[h3]Winterfell[/h3] The beast looked attentively, its eyes locked in its prey. It snarled, its black fur bristling as it got ready to pounce. Its prey laid there, unattended, without making a movement. Fiercest of all wolves, the direwolf Marrow pounced upon the small creature. Only to make a rather comical snarl while he thrashed around with the rabbit plush, much to Arsa's delight. "Good boy!" The diminutive northwoman clasped her hand, as she moved to exploit the direwolf's weakness. Being rubbed in the belly. "What are you Marrow, a common dog now?" Lord Stark bristled, as he eyed the direwolf. He was sitting on his lordly seat, with a small child on his lap, who clapped excitedly at the spectacle. "Wof!" The young Rickon claimed, giddy. "Wof! Pay wof!" He clapped as he jumped outside Lord Stark's lap, and fearlessly towards the beast. Of course any normal parent would have also jumped out, trying to avoid their progeny from jumping into the maws of a wild beast. Not Stark. Marrow... had always been surprisingly accepting of his blood. He never protested around Rickon, the child subjecting him to the abuse any other man would have his throat ripped off with his mighty jaws. He didn't even need to get used to Arsa either. The beast somehow [i]who[/i] she was. Or maybe the fact Arsa was a self-confessed warg had something to do with it. Stark unfocused his sight from the playing trio, and centered once again in the messages and the crows. The Greens and the Blacks. Two people for the same throne and crown. Family against family. The accursed act of kinslaying would be bound to happen. As if the winter wasn't enough. But while one side only asked to bend the knee, the other was more...coercing. At the very least, Stark had to give it to the Blacks, they pretended they -cared- about the North. He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. In any case, he had to recall the armies of the North. The war had danger of spilling into the North aswell. And with harsh winters, also a second threat came. Those who lived beyond the Wall would try again to breach it. The brothers of the Night Watch weren't strangers to calling for help to the Northmen. If anything they were among the few people who truly still tried to help them the best they could. All others were using the wall as the dumping ground of their rejects. Cregan sighed as he pinched his nosebridge, thoughtfully. Even if he had sent word to recall his bannermen, manpower was needed elsewhere. He made sure to only call those who had no family to support and would rather be a mouth less to feed in the winter. But it would take time, travelling was not easy in the North at all, even for a dragon. Speaking of which... another Raven had arrived. There was a prince supposed to come, wasn't it? "Pa!" The young Stark pup raised his arms in Cregan's face, waking the lord from his stupor. "Alright little lord, time to put you to bed." Arsa smiled, lifting the infant with the deceptive strength of the crannogmen and exiting, Marrow eyeing the couple as the Snow left the young Rickon in the hands of their caretakers. "Hmm, call for the cooks, Arsa. We need to think how to hold a feast for a prince with... turnips and salted meat. Or something like that. We cannot spend lavishly." Cregan said, as Arsa Snow waltzed in front of him. "Well, we could use fresh meat." "Those cattle are for Rickon's birthday, Arsa." Lord Cregan puffed in indignation. "Oh, I can get a couple of stags. No problem, my lord." The impetous woman said, as she did a mock curtsy. "I am still one of the better hunters of Winterfell with bow. Plus, I might be able to see if a Targayen prince actually pisses fire or something." "ARSA!" Cregan raised his voice, snapping, while the woman, wild as she was, raised the skirt of her tunic and ran, laughing heartily. Laughter that seemed to be contagious, as the servants did so aswell. Even the ...wolf seemed to yip. Lord Cregan Stark, Warden of the North just stared incredously. --------- [h3]Outside Winterfell[/h3](with [@Ezekiel]) Amidst the snowflakes, she deftly paced, the scarlet droplets of her quarry tipping her off of his last moments. It was a beatiful stag, worth of a Prince's feast. Arsa smiled at her luck as she eyed her surroundings and drew forth a knife from her belt. She wore now the clothes and attire of a hunter, a fair contrast with the skirts and accessories she usually wore in the throne room. A quiver and a bow rested in her back, the tools which had helped her fell the beast, alongside another one that was resting not too far away. As she muttered an apology and put the deer out of her misery, Arsa could not help but notice a rise on the back of her hair. She was being watched. Clenching the knife tightly, she put it away as she unslug the bow. Amidst the snowfall, growls of beasts could be hear. "Figures huh, even wolves are starting to get antsy with the upcoming winter." The huntress said as she readied her bow. Had it been another occassion, she would have just leave the meat for the beasts, and she would probably escape