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Chapter 51 - High Chief
🕑 Added 2025-10-03 20:35:19 +0000 UTCLands Beyond the Wall
The Haunted Forest
When Valyrian steel met the crystal armor of the Other, a sound akin to a chime rang out, and the Other was sent stumbling when Robert’s punch left cracks in her helmet.
Pressing his advantage, Robert threw a left haymaker, a right uppercut, a kick to the side of her left knee, and one to the face when the Other lost her balance, sending her to the ground.
“Is that all? Really? How disappointing. Your kind is pretty useless without an army of wights behind you, huh?” Robert taunted the frost-elf-looking creature.
Outraged at the insult, the Other struck with her sword, sending out a wave of ice meant to incapacitate, but Robert twisted his body to the left, dodging it, and ducked to avoid the follow-up thrust of her weapon.
Holding the creature’s wrist, Robert twisted it, his strength overcoming hers, and kicked her in the knee again, this time with all his strength. There was a sharp crack, and the Other let out an ear-piercing shriek as her knee bent backwards with jagged, pale blue bone sticking out of the wound.
Dropping the creature, Robert let it crawl away while he went to take his hammer and stepped on her back, raising the massive weapon.
—
Sandor watched with wide eyes as Robert broke the Other’s back and arms but did not kill the monster.
“What the fuck are you going to do with it?” Sandor would have preferred to just kill it.
“I think I’ll lock her up and let some scholars see what weakness they have.” If they could not find any other weakness than what Robert already knew they possessed, she would still make a fine attraction.
Sandor did not like that idea one bit.“You want to take it with us?”
“Yes. The Children should be able to make sure the Other does not die, and she is in no condition to escape. Now, all we need is to lock her up in something her magic can’t harm.”
Humans feared what they didn’t know, but then again, Robert, at least one half of him, had already died once, and the Others did not worry him as much as Niduan.
—
“You defeated it?” Leaf asked, looking at the creature as its wounds froze shut and the bleeding stopped.
“Why are you so surprised? Make sure she can’t destroy whatever cage you put her into. We’ll take her back to Asgard as a trophy and to seek their weakness.”
“As you say.” Between the Others and Robert Baratheon, the human was quickly proving to be the greatest danger.
—
The Children of the Forest cocooned the Other with weirwood trees, weaving spells to keep the creature of frost asleep. Her leg had to be amputated, as it had begun to wither, but Robert didn't really care.
Within the span of two weeks, giants began to arrive in family groups ranging from a dozen to twenty at most, and the total number had swelled up to five hundred. They had settled around the entrance to the cave, some having even brought mammoths, and waited.
Robert looked at the giants and knew convincing each and every group one by one would not work, because there were close to forty families, so he would do it by the rules of prison.
Beating the toughest, meanest giant out there.
“Alright, relay my words to them.”
“I have summoned you here for this.” After Leaf translated, Robert brought out the restrained Other, dropping her in front of the giants.
The front row became restless, some moving back, the others growling and roaring at the creature.
“You are few, they are many, and they have an army of living death. If you stay here, you will all die. I offer you a life beyond the Wall, as I did to Wun Weg Wun.” The families huddled closer, discussing it, but one giant, riding a mammoth, came forward.
“Why should we follow a human?” Leaf relayed the giant’s words, and Robert knew he had found his target as the remaining giants gave him a wide berth.
Robert stood before the giant. “Because I am the strongest, and your only chance of crossing the Wall without dying.”
“I am Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg. Fight me." Robert assumed it was to test his claim, and agreed heartily enough.
“I accept.”
Mag the Mighty, dressed in furs with square teeth, bellowed a roar of challenge, taking his enormous club, which was as long as Robert was tall.
Putting his hammer down, Robert rushed at the giant and slid beneath the club as Mag the Mighty swung it horizontally. The ground was slippery enough that he kept sliding long enough to pass between the giant’s legs before leaping to his feet.
Mag, even with his immense size, turned around quickly, but not quickly enough. Using the rock that was behind the giant to propel himself, Robert leaped, holding on to Mag’s furs, and pulled himself up, avoiding the giant’s hands.
Unsheathing Nightblood, Robert brought it down towards the giant’s neck but stopped before it went through, having only sliced open a small wound.
