Game of Thrones: The Legend of Jon Arctic - Chapter 280 - The Winterfell Banquet 01.

[Chapter Size: 3500 Words.] --------------------------------------- Third Person POV Winterfell, 298 AC. -----------------------------------

[Chapter Size: 3500 Words.] --------------------------------------- Third Person POV Winterfell, 298 AC. -----------------------------------

[Chapter Size: 3500 Words.]

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Third Person POV

Winterfell, 298 AC.

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"I finally found you." Jaime Lannister entered the room of that brothel, pushing the door open, while Tyrion was enjoying the time he paid to be in that bed, playing with a prostitute named Rose.
His brother entering, obviously made Tyrion and his companion jump in surprise, before Tyrion gave a look of dissatisfaction at his brother appearing, shaking his hair as if he were saving a damsel.

"Brother, you could have at least knocked." Tyrion suggested, raising an eyebrow while covering himself.

"Perhaps, but I'm in a hurry. After all, I don't want to be alone at tonight's banquet, so I'd like you to come with me." Jaime said, while the prostitute, after covering herself with a sheet, seemed amused by his presence.

"So you're Jaime Lannister, the queen's brother? You're very handsome." Rose said, smiling gracefully at him.

"Hey, I'm the one paying here." Tyrion muttered, seeing his brother steal the attention of the prostitute he was paying for.

"At your service, my lady." Jaime performed a little act before looking at Tyrion. "You won’t disappoint me, will you? Don’t leave me alone with those Starks." He said.

"Hey, is it true that you fought Jon Arctic and were captured after being defeated?" The prostitute suddenly asked before Tyrion could respond, still looking at Jaime with curiosity, making the man raise an eyebrow.

Even Tyrion seemed a bit embarrassed by that.

"It's true." Jaime Lannister admitted, with no pride in his voice. "I lost to a guy who can simply take down an entire group of knights with some kind of control... or sorcery." He said, sounding a bit offended by her question.

"I didn’t mean to offend you, my lord." The prostitute saw that she hurt the man's pride and immediately apologized, knowing that could bring her trouble.

"Alright, brother. I’ll be at the banquet, don’t worry." Tyrion said, trying to ease the situation.

"Okay, I’ll see you outside. I don’t want to be alone even before the banquet." Jaime said.

"But Jaime... I’ll only be out of here in maybe two..." Tyrion said, stopping to look at the prostitute for a moment. "Maybe four hours." He suggested at the end.

"Maybe you’ll come sooner, brother." Jaime said, and then finally left the room, while as soon as he vanished, at least six more prostitutes began to enter, surrounding his brother laughing, while Tyrion looked surprised by it.

Tyrion took only 10 minutes, and then left, already finding Jaime waiting for him outside with other Lannister men, knowing he would be quick.

"Shall we?" He said, although he still seemed to be in a bad mood.

"Don’t blame Rose. After all, she’s not the first person to talk about my dear brother being kidnapped by the king of Arctic. They also talk about that in the taverns." Tyrion explained, while a small horse was being prepared by some men, with some helping him climb up.

"What can I do? My reputation is bigger than I could imagine." Jaime commented without showing any happiness about it.

"Let it go. I’m sure this visit is full of surprises and fun." Tyrion said, trying to keep the mood light.

"I hope so. Lord Stark refused the king’s offer, and Robert is quite upset, locked in his room with drinks and prostitutes, embarrassing our sister even here in the North, while favoring Ned’s daughter more than his own sons." Jaime muttered mockingly, referring to Arya Stark.

"We both know the king is quite sentimental about his past and that fiancée of his. Maybe he wants to reward her for not having saved her from her captor..." Tyrion suggested, as they began to ride on horseback.

"If that's what you say, brother, then it must be. After all, you're the brain, and I'm far too foolish to understand politics, only knowing how to use a sword to kill." Jaime admitted, before turning his gaze toward Winterfell in the distance, as they walked through the city streets.

"What do you think of this whole trip? Do you think Lord Stark will accept the king’s request?" Tyrion asked.

"I’d rather he didn’t." Jaime said, not wanting to see Lord Stark every day in King's Landing, while the dwarf brother seemed thoughtful.

"Well, actually this whole trip will serve to see where the North's loyalty lies — with the crown or with the kingdom of Arctic." Tyrion commented, scratching his small beard.

"What do you mean, Tyrion?" Jaime said, as they asked the guards to step aside a bit, just so they could have a private conversation without anyone listening.

