Cyberdyne of the Night's Watch

Chapter 7

Jon urged his horse forward and gazed around. After days of traveling through unfamiliar woods and fields, he had a sudden moment of recognition. He knew this clearing. He'd been here many times before. Rodrick Cassel used to bring him here with Robb to practice with the lance; there wasn't enough open space inside Winterfell itself to reach a good gallop. It was only about a half-hour's ride out of the city gates. "Cyberdyne!" he called after him. "We're nearly there!"

They'd left the King's Road after the wildling attack. Not that Jon was worried for his safety, but because he didn't want to have another incident with Cyberdyne. Burying those wildling bodies in the half-frozen ground was a memory that Jon just couldn't shake, and certainly didn't want a second taste of. But leaving the road had also left Jon a little lost, so finding familiar territory was a good sign.

Jon stopped short at the crest of the hill. Winterfell's towers and walls were spread out before him, just like always. It seemed like no time at all had passed since he had left. But beyond the castle wall, there was a veritable sea of tents. Trickles of smoke rose from a thousand different cook fires from every field surrounding the castle. And atop the gatehouse, there was a rainbow flags waving in the breeze. Whenever other Lords would come visit Ned their standard would be raised alongside the Stark banner, but now there were dozens flying side by side.

"This is the castle Winterfell?" Cyberdyne asked as his horse trotted up to the top of the hill as well. "There seems to be a large encampment around the castle."

Jon shook his head. "Yes, thank you, Cyberdyne." It wasn't a siege, for sure. There were no trebuchets or stake lines or anything like that. And the Watch may be isolated all the way up at the Wall, but surely they would have heard if war had come to the North. "Robb has called the banners..." he finally realized. They'd received a raven about Ned's arrest and Jon had endured torment about his 'traitor father' from Ser Alliser, but he hadn't stopped to consider how the Northern Lords might react.

"What does 'call the banners' mean?" Cyberdyne asked even as he looked out over all of the banners. Maybe what it meant was only obvious to Jon.

"It means war," Jon answered. He spurred his horse and headed down the hill toward the castle. "Come on, Cyberdyne. We need to hurry."

The gates of Winterfell swung open and Robb rushed out. "Brother!" He gave Jon a warm embrace and thumped at his back. "Good to see that they let you off of that Wall every once in a while." At their feet, Ghost and Grey Wind sniffed at each other.

"Good to see you too, Robb," Jon said quietly. A gaggle of Northern lords followed Robb out of the courtyard and stood some feet away, watching the reunion with skepticism. Jon recognized most of them: Lord Karstarks, Bolton, Flint, Glover, Tallhart... the only one not staring at Jon was Greatjon Umber. His eyes were fixed on Cyberdyne standing behind Jon, and had gone wide with disbelief. It seemed the Greatjon had never known what it was like to be considered puny in comparison.

"You have very good timing," Robb said. "You've heard what happened to Father, no doubt?"

Jon just nodded. "Well, this insult against the North cannot stand," Robb continued. His voice swelled with pride, like this was the beginning verse of some inspirational speech. "I've called the bannermen and we've decided to march on King's Landing to demand his release. We plan to depar...."

"I'm sorry," the Greatjon interrupted. He thrust one hand toward Cyberdyne, and Jon noted a bloody bandage wrapped around where two of his fingers should have been. "But who is this fellow here?" He addressed Cyberdyne directly. "You've got to have some Umber blood in you, I say! Look at the size of you!" The Greatjon scratched his own shaggy beard. "No kin of mine would be caught dead clean-shaven, though."

"This is Cyberdyne," Jon said. "He's..." He wasn't quite sure what to say here. Some sort of magical machine that perfectly mimicked a man? Robb would think that the Wall had driven him mad. "He's a fellow Brother from the Wall. And no Umber blood in him, as far as I know."

Robb too gazed up at Cyberdyne, who remained still as a statue as he waited for more orders from Jon. "Any friend of Jon's is a friend of mine," he answered, thrusting his hand out.

"Go on," Jon said. "Shake his hand."

Cyberdyne did as he was told, and Robb winced with pain at the handshake. "What I wouldn't give for a thousand of you in my armies," Robb joked as he rubbed his slightly-crushed fingers. Then he turned back to Jon. "As I was saying: we ride out first thing tomorrow. Tell me you've come to join us, brother?" Jon averted his eyes, gazing up at the broken tower that loomed over the Winterfell courtyard. "He's your father too, you know," Robb prodded.

"I took a vow," Jon answered. "Men of the Watch have no part in the politics of the seven kingdoms. You know that. And what would our father say to men who break their vows?"

That answer didn't faze Robb one bit. "A King can release you from your vows." He reached up and adjusted an iron crown that rested on his brow. "After we take King's Landing and rescue Father, we plan to declare our independence from the rest of Westeros."

Jon had somehow missed that, and took a moment to consider what that meant. But the bannermen behind Robb made it entirely clear. "The King in the North!" Greatjon Umber shouted, which was followed by a resounding chorus of "The King in the North" that the other lords joined in on, as did some of the soldiers who were preparing wagons of supplies in the courtyard.

"You just say the word, and you can released of your bonds," Robb said. "Even give you your true name. You could be a Stark."

He opened his mouth to tell Robb "no," but somehow had a hard time getting the words to come out. Jon had not even considered the prospect until then, and was struck by just how tempting it was. No more night duty out in the frigid winds that swept across the Wall. No more pitiful rations of old potatoes and leathery salted meat. No more dealing with Alliser Thorne and the others. "I can't," he finally managed to say. "I have a duty."

Robb's smile fell, and he let out a soft sigh. But then the façade came back up. "Well, at least consider the offer, then. Tell me, what brings you to Winterfell, if not to join us?"

Jon looked back at Cyberdyne, in whose pack there was a jar with a still-squirming head of one of his dead brothers. "Cyberdyne and I have a message to carry to King's Landing."

Robb's smile grew. "We have the same destination, then. You may have sworn a vow not to serve any lord, but surely there is no rule about traveling with one for safety?"

"I suppose not," Jon answered.

"Good!" Robb looped his arm over Jon's shoulder and escorted him into the castle. "Then it's settled! We all ride for King's Landing tomorrow."