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The room was silent, as was most of Castle Black as the sun had yet to rise above the horizon. But despite the quiet and the hour, the sole occupant of the room within the King's Tower of Castle Black was far from asleep. Sitting at the sole table in the room, Alim Nox was idly drumming his fingers against the surface of the table while staring sightlessly at the prizes Robb had brought back from his Trial at the Nightfort. The armor that Robb had brought back had been pieced together and laid out on the table as if it were a puzzle. The only piece missing being the kyber crystal that'd been in the chest piece, which Nox had removed the moment he was alone with it so that he could repurpose the crystal. But the crystal wasn't what had him so contemplative. After all, Jon had found a crystal of his own in Valyria. So, it wasn't strange that Robb had found one of his own. No. What was strange was the armor itself. A type of armor that certainly did not belong in Westeros…or on this world at all for that matter. And then there was the tablet. He would have to ask Robb for more information, but Nox could recognize a Force runic array anywhere. The only question was: what was the array's purpose?
He was abruptly forced out of his musings as he felt the imminent arrival of his Apprentices and Ned as the trio arrived just outside his door. Without saying a word, Nox calmly flicked his fingers, unlocking and opening the door from across the room. It was a testament to just how use to the Force the three men had become that none even questioned what'd happened as they walked into his room and shut the door behind them. The moment they were all in, Jon and Robb immediately worked in tandem to put up a makeshift barrier around the room. It wouldn't stop anyone from entering or leaving, but it would muffle their voices to make sure that no one outside the room could hear what was being discussed. 'They're learning. Good.'
Once the barrier was in place, Ned began what was no doubt about to be a very, very long discussion. "What have you learned about what happened during Robb's trial, Nox?"
"I learned that I am not the first of my kind to visit your world," Nox stated plainly as he motioned towards the armor. "This armor is without a doubt a type of Force armor. Judging by the general design and using the supposed date of your ancestor's time on this world, I can say that this is a Jedi's Force armor. But it has some very…strange markings that I would not expect to find on a set of armor belonging to a Jedi."
Pointing towards a symbol on the armor, Nox made sure they could all see it before he continued. "This symbol is known as 'bendu', or rather balance. The ideology that I am trying to instill in you two. A unification of light and dark; ashla and bogan. I would almost be tempted to say that your ancestor belonged to the original order that predated the Jedi and Sith, the Je'daii. But the timing doesn't work."
The three men met his revelation with completed silence as the full weight of what he was saying sunk in. "You…by the gods," Robb breathed, the boy staggering in place and reaching out to grasp onto the wall to steady himself. "You…Lord Nox are you saying that Bran the Builder, the founder of House Stark and our ancestor was, was like you? A traveler of worlds?"
"Aye," Nox nodded.
Jon was the first the fully recover as he approached the armor and stared down on the symbol that adorned the pauldron of the armor. "You said that the timing wouldn't work for him to be one of these…Je'daii Master. Why not?"
"Because roughly twenty-one thousand years ago, the Je'daii Order splintered as they began drifting more and more towards the ideologies of ashla and bogan instead of bendu." Nox explained, recalling what little was known about the Je'daii era and its destruction. "The fallout of which is rumored to have caused a cataclysm on the world the Je'daii were inhabiting, forcing them to leave it behind. Those who followed bogan, the dark side of the Force, fled to the outer rim and disappeared while those who followed ashla fell in with the governing body of the galaxy in the central regions, and reformed to become the Jedi. Even with your ancestor living eight thousand years ago, that still roughly separates him from the Je'daii by about thirteen thousand years… Give or take a few centuries."
The three men stared at him, slack-jawed at the span of history he just shared with them. "So, our ancestor was a…Jedi… A traveler of the stars, just like you, Lord Nox," Robb stated slowly. "But why would he not wear the sigil of the Jedi then? Why did he carry the sigil of these…Je'daii? How did he come to our world? And why?"
Nox shrugged. " I cannot truly answer any of those questions. He could've been a maverick or a rogue within the ranks of the Jedi. One who wanted to bring back the old ways. He wouldn't have been the first. But as to how he got to this world or why he came here, I do not know. That would be something that we would have to ask him ourselves. Unfortunately, that is no longer a choice as he has become one with the Force. And as such, he has lost the sense of time and perhaps even his individuality. There may be a chance of reaching him through deep, deep meditation. But I wouldn't place any wager on that happening any time soon, or even at all. But questions of your ancestor can wait for now. Right now, Robb, I want to hear every word he spoke to you again. Leave nothing out."
Robb did exactly that. The young heir of Winterfell spoke of everything that occurred during his trial, from the time he fell down the hole into the tunnels beneath the Nightfort, to the moment when his ancestor finally became one with the Force. Through it all, Nox stayed in silence, speaking up only occasionally to ask for more details or clarification on something that caught his attention. By the time he was done, everyone was struck by an awed silence over what Robb had encountered.
