Jon Snow was already better than most of the new recruits. He put a man twice his size on his back with one clean throw.
Alliser Thorne watched with cold eyes. "Lord Snow getting bored already? Think you're too good for drills?"
"I just don't see the point," Jon said. "We should be out there tracking wildlings, not swinging at each other like boys."
"You haven't taken your vows. You haven't earned a post. You're still green, Snow. And don't forget it."
Thorne stepped closer. "Never underestimate the Watch. Never underestimate the wildlings. You know nothing, Jon Snow."
The words hit Jon harder than any punch. Sothing in his chest tightened. He didn't know why, but he already wanted to hear them again.
---
Beyond the Wall, Tony, Jai, and Benjen led a group of veteran rangers into the Haunted Forest.
Nothing grew within half a mile of the Wall itself. The forest pushed south every year, and the Watch burned it back when they could. With only three manned castles left out of nineteen, they were losing ground fast.
Jai looked around and grinned. "Thank the gods Tyrion stayed behind. He'd have frozen his cock off by now."
Tony laughed. "You sure you didn't co out here just to piss on the trees for him?"
They reached a thick stand of trees. Benjen gave the order.
"Gear up. Check your wildfire canisters and blades. We start now."
Most of the rangers had never worn the maneuvering rig before. The first tries were a ss. n slamd into trunks, got tangled in branches, or crashed into each other mid-air. Only Tony moved like he belonged there — swinging between trees, launching from the ground to the canopy and back down in smooth arcs.
He landed lightly and studied the others.
"Direct training was a mistake," he said. "Most of you don't have the balance yet—"
Benjen and Jai dropped out of the trees behind him, both breathing hard but grinning like idiots.
"Seven hells, that was incredible," Benjen said. "I've never been that high without a ladder."
Jai wiped sweat from his face. "Felt like flying. If I wasn't Kingsguard I'd join the Watch just for this thing."
Tony looked at them both and nodded. "Strong blood helps. Stark and Lannister. That's why you picked it up faster than the others."
He shut the rig down. "We go back. Basic training first. Then we try again."
---
Catelyn found out about the fight between Sansa and Arya. She was furious.
Cersei watched with open amusent. "Lucky we didn't betroth Joffrey to one of them. He might have ended up beaten by his own wife."
Catelyn turned on her daughters. "Both of you are confined to your rooms. You don't co out until you can apologize to each other like grown won. Even your father won't overrule on this."
Robert, however, seed delighted when he heard. He clapped Ned on the shoulder.
"Your girls have real wolf blood in them, Ned. Even Sansa. I like it. We should talk marriage again. I've got three children, you've got six. One match didn't work, but there are others."
Ned stayed calm. "The North is stable. The West is already tied to the crown through the queen. If you want real unity, a match with the East or the South would serve the realm better."
Before Robert could answer, a raven arrived. He read it, then went still.
"Eddard. The Targaryen girl is alive. She married the Horse King beyond the Narrow Sea."
---
The Dothraki moved constantly, following grass and water. Daenerys's thighs were already raw from days in the saddle.
Her handmaids helped her down in a patch of shade. Jorah brought water and dried at.
"Is this all there is?" she asked. Her stomach turned at the thought of more.
Jorah offered his own small store. "Raisins. Dried sweet potato. It's what I have."
She ate a little in silence, then asked, "Where is Drogo?"
"Fighting. Even the biggest khalasar raids others. We're at the rear with the old and the weak. If enemies found us now, we'd be easy prey."
---
Robert called a quick council in his tent. Only Ned and Renly sat with him. Kingsguard stood behind.
He looked at both n. "The Targaryen bitch married the Dothraki. What do we do?"
Renly didn't hesitate. "Kill her. Root and stem. If she ever cos back with an army, the Baratheons will be the first to bleed."
Robert nodded and turned to Ned.
"She's just a girl," Ned said quietly. "Fourteen. Sa age as Sansa. She hasn't done anything yet."
Robert's voice hardened. "You're Hand of the King now, Eddard. Start thinking like one instead of so honorable fool."
Ned stared at his old friend. For the first ti, he wasn't sure he recognized the man sitting across from him.
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