with only hurt pride. But a Prince was coming. She had to put up a fight this time. Still it was easier said than done. A whole pack of wolves could prove tricky. If they all charged her at the same she would not be able to fend all of them off. Her gift of skinchanging would also leave her wide open. Stubbornly, she readied her bow. "I am sorry, but this meat is for a Prince." She cursed under her breath as she prepared herself to fight. As the wolves circled around their intended target, an ear-splitting roar crashed through the wilds of the North, animals of all ilk terrified for miles around, not least of all the wolves most direct to the noise. A moment later and Vermax plummeted from the sky, great claws punching into the earth as the dragon landed direct from flight. Prince and Dragon had been flying low on their approach to Winterfell, Jace not entirely familiar with the North, at least not enough to fly from memory, without tracing across the Kingsroad and nearby wilds, slowing down so that the young prince might navigate the vastness of the cold North. It was for this reason that Jace had caught sight of the conforntation down below, the figure of a lone hunter against a pack of wolves. Despite his better nature, he had decided to intervene. Before the wolves could react with more than a whine, Vermax's maw lunged forwards, the crack of bone beneath fang and jaw signaled a fast death. Another roar from the tremendous monster, and the pack was sent running, bounding off into the thicker woods. Once they were gone, Jace unbound himself from his riding harness, approaching the hunter. "Are you hurt?" "Gods of the forest..." Arsa muttered in awe, the bow loosening the arrow she had strung against a tree, her eyes gazing at the figure before her eyes in shock for a while. A dragon, a real dragon in the flesh before her eyes. She had thought of many things happening, a dragonrider was the least of them. "uh...eh." She stuttered eyeing the prince, before hurringly doing the best of her curtsies. "I am fine, my Prince! I just...did not expect you to grace this humble huntress with your assistance." She added, not even making eye contact. This was probably the prince his brother was waiting. Well, it had truly impressed her. Almost made her lose control of her bowels, at that! Jace smiled at her response, chuckling lightly; "Ah, I suppose the dragon does rather give me away." The young prince, while not Valyrian of look, certainly had the bearing of a young statesman about him, coupled with a build that was bordering on brawny, despite his young age. As he spoke, he patted Vermax's snout. "But, it seems you have me at a disadvantage then, as I do not know with whom I speak, does this humble huntress have a name?" His tone remained good humoured, after the long ride North, human contact was something of a relief. Arsa looked at the Prince, her eyes meeting his for first time. He did look regal and handsome, but also young. Probably of the same age as her brother. "Arsa." She said. "Arsa Snow, personal servant of Lord Stark at your service, my Prince" She said. It was half true the part being a servant. Bastards were often treated like that in the Kingdoms, but she would never dare claim he was her brother, that was Cregan's right to do so. She eyed the creature, this time with curiosity, as she dangerously and fearlessly close the gap. "And you are?" She asked the dragon, confident that the beast body language told it was subsumed and not really aggressive against her. She pulled one of her dried meat bits she used to keep herself well fed in the long hunts and offered it to the beast. The dull-gold of the dragon's scales shimered as it's vast head snapped around to gaze directly at the approaching Northener, a low growl rumbling through his throat, but not building into even the faintest roar. One huge green eye blinked once, before the growl died, and Vermax snapped the barest front of its jaws to take the piece of meat, swallowing in one bite. "Brave, as well as humble." Jace smiled, moving back towards the dragon, placing a hand on the heated snout of the dragon. "Vermax, he hatched when I was very young." "Nice to meet you Vermax. I hope we can be friends. I do not want to end up as your lunch." Arsa said, as she eyed the dragon with a friendly smile, before turning her sights into the prince once more. "Well my Prince, you have my most heartfelt thanks for the assistance. Winterfell is now at a stone's throw of your reach. I will make sure that the best cuts of these deer are served on your plate." She pointed at the two fallen carcasses, before bowing out once more and unslung ropes from her equipment to carry the dead stags around. She pulled with deceptive strength one of the corpses before tying it to the other, and placing them in a makeshift sledge. "Heave ho!" She said, her factions straining as she struggled to pull. Surely, it would be much easier if the dragon could give her a lift, but she couldn't ask a Prince to help with menial tasks. It would be just wrong. "A hunter brave enough to feed a