18 Chapter 18 Jon

Jon

"Up!" growled a wildling, kicking him. Jon was about to see who it was when something jumped over him, over the wildling.

Then he saw it was Ygritte, holding a dagger to the scared guy's neck. The poor fellow must not have known he was a brother of the Night's Watch, and now he trembled beneath her.

"Mance wants to see you, didn't mean to interrupt," said the guy, regretful of his earlier actions.

Ygritte spat to the side, then, after getting up, kicked the guy in the ribs. She was a wildling Jon had captured but was ambushed by others, ending up in her hands.

In the end, the wildlings wanted to execute him, but Qhorin Halfhand, an elder who survived like him, sacrificed himself in a staged fight to give Jon cover to infiltrate the wildlings.

Ygritte was a young woman, a year or two older than him, with fiery hair and uncommon blue eyes among the wildlings.

"Mance wants to see you, get up," she scolded. Jon grimaced, wondering if he had been discovered.

…

About ten minutes later, they reached Mance's tent, still not raised for the day's march. There were a couple of guards outside, motioning for them to enter.

Inside the tent was Mance, the King beyond the Wall, presiding over the meeting in front of the campfire.

Mance was a tall man with broad shoulders, dressed in fur pants and tunic, with a black cloak adorned with pink patches. He had told Jon that his wife, Dalla, sewed them; she was beside him, caressing her massive belly, likely close to giving birth. Next to her was Val, his sister, a blonde woman with braided hair and gray eyes.

On the other side was Tormund, a wildling as boisterous as Great Jon, loving mead, but of average height, with a robust body and gray hair and beard. Following him was Rattleshirt, a wildling wearing bone armor and using a giant's skull as a helmet. These were Mance's main advisors, though the Magnar of Thenn was absent; it seemed he wasn't summoned for this meeting.

Jon entered, and a crow landed on his head. Jon didn't shoo it away, lest it be someone's pet.

"Do you know each other?" Mance asked.

Jon didn't understand the question, as there was no one there other than the advisors Mance introduced him to a few days ago when Ygritte and her group brought him there as a prisoner.

"Don't play dumb, crow. Do you know the skinchanger who controls that crow?" Rattleshirt grunted.

Jon was surprised by the question, only able to look up, causing the crow to fly and perch on his shoulder.

"I don't know any skinchanger," Jon said, frowning at the crow on his shoulder.

Jon knew what a skinchanger was; he was supposed to have killed one when he took Ygritte prisoner, but he had no idea what they were talking about now or why the crow was on his shoulder. Rattleshirt reached for his sword, and Ygritte for hers. Mance growled.

"Lying crow!" Rattleshirt growled.

"Lord of Bones, sheathe the sword," ordered Mance, producing a letter.

The letter bore the seal of a white direwolf with blue eyes like stars, and there were some letters written below the seal, too far for him to read. Still, Jon already knew whose letter it was and was confused about how his brother sent a letter beyond the Wall.

"I knew it, he's a traitor!" grunted Rattleshirt.

"Recognizing a letter from his brother means nothing," Dalla said with a smile.

Mance looked him up and down, but Jon didn't have to feign innocence because he knew nothing about what was happening. Mance nodded and tossed him the letter, which Jon took, realizing that the seal was still intact. He also understood why when he read the sentence written below the seal.

"Mance, if you don't want to find out if curses against virility are true, make sure only my brother Jon reads this letter to you."

Jon blinked, then clenched his teeth to hold back laughter because having that letter in his hands meant Mance didn't want to test his brother's words.

"Ha, threatening a man's virility, Lord Crow, your brother is a piece of work," Tormund spat.

"Read," Mance ordered gruffly. Val rolled her eyes, and Dalla laughed.

Jon sensed the murderous intent in Mance's words and quickly broke the seal to read the letter.

"Jon, Arya insists on being the first to send you greetings. She says that the next time they meet, she'll ride on a dragon. Sansa, Bran, and Rickon also send their regards. I do too, although we'll meet soon, as I've reached the Wall with the northern army and am waiting for you, and that red-haired girlfriend you found among the wildlings.

