The Battle Of Castle Black

Prince Jacob was walking across the cold snows of the war camp, as he had been staying there for at least three days, since the voyage from Dragonstone to Castle Black. He heard the busting of men, whom were preparing swords, horses and shields ready for battle.

He was walking alone, as he left his sworn sword Ser Sorrell Grimm to prepare for battle, as it was going to happen son. Jacob was trembling through his fingers, as he heard the shouts and cheers of men running across the snows.

The prince felt out of place in war camps, as the battlefield was not his area of expertise; he was a courtier and knew the game of thrones inside and out. He could fight well, but he felt useless when it came to doing what was needed to be done.

Among the men getting ready for battle, the flags of many noble houses were flapping the cold winds, as it signified the remaining men who were on the side of the rightful king.

The prince missed Shireen, but knows she is safe at Eastwatch by the Sea with his mother Selyse and great Uncle Axell, along with several of the Queen's Men, who stayed behind to protect the queen and the princess.

Jacob ignored Sorrell on the journey to the Wall; he noticed his own growing harshness towards people. It was because he couldn't afford to be sentimental and weak, as it was expected of him being heir to the throne.

The greyish colour from Jacob's hair was disappearing, as his natural black hair was returning. The small scar under his left eye from the Blackwater was quite prominent, but Jacob learned that scars and wounds make the warrior.

"I miss Uncle Robert. He would have loved another battle, as he was begging for one in the form of the last Targaryens and the Dothraki. The stories I hear about him during the rebellions of the Mad King and the Greyjoys made him out to be this larger than life war hero, but the hole in his heart from losing Lady Lyanna changed him."

Prince Jacob was confused, as to what he must do. He maybe a man grown, but he was only seven and ten years of age and was still figuring out his place in the world. He was determined to be a leader, and to prove himself to be more than being his father's copy.

He noticed the absence of Ser Davos, as he wasn't on the field. The man was sent on a diplomatic mission on the orders of his father King Stannis. The prince missed having him around, but he had Sorrell around which made him feel less alone.

The coldness of the region was felt, but the prince's gold and black furs were keeping him warm, protecting him from the chills of the almost winter weather. They were the same ones he wore in Winterfell two years ago.

Prince Jacob walked across the snowy fields, with troops preparing for battle and getting excited for another chance of victory of the field. He was unwelcome in the North, as it was the realm of the Old Gods, he could see some of the Queen's Men looking their noses down upon the North.

As a worshipper of the Seven, Jacob had prayed the night before the battle. Mostly to the Warrior, who was key to success on the battlefield. He also prayed for his father to get some protection from the gods, against the red demon in a woman's skin, who wore red robes and had unknown powers.

The prince saw a large tent, as it had the symbol of his father's red, yellow and orange sigil on it.

Jacob never liked the sigil because it represents a bad omen, and the Seven could punish his father for turning their backs on the true gods of the realm to worship a demon, and follow the words of a woman, who will lead him into a war he cannot win.

At the corner of the prince's eye, it caught the sight of the Lady Melisandre, who was dressed in new red robes, from the ones she would usually wear. It seemed the fire inside her kept the cold from freezing the priestess to death.

The prince saw the woman approach him, as he wanted to see his father before the battle and discuss their plans at the last minute before the fighting begins.

"I see you are alone, my prince." the Lady Melisandre said, in a melodic tone of voice.

"Shouldn't you be at Eastwatch by the Sea with my mother and the rest of the men, who worship the ground you walk on, my lady?" Prince Jacob replied.

"Your father commanded me to stay by his side, he has a use for me. I saw your return through my flames, you couldn't have been killed easily."

"I want you to stay away from my father and the rest of my family. Your kind are not welcome in the Seven Kingdoms, my lady." The prince said defiantly.

"Your father is the Lord's chosen, and you cannot deny it."

"My father is just a man, my lady. A man wedded to honour, justice and duty, he is hardly the man made for a mythical hero."

The Red Priestess was closer to the prince, and he felt the heat of the fire radiating from her. Jacob felt like he was in an outer body experience. As if he had left the world of the living and entered the one of the dead.

Her pale fingers clutched onto Prince Jacob's shoulder, as he felt a shock through his body and a feeling of emptiness was present. He sensed his body had betrayed him and surrendered to the touch of the Red Priestess.

In his younger years, Jacob had his fair share of having feelings of admiration towards women, but he was devout in his faith and never fucked a woman, unlike his late Uncle Robert did and had many bastards as a result of it.

