(Third-person perspective)
The sun slowly sank behind the rugged mountains, casting long shadows over Winterfell. The bustling daytime activities gradually came to an end, and the people of the Citadel returned to their warm and safe homes.
In this peaceful transition, the diligent stable master was concluding his duty. It was a duty passed down from his father, and he knew the importance of meticulousness. He deftly locked every barn and stable, ensuring the safety of the precious animals inside.
As he reached the last livestock shed, he gripped the lock tightly and shook it to confirm its security. Once he was sure everything was alright, he turned to leave. But just then, a deafening roar shattered the stillness of the night.
He was startled and quickly turned around, his heart pounding. The source of the commotion was obvious—the barn door was broken into pieces, the gaping hole leading to the darkness outside. The air was filled with the panicked bleating of sheep and goats trapped inside, making the scene even more chaotic.
In the dim light, the stable master glimpsed a huge dark shadow in the barn. His trained eyes recognized it as a beast, but no ordinary beast. It was Ser Aermir's fearsome companion— the Shadowcat.
The Shadowcat, clutching a sheep by the scruff of its neck, was hastily retreating towards the sacred Godswood. The guards stationed around the stables, alerted by the commotion, rushed over but failed to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature.
The stable master, still panting, managed to explain, "That was Ser Aermir's Shadowcat. It broke down the stable gate and stole a sheep."
A guard, realizing the gravity of the situation, nodded and said, "We must inform Ser Rodrik immediately."
Without a moment's delay, the guards headed toward the main castle to find Ser Rodrik and inform him of the strange events that had occurred to Ser Aermir's mysterious companion.
Lady Stark sat serenely in the courtyard, her eyes fixed on Bran and Rickon's playful antics. Her skilled fingers danced gracefully as she knitted, the rhythmic clicks of the needles mingling with the soft humming from within the Winterfell.
In this tranquil moment, the echoes of a commotion began to drift from the direction of the stables. Though the sounds were low, they did not escape her keen ears. She paused her weaving, her brow furrowing slightly, but chose to ignore the disturbance.
However, her curiosity was not satisfied. A guard came into view, his hurried footsteps echoing in the cobblestone courtyard. Lady Stark did not ignore his approach; she rose gracefully from her seat and asked, "What's wrong?" Her voice was measured, yet tinged with concern.
The guard, still heavy-breathed from the sprint, delivered the disturbing news without hesitation. "Madam, I must find Ser Rodrik. Ser Aermir's beasts have raided the barn and stolen a sheep."
A quiet, brewing determination flickered in the lady's eyes. This presented a perfect opportunity to humiliate the rude Ser Aermir —how dare he challenge her, the Lady of Winterfell! How dare he instruct her on the proper way to speak? If she could hunt down the beast that kept him company, it would be a severe lesson.
" Ser Rodrik and my husband are both in the Winter Town," she murmured, pondering the urgency of the situation. "It will be too late by the time they return. Where is the beast?"
The guard, always dutiful, answered quickly. "The last time I saw it heading towards the Godswood, madam."
Mentioning the Godswood, she suppressed a wry smile of disdain—she was skeptical of the place, for she worshipped the Seven, and these ancient forests held no place in her faith. She was also deeply annoyed that the nuns and monks had been expelled from Winterfell due to Ser Aermir's influence.
"Summon all the guards we can find," she commanded, her gaze unwavering. "We must maintain order until my husband returns. However, there's no need to trouble the other knights because of this monster. I will speak directly to my husband."
As her orders were quickly relayed among the guards, they dispersed to carry out her instructions. Turning to the last guard beside her, she said, "You remain hidden and do not be discovered."
"You hide out of sight for about twenty minutes. Then, relay the current situation to my husband."
Although the guards were puzzled by her instructions, they still nodded respectfully. "Madam?"
Her patience was wearing thin, and she asserted. "Just follow my orders. Don't make me repeat myself."
As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the Old Nan who had been observing the situation. Her tone softened, and she said to the loyal servant, " Old Nan, please take the children inside. There might be a disturbance in the Godswood; I want them to be away from danger."
The Old Nan hesitated before speaking.
"Madam, please calm down. That's a divine beast. If you harm it, the Old Gods will punish this family."
Lady Stark looked at the old nanny with a stern and cold gaze, and spoke as indifferently as possible.
"Nanny, don't get involved in things that don't concern you. Just do what I tell you to do."
Within ten minutes, Lady Stark had amassed about 80 soldiers, all determined to fight the mysterious beasts of the Godswood to the death. As they approached the ancient forest, her eyes burned with resolve. However, as they neared the heart of the forest, an astonishing sight appeared—a beam of radiant light pierced through the canopy.
Those who accompanied her were filled with a strange sense of awe and fear, their superstitious beliefs guiding their reactions. Some of them knelt down, their voices trembling as they whispered prayers to the ancient gods, seeking their forgiveness and protection.
Lady Stark remained resolute. She couldn't comprehend the meaning behind this ethereal performance, but she knew they couldn't be intimidated. She urged them onward, her firm footsteps creaking through the leaves. Finally, when they reached the towering weirwood, an unexpected scene unfolded before them.
The beast that had once been seen as a threat now nestled beside Ser Aermir lay unconscious. Instead of being aggressive, it behaved gently, lightly kissing the fallen knight and tenderly licking his face. This seemed a stark contrast to the terrifying creature they had anticipated.