"I believe that any doubts on whether or not young Robb here is the true heir to Winterfell have well and truly been silenced," Nox said, making the young man stand up slightly straighter as pride raced through him.
"As if there was ever any doubt in the first place," Jon replied good naturedly, giving his brother a light punch on the shoulder as he did so.
"Indeed," Nox nodded. "However, what I am most concerned about is the warning your ancestor gave regarding the White Walkers and their army. Our adversaries appear to be far more powerful and cunning than I had originally thought."
"How so?" Ned asked.
Drumming his fingers, Nox laid out everything he could theorize about the White Walkers. "Most of this will be mere speculation. But it appears that the White Walkers have access to the Force. Or at least some of them do. And according to your ancestor, they can manipulate the Force in a manner that baffled him. He also mentioned that there is a clear distinction in their ranks; foot soldiers, warriors and those who stand at the top. Which means they have a hierarchy. And the higher up the food chain you go, the more powerful they become. Which also makes me think that the Walker that Oberyn, Garlan and myself encountered outside of Caster's Keep was low in their hierarchy."
"Why do you believe that Lord Nox?" Robb asked.
Turning his head, he fixed his attention on Robb. "Would you send the likes of Jory or Rodrik into Winter Town to pick up something for you? Same instance here. You don't send out your best to run a simple errand. And keep in mind, this simple errand runner for the White Walkers was able to take on the likes of Prince Oberyn Martell and Ser Garlan Tyrell and, for all intense and purposes, win. Now imagine what those who stand at the top of the White Walkers are able to do?"
Silence answered him as what he was implying sank into the three men. Two of arguably the best fighters in all of Westeros took on one of the lower levels of White Walkers and were basically defeated by it. The thought was…not a pleasant one.
"Wh–What can we do then?" Jon asked slowly, his fear clear.
"We do what we have been, only more," Nox answered. "We have to step up not only your own training, but also the training of your sisters, brother, and the other acolytes. We also need to push a few more 'inventions' forward. And we need to work on solidifying alliances for the future war that is sure to come. If we are to have any hope of defeating these creatures, it will take the combined strength of all of Westeros…and perhaps even beyond. And to that point…Robb. Step forward and kneel."
Robb looked at him questioningly, but after a quick glance towards Jon who nodded at him the young man stepped forward and went down to a knee. Rising to his feet, Nox stood above his acolyte with his hands behind his back. "You have been under my tutelage for several years. Your ability with the Force has progressed to the point where few could challenge you. Yet you still have much to learn. But your level is no longer that of an Acolyte. You, Robb Stark, son of Eddard Stark, are now my Apprentice along with your brother, Jon. And with this ascension, it is time for you to take up a true weapon of a Force adept."
Bringing his hands out from behind his back, Nox revealed the lightsaber hilt he'd brought with him from Winterfell. Even since they'd headed out to Valyria, Nox had made a habit of always carrying a spare lightsaber with him, just in case an opportunity for a set of Trials presented themselves. And he was glad he did. While Robb and the others were resting, Nox had set to work. Bran Stark's armor had a kyber crystal embedded in the center, and while it had taken a decent amount of effort on his part seeing as how he didn't have the proper tools, Nox had been able to remove the crystal from the armor and place it into the spare lightsaber hilt.
Staring up at the hilt with shock and awe, Robb slowly reached out and took the hilt with both hands as he rose to his feet. Unlike with Jon's lightsaber, Nox hadn't had time to do any customization to the hilt, so the lightsaber was mostly just a plain lightsaber hilt, albeit a slightly longer one than normal which allowed for an easy two-handed grip, which he knew was Robb's preferred fighting style. Holding the lightsaber before him in both hands, Robb quickly found the activation switch and pressed it. The blade hissed and hummed as it came to life, filling the room with its pale blue light.
"Gods," Robb breathed, moving the blade around slowly, taking great care as he did, given their limited space. "It's…It's heavier than I thought it'd be."
"You will get used to it in time, brother," Jon said, smiling as he watched his brother slowly move his lightsaber around his person. "Gods know it took me a time to get used to the weight difference between my lightsaber and even a practice blade."
Nodding, Robb deactivated his lightsaber. "Master Nox…thank you. I couldn't have done this without your teachings. Nor yours, father. Thank you…both of you."
"The credit goes to you, son. To both of you boys." Ned said, coming forward and placing a hand on each of his son's shoulders. "I could not ask for a better pair of sons than you two."
Letting the trio have a moment, Nox waited for a few moments before speaking once more. "Unfortunately for you two, though, this is far from the end of your trainings. In fact, now that you are both at the level of an Apprentice, your true training in the Force can begin."
