"Legends and Fabrications"

All rights to the A Song of Ice and Fire books and Dark Souls games belong to their respected owners.

Hello everyone and welcome back! Sorry for the VERY long wait! I've been busy with college classes as of late and haven't really had the time to continue my writing, which I've considered more of a pastime than anything. That said, I would like to pick up on it and start writing again. I can't promise any regular postings, but I will try to update whenever I am able. This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but I decided not to overdo it on the chance that people might not be as interested in the story as they were before.

Chapter 5

Eddard

The snow fell gently as the men and women of Winterfell gathered to see us off, frowns and tear-filled eyes upon their faces. How many of them will lose family? A husband? A brother? A father? A son?

"You worry too much, husband. You'll go grey before little Rickon is born" said Cat with a small, sad smile on her face.

"I fear I'm already going grey, my dear wife" I explained with a smile whilst rubbing my beard.

"So, it would seem" she said chuckling lightly before a look of apprehension came upon her.

"I'll be fine, Cat. I have a plenty of guardsmen to keep me safe as well as Ser Artorias, whom I expect is nothing less than a demon on the battlefield."

"With you, I find it more likely that you'll throw yourself in front of a storm of arrows to keep your men safe" Cat explained with a pained, but proud smile.

"You need not worry, Lady Stark. I'll keep Lord Stark alive and well as he once did for me" exclaimed a soft voice, turning I saw it was none other than Ser Artorias, now adorned in his dark plate armor standing before me and Cat.

"Ser Artorias, you look the part of a proper knight," I complimented whilst looking him up and down in approval.

"I feel like one too, in truth I haven't felt truly at peace till this very moment. I felt naked, vulnerable to the world and its evils. Now, I feel like me and that's something I've been needing desperately. The only thing that's missing is my ring" he explained chuckling.

His ring? Oh!

"Here, I forgot to return this to you. I hope you can forgive me for taking it, I had hoped it would lend me insight into your identity" I said, placing the ring in his outstretched hand.

Artorias smiled beneath his helm and studied the insignia, before slipping it onto his finger.

"Have you fought in many battles, Ser?" Cat asked the giant of a man standing before us.

"If I may be so bold, my Lady. I daresay I've seen more battle than every man in this courtyard put together" Artorias explained while gazing upon the guardsmen before him.

Catelyn nodded stiffly and walked away to our children who were waiting to say their farewells.

"Did I say something wrong? If so then I apologize, it was never my intent to…"

"You did nothing wrong, Ser Artorias. My wife is just cautious of strangers and their intents" I explained while watching Cat talking to the children.

"A wise woman. One should always be suspicious of the unknown till they have proven themselves, which is what I must do if I am to remain here any longer" Artorias explained while a small look of determination crept upon his features.

"Which I'm sure you'll do, Ser. I can't quite explain it, but I get the sense that you're of a good and honorable stock. A man who finishes what he is sent out to do."

Artorias

"I'll do my best, Lord Stark" I said nodding in agreement.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to say my farewells to my children" said Lord Stark with a smile before departing.

I looked past his fleeting form towards the Stark family and had to admit, the man had a beautiful family. The eldest takes after his mother but held himself in such a way that I can only compare it to that of a younger Lord Stark. The daughters were as different as ice and fire, one had elegant features of the mother and stood akin to a proper lady while the other was slouched and had the rough, long features of the father. I felt a smile tug at my lips at the young one's obvious attempt at trying to look strong for her father. I looked to her side and saw the youngest, a boy with the mother's features and who looked excited at the gathering of men-at-arms. Not at all concerned that he'd might never see his father again, being too young to even comprehend such an idea.

"Ser Artorias, I hear you'll be riding with us" I turned and saw a young lad with a face not unalike Tomard's.

"I am, would I be wrong in assuming that you are the one they call TomToo?" I asked him and the lad shock his head.

"No, you would not, I'm Tom or TomToo or whatever it is they like to call me. Personally, I just prefer Tom."

"Very well, Tom. Is there anything you can tell me about theses wildings before we depart?"

Any decent fighter learns all he can on those he intends to do battle with, and these wildings should be no exception.

"Not much to tell, Ser. They're a people that live beyond the Wall, making them tough and mean. Though I wouldn't worry much about them since their weapons and armor are modest at best and horse shit at worst, and don't even get me started on their training or rather lack thereof" said Tom as he scanned the courtyard.

"How many wildings should we be expecting?" I asked as Lord Stark said his final goodbyes and began making his way towards us.

