Chapter 50: 'The Price of Hunger, Heart, Iron, Word and Blood'

POV: Maege Mormont;

Bear Island.

About three hours after a young lord tried unsuccessfully to defend himself from numerous beatings...

Maege Mormont, known as ''the Bear'', is a short, stout, gray-haired woman and a fierce warrior. She wore a patched chain mail.

Although House Mormont had considerably increased its trade and tripled its tax revenue in the last three years, it remained one of the poorest Northern Houses.

Maege could easily have afforded a new suit of armor, but she had learned from her older brother Jeor (some fourteen years her senior) never to waste unnecessary money on something that was still doing its job very well...

Maege was a stubborn, ill-tempered, and headstrong woman, but above all... a great warrior.

She was certainly the strongest and deadliest woman on the island, and many think even in the entire North.

Her daughter Dacey, took her as a reference point.

Maege was proud of her of course... but Maege also felt that sometimes Dacey could bite off more than she could chew...

And this was one of those times.

Her man in the Mormont service, Ted, who had been Dacey's shadow for many years, had recently informed her of the 'inappropriate' welcome he had reserved for her at House Tallhart...

Now her guest of honor was standing in front of her.

The boy in front of her was Helman Tallhart's first son, Duncan of House Tallhart... the Legend of the North: Bloody Snow.

Although this Legend had recently changed his clothes, the marks on his face were quite evident...

And there was no doubt that Bloody Snow had just had his ass handed to him by a female...

"Lady Maege, thank you for seeing me privately.

It is an honor to meet the most feared warrior in the North." Said a slightly slurred voice. She almost certainly had swollen gums that softened and held back her tone of voice...

"Lord Duncan..." Maege rose from his chair and bowed in apology.

'On behalf of my nephew Lord Jorah and all of House Mormont, including my daughter...I apologize my Lord for all you have had to go through...

I hope there is a way for my House to make amends for this insult and injury to House Tallhart.

I take full blame, my Lord." Maege.

"No my Lady! I beg you.

The fault is mine alone!

It was I who unjustly provoked your daughter...

Here...could we just pretend that nothing happened?" The boy said quickly in an embarrassed tone.

"...Of course.

Please, my lord. To help a poor mother sleep soundly, I ask you the favor of making a request.

Is there anything my House can do as a goodwill gesture?" Maege.

"Here...

There is one thing, my Lady...

I would like to request a favor from you, Lady Maege." Bloody Snow.

"Just say the word, my Lord!" Maege.

"...

I would like to officially request you and your House, permission to court Lady Dacey...

May I have your permission, Lady Maege?" The boy asked in a slightly lower but more embarrassed tone of voice.

Maege shook her head for a moment and blinked repeatedly. She had two pints of beer at breakfast and would shortly finish the third before lunch...

In all likelihood, that beer was of a higher strength than normal.

She was 99.9% certain that she had misheard the previous words.

"I beg your pardon, my Lord.

Could you please repeat that last sentence?" Maege asked as she double-checked the poor boy's appearance for safety.

His lip was split into two places.

The nose was swollen and probably, recently repositioned from a fracture. A small, almost invisible drop of blood was currently oozing out.

One eye was swollen and reddened and would be bruised the next day.

The Old Gods and the victim in question only knew what other wounds and bruises lay beneath those robes.

But then the bruised and bruised boy said again:

"Indeed, my lady...

I, Duncan of House Tallhart, officially request permission from you, Lady Maege Mormont, to court your daughter Dacey of House Mormont..." The boy said with more clarity and formality.

Maege was taken aback.

The woman tried in every way possible to see where there was deception in this request.

It did not seem true to her.

Bloody Snow, the son, and heir of perhaps now the most powerful and influential House in the North, was openly declaring his interest in marrying the daughter of the Lord's aunt from a lesser House...

Maege would never belittle House Mormont, she knew that her House was strong in many other ways. It was one of the oldest houses in the North. A House that had never really known times of peace.

Though the constant conflict with the Ironborn and the Wildlings constantly impoverished Bear Island and impeded its development, the people of the Isle were the most tenacious and undaunted in all of Westeros. This was the strength of House Mormont, the people of the Isle.

"My Lord...

Don't get me wrong, I am honored and grateful to you for showing interest in my daughter Dacey...however...

However, I can't help but wonder:

Why are you interested?

Are your intentions serious, my lord?" Maege.

"Yes, my lady.

My intentions are serious.

As for interest...