"What?" Jon asked, sharing a bewildered look with Robb.
"Did you seriously think these simple exercises I've been putting you both through was the full extent of your training?" Nox asked with a smirk. "No. That was just to give you all a solid foundation in the Force. And now that you both have it, we can begin your serious training."
Breathing slowly, Daenerys Targaryen slowly opened her eyes as she felt herself coming back into her body. It was a surreal experience, 'waking up' as it were, after being with Jon. Or not being with him or – or whatever they were doing. Looking around, she found herself in the exact same position she'd set herself in when she'd first reached out to Jon. Sitting cross legged on her bed in the small room her brother had managed to procure for them for a few nights. Glancing towards the small window in the room, she saw that it was perhaps coming close to midday.
'So strange,' Dany thought, slowly uncurling her legs and rubbing them as she tried to get her blood flowing once more. 'It was still the middle of the night with Jon. Yet here, it's midday. Jon said that the sorcerer tried to explain why such a difference existed before…But he said he didn't fully understand. The explanation he gave me… The fact that world turns and, pending on when it is facing the sun…It makes sense, but…I don't know.'
Rolling her shoulders, Dany got up and glanced towards her brother's bed. It was empty. Still. 'Of course, it is…Did I really expect any different?' she thought sadly, shaking her head. 'Lady Mellario was kind enough to give us enough coin to last us for some time. Yet my brother still insists on using it to pay for pleasurable company or to gamble. At the rate he is going…coin that should've lasted us nearly a year will instead only last a month or two at best.'
Despairing at her brother's behavior, Dany looked around their small room and started tapping her feet on the floor. 'And while Viserys is out enjoying himself…I'm stuck here in our room. Without even Jon to keep me company now. Well…I suppose I can go over what Jon taught me…again.'
Sighing, Dany closed her eyes and started going over everything Jon had taught her ever since she had reached out to him several days ago. Learning from Jon was…well…difficult. Not because he wasn't a good instructor, far from it in fact. No, what was so difficult was that Jon couldn't show her what he was doing or how to do something. All their lessons so far had only been lectures, but they were enough to give her something to work with.
Taking several deep breaths, Dany purged herself of all emotion as she raised her hand. She could feel…something within her shift. A river flowing not from her, but rather through her. Guiding the river she felt, she let it flow out until she felt her intended target, the small chair in the room. Wrapping the invisible river around the chair, Dany began to strain as she urged the chair to rise. 'Do not leave yourself room for doubt, Dany,' Jon's voice rang out in her mind as she thought back on his lessons. 'To doubt is to fail. Know that you will do something even before you do it.'
Opening her eyes, Dany smiled as she saw the chair floating a good several feet off the floor in front of her. Turning her hand, the chair began twisting and turning in response to her movements, as if she were a puppeteer controlling a puppet. Feeling elated at her progress, she carefully set the chair down on a single leg and kept it tilted. Using her other hand, she lifted a straw pillow off her bed and carefully brought it across the room and began balancing it on the tilted chair. Sweat began to form on her forehead as she started struggling trying to keep the chair and pillow balanced.
Dany's hand started shaking as it quickly became harder and harder to keep everything up. And far too soon for her liking, her attention broke causing the chair and pillow to fall to the floor and leaving her gasping for breath. 'I was able to hold it for longer this time,' she thought, partially upset at her failure to keep it up longer, but at the same time thrilled that she was seemingly making progress. 'Jon said that using the Force was like using a muscle… The more one used it, the stronger and easier it will be to use. I just need to keep working at it…when I have time to do so that is.'
She'd yet to tell Viserys about her newly discovered powers. The why of which was still a mystery to her. Her brother could be…well, cruel at times. Especially within the last few years as fewer and fewer people seemed to be willing to take them both in. But he was still her brother. The one who looked out for her when she was but a girl. On the other hand, this power was hers. Not his. And if he learned that she could do this while he couldn't, while the 'dragon' couldn't… She didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to 'wake the dragon' in her brother again. Her arm and face still hurt from Viserys's slaps the last time she angered him enough to wake the dragon.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Dany tried to think of what to do to occupy her time as she waited for Viserys to return from wherever he was. Even though the town they were staying at was on the smaller scale, he'd still forbidden her from leaving their room without him. Leaving her with naught to do, there weren't even any books to read! 'Ugh…no. I'm not some weak little flower like my brother thinks! I'm going out, no matter what he says! This is a small town…There shouldn't be any danger with just a little walk.'
