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Chapter 34: CH 25 The BlondieChapter Text

Sailing through the evening mist hanging low over choppy waters, a small fleet of about 10 make-shift rafts and battered boats, were making their way toward, their target, the coast of Bear Island. Bobbing and weaving like restless spectres against the grey backdrop of the sea, the Wildlings were trying to best to stay as silent as possible. On the makeshift vessels, rugged warriors adorned in furs and leathers glared at the island, their weapons glinting in the pale light.

"See, What'd I tell Ya? Huh?" A large imposing bearded man said pointing toward the coast, from the front of the leading boat, "It's still the same old fishing village like it always was. I've raided these shits more than three times in my life and I've never once failed,"

Looking at the coast, the rest of Wildling could see for themselves that the man was right, the port appeared empty, devoid of any significant ships or notable defences. The scattered tools left behind by the workers suggested an unfinished project.

It seemed that the workers had left their work midway and had gone to their homes for the day leaving their tools in disarray. There was nothing about the port that screamed danger and they could see cooking fires from the houses some ways which meant that everyone was having dinner at their homes without even leaving some sentry behind.

"B-But What about what Mance said?" One of the younger Wildlings asked while holding onto his wooden spears tightly, "And none of the men who went on the last few raids here ever returned. There must be something wrong—"

"Fuck Mance!" Greybeard growled dangerously, "That crow thinks he can fool us into believing that this fishing village somehow turned into a big port with giant ships in a few moons," He spat to the side straight into the face of the younger wildling.

"Ah! You—"

"What?" Greybeard barked.

"Nothing," The young wildling looked away as he knew that he wouldn't survive if he didn't back down.

"That's why I brought along one of his brats," the bearded man continued, a malicious smirk creeping across his face. "When his own flesh and blood confirms what I say, they'll have no choice but to believe me. And when we return with plenty of ale, food, and women, they'll see Mance for the crow he is, hiding under that white cloak." His laughter echoed through the air, met with a mix of chuckles and disapproving grunts from his followers.

The Wildlings were aware of the bitter enmity between the bearded man, known as Greybeard, and Mance Rayder, the leader who had recently joined their ranks. Greybeard's failed attempt to steal Mance's wife, Dalla, and subsequent defeat in a duel had fueled the deep-rooted hatred between them.

As the fleet neared the coast, Greybeard raised his axe and rallied his men. "Besides, I've heard there are plenty of feisty women all over the Islands, enough for everyone here. You want to taste the she-bears of Bear Island, don't ya?"

"AYE!" "AYE!" "AYE!" "AYE!"

The Wildlings erupted in a chorus of cheers, their excitement reaching a crescendo. The prospect of victory, plunder, and women fueled their adrenaline, drowning out any lingering doubts. Their eyes gleamed with a mix of lust and anticipation as they readied themselves for the impending raid on Bear Island.

.....

"AYE!!!"

On the other end, along the rugged coastline, a small band of warriors from Bear Island, both men and women, crouched in hidden alcoves and behind various structures, awaiting the perfect moment to strike. They were hiding so skilfully that the incoming wildling army had no idea if someone was even present at the port. Having gone through this routine numerous times, the defenders were well-practised in setting up ambushes, whether against Ironborn raiders or the Wildlings.

Crouched behind a large rock alongside Jon, Dacey couldn't help but scoff upon hearing the not-so-subtle shouts of "Aye!" from the attacking Wildlings. "How foolish can these barbarians be?" she murmured. "Shouting like that just before launching an attack. Do they not know how an ambush works?"

Rolling his eyes, Jon whispered teasingly, "Well, well, look who's talking. I recall a young girl who always loved to let out the loudest warcry, showcasing her fierceness. She would go something like, 'Ahhhh...Die! Fuckers!'"

"Shut up! I have no idea what you're talking about," Dacey retorted, trying to hide her embarrassment.

As the wildlings grew nearer, the archers prepared themselves lining their arrows and holding their bows tightly waiting for the order to shoot. They had experienced more than ten similar attacks in the past, including encounters with Wildling parties and Ironborn raiders and every time they had had ample to set an ambush due to Lady Mormont somehow getting the news of the attacks in advance.

And while the Smallfolk had no idea how she did it, they were just happy that they were having an increasing advantage in their fights against the invaders.

All of this had become possible thanks to the system Jon had devised during his time on Bear Island. Jon quickly realized that protecting the entire west coast with just Frost and Dory would be challenging since he couldn't always be present, and Dacey would also need to lead their fleet to various ports in his absence. This would mean leaving their home vulnerable which wasn't good so Jon thought of a way to solve that.

Thus, Jon began making regular trips to the villages along the western coast every few weeks. During his visits, he actively searched for potential wargs, utilizing the blood of the First Men that ran in their veins. To his surprise, there were more individuals with warging potential than he had anticipated.