Because I like her, Lady Maege..." The boy had made an incredible effort to utter the last words, but Maege had still sensed the sincerity and seriousness of those words.

"I...

You have my permission, Lord Duncan.

I will tell my daughter..." Maege was interrupted.

"No please my lady!!!

Don't tell your daughter anything!!!

I would like the matter to remain between the two of us if you will allow me...

I...I don't want to force her hand.

Yes, well, I wish I could win her over without the means of my family..." Duncan.

"...As you wish, my lord.

I will say nothing to Dacey...but at least let her be in charge of being your guide and companion during your stay...

I don't mean to offend you or doubt your abilities, my lord, but...let's just say you're starting at a considerable disadvantage.

My daughter...she has acquired many aspects of me that my brother Jeor has always rebuked." Maege.

"...

I accept your help, my lady and I thank you." Said the boy bowing.

'Ancients please, bring wisdom and foresight to my daughter!

If you will help my House in this, I swear that every week I will offer you a tribute in sacrifice!

Seraphine, please help us! Make my daughter and this boy bond with each other!' Thought Maege making a little inner prayer within herself.

She had long been undecided whether or not to pray to this so-called 'Seraphine'. The people of the Isle believed that all the successes of Bloody Snow and the Tallhart family were since Duncan Tallhart had discovered the name of one of the Old Gods and along with it, knew part of the long lost ancient language of the true First Men and Sons of the Forest...

This would be the night Maege would also recite those strange verses in God's Wood...

"My Lady, are you all right?" Duncan.

"My lord. I was just lost in my thoughts for a moment, nothing more..." Maege.

"I understand.

My Lady, if it is all right with you, I would like us to discuss together the original reason for my visit. House Tallhart, would like to enter into a business partnership with House Mormont.

A partnership that we hope will last for generations and bring us all prosperity and growth.

I assure you, my lady, these affairs will be unrelated to my ambitions with your daughter. Even if the courtship should fail, House Tallhart will maintain the same terms." Duncan.

'The gods have already answered my call...' Lady Mormont thought.

About forty minutes later...

''So, House Tallhart would like Bear Island as a center for glass production? Is that what you're proposing, my lord?" Maege.

"Precisely, my lady." Bloody Snow.

"Why us my lord? I mean...

You will lend us the means and builders for the factory...

House Martell will provide the sand with a high concentration of... emm... 'Silicon'...

House Tallhart will send us a dozen master glassmakers plus a hundred apprentices...

And you only want five percent of the glass we sell?

Why, my lord?

Why leave such a lucrative business in our hands?" Maege Mormont asked, unable to avoid crippling her House with her own hands.

Perhaps the reason for the Island's poverty was precisely this lack of talent in business and negotiation that ran in Mormont's blood.

"For Bear Island is the furthest land from Myr, my lady.

When we start making and selling glass, we will inevitably come into conflict with the magisters of Myr. They will try very hard not to have competitors threaten their monopoly and main means of income...

Moreover, House Tallhart cannot allow House Mormont, one of the oldest, most loyal and brave Houses in the North, to fall too far behind the other Houses." The boy picked up more plans and opened them on the table.

"My Lady, perhaps this is the business that will benefit the North the most...

We don't just want you to produce glass, we want you to be able to produce glass greenhouses that can protect and speed up types of crops that would be difficult to grow in these lands.

Imagine, Lady Mormont, that in every fortress or city in the North, there are such greenhouses...

greenhouses are protected by high walls with glass mirrors that direct the light to specific points...

With only 800 square meters of them, it would be possible to produce food for at least a hundred adults continuously...

We are already in talks with the mountain clans to train them in mining and construction.

In a few years, we could reinforce and improve every fortress in the north.

If we can do that..." Duncan was interrupted.

"No Northern fortress could be taken by starvation..." Maege said, expressing aloud the enormous potential of this project.

"Exactly, my Lady.

The North, the entire North, will never starve again."

End POV.

POV: Bloody Snow;

Bear Island.

About two days after the documents were signed and sealed...

Duncan was on his backside.

This was the tenth time Dacey Mormont had managed to land him in one 'friendly' sparring session.

The girl had insisted that, after their boring, silent exploratory trip to the Island, Bloody Snow would fight her on equal terms.

Duncan had tried numerous times to strike up some kind of conversation with the girl but each attempt was in vain.

His every word (clumsy and stuttering) only seemed to annoy her.

The girl had complained several times that her mother had forced her to be his wet nurse...

Dacey was trying to vent all that frustration with 'friendly sparring'.