Pushing herself off the bed, Dany made her way over to the door sealing her in the room. Heart beating wildly, she slowly moved the latch aside and pushed the door open. Peeking down the hall, Dany bit her lip and hesitated only a moment before stepping out and making her way down the hall and out of the small inn her brother had picked for them. The moment she stepped outside, Dany tilted her head back and smiled as she felt the sun on her face. This was perhaps the first time that she was truly disobeying her brother. While a part of her, the part that feared the dragon within her brother, wanted to run back inside and scold herself for even thinking of this, a much larger part of her just didn't care. She was strong enough to take care of herself! Especially now that Jon was training her in magic – the Force.
Smiling, Dany walked down the slightly busy street with her head held high and light skip in her step. There was so much to see. Granted, she'd been to other cities far larger than this one. Volantis and Braavos were easily the first two that immediately came to mind. But during all those times she was always with her brother or someone else. This was truly the first time that she had set out on her own. At least purposefully. And the freedom of it…it felt wonderful!
Glancing towards a couple of the stalls that were selling everything from food to swatches of fabric, Dany smiled as she felt lighter than she had in a long time. She only wished that she had some coin of her own to buy something. The cooked skewers smelled divine! And she dearly wished that she had something different to wear than this dress that was starting to fray at the seams from constant wear. Moving towards a slightly less populated area, Dany felt something. A slight tingle on the back of her neck followed by a coldness that made her shiver. And…And fear. 'What…What is going?'
Stopping, Dany turned in a quick circle, looking around the street trying to figure out what was happening. But no matter where she looked, everything just looked normal to her. 'Jon told me that those who are well in tuned with the Force can receive warnings of danger from it. Is–Is that what is happening? Am I – Am I in danger?'
The joy that she had been feeling quickly disappeared as the tingling sensation grew to the point where nearly her entire being was shaking despite the warmth of the midday sun bearing down upon her. 'Back to the inn. I – I have to get back to the inn! Now!'
Turning heel, she began to hurry back in the direction she came from, only to have her path blocked by a large man. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing in a town like this, little girl?"
Looking up at the man, Dany nearly recoiled. His face was dirty, unshaved, and his nose was crooked like it'd been broken. But more than anything it was his teeth, his yellow and black teeth that made her want to cringe. That and his breath. "Excuse me," she said, trying to get around the larger man.
But instead of moving out of her way, the man only made to purposefully put himself in her path. And after he'd done this twice, Dany noticed that the man wasn't alone. There were three others just as hideous as the man blocking her path that were standing just a short distance behind her. Desperate, she looked around trying to find help, but what she saw made her heart sink. The people around them were…purposefully ignoring them. Some were looking at her in sympathy, but it was clear to her that not a single one of them would raise a hand to help her no matter what was about to happen to her.
"They all be smart enough not to get in our way little girl," the ugly man smirked, stepping closer to her and making her want to gag as his smell, which was almost worse than his look, hit her full in the face. "Now be a good little thing to me and my friends here, and we might be lettin you go in only slightly worse shape. That, or we let you go dead. Your choice, pretty little girl."
Dany was helpless to do anything as the ugly man grabbed her arm and forcibly dragged her towards one of the darker alleyways, the three other men closing in behind her and following closely. The further they got away from the street, the greater Dany's fear grew until she was shaking so violently that the only reason she was still standing was because the ugly man had such a firm hold on her arm. 'They – They can't do this! I – I am Daenerys Targaryen! The last daughter of Valyria and – and…and I'm – I'm nothing. And–And these men are – They're…and no one cares…'
Far too soon, the man dragging her stopped and let her go. Her shaking knees, unable to hold her upright, folded and she collapsed to the ground in fear as the four ugly, smelly men surrounded her. Grins of lust on their faces as all of them began fumbling with the ties on their clothes. "Remember the deal, girl," the first ugly man grinned. "Entertain us good, and we'll let ya go in only slightly worse shape than ya are now."
Time seemed to slow as she watched the men getting ready to expose themselves to her. Her fear and anger reaching heights she'd never felt before as her body shook violently. But just as the first man was about to expose himself, she heard Jon's voice in her ear. 'Fear and anger can paralyze even the strongest of men. But to a Force user, to a Sith? Fear and anger are our weapons to wield. Do not give in to your fear, do not let it consume you. Use it. Use your fear to fuel your power like oil to a flame. Turn your fear to anger and unleash your power on those who brought you such fear.'
A calm unlike any she had ever experience raced through her as Jon's words and his lessons finally slammed home to her. Her shaking ceased as the men around her all stopped their actions and took a step back from her. Slowly rising to her feet, Dany raised her right arm, fist clenched tightly. When her arm was straight out, she flung open her fist, spreading her fingers. The men who'd been surrounding her could only give a frightened yell of surprise before they were lifted off their feet and thrown across the alley and into the stone building behind them hard enough that she could hear several of their bones break. The ugly man who'd first cut her off glared up at her from his spot on the ground, a slight trickle of blood running from his lips, though Dany found she didn't care about the sight. These men…They deserved this. And more. Much, much more.
