Chapter 50: 'The Price of Hunger, Heart, Iron, Word and Blood'

Chapter 50: 'The Price of Hunger, Heart, Iron, Word and Blood'

POV: Maege Mormont;

Bear Island.

About three hours after a young lord tried unsuccessfully to defend himself from numerous beatings...

Maege Mormont, known as ''the Bear'', is a short, stout, gray-haired woman and a fierce warrior. She wore a patched chain mail.

Although House Mormont had considerably increased its trade and tripled its tax revenue in the last three years, it remained one of the poorest Northern Houses.

Maege could easily have afforded a new suit of armor, but she had learned from her older brother Jeor (some fourteen years her senior) never to waste unnecessary money on something that was still doing its job very well...

Maege was a stubborn, ill-tempered, and headstrong woman, but above all... a great warrior.

She was certainly the strongest and deadliest woman on the island, and many think even in the entire North.

Her daughter Dacey, took her as a reference point.

Maege was proud of her of course... but Maege also felt that sometimes Dacey could bite off more than she could chew...

And this was one of those times.

Her man in the Mormont service, Ted, who had been Dacey's shadow for many years, had recently informed her of the 'inappropriate' welcome he had reserved for her at House Tallhart...

Now her guest of honor was standing in front of her.

The boy in front of her was Helman Tallhart's first son, Duncan of House Tallhart... the Legend of the North: Bloody Snow.

Although this Legend had recently changed his clothes, the marks on his face were quite evident...

And there was no doubt that Bloody Snow had just had his ass handed to him by a female...

"Lady Maege, thank you for seeing me privately.

It is an honor to meet the most feared warrior in the North." Said a slightly slurred voice. She almost certainly had swollen gums that softened and held back her tone of voice...

"Lord Duncan..." Maege rose from his chair and bowed in apology.

'On behalf of my nephew Lord Jorah and all of House Mormont, including my daughter...I apologize my Lord for all you have had to go through...

I hope there is a way for my House to make amends for this insult and injury to House Tallhart.

I take full blame, my Lord." Maege.

"No my Lady! I beg you.

The fault is mine alone!

It was I who unjustly provoked your daughter...

Here...could we just pretend that nothing happened?" The boy said quickly in an embarrassed tone.

"...Of course.

Please, my lord. To help a poor mother sleep soundly, I ask you the favor of making a request.

Is there anything my House can do as a goodwill gesture?" Maege.

"Here...

There is one thing, my Lady...

I would like to request a favor from you, Lady Maege." Bloody Snow.

"Just say the word, my Lord!" Maege.

"...

I would like to officially request you and your House, permission to court Lady Dacey...

May I have your permission, Lady Maege?" The boy asked in a slightly lower but more embarrassed tone of voice.

Maege shook her head for a moment and blinked repeatedly. She had two pints of beer at breakfast and would shortly finish the third before lunch...

In all likelihood, that beer was of a higher strength than normal.

She was 99.9% certain that she had misheard the previous words.

"I beg your pardon, my Lord.

Could you please repeat that last sentence?" Maege asked as she double-checked the poor boy's appearance for safety.

His lip was split into two places.

The nose was swollen and probably, recently repositioned from a fracture. A small, almost invisible drop of blood was currently oozing out.

One eye was swollen and reddened and would be bruised the next day.

The Old Gods and the victim in question only knew what other wounds and bruises lay beneath those robes.

But then the bruised and bruised boy said again:

"Indeed, my lady...

I, Duncan of House Tallhart, officially request permission from you, Lady Maege Mormont, to court your daughter Dacey of House Mormont..." The boy said with more clarity and formality.

Maege was taken aback.

The woman tried in every way possible to see where there was deception in this request.

It did not seem true to her.

Bloody Snow, the son, and heir of perhaps now the most powerful and influential House in the North, was openly declaring his interest in marrying the daughter of the Lord's aunt from a lesser House...

Maege would never belittle House Mormont, she knew that her House was strong in many other ways. It was one of the oldest houses in the North. A House that had never really known times of peace.

Though the constant conflict with the Ironborn and the Wildlings constantly impoverished Bear Island and impeded its development, the people of the Isle were the most tenacious and undaunted in all of Westeros. This was the strength of House Mormont, the people of the Isle.

"My Lord...

Don't get me wrong, I am honored and grateful to you for showing interest in my daughter Dacey...however...

However, I can't help but wonder:

Why are you interested?

Are your intentions serious, my lord?" Maege.

"Yes, my lady.

My intentions are serious.

As for interest...

Because I like her, Lady Maege..." The boy had made an incredible effort to utter the last words, but Maege had still sensed the sincerity and seriousness of those words.

"I...

You have my permission, Lord Duncan. Read latest chapters at nov(e)lbin.com Only

I will tell my daughter..." Maege was interrupted.

"No please my lady!!!

Don't tell your daughter anything!!!