"Jon, remember, you're a crow; break your vows in silence, like everyone else. Don't imitate Mance and start crying every time they tell you that you can't have a girlfriend." Mance slammed the ground in anger, and Rattleshirt drew his sword, while Ygritte gritted her teeth.

Jon grimaced, thinking his brother had lost his mind, and now he would die because even Val and Dalla looked serious.

"Rattleshirt, if you don't want me to grab my axe and free you from your filthy head, sheathe that sword. It's clear this kid's brother thinks he has us by the balls, telling us he doesn't care if we know his brother lies to our faces. Besides, he's already said he has an army at the Wall," Tormund scolded. Jon was somewhat nervous, but he reread the letter and saw it was true.

"Keep reading!" ordered Mance, giving a warning look to his two generals, and Jon guessed to Ygritte behind him. Jon returned to the letter without saying anything.

"These are all my words for you; I'll see you at the Wall. Greetings to Ghost from the pack and a howl from Grey Wind.

Mance Rayder, king beyond the Wall, I, Robb Stark, lord of the north, also known as the Winter Wolf, the Cunning Wolf, the Golden Wolf, the Serpent Wolf, the Sea Wolf, Lord of the Ravens, and a skinchanger like Jon, address you through a friend because the Wall and the White Walkers prevent me from reaching there using magic.

The reason for this letter Is to inform you that Jon hasn't said everything; the crows are at the Fist of the First Men. I inform you of this to propose a deal.

My army is at the Wall, but mobilizing it outside could end up in an ambush by the White Walkers, leaving the Wall exposed to an attack from either you or them. So, I'll stay at the Wall. But I wouldn't be a good Lord if I leave the brothers of the Night's Watch at the mercy of an attack, so I want you and your men to go to their rescue and safely bring them to the Wall.

"In exchange for this kindness, and on behalf of King Stannis Baratheon, ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, the Rhoynar, the Andals, the First Men, and the Protector of the Realm, I will allow all the Free Folk to cross the Wall and seek refuge behind it, with the condition of forming an alliance against the White Walkers.

"For this, I commit to providing you with supplies and food throughout this war. Once the war is over, you can cross the Wall and return to your own lands or stay. But I warn you, while you remain in the Seven Kingdoms, any violations of their laws regarding kidnappings, murders, and thefts will be severely punished.

"In case you reject my deal and decide to present yourselves at the Wall to fight my knights clad in steel, with your ragged wildlings clad in skins and wielding stone weapons, I will cut off all your heads and then burn your bodies so that the White Walkers cannot use them to build their army.

"P.S.D. Sister-in-law, I was joking before; Jon is not a crow because he took his oaths under a false name, which means they are not valid, and he is a free man. You have until I return to the Wall to tame him, but be careful; he is stubborn and will try everything to prevent you from keeping his…." Jon wasn't going to continue reading, even if they cut off his head.

"Ha, your brother has balls," Tormund said with a laugh.

Mance gritted his teeth, and Dalla and Val were serious. Rattleshirt had sheathed his sword, but he held the hilt in his hand.

"What did he mean by swearing your vows under a false name?" Mance asked, with a threatening tone.

"Nothing," Jon said dryly. "I am a brother of the Night's Watch," Jon added.

"Boy, I don't have time for nonsense. Speak up, or I'll hang your head outside my tent," growled Mance. Jon remained silent.

"Looks like the boy is more cunning than he seems and has already fooled everyone, even the crows," Tormund said.

"I haven't fooled anyone. I didn't know I had a family name when I took my vows; that's all!" Jon reprimanded with indignation. Robb was just talking nonsense; if his oath were invalid for that reason, the old bear would have told him.

"Didn't you say you were Lord Stark's bastard? And I know it's you; I saw you at that feast," accused Mance. Jon clenched his fists. Anyway, he had already spoken.

"My father wasn't Eddard Stark, but I didn't lie when I said I was a Stark because my mother was Lyanna Stark, Eddard Stark's sister. My father was Rhaegar Targaryen, and they were married when I was born, so by right, I have a last name, and my name would be Jon Targaryen," Jon grumbled reluctantly.

