Chapter 2 The King in the North

Melisandre

"Winter is Coming."

As ominous sounds resounded from the firewood and the flames intended to beat the cold were extinguished, Jon Snow rose from the pyre amidst the eerie spectacle of cold steam radiating out to extinguish the fires witnessed by the various factions. From Night's Watch to Free The Folk responded with a mix of shock, fear, and horror, retreating from the extinguishing fire in disbelief at what their eyes were seeing.

Among them, Melisandre of Asshai felt the chill that gripped her heart, the fear and sense of impending doom that covered her like a suffocating shroud, and she believed with unwavering confidence. The prophesied prince who will lead the fight against darkness will be resurrected through the offering of the king's blood, even though Jon Snow is an illegitimate child but has the blood of former King Stark in him. Now she questions whether she has seriously misinterpreted the signal.

Her attempt to revive Stannis Baratheon ended in disaster, releasing unimaginable dark energy into the world rather than bringing salvation. Now, in the face of Jon Snow's cold, lifeless body, she realized with a sinking heart that she had been terribly wrong.

In her desperation to fulfill the prophecy and usher in a new era of light, she unknowingly paved the way for another Great Other to descend into the mortal realm, her grip tightening with each passing moment. As doubt and despair consumed her, it clouded the faith that had once so unshakably guided her.

Melisandre hung her head in shame with a heavy heart and carried the guilt of knowing that she had failed in her sacred duty to serve the Lord of Light. Even though she had tried to bring about the dawn, she had only hastened it. Only darkness enters the world.

As the shadows creeped closer, Melisandre soon realized that she could not undo the damage she had caused. The only thing she could do was pray for forgiveness and redemption, holding on to the hope that somehow light would triumph over darkness. But deep down in her soul, she feared that her actions would trigger a series of events that could lead to the destruction of everything on earth.

***

Jon

The wind blew violently as Jon Snow emerged from the ashes, his eyes ablaze with a newfound intensity that seemed to pierce the veil of darkness that shrouded Castle Black. Witnesses gasped in some disbelief. People kneeled down respectfully, while others scrambled back in fear.

Among the crowd was Eddison. Tollett, a loyal Nightwatch sibling, approached Jon carefully, his weathered face a mixture of surprise and worry. Because Jon's eyes changed from gray to blue like 'those'.

"Jon...is it really you?" Edd muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jon turned to face him with a solemn expression and said, "Yes, it's me."

Edd nodded slowly, his eyes filled with emotion. "We thought you'd lost us, but the gods saw fit to give you a second chance."

Jon stared at the gathered crowd, his mind whirling with questions and uncertainty. He knew his recovery would have a profound impact.

"What happened?" Jon asked in a serious tone. He didn't expect that he would wake up on fire thanks to the power of winter that protected his body but not his clothes, so he felt a little embarrassed by it. He realized that he was naked in front of many people, but he ignored it for now because it was too late to cover up. It would be okay for people to see him a little more.

Edd hesitated for a moment, whether it was because of the resurrection of the dead or the commander's unfazed ness towards his lack of costumes. After thinking about it, he answered. "Melisandre... She tried to bring Stannis back, but... It was either a mistake or her god chose to bring you back to life."

Jon shook his head in denial. "No, not her, but the Old Gods."

Edd frowned in confusion at Jon's words, but he nodded, accepting the explanation.

"Old Gods," Edd echoed quietly, his voice laced with uncertainty. "Whatever the case, we are grateful to have you back, Jon. The Night's Watch needs skilled commanders more than ever."

Jon's gaze softened as he looked at his friend, a look of gratitude flickering in his eyes. "Thank you, Edd, but I have to disappoint you."

Edd looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Jon didn't say anything; he looked down at his cold hands and felt the ice grip his soul. 

"My watch is over," Jon said as he walked away with his Dire Wolf, leaving everyone in the courtyard helpless. It took several seconds for Edd to regain consciousness and hurry after Jon.

In Jon's room

He was now wearing clothes—a standard Night's Watch black outfit and a fur coat to protect from the cold. Not that Jon would need them; after all, after he gained his second life, he could no longer feel the cold even when standing naked. outdoors, but after many years of wearing them, they have become accustomed to

Edd, who had followed into the room, asked. "What you said outside..."

"I'm going south. I have debt with that bastard Bolton..." Jon stopped himself before saying. "Reclaim my home." 

