The march of the North Lord Eddard Stark, Warden of the North, led the Northern host along the Kingsroad.
The march was grueling—cold wind biting at their faces, mud clinging to their boots, and the relentless struggle to keep their supply lines intact.
Every step was a test of endurance.
Eddard Stark rode at the front, his face stern and emotionless.
Ever since he had learned the secrets of the ice techniques —his demeanor had undergone some changes.
His expression was colder, more distant, as if nothing in the world could reach him anymore.
A hardened silence now surrounded him, an aura that made even the bravest soldiers wary.
A Karstark soldier glanced at him and whispered to a fellow soldier.
“Have you noticed something about Lord Stark lately?” The other nodded, eyes narrowing.
“Aye.
Look at him.
I saw him during Robert’s Rebellion, and he didn’t have that stone-cold look yet.
Back then, he was still the young wolf—calm, even with the rage for the death of his father and brother he was calm.
Now, you can barely come near him.
He’s like a lone wolf—dangerous, unpredictable.
You don’t know if he’ll bite your neck any second or not.” Both soldiers chuckled softly.”hehehe” Trying to lighten the mood.
The march persisted, the soldiers pushing forward through the mud and cold as the sun dipped toward the horizon.
Ahead, a clearing appeared—a good place for a camp.
Eddard raised his hand, signaling the march to halt.
Without raising his voice, he spoke in a cold, commanding tone.
“Will camp here for tonight.” The army moved quickly to set up their camp.
Warhorses were fed, fires were lit, and large cauldrons were prepared to boil hot soup for dinner.
Everything around, crackled with the sounds of activity—chaotic yet familiar.
This routine had become second nature after weeks of marching.
Eddard withdrew to a large tent, where the other northern lords were gathering for a war council.
The flickering candles cast shadows on their faces as they prepared to discuss their next move—an uncertain path, but one they would walk together.
War Council Tent The tent is simple but sturdy, walls lined with furs and banners of House Stark.
A large map of the northern coast and Iron Islands is spread across a wooden table.
Eddard Stark stands at the head, flanked by his vassal lords.
Lord Mormont:”The Ironborn have grown bold.
They raid the western coasts, burn the villages, and if left be, sooner or later , those bastards axes will threaten the very heart of the Riverlands.
We cannot let this go unpunished.” Wyman manderly:”My lord, our banners are ready.
We must march south with all haste.
The sooner we strike, the better.” House Umber Lord:”Aye.
Our men are eager for battle.
We will crush these pirates and bring peace back to Westeros.” House Karstark Lord:”The Iron Islands is far, thier ships needed days to travel.
This is a weakness on their army whenever they need support , together with the army of seven kingdoms we should surround those bastards and isolate them , with our numbers those pirates dont have a chance to escape ” A mur mur of agreement came from the other lords” Roose Bolton: suddenly cut off their murmurs and said: ” My lords we should focus on defense if we spread the north army thin they might punch through some gaps and raid parts of the north.” A mur mur again was heard , this time its much louder for the lords of the north dont want their own people to bleed on this war.
I sudden gush of cold was felt inside the tent.
All lord eyes pointed at the Lord stark.
Eddard Stark:”Agreed.
We will march, through the Neck.
Our goal is to break their Army and restore order.
But in the meantime, we must defend our strategic point—Deepwood Motte.” House Stark Vassal:”Deepwood Motte is well fortified, my lord.
It controls the northern approaches.
If we hold it, we deny the Ironborn a foothold to regroup.” Eddard Stark:”Good!
Archers and infantry will defend the motte.
Meanwhile order our cavalry to hunt down the Ironborn raiders along the coast.
Strike at their supply lines and cut off their retreat.” House Karstark: “Then we march at dawn.
Defend Deepwood Motte fiercely, and let our cavalry hunt them down.” Eddard Stark:”May the Old Gods watch over us.
We will bring justice, and ensure the Ironborn learn the price of Rebellion.” The lords nod solemnly, preparing for the crucial campaign ahead.
After the war council, Ned stayed in his tent.
I felt tired—not physically, but mentally exhausted.
My body had become very strong; I could now fight the cold by circulating energy throughout my entire body.
Even during practice, if I used the energy called chakra, I could snap wooden swords in half during mock battles, showing how much power I’ve gained.
The soldiers who saw it couldn’t believe what had happened.
They whispered among themselves in awe and fear.
When the Greatjon Umber heard it he wanted to have a spar.
But I refused.
I still couldn’t control my strength perfectly.
Injuring one of my best fighters before the battle would be unwise.
.
Ever since that day, I’ve tried to practice where no one can see.
It’s dangerous to let anyone witness what I can do—especially the ice techniques.
To my knowledge, those techniques produce large effects on the surroundings, and right now I am surrounded by thousands of eyes.
If people saw me using those powers, they would surely think I was doing magic.
Magic in Westeros is a delicate and dangerous topic—here in the North, it has been part of our history for thousands of years.
Tales of skin-changers, children of the forest, and even the Starks ourselves believed to have magic in their blood.
That why starks of the past have fought along side with direwolfs.
The revoltion of magic has always been the agendas of faith of the seven, and I don’t want to give anyone reason to suspect the north.
The only thing I can practice openly are hand signs.
It was hard at first—my muscles had to remember the precise movements, and I had to focus intensely.
Even with the memory of the techniques, my hand muscles need constant practice to become familiar with the gestures.
It’s slow progress.
But even without the ice techniques, the energy I’ve discovered by spreading to my body—this power—grants me incredible strength.
It’s a great help in the wars to come.
This power makes me more resilient, greater strength, and gives me a silent edge I didn’t have before.
I know that mastering this will be crucial, even if I must hide it for now —— War update: The war with the Ironborn was extremely brutal.
The Ironborn did not fight fairly—what can we expect from raiders and iron born scum?
On the first week.
The first to move was, of course, Tywin Lannister.
He wanted to show strength before the other great houses arrived, but he was spectacularly defeated.
The Ironborn used guerrilla tactics, ambushing Lannister forces at night.
And by the morning, they have retreated at their ships carrying supply and stollen items, then target another village.
Knights and soldiers were often lured into traps that leads to so many deaths.
In the second to third weeks, Ironborn ships set sail from the Iron Islands, launching swift, surprise raids along the eastern and southern coasts of Westeros.
Coastal towns and villages in the Westerlands, Stormlands, and Reach were attacked, with many settlements plundered or captured.
Early victories boosted Ironborn morale and inspired more vessels and fighters to join the rebellion.
While Westeros was bleeding, the bulk of the Ironborn forces moved deeper into the lands of the Riverlands.
The Ironborn targeted strategic locations such as Seagard in the Riverlands, which they seized early in the rebellion.
They also raided the city of Gulltown in the Vale and other coastal towns, establishing footholds and disrupting trade and communication lines.
Utilizing their superior naval capabilities, the Ironborn controlled the seas around Westeros, raiding and capturing ships and coastal castles.
Their ships were fast and difficult to catch, making it hard for the royal forces to contain the rebellion in its early stages.