dragon, must surely want to ride one?" Jace laughed slightly, immediately moving to halt her dragging the dead prey. "And even if not, I am sure, no matter how experienced a hunter you are, Vermax will have an easier time of it." At the sound of its own name, Vermax rose upright, the beasts' long reptillian neck extending, the dragon almost appearing to double in size simply by stretching out. "So, may we be of aid?" "Princes shan't be making chores of servants...but if you insist, my Prince, I cannot simply refuse to mount a beast of legends." Arsa smiled back, as she dropped the sledge, as she began to walk towards the Prince. "Besides, you do need to be shown the way, do you not?" She paused. "You are just waiting to show off, don't you, Vermax?" She also quipped back to the dragon, a hand in her hip. The dragon, as if on queue, blasted the Northern huntress with a snort of hot air, before crouching low enough to be ridden, Jace waving a hand towards the harness, now only at head's height to the two humans. "If you would do me the honour, climb up first and stay forwards, I'll have to ride behind to bind us to him." There was only the barest hint of mischief in the Prince's tone, it was, after all, the only way to harness two into the saddle. Arsa smiled as she deftly climbed in a single jump, the blood of the crannogmen of the Neck being more evident than ever in her lithe but nimble frame, as she sat on the fore of the harness, getting ready for the lift. "Be sure to pick the deer, my prince." She reminded as she eyed the Prince once more, her smile beaming beyond her hood. One of her eyes closed thoughtfully. "Even though you might have other appetites now." She jabbed back, the joke on getting the prince on her back not being lost on her. The Prince laughed, shaking his head at the fast-moving huntress; "You wound me, my suggestions are quite singular in purpose, nothing untoward." His slight grin would have suggested otherwise, even if speaking more of good humour. With that, the Prince climbed on to the dragon, allowing the movement of Vermax's muscles, as the dragon stood, to push him up towards the harness, swinging a leg over, behind the Northern girl. It took only a few moments for the Prince to bind them both in place, the chord wrapping around their waists, then linked to the saddle. "I'm sure Vermax will remember for me." Jace spoke, before clicking his tongue, the dull-gold beast exploding into the air with the push of two vast wings, Vermax's lower claws wrapping around the dead deer as the dragon powered itself into the air. As with any draconic take off from standing, it took a few moments of forceful wing-beats, before Vermax could take to flight proper, soaring low over the Northern wilds, slow enough for his riders to pick out the detail of the land around them. "This is such a majestic view. Ravens have nothing in comparison to this." said Arsa cryptically, as she enjoyed the view, pointing the direction of Winterfell almost without effort, as if she somehow knew how the lands were at bird's view. "I am flattered my prince. And so I shall help you. Lord Cregan is right now in the middle of a dark humour, and he will probably not be very helpful, but I can help you with that. Just wait and see, my Prince." She finished her expression as she braced herself and enjoyed the rest of the trip. ---- [h3]The North Keep[/h3](with [@Ezekiel]) Cregan stood by the main Gate, gripping a sheathed Ice tightly. His breath was running fast, as the maddened expression of his direwolf, Marrow, was torn between frenzied defense or running away. He could feel the beast incoming. Cregan's watchmen had spotted it from afar. What he did not expect however, was Arsa, his own half-sister, brazenly sharing the ride with the Prince Jacaerys of the Blacks. Now it would be much harder to drive the points he wanted to give. He bit his lip, as he glared the figures descending, a breeze ruffling his coat slightly over his armor. Vermax bellowed another roar as he approached Winterfell, not a cry of battle, although it could be mistaken for one, but a trumpet of his arrival, circling the Northern Keep below, gliding, to expand momentum, swirling in the air above the castle, eventually landing gently before the gate. Vermax paused at full height for more than a few seconds, green eyes gazing across the battlements and those asembled, before eventually crouching down, allowing Jace to unbind himself and Arsa, allowing her to dismount first, before he could slide down the scales of his mount. "My Lord Stark! It appears I found one of your hunters on route, a small trouble with wolves." He chuckled, one hand on his sword belt. "A shame more complex matters have drawn me North." Marrow seemed on the frenzy of jumping, his fur all bristled and his fangs clearly showing upon its targets, but a couple of taps in the ground with the hilt of Ice made the direwolf comply. Stark was gripping the sword certainly tightly, as he eyed the entourage. "I am aware, Prince Jacaerys. Welcome to the North. It has been a long way and you must