Game of Dragonborn. [BOOK 1/2]

Chapter 186 - The Arrival of the Northern Group.

[Chapter Size: 2500 Words.]

Third Person POV.

Winterfell.

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Daemon issued orders to Bak, the man of the people and the one he trusted most to share command of the Free Folk army after Tormund.

He asked Bak to meet with Mance and the others to request that they expand the camp.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Winterfell, an army of more than one hundred and thirty thousand people was gathering — an army that had never before been seen around that castle. And they were all Free Folk, which Daemon couldn't help but find ironic.

Mance spoke with Bak and ended up passing command to the men he trusted most, so they could organize the camp, while he joined the main group heading toward Winterfell.

"You seem anxious," said Daemon, standing in the courtyard of Winterfell, noticing Val.

"What do you think? You didn't let me go meet my sister on horseback," replied the blonde, a little nervous.

Daemon gave a faint smile. They hadn't even had time for lunch when the scouts came with the news of the group's arrival. Daenerys settled to Daemon's right side, next to Val and Ygritte, while on the left stood Robb Stark and several northern lords.

The first to pass were Benjen, carrying both Bran and Rickon on horseback, as he stopped for a moment. Bran and Rickon in front of him, both looking anxiously straight at Robb, who stood beside Jon without taking his eyes off them. Robb's eyes widened as he saw them.

Benjen also gave a faint smile and made his horse move forward. Then he stopped halfway, and Hodor soon followed on foot.

"Take me to my brother, Hodor!" Bran asked anxiously, as Hodor did so, picking him up with one arm and Rickon with the other.

Rickon ran toward Robb before Hodor could carry Bran, and as he walked up to them, Robb was forced to take a step forward to embrace the youngest of the family.

"Robb!" Rickon cried immediately, closing his eyes.

"We thought you were dead," murmured Bran slowly, as Hodor set him down beside his brother and Robb pulled him into the embrace too, holding all three brothers together.

"I know, brothers," replied Robb, hugging them even tighter. "It must not have been easy for any of you. I'm sorry for what happened, I truly am. I thought you were dead too. It was my fault for letting Theon return to the Iron Islands. Because of him, Winterfell was attacked. Rodrik and Maester Luwin died, along with many others from the castle." Robb said regretfully.

"But it wasn't your fault!" said Bran, his voice trembling with tears, while Rickon began to cry as well, the tears falling freely.

"Mother..." sobbed the youngest, crying even harder.

"I'm sorry, brothers. Our mother died at the Twins... because of me too," said Robb, tears in his eyes.

The courtyard fell silent. Even those who watched the reunion forgot about the large group approaching just behind them.

Bran and Rickon had basically broken all protocol, and some cast glances at Daemon, expecting him to be displeased by it. But he only looked at them with a hint of pity, while Daenerys beside him murmured something like, "Do not mock their mother at this moment."

In any case, Daemon ignored his cousins and turned his attention to the new group approaching: besides his uncle Benjen drawing near, there was Mance, his wife Della carrying a baby in her arms, Lucis, Lafy, and other figures behind them.