(Game of Thrones) The Weirwood Wolf

Defence of the Wall

The fire crackled and roared in the fire place "Corn!" The Old Bears raven squawked but it was ignored. "Mance said forty thousand filled his ranks, hundreds of wargs, the remaining giant clans and two dozen war mammoths." Benjen Stark said, pointing at the map were the wildlings camped. "By my own count it was closer to sixty, nearly a hundred giants and less than half as many mammoths" Qhorin Halfhand said

"Eleven thousand, against sixty!" Ser Alliser scowled. "Sixty thousand wildlings, they fight like beast true, but they have no armour or arms, nor battle formations or discipline." Iron Emmet scowled right back at the angry knight.
"Whereas The Wolf King has sent us his greybeards and his cripples, most of his host is Mountain Clansmen, practically Wildlings!" The ageing knight complained, and Jon was getting tired of listening to his moaning.

"You called for aid to all the Five Kings, it was my brother alone who answered, would you rather we take our men back South?" Jon questioned, his hand sinking into Ghosts fur. Both Yohn Royce and Galbert Glover nodded in agreement. "Ah yes how could I forget, along with greybeards, green boys and wildlings the rebel king also sent his traitor fathers bastard. We're all saved Lord Snow." His scowl deepened as he continued.

"Alliser! I'll not have you insulting my guests under my roof, not less the son of Eddard Stark!," It was clear the Old Bear had also grown tired of the Knights complaining. "You'll find not many in the North will take kindly to that man being sullied." The Old Bears statement was backed up by the fury in the eyes of Lord Glover and ten times as much anger from Benjen, who did not take kindly to the words.

"I forsook my brother when I swore my vows before the Weirwood, I took you as my brother, all the Nights Watch as my brothers." Benjen began sending a heated look at Alliser, "But I won't hear another word about traitors, not from you!" His hand slammed into the table as the wolf blood coursed hot through his veins. It was times like these when Yohn Royce was reminded of the Melee at Harrenhal, when Brandon Stark faced his opponents with the same look in his eyes.

"Alliser that's enough!" The Old Bear brought an end to the arguments with a single gruff sentence. 'Enough!''Enough!''Enough!' Mormonts raven echoed. "Instruct the new Stark men, have them begin repairs to the defences atop the Wall!" With that Alliser turned wrapped his cloak around himself tightly and left.

"Forget about him, we have more pressing concerns." With that statement Qhorin Halfhand cleared the air and brought everyone's attention back to the more pressing issues. "Mance Rayder claims he has the Horn of Joramun." The statement brought a silent worry over them all, except for Yohn who was confused. "What is this Horn?" The Bronze Lord asked and it was Mormont that answered.

"It is the Horn of Winter, before the Wall, or the age of heroes. When Andals still resides in Essos and the Valyrian Dragon Riders were still sheep farmers. Joramun blew his mighty Horn and woke the Giants from Stone." The Lord Commander recited the tale told often in the North and even more so at the Wall.

"But what does the Horn mean to us, the giants have been awake and extinct for thousands of years, now the last march on the Wall." The Lord was still confused as to why the Horn meant anything to them. "As the tale goes a King Beyond The Wall will rise and the Horn of Winter will be sound in the North once more, and the Wall will crumble." It was Benjen who finished the tale.

"If the Horn is real then all is lost, there is nothing to do, we must make ready for battle." It was Iron Emmet who spoke this time, his youth and hunger for action clear. "He's right, come battle fire and sword steel, dawn will come and we will know if the Horn is true." It was Jon who spoke at last as he nodded to the Old Bear.

'True!' Squawked Mormonts raven

'True!'
'True!'
'True!'

—————————————————————————