"Fucking witch!"
Dany's concentration faltered as realization as to what she'd just done came to her. She'd just used her powers. In plain view and against four men. If word were to spread…the Usurper would seek her head even more than he already did! Not to mention all the others who would be coming for her. Whether to kill her, or to claim her. 'No. My – My life is my own! Not my brother's. Not the Usurper's! Not some up jumped magister who would want me as a trophy! I am my own person! I am Daenerys Targaryen! Daughter of Valyria! Not someone else's tool to use! But…how do I keep these four from talking. I – I could kill them. They deserve it but…but can I kill – I – I don't know. Wh–What am I to do?'
Quickly, she ran through every lesson Jon had ever given her on the Force, trying to think of something that she could use to get her out of this situation. Almost immediately, her mind turned to the lesson Jon had given her that very night. 'The Force can be used in a number of ways. Its versatility is only truly limited by the mind of the user, or at least that is what Master Nox tells us. And a very useful tool is what is known as Force Persuasion, or rather a Force Mind trick. You focus the power within you on an individual and into your words and make a, well, you make a suggestion towards the individual. Done correctly, and your intended target will come to believe that whatever it was that you 'suggested' was in fact a decision of their own. Some of my siblings don't like this because it sounds like you're taking a person's free will away from them, but if you can use this technique to force someone out of a fight or end a battle before it could begin, is it not worth it? There is a drawback of course, and that is the target's own inner strength of mind. Some individuals have such a strong mind that not even Master Nox could use this technique against them. And another thing you must keep in mind is that the more your 'suggestion' goes against the will of an individual, the more power you will have to put behind your persuasion.'
Seeing that the four ugly men were regaining their feet and wits, Dany decided to put Jon's lesson to the test. Using as much power as she could, Dany focused the Force into her words and onto the minds of the men standing before her. "You all will forget about me and leave."
The lead man blinked, his sneer faltering for a moment before coming back, "I don't think so, witch!"
Gritting her teeth in concentration, Dany focused more of her fear, more of her anger, more of her desire for these men to just leave and forget about her into her voice. "You all will forget about me and leave."
This time she could feel something, a shifting in the air only she could feel. The four men all blinked as their postures relaxed. Their eyes looked almost dazed. A look that she'd seen before in her brother's eyes whenever he'd enjoyed one cup of wine too many. "We will forget about you and leave," they all intoned, nearly as one as they turned and made to leave her alone in the alleyway.
More than slightly surprised that it'd worked, Dany decided to try one more thing as she gathered the Force into her voice once more. "And leave your coin purses on the ground!"
"…and leave our coin purses on the ground." The men all intoned as one by one they dropped their coin purses onto the ground without looking back at her once nor breaking their stride away from her.
Watching the men turn the corner and disappear, Dany had to physically restrain herself from leaping in joy and elation. She felt… By the old dragons of Valyria, did she feel good! Sneaking out from her and her brother's room had given her a thrill. But compared to this… Gods, did she feel good! She felt powerful! She took her life into her own hands, her own power! And she came out on top! By the dragons of Valyria…if this is what Jon and Lord Nox felt whenever they used this power, it was a wonder why they would ever stop!
Almost skipping over to the discarded coin purses, Dany felt only a moment of regret as she picked up the small leather pouches and began removing what coins were inside. Part of her was ashamed that she was basically stealing from those men. But another part of her honestly didn't care. They were about to do far, far worse to her than just robbing her. This was justice in her mind. Not robbery.
Piling all the coins into a single purse, Dany left the other empty purses on the ground and made her way out of the alley. She was tempted to walk back down the way she'd came with her head held high. Perhaps even purchase a few things with her newly acquired coin? But she decided against that. Her suddenly appearing back on the street none the worse for ware and with coin would probably raise more than a few questions about what had just happened. Also, those people didn't raise a hand to try and help her, even though she could tell that more than a few knew what was about to happen to her. So, they didn't deserve her patronage.
Keeping to the backways, Dany made her way back to the inn her and her brother were staying at. 'Now I just need to figure out how to keep this coin out of my brother's hands. Lady Mellario was right when she said that Viserys was not wise with our coin. And so hopefully I'll be able to keep this small amount hidden for when we inevitably run out of coin again.'
After spending nearly a full moon's turn within the walls of Winterfell, Arianne Martell was beginning to think that the North was finally starting to run out of ways to impress her. But, of course, as soon as such a thought entered her mind, the North had to show her something that completely blew her away once more. First it was their glass gardens and their ability to grow food even during the coldest of times. Then it was the loyalty of the people towards House Stark. Then there was Jon showing her that she had magical powers of her own and he could show her how to use them. And now, now she was staring at something that at first glance might seem mundane. But the more and more she stared at the contraption and thought of its uses, the more and more she realized she had to bring this model back to Dorne with her.