I would like the matter to remain between the two of us if you will allow me...

I...I don't want to force her hand.

Yes, well, I wish I could win her over without the means of my family..." Duncan.

"...As you wish, my lord.

I will say nothing to Dacey...but at least let her be in charge of being your guide and companion during your stay...

I don't mean to offend you or doubt your abilities, my lord, but...let's just say you're starting at a considerable disadvantage.

My daughter...she has acquired many aspects of me that my brother Jeor has always rebuked." Maege.

"...

I accept your help, my lady and I thank you." Said the boy bowing.

'Ancients please, bring wisdom and foresight to my daughter!

If you will help my House in this, I swear that every week I will offer you a tribute in sacrifice!

Seraphine, please help us! Make my daughter and this boy bond with each other!' Thought Maege making a little inner prayer within herself.

She had long been undecided whether or not to pray to this so-called 'Seraphine'. The people of the Isle believed that all the successes of Bloody Snow and the Tallhart family were since Duncan Tallhart had discovered the name of one of the Old Gods and along with it, knew part of the long lost ancient language of the true First Men and Sons of the Forest...

This would be the night Maege would also recite those strange verses in God's Wood...

"My Lady, are you all right?" Duncan.

"My lord. I was just lost in my thoughts for a moment, nothing more..." Maege.

"I understand.

My Lady, if it is all right with you, I would like us to discuss together the original reason for my visit. House Tallhart, would like to enter into a business partnership with House Mormont.

A partnership that we hope will last for generations and bring us all prosperity and growth.

I assure you, my lady, these affairs will be unrelated to my ambitions with your daughter. Even if the courtship should fail, House Tallhart will maintain the same terms." Duncan.

'The gods have already answered my call...' Lady Mormont thought.

About forty minutes later...

''So, House Tallhart would like Bear Island as a center for glass production? Is that what you're proposing, my lord?" Maege.

"Precisely, my lady." Bloody Snow.

"Why us my lord? I mean...

You will lend us the means and builders for the factory...

House Martell will provide the sand with a high concentration of... emm... 'Silicon'...

House Tallhart will send us a dozen master glassmakers plus a hundred apprentices...

And you only want five percent of the glass we sell?

Why, my lord?

Why leave such a lucrative business in our hands?" Maege Mormont asked, unable to avoid crippling her House with her own hands.

Perhaps the reason for the Island's poverty was precisely this lack of talent in business and negotiation that ran in Mormont's blood.

"For Bear Island is the furthest land from Myr, my lady.

"Gather all the men, I want all the captains of our fleet to reach the castle on the island as soon as possible. Try to round up the captains of the Mormont Fleet as well.

Everyone you can find within the hour.

William, you stay with me." Ordered the General, ignoring Dacey's complaints.

"Yes, General.

Get moving! You heard the orders!" Gellert thundered to the other members of the Guardians.

Fifty young men sprang up and headed swiftly for the Island's harbor.

"Will you tell me what's going on!" Dacey.

"My Lady, we need to get to your mother as soon as possible." Duncan.

"If this is another one of your tricks..." Dacey was interrupted.

"Lady Dacey, this is no joke.

Bear Island is about to face a grave threat.

Within three days, thousands of Ironmen will attack House Mormont...

We don't have time, we must warn Lady Maege Mormont."

End POV.

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POV: Dacey Mormont.

Fortress Mormont, Bear Island.

About three hours after an eagle interrupted pleasant sparring...

Dacey was with her mother, a couple of Tallhart officers, several Mormont-Tallhart captains, and that Bloody Snow.

Although Dacey was irritated every time the 'little prince lord' opened his mouth and intervened in the conversation, the girl remained calm and mute. Her mother had already zapped her with a look at her first hint of complaint or mockery.

Dacey didn't dare disobey her orders, not with her mother only a few steps away.

"We can't take on 5,000 men...not at sea or on land." Her mother said in a resigned tone as she looked at the open map of the Island on the meeting table.

"My Lady, if I may." Bloody Snow.

"Go ahead, my Lord." Maege.

"How many good, well-armed warriors can House Mormont provide? And how many islanders can we muster in these three days?" Bloody Snow.

"With some men still at sea...about 600 warriors between men and women.

Some of the islanders are too scattered...we'll be lucky if we can round up 7,000..." Maege.

"And immediately? How many women and children can we round up?" Bloody Snow.

"...Nine hundred, maybe a thousand. Why do you ask?" Maege asked in a tone of doubt and confusion.

"We will be receiving a raven from my Uncle Leobald shortly.

I'm sure he's already moving heaven and earth to give us all the support he can. I estimate that in a couple of days he will be able to gather about 50-60 ships at Waterdeep harbor. Along with at least 2,500 to 3,000 reinforcements. They'll arrive here within one to two days of the attack.

I have a plan in mind, my lady." Bloody Snow.

"Any ideas are welcome at the moment, my lord." Said Maege slightly heartened that reinforcements would be arriving soon.

