What would you do if you have power? Will you be good or cruel? What makes a man show their true self if not when one is given power over their fellow man.
In the frost covered plains ans snow capped mountains of the true north, ancient powers stir. New ones rise, what makes a man in these times of great upheaval?
Helga POV
It is strange, a chill down my spine that is no fault of this mountain. I can feel my companions tense, Meron is holding that short sword of his tightly. Nose bitter that hammer of his, but the most concerning is Sven, he has not stopped looking to the sky.
"Sven, what do you see?" I asked, I may give him grief at times, what with his cowardly ways in stealing me. If you want to take me to wife then take me, do not offer me flowery words. I respect his talent in the hunt, for none in the tribe is his equal with a bow and no prey escape his arrowy.
"A bird, no by the size of it, a Harrow Hawk has been circling our position for hours now. At first it just flew over us and went east, but now it stays well within my sight" Sven said and looked to Nose bitter
'by his sight' I scoffed and tried to look for the Harrow Hawk but can't even see a damn shadow, best hunter indeed.
"Be ready, once we find a suitable place we make sure fortify it as best we can." Nose Bitter said gravelly.
Merica looked at him and asked "Why? Is someone after us?" Merica said, eyes widen in fright, but I made sure to place a hand to comfort our littlest flower.
"Aye, if I have to bet a warg, if we are lucky they just see us as interesting to look at. If we're not... Then they are scouting"
I cringed, wargs are both respected and watched with hesitance because of their ability to skin change into animals. One can never be sure if the man is wearing the animal, or the animal the man.
"I see something, just over there past this crevasse" Sven said pointing at something in the distance I can't even see.
"We'll we able to make it before sun down Sven?" Asked nose bitter
"I don't know, there are many crevasses here, so we need to slow down less we fall. But if the latter of your thoughts are to be the right one Nose bitter..." Sven said gravelly
Nose bitter though for a moment "We need to rest, we stop at the halfway point between here and other side, at least with this we can have some defense as we use the crevasses as natural pitfalls."
I agree with that, we've been hiking for hours now, and my stomach is making it's hunger known.
Merica POV
We rest as grandpa gave me his last piece of rabbit jerky, I tried to shook my head, wanting him to have it. I am not blind, I can see them worry over me, fright for me, and I love them all because of it.
Mama always said I had been born at the wrong side of the wall, that should i was born south I would be hailed as the kindest and caring person and not it having meant as an insult.
But here is home, hard it may be, and the people even harsher. I love the snow, I love the endless forest, the animals scary they can be. But seeing them play with their own kids and siblings is heartwarming.
But... Home the true north is, momma and papa isn't here anymore, they aren't here and... And the only ones left are Helgy the big sis that looks after me and Meron when momma and papa are away. Grandpa who's always there to help us, Sven the funny guy that's the bestest hunter and finally Meron.
I looked at my twin, he looked tired, his body swayed with every gust of the wind. He dragged his arms on the snow and was leaning forward a bit too much, that I fear he might fall over any moment.
But he strives ahead, his face determined to not show that he's tired.
Just then I heard a low howl...
Then grandpa yelled "Move! Sven cover us, Meron take Merica and run to the other side we'll be just behind you"
Meron, faster that what his tired body should be able to muster, took my arm and we ran as fats as we can. I dared to look back and saw Helga hefting her spear, Sven drawing back his bow. And Grandpa hefting his hammer, before them was a group of shadows, some tall others smaller. The largest one towered over 2 men on top of one another.
"Ice bear... Old gods guide us" I heard Meron whisper as we ran and ran.
I heard the first scream, my heart beat against my chest in fear, but the scream wasn't one I am familiar with.
Once again I looked back and saw Sven notch another arrow and released it hitting someone. They screamed their death howl as again Sven took down one of their own, I was pulled away by Meron.
"FOCUS MERICA! They'll me alright, their strong and will be ok." Meron said, but even he knew that's untrue. "We just need to be safe Merica, that's all they want from us, please..."
I bit my lip, fighting down a cry and I ran.
3rd person POV
Beneath the summit of the mountain, the bellows of the hearth stopped. The thumping beneath the mountain stilled, a fiery orange eye glowed with a baleful glare.
A hammer enclosed in a fist made of magma and rock burned like a rupturing volcano.
"My hearthforge"
The lonely mountain wakes.
The twins ran, and their companions fought. Brave remnants of the tribesmen of winter, the archer felled 9 men and one beast. Every arrow hit it's fatal mark, but and archer he is and no warrior he is not.
Another enemy batted aside his stone dagger and drove an iron sword through his shoulder. His life only saved because of the woman that threw a spear and nailing his enemy through the eye.
That gave the archer enough time to run back and gather himself, he turned and saw the woman tackled to the ground by two men. Briefly the archer and the spear woman met gazes.
A silent conversation and understanding between them, the archer turned and rushed towards the twins.
The grey beard is all that stood in the way of the enemies arrayed against his company. What was left that is, the twins has crossed the crevasses and the archer putting distance between him and their enemy.
"I am Ivar Redbeard, brother to the last King beyond the wall. I have fought Umbers, Karstarks and the King's of winter themselves house Stark. I bit of the nose of one of their bastards and survived a blow from Ice itself. Come, meet my hammer that felled kneelers a plenty!" Ivar roared and charge a group of 20 men and women with an ice bear head on.
Ferocity and bloodlust flow from his presence, he smashed ones head to a pulp, and another caved in his chest. Fear grips his enemies for a warrior stood before them, his towering high seemed to loom over them. Even the ice bear paused, it's eyes though vacant seemed to hesitate before Ivar.
But Ivar is but a man, a man outnumbered and nearing the end of his life.
Ivan Redbeard the "Nose bitter" POV
Ah, so this is my end to face these dickless, stone headed little shits. Though, it's not all that bad.
I moved to the left, the iron sword nicking my upper arm. I swept my hammer and cracked his side, I used the end of the pole to block a dagger aimed to pierce my side and head-butted the whore, she stumbled and I crack her skull with my fist.
I felt an arrow pierce my furs, not deep, but annoying, if it was Sven I'd be dead by now. An idiot came running straight at me with a spear and tried his best. But I just took it and impaled the whore who I knocked down, Meron was a better dagger wielder and Helga would use the spear to control my space.
Idiots the lot of them.
15 more and an Ice bear to hold back, that's a lot of idiots.
But where's the Warg? My eyes widen and looked to the sky, the hawk was circling where the twins and Sven ran to.
Shit, old gods guide them.
"Now, now Redbeard. How bout we talk yeh?" A snivelling voice called out. A shorter man wearing finer furs than what most of the Free folk I have seen came. A square face and a boarrish nose, nasty little shit, his momma probably dropped him as he was born.
"I respect them Redbeards yah know? Kings beyond the wall and all that, fought the Starks and them kneeler kin, even killed one of em. That's gotta mean something, so how bout this. Let me and mine take this redhead and that girl and I'll spare you"
I grow tired of this boar, hefting my hammer I gave my answer.
"Pity, well at least we'll be know to be killers of the King's blood eh? Kings bane. I like the sound of that, bet Ofnir would enjoy that little lass" the boar smirked
It died when I threw my hammer right at his smug face.