Post by Jon Snow on Aug 7, 2012 17:18:06 GMT -5
((OOC: This happens before the Stark Family Reunion thread. As Robb is not around, I am going to be playing both myself and him. This thread has already been graded.))
As soon as Sam had put the rolled up parchment in his palm, and Jon had seen the now royal wax seal of house Stark adorning it, he had known that it wasn’t the ordinary message containing news from South of the Wall, that he usually received. No, this contained something important, if it had been adorned with such a seal. Thanking his friend, Jon immediately retreated to the solitude of his room, just in case the message contained sensitive information. Sitting at a modest desk, which was pressed against the fall wall of his room, Jon hesitated before breaking the wax seal and rolling the message flat on the surface of the desk. His eyes whizzing from left to right as he eat up the words below.
---------------------------------------
Dearest Brother.
No doubt word will have reached you by now of our victory over the Lannisters at Riverrun. I am writing to you today to confirm that as it stands it is the Starks who hold the upper hand in this civil war between North and South. I will not divulge any information pertaining to our tactical manoeuvres, for fear that this raven is intercepted by the enemy, but there will be time enough for that when we receive you.
The perilous situation on the wall is one that concerns me (we have both heard old-nans stories about what lies beyond its boundaries) and the increasing number of men wearing the black riding from the wall to search for new recruits is unnerving. I have no doubts that the Lord-Commander Mormont will read this letters contents before it reaches you, but the news I have applies just as much to he as to you.
Naturally an army on the march will take prisoners of war. To the point, I cannot expend troops guarding the vast number of Lannister prisoners that I have taken and would see the majority of their numbers put to good use in service to the North. If it would please your Lord-Commander I would ask that you meet me at Winterfell as soon as possible, or if you are not able to make the journey soon, at Moat Caitlin when it is convenient for you. I shall be inspecting and if needs be, reinforcing our garrison there, so if you are interested in my offer I look forward to seeing you.
P.S. I shall also be sending for Arya and enquiring as to whether or not Bran feels he can also make the journey, and lets not forget little Rickon too. It has been to long since we were all together and the longer Sansa spends in captivity the more my heart yearns to be with the rest of my family - that includes you too, brother.
Yours truly
Your brother Robb, King of the North.
---------------------------------------
Jon absentmindedly moved his hands across the parchment, forcing it to remain flat against the desk, as he looked up from the letter, the words still playing through his mind. Two things had instantly stood out more than anything else to Jon. Firstly, Robb had called him brother, and from his words it felt as if he meant it more so than he had ever done in the past. Jon had always wanted acceptance from his family, nothing more, and to feel that he had finally got it was an indescribable feeling. And secondly, there was news of Arya, and it appeared that she was miraculously free from Lannister clutches, as well as being near enough to be at this makeshift family reunion! This news pleased Jon more than anything else. He had always been closest to Arya, even Robb wasn’t as close, and to know that she was safe was all he had wanted since hearing of their father’s fate.
However, what little Robb had mentioned in regards to the Night’s Watch had been true. There had been more recruitment attempts of late, though many had been utterly unsuccessful. Very few Houses were prepared to offer men to the watch, even criminals, while there was a war waging across the realms. Not to mention it wad becoming ever more increasingly difficult for the Night’s Watch to remain unbiased in the realms events; this letter from Robb, what he was requesting, would make that task even more difficult.
Jon wanted to accept the offer without hesitation, but his hand stayed from writing out a reply. The South were already suspicious of giving men to the Night’s Watch because the ‘Bastard of Winterfell’, son of the traitorous Ned Stark, was one of the Black Brothers. What would happen if word got out that the very same Black Brother visited the King of the North? It would no doubt sow even more distrust from the South, perhaps even enough for them to claim the Night’s Watch had forsaken their words and chosen a side in the War for the Iron Throne.