“Yield.” He demanded, putting pressure on Mag’s neck. The giant growled, sending vibrations through the sword, but understood Robert’s demand and dropped his club.
Robert jumped down.
“You are strong.”
“I am. What say you? All of you?”
—
The word about the Children’s involvement in the creation of the Night King had spread like wildfire, and more than one giant wanted revenge, but Robert stepped in, convincing the angry families to calm down, and his dragons stepped in when words weren’t enough.
He had sent Slifer ahead with a message to Asgard, informing Tyrion that there would be new additions to Asgard in the form of giants and the Children of the Forest so he could announce it beforehand to prepare the citizens.
The giants could march longer distances than humans, and it did not take long before they stood in front of Craster’s Keep.
Robert called the bastard out, and thinking it was just crows asking for him, Craster came out and was flattened by Wun Weg Wun’s club.
Now that their oppressor was dead, Robert offered the females two choices: joining Asgard or staying here. Their answer was quick, and after packing whatever they could, Robert set the wooden house on fire.
—
The Wall
Robert, on top of Obelisk, stood before the Wall, waiting for someone to come out and speak. The giants, the Children and the women rescued from Craster waited in sight, but not in immediate danger.
Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, flanked by rangers, came out of the gate, a grim look on his face.
“Lord Robert, to what does the Night’s Watch owe this visit?” Jeor greeted Robert cordially, as the usual politics of the Seven Kingdoms did not have a place here.
“I am just here to inform you to allow my people passage through the Wall so we can all return to Asgard.” Robert pointed back at the waiting giants, the Children and the women.
Jeor narrowed his eyes. “The giants are your people, my lord?” How in the name of the old gods had the man even managed to find this many giants, much less convince them to bend the knee?
“I beat their strongest in one-on-one combat, and they have declared me their High Chief.” Or at least he hoped that the Big Chief meant that.
“I see. Can you assure us that they will not be a threat to the North and the rest of the realm?” Five hundred might be a small number, but the danger it possessed grew when they were giants twice the size of men with mammoths.
“They won’t be a threat to anyone unless I order it.”
Jeor would not start a fight with a man riding a dragon, nor did he think Robert Baratheon had any reason to lie, and he allowed passage. “Your people will be granted passage, as long as you act in good faith.”
“Because I can’t just burn my way through.” Robert grumbled under his breath before ordering Sandor to go and bring the host forward.
It would take time for the giants to cross the Wall, and there was a person of interest in the Night’s Watch. “Is Maester Aemon available?”
“Do you require healing, my lord?”
“No, I just wanted to see how he was doing. I am sure my grandmother would be curious about her great uncle’s condition.” Not that Rhaelle had asked her grandson to do so, but Robert was sure she would appreciate it.
“Of course, I shall summon him.”
“No need to make an old man like him walk all the way here. I’ll go see him myself.”
—
Maester Aemon, the third son of Maekar I Targaryen, uncle to Aegon V Targaryen, and her grandmother’s great uncle.
Robert just referred to Aemon as "uncle" for the sake of convenience.
Even in his advanced age, Aemon was healthy and did not face any trouble, except for the shortage of supplies, which Robert promised to remedy as soon as he was back in Asgard.
Aemon was more interested in the events at Valyria, and Robert saw no reason to deny the old man.
“My lord, your people have all safely passed through.” Jeor came to inform Robert after most of the heavy stuff was out of the way and the distant relatives were just talking about history.
“Thank you, Lord Commander.”
One of the rangers gave a very pointed look at Jeor Mormont. “I just hope the Northern lords do not make an issue out of it.”
“Come with me, Lord Commander; I have something to show you.” He might as well just get the whole thing with the Other out of the way.
“What would it be?”
“The real reason why the Wall was built in the first place.”
—
Wun Weg Wun, as the only giant who understood the common tongue, was saddled with the task of pulling the sled that the Other was securely tied to.
Maester Aemon, upon hearing Robert’s claim, did walk down to the bottom of the Wall, as did the Lord Commander and dozens of black brothers.
“Wun Weg, bring her over here.” He called to the giant, who dragged the sled before lifting and dropping it in front of Robert, who peeled the top layer of the wood imprisoning the creature.
“Her?”