Unfortunately...

Duncan couldn't convince the sweet girl to use wooden weapons instead of blunt metal ones.

The ten-pound iron club, though blunt, struck like a blacksmith's hammer on an anvil.

The hero of the North, Bloody Snow, had managed to find some semblance of control over his physical and oratorical abilities in the presence of the being who weakened him most.

His pure Kryptonite and true Shield Maiden, Dacey Mormont.

"On your feet! I'm not done with you yet!" Dacey roared and continued with.

"I want your people to see who the real Bloody Snow is too! Everyone needs to see the real you!

A spoiled wuss who can't even hold a sword!" Dacey struck as ferociously with her words as she did with her club.

"Yes, my Lady...

Could we possibly take a short break?" The mud-covered boy asked as he clutched his side.

His wooden shield was in tatters after parrying Dacey's thirtieth 10-pound iron whiplash.

"You have no shame or pride, Duncan of House Tallhart...

Do you think the women of Bear Island ask for 'A break', from the marauder who wants to ravage her body?!

Do you think in a real fight, you even have time to breathe fresh air?" Dacey asked, expressing a disgusted and disappointed face.

"No, my lady..." Bloody Snow.

"Then on your feet, 'Bloody Snow'!

Show us what the hero of the North can do!" Dacey.

While all this was going on, Commander Gellert, William, and fifty other men of the Winter's Watch watched this scene, feeling complete pity for the poor man in front of them...their General.

Duncan, he trusted every member of his unit, a few months before he had even shown them his 'magical blessings'...

They knew what was going on and what an ordeal their leader was going through.

But only Duncan knew why his fighting skills were so low and set.

After going through the Level Up a few months ago, the Paladin of the Ancients had finally confirmed what kind of advantages he had gained.

The level he gained would not be added to his standard skill level.

That is, assuming a 'chosen one' had acquired a level [5] through experience and training on his own if he had acquired the 'Special Level Up' his proficiency in weapons and combat would not have increased by 1.

That proficiency was separate...

However, the advantage was that even in situations of full exhaustion or physical incapacity, the chosen one's abilities would never be below level [1]...

Currently, Duncan was at level [3] and was completely unable to move or fight at his optimal state.

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The Kryptonite 'Dacey', made him as weak as an olive branch. If he didn't have that ''divine advantage'', he wouldn't have been able to even hold his sword decently.

At most, he would have displayed the skills of a level [1]...

So the current fight was fought by a Dacey Mormont [5] vs a Duncan Tallhart [3]...

Bloody Snow was taking it hard.

Duncan rose to his feet brandishing his chipped half shield and long sword.

Dacey moved forward without hesitation.

The girl went for a swing of her mace to the exposed flank.

Duncan managed to back up enough to avoid it but Dacey cut the distance between them by striking with her shield.

"Sdumg!" Shield against shield.

Duncan stepped back due to the force of the impact and the girl took advantage of it by cleaving a sledgehammer blow, which sent Bloody Snow's leg into the air.

"Sdoofh!!! The boy was on the ground again...

"Get up! I want to ring you like a bell!" As soon as she finished saying those words, Duncan sprang to his feet...but threw his shield and blade to the ground directing it with urgency and decision to a point.

Bloody Snow had noticed something...

Something that shouldn't be there...

"Where are you going coward! I don't..." Dacey was interrupted.

"Just a moment, my Lady." The boy's tone of voice was no longer soft and insecure, but firm, strong and authoritative.

Dacey was struck by this anomaly for a moment and watched her opponent's intentions.

Duncan paused at a point less than a hundred feet away from Dacey looking up at the sky, then let out a sharp whistle...

"Phew!" After a few seconds, everyone in that field could hear the bird's answering cry.

"Kwhiiaaaààà, Kwhiiaaaààà!" Shouted a majestic and uncommonly large eagle, which descended towards its target.

That was Rhiunda, the eagle belonging to the Wargh in the service of House Tallhart.

Duncan had managed, after two years of effort and expeditions by Rangers and Frost Blades beyond the barrier, to persuade a small tribe of Free Folk living on the shores of Ice Bay to emigrate and spend the winter in a hidden village at Sea Dragon Point.

Presently, about three hundred Wildlings were living peacefully south of the Barrier without anyone knowing it...

Among them was Werragh, a very talented Wargh shifter.

The agreement between that tribe and House Tallhart was that Werragh would lend his innate abilities to the service of Torrhen's Square.