"What I propose, my Lady is that every ship in the Isle's harbor leaves for Waterdeep as soon as possible.

Between the Mormont and Tallhart ships, we have a total of 8 war galleys, 7 carracks, and 10 merchant ships. These ships are to transport and escort to safety every possible inhabitant of the island who is unfit for combat. Women and children will have priority.

But these ships must leave within the next six hours at the latest...

That way, my uncle can add those ships to his fleet, which launches in three days..." Bloody Snow.

"If we send the galleys and caravans away, we'll have less chance of..." Maege was interrupted.

"My Lady...

We don't stand a chance on the water. Not with that number of ships.

We'll simply be sending men to the slaughter as well as losing forces that could be put to much better use three days later." Bloody Snow.

"...Yes you're right." Maege grieved even more.

"My Lady, we can win this battle." Said the boy.

"I do not see how my Lord...

Even with your strength, the enemy outnumbers us at least five to one.

The fortress is not strong or large enough to withstand such a scope of attack." Maege.

"You are right my Lady...

But our goal is not to prevail against 5,000 men." Maege seemed to sense something after hearing that sentence.

"Victory will be ours if we can gain enough time to allow the allied forces to arrive in time.

The iron men don't expect us to be prepared, nor do they expect reinforcements to arrive so quickly...

If I were them, I wouldn't expect attacks from outside forces for at least four days. Let them think that and slow them down as much as possible.

Here my Lady..." Duncan pointed to a spot on the map away from the fortress or the port.

"What? You want us to defend that point?" Maege.

"I have personally explored that basin surrounded by the cliffs...

We can also gather and protect your people by hiding them undercover in those caves.

Let's abandon the harbor and the fortress and direct our forces and all the inhabitants we can find there." Bloody Snow.

"But that way, if the defensive line falls, we'll have no way out!" Roared Maege, slamming her fist on the table.

"The defensive line will not give way, Lady Mormont.

Trust me.

We can hold the enemy for at least two days in that position.

There they will have no way to surround us, they will face us in equal numbers.

We will alert my Uncle of our position and he will divert there, forces as soon as possible." Said the boy in a confident and determined tone.

Maege Mormont considered the proposal carefully, her warrior instincts were giving merit to that plan.

After a couple of minutes, Maege Mormont ordered:

"We will follow Lord Duncan's plan, mobilize our forces and all the inhabitants you can find.

Let the ships sail on schedule...

and ring the bells." No sooner had Lady Mormont finished her last word than thirty people on the spot sprang to do her bidding.

"MOTHER! YOU CAN'T.." Dacey broke off that sentence as soon as the murderous gaze of the warrior bear met her.

Dacey trembled in the face of that intimidating presence...

"I beg your pardon, Lady Mormont..." Maege turned away, nodding slightly after hearing her disobedient pet's righteous words.

About ten minutes later...

Dacey found her target in a corridor of the manor, next to him were two of his men.

She grabbed the boy by surprise and pushed him hard against the wall, staring intently into his eyes. The two men were ready to intervene but were stopped by a gesture of the boy's hand.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!

YOU COULD HAVE CONDEMNED US ALL!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BATTLES?!

THIS IS NOT YOUR PEOPLE OR YOUR ISLAND!

YOU WON'T BE THE ONE TO FACE THE REPERCUSSIONS OF YOUR IDEAS!!!

YOU WILL RUN AWAY AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE AND LET YOUR MEN AND THE MORMONT WARRIORS PAY THE PRICE!" Screamed Dacey sternly. These were no longer the complaints of a young maiden.

No... those sounded like the words of a mature woman, a woman who had lived.

"I trust the plan will work, Lady Dacey." The no longer stammering and unsure of himself boy calmly replied.

Dacey lowered her tone but not her grip on his prey's collar.

"And what makes you think your plan will work, O great and potent 'Bloody Snow'!" Dacey asked in a tone of irony and contempt.

"The fact that my men and I will hold the first line of defense, my Lady."

End POV.

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POV Helman Tallhart.

Torrhen's Square.

About half a day after a plan was decided...

Helman had been waiting for more than six hours.

He still hadn't found the courage to warn his wife, Myra, of the enormous danger his family was facing...

All he could do at the moment was waiting for news from his son Duncan...

He feared the boy might make the wrong decision.

Someone knocked on the door and entered...

"My Lord, your son Duncan has responded to your command..." Maester Qyburn said hesitantly.

"Eh? This is Maester speaking! Will my son withdraw from the Island?!!" Helman asked in a desperate tone.

"I'm afraid not, my lord...

Lord Duncan wants me to inform you that he is sorry and regretful that he disobeyed your command, my lord...

Upon his return, he will be amenable to whatever punishment you deem fit for his insubordination.

He also wants me to inform you, and here, I quote his words:

[The Ironmen will learn about the 'Price of Blood'.]