"Shit!" Mance grunted.

"The Targaryens who ruled before the kneelers?" Val asked.

"The same, and His Highness here in front of us would be the heir to the throne because his father, the previous heir, is dead, and so are his brothers," Mance informed his wife. Then he looked at him. "And bullshit that your oaths are valid!" Mance spat after spitting on the ground.

"So we have the heir kneeling in our hands; can we negotiate for him?" Rattleshirt asked, drawing his dagger. Jon scoffed at him.

"The Targaryens are in their graves; who would you negotiate with?" Jon asked.

"True, but being heir to the throne still holds a lot of value for these people, and the name of his family is important. His brother might want him as insurance against their current king; that's why he let us know," Mance concluded. Jon could only stare at him.

"Yes, it seems his brother doesn't call him the Cunning Wolf for nothing," Dalla said.

"Well, now that His Highness's identity is clear, I think we should discuss the other part of the letter and open that second letter," said Tormund.

"Second letter?" Jon asked.

"Ygritte, get His Highness out of here," ordered Mance. Jon was about to protest, but a dagger appeared at his neck from behind, threatening to cut his throat, and he was taken outside.

"Don't hit him too much; he needs to ride a horse," ordered Mance, before Ygritte took him out of the tent and, without a word, returned him to the tent where he slept. As he exited Mance's tent, Ghost followed him in silence.

"Ghost, wait here; I'll give your master a beating," Ygritte said in a neutral tone, and to Jon's surprise, Ghost lay down outside the tent, while Jon was pushed inside at dagger-point.

"Bastard!" Ygritte yelled, kicking him low after she sheathed her dagger. Jon jumped to the side.

"I'm sorry!" Jon said.

"Your shitty apologies won't bring back my life!" growled Ygritte, kicking him low after she sheathed her dagger. Jon jumped to the side.

"Ygritte, I didn't want to deceive you, but you would have killed me if you knew the truth," Jon excused himself.

"Of course, I would have killed you, kneeling shit!" Ygritte shouted, punching him. Since she sheathed her dagger, Jon did nothing but cover himself, and they fell to the ground when she tackled him. There, they looked at each other for a few seconds until Ygritte slapped him and left the tent cursing. When she left, Ghost poked his head in.

"Ghost…" Jon didn't know what to say.

…

Two hours later, the camp still hadn't moved, and Jon continued to think about his family, especially Arya's message and his other brothers because, to him, they would always be his brothers. Could the fact that they sent him a message mean they were okay? Maybe the war was over since Robb was at the Wall, and Stannis was king, which would mean his brother won the war… The tent flap opened, and Ygritte came in to look at him furiously.

"Mance is calling for you," Ygritte said coldly and pushed him outside the camp.

Upon reaching the place, a cavalry troop of three hundred men awaited him, led by Mance, Rattleshirt, and the Thenn Magnar, a tall guy wearing bronze armor and a helmet, with an obsidian-tipped bronze spear.

Jon had seen that he was missing his ears when he didn't wear the helmet. He was the lord of the Thenn, who, from what Ygritte told him, was like a god to his people, the one who wanted him dead the most among Mance's advisers.

"Your Highness, we've got you a horse; you will accompany us to find your crows, riding alongside your chosen princess," Mance informed, looking at Ygritte with disdain.

Ygritte clenched her fists, but said nothing. Jon knew that because she was deceived by him, Ygritte's reputation must have fallen among her people, so he felt responsible for her mistreatment.

Some men brought two provisioned horses with tents, blankets, and food, and Jon mounted without saying anything.

"Your Highness, according to your brother, the crows are at the Fist of the First Men, and the White Walkers are surrounding them. Moving our camp there would give us an advantage because the White Walkers haven't been able to face all of us yet. But that cannot be done because it would take three weeks to get there, and by that time, your crows would already be dead.

"Instead, we will ride to them and try to reach them before the wights do, to guide them to the safety of the camp, risking that we may be the ones falling into a trap set by the White Walkers or your brother.

