20 chapter 20 : Reforms and Invitation

Over the next few days, Jon saw his sworn brothers again and even observed the improvements being made to the Night's Watch fortresses.

 The gold from their inexhaustible mine had allowed them to improve all the castles inhabited by the guard and Castle Black had been the greatest beneficiary.

 In three years the guard had also carried out recruitments, 7000 new brothers had been recruited and the majority of them were honorary volunteers to Jon's great pleasure.

 He had ensured that all the volunteers drank apple liqueur as a welcome gift from him and they accepted with pleasure because the reputation of this delicious beverage was not small and only very rich people could consume it.

 However, the liquor of this edition was not simple but loaded with nanites which mutated the 4753 new honorary volunteers and the 820 orphans over 9 years old who were going to be sent to DeepLake, the fortress commanded by Levy where they were going to be trained and specialized in archery.

 One of the pieces of news that had amused Jon was a naval battle involving two of the Night's Watch ships against 7 Ironborn pirate ships in the South Seas.

 It turned out that the attacker was Euron Greyjoy and the mutant crews of the Night's Watch had carried out a violent massacre of their attackers.

Euron died during this attack like all his men and there was nothing they could do. Such an important personage perished like a common pirate Because he attacked the worst opponent he could have faced. 

 Jon had heard from the citadel in Oldtown where they had sent some recruits in his absence to become maesters for the Night's Watch.

 42 mutant recruits including a certain Samwell Tarly had left and the results were shocking for the maesters of the citadel because mutants learned quickly, very quickly, so quickly that they had practically completed their complete learning in only two and a half years.

 This kind of intelligence caused a lot of noise throughout the kingdom and lords wanted to hire such intelligent people except that all of them were sworn brothers of the Night's Watch.

 Tywin himself, after observing their skills, wanted to hire Samwell, the most competent, but the refusal had made the old man's mouth completely dry.

 Now, Jon and all the constituent captains of the council sat in the great hall of Fort Nox with Lord Commander Mormont to communicate to the sworn brothers a report of what had been done, rewarding the most deserving and the new reforms of the Night's Watch .

 Jeor: New laws have been passed with the help of all the captains and Maester Aemon. The first news of the reforms concerns honorary volunteers and they are in several aspects.

 First, honorary volunteers can now renounce their vows if the council judges their reasons for retirement to be valid.

 Additionally, sons of lords have the opportunity to earn or obtain an external title once they reach the rank of captain. The Night's Watch is not a prison for its volunteers but a service of honor, the set of wishes is only applicable to criminals who have been given a new start here. The second law concerns free folk (looks at one of the men at the door) bring it in.

 Men entered the room with to everyone's horror a chained undead man whose eyes were blue, he was a wight from the White Walker army and many of the sworn brothers were frightened and agitated as he was now clear that the White Walkers were real.

 Jeor: CALM! Captain Benjen reported one of them during a patrol outside, they suffered no losses fortunately but the emergency is well and truly before us. The others have returned from the land of always winter and each of their victims increases their army like our friend here.

 Jon: We need to prevent that from happening. We are the shield that protects the human realm and wildlings are humans who were unlucky enough to be born on the other side of that wall. The blood of the first men flows as well in their veins as in those of the men of the North who are present in this room. The new law consists of declaring a right of asylum to wildlings who will surrender and swear to live in peace in the mountains west of Gift and New Gift under our supervision of course.

 Benjen: If some of you disagree, I invite you to look at this undead more before doing so, Winter is coming and the Long Night will come with it.

 Jon: Obviously, Mance and his men will not submit easily, they will try to attack the wall... and we will let them. If the free folk understand anything better, it is strength and they will only submit if they see for themselves that they cannot beat us while being aware of the White Walkers coming for them.

 Edmond: Our informants in Mance's disorganized army claim that they will attack in the coming weeks. Squads will be sent to climb the wall in the areas of the four abandoned fortresses, we will let them do so.

 "How do they know which fortresses are abandoned ?"

 Jon: They have wargs that can enter the bodies of animals and control their minds. Eagles, owls or crows can very well serve as spies to make an observation. If you don't believe in wargs, we invite you to take another look at our friend the living dead here.

 Jeor: The third law concerns our dealings with the affairs of the kingdom. We are independent and do not interfere in crown affairs. However, over a week ago, some recruiters were attacked by Bolton archers serving Ramsay. Should we remain silent when our brothers are killed for nothing?!

 " NO "

 "These Bolton dogs must pay"

 "They dared to attack our brothers"

 Jon: However, it won't be easy. They are supported by the Freys and the Lannisters, this is where our wildling friends will enter the scene who will have to fight alongside us to deserve their homeland. I also have a plan to calm Tywin's ambitions. 

 " I agree "

 " Me too "

 "Excellent plan captain commander"

 Jon: Well, I also announce that in accordance with the first reform, Captain Torrhen Karstark has the right to return his black coat. Being an honorary volunteer, he is the last living son of Rickard Karstark who died with his two sons. To ensure the longevity of his house and the honor of his father, brother Torrhen will leave us today to join Karhold. Torrhin, you can return your coat, Your watch ends here. 