"R'hllor has a purpose for you, my prince. You are a strong, capable warrior who can champion him and make him the true god of the kingdoms." The Priestess whispered in his ear.

"Didn't one of your own try to convert my Uncle years ago? Was he the Thoros of Myr?" The prince asked, shrugging Melisandre away from him.

"The priests and priestesses of R'hllor worship him in their own ways, it's how we were trained in the temples of Asshai."

"You are a foreigner in a world that cherishes their own gods. Most are stubborn and are loyal to their own, they do not welcome outsiders with foreign religions."

"Your resistance to the Lord of Light is futile, you hold onto your faith for the false gods is a waste of your loyalty to the true god."

"I don't know what fairytales you like to spin for the Queen's Men and my mother. I know better because I think with logic and reason, not the mysticism and stories you like to spread among my men."

"They are not stories, my prince. They are truths I have seen through my flames, and a second Long Night will be upon us."

The prince began to get irritated, he didn't like seeing this woman around his parents, but his father kept her around for a reason. Jacob rebelled against having her around, as he knew she was bad for their cause for the throne.

"The display with the flaming sword on Dragonstone was quite the entertainment." The prince said sarcastically.

"It was a ceremony, proclaiming your father to be the Lord's chosen champion against the forces of darkness." The Red Priestess replied.

"My father is many things. Rigid, uptight, bitter and unfeeling, but he is no chosen hero. I don't care what you think, you and those other red god worshipping fools who want to worship fire. I will keep my faith to the Seven, for as long as I like, I will not be intimated or manipulated into betraying the gods who have been there for me." The prince said loudly.

"R'hllor would have been grateful for a loyal worshipper such as yourself. You cannot be persuaded, it's in your blood. The defiance and the boldness within will make you either an enemy to your own people or an unlikely hero among them."

"Why did you come here? To persuade me or to seduce me like you did with my father?"

"Your father needs me. I have the power he wants to seize the kingdoms and the save the world from the Great Other. I was praying for the men and for their victory on the battlefield, along with you and the king."

"You can take your prayer to your false god and throw it behind the Wall." The prince gritted between his teeth.

As the prince said those words, the Lady Melisandre looked angered, and didn't expect such defiance and resistance from Jacob. she had another look of pity on her face, as if it was another of her tricks to play him.

The Red Priestess looked at the seven pointed star around the neck of Prince Jacob, alongside a golden stag. The prince wore it as a symbol of his faith towards the Seven, and to protect him from being seduced by the woman's wicked powers.

"If you excuse me, Your Grace. I am to lead a nightfire for some of R'hllor's worshippers before the battle."

Prince Jacob saw Melisandre walk away, as her red appearance stood out against the coldness and snows of the North. He looked at her, as if she had some kind of effect on him, but he was strong and able to resist her wickedness.

Ser Davos would have been proud.

Nevertheless, the prince felt a pull towards her as if it was a dance between the light and the darkness of choosing between the Seven and the religion of R'hllor. Jacob breathed a sigh of relief of her being gone and out of his sight.

He felt a sense of betrayal within him, as Jacob was not the honourable person he pretended to be.

The prince committed treason against his father, by helping the King's Men save Edric Storm from the grasp of Melisandre. He was lucky to have his father forgive him, because the king knew Jacob did the right thing no matter the cost of it.

The prince opened the curtains of the tent to enter through the spaced location. It had some of the captain knights leaving the tent, as they had their armour and their swords prepared.

Prince Jacob was alone, as he missed the presence of Davos always standing beside his father King Stannis, who stood up and still looked at various maps, of the Wall and the Northern region.

He felt low in himself, remembering the treason he committed and how Davos's life was almost ended because of his actions in helping him.

"Father, you wanted to see me." Prince Jacob said.

"Preparations are ahead, and the men are about to march beneath the Wall." King Stannis replied.

"I want to ask you something, unless it's too unimportant for you to consider."

"What is it?"

"I want a chance to lead, a host of men into battle. You have always praised my political cunning, but I want to prove myself on the field."

"Monkeys and fools required things, but you do not. You are my son, and you should be expected to lead, you are my heir and will rule after me. I expect this battle to be a test, to see if you are a capable leader and to earn a victory for yourself."

"After what I did, I thought you would disinherit me from the throne and I would never have your trust again."

"You did what you believed to be right, even though it is treason in the eyes of the Queen's Men."

"This move was the right thing to do, if we didn't then we would have been invaded by Lord Redwyne's fleet and have been killed by the Lannister allies."