In return, House Tallhart would offer a warm home, food, and protection to every member of the tribe. In six months of cooperation, nothing had gone wrong so far. Some of the tribe's children even started to take classes to learn the common language and other adults took up small jobs offered by Tallhart House...

The foundations of a small peaceful coexistence between the people beyond the barrier and the North were beginning to take shape...

Duncan knew that if his first knight, Qyburn, had chosen to deliver a message through the Werragh's abilities, the situation was grave.

As the eagle landed on the ground, Duncan unhesitatingly reached for its paw.

He untied the roll of paper and began to open it, reading it carefully.

The message read:

[Over a hundred Iron Fleet ships, will attack Bear Island. They will arrive within three days after you receive this message.

We assume you are the target, my Lord.

Our source has warned us that three Bravoosian merchant ships docked on Pyke Island about ten days ago...

The fleet is commanded by Lord Denys Drumm, son of Lord Dustan.

We estimate a minimum force of 5,000 men.

We'll send reinforcements and aid as soon as possible, My Lord.

Your uncle should be able to reach the island with his fleet within five days.

You will receive instructions from your father shortly.

S.Q.]

'Ser Qyburn...

What would I do without you?' Bloody Snow thought first.

'The Iron Bank wasted no time...

I naively underestimated them.

They managed to deal with that crazy fanatic Balon.

Exploiting the Greyjoy rebellion to kill me...

Good move.' The boy's thoughts were broken by a soft but furious voice.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Don't you dare ignore me!" Gellert interposed himself in Dacey's path who froze.

"Commander Gellert." Bloody Snow.

"Yes, General?" Gellert.

"Gather all the men, I want all the captains of our fleet to reach the castle on the island as soon as possible. Try to round up the captains of the Mormont Fleet as well.

Everyone you can find within the hour.

William, you stay with me." Ordered the General, ignoring Dacey's complaints.

"Yes, General.

Get moving! You heard the orders!" Gellert thundered to the other members of the Guardians.

Fifty young men sprang up and headed swiftly for the Island's harbor.

"Will you tell me what's going on!" Dacey.

"My Lady, we need to get to your mother as soon as possible." Duncan.

"If this is another one of your tricks..." Dacey was interrupted.

"Lady Dacey, this is no joke.

Bear Island is about to face a grave threat.

Within three days, thousands of Ironmen will attack House Mormont...

We don't have time, we must warn Lady Maege Mormont."

End POV.

----------------------------------

POV: Dacey Mormont.

Fortress Mormont, Bear Island.

About three hours after an eagle interrupted pleasant sparring...

Dacey was with her mother, a couple of Tallhart officers, several Mormont-Tallhart captains, and that Bloody Snow.

Although Dacey was irritated every time the 'little prince lord' opened his mouth and intervened in the conversation, the girl remained calm and mute. Her mother had already zapped her with a look at her first hint of complaint or mockery.

Dacey didn't dare disobey her orders, not with her mother only a few steps away.

"We can't take on 5,000 men...not at sea or on land." Her mother said in a resigned tone as she looked at the open map of the Island on the meeting table.

"My Lady, if I may." Bloody Snow.

"Go ahead, my Lord." Maege.

"How many good, well-armed warriors can House Mormont provide? And how many islanders can we muster in these three days?" Bloody Snow.

"With some men still at sea...about 600 warriors between men and women.

Some of the islanders are too scattered...we'll be lucky if we can round up 7,000..." Maege.

"And immediately? How many women and children can we round up?" Bloody Snow.

"...Nine hundred, maybe a thousand. Why do you ask?" Maege asked in a tone of doubt and confusion.

"We will be receiving a raven from my Uncle Leobald shortly.

I'm sure he's already moving heaven and earth to give us all the support he can. I estimate that in a couple of days he will be able to gather about 50-60 ships at Waterdeep harbor. Along with at least 2,500 to 3,000 reinforcements. They'll arrive here within one to two days of the attack.

I have a plan in mind, my lady." Bloody Snow.

"Any ideas are welcome at the moment, my lord." Said Maege slightly heartened that reinforcements would be arriving soon.

"What I propose, my Lady is that every ship in the Isle's harbor leaves for Waterdeep as soon as possible.

Between the Mormont and Tallhart ships, we have a total of 8 war galleys, 7 carracks, and 10 merchant ships. These ships are to transport and escort to safety every possible inhabitant of the island who is unfit for combat. Women and children will have priority.

But these ships must leave within the next six hours at the latest...