As they surrounded the strange pair, bewilderment enveloped them, and anxiety rendered them unable to offer any help to the fallen Ser Aermir. Meanwhile, Ser Aermir's loyal companion, Sith, grew increasingly agitated. Her roars and howls filled the air, terrifying those who dared approach.
-Stay away from your owner-
She roared, her fierce protectiveness unmistakable. Lady Stark, still troubled by this perplexing situation, whispered her uncertainty to one of her men.
"Madam, Ser Aermir is unconscious. What should we do?"
"It must have hurt Ser Aermir," she reasoned, recalling the events before their arrival.
"You saw it too. If we had arrived any later, it might have hurt him."
Meanwhile, the beast continued to gently stroke and soothe the unconscious knight, its actions revealing obvious concern.
"Master, please wake up. Those humans are behaving strangely. Master... please wake up."
Filled with curiosity and apprehension, the creature turned its gaze to the Crow perched on the branch and posed a question that only familiars could understand.
-Bo, what should I do?-
"Sith asked, his voice filled with worry. Po felt helpless in the face of Aermir's predicament. Although they had rushed to the Godswood after noticing Aermir's plight, they were now powerless to intervene directly. Po's voice was also weak and frustrated."
There's nothing we can do right now.
Bo answered solemnly, her thoughts clouded by uncertainty.
-I don't know why they're doing this. Aren't they Father's friends? All we can do is protect Father until he wakes up. Make sure they don't get too close to him.-
Sith seemed to want to say something more; her hesitation was palpable.
-What's up?-
Bo asked.
-If they try to harm their master, can I... eat them?-
The question of the Sith remains unresolved, heavy yet passionate.
Bo was taken aback by the suggestion, but responded firmly.
"Are you crazy? Absolutely not. Under no circumstances are these Father's people safe; this is his home. We cannot harm them. Just focus on protecting Father and don't cause any damage. I doubt they possess magical weapons, so they shouldn't pose a real threat to you. Why are you even thinking about this?"
Sith's answer was strange, and Po couldn't help but feel angry.
-I'm so hungry, I can't leave my master to go hunting. Don't you remember the idioms Father taught us? What bird and stone?-
As a bird, Po would sigh if he could. Sith's behavior sometimes seems to defy all reason, Sith said innocently.
-What? They taste pretty good. Not as good as deer or wild boar, but I'm hungry.-
"Bo said angrily."
-No means no!-
Lady Stark gave the order for the guards to attack, her command filled with urgency. Yet the soldiers hesitated. They couldn't easily deny that the mysterious beast belonged to Aermir, a well-known Warg. Could Warg lose control of its creature and become its target? Doubts lingered in their minds.
Lady Stark seized the opportunity, feigning concern for Aermir, to try and persuade the hesitant soldiers. "We must act quickly. This monster could harm Ser Aermir again. Are we really going to let a beast harm a hero of the North?"
Her words were enough to dispel the soldiers' hesitation. After all, disobeying the mistress of Winterfell was not an option. Driven by duty and the lady's orders, the soldiers bravely charged forward, ready to confront this mysterious beast.
At the same time, Po issued a command via telepathy.
-Don't kill them-
The imposing Sith toyed with the soldiers like a cat playing with mice, she replied dismissively.
-You fight them yourself, stop ordering me around.-
Bo responded, her voice filled with authority.
-You know I will. If Father isn't in mortal danger, I can't dispel my minimized spell. As long as Father is still Ser Drasil, you can use her power. In his absence, we must act like ordinary animals, and you fully understand that in his absence, I am in command.-
Aermir successfully sealed the curse, and although he had fallen into a deep, exhausted sleep, the familiars could still sense his safety. Knowing her father was out of danger, Bo breathed a sigh of relief. While they might show mercy to the soldiers, Sith was notoriously hardline. Even if she didn't kill them, she would likely maim most of them.
The knights and soldiers hadn't been sent into battle, so they knew nothing about Sith, as no one had had time to tell them their war stories. Sith displayed her fighting prowess, skillfully dodging spears aimed at her head. In her counterattack, she bit one of the spears and forcefully flung the man aside. Her roars and howls halted the soldiers' advance.
A guard took a desperate gamble, thrusting his spear at Sith's foot, but barely scratched her. This small wound only further enraged the horrible creature. Sith lashed out with her tail like a whip, striking the man squarely in the abdomen. He immediately vomited uncontrollably and fell unconscious.
As time passed, the soldiers began to realize that the beast wasn't trying to kill them. It only retaliated when they attacked and steadfastly defended its territory. One guard voiced his newfound observation. "Madam, I don't think it wants to harm Ser Drasil. I think it wants to protect him from us."
- You're absolutely right, how could I possibly hurt my master? You foolish humans! -
Sith's reply was filled with frustration and contempt, but no one understood her. Lady Stark's voice boomed through the chaos. "Did I ask your opinion? Drive this beast away! Is this the best our House Stark guards, sworn to serve, can do? Are you truly our finest soldiers? You can't even handle a mere monster!"
These men were tasked with defending Winterfell, and their ignorance of the Sith and their abilities, coupled with Lady Stark's strong aversion to any mention of Aermir, only fueled her harsh judgment.
Lady Stark's repeated orders to eliminate Sith fueled Sith's growing impatience and anger, leading her to express a different desire to Boer.
- Bo, at least shut that unbearable woman up! She keeps inciting others to kill me. At least let me bite off one of my arms! -
Bo shared the same sentiment, but adhered to the same principles.
-I don't like her either, but she happens to be the mother of my father's friend. So, no, you can't. You can't hurt anyone in the North, so stop asking these questions!-