"I'm not a fool, Jacob. Davos told me about your relationship with Lady Desmera years ago, and Renly's last few words confirmed the truth."

"Father, whatever happened between Desmera and I, it's finished and I'm ready to assume my duty to whomever I am going to marry."

"Your marriage arrangements will be discussed when we reach Castle Black. You have been unmarried far too long in this war, and your availability and youth is an advantage I have over the Lannisters."

"Tommen is only a pudgy boy, who loves his cats too much. He is being controlled by the other Lannisters, who will ruin the alliance they have with the Tyrells."

"How do you know?"

"Underneath the pomp and foolishness, Mace Tyrell is power-hungry and will do whatever he can to seize the power he wants. He won't get anything under the Lannisters, who will not share their power willingly."

"That doesn't matter, we have a battle to fight and to get you married off as quickly as possible."

"I'm only saying father, Tommen is only a boy and it will be years before he is able to consummate with Lady Margaery. I fostered with the Tyrells long enough to know Lord Mace will change sides to whatever will benefit him the most."

"You were confrontational with the Lady Melisandre."

"Father, I don't understand why you and mother want to have her around. She is a walking disaster waiting to happen, she will spell doom for our cause for the throne."

"I requested your presence because I want you to give you something. It was hard to require, but it came with Robert's bones to Storm's End."

Prince Jacob didn't know what to expect, what was to be given to him that once belonged to his Uncle Robert. He already wore his late lord grandfather's pendant around his neck, and his few days' growth of beard on his face resembled his uncle in the days of the Mad King.

The prince and the king stood next to a box with the crowned stag on it, it looked strange to Jacob as it felt like his Uncle was still alive and with them. The box was opened by the two of them, for the prince to be faced with something he never thought he would see.

Uncle Robert's Warhammer.

The weapon was just like how some men described it to be in the battles he fought. In the colours of gold and black, crested in the crowned stag of House Baratheon and it had been cleaned.

"Why is it here? This was the instrument that ended Rhaegar Targaryen's life and killed Ironborn men years later?" Jacob asked.

"I keep it as a memory of when Robert had not become a shell of the man he once was, a strong man who could turn enemies into friends. A leader in war, but a terrible king who couldn't rule the kingdoms alone."

"What is it doing here?"

"Knowing those brats were good for nothing, Robert told me when you returned from fostering with the Tyrells. He would have wanted you to train with his war hammer and to potentially inherit it when he was gone."

"Why?"

"The Lannisters hated your presence in court, only because Robert favoured you more than those pretenders, as you had his likeness compared to the Lannister looks of Joffrey and Tommen."

"We must stop the wildlings and save the Night's Watch. The North will be grateful for the assistance given, especially when things are getting tougher and there are more wars to be fought."

"I will not have savages and pillagers in my Seven Kingdoms, most of them will be dead by nightfall."

"This King Beyond the Wall, he should be left alive for interrogation and maybe a peace treaty between our sides."

"We do not negotiate with savages, and those who fight for them."

"It's the only way to keep the Night's Watch safe from harm, and to not cause more problems than we already have."

"What has Ned Stark taught you about the wildlings, while in the North?"

"Unlike the other Lords of the North, at least Lord Stark will be willing to listen to the wildlings, if he ever came across them. He would question them, as if he does any other criminal of his region. Most of the Northern lords would rather see them all dead."

"For good reason."

"I hope we can survive this dreadful weather, to even pass through to get to the throne."

"You will marry one of the North's daughters, whether you like it or not. I don't know what Davos told me about your relationship with the Redwyne girl, but all thoughts and feelings of her must be put away. I fear I may not live to see my grandson at the end of this war."

"This game is more tiring than the war, every move that is made could be the difference between life and death."

"Robert wanted you to wear the armour representing our house, the antlered one he and Jon Arryn had fashioned before I left my position as Master of Ships."

"Why?"

"He wanted to make a great warrior of you, since the two Lannister brats were lacking anything in strength and fury."

Jacob felt a stoniness within, he didn't know how much Uncle Robert had invested into his future, to the detriment of his own pretender children. He was loved by his uncle and bigger things were planned for him in his uncle's reign as king.

The prince and his father looked through the intricate maps detailing the places around The Wall and beneath it, as it was where the wildling army could be stationed. Preparing for another attack against the Night's Watch.

This time, the rightful king and his heir, with their remaining soldiers and bannermen will come and save the day.