So Jon went around searching for the perfect minions that would be able to create a protective net around the west coast with their companions whether they be sea animals or flying birds. He would mostly choose orphans or local kids and scrutinize their character for some time and if it seemed that they would be trustworthy he would bring them along to Bear Island.

He kept them close, teaching them the basics of warging so they could establish connections with the animals and birds he assigned to them from birth. And when they were adequately qualified they would go back to their respective villages where their animal companions would be able to easily keep track of their nearby places to be on the lookout for any kind of raids.

At the moment, there were five of these novice wargs, two boys and three girls, scattered across all the villages of the western coast and whenever they encountered enemies they were ordered to send a letter straight to Lady Mormont who had taken the default position of the defence commander.

And Jon paid them handsomely for their services which kept them happy enough to not blab about warging and all to the next person they meet.

Dacey suddenly noticed in her periphery that as the Wildlings came close to the shore, Jon was frowning fiercely with his eyes unfocused as if he was not completely here, and asked curiously, "Something amiss?"

"Yes," Jon nodded and his distant eyes suddenly focused on Dacey and said seriously, "There are too few of them... I counted twice just now, they are only 32 of them,"

"What?" Dacey exclaimed in surprise, squinting at the boats, but she knew that it was impossible for her to count them the way Jon did with his special method, so decided to just trust in his sums, "Maybe your minion was wrong?"

Jon shook his head firmly. "No, at least 10 to 15 of them are missing. It's too significant to be a simple mistake," he responded, his eyes momentarily losing focus before refocusing. "I sent Frost to scout the nearby villages... I hope I'm mistaken."

"We can't do anything about it now," Dacey murmured, signalling her fellow defenders. The hidden warriors rose from their concealed positions, a wave of anticipation sweeping through them as they prepared for the surprise assault.

Jon exchanged a nod with his fellow archers, and the moment Dacey raised her sword, they unleashed a small hail of arrows on the unsuspecting Wildlings who were in the midst of disembarking, their deadly precision immediately thinning the ranks of the oncoming enemy.

"Agh!" "Ugh" "Ahhh!!!"

Caught off guard, Grunts gasps, screams and cries of surprise came from the Wildlings. Admiringly most of them didn't even flinch at the ambush and with a bellow of war cry followed after the bear-like man with a grey beard and charged forward.

The shoreline quickly became a battlefield, with men and women slashing, parrying and fighting for their lives. And It was evident that the defenders held the advantage because they were better equipped with armour and leather, and had good quality steel against their opponent's bronze and wooden ones, and of course, they also had numbers on their side, so it was only a matter of time before they won.

Jon positioned himself at the rear, methodically firing arrow after arrow with deadly precision, targeting the larger and more dangerous foes first and he was always on the lookout for anyone who was having trouble with their opponents and helping them. The people of Bear Island had come to rely on his presence, as casualties were typically minimal with Jon at their backs.

Suddenly a ping went inside his head and Jon saw in the back of his mind, a small raiding party minutes away from a small fishing village, through Frost's perspective. Jon immediately searched for Dacey and found her fighting with the towering Wildling, one with a grey beard. She was running circles around him with her morning star and even though she was weaker than him, Jon knew that she would win eventually as the Wildling was already limping.

However, Jon had no time to spare. He raised his bow and swiftly dispatched the Wildling, shooting him through the eye. Dacey whipped her head around, her gaze locking onto Jon as he navigated the chaotic field toward her. Filled with anger, she growled, "I didn't need your help—"

"They are at the Whitebear Village," Jon interrupted her and said quickly, "The missing Wildlings are on their way to raid them and the villagers don't seem to have any defenders at the moment,"

"Shit!" Dacey's rage cooled instantly. Stepping away from the ongoing fight, she quickly ordered, "Take ten warriors and go. Perhaps you can make it—"

"No they'll just slow me down," Jon said backing away toward the rear where Peggy was already waiting for him as if she was just about to sprint, "I'll take the shortcut through the forest with Peggy. I just came to warn you,"

"NO!" Dacey shouted but the brat had already rushed away like wind on his monstrous horse, "Agh... Don't die you bastard!" she yelled after him before she looked back at the fight that was still going on and entered it with a war cry filled with anger and started smashing heads left and right with her Morningstar.

"Ahhh...DIE! YOU FUCKERS!!"

Meanwhile, Jon had swiftly entered the forest, expertly manoeuvring between the trees on Peggy. His horse effortlessly ducked under branches, leapt over shrubs, and evaded obstacles without hesitation.

