitantly followed by four other men.
-"Excellent. Remain discreet, stay away from anything suspicious. I need reports, not lifeless corpses. Steward, get to the Maester, ask him what he can tell us about what is going on."

-/-

Kindrean stayed silent as he led her to the road that led to the wall. The nature was beautifully still around them as they walked up to Castle Black. He unsuccessfully held back a shiver.
-"I was made for warmer climates than this."

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor pauses at the last letter... Sealed with the Greyjoy insignia. He opens it and reads the message, almost immediately frowning and tucking it into his tunic when the Maester turned away.

-/-

" I can tell... But you travel so much that it'll probably just be more fun going back to a warm place," Ari murmurs, following close to him, staring at the icey ground

[cardon131313]

The steward arrived in the tower.
-"Maester, might it be possible for the lord commander to have the news? The rangers are still assembled, so he needs it soon."
-"Indeed." The Maester turned to look at Gregor. Well, to stare in his general direction. "I can't take those steps. Pass on the messages you gather from those letters to him, and tell him Eastwatch and the Shadow Tower report some wildling movement on the other side of the wall.

-/-

     -"Perhaps. There's a song from where my mother came from, near the canyons in the mountains of Dorne. Makes me wish I was back there." Kindrean looked around for a few seconds, collecting his memories of the song. "Purple light, in the canyons. That's where I long to be..." He hummed "What memories do you have from your home?" He asked.

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor nods and pauses before he leaves," Uhm.. Where is the Commander's quarters...?" He asks softly

-/-

Ari pauses, pursing her lips,".. I don't know whose side you're on... So I can't say... Let just go with I don't miss the rules." She mumbles the last part

[cardon131313]

-"I'll lead you, follow me." The steward said, leading him out of the Maester's quarters.

-/-

-"You learn to regret home after a while. Rules may be harsh, but they keep people alive. Just look at our dear Kings. They stop respecting the rules, and everyone begins to kill each other."

[CrimsonMoon]

Gregor follows obediently, careful not to let the papers in his shirt crackle... It was from the Greyjoy Bastard Heir himself... And it was about the Lannisters..

-/-

Ari smiles slightly and murmurs," But... Isn't law basically some ancient mad man's reasoning between right and wrong? Maybe in another reality, our laws would require killing or rape or crime and that would be normal... We're paws of some dead man's morals-" she pauses in her rant and grimaces,"... If you're a king or a beghar, we're all bound by the same noose, it keeps tightening... And soon we'll all have broken necks," she looks away for a moment, growing quiet again

[cardon131313]

    -"Ah. Gregor, is it? What news does the Maester have for us?"

-/-

     Kindrean plunged into his memories for a few seconds before speaking again.
    -"And men, since they did not find out how to make justice strong, made strength just. I don't remember who said that, but he got it right. You think our laws go against killing and rape? Do you think a king would be brought to justice if he went into town to get himself the first wench he set his eye on, and murdered a peasant because he looked in his direction? Law just keeps society as a whole alive, no matter how unjust it is, and no matter how many little people it crushes as it does that." There was an inordinary amount of movement in and around Castle Black. He frowned, and hastened his pace a little, though careful not to let the girl fall far behind.