Prince Jacob was upon his grey horse Misty, as the young man was looking around with his sword Limos by his side. His eyes looked to see Sorrell, who was riding behind him on his own horse with a host of men behind him.

The prince was fashioned in gold and black armour with antlers decorated around it. He placed an antlered helm on his head, as he could see the snows of the North and the men marching on their horses with him at the helm.

Jacob felt the tall, arching warrior he wanted to be. In the armour of stag antlers and his sword by his side. His mind was set on gaining some glory for himself, and to hopefully see Jon Snow again, as he was one of his last remaining friends in the world.

"To see Jon again would be great, but we are not the idealistic young men we were two years ago. I am the heir to the Iron Throne and the future ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and he is a man of the Night's Watch and a bastard."

The prince knew things were changing, and things couldn't go back to the way things were in the past. Too many lives were lost and there are more wars and battles to be fought, for the sake of the throne and the kingdom.

"We shall march in unison, as the host my father is leading will surround the wildling camp beneath the Wall. Most of them will have no escape, and will have no choice, but to fight us or die." Jacob said, in his most commanding tone of voice.

"Yes, Your Grace." Sorrell replied, as he gestured some of the men to come forward on their horses.

"These wildlings think they can enter our Seven Kingdoms, without consequences of their own folly. Some will die and others will either bend the knee or die." The prince chanted. "As your prince and future king of the Seven Kingdoms, all criminals and traitors will be dealt with an iron fist, if they don't like it then they shall die for their weakness."

The men in the host began to follow the lead of Prince Jacob, as he motioned his horse to ride faster, with his sword behind his back. He could see perfectly through his antlered helm with the men in his command behind him.

The trotting of horses, and the metal sound of shields clanging was what the prince heard, whilst riding Misty through the snows of the North. The conditions of the weather didn't make it ideal for a battle, but the prince was warm in his gold and black furs around his armour.

The adrenaline and the rush of blood through the body of the prince had him feel excited, for another chance of victory on the battlefield, whilst he performed well at the Battle of Blackwater. He wanted to secure this win for his father, whom he failed in the last battle.

Prince Jacob had several thoughts running through his mind, but he pushed those aside because he had wildings to fight and to make an alliance with the North.

"Ruling with an iron fist is the way father wants to rule, and I am becoming more like him than I would have liked. His way is the only way the Seven Kingdoms can be united after war, the weak monarchs of the past are destroying the kingdoms, and only an iron rule can put it back."

The young man's horse rode past the belly of the Wall, with Sorrell by his right side being his right hand man throughout this stage of his journey through Westeros. The man from the Reach looked to be content, reaching out to his sword in case he needed to.

Riding through the snows was quite the struggle, as most of the remaining men in the rightful king's army were from the south and were not used to the cold conditions of the North, but Jacob was used to the cold, having been a guest here once.

"If any of the wildlings try to attack us, ride them down or kill them. The other men of my father's host will surround them, and there will be no way out." The prince shouted.

Prince Jacob knew he was getting older, he wasn't the same young man of ten and five that stayed in Winterfell with an idealistic mindset of remaining friends with the people he bonded with, as some of them turned into enemies and others died.

He had seen his looks change, as he had grown a beard for the last few days. A lot of the men remaining from the Stormlands, had almost mistaken him for Uncle Robert in his rebellion days, with colder eyes and an iron will.

The ride through the forest was swift, with other men of their host riding in a united front. Waving the flags of many of the noble houses of the kingdoms, some of the only ones honourable to stand with the rightful king.

The host then rode into the forest, with the battle cry sounded with the men ready to kill and win the day for their king and the Watch. With Prince Jacob riding in front of the host, and leading them to a new victory.

The prince pulled out his sword, in the mist of the battle cry. He held onto his horse Misty, as he pulled out his sword to strike at an incoming wildling, with his blade Limos stained in blood once again, he was ready to fight.

Prince Jacob galloped through the forest, striking the blow of his sword against another wildling, whom had tried to shot an arrow at home. His helm and armour protected him from dying easily, like a few men in the host.

"Gods, the cold and the frost is making this battle harder to fight. What will happen if a snowstorm was to be upon us when we march for Winterfell?"

The young man held onto his sword tightly, as he heard Misty neighing at the sight of another dead wildling by her rider's hand.

Prince Jacob saw a spear going through a wildling, as it was through the heart. The smell of blood and death excited him, as he had wanted to fight another battle. To prove himself to be a true Baratheon, like his Uncle Robert.

He saw the host he was leading coming from one side, and the other half of the host his father led coming through the forest trees, to surround the wildlings around the centre of the woods.