However, Jon knew full well that if the men of the Night’s Watch were to fail and Wall was to fall, which would no doubt inevitably come to pass if things continued on their current paths, that the North would be next to feel the wrath of the forces beyond the Wall. The North are closest to the Wall, the most able and likely the most willing to give the much needed reinforcements that the Night’s Watch needed. Wasn’t it natural for him to then go to see his brother? He could not think of someone better for the job, especially since King Robb has specifically asked for him. Also, at the back of his mind but never out of thought, he could not hide the fact that a large part of him also merely wanted to go so he could see Arya again.
With all this in mind Jon finally picked up a quill, dipped it in the heated ink, and sent ink to parchment, as he began to write his reply.
---------------------------------------
To my brother, Robb.
It warms me to hear from you, and in a place like the Wall a man learns to take whatever warmth he can get. News of your success against the South is great indeed. Father would be proud of the Lord that you’ve become, one worthy of the Stark name. Though it is the stance of the Night’s Watch not to take sides in the issues of the realm, I can not honestly say I am as unbiased. The Lannisters must pay for what they did to our father, what they are trying to do to our family. They say that Lannisters always pay their debts, well I am glad that you are forcing them to on this occasion, for they owe the Starks a great debt.
The news from here must be troubling indeed, in fact it is no doubt worse than that which has reached your ears. The stories that old-nan use to tell us are indeed coming true. I wouldn’t believe it if I had not seen it with my own eyes, fought it with my own blade. But what you offer us here, I doubt the Lord-Commander could refuse such an offer even if he wanted to. Our needs outweigh anything else at the moment, and it just so happens that our needs are the needs of the realm, for without the Wall all of the Seven Kingdoms would fall to the hazards that Winter will bring…and there’s no mistaking, Winter Is Coming.
News of Arya’s safety is likely the best news I’ve had yet, since first coming to the Wall. With the potential to see her, as well as you, Bran and Rickon too, it’s almost too much excitement to contain. Plus, how could I turn down such an offer from the King of the North? You shall have your family reunion, brother. Count on my arrival at Winterfell within the week.
Yours truly,
Your brother Jon Snow.
---------------------------------------
Total Finished Word Count: 1,321.
As soon as Sam had put the rolled up parchment in his palm, and Jon had seen the now royal wax seal of house Stark adorning it, he had known that it wasn’t the ordinary message containing news from South of the Wall, that he usually received. No, this contained something important, if it had been adorned with such a seal. Thanking his friend, Jon immediately retreated to the solitude of his room, just in case the message contained sensitive information. Sitting at a modest desk, which was pressed against the fall wall of his room, Jon hesitated before breaking the wax seal and rolling the message flat on the surface of the desk. His eyes whizzing from left to right as he eat up the words below.
---------------------------------------
Dearest Brother.
No doubt word will have reached you by now of our victory over the Lannisters at Riverrun. I am writing to you today to confirm that as it stands it is the Starks who hold the upper hand in this civil war between North and South. I will not divulge any information pertaining to our tactical manoeuvres, for fear that this raven is intercepted by the enemy, but there will be time enough for that when we receive you.
The perilous situation on the wall is one that concerns me (we have both heard old-nans stories about what lies beyond its boundaries) and the increasing number of men wearing the black riding from the wall to search for new recruits is unnerving. I have no doubts that the Lord-Commander Mormont will read this letters contents before it reaches you, but the news I have applies just as much to he as to you.
Naturally an army on the march will take prisoners of war. To the point, I cannot expend troops guarding the vast number of Lannister prisoners that I have taken and would see the majority of their numbers put to good use in service to the North. If it would please your Lord-Commander I would ask that you meet me at Winterfell as soon as possible, or if you are not able to make the journey soon, at Moat Caitlin when it is convenient for you. I shall be inspecting and if needs be, reinforcing our garrison there, so if you are interested in my offer I look forward to seeing you.
P.S. I shall also be sending for Arya and enquiring as to whether or not Bran feels he can also make the journey, and lets not forget little Rickon too. It has been to long since we were all together and the longer Sansa spends in captivity the more my heart yearns to be with the rest of my family - that includes you too, brother.