That way, my uncle can add those ships to his fleet, which launches in three days..." Bloody Snow.

"If we send the galleys and caravans away, we'll have less chance of..." Maege was interrupted.

"My Lady...

We don't stand a chance on the water. Not with that number of ships.

We'll simply be sending men to the slaughter as well as losing forces that could be put to much better use three days later." Bloody Snow.

"...Yes you're right." Maege grieved even more.

"My Lady, we can win this battle." Said the boy.

"I do not see how my Lord...

Even with your strength, the enemy outnumbers us at least five to one.

The fortress is not strong or large enough to withstand such a scope of attack." Maege.

"You are right my Lady...

But our goal is not to prevail against 5,000 men." Maege seemed to sense something after hearing that sentence.

"Victory will be ours if we can gain enough time to allow the allied forces to arrive in time.

The iron men don't expect us to be prepared, nor do they expect reinforcements to arrive so quickly...

If I were them, I wouldn't expect attacks from outside forces for at least four days. Let them think that and slow them down as much as possible.

Here my Lady..." Duncan pointed to a spot on the map away from the fortress or the port.

"What? You want us to defend that point?" Maege.

"I have personally explored that basin surrounded by the cliffs...

We can also gather and protect your people by hiding them undercover in those caves.

Let's abandon the harbor and the fortress and direct our forces and all the inhabitants we can find there." Bloody Snow.

"But that way, if the defensive line falls, we'll have no way out!" Roared Maege, slamming her fist on the table.

"The defensive line will not give way, Lady Mormont.

Trust me.

We can hold the enemy for at least two days in that position.

There they will have no way to surround us, they will face us in equal numbers.

We will alert my Uncle of our position and he will divert there, forces as soon as possible." Said the boy in a confident and determined tone.

Maege Mormont considered the proposal carefully, her warrior instincts were giving merit to that plan.

After a couple of minutes, Maege Mormont ordered:

"We will follow Lord Duncan's plan, mobilize our forces and all the inhabitants you can find.

Let the ships sail on schedule...

and ring the bells." No sooner had Lady Mormont finished her last word than thirty people on the spot sprang to do her bidding.

"MOTHER! YOU CAN'T.." Dacey broke off that sentence as soon as the murderous gaze of the warrior bear met her.

Dacey trembled in the face of that intimidating presence...

"I beg your pardon, Lady Mormont..." Maege turned away, nodding slightly after hearing her disobedient pet's righteous words.

About ten minutes later...

Dacey found her target in a corridor of the manor, next to him were two of his men.

She grabbed the boy by surprise and pushed him hard against the wall, staring intently into his eyes. The two men were ready to intervene but were stopped by a gesture of the boy's hand.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!

YOU COULD HAVE CONDEMNED US ALL!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BATTLES?!

THIS IS NOT YOUR PEOPLE OR YOUR ISLAND!

YOU WON'T BE THE ONE TO FACE THE REPERCUSSIONS OF YOUR IDEAS!!!

YOU WILL RUN AWAY AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE AND LET YOUR MEN AND THE MORMONT WARRIORS PAY THE PRICE!" Screamed Dacey sternly. These were no longer the complaints of a young maiden.

No... those sounded like the words of a mature woman, a woman who had lived.

"I trust the plan will work, Lady Dacey." The no longer stammering and unsure of himself boy calmly replied.

Dacey lowered her tone but not her grip on his prey's collar.

"And what makes you think your plan will work, O great and potent 'Bloody Snow'!" Dacey asked in a tone of irony and contempt.

"The fact that my men and I will hold the first line of defense, my Lady."

End POV.

-----------------------------------------

POV Helman Tallhart.

Torrhen's Square.

About half a day after a plan was decided...

Helman had been waiting for more than six hours.

He still hadn't found the courage to warn his wife, Myra, of the enormous danger his family was facing...

All he could do at the moment was waiting for news from his son Duncan...

He feared the boy might make the wrong decision.

Someone knocked on the door and entered...

"My Lord, your son Duncan has responded to your command..." Maester Qyburn said hesitantly.

"Eh? This is Maester speaking! Will my son withdraw from the Island?!!" Helman asked in a desperate tone.

"I'm afraid not, my lord...

Lord Duncan wants me to inform you that he is sorry and regretful that he disobeyed your command, my lord...

Upon his return, he will be amenable to whatever punishment you deem fit for his insubordination.

He also wants me to inform you, and here, I quote his words:

[The Ironmen will learn about the 'Price of Blood'.]

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