Edd watched disapprovingly as Jon hurriedly packed up his things. "You can't leave the wall, Jon, you swear!" 

Jon stopped packing his things and looked up. Eddd was momentarily terrified by what he saw.

"I remember!" He walked towards Edd, backing him against the wall. "Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. Must I continue?" He backed away slowly. "I broke my oath, and I died."

"But after all that at Hardhome, are you still going to leave us?" Edd tried to say.

Jon's head was bitter. "Because of that, I have to go and gather the power of the North to fight them."

"but…"

"Edd, it's not like we can defeat the Army of the Dead with the strength of the Night's Watch in the present and maybe not in the past. We had five hundred brothers left who were divided among each castle, and not all of them were fighters. Tens of thousands of Free Folk might help us take care of the remaining forts along the wall, but that's not enough. They're not all fighters either, and they're not trained to work with castles, and you can see that the South doesn't care about the Night's Watch; they were very bad and refused to help when we asked for it except Stannis, who tried, and now he's gone," Jon said patiently.

Edd sighed and prayed that intelligence wasn't what his friend had lost. "In case you forgot, Roose Bolton has Winterfell. If you want to take his head, you need an army." 

Jon placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and looked thoughtful. 

"I think we can help with that." 

Edd and Jon turned to see Tormund and Val at the door, the faces of the Free. Folk has an evil smile. "We have four thousand Free Folk behind us, and we still owe you, Crow King." He patted Jon on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Jon couldn't help but smile at his friend.

Tormund's arrival brought a ray of hope to Jon's weary mind. He had not expected such a generous offer from the Free Folk, but he knew that he could not refuse their help in fighting Bolton, even if marching with the Free Folk would certainly not be liked by the northern nobles, as he warned Stannis.

"Tormund, will you and your men risk their lives for me?" Jon asked, his voice full of seriousness.

Tormund smiled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "That's right, Crow King! We owe it to you to let us through the wall, help those of us at Hardhome, and provide food and shelter. We also care more about southerners, and I've always wanted to see what chaos in the south would be like."

Jon chuckled at Tormund's disrespect. He felt a warmth spread through him at the thought of having such a loyal ally by his side. He turned to Edd, a look of determination in his eyes.

"Good luck, Edd. Tormund Vall. Assemble our forces and march south at dawn," Jon ordered in a firm voice. The Free Folks nodded and walked out.

Seeing that there was no way to change the former commander's mind, Edd asked. "Then where are you going? You wouldn't expect to conquer the castle by a savage–Free Folk thousand people, right? You also need the Northern House to support you."

Jon nods, remembering how Mance's army would be destroyed by Stannis's outnumbered army if he marched. Free Folk goes to Winterfell, where he will eventually become friends with Stannis.

Requesting help from the northern lords, they had to be careful that they did not sell him to Bolton, especially since he was teaming up with the Free Folk, who don't believe their loyalty to Stark is enough to help their illegitimate child. He has nothing to bargain with, really, with Stark in their name. The Manderlys won't move until they get Rick. He hopes that Stannis will succeed in getting Glover and Umber to turn against Bolton, but then he remembers Lyanna Mormont's answer to Stannis' request for loyalty. [Bear Island doesn't know the king. Except for the King of the North, whose name is Stark] Maybe he would start with her. "I have."

"And what do we do with the traitors, Jon?" Jon froze as he walked, assuming that all the traitors had been dealt with. "Hang them and tie them up, then throw them outside the wall. If we're lucky, we'll have proof for the nobles to see." 

"Sure," Edd replied, admitting it was a clever plan.

"Good," Jon said ferociously. "Winter is Coming, and so are the wolves." Edd looked at his friend. His friend was still there, but he knew that things were different. Jon had more of the wolf inside and was hungry for revenge. Edd would be shaking if he weren't his friend.

Edd could only agree with the former commander: "That's right, Winter is Coming."

Jon's ferocious smile widened, and the white wolf howled.

***

Ramsay

Ramsay sat on a high cushion in the great hall and lazily played with his favorite knife. He eventually became Lord Bolton. His father and half-brother are all dead. A wicked smile appeared on his face as he thought of the surprised expression on his father's face as he lay there, dying with his son murdered.

But this victory felt a little empty; he became the Lord of the North, and the opposing army was broken. Stannis was also killed, but not by him; it was because one lucky fucking arrow killed the Deer King. Reek and his wife were gone. They had been foolish enough to jump off the castle walls, thinking the snow would help. In return for their foolishness, he fed them to the bloodhounds.