Prince Jacob struck a swift blow against another wildling, as a few were charging against him and his men, but some of the men in the host were slaughtering them with swords and the sharp end of the flag of his father's sigil of yellow, red and orange.

Men from the two hosts were accompanied by some of the rangers from Eastwatch, led by Cotter Pyke, whom the prince didn't like due to his Ironborn blood.

In a crash collision of the two hosts combined together, into the centre of the wildling war camp, and began the blood, slaughter and the harshness of battling swords against axes and long knives.

The prince began cutting down some of the adversary men of the wildling army, with his sword stained in red blood, and his eyes were stern, looking to his surroundings and those of his men.

"Your Grace." Sorrell shouted, as he struck his sword through an axe-wielding wilding, whom was about to kill him.

The prince was exhaling more, with his chest tightening and his hand losing his grip onto his horse.

"Sorrell, watch for the archers." The prince shouted, towards his knight friend from the south.

Prince Jacob threw his dagger, the one Uncle Alester got for him against an archer hiding behind the trees, and he had had fallen dead with a striking blow.

The column of riders coming forth was helpful, as the prince tightened his grip on his horse, whilst holding onto his sword, to strike down at a long-knife holding wildling with the sharp, silver edge of his blade.

"The wars will never stop, as long as there are men fighting them. Whether it's the war in the court or on the battlefield, the killings will be the same. And I am no better than those who do so, because I am a game player and a warrior."

Prince Jacob held the line, with the trotting of his horse causing him to fall off his horse and head first onto the ground of the field. He began to pull himself back up, holding onto his blade and putting his helm back on his head.

The prince gutted a wildling, whom tried to kill his horse; he held onto his blade, as it had blood trickling down it, and more blood for it to be tainted with.

"Gods….fuck this." The prince gritted between his teeth, as he would normally never utter bad language.

The young man kicked down another with the heel of his foot in a hard blow. He gritted between his teeth, as he sensed the blood dripping down his lips, and he licked his lips and smiled. He had never felt such a rush a confidence before, and he liked it.

Prince Jacob felt himself change; he felt more like a war warrior, than a political savvy prince he was before the battle. He saw Misty come, as he began to mount his horse again, holding onto his blade tightly in his hand.

The prince motioned his horse to ride further, as most of the men from his host followed him, slaughtering wildlings in his path. "Hold the line, don't let any of them come through." The prince shouted, as it echoed through the forest.

Prince Jacob recognised his father Stannis's subtler antler helm, and the glowing sword of Lightbringer in his hand, striking down several wildlings whom dared to attack him, with most of the Florent men fighting with him.

Many of their remaining men circled around the wildlings and began to kill them in a bloody fashion, and most of them looked towards their prince, who was leading many men of the host to victory.

Jacob began to be caught off guard by the mass assault of knights attacking the central camp, but he swung is sword against a wildling, who tried to kill Sorrell with an axe, with the Reacher man having a stunned look on his face.

"Protect yourselves, and don't break the line." The prince commanded.

The host led by the prince's father smashed through a contingent led by some wildling with orange hair and a great beard in the same colour. The man looked to be the leader, as he was one of the more accurate fighters among them.

Jacob began to truly understand why fighting and killing was so thrilling and gratifying for him. It was in his blood, as Baratheons were born to fight and display unimaginable fury against their enemies and foes.

The wildling host breaks, as more of the knights emerge from the trees and the corners. Prince Jacob was assaulted by a bigger wildling man, who held a large axe, bigger than any Ironborn and had a black cloak on.

"I am not a boy of ten and five anymore. I am a man of almost ten and eight. I am a prince, a warrior, a son, a brother and a future king. I will not back down from a fight nor will I give up, if I do, then I belong in the grave."

The prince gripped his blade, and gulped down his fears and doubts, and began the dance between axe and blade, with the prince's fingers bleeding. And him kneeling down to force a heavy kick onto the chest of the wildling, and maiming him with his sword.

From a far, hundreds or thousands of wildlings were dying around him. Jacob was used to the sight of dead bodies, but this was a lot for one army on the opposite side.

Some were captured by their men, and others were dead, as a sign of the battle coming to a very bloody end.

"Stannis! Stannis! STANNIS!" The knights began to chant, as it signalled their victory and the battle being over and it being won.

"Victory! For the King and the Iron Prince!" The knights chanted, as it gave the prince a sense of astonishment and pride, knowing he helped gain the victory for the men.