The model itself wasn't particularly large, perhaps the size of a small dog. But it was incredible. A small flow of water that was turning a waterwheel that was partially submerged in the flowing water. And connected to the center of the wheel was a long piece of rounded wood that had several short pieces of wood jutting out from its length. As the rounded wood spun, the wooden pieces that were sticking out from it would catch upon a lever as they made their way around, which would in turn cause a small bucket that was within a shaft to rise up out of a body of water until it reached the top, where the bucket would be emptied into a trough before free falling back down the shaft and into the water, waiting for the log to spin back around and raise the lever. The water that was dumped into the trough would then flow down the length of the channel before emptying into a basin nearby.
Glancing to her left, Arianne let her eyes wander over the one responsible for creating the contraption. The young woman inventor, one of Master Nox's students at the Winterfell College, was nervously fidgeting next to her as she waited for Arianne's judgement on the device. "What did you say your name was again?" Arianne asked, turning her attention back to the device, which was still delivering a constant flow of water into the trough, creating an almost stream into the small basin.
"Hilda, Princess Arianne," the girl said, her head slightly bowed as she stood by, patiently waiting to hear whatever Arianne was about to say.
"Hilda," Arianne repeated, sealing the girl's name in her mind. "Tell me, how is it that you came to create such a work?"
"I was thinking of my family's farm, Princess, and the windmill that we have to mill the grain," Hilda explained, pointing towards the wheel. "The idea is the same, just using water instead of wind to turn the wheel. Then I thought of something that Master Nox has had all of us all working on, and I decided to see if I could use the turning of the wheel and implement it in with the other idea. The wheel turns, raises these…pumps and brings water up to the water trough, which is then allowed to flow through whatever path one creates before emptying out into a basin a distance away from the source."
Nodding, Arianne immediately began thinking of the best way to implement this device. "And do you realize what you've just created, Hilda?"
"Aye, Princess," Hilda nodded as pride showed on her face. "A way to transport water out of a river and across a distance without the use of man or beast."
"And you say that as long as there is a steady flow of water to turn the wheel, that this device will work?" Arianne asked, wanting to get as much information as possible about the wonderful creation before her.
"Aye, Princess."
Making another lap around the display, Arianne watched the device work for a while longer as she gathered her thoughts. "Tell me, Hilda, what will it take to get you to come back to Dorne with me and my Uncle when we eventually leave the North?"
"Pardon, Princess?"
"What will it cost to entice you to come to Dorne to oversee the construction of your creations?" Arianne clarified, turning her full attention on the girl who couldn't have been older than Arianne herself. "A position? Sunspear has recently become short of capable learned men as it was discovered that our Maesters, much as they had here in the North, were betraying us for years. On my word alone, you would become the new 'Maester' of Sunspear and become my father's and my own confidant. Or perhaps you need gold? Dorne is not short on coin, and we can provide you with whatever compensation you wish. A homestead? A man? Or woman? Name your price, Hilda, then double it. And I will see it fulfilled."
"Your offer is…most generous, Princess," Hilda said, her cheeks stained red as she turned her eyes away. "But…I'm afraid I must decline. I be of the North, Princess. And it is in the North I wish to remain. I still have much to learn under the Sorcerer's tutelage, even if I can't use his magic like the Starks."
"I see," Arianne replied, just barely managing to keep herself from letting out a growl of frustration. "In that case, what will it take then for Dorne to have access to this invention of yours?"
Hilda didn't hesitate to give her answer. "Recognition, Princess Arianne."
Arianne couldn't help as one of her delicate brows arched at the request. "Recognition?"
The skills her father had trained into her about playing the game quickly vanished as she stared at the woman. Recognition for something like this was not a fair trade. If she was one to take advantage of a young person's lack of guile, she might've agreed without questioning it. But she'd come to want to foster a good relationship with the North. Or at least with one aspect of the North. She knew that she couldn't rightly do that by taking advantage of one of the Norths best and brightest. "You ask for such a simple thing…for this? You do realize just what this contraption could mean for my people, do you not?"
"Aye, I do, Princess," Hilda nodded, her attention turning to her creation. "But recognition means everything to me. Ever since man first started writing down words on animal skins, women have been precluded from 'learned roles.' Or at least we have here in Westeros. And the Maesters kept this going by refusing women to become one of them, saying that we're inferior to men in terms of knowledge and in its pursuit. Not all of them, mind ya… Yet it was still in the rules of the Maesters. But ever since Master Nox has come to Winterfell, things have been changing. I know that this water wheel will help the people of Dorne immensely, and that word of it will quickly spread. And I want all to know that it was me, a woman, who created it. Not a man. Not a Maester. Not a highly valued 'learned man'. But I—Hilda of the College of Winterfell of the North—a daughter to a common farmer. That is what I want, Princess."