Winterfell feels too peaceful and quiet without anyone to torture and destroy. His favorite toys were gone, but he could always recreate Reek, and there was nothing better than Stark. Even a bastard, he was still a Stark. Either way, Jon Snow's screams would fill his heart with joy. 

Jon Snow, Eddard Stark's bastard, dares to interfere with the politics of the North when he's already serving the Night's Watch. Ramsay and his father knew that Stannis's movements since leaving the Wall would only require the help of the North. Gathering support from Karstark, Umber, and the Northern Mountain clans and expelling the Ironborn from the Deepwood Motte to get Glover Fortunately, they had one of Karstark's spies who knew all of Stannis's activities and who was behind them. It made him angry that his rule was nearly ruined by another Stark. 

The wall will no longer protect the heretic Stark once he seizes Deepwood Motte had returned from the Resistance, and with the Ironborn remaining, the Wall would be his next stop, but for now he needed to let his army recover. He grabbed the knife he was slashing and headed towards the dungeon. With a wicked smile on his face, he had a matter to settle with the fool who tried to help his wife.

***

Jon

Jon walks out of the Castle Black and his army of Free Folk aim to liberate Deepwood Motte left the Ironborn before going to Bear Island, because if he was going to appeal to the nobles, he had to show them his power first, that he was a person worthy of following as the true Winter King, and nothing would be better than killing squid.

The expedition departed from Castle Black by avoiding Mole's Town and other villages to prevent their movements from being reported. Jon also enters the possession of a raven to foretell the path. Since he awakens in his new life, he knows that he is not just a Warg, but a Skinchanger.

Jon has had strange dreams over the years about becoming a Ghost. He feels a connection with Ghost more than any other pet. They move together instinctively.

When he dreamed of hunting deer and other animals at night and in the morning, he would see a ghost with a bloody mouth. He knew that this was not a dream. All the stories that Old Nan had told him about. People who get into the skin of animals It's about Stark marrying the Warg King's daughter to gain the ability to control wolves called Warg. It's clear when he had a second life. Sometimes he felt like he could control Ghost's actions. 

And sometimes it wasn't the ghost he dreamed of but a bird flying in the sky.

Free Folk call this the Skinchanger, which has the ability to enter the minds of animals and control them. That's pretty basic, but when you dig deeper, the skinchanger and animals share a part of each other. While the skinchanger gains animal vision and instincts, the animal gains a fraction of human intelligence. 

When he realized his own power, Jon wasn't shy about using that power to his advantage either. With the guidance of an experienced skin changer, among the Free Folk, there is no longer a need to sleep to possess an animal.

Jon's eyesight covered the entire north at will, moving from one crow to another. Doing so, he was aware of the situation in the North as a whole. While the Ironborn are plundering across the West, Glover's castle serves as the gathering place for Stannis' remaining army. Bolton's power faltering because of Ramsay's folly in killing his father, who had tried to hold the North in desperation, when considering history the Boltons had never truly ruled the North. Many families plotted against the Boltons, who lacked a spearhead to lead them. Ser Davos and Lord Manderly's men continued to negotiate their way into Skagos. The Cousin: Rickon is happy with his wolf and the Free Folk girl, even though Rickon's proximity to a man-eating den makes him very worried. Shireen and Selyse stay at Eastwatch by the Sea with the Baratheon army. Theon and the person claiming to be Arya are dead, causing Bolton's supporters through Stark to disappear again. Mance is nowhere to be found; he is presumed to be dead.

He was now going to meet Maege Mormont, and Galbart Glover was camping in Wolfswood Forest. Considering the journey of those who did not go to Deepwood Motte or Winterfell but directly north, tomorrow they will meet.

"You have the eyes of a hundred crows. You are now fit for the position of Crow King." Tormund laughed.

Jon bursts into laughter. "I will not deny that claim." 

"Apparently, death really does change you. That grumpy boy is gone," Tormund pointed out as he reached out and warmed himself against the fire in the midst of all the coldness, even though it was nothing compared to that on the other side of the wall.

"I can't be the old man if I want to rule the North and lead the fight for a second dawn," Jon said, shoving a bonfire.

"Did you know that some people think you are a god?" Tormund said.

"Oh, really?" Jon asked, but not out of surprise.

"Yes, but I know you're not a god. I've seen your cock. It's small," Tormund scoffed.