"Let’s see... Ever since the king set foot in the North, all the other kingdoms are watching what will come of this visit, with everyone expecting the king to invite Ned to be his Hand, which is quite natural given their relationship. So let's define that, in the future, if Arctic and the Seven Kingdoms go to war, which path will the North take? Either it maintains its loyalty to the Iron Throne and his friend, or it signals that it will support his son on the other side of the Wall — or even out of fear, since Arctic clearly has military power and weapons that no one else has."

"..." Jaime was silent at first. "You think the kingdom beyond the Wall might start a war with us?" Jaime asked.

"We're already enemies, Jaime. After everything that’s happened, and even with the North being prohibited from acquiring food directly from Braavos — which is serving as a bridge to Arctic, selling to the city... Now all that’s missing is a real reason for war to begin. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jon Arctic decided to attack us without any warning, because of the conflicts from years ago." Tyrion said.

Jaime remained silent hearing this from his brother, and Tyrion continued.

"That’s why father wants that, if Lord Stark doesn’t become the King’s Hand, at least the marriage between Joffrey, my dear nephew, and Sansa Stark be made official. Although Arya could be an even better candidate, offering her as queen of the Seven Kingdoms as a bond with Arctic. It could make both kingdoms form a binding alliance. But I don’t think that will happen." Tyrion laughed, as he pulled out a bottle of liquor and began drinking right there, before looking back at his brother.

"I never thought I’d see our father so nervous about this. After all, our sister ruined everything with the plan to give Myrcella to Arctic." He made one last comment, waiting to see what his brother would say.

"You think it would be right to take Myrcella to live that kind of life?" Jaime said, since their sister never stopped complaining, always afraid that if she went, she would live among 'savages,' according to her.

"You mean with savages?" Tyrion looked at him and began to laugh. "Tell me, brother, do you really think the arcticans are savages? You think they live in huts in the middle of the ice? Tell me honestly: do you truly believe they live worse than we do?" Tyrion mocked.

Obviously, after everything Arctic had been achieving in recent years — alliances, military power, trade, monetary strength — they were many things, but not savages. And anyone who believed that was a jealous fool, in Tyrion’s opinion.

He had never seen the kingdom and had never found anyone who could describe it, other than a few stories from sailors who had heard what Arctic was like through the merchant ships, while they talked and people asked curiously to know more about the mysterious realm.
They always described it as more beautiful than any place they had ever visited, with trees everywhere and a great magical tree in the middle of the city. It sounded unbelievable, since people tend to exaggerate, but Tyrion’s desire to see this kingdom felt the same as his dream of seeing a living dragon now. He believed the first was more likely than the latter.

Jaime didn’t answer, and Tyrion kept pressing his brother.

"You lived with them for a while, and even got beaten by them. You should answer better than anyone between the two of us."

"..." Jaime, again, didn’t answer.

"It’s a shame Myrcella has a mother like our dear sister." Tyrion said. "The girl is disgraced, and that ruined a chance for us to see that Arctic." Tyrion murmured.

There had been a scandal a year ago in King’s Landing, when it became public that Myrcella was caught sleeping with a lowborn knight during one of the king’s tournaments. And when it came out, it was a great scandal the next day — the king executed the knight for dishonoring his daughter. He was a knight from a lesser house, so there was nothing to offer. He was executed while screaming that it was the queen who had allowed it. But no one listened to him, and the queen herself acted against his family in Storm’s End afterward.

Tyrion knew that innocent Myrcella had been taken to bed with a stranger by her own mother, to sleep with that knight and make it public. Not only did it fulfill the desire to destroy the possible marriage between Jon Arctic and Myrcella — which, in Tyrion’s opinion, was a huge waste — it could have created a certain alliance and great benefits, even for Cersei. Of course, if Jon of Arctic accepted.

What was missing was an official proposal. He had probably already heard the rumors, but never spoke out about them. So, it was also possible that he didn’t want it.

Still, worst of all for Tyrion was Cersei, who disgraced her own daughter for her own desire, simply out of pride and to destroy Myrcella’s image as a "pure" princess.
He knew why — because she pressured her own niece to talk, and he felt horrible hearing such a thing. Cersei was so vain she ended up ruining her daughter’s purity out of pride. But that was what one could expect from someone like her.

Even though the king punished anyone who spoke of his daughter, comments still arose, and Myrcella kept growing more and more introverted.

