paradox - part II

Chapter 1: The Night's Watch

'The North must stand ready. Winter is coming.' 

'What is then, that falls from the skies and shivers my bones?' Jacaerys joked, standing on the makeshift elevator with Cregan Stark as they ascended to the top levels of the Wall. 

'This is only a late summer snow, my prince,' Cregan replied with a jesting smile. 'In winter, it will cover all you see, and all memories of warmth will be forgotten.'

'It pleases me to think over a century ago, our ancestors treated in this very place. The Conqueror and the King in the North.' 

'You, at least, had the mercy not to threaten me with your dragon,' Cregan replied, his expression suddenly turning cold. The lift creaked and then stopped, and the doors opened. Members of the Night's watch saw Cregan and Jace and bowed to both. 

'Surely the great Torrhen Stark would've sooner died than bent the knee. Unless he believed the Conqueror could bring unity to the Seven Kingdoms.' 

'You are right in that.'

'That unity is now threatened. The realm will soon tear itself apart, if men do not remember the oath sworn to King Viserys and to his rightful heir.' 

'Starks do not forget their oaths, my prince,' Cregan said. 'But you must know that my gaze is forever torn between north and south. In winter, my duty to the Wall is even more dire than the one I owe to King's Landing. I need my men here.' 

'Whilst your men guard against wildlings and weather, the Hightowers plan to usurp the throne. If my mother is to defend her claim to hold the realm united, she needs an army. War is coming, to the whole of the realm, my lord. We cannot wage it without the support of the North.' Jace and Cregan came to a lookout on the Wall, looking over the forests of the North. 

'My father brought King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne to see the Wall,' Cregan remarked. 'His Grace stood at this very outlook and watched as their dragons, the greatest power in the world, refused to cross it. Do you think my ancestors built a 700-foot wall of ice to keep out snow and savages?'

'What does it keep out?' Jace asked. 

'Death.' There was a moment before Cregan spoke again. 'I have thousands of greybeards who've already seen too many winters. They are... well-honed.'

'So they're old.'

'I can ready them to march at once.'

'If your greybeards can fight, the queen will have them.'

'They will fight hard. Like Northerners.' Just then a guard came up. 

'My lord?' he called out to Cregan. The young man stepped up to the guard. 'A raven's arrived. Urgent news from Dragonstone.' Jace shot a look to the guard as Cregan took the rolled-up piece of parchment, unrolled and read it. A grave look crossed his face, and Jace and Cregan looked at each other.