 Torrhin sadly approached with his black cloak and placed it on the table. He also wanted to put down his dragonsteel sword but Jon stopped him.

 Jon: It won't be useful, this dragonsteel sword proves that you have served in our order, that you will always have a place and a name. You have served with honors but now your watch is coming to an end. Thank you Torrhen Karstark.

 "AND HERE YOUR WATCH ENDS, BROTHER" The others said getting up at the same time while Torrhen had his head down while tears fell from his eyes.

 Jon: Don't cry my friend, you can come back here whenever you want and recommit. (to the others) Well, this vacancy leads to the promotion of another brother to my second captain like Torrhen was. I call Brother Duncan Snow here.

 The others applauded as the man in his thirties stood up, he was a patrolman known for his efficiency and loyalty, he had almost died saving his comrades from a pack of direwolves in the haunted forest but he was a mutant, he had killed three but was still seriously injured.

 Today, Jon made him his second in command, gave him the mantle of Torrhen which he wore with honor and pride while Jon raised his nanites' combat protocol to 7 like Torrhen before giving him a Dragon Steel sword that he himself called "scar".

 Torrhen returned home and regained his rights to succession just like the rest of the Karstark forces, He made a mutation all his lieutenants and a good part of his men thanks to the apple liqueur given by Jon before going join the Stark / Forester / Mormont / Shadow alliance in Winterfell in full reconstruction where he taught the Stark children that their big brother Jon was still alive and would soon join them.

 The alliance was resilient even though the Boltons the Lannisters controlled the entire southern part of the Northern lands starting with the Neck to all the lands below Winterfell and the wolfswood and the East with the lands of the Boltons.

 Now Jon was at Eastwatch-by-the-sea looking out over the fleet of nineteen great black galleons belonging to the Night's Watch as men boarded two of the ships to establish trade towards Essos.

 The reason he was there was quite curious, one of his men had told him that a messenger from the city of Meereen was there for him with greetings from a certain friend.

 From a pretty little ship already moored there came a woman with swarthy skin and wearing a light dress under a coat to cope with the cold.

 With her were some unsullied who were trying as best they could to ignore the cold but Jon laughed when he saw them shivering.

 Woman: Are you Jon Stark?

 Jon: (High Valyrian) Your accent isn't very comfortable, we can speak in High Valyrian if that's okay. I am indeed Jon Stark. Who sent you?!

 Woman: Your high Valyrian is perfect, it's incredible. I am Zuleha Ba'ashti, a servant of the mother of dragons, breaker of-(interrupted)

 Jon: Daenerys Targaryen sent you, I understand.

 Zuleha: You are a knowledgeable man. I am at her service but she is not the one who sent me. The little man and advisor to the queen told her about you and another friend of yours, a prince of Dorne.

 Jon: Oberyn ! The little man must be Tyrion!

 Zuleha: That's right.

 Jon: What do they want from me?

 Zuleha: I am not qualified to tell you about this, but they are waiting for you in Meereen and I am responsible for bringing you back to them if you agree to this interview.

 Jon: I'm up for it, but there's no way I'm going to sail in your sea snail. Night's Watch ships are much faster and more comfortable.

 Zuleha: Their reputation is great in Essos, I would love to experience it.

 Jon: Very well, you come up with me with your bodyguards and your navigators we will follow with your boat. Let me organize everything, my men will install you in your cabin.

 Zuleha: Thank you.

 Jon immediately went to inform the Lord Commander of his quick trip to Essos and he was granted leave, after all he needed to see the sun after nearly four years beyond the Wall.

 Meanwhile, if the wildlings attack, the Night's Watch will be able to easily defeat them even without him. He took 200 men and two ships before leaving for Meereen.

 Zuleha was installed in her cabin on Jon's personal ship, the Wolf and was very impressed by the luxury but also the cleanliness of the place, there were lots of objects that she didn't know and others object were completely made of pure gold.

 The black galleons had huge black sails as well, on each side there were 16 large paddles connected to a complex internal mechanical system which ensured that the men did not directly handle the large paddles but simply had to turn cranks which operated the oar mechanism at a very rapid pace.

 It was an ingenious technology allowing ships to have much more speed while reducing personnel effort.

 The ships began to sail and the crew was mostly made up of ironborn now belonging to Jon's guard and control by the nanites. They were all mutants capable of great prowess in combat and navigation.

 The ships' large sails coupled with the mechanical rowing system gave them a terrifying propulsion speed and the captains handled them to perfection.

 In just one day, they reached bravos to the great shock of Zuleha and the unsullied who really couldn't believe it because it was so fast compared to the distance.

 They delivered goods and stocked up on resources before continuing on their way. The next day they reached Pentos and the stepstones, Zuleha and the others had already heard about the speed of the black Night's Watch ships like much of the population of the coastal cities in Essos but she realized how fast they were fast and it was really scary.