Tyrion turned to his brother, who remained silent, while he laughed about the talk of Jon Arctic that he couldn’t respond to, before taking another sip.

"Stop brooding. This is a banquet — you should have fun. If you’re still upset about what Rose asked, don’t be. After all, plenty of men have suffered worse defeats than yours at that guy’s hands."

"You should say you lost to the greatest swordsman in the world. According to the stories, he hasn’t lost to anyone in his travels. Not even here in Westeros, or in the Free Cities. In the Dothraki desert, even in closed-off Yi Ti against the samurai. You should be proud to have faced a warrior with such renown." Tyrion tried to cheer him up, while Jaime just clicked his tongue.

Tyrion gave up trying to convince his brother, equally proud. At first, Jaime hadn’t been so affected by the lost fight when he arrived in Lannisport, but Tyrion knew their sister threw it in his face many times, and that seemed to get to him.

They left Wintertown and headed for the castle, while Tyrion kept analyzing the servants and movements along with the guards as they entered the castle again, noticing that all the Unsullied were also standing by. It was certainly a powerful force. And a little girl of fifteen namedays commanded them alone.

The night came quickly, as Arya left her room with her guards waiting outside, wearing a well-made dress that would leave any woman envious, and a knife strapped to her thigh, while her handmaid, Mearin, also awaited her, along with some arcticans who had been with her in Winterfell since she arrived at the castle.

She walked through the corridors as the entire castle was bustling, until she encountered the queen, her two sons, and probably looking for the third, Joffrey.
Cersei gave Arya a venomous look as she passed. But she didn’t care about the blonde. She simply ignored her and walked on as if the queen didn’t exist.

They continued descending through the castle until they finally reached the main hall, which was already quite full.
The doors opened for her in the next moment.

"The princess of Arctic, Arya Stark!"
Her name was announced as she entered the hall.

Her father, the king, also looked at her, while many from the procession began whispering among themselves after hearing the term "princess" used for her.

She advanced to a table below the main one, which she had reserved with Cassandra. Her mother and Sansa were at one of the lower tables as well, with only the king, his family, and Lord Stark allowed at the main one. Catelyn should be at Lord Stark’s side if they were married, but she was forbidden for obvious reasons, with no one occupying the Lord of Winterfell’s seat at the main table.

"If it isn’t that little girl, Ned!" Robert exclaimed, with no surprise, as the murmurs spread.

"Father, the king of Westeros." Arya greeted them before sitting at her table with the others from Arctic, while the guards scanned the place, watching the southerners and seeking any threat to Arya. Their eyes fell directly on the king’s royal guards, who stood around the table, while both groups exchanged wary glances.

It didn’t take long for more guests to arrive, also being announced upon entrance if they were of importance.

Cersei finally appeared with her three children and her brother, while Jaime made his way to the lower tables to join Tyrion Lannister. The queen headed to the upper tables, glancing at Arya as Joffrey did the same. She went to the table with the princes, sitting close to the king, obviously.

At last, the music began, while Cassandra started giving orders throughout the banquet to the servants, ensuring the king and the other nobles were served and lacked nothing.

Quickly, it became a grand banquet with many Northern lords joining, laughing and speaking loudly. Other nobles conversed more discreetly.

Arya sat there, sipping a bit of wine, while surveying the entire hall, spotting her brother Robb talking with the other heirs of the North. He didn’t seem very at ease with the southern youths, though he greeted them when they came to speak to him.

Bran was also with Robb, listening to the conversations. Rickon stayed with his mother, while Sansa and her friends sat at the same table with a septa, who wasn’t the former one from Winterfell, while they talked.

Catelyn seemed quite attentive to her daughter, but every now and then, she would glance at Arya and the other children — and even at Arya’s father — never escaping her analytical gaze.

"So this is what a king’s banquet looks like south of the Wall?" Mearin couldn’t help but murmur, with a slightly disappointed tone.

"There’s no way to throw a banquet like they do in Arctic. Held in arenas, with thousands of people, or even in the main square." Arya commented — after all, Arctic was far superior to this.

"But come on, it’s not that bad." Arya replied to her friend.

"Says the girl who’s spending more time analyzing everything around her than actually enjoying herself." Mearin didn’t miss the chance to tease Arya.

"Obviously, I can’t leave my family surrounded by these snakes." Arya said, still watching everyone in the hall and paying attention to those who didn’t look upon her or her family favorably. Because there were a few — and she wasn’t just talking about the queen or her crown prince.