Jon chuckled at Tormund's rude joke and shook his head playfully. "Okay, size isn't always everything. And by the way, tomorrow we will meet with Mama Bear. I hope you can control yourself. Bear's husband"

"I was drunk then!" Tormund argued.

It's a funny story about Tormund getting drunk and having sex with a bear. It is said that he also had a child with that bear. Of course, it is a joke. Humans cannot have children with animals, not to mention that if it were true. Tormund would have been mauled to death by a bear long ago. 

They continued to talk throughout the night until someone took over on guard duty.

***

Maege

House Mormont has always been one of House Stark's most loyal supporters, so even two years after the young wolf Robb Stark was killed, Maege still works hard to carry out his final orders, which became his will after he was murdered under the rights of his guests by the cowardly Freys and traitorous Boltons, just the thought of which makes one's blood flow. Her body boils with rage, and she kills every coward and traitor she comes across. People call it the anger of the bear. She accepted it willingly since her nickname was 'The She-Bear' and her home was a bear, so there was no reason to refuse.

Robb Stark gives orders and sends her off with her daughter, and Galbart Glover returns north by boat from Seagard to The Neck by finding a way to bypass Moat Cailin, which was owned by the Ironborn at the time.

When they reached Seagard, word about the Red Wedding was upon them, and there were no boats available, so they were unable to cross the Green Fork. They were defeated because the traitorous mongooses held the only bridge, so they continued north of Seagard, intending to attempt to reach Flint's Finger. However, their group was encountered and attacked by Bolton and Frey's combined forces. Fortunately, the Crannogmen from The Neck found them at the last moment; both she and Galbart were seriously injured. A year passed before she could walk on her own, and another six months before they were strong enough to travel. 

Many northern soldiers barely escaped the Red Wedding, deciding to try their luck in the dangerous swamps rather than the walls of Moat Cailin or the Riverlands, full of Freys and Lannisters?

Fortunately, the Crannogmen were able to track down some of them before they sank into the swamp like the Andals. About a thousand people survived. Unfortunately, she was unable to take them to Castle Black was able to join because a large group would attract the attention of the Boltons.

Howland Reed heard that they were going to Castle Black to meet Jon Snow, or now Jon Stark, King of the North, and the Trident, according to Robb's will. He offered to help them in any way she could. She decided that sneaking along with a thousand soldiers was impossible and instead took thirty of the best soldiers who had escaped from the Red Wedding. Howland had chosen a stalker, and another ten of his best scouts went with her.

They moved slowly and carefully, trying to avoid all roads because they didn't know who to trust. It was a tough job for dozens of people, but the Crannogmen were extremely helpful in detecting and avoiding people despite their slow speed and size. The North also sided with them after the Ironborn's attack on the territories around Barrowton and Torrhen's Square was hit hard, often with looters killing or burning everything they couldn't take with them.

Going from one end of the vast north to the other on foot and without the Kingsroad is no easy feat. A journey that would have taken no more than a moon on horseback on the Kingsroad was greatly lengthened. One moon through the thick snow and wolf forest

They walked through Deepwood Motte and found that it was divided between the Ironborn and Stannis' forces, who had failed to capture Winterfell and save Arya Stark. They decided that the squids could wait, and as she was about to continue her journey to meet Jon Snow, she was struck by him. It was discovered first that he looked very different from the last time we met at the harvest—not a stern and sullen boy, but a man with the confidence and leadership that Robb could feel. With so many years, she could understand the change, but what was shocking was that he had come with thousands of Wildlings. Her group frowned at him for bringing another enemy with him, but when the reason was explained to them, she accepted it and decided that they liked Free Folk more than scalpers and cowardly weasels.

"I know why Robb admires you so much and wants you to protect the North," Maege said, laughing ferociously because of the way he made a deal with Free Folk is too good. Having them run dozens of castles, farm on Queenscrown to support the walls, and keeping the children and grandchildren as hostages was a good move, bringing in the enemies of the North as allies meaning there would be fewer enemies to fight.

When she saw she had the right opportunity, Maege took out the carefully sealed letter and unsealed it before announcing its contents. "By the will of Robb Stark, King in the North and the Trident, an order was issued to remove Jon Snow, the illegitimate son of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, from the Night's Watch, and he was accepted as Jon Stark and heir of the King in the North and the Trident."

At the end of the announcement, they all drew their swords, planted them on the ground, and knelt down.

"The King in the North!"

***