“I didn’t really check what she had between her legs, but it appears so, yes.”
“By the gods!” Jeor took a step back, pulling out his Valyrian steel sword, while the brothers black let out sharp gasps, unsheathing their weapons.
“Is it alive?” The Lord Commander asked, unwilling to approach the myth that just became real.
Robert kicked the Other in the face, and her eyes snapped open, looking at Robert with loathing.
“You know, if I didn’t know for a fact my cock would freeze off, I would definitely seduce one of you.”
His words were met with ridiculous expressions across the courtyard.
—
“This is a disaster.” Jeor groaned, having to stop his men from revolting to kill the Other, whom Robert Baratheon had, for some ungodly reason, decided to keep imprisoned as a trophy.
“Calm down.” If the Watch was going to be a liability, Robert might as well just get rid of it.
“How can I calm down? The men are terrified, and there are already talks of desertion.” He had to lock up more than one brother of the Watch, and knew things would only escalate.
Robert suppressed the urge to go and make an example out of someone to cow the rest into submission. “You and your brothers can calm down, because if the Night King and the Others ever attack, I will be there.”
“I only wish my men were willing to listen. Now that your people are through, I’ll need to go and manage my troubles. Good day to you, my lord.”
—
Winterfell
“Welcome to Winterfell, Domeric, but where is your father?” Rickard asked the fifteen-year-old heir to Dreadfort, who had requested an immediate meeting in private.
Domeric, who looked too weary and haunted, answered in a small voice. “My father is dead, my lord; I came here to speak to you regarding it.”
“My condolences. How did it happen?” Roose Bolton was a man the Lord of Winterfell was careful around, but nonetheless, he was still a loyal subject.
“It was Robert Baratheon. He threatened to burn down Dreadfort for a crime my father committed on a miller and his wife.” Domeric explained, hatred seeping to his eyes.
Rickard was taken aback, not expecting Robert to be involved. “I am listening.”
—
“I see. What of this bastard brother of yours, Ramsay?” Robert Baratheon’s dragon dreams were much more powerful than what the Targaryens of the past possessed, but to see this much? It baffled Rickard.
“Robert Baratheon claimed he would be a monster who would do unspeakable things, including slaying me, my father, and a third newborn brother in the future.” He believed it, for the man who nailed the corpse of a fifteen-foot demon on a hill to serve as a warning did not need to fear men, noble or smallfolk.
“Has he said why he was in the North?” Lord Wylis, heir to White Harbor, had sent a letter, saying Robert was journeying to the lands beyond the Wall to kill a Targaryen bastard, but that left more questions than it answered.
Domeric shook his head. “No, my lord, he did not.”
“Perhaps we should find this brother of yours to ensure that he does not become a threat in the future. The Wall might be good for him.” If Ramsay was dangerous enough that the Father of Dragons saw the need to intervene, it would be best to send the boy away.
“I am afraid that is not possible. We sought him out, but it appears that Ramsay Snow disappeared, coinciding with the arrival of two dragons near the village.”
“Robert killed him?” Not that Rickard would complain.
“That is what he claimed he would do.”
“Do you feel ready to be the Lord of Dreadfort?” Domeric wasn’t so young that he would require a regent, but the boy had seen his own father hang himself.
“It is my duty, my lord.”
At least he was resolute enough. “I shall hear your oath then.”
—
Stormlands
Asgard
“Lord Tyrion, there is a fleet heading this way!” A man barged in while Tyrion was occupied with ledgers, an unusual panic in his face.
“A fleet? Whose?” Which fool would dare to attack Asgard?
“The Ironborn.”
Of course it would be the squids. “Fucking hells.”
“What do we do?” The man asked for orders. Revenge would be cold comfort to the people of Asgard if they were dead.
Tyrion jumped out of his chair and waddled to the door. “Order everyone to move inside Valhalla; it’s large enough. Instruct them to bring as much food and water as they can carry. We may be facing a siege until Lord Robert returns. Where is Ser Davos?”
“At the docks, gathering the men.” Asgard had a growing guard force, but if the Ironborn had brought in a fleet, it would not be enough, and just to their luck, the dragons were away.
Today was turning out to be such a great day too.
Comments
Rachel N
Love love love this!! ❤️