"If your brother is planning something, you can say goodbye to your life. And if the White Walkers manage to surround us… well, I guess that's bad luck," said Mance a second before a crow flew and landed on Jon's shoulder.

"Your brother has asked me to guide you. Tell them that if they follow me, they won't encounter the White Walkers. But if they deviate from the path or ignore my advice, they will undoubtedly be caught," said a deep voice, and Jon looked around but found no one speaking to him.

"What's happening?" Mance asked.

"I'm using the raven on your shoulder to speak to you," said the voice, and Jon looked at the raven in disbelief.

"This raven can talk!" Jon exclaimed in amazement. Rattleshirt spat from his horse, as did the Thenn Magnar.

"The raven hasn't spoken; you can hear him because you're a warg," Ygritte said.

"You're a skinchanger, but it doesn't matter. Tell them to follow me," said the raven as it took flight.

"He says that if we follow him, we won't have to see the White Walkers," Jon said, pointing in the direction the raven was flying. Mance clenched his teeth.

"Follow him!" Mance ordered.

…

Three days later, they were near the Fist of the First Men, but it was nighttime, and they were hiding in a cave.

"I'm sorry," Jon said, approaching Ygritte, who was on guard in a corner.

This was a guard for the two of them because, in the last few days, it had become clear to Jon that the Free Folk considered Ygritte another prisoner. It was evident she expected a sudden attack at any moment. All of this was Jon's fault because he deceived her, and she had staked her reputation on the belief that he was telling the truth.

"I'll take responsibility," Jon said.

"Do you plan to commit suicide?" Ygritte asked, rolling her eyes. "If you do that, your brother won't let us cross the Wall. How does that help me?" she questioned. "Kneeling shit," she cursed. Jon coughed uncomfortably.

"I mean, I'll marry you and take you to live with mine," Jon explained. Ygritte looked at him and blinked a couple of times.

"And no shit, I'm not living with the kneelers. Also, what the hell do you think? You're just a bit handsome… I mean, go to sleep, shithead," Ygritte cursed and turned her back.

"Ygritte…"

"Shut up, you pair of shits," Rattleshirt grumbled, getting up ten meters away from them, brandishing his sword, while kicking everyone around him. "It's too damn cold," he grumbled as he kicked people.

The group of people stood looking alarmed as Mance entered from the mouth of the cave, followed by the raven, which flew to Jon's shoulder.

"It's not with us," Mance whispered. "The cold is going that way," he said, pointing in the direction it was heading.

"Damn it!" Rattleshirt grumbled and looked at Jon. "Didn't your fucking brother say they haven't gathered their forces yet?" Rattleshirt asked, pointing his sword at him.

"The Night's Watch received a letter from your brother, and they are preparing to retreat. The White Walkers won't wait any longer; they will attack with what they have now and try to kill as many as possible," said the raven. Jon grimaced.

"The Night's Watch was planning to flee; that's why they will attack ahead of schedule," Jon explained.

"Their army isn't complete; they won't be able to block the path. They haven't seen us. If we run now, they won't be able to react, and more brothers of the Night's Watch will survive," explained the raven.

"The raven says the White Walkers don't know we're here. If we attack their rear, we can save more lives…"

"Shut up, you shit raven! Your mother's going to attack a shit!" Rattleshirt reprimanded.

The Thenn Magnar also growled a few insults quietly after one of his men translated for him.

"Two piles of coward shit!" Ygritte scoffed, laughing out loud when everyone else was whispering. Jon saw the men involuntarily flinch in fear, making Ygritte laugh even more. "I was wrong; they're all a bunch of turds!" she mocked, and the men drew swords and spears in response.

"Everyone to the horses, and she's right, they're a bunch of shits. Unless they plan to fly over the Wall with an army there, we need the crows as hostages," scolded Mance.

Rattleshirt and the Thenn Magnar gave Ygritte a murderous look, but Jon intervened, and Ghost bristled by his side. Ygritte sneered, gripping her own spear, but she didn't kick Jon away, as she often did.

"Mount up, there's a couple of hours' gallop to the Fist of the First Men, and you, tell that raven we need a clear path, or half of us won't make it due to injured horses," said Mance.