Jon laid himself flat on Peggy, trying to minimize the air resistance as much as possible. His riding skills had become so refined that he synchronized his movements with Peggy's jumps and shifts, providing her with continuous support. And not only that he was also providing her intel on the terrain that would be coming far ahead and feeding the optimal path through it directly to her brain allowing her to traverse the forest with ease while keeping her focus primarily on the immediate track before her.

Typically, even the swiftest and most experienced riders would require an hour to circle the forest and reach Whitebear Village, while a skilled hunter might take about half that time through the dense woods. However, Jon could cover the same distance in a matter of minutes. He could only hope it would be fast enough...

...

P.O.V Change

'She was so STUPID! She should have listened to Dalla and never should have believed that bastard,' Val mused in regret as she concealed herself among the leaves of a towering tree outside the small village.

Val could still remember the day that her sister had found that turn cloak injured while on a hunting trip. Val had been about to kill him just like any normal Freefolk would but her sister stopped her and then not only did she not immediately kill him but she also brought him back to their tribe and tended to his injuries.

While Val had always known that her sister was a very kind woman, which was a rarity in the true North, she still didn't think that she was this stupid. Sadly she was the elder sister so ultimately Val had to listen to her no matter how much she hated it, but that crow not only did not leave after he got healed he became one of them and even had the nerve to steal Dalla for himself not that she resisted very much.

Now, Val normally wouldn't have much of a problem with her sister's partner but she just had to choose a Crow. And thing only went downhill after that as everyone began avoiding Val and Dalla, for nothing stirred greater disdain among the Wildlings than a crow. But Dalla was adamant about it and didn't budge even once even when Val threatened to leave her (not that she would).

And in her bitterness, she made a foolish mistake and agreed to join Greybeard when he proclaimed that he would raid Bear Island and disprove Mance's claim that it had become a big port now and was too dangerous to raid for supplies. Val had merely sought to spite her sister and Mance, who had been in a long-standing feud with Greybeard ever since his arrival and subsequent defeat in a duel.

Mance had become famous among the Wildlings when he proved to be able to regularly climb the wall to go over the other side and even live among these southerners for a few days without them ever recognising him for the Freefolk he had become. And somehow one thing leads to another and he had eventually become the leader of their tribe which was one of the big ones on that side of the wall.

And all the people who came on this raid were the ones who weren't happy with having a former crow as their leader but Mance had proved his skills in combat and his cunning more than enough times that they couldn't do anything about it.

A day ago Val separated from the main party because Greybeard had decided that too many people on the rafts and boats would make them too slow for the ambush and their eventual retreat with their haul, so he had broken the raid into two parties and Val had immediately jumped on the chance to go with the smaller party as she knew that the bastard Greybeard had started looking at her peculiarly was not good news.

Maybe he thought that since he couldn't get the older sister he would go for the younger one but Val was only 14 this year and had no intention of being claimed by that wretch nearing half a century. But she knew that she couldn't beat him so the only thing she could do was pray that he somehow died during the raid, and she swore that if she reached her home safely then she would always listen to her sister.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a piercing scream. Looking down, Val beheld a grotesque scene unfolding before her eyes. Greybeard's brother, leading this raid, yanked a woman by her hair, while her husband lay at his feet, bearing a severe axe wound across his chest, cursing vehemently at the laughing wildling.

The villagers had somehow known that they would be attacked so they had hidden behind trees and houses and peppered them with arrows. They had managed to kill five of them like that but their arrows eventually ran out and while they were good they were just not as fierce and good as the wildlings in combat, and it seemed that there was only a single man present in the whole village at this time so they eventually lost.

Just as the wildling prepared to drag the woman away, and hope seemed lost for the villagers, a swift whoosh resonated through the air. All eyes turned skyward, witnessing Greybeard's brother gagging, an arrow lodged in his throat. He collapsed, freeing the woman from his clutches.

The Wildling who were just about to revel in their successful raid looked toward the place where the arrow came from and witnessed a man leaping through the trees on a massive horse. With his curly hair flowing, he skillfully shot a second arrow that found its mark in the eye of a Spearwife peeking out of a house, bringing about an abrupt silence

Everyone seemed to startle awake at that moment as they recognised the threat the man presented. Simultaneously, cries of anger erupted, and they charged straight at the rider. The man, undeterred, continued his relentless assault, galloping toward the Wildlings while effortlessly shooting arrows.

Val was mesmerized by the unparalleled archery she was witnessing. Never in her life had she seen such skill, especially on horseback. He surpassed even Ygritte, the most exceptional archer she knew among the Wildlings. Before they could even reach him, he had already claimed the lives of half their group. Astonishingly, he didn't stop there. Swiftly placing his bow on his back, he drew a spear from his side and ran straight through them while killing men and women left and right.

