Vol. 1 Chapter 6 - First-Day At Winter-Fell (2)

297 A.C. Kingdom of the North, Winter-Fell

PovAryaStark

"He has to have giantsblood, he is too large not to have at the least a little…." I told my younger brother Bran, who nodded his head right along with mine for the statement had to be true….

"He doesn't make any noise when he walks or steps, when he moves even though he was wearing all that armor…." Bran replied, trying to sound all smart and like a know-it-all, like he usually does….

"Thank you for joining us, you two…. Even though you are the last to arrive, let us now eat…." Father spoke, telling me and Bran to hurry and be seated, seeing we were the last to arrive….

"Sorry father, we got distracted…. By a cat, on our way here…." I replied to my father, as I took my seat near my siblings….

"Wulf, can you tell me a story of the lands, where you travelled here from?" I asked with much excitement, finally being able to ask the first of the questions I plan to ask the nice and kind giant….

"Arya, please have some decency…." A sharp voice cut through the air, as my mother shot the story, I wanted to hear with an arrow to the heart….

"It's quite alright, Lady Stark…. I do not mind sharing, if everyone does not mind hearing it…." Wulf replied, bringing my hopes right back to life, resurrecting my story right from the dead, straight back into the land of the living….

"We would love to hear, whatever you wish to share with us Wulf, please do…." My father said, keeping the story alive….

"The Principality of Midland where I, Wulf Dé Midland or Wulf of Midland am currently exiled from, is a beautiful and vast land full of plenty…. Fertile soils for growing crops and raising a family on, with beautiful rivers and seas full of bounty and wealth…." Wulf said, stopping to drink from a tankard, before continuing the story….

"The continent of Midland, is a place where even a common or townsfolk person can become Royalty, on solely their skill and expertise in battle or their martial-prowess and ability in combat alone…. A place of many different cultures and ethnicities, worshipping many different god and goddess-like beings…. A place where there are always wars being fought, for one reason or another, all over the island-like continent, making the land also known far and wide as the Island of Wars…." Wulf said, till he once again drank from the tankard, this time emptying it before filling it once more….

"Anyone can become a king? Is that what you're telling us?" I asked Wulf, for not being able to help myself, at the excitement I am currently feeling from the thought of a peasant, becoming a King or something similar to it….

"There are many warrior-Matriarchs, leading bands of all-female warriors earning much fame and glory, across the Island of War who have gone on to be warrior-Queens or female-monarchs, just like the males who have done the same, rising from common-birth to being monarchs of entire kingdoms, ruling over entire groups of numerous peoples…." Wulf replied, mentioning the fact that there are many female-warriors back in his home-lands….

"I want to learn to be a warrior too!" I shouted, before I could stop myself, earning myself a sharp warning-glare from my mother….

"If your Septa informs me of your attendance to your classes with her, your father and I will allow you to learn to protect yourself…." Mother replied, informing me of the price I must pay in order to receive the martial-teachings I seek or search for….

"Yes mother, I promise to not skip any more classes with the Septa…. Wulf, will you teach me?" I said to my mother, promising her to be good before asking Wulf, if he would teach me to fight….

"I would be more than honored to help you on your path to becoming a warrior, Princess Arya…. This will not be an easy task you wish to tackle here, the craft of warriors is not for the weak of mind or for those who lack the will needed to become a true conductor of warfare and battle…." Wulf spoke to me, warning me of the hardships I will face, if I truly wish to learn to fight…

"Wulf, I wish to speak with you in my study, after our meal if that is acceptable to you ofcourse…." My father, Lord Stark said to Wulf, as we are all almost finished with our meal….

"I am ready now, if you are Lord Stark, also thank you Lady Stark, for the wonderful meal it was truly lovely sharing and breaking bread with your beautiful family…." Wulf replied, informing my father he was acceptable to a private conversation, before informing my mother of his gratitude to her….

"Thank you for the compliments Wulf, it was more than nice to meet and share our meal with you…." My mother replied, telling Wulf she enjoyed his company amongst us, with a motherly-smile on her face….

After Lord Stark and Wulf entered the personal-study of Lord Stark

PovThirdPerson

As Wulf and Lord Stark both took a seat in his modest study-like room, Lord Stark poured two tankards of spiced-mead in two tankards, for both the men to enjoy….

"Wulf, I would offer you to stay here, as family and as sort of a teacher for my children, if you wish to stay…. I wanted to ask you, what are your plans for your future?" Lord Stark said, opening the conversation between the two men, asking Wulf what his plans are, going from here…

"I could not wish for more, I believe I feel more at home here at Winter-Fell, than I ever felt back at the place of my birth…." The young giant of a man replied, accepting the offer to stay at Winter-Fell…

"I am truly happy to hear you accept, my children will be over the moon when they hear the news that you will be staying…. I hope you can guide them, in the ways of old and the ways of the wargs and skin-changers of old…." Lord Stark informed Wulf, of his hopes that he will impart some of his teachings in the art of becoming one with a bonded-beast upon his descendants, in the art which is commonly known and referred to by the descendants of the First-Men as Warging or the art of Skin-Changing….