"The roots will retreat underground, and the earth will clear their way," said the raven. Jon merely repeated what was said, and many men spat on the ground, while others visibly shuddered.

"Your brother's friends are frightening," Ygritte whispered in Jon's ear as the raven flew out of the cave, and they hastily saddled the horses. Jon didn't even know his brother had friends like these.

…

The raven didn't lie because despite galloping under the gigantic trees, which they had passed before with roots everywhere, none of the horses stumbled, and in the darkness of the night illuminated by dimming torchlights, none of them tripped over anything. The path was as smooth as the Kingsroad, while the raven cawed at the front to guide them.

So they rode for a couple of hours until they began to hear battle horns and sounds of fighting, along with a bone-chilling cold due to a sudden storm that loomed over them. The raven guiding them sought refuge on Jon's shoulder, but his guidance was no longer needed. The battle was in front of them, and those at the forefront were already striking some lingering wights.

"They've already seen us, but it's too late. The Night's Watch is trying to break their ranks. They can't withstand an attack on their rear. By the way, if you see any walkers, use that sword to keep them away; don't confront them. They're excellent swordsmen, and you'll die if you cross blades with them," warned the raven.

Jon didn't hear anything more because his group of three hundred riders shouted with fury as they reached an incline, seeing the battle and the wights ascending at the summit. In the distance, Jon saw many lit fires.

Jon thought of Samwell, Grenn, and his friends, marching with the Old Bear, and he gripped Longclaw, the sword given to him by the Old Bear. He also kept an eye on Ygritte, who rode beside him. She was now his responsibility, and he wouldn't lose sight of her because, as his comrades saw her, her life was also in danger. He had pledged to protect her, and he turned out to be a liar to her people, so he couldn't leave her alone.

Just a few minutes into the ascent, they encountered the wights, whose eyes gleamed in the midst of the storm and the dim light of the torches. There were both men and animals marching forward, but upon seeing them, they tried to turn around to face them, being cut down by the riders in front without much difficulty. However, looking back, Jon saw these corpses rising again unless they were struck with torches, in which case, they burned like tinder.

Jon cut down some corpses with his sword, and these did not rise. Then the charge slowed down because there were too many enemies, and if they kept charging, they would end up in the middle and be crushed.

"Sam! Grenn! Move forward!" Jon shouted with all his might, urging his comrades to redouble their efforts to escape.

Jon moved back and forth with Ygritte and Ghost at his side, leading small charges. Mance did the same with another fifteen men. The rest of the wildling cavalry was scattered everywhere and without any order. Mance tried to gather them, but the wind was against him…

Jon froze as he saw a white creature with armor that shimmered like a rainbow in front of him, riding a dead horse. Jon didn't need to be told that he was facing a White Walker.

"No!" Ygritte shouted as he charged. "Steel does nothing to them!" she warned.

The White Walker saw him too and, with a smooth movement, drew a crystalline sword, calmly parrying Jon's strike. However, he didn't account for Ghost behind him, who charged and bit the legs of his horse in his run.

When Jon turned, the White Walker was under his dead horse, missing its hind legs, which were now being chewed by Ghost at his side. Jon thought of charging again and trying to stab him, but Ygritte stopped him, fear on her face.

"He can't get out of there; let's move on. We're not here to fight a battle!" scolded Ygritte.

Jon remembered that was true and went back to find his companions, while Mance's shouts urged them to regroup.

Jon kept shouting for Sam and his friends all the while they advanced until a voice responded up ahead. When he could advance through the storm and several rows of wights, he heard his name roared, and it was a familiar voice, Grenn's.

Jon kept shouting, and a few minutes later, they encountered several rows of black cavalry pushing back the forces of the wights, and unlike the wildlings, they were so closely packed that they seemed tied together. Jon saw the Old Bear riding three rows back, giving orders. Further back, rows of men with torches set fire to the dead that the black knights had knocked to the ground.

"Damn it, cursed crows, what the hell do they think they're doing? Ride!" scolded Rattleshirt upon seeing the scene.