Sansa seemed very excited about the idea of becoming queen, but their father hadn’t decided anything yet. After all, it would be quite dangerous for Sansa herself, and Arya knew many hoped this marriage would happen, because it would prove the Stark family stood with the Seven Kingdoms.
But at the same time, even if Jon didn’t care — he’d take the throne either way if he wanted, with or without Sansa — on the throne, it would be dangerous for her to be caught in the middle of the conflict.
That’s why their father had to avoid it, sincerely.

"That man from Dorne has been staring the whole time, my princess. Should we stop him if he tries to approach?" Jill commented, noticing the young man eyeing Arya with hungry eyes.

"Don’t let him come close." Arya replied. "He’s obviously a direct spy from Dorne and wants information."

"But marrying the princess of Arctic also seems like a great opportunity..." Mearin commented, laughing.

"And live like a camel in the desert?" Arya replied, mocking.

But Mearin was joking, of course, knowing Arya didn’t seem interested in any man from the South, and Arya didn’t take it seriously either, while her eyes kept scanning the hall throughout the early moments of the banquet.

Because this wasn’t just a banquet celebrating the king’s arrival in Winterfell — it was a political feast, where alliances and schemes would begin, one against the other, deciding the future of Westeros.

After all, there were spies from Doran Martell. There were spies from Tywin Lannister, and Arya could tell easily by seeing Tyrion Lannister with his brother Jaime, while he was doing the same thing as her: observing the situation and the banquet.

Their eyes met twice, and the dwarf greeted her, while she also gave a respectful nod and kept watching some nobles from the Vale — likely Littlefinger’s spies — as she had read in some letters shortly before getting ready, having observed their quarters through a few small animals.

Spies from Olenna would also arrive.

All the great manipulators had their eyes turned to Winterfell at this moment, and this night could mark the beginning of a series of political shifts for all the realms.

Even if Jon didn’t care about any of it, and now that war was at hand, it was still the main subject of this visit — and Arya would act as a true piece on the board. At the same time that she was a representative of Arctic to everyone, she was also there to protect House Stark and would do her best to prevent any harm in this moment or in the future to the Stark family.

Meanwhile, Robert was drinking before slamming his mug on the table and looking at Ned.

"Tell me, is this true, Ned?" he said, pulling out a piece of paper, while Lord Stark took it from the table and opened it, as someone announced that Arctic would be closing off its trade due to a war north of the Wall — which made Robert, even though he hadn’t touched on the subject before, unable to hold back anymore and ask with a confused look.

"It’s true. We received a letter from Jon and also one from the Night’s Watch, in addition to him closing the kingdom, saying no ship will be allowed to leave. My brother and other rangers stayed in Arctic and didn’t come South." he said.

"What? Damn it, Ned! I wanted to speak with your brother! What’s going on?" he said, clearly dissatisfied.

"That’s what Jon passed along as the latest news, arriving today. If the Lord Commander allowed it, there’s no way to get him out now that Arctic is about to completely close."

"But what kind of war is this? What do you mean a war beyond the Wall that requires sealing off the whole kingdom? I know your people are made of savages. But if they’re going to fight more savages, do they really need all this? And my Master of Whispers said something absurd… about fighting the dead, according to what the Watch heard from your son!"

"That’s what Jon warned us of too, Robert. A few weeks ago, we encountered a man who fled the Wall saying he was hunted by white walkers, that he saw the dead rise from the snow and kill all his companions. The same thing is being said about Jon. And that he is preparing Arctic entirely to face what seems like a legend to scare children." Ned said.

"I don’t believe this." Robert muttered. "You know what? I don’t even want to talk about these childish things. Let’s just drink. We’re at a banquet and should enjoy ourselves. Leave this nonsense and foolishness for tomorrow."

Robert said, though he was still in a bad mood about Ned’s refusal, but he didn’t want to miss out on enjoying the banquet.
The music seemed to grow louder, and the drink even sweeter.

Ned only sighed, looking around the bustling hall.
He didn’t have the same ease to see things as Arya did, while Robert was already receiving more drinks and even pulling some serving girls to his side, without caring about humiliating the queen.

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Raccon Here: I made Myrcella go through this because I believe Cersei is quite capable of doing something like that—taking away her daughter’s purity to sabotage a possible marriage between Jon and Artic. Even though that would never happen, Jon wouldn’t end up with Myrcella anyway. But she will still be sent to Dorne in the future, where they "tolerate" such things better.