NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter 3 - Great Wall
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[Chapter Size: 2300 Words.]
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Robb, Jon, and the others were shocked to learn that Cornelia was about to go to the Wall, or perhaps even to the Land of Eternal Winter, to the north of the Wall.
In particular, Robb, Jon, and Arya wanted to go together. Of course, this idea was quickly dismissed by their father and mother. Bran, who was only seven years old, didn't even have the time to express what he wanted.
Jon was the most disappointed. Since he was a child, he knew that Lady Catelyn didn't like him. He had always had a deep desire to join the glorious Night's Watch. He often dreamed of the day when he would leave for the Wall, swearing the oath to protect its borders. That's why he wanted so much to accompany Cornelia and the others there, but in the end, he couldn't.
Sansa, on the other hand, had no intention of going to the Wall. She only expressed her concern and affection for Cornelia. As for Rickon, who was only three years old, he was still in a state of complete innocence, just hiding in his mother's arms and watching his siblings cause a commotion.
Cornelia had to admit that, among the seven Stark children, probably only Sansa and Rickon were the most obedient and disciplined. Of course, the child who most concerned the parents was probably herself, so she knew very well that she didn't have much to say.
More than ten days quickly passed. Uncle Benjen had finished organizing his responsibilities and finally planned to pack up and head north to the Wall. This time, besides her father, Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik would also accompany him on this journey, but neither would go beyond the Wall.
During these days, Catelyn helped Cornelia pack her things, offering advice and care day and night. Still, when the time came to leave, she was filled with worry and reluctance.
Anyway, this trip to the north of the Wall was inevitable. During the day, at the gate of Winterfell, Cornelia followed her father and said goodbye to her reluctant mother and siblings.
She then pulled the reins and guided her horse, following her father and Uncle Benjen toward the Wall. Her horse, personally trained by Ser Rodrik to meet her needs, was given to her as a birthday present when she turned seven. Cornelia called him Shils.
Shils was a very smart horse. Since she was seven, Cornelia had learned to cooperate with him. Thanks to her special sense of perception, even though she couldn't see, she could keep up with the pace of her father and Benjen. She was able to feel their breathing and their position, as well as that of their horses.
In fact, this was the first time in many years that Cornelia had traveled so far, since she came to Westeros. The farthest journey she had taken before was a hunt with Robb and her father last year. So, besides the nervousness, this journey was inevitably accompanied by novelty and expectation.
The Wall isn't very far from Winterfell. Even with the reduced pace to accommodate Cornelia and Maester Luwin, they only took five days on horseback to reach the foot of the Wall.
When they arrived, it was just after sunset on the last day of the journey, and Cornelia was fortunate enough to witness for the first time the impressive and desolate sight of the Wall.
The imposing structure was covered in ice, stretching infinitely from east to west, with no end in sight. The icy wind, mixed with snowflakes, blurred the sky, making the scene even darker. The Wall stood there with solemn grandeur. One could not help but feel a deep sense of awe.
The Wall separated all the land of eternal winter. Just observing such an imposing construction made people realize that the world beyond it was definitely not a place for humans.
This reminded Cornelia of her previous life, where there had also been a place called the Great Wall, built to defend against foreign invaders. It was a grand structure that impressed and shocked everyone.
But the enemy ahead was not an ordinary one.
These mysterious races, born from death, were hidden in places inaccessible to humans. But undoubtedly, one day, they would return.
And the crisis was already near!
"Let's go! Let's head to Castle Black to rest for a bit. When we're ready, we'll head beyond the Wall."
The journey they were about to undertake was dangerous and full of uncertainties, and they needed to be fully prepared. When Benjen said this, he turned to look at Cornelia, who was still gazing at the imposing Wall. He couldn't help but notice the fine dress and light cloak she was wearing, more symbolic than practical.
"I still wonder: don't you feel cold?"
Ned, hearing Benjen's words, looked at his daughter on horseback. Cornelia had never feared the cold, ever since she was born. Even that night, five years ago, she had slept in the snow wearing only a light skirt, showing no sign of discomfort.
In fact, one could say that Cornelia seemed more at home in the world of ice and snow, as if she were the very embodiment of the cold. This was one of the reasons Ned allowed her to come to the Wall — perhaps because of this strange connection, the frozen north would not be a dangerous place for her.
But regardless of any theory, it was something that needed to be discovered up close.
"I don't feel cold, I'm very comfortable!" Cornelia replied.
Cornelia averted her gaze and raised her hand to catch the snowflakes falling from the sky. She felt that the closer she got to the North, the more comfortable she became. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was pulling her toward this place, despite the panic and fear it would normally cause.
Of course, when she arrived in Westeros and learned where this place was, Cornelia couldn't avoid the fear of the White Walkers. But now... why did it feel so different?
"Well, at least you'll never freeze to death like the Rangers!" Benjen raised an eyebrow, pulled the reins, and rode toward Castle Black.
"Lia, let's go too!"
Ned called Cornelia back to reality. She blinked, recovering from her daydream, and nodded to her father. Together, they followed Benjen toward Castle Black, while Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik rode right behind them.
They soon arrived at Castle Black, guarded by the Night's Watch under the protection of the imposing Wall. As they passed through the gate, they noticed several men of the Watch dressed in their black attire, busy with training. Their curious gazes followed the group strangely.
This made Cornelia feel a little uncomfortable, but as she thought of the once-glorious Night's Watch, now reduced to this state, an inexplicable sadness took over her. Currently, only three fortresses remained guarded under the Great Wall.