Jon knew the Old Bear wouldn't abandon the men on foot, so he charged the rear ranks, as only a few lines of wights separated them from about ten meters away.

Jon slashed with his sword, Ghost tore heads apart with his jaws, and Ygritte pushed her spear to pierce heads and shove corpses that got too close to their horses.

The other wildlings, led by Mance, were finally able to concentrate their forces and help open a path in the rear of the army of wights. Jon saw that they were missing at least a third of the numbers they started with and wondered if they were dead or lost in the darkness.

Jon saw men being knocked off their horses by the multitude of wights, but he fought for his life and Ygritte's, joining Mance's charge, and he couldn't do anything to help them, only fight to create an escape for the Night's Watch amidst a sea of wights.

They achieved their goal about five minutes later by joining forces. Without asking what the other group was doing there, they began to retreat. This time the Night's Watch led the way, and they collaborated to set everything on fire they could on the sides and behind the battle. Fire and torches seemed more effective against the White Walkers than any weapon.

…

"We can't stop. As long as this cold follows us, it means they're still there," Mance scolded the Old Bear two hours later when it had been an hour since they saw wights.

"He's right. They're following us," said the raven on Jon's shoulder.

"The raven says they are following us," Jon said, and the Old Bear looked at him and then at the raven.

Jon suddenly remembered that he was no longer with the wildlings, and his companions knew nothing about this raven.

"He's the one who led us here," Jon tried to explain, but he didn't have much hope that they wouldn't take him for crazy.

"There are too many wounded, and their horses won't hold up either," the Old Bear said without paying more attention to the raven.

Jon looked at his own horse, covered in cuts and scratches everywhere. He felt bad for the animal, but in battle, he couldn't do anything. At least half of the remaining horses were in the same state, and there were people crawling with serious injuries.

The Night's Watch had lost a third of its men, and the Free Folk almost half of them. Their horses were the ones in the worst condition…

Jon looked towards their escape route, where the sound of horse hooves could be heard. Mance and the others alarmed, while the Old Bear ordered them to form lines. Five minutes later, several hundred horses, saddled and provisioned but without riders, rode towards them.

"Your brother figured they would need spare horses, so he asked me to bring some from the Free Folk camp," the raven on his shoulder reported. Jon looked at Mance.

"If my people get in trouble because of this, I'll boil your damn raven," Mance cursed before ordering to mount the wounded and continue the march.

…

A day later, the temperature returned to normal.

"The wights are too slow, and it seems the Walkers don't feel safe following us alone," Mance said, relieved at the sight of the sun on the second day of escape.

"They know I'm here, and they fear they might have weapons to kill them. It seems your sword caught their attention before," said the raven on his shoulder. Jon repeated his words, and everyone looked at Longclaw greedily.

"Valyrian steel is not the only thing that can kill a White Walker. An obsidian dagger can work too," said the raven.

"I have a dagger," Sam said after Jon repeated the raven's words.

Sam hadn't finished speaking when one of the Old Bear's men took the dagger from him and passed it to the Old Bear, who examined it without seeming too confident in its usefulness but gave it to one of his best warriors. Sam could only look on. The Free Folk were the same. The Old Bear kept his men together, and there were no openings they could use to attack.

"Well, I think it's time to talk," said Mance, and the Old Bear nodded, looking at Jon. Jon swallowed and glanced at Ygritte.

Jon had sworn an oath to the Night's Watch, but he also had a responsibility to her. Mance put his hand on his shoulder.

"His Highness is a hostage. He will stay on our side until his brother fulfills his promise," Mance declared, sporting an ugly bruise that left a scratch on his face.

Jon was surprised that he and especially Ghost had not a scratch when their first horse died from its wounds, as they were the vanguard of their small group of three. Even Ygritte, who marched behind them, hurt her arm when her spear got stuck in a wight's head, and she had to fight for it, almost being thrown off her horse and bitten on one shoulder before he and Ghost charged to support her.

The Old Bear nodded, and once the meeting around a campfire began, Jon was on the side of the wildlings as Mance explained their agreement, and the black brothers cursed and swore upon learning that safe passage had been promised to them.

