𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 || 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒓𝒚 𝑶𝒖𝒕

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑰𝑿

CHAPTER IX
300 AFTER CONQUEST

BENGET

Letters and scrolls were spread out all over the desk before him, a candle flickering in the corner of the room, the hearth gone cold. He struggled to keep the damn thing going, as the tiresome work of the position he found himself in weighed heavy, taking his time over the luxurious of warmth from the cold. Stannis was another issue besides the cold and the piling work, Ben had found. He had run off over to Oakenshield east of Castle Black soon after the election many a fortnight ago presumably to brood.

"Corn! Corn!"

Mormont's raven squawked. Ben looked up from his work, an annoyed smile worn on his face.

"Do I bother you with requests?"

The black bird gazed at him with even blacker eyes, empty.

"Corn? Corn?"

Huffing, Ben reached to the smile sack of corn stored in the drawer of his desk, taking some and chucked it at the door, which had suddenly opened as Samwell Tarly stood in the doorway, half scared to death as the corn smacked into him, the raven following soon after.

"Seven Hells!"

Ben gave a good laugh at that, shaking his head. The first bit of amuesment in his long, drawn out day.

"Apologies, Sam. I hadn't expected you back so soon."

He leaned in his chair a bit, putting his cheek in his palm as he huffed.

"It is my duties as a Steward to-"

"-carry out the orders of the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, yes, thank you for reminding me, Sam."

Sighing heavily once more, a raging headache coming along, Sam glanced at the bird now on the floor pecking away at the bits of corn.

"Have you just been throwing corn at it?"

He asked, and Ben nodded.

""Corn! Corn! Stark! Corn! Stark!" It's all it says."

King, Ben left that part out, not sure exactly as to why the bird had said that once to him before one late evening.

"I should really look into getting one of those birds that repeats what you say to it. What are they called? They're from Essos, I heard."

"Parrots."

"Right. I should get a parrot. Perhaps it's voice as well as it's color could brighten up this dreadful castle."

Sam chuckled, nodding. And that's when Ben noticed the stack of parchment his fellow Sworn Brother was carrying, making him internally cringe.

"Back to reality.."

He muttered under his breath before clearing his throat.

"These are the letters I asked you to draw up for me?"

"Of course."