be tired." His words were polite, but there was nothing but cold in his tone and inflections, perhaps even hiding subsumed rage. "You have found Arsa, for that I thank you." He added, before eyeing the woman who just descended from the dragon and began walking towards Cregan. "He found me when I was carrying the stags m'lord." The smile on Arsa was exuberant. "He offered a ride and I-" Arsa said no more, as the hand of Cregan moved swiftly, slapping her across her face so loudly, even Marrow turned its head from the Prince and the dragon and looked at his master in confusion. "It is the last time you do something this reckless, Arsa. I will have no more from you. Now unto your room!" He said sternly, as he glared at the shocked woman who then scrambled outside his sight uttering a curse under his breath. "I apologize for her behaviour, my Prince. My late father made a mistake, and she was borne out of it." He said curtly, not wanting to dwell into the subject. The Prince stood in shock for a moment, although it could not be read across his face, already a master of concealing his innate reaction, Jace remained still, hand in place on the pommel of his blade, the other hand loose by his side. Before Arsa had even be lead away, he replied to Lord Stark; "I am sorry if I have committed any offence Lord Stark, I simply trying to aid a stranger in trouble." The Prince bowed his head as way of an apology, before he would continue; "Of all things, I have not come this way to upset House Stark." His eyes flittered to Arsa as she was lead away at that, a brief questioning look, before his focus was on Cregan once more. "You have committed none, no need to apologize my Prince." Cregan mused as he gripped his sword. "Please raise your head." His voice became sombre as he eyed both. "I know your true purpose. But these matters hardly are discussed outside. Salt and bread will await you inside, my Prince." He stood aside, Marrow mimicking his gesture as he indicated to go in. "Hospitality is due to the saviour of my sister, however the circumstances are." He added as he went in himself, the cold edge on his words not disappearing entirely. "Of course, I was hoping you'd say as such, the ride North has not been the easiest." Jace chuckled slightly, his good humour returning, if only as a diplomatic device. He was quickly striding behind Lord Stark and his wolf, patting Vermax's snout before doing so, calming the beast to remain in place. "A pair of deer, for your kitchens, consider that further salve." The young Prince smiled, evidently more positive in his bearing than the Northman. "Mmh." Stark emmitted a sound of acceptance before leading the Prince to the throne room, having the servants take care of the deer and help feed the dragon aswell. He took silent, somber strides before leading him into his audience room after exchanging salt and bread, Marrow hurrying its pace along the Lord, always ware of the Prince. Lord Stark sat on the throne, and with a long sigh, he formally addressed the prince. "The Iron Throne wants my men just before winter, is it not? But no longer there is a single unified Targayen head. Ones call themselves Greens, and others call themselves Blacks." Stark glared at the Prince. "Such folly. Have the wits abandoned the Crownlands? Surely you probably heard from the Citadel. This winter will be unlike the last one, and we had better prepare for it. What good does a civil war bring to the Kingdom?" Lord Stark huffed as he waved the letters that had been sent to him. "Tell me, o messenger of Rhaenyra." "Queen." For the moment Jace did not continue, allowing the silence to hang in the air of Lord Stark's hall, the young Prince unflinching in his stare, standing with the ease of someone already well used to politics and confrontation. "Queen Rhaenyra, and this war that is coming is not a matter I, nor my family, take any joy in." Jace could not help but think of his great-uncle, and stepfather, Daemon at that. The Rogue Prince, now King, probably relished the challenge. "My Uncle has thrown the realm into chaos to sate his, or more precisely, his mother's, ambition, my mother seeks only to claim what is rightfully her's, and not risk the realm upon the pyre of Hightower fancy. I admit, supporting our cause asks much of the North, but tell me, my Lord, how many riders have come from the Greens to seek you out? They do not do so, because the have nothing but contempt for the North, they see you as a lesser realm, and both of my uncles feel no loyalty to the rights of this Kingdom, and the house that rules it." Jace was determined without being imperious, the houses of the North had long enjoyed their isolation from the grand politics of the South, it would do well to address them more as willing allies, than compelled vassals. "What happens when House Lannister, Hightower, Tyrell, demand something of them that might harm the North? Do you feel they would even pause in their decision to place their allies above those they did not even try to seek council, let alone aid? Aiding my mother is the only way to