"Robb has no choice. If the White Walkers turn the Free Folk into an army of wights, the Seven Kingdoms will be in serious trouble," Jon explained to defend his brother's honor.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I believe we all understand your brother's generosity. Now close your mouth!" Mance reprimanded.

Losing half of their warriors had made him grit his teeth constantly. Jon thought it was terrible for them, but tens of thousands more could cross the Wall without dying in the attempt due to this truce.

The meeting continued without his intervention, and the Old Bear agreed to ride with the wildling tribes because he had direct orders from a great lord, who had full authority from the king to deal with this matter.

Although the black brothers and the Free Folk were mortal enemies, resisting these orders meant death because the king had the authority to cut off the heads of the black brothers if he deemed them harmful to the realm. He could also prevent the Free Folk from crossing, leading to a mass extermination against them, something terrible but possible because with an army on the Wall, it would be impossible for the Free Folk to have the slightest chance of crossing it. Just having the Night's Watch there would make it difficult for them.

For these reasons, both groups were obliged to collaborate. Of course, this didn't prevent them from cursing each other when they met the gaze of the other group while traveling back to the wildling camp, carrying their wounded.

…

"Say something," Jon whispered.

He reunited with his friends, thanks to them coming to visit him from the Free Folk side, and now they were in a group at the foot of a large tree ten meters away from the others. Jon shared the latest news with them.

"Why would you want to swear again?" Sam asked, making his opinion on the matter clear.

"If I were you, I'd run without looking back," Grenn suggested.

"I made an oath!" Jon reprimanded.

"An oath that is not valid, and even the Old Bear prefers you not to confirm it. Why else wouldn't he say anything about it if even the wildlings can see that your oath is not valid if it weren't so?" Grenn asked.

"Maybe the Lord Commander wanted to give him the chance to see it for himself and make his own decision," Sam whispered.

"I think that makes sense," Jon said. "The Old Bear wants me to make my own decision, but I've already done that before, and now I don't think anything has changed, so I'll stay here fulfilling my duty until the day I die," Jon concluded, putting an end to the matter.

No one could make him resign from the Night's Watch. There was no way to do it. He had his oath to Ygritte, but he didn't have to marry her. He could find her a place with the Starks. He was sure she would get along with Arya.

For all these reasons, Jon's oath was absolutely unmovable. He would die as a brother of the Night's Watch regardless of his name or family.

…

"Has the last of them passed?" his brother Robb asked with a solemn tone once the last group of the Free Folk crossed the Wall.

Robb stood with a raven on his left shoulder. The northern lords, who were two steps behind, about ten of them led by Rickard Karstark and Greatjon, looked at him without understanding his apparently obvious question because everyone could see that no one was left outside.

The wildling leaders, who were also there on top of the Wall, watching everything, and just taking a moment to eat and relieve themselves in the last three days, including Mance Rayder, Tormund, Styr, and Rattleshirt, who were the most known to Jon, also frowned at his seemingly obvious question, but no one wanted to answer without knowing what his brother was playing at.

Jon still couldn't believe how much Robb had changed. He was a completely different person from the brother he had bid farewell to in Winterfell less than two years ago.

"Yes, Robb, they have all crossed," Jon said.

His brother nodded and turned to look at the entire group. He hadn't let his beard grow, and his face was that of a boy compared to everyone present, but they all tensed in anticipation when he looked at them. Even the Magnar of Thenn, who was the most egocentric person Jon knew, tensed at his brother's gaze.

Robb observed his lords, the leaders of the Free Folk, Jaime Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, a woman who joined the Night's Watch because the king threatened to behead her lords to make them obey his order to let her in. Motivated by the fact that a usurper king, who was his own brother, had also named her to the Kingsguard, and no one opposed. So, he was no less, and he could break traditions too.

Robb's gaze reached him at his side and Ygritte, who disagreed with his decision to swear to the Night's Watch again as soon as the Free Folk finished crossing and Night's Watch activities resumed. So, according to her, she intended to make him give up by harassing him at night. But so far, Jon had remained steadfast.