Ned dismounted and walked to Cornelia's horse. He helped her off Shils and took the blind stick tied to the saddle, handing it to her. Although it was already night, Cornelia needed to continue the pretense of blindness, something she had become quite skilled at over the years.
If she wanted, no one would notice anything wrong with her.
"Lord Stark, what brings you to the Wall? And why did you bring your daughter with you?"
At that moment, Ser Jeor Mormont stepped out of one of the nearby buildings. His gaze fell on the ten-year-old girl next to Ned Stark. She appeared to be blind, which caused him some perplexity.
Cornelia, with her empty eyes, stared silently at Ser Jeor Mormont. At first glance, he seemed like a kind old man, but the fact that he commanded the Night's Watch, composed of many criminals, showed that he certainly was not someone easy to deal with.
"Lia has been bothering me about the Night's Watch since she was little. She insisted on coming this time," Benjen said with a casual smile. "Since Ned was coming to the Wall on business, he took the opportunity to bring her with him. We'll stay for a few days. Who knows, if she gets scared this time, maybe she'll never want to come back here!"
Benjen smiled, offering a carefree excuse, which made Mormont frown. Did they really think the Wall was a place to casually bring a ten-year-old girl?
But it was Ned Stark, the Lord of Winterfell, who could say little. Although the Night's Watch maintained a neutral position within the Seven Kingdoms and was not subject to the laws of local lords, its existence dated back thousands of years. The Night's Watch had been founded by Brandon Stark of House Stark and remained active to this day, receiving great support from the Stark family, both in terms of manpower and material resources.
So, Jeor simply furrowed his brow without saying anything further, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Did he really bring a ten-year-old girl to the Wall just out of curiosity?
"I'll be bothering you for a few days. We've traveled a long road. Do you have any wine?"
Ned noticed Jeor Mormont's doubts and investigative look. Without paying too much attention, he stepped forward and began talking to the Lord Commander, subtly blocking Cornelia behind him.
After they finally finished their greetings, Ser Mormont led them to the hall where the Night's Watch members usually ate, and Cornelia was finally able to escape the penetrating and uncomfortable gazes of the sentinels. Those looks were truly unpleasant.
They had arrived a little late, and the dining hall was already empty. The sentinels had finished dinner. They chose a table at random to sit at. Cornelia ate in silence, not participating in the conversation between her father, Uncle Benjen, and Ser Mormont.
This time, when they traveled to the Great Wall, her father had found a pretext to justify the trip. After all, he couldn't attract too much attention. Even their expedition beyond the Wall would have to begin at night, and only three people would be part of it: Uncle Benjen, her father, and her.
As for how they would leave discreetly without drawing attention, Uncle Benjen assured her he would take care of everything but didn't give her any further details. No matter how much Cornelia asked, she couldn't get any more information out of him and had to give up.
She silently prayed that everything would go smoothly.
"Miss, have you gotten used to the food here?"
Ser Mormont observed Cornelia, who was eating quietly without saying anything, and suddenly asked her this question. Ned and Benjen exchanged silent glances upon hearing his words.
Cornelia had always been different from other people since she was a child. These differences had brought both advantages and disadvantages, but her greatest secret couldn't be discovered by anyone. If that happened, it would be more of a disaster than a blessing. As long as she wasn't strong enough to protect herself, the best thing for Cornelia was to avoid drawing attention.
"It's not bad, Ser Mormont, but to be honest, it's worse than the food at Winterfell. You Night's Watchmen have really worked hard for so many years!"
After saying this, Cornelia placed her utensils down, lowering her gaze at a discreet angle. Then, she slightly turned her head toward Ser Mormont and responded with a restrained smile, typical of a lady of noble birth. Over all these years, Cornelia might not have dared to say much, but when it came to pretending to be blind, no one surpassed her.
"This is our duty. We swore to protect the Great Wall, and we will never break our word!"
Mormont observed Cornelia for a long time, but found nothing unusual about her. The young woman in front of him seemed like just a typical noble lady. The only evident peculiarity was her blindness.
However, it was undeniable that few people in the Seven Kingdoms could match her refined behavior. Her manners were flawless in every gesture, which wasn't exactly surprising. After all, her mother had been the eldest daughter of House Tully, from the Riverlands.
"Now that we're at the Great Wall, Miss, would you like to take a walk along it? If you want, ask Lord Stark to take you. It's worth feeling the wind from the north side of the Wall. Just be careful, as you can't see, you'll need to be cautious of the strong wind up there."
The imposing Wall wasn't just windy. To him, it was hard to understand what about the Great Wall could interest a young woman from House Stark. Children raised in protected castles had no idea what kind of place the Great Wall of Despair really was. This was definitely not a fun place.
But, since this young lady was curious about the Great Wall, there was no harm in taking her there. Anyway, Ned Stark wouldn't allow his daughter to fall off the Wall. Mormont only hoped the young lady could spend a few quiet days at Castle Black without causing trouble. And if that happened, he would thank both the old gods and the new.
Of course, it would be even better if they could leave quickly!
"Lia, do you want to go?" Ned asked, taking a sip of wine. They wouldn't leave that night anyway, so it would be a good opportunity to take her there. He could even tell her stories he'd known since his youth, stories about the Wall and the Night's Watch.
"If Ser Mormont would allow me, I'd be honored to walk on the Wall. Thank you very much!"
Cornelia's smile became more sincere. Despite her fear of the White Walkers, her curiosity about the Great Wall was even greater. Being in front of it was already an impressive experience.
She imagined Jon would be jealous of her!
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