ensure the North, and your house, are secure." Jace believed what he said, in full, and it required little in the terms of fantasy for him to speak so, Aemond was a cruel and capricious master, he might burn Northern townships for the slight of not siding with his brother by default. "However, while that may be the case, the Queen does understand that the North, worst of all, will feel the effects of a war before Winter, and so, if they aid us, the armies of the North will be permitted to return with what spoils they wish from the lands of the traitors, to help account for the loss of men working the fields." Jace paused again before he continued the offer, something far more personal; "And, in return for your personal sacrifiece, as the head of a household, not just a realm, if you would wish it, the Queen would bind our houses together, there are Princes and Princesses both, without spouses or issue, that might be joined with House Stark." "Queen, whose throne was stolen from under her skirt. She will only be a true queen should she triumph over her foes." Cregan Stark's eyes narrowed in answer to Jace. "Just like the Green one. Still, I shall extend an apology for my slight in that regard. Pardon me." Cregan added, as his fingers gripped the seat, his own direwolf looking at him with concern..His eyes relaxed, asn he took a breath after the tense moment, sighing slightly afterwards. "Indeed you are informed. The Greens have not sought us, yet." Stark confessed as he let go of the chair, and stroke his chin. "And it is true that the war may spill into the North regardless of my allegiance towards the matter. For that, I have begun to recall the armies to defend what was entrusted to me. Lions, Towers and Roses, they shall not be unscathed if they come to this land uninvited. That much I can say. Staying neutral does not mean staying idle, in any case." His hand went onto scratching the head of his Direwolf, a fidgetting gesture. "Truth to be told, there is no [i]truly secure[/i] option at all. As the Warden of the North, I must ponder what is best for my people, and by my loyalty to the Iron Throne, what is best for the Seven Kingdoms." He paused, a long drawn out silence, as he eyed the Prince. "Your offer of blood and plunder is rather...intriguing. The royal family intermingling with House Stark would indeed bring prestige to the North and help secure prosperity. However, the plunder, while generous would be a temporal solution. I would rather have other kind of arrangements. Several parts of the North require resources and attention, such as Moat Caitlin, or our sea trade. Plus there is the matter of the Wall and the New Gift.The throne's aid in sanctioning a deal with the Brothers of the Black will be a boon. The Night's Watch is a shade of what it used to be, and that territory cannot go unmanned." While Jace had been given fairly precise instruction as to what he could offer the Lord of the North, it was within his jurisdiction, as Prince, to improvise a little, and so soon the royal was nodding along to Cregan's requests; "Once the war against the traitors is won, the Crown will be more than happy to assit the North in securing their lands, from both weather and attack." He did not question the need to resupply the Night's Watch, even if the idea did amuse him somewhat. "I am sure there will be no shortage of traitors taking the Black in the months to come." The young Prince smirked slightly as he continued, a clear jest, an effort to control the tone of the meeting, and simply general amusement at the thought. "Prince Jacaerys." He began to heavily weight his words. "A friend of mine says all the time... the North remembers." Cregan stark smiles. "And so I remember my ancestors aswell. There was once an attempt who spurned a Queen, and the Sea Serpent aswell. It was a sad affair. I have always thought that men are, most often than not, as senseless as women. And I also think, that the will of a King is binding to their last breath, no matter what circumstances. It is both the boon and the curse of a ruler. It was Viserys' will that Rhaenyra should be queen. The North does remember, Prince." He said as he got up from the throne. "But again, I owe myself to the North as Warden, and I would rather build than destroy." Cregan said as he himself placed himself in front of the prince."I cannot fathom a world where kinslaying is taken lightly. It is a most despicable crime. Please be merciful, my prince. Please ask your queen to be merciful aswell." He finished. "The north shall rally under the Blacks. I will make sure of it." Cregan added. "Two thousand already are itching to fight under your banner, so I shall send them after you." He paused. "As for me... I shall gather more. Give me more time. I shall get you an army of wolves, ready to descend beyond the neck. I shall rouse them to be ferocious and fearless. And I shall spare no efforts to pay my due." Cregan finished. "So that future generations shall not commit such a folly ever again." He added somberly. "Now, i believe a feast awaits, my prince."