chapter 37
I see the mercenary building with names on top of the door “Company of the Rose and the Wolf Pack” and walking in I am surprised to see a great hall that reminds me of the one in Winterfell the hall is loud and full of people drinking and fighting but the mood is merry, everyone is just having a good time, for the most part.
It is not only the hall that is familiar the people are too! I don´t know anyone here by name, but I can tell these are Northmen. A mercenary company of Northmen in Essos? Instead of announcing myself and my purpose in coming here, I start drinking and talking with the mercenaries. Me and my guards are all Northmen so we fit in well enough and in talking with them I find out what´s going on, then I ask York to go get something for me and contemplate for a minute.
According to some, the Company of the Rose was founded after Aegon´s conquest by Northmen who chose exile over bending the knee.
The Wolf Pack was created by followers of my ancestor Cregan Stark after his journey to King´s Landing a part of his army created this sellsword company.
They must have joined together after some time passed. It would be hard to find allies when you´re a sellsword in a foreign country. I notice that even the women here are armed they are not here to keep the men company but are also sellswords these people might be just what I need.
Experienced warriors who´ve been in war and not just veterans of a rebellion twenty years ago.
I stand up and walk to the end of the great hall where the leaders of the Sellswords are eating “I would like to hire you” Things quiet down in the hall.
“I thought it was strange I did not recognise you, very sneaky pretending to be one of us,” One of the leaders says.
“Sneaky? Last time I checked I was a Northman born and bred but unlike you, I´ll venture a guess that you were not born in the North” Things really get quiet now.
“Pah, think that makes you better than us you weaklings born in the North are nothing but kneelers”
“Kneelers huh, oh yes I heard part of your company was founded by Northmen who chose exile over serving Aegon the Conqueror, haha quite grand and noble beliefs. But what did you become? Did you not just turn into sellswords at the beck and call of your masters in Essos”
“We serve no master boy! All we need is our sword and shield we bow and scrape to no nothing” Another leader bellows as he slams his fists on the table.
“No not even this” And I throw a gold dragon that lands with a thunk in front of him and he goes red at the insult.
“You think you can make fun of us boy! You think we won´t take your life?” He says as the others at the table stand.
“You called me a kneeler? Don´t tell me you are unaware that the North has declared for independence Robb Stark is King in the North now!” The crowd in the hall all start muttering and debating evidently having argued about this among themselves before.
“And what business is that of ours pup you think you can make some speech to make us ride into that shitstorm what´s in it for us?”
“You might not have been birthed in the North but you can´t deny what´s in your blood! The North after thousands of years is finally fighting for independence are your voices not gonna be heard? Is your presence not gonna be felt?… I can´t offer you more money than the merchant lords of Essos but if you go with me to fight for the North I promise you, we will welcome you back into the fold”
“And who are you to make those grand promises why should we believe anything you say?” A woman at the leader's table asks with a contemplative expression.
“Your ancestors all served Starks at one point or the other, follow me and you will do so again, I am Edwyn Stak son of Eddard Stark Lord of Winterfell and brother of Robb Stark the king in the North.”
It felt like that for a whole minute you could hear a pin drop until “Lies! Edwyn was killed in King´s Landing his body was seen carried off no one has seen or heard from him since” An old man sitting at a long table with a bald head and white beard speaks out and all the men sitting at the table with him all seem to be offended by the words I said.
I hear the door to the hall open and smile and respond “I am no impersonator! Look here is the wound I received from the Hound that day” I show them the scar on my chest.
“That is no proof, we all have scars here, hey guys lo-”
I cut him off as York who just walked hands me the thing I told him to go get “And here is my wierwood bow that I used when I won the archer contest in the Hands tourney” Again I hear them mutter to each other
“There is no more proof that I can give you now what do you say”