After looking at them, Robb nodded to them and looked back at the forest horizon beyond the Wall, smiling…

Jon shivered because Robb's smile was a malicious one. His eyes and expression were filled with cunning, self-satisfaction, and arrogance.

The wildling lords and leaders blinked just like Jon, but as before, they didn't understand anything. This time, Jon didn't understand anything either, but his brother didn't explain anything and kept smiling for several minutes. He only stopped because it seemed that his face had already frozen due to the cold.

"This is the easiest war I've won in all my life because it hasn't even ended, and I can already secure a total victory," his brother declared, but he wasn't speaking to them. He was looking at the forest. "Don't you understand, my frozen friends?" he asked sarcastically. "Well, I'll explain why this is a checkmate."

"First, you should have done the same as with the Night's Watch and attacked the Free Folk without hesitation when you saw them heading to the Wall. Yes, the Free Folk already knew how to kill you, and some of you might have died, but not without gaining at least a good army of wights to face me in a rushed war before the southern lords arrived here. That way, I couldn't ensure my victory and would be forced into a war where you could use casualties against me."

"But this didn't happen, and it didn't happen for two reasons. Time is not the same for you and for us. You waited eight thousand years to be forgotten while plotting your return and taking advantage of human conflict to sweep away everything left behind effortlessly."

"And if you did it once well, you can do it twice. So, even if we win the war this time, you can always expect our victory today to be forgotten, and you can try again."

"And here is your second mistake, for you will never have another chance. I've taken care of that by industrializing this world. In about fifty or a hundred years, people will be pulling their cold asses out of the North to exhibit them at fairs as a tourist attraction, while some troublemakers demand rights to be recognized as conscious beings and not exhibition animals, making it clear that they are only beings worthy of pity."

"This war, which you have already lost because I have subdued all your rabble-rousers, your cannon fodder is behind me, and you can only throw animals at me, which I will set on fire when I see them. The sea is now my territory too, stick your heads out, and you'll end up under the sea," Robb declared, and Jon understood that he wasn't talking to them, but he still didn't understand anything…

Jon steadied his feet on the wall because a sudden cold wind blew strongly, and the sound of ice cracking reached his ears. Jon hurriedly looked at Robb while holding Ygritte at his side…

Robb stood firm as if the gust hitting the wall were a gentle breeze.

"So come, I'm here. The three-eyed crow is nothing. Its secrets are garbage compared to what I know; what it can do is nothing. I am its end, its despair, and its ultimate humiliation.

"I know you can see it because if, after seeing me here, you still can't and that old man can still blind you, then you were never anything great…

The wind blew so strongly that his group had to crouch and hold onto the ground not to be dragged. Jon hurriedly looked at Robb after securing himself hastily, but he remained standing, seemingly unaffected by the wind.

The cracking of the ice returned, and this time it sounded like a mountain was breaking just a few meters away from them, frightening everyone, but Robb looked on indifferently.

"In my dreams?" Robb asked. "What arrogance!" he scolded. "Well, I'll wait for them. Come, I'll show you despair. I'll teach you hopelessness. I'll show you true humanity, not these peasants you're facing now, who you can easily intimidate. Come, and you'll know what you're really up against," Robb declared, spitting on the ground before turning around to look at them.

Robb blinked as he saw them all crouched on the ground.

"Don't you think you're too old to play on the ground?" Robb asked and walked through the group to go to the elevator. Behind him, the sound of breaking ice continued, but he ignored it.

NA 1: The White Walkers are doomed to failure because the war ended before they could amass their army of the dead, and now, with the industrialization of the Seven Kingdoms, in a few decades, they will be like exhibition bugs. Of course, only Robb understands this. In the next chapter, we will see a POV from Robb and finish seeing what happens with the White Walkers and the rest of Robb's measures to face them now that they are without an army.

NA 2: Jon is stubborn, just like Ned Stark. He won't give up his oaths no matter what. The only way to move Jon from the Wall is if he dies or if they appeal to his family. Remember that he almost left once due to Ned's death, but neither condition applies, and he won't leave the Wall.