"I see," Arianne said. The girl had a fire within her, that was for sure. "Then your name will be on the lips of every Dornishman or woman who comes within sight of this creation of yours. Hope that you are ready for your name to become quite common. Because I have a feeling that once this takes hold, there will be more than a few daughters born in Dorne for the next several generations that'll bare your name."
Hilda smiled with pride as she bowed her head. "Thank you, Princess Arianne. That is all I can ask for. I will have plans drawn up for you before you depart so that you can begin construction of these waterwheels once you return to Dorne."
As the young woman turned to start writing down the directions, Arianne was pulled from her continued observation of the device as the door to the workshop opened quickly as her cousin Tyene, her blond hair tied in a simple braid bouncing behind her head, entered the workshop. "Cousin," Tyene greeted her without a curtsey, not that Arianne expected her to. Her cousins were rather unruly, which was one of the reasons why she loved them in the first place. "Riders have been spotted approaching from the north. Riders bearing the sigils of House Stark and House Martell."
All thoughts of the waterwheel and its potential impact to Dorne fled her mind as a single thought claimed dominance in her mind. 'Jon has returned.'
The workshop blurred from her vision as she hurried past her cousin, leaving Tyene to all but run in order to catch up with her. Making her way out of the Sorcerer's Tower, Arianne was immediately assaulted by the cold air of the North. But after spending a moon's turn in this land and with the prospect of seeing Jon once more, it did not affect her in the slightest. Striding into the main courtyard of Winterfell, she was not surprised to see the yard quickly filling up with the members of House Stark, with the three Stark children Sansa, Arya, and Bran front and center. As well as all their guests who were currently still residing in Winterfell. Seeing Sansa Stark take the center place within the yard, Arianne took a place close by the eldest wolf girl and trained her eyes on the gates on the far side of the yard.
'A single letter,' Arianne thought as she eyed the gate, willing for those she was waiting for to appear before her eyes. 'A single letter in nearly a full moon's turn away from me. And not even a thorough letter at that. Just, 'I'm alive and something has happened that we need to talk about'. Clearly, I'm going to have to explain to Jon the expectations I have of him regarding our future correspondences. At least until I can convince him to come to Dorne on a permanent basis.'
Her heart began to beat faster in her chest as she started to see horses and their riders making their way through the gatehouse of the inner wall of Winterfell. Almost immediately she could spot Lord Stark, his head held high and completely stoic, a true man of the North. Hard and unyielding. Riding at Lord Stark's right was the sorcerer, as she suspected he would be. But riding on Lord Stark's left was an individual that she did not recognize. The woman looked like a northern woman through and through, with her blond hair braided and her face set in a hard line. And unlike many ladies, this woman was dressed not in a dress or even women's riding clothing. Instead, she wore rough leathers and fur. 'That must be this new 'Lady Val of the North' my uncle told me about in the one raven he was able to send.' Arianne realized, placing the woman riding at Stark's left. 'Well, she certainly has the look of a woman of the North.'
Glancing past the two front riders, Arianne began searching through the riders for the one face she was most anxious to see. It didn't take her long, considering he was riding just behind and to the left of his father. Warmth spread in her chest as she saw that he was indeed unharmed. Though his hair needed a comb and styling, especially if he wanted to keep it on the longer side of things. And while she could appreciate a nice beard if done properly, the light splattering of whiskers Jon had growing on his face most definitely needed a trimming. Perhaps she could entice him to a warm bath and grooming session with her in the hot springs within the Fir— 'Who is that?'
The fantasy that'd been blossoming in her mind of a night in the hot springs with Jon came to a sudden and screeching halt as she noticed a tuff of red hair right behind Jon's midnight black. A tuft of red that unmistakably belonged to a woman. A woman who, now that she looked closer, had her arms around her Jon. Glancing up, Arianne met Jon's eyes. Eyes that were filled with…guilt? 'It appears that something did indeed happen north of the Wall.' Arianne thought, resisting the urge to grind her teeth and keeping her head held high. Glancing towards her uncle, she saw him grinning at her like a cat who caught a large juicy rat and was intent on savoring its meal. He knew what was going on, whatever it was. And he had neglected to tell her about it before they arrived back. 'Oh Uncle…You are so going to pay for this.'
Pulling herself together, Arianne held herself as a woman of her station was expected to as Lord Stark reached the line of his children and dismounted from his horse, along with everyone else who'd just rode in through the gates.
