The Dragon & The Wolf

Direwolves in the Red Keep

The first impression he got of King's Landing wasn't the view, it was the smell. Arthur Stark had smelled some disgusting things during his eighteen years of existence, yet, nothing he could think of could compare to the horrible stench that emanated from the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. He cursed his uncle Rickon for the mission that had been given to him, despite the fact that he understood why he had been chosen to do it.

Arthur was what his brothers called 'a book-eater', he had learned how to read faster than any of his siblings and cousins, and at the age of five, he was already found reading every tome he could get his tiny hands on, in Winterfell's library. His uncle Rickon praised his mind as quietly as often, and when little Cregan grew, Arthur took it upon himself to instruct his little cousin. His brother Benjen had once called him a « southern Stark » for his knowledge of history and politics, and had ended up with a broken nose.

Despite his intelligence and his vast knowledge, Arthur Stark was and will always be a Direwolf, the Old Gods themselves had seen to that when he had been fifteen.

At this time, Lord Rickon had selected him and thirty other young lads to aid the rangers of the Night's Watch in a mission beyond the Wall. Bennard Stark had vehemently protested, he argued that his firstborn was too young, but Lord Rickon had been adamant.

"He is almost a man grown, and Starks need to bleed early to prepare for Winter."

Arthur had not protested, nor did he disagree with his uncle. He had simply sharpened his sword and dagger, and packed enough furs. When he came back from this mission, his left arm was in a sling and two dire wolves pups were in his leather bag. He gifted the brown one to his delighted cousin, earning his uncle's respect and gratitude, and the second one, a black beast with golden eyes, was by his sides as he was riding towards King's Landing. 'Shadow' -for that's what he was to Arthur- was now the size of a poney, his fur as dark as coal made him invisible at night and an unstoppable threat for any unfortunate prey. Thanks to him, Arthur had not needed an escort to travel along the King's Road, nor did he stop at an inn or demanded a Lord's hospitality for a night. He was a Stark of Winterfell, he knew how to survive in the Lands beyond the Wall, he wasn't about to spend the few golden coins that he had before arriving at the Capital. All he had to do was to make camp and hunt, his direwolf was more than enough to repel any kind of bandits.

He had bathed in a river on Lord Mallery's lands, shaved with his dagger and cleaned himself with a piece of black soap. His hair had been another matter entirely, he had to carefully wash his black straight hair with ash and herbs, to make it shiny and sweet-smelling. Then he used his dagger to give himself a proper cut. He couldn't care less if southern lords and ladies would find him handsome or civilized, but it wasn't about him, it was about the North and House Stark, and as their representative at Court, he had to look proper. So he changed his traveling clothes for a doublet with a direwolf sewn on it and put on freshly polished boots. He stretched, ignoring the abominable stench of the city, and finished his travel.

Unfortunately, the stench of the city did not lessen at all as he drew closer to the city gates. But by the time he had reached the River Gate, he had at least, somewhat, gotten used to the smell. Not enough to dismiss it entirely, but enough so that it wasn't the only thing that he was able to focus on as he passed through the gate with his Shadow, who looked even more annoyed by the smell as he was. The guards at the Gate had poorly tried to bribe him to allow his wolf inside the city, but his noble name was enough for them to dismiss this ridiculous idea. For they didn't know how King Viserys would react if he were to learn that one of his warden's house was denied its sigil inside the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Arthur had made sure to inform them that he was going to the Red Keep, the King could deal with the wolf himself if he had to, a Dire wolf was little challenge for a Dragon.