Before she knew it Val noticed that only three people were left of the wildling party that came along with her. The realization snapped her out of her daze, understanding that she couldn't cross back over the Wall alone. She swiftly raised her bow, knocked an arrow and aimed it at the rider and shot it.

While she didn't possess Ygritte's exceptional skill, Val was a competent archer and could hit her target eight out of ten times and the arrow was going straight for the Kneeler's neck so she thought he would die for sure but unbelievingly the man, as if he had eyes at the back of his head, tilted his head slightly and the arrow just barely grazed his hair leaving him unhurt.

The man went back to fighting, unfazed, as if he hadn't just almost died due to an arrow. He had lost the spear by now in one of the three men's chests and was now fighting on foot with his sword with the last two and he was fending off their attacks so easily as if he knew their every move before they even struck.

'It had to be a fluke,' Val thought furiously and shook her head to clear it before taking a deep breath and raising her bow to try once more. She let loose an arrow, carefully choosing the moment when the man had just dispatched the second-to-last foe, leaving him off-balance. She was certain that this time he would fall this time. However, an even more unbelievable thing happened—the man somehow caught the arrow just inches from his throat, leaving Val dumbfounded.

Before Val could even process the insane feat she had just witnessed, she saw the curly-haired pretty boy look straight at her with annoyance before he went back to fighting the last man who seemed to be on his last leg.

Before Val could even raise her bow for the third time, an ice-blue shadow flicked past her hand and she yelped as the bow flew from her hand leaving a bruise on her hand. She looked around wildly for the assailant while barely hanging on to the tree branch she was sitting on. It took a few moments to even think of looking up and she yelped again when she found a huge ass blue eagle looking straight at her with its massive eyes.

Val swallowed hard, trembling as she reached into her cloak and pulled out a piece of jerky, offering it to the eagle. She stammered, "T-Take this. P-Please don't eat me!"

Val could swear to the old gods that the bird actually rolled her eyes before she flew away with a soft scoff or rather caw of disinterest. She almost cried tears of relief that she didn't get her eyes pecked and just didn't care anymore.

Down below Jon had already finished up with the last wildling with nary a scratch on him and approached the villagers who had been assisting him from the side however they could. Jon knew that most of the men here were out fishing at the moment, the reason the only people he could see were all women except for the single man who was being helped by his wife to stop the bleeding in his chest.

"You're late, boy," the man grunted at Jon as he saw him approach.

"Sorry, old man," Jon replied with a familiar grin. "These Wildlings were cunning enough to attack the port simultaneously, and I was caught up there."

Groaning as his wife finished tending to his wounds, the man asked, "Are they all dead, then?"

"Yeah, almost," Jon responded, glancing toward a tree at the edge of the village. He wore a serious expression as he asked the man, "Did we lose anyone?"

"No. We knew that help had to be on their way so we mostly kept them away with arrows and you know how these bloody curs are, they never kill women if they could help it (to take them away), so the only one hurt is me... guess I should have been born a woman... HAHA,"

Jon laughed along with his crass joke which got him a strike from his wife making him yelp in pain and curse, "Dammit Woman, I am injured here,"

Leaving the bickering couple alone, Jon went to the deal with the last of the annoyance who was hiding in a tree.

...

'Please forget about me!' 'Please forget about me!' 'Please forget about me!'

Val fervently prayed as she observed the kneeler conversing with the villagers instead of heading directly toward her. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Old Gods were determined to disappoint her, as it wasn't long before the man stood up and purposefully made his way toward her.

She knew that escaping was useless with the horse grazing nearby so with shaky hands Val withdrew the dagger her sister had gifted her, which seemed especially small in her hands at the moment.

Before she could prepare herself, the man stood at the base of the tree, looking up at her. and after a few moments said calmly, "Why don't you come down? I promise I won't hurt you,"

Val scoffed, as if she would believe such as stupid lie and spat at him while cursing, "Fuck you, KNEELER!"

The pretty boy just sighed and after looking at the tree for a moment as if debating if it was worth it to climb he surprisingly turned his back to her with a shake of his head which was the stupidest anyone could do. Val thought for a moment that it was a trap but it she knew that it would be her final chance so she didn't hesitate and just jumped straight down with the dagger pointing straight at his neck.

"AHHHH—"

But sadly for her, it seemed that the man had been waiting for that as he calmly took a step to the right dodging her perfectly and Val slammed straight into the ground with a loud. *THUMP*

Val immediately tried to get up despite the fierce pain but the man didn't leave her a chance and pressed a knee to her back while locking her arms behind her, rendering her motionless. And after she eventually tired herself out from resisting him, he asked her in a boyish voice, "What's your name Blondie?"

"FUCK YOU!! YOU BASTARD!!"

"And how did you know that," Val could hear a smile in his voice as if there was an inside joke that only he knew about.