"Lord Father," Sansa greeted her father, bowing her head and a smile plastered across her face. "Welcome home. Winterfell is yours once more."
"Thank you, Sansa," Lord Stark replied as the men and women behind him began dismounting while the strong blond woman took a step forward. "This is Lady Val of the North. She's to be given a room in the family quarters and will be working with me in getting our new people of the North situated before she takes Ladyship of her own keep."
Sansa gave a warm reply and welcome to the former wildling woman. But Arianne had quickly tuned everything else out around her as her gaze focused solely on Jon as he dismounted his horse, giving her the first real good look at the woman who was riding behind him. Immediately, Arianne began assessing how the girl compared to herself. If she had to guess, Arianne would say that the girl was perhaps her own age, but when Jon helped her down off the horse, an action which made Arianne's fist tighten, she noted that the girl barely came up to Jon's chin. Her red hair perhaps could be considered beautiful if done properly, but right now it was more akin to a rat's nest. And she was far, far too skinny. No curves to her at all.
Deciding that she was getting nowhere just standing around, Arianne broke from the line and purposefully made her way over to where Jon was still getting a few of his things, and perhaps some of this woman's things, off his horse. She pointedly ignored the look her uncle and cousin were both giving her as she walked. She would deal with the both of them later for putting her in this position. Making sure she was approaching while Jon's back was turned, she caught the blue eyes of the wildling, she had to be one given she wore similar furs as the Lady Val. The girl, to Arianne's surprise, glanced at her curiously for a moment before something like recognition shown in her eyes. 'So, Jon has told her about me! Yet he did not tell me about her!' she seethed as she quickened her pace towards the two of them. To her surprise though, the girl didn't say anything to alert Jon to her approach. She just grinned and…and did she take a step back?
Reaching the two just as Jon was starting to turn around, Arianne smiled at her small victory as Jon slightly jumped at her sudden appearance. "A–Arianne," he said, her name sounding…odd from his lips. Not at all like how he used to say it. "I–I–It is good to—"
That was as far as Jon got. Or at least as far as she allowed Jon to get as she closed the distance between them, grabbed him by the hair, and pulled his face towards her and threw everything she had into kissing him. She could hear the crowd around them whistling or cheering, but she didn't care. Jon was hers! She was going to make sure that he—and everyone else—knew it! And if it required making a spectacle in the middle of the Winterfell courtyard…well… She really wasn't one to complain. Because… By the gods, was he a fast…and eager learner!
Just as she was starting to lose herself, especially as Jon began reciprocating and bringing his arms around her waist, Arianne broke the kiss and took a step back, leaving Jon, and herself, more than slightly breathless. Though she would like to think that she was able to recover quicker than Jon, who still looked dazed and confused. "Welcome back, Jon," she said warmly before turning her eyes towards the woman behind him, her grin never leaving her face. "And tell me, who is this young woman you have behind you?"
"I can speak for meself," the wildling woman said, coming up and standing beside Jon. "I be Ygritte. And I be Jon's woman. And ye must be the one he moans in his sleep when he's havin a nice dream. Arianne, no?"
'Ygritte? Quite the name. Unique. Wild. A – wait. Did she say…did she say that she's 'Jon's woman'? And that she's close enough to him to know that he moans my name while he sleeps? What in the name of all the hells!? I do everything including strip naked before him and he can't take a hint! But with her…by the Mother Rhoyne I'm going to strangle something on him the first chance I get!' Jon started awkwardly shifting his feet back and forth while beside him the wildling woman was sporting a look not unlike her own uncle's look whenever he succeeded in some new 'conquest'. 'They are quite alike, now that I look at her,' Arianne realized as she began comparing the wildling woman to her uncle Oberyn. 'My cousins may try to emulate their father, but strangely enough this girl who comes from the far side of Westeros comes closer to matching my dear uncle's mannerisms than his own daughters.'
Realizing that pretty much all eyes within Winterfell were now upon her and the little display that was being put on, Arianne took a moment to straighten her dress out as she held her head high and did everything she could not to show just how much Jon's reciprocation of her kiss had affected her. "We will discuss this more at length, Jon…Ygritte. Away from prying eyes. Until then, I have family I must welcome back."
Without giving Jon a chance to respond, Arianne purposefully turned her back on him and made her way over towards where the other members of House Martell had gathered for a reunion. She was not oblivious to the whistles and cheers and even reproachful looks being sent her way as she made her way through the crowd. 'Let them do and think what they will. It makes no matter to me.'
Spotting her uncle, who had one arm around his paramour while grinning madly at her, Arianne felt her frustration and anger at not being informed of this development return to her tenfold. 'Oh uncle. You might like a good show on occasion…but you are dearly going to pay for this!'