Yours truly
Your brother Robb, King of the North.
---------------------------------------
Jon absentmindedly moved his hands across the parchment, forcing it to remain flat against the desk, as he looked up from the letter, the words still playing through his mind. Two things had instantly stood out more than anything else to Jon. Firstly, Robb had called him brother, and from his words it felt as if he meant it more so than he had ever done in the past. Jon had always wanted acceptance from his family, nothing more, and to feel that he had finally got it was an indescribable feeling. And secondly, there was news of Arya, and it appeared that she was miraculously free from Lannister clutches, as well as being near enough to be at this makeshift family reunion! This news pleased Jon more than anything else. He had always been closest to Arya, even Robb wasn’t as close, and to know that she was safe was all he had wanted since hearing of their father’s fate.
However, what little Robb had mentioned in regards to the Night’s Watch had been true. There had been more recruitment attempts of late, though many had been utterly unsuccessful. Very few Houses were prepared to offer men to the watch, even criminals, while there was a war waging across the realms. Not to mention it wad becoming ever more increasingly difficult for the Night’s Watch to remain unbiased in the realms events; this letter from Robb, what he was requesting, would make that task even more difficult.
Jon wanted to accept the offer without hesitation, but his hand stayed from writing out a reply. The South were already suspicious of giving men to the Night’s Watch because the ‘Bastard of Winterfell’, son of the traitorous Ned Stark, was one of the Black Brothers. What would happen if word got out that the very same Black Brother visited the King of the North? It would no doubt sow even more distrust from the South, perhaps even enough for them to claim the Night’s Watch had forsaken their words and chosen a side in the War for the Iron Throne.
However, Jon knew full well that if the men of the Night’s Watch were to fail and Wall was to fall, which would no doubt inevitably come to pass if things continued on their current paths, that the North would be next to feel the wrath of the forces beyond the Wall. The North are closest to the Wall, the most able and likely the most willing to give the much needed reinforcements that the Night’s Watch needed. Wasn’t it natural for him to then go to see his brother? He could not think of someone better for the job, especially since King Robb has specifically asked for him. Also, at the back of his mind but never out of thought, he could not hide the fact that a large part of him also merely wanted to go so he could see Arya again.
With all this in mind Jon finally picked up a quill, dipped it in the heated ink, and sent ink to parchment, as he began to write his reply.
---------------------------------------
To my brother, Robb.
It warms me to hear from you, and in a place like the Wall a man learns to take whatever warmth he can get. News of your success against the South is great indeed. Father would be proud of the Lord that you’ve become, one worthy of the Stark name. Though it is the stance of the Night’s Watch not to take sides in the issues of the realm, I can not honestly say I am as unbiased. The Lannisters must pay for what they did to our father, what they are trying to do to our family. They say that Lannisters always pay their debts, well I am glad that you are forcing them to on this occasion, for they owe the Starks a great debt.
The news from here must be troubling indeed, in fact it is no doubt worse than that which has reached your ears. The stories that old-nan use to tell us are indeed coming true. I wouldn’t believe it if I had not seen it with my own eyes, fought it with my own blade. But what you offer us here, I doubt the Lord-Commander could refuse such an offer even if he wanted to. Our needs outweigh anything else at the moment, and it just so happens that our needs are the needs of the realm, for without the Wall all of the Seven Kingdoms would fall to the hazards that Winter will bring…and there’s no mistaking, Winter Is Coming.
News of Arya’s safety is likely the best news I’ve had yet, since first coming to the Wall. With the potential to see her, as well as you, Bran and Rickon too, it’s almost too much excitement to contain. Plus, how could I turn down such an offer from the King of the North? You shall have your family reunion, brother. Count on my arrival at Winterfell within the week.
Yours truly,
Your brother Jon Snow.
---------------------------------------
Total Finished Word Count: 1,321.