"Not many I'd wager, perhaps a dozen or so."

A group of twelve or so men shouldn't be too much of a problem, I've faced much worse odds.

"Follow me, Ser Artorias. Hullen, my Master of Horse, has prepared a steed for you" Lord Stark informed as he arrived, gesturing for me to follow.

The walk to the stables was a quiet one, Lord Stark appeared to be anxious though it's hard to tell whether it's from the upcoming battle or the possible loss of good, honest men.

"Likely both, I'd wager" I muttered under my breath.

When we finally arrived, a man was pulling a rather large horse from its stall. The horse was clearly trying to resist the man's pull with all of its might and, by the looks of it, the horse was nearing victory.

"Lord Stark, here's the horse though I can't see why you'd want a Dray. They aren't meant for riding, much less combat" the man greeted with a nod as he gave another harsh tug at the horse's reins.

"But they're good for heavy tasks, are they not?" Lord Stark responded as we stopped in front of the Master of Horse.

Hullen looked me up and down, then looked back to the Dray in his grasp.

"Aye, they are and I suppose it'll do its job of keeping that giant on its back. No offense given, Ser."

"And none taken, Hullen" I said in response as I took the Dray's reins in hand.

It was a large and beautiful stallion with a brown coat, I patted its head and horse leaned into the touch. I looked back to Hullen and see him gaping at me.

"One of the most stubborn horses I've ever had the misfortune of owning and here he is acting as gentle as an old gelding" Hullen explained with a look of disbelief.

"Does he have a name?" I asked as I continued to pat the Dray's head.

"Stubborn Bastard is what I've called him, but you can think of something else if you want" Hullen said before turning to Lord Stark to ask him about the mounts he and his men would be using.

TomToo

"That's a fine-looking horse, Ser. Strong too by the looks of him" I commented as Ser Artorias and Lord Stark rejoined the party.

"Yes, I'm sure Stubborn Bastard will serve me well."

I merely raised my eyebrows and Artorias chuckled softly.

"It's the name that the Master of Horse has given him" he explained before mounting the horse and guiding it next to Lord Stark.

The two men nodded at each other before they took off in a trot with the guardsmen of Winterfell close behind. The high walls of Winterfell became smaller and smaller as we rode towards Long Lake. The ride was mostly silent, that is until we passed Castle Cerwyn and Lord Stark began a conversation with Ser Artorias that I strained to hear.

"You ride well, Ser Artorias" Lord Stark complimented, looking upon the beast of a man adorned in dark grey plate.

"Have you ridden in many tourneys? They say that jousting is three parts horsemanship." Lord Stark continued and I couldn't help but feel my brows rise in utter shock.

While Lord Stark was by means no uncivil, he hardly went out of his way to make pleasant conversation like this. Despite these unfamiliar actions, I was still interested in what the knight had to say.

"I rarely competed in the tourneys that Lord Gwyn would throw as I am not a very talented jouster. Though I would occasionally compete in melees whenever his Grace saw it fit to include them in his tournaments."

"And?" Lord Stark prodded as he held onto his horse's reins.

"And I am proud to say that I was undefeated on that part, there were only a few individuals who could best me in single combat and they much rather preferred jousting or archery competitions" Ser Artorias exclaimed, though his last comment cause the giant to look down in melancholy. However, I could be wrong as it was damn hard to make out the giant's features beneath his helm.

"Ser Artorias?"

"Forgive me, Lord Stark. This talk of tournaments and competitions brought back some old memories, some of which I'd rather not relive."

Lord Stark stared at Ser Artorias for a long while after his statement, his grey eyes becoming light and misty. Could he be thinking about…?

"I understand, Ser. You needn't explain. I have a few bad memories of tourneys as well, memoires that are best forgotten." Lord Stark explained, before leveling a glare towards the woods. He pulled the reins of his steed and raised a hand, indicating to the rest of the group to halt.

"We'll make camp here and continue on towards Long Lake in the morn. Get some rest, I expect we'll be getting little of it tomorrow."

With his order given, the men and myself dismounted our horses and went to work preparing camp. My gaze once again returned to the giant in plate and mail, who was adjusting the heap of raw iron that was strapped to his back. The boyish part of me was giddy at the prospect of seeing the blade in action. I remember holding the blade towards Lord Stark, hardly believing that such a thing could be used in combat. But perhaps I'll be proven wrong, I certainly hope so.

End of Chapter 5