Chapter 38: Chapter 37 - Become a Blacksmith 02.
Chapter 38: Chapter 37 - Become a Blacksmith 02.
[Chapter Size: 3100 Words.]
---------------------------------------
Third Person POV
Winterfell, 101 AC.
---------------------------------------
Lyarra entered the room with another little girl right behind her, jumping onto the bed to get closer to Jon. It was none other than Lyra, who looked at him with concern while Jon gave a small smile.
"Are you okay?"
Lyarra was the first to speak, also sitting on the bed and bringing her forehead close to Jon's to check on his condition.
"Just a headache..." Jon murmured.
"What happened?" Lyarra asked, still worried.
Jon could only sigh. What else could he say?
"I don't know," he lied.
There was so much information inside his mind that, in a way, he wasn't really lying. After all, everything was a complete mess. There was knowledge about applying force, hammer techniques, how to manipulate all kinds of metals, working with bronze, iron, steel, gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, Valyrian steel, and even meteoric iron...
Lyarra was certain something was wrong. Even so, sensing the boy's reluctance, she merely sighed.
"Very well. I believe you, my boy," she said. "When you get up, I'll ask the maester to take another look at you. Lyra, stay with him."
She gave her granddaughter a look before leaving the room.
"You really scared us," Lyra said.
Jon simply smiled faintly.
"I just fainted."
"Bennard said you went to the forge and hit yourself in the head with the hammer and that you could die..." she murmured.
Jon grimaced but did not answer immediately.
Turning his attention to the window, he saw his owl appear at that moment. Jon raised his hand, and she flew over to him, startling Lyra a little with Snow's sudden appearance.
"Ah!"
"I'm fine. I just grabbed the hammer and ended up fainting by accident. I don't know how to explain it... but it happened," Jon said as he gently stroked the little owl.
Lyra also reached out and placed her hand on her. The owl would normally be on the verge of fleeing, since she did not particularly enjoy being touched by other people, but she remained there after Jon lightly squeezed the feathers on her head to keep her from flying away.
"Anyway, how long was I asleep?" Jon had yet to ask a question as important as that one.
Lyra looked at him.
"You missed training. It's already almost the end of the day," she replied.
Jon sighed. At least it had only been a few hours.
"I see."
In the end, he remained in his room. The maester arrived, approached him, and asked a few questions. Jon said nothing about his strange vision or all the information that his mind was still struggling to process.
In the end, it was all treated as simple exhaustion.
Although no one could understand exactly why he had fainted, it seemed to everyone that it was merely a severe headache. If they focused too much on the symptom, or if Jon started fainting more often, he would have to undergo further examinations in an attempt to discover the source of the problem.
The questions also came during dinner.
Rickon wasted no time mockingly pointing out that he had missed training. Even Lord Stark joined in with the questions. The latter only asked if he was alright, and when Jon confirmed that he was, he seemed satisfied. To him, if Jon said he was fine, then he truly was fine. There was no reason to press the matter.
Jon was grateful for that.
After dinner, Jon did not go straight to his room. He grabbed a torch and headed to the kennels, where Ghost was. As Jon approached, Ghost left the spot where he usually slept to meet him.
Jon ran a hand through the wolf's fur.
"How are you, buddy?" he murmured, petting him with one hand while holding the torch with the other under the watchful eyes of a few guards on the walls.
The wolf merely licked his face.
The events of the day still left his head somewhat confused, but he had also thought about a few things.
"I want you to search the Wolfswood again. You can stay there for at least a week to reach the deepest areas. There's nothing left in the forest that can hurt you anyway," Jon murmured beside the direwolf's ear.
The wolf merely blinked a few times. It wasn't as if he could answer, but through the bond between them, Jon could feel that Ghost had understood his words and was willing to comply.
"There's still no trace, but I feel like we're getting close..." Jon insisted.
After all, they were still searching for the direwolves that might be alive in the deepest and unexplored regions of the Wolfswood. Jon often sent Ghost out for several days at a time to search for any sign of them.
After that, Jon returned to his room.
The next day, he woke up quite early once again. After taking care of his three birds, which slept in his room, he left the castle.
He did not go to the godswood this time. Instead, he went somewhere else.
He returned to the same place where he had fainted the day before.
Sellin had not arrived yet, but Jon wanted to observe the place again. With all the new knowledge he had received, he now knew exactly how every item in that workshop functioned.
In fact, he considered the forge rather messy. Nothing worthy of a good blacksmith. Jon knew the dwarves would crucify him if he showed them a workplace arranged like that.
But Jon could not really blame Sellin.
He picked up the hammer hanging on the stone wall again and examined it for a few moments.
"Far too heavy for my body... I need to increase my strength if I want to handle it..." he murmured.
Remembering the potions and the knowledge he had received, Jon realized that he would not be able to do much with any of it.
Not while his body was not prepared.
Sighing, he put the hammer away once more.
He left, and with the sun already rising, he headed to the kennels. Ghost had not left yet, and Jon asked him to accompany him as he made his way toward the stables.
"Where do you think you're going, boy?"
The man who usually took care of the stables, having arrived early in the morning to tend to the horses, saw Jon saddling one of them to ride to the edge of the forest.
"I need to take a ride. I'll be back in time to eat something for the morning meal..." Jon informed him.
"I heard you fainted yesterday," the man said, narrowing his eyes.
"That was just a misunderstanding. I only want to gather some herbs that grow along the forest's edge. Ghost will be with me," Jon replied.
The man let out a long sigh.
"All right. Just don't make me regret letting you take one of the horses. If Lord Stark is here and asks about it, I'll tell him."
Jon nodded.
Obviously, what had happened a few moons ago, when he had run away from Winterfell, had made even the guards more cautious around him.
Even though they understood his reasons, they still seemed quite worried about another escape, especially now that Jon had fainted outside the castle.
Jon rode through the gate, greeting each of the guardsmen. Then he headed straight for the forest with Ghost at his side, the direwolf standing taller than the horse Jon was riding.
He did not go very far after passing the first trees.
Jon bid him farewell, and Ghost disappeared into the woods until there was no longer any sign of him. The wolf would run for miles every day and should reach the central regions of the forest within three or four days.
In any case, Jon continued gathering plants and flowers here and there, placing everything into his bag.
He did not know exactly what was important and what was not.
He only knew that he needed some herbs.
When he returned to the castle, he seemed thoughtful.
He had missed breakfast, but he ate something as he passed through the kitchens. The servants never denied him food.
After that, he still had some time before his lessons with the maester.
So he went to the top floor of the castle, in the same wing where his quarters and those of the Stark family were located.
He walked to the entrance of the solar.
"I would like a private audience with Lord Stark," he announced.
The two guards exchanged glances. One of them knocked on the door and entered after receiving permission.
"Lord Stark, Jon is here to see you."
A few seconds passed before the response came.
"Very well. Let him in."
Jon stepped forward, but before he could enter, he crossed paths with Rodrik, who was leaving the solar and looked at him with some suspicion.
"What are you up to now, boy?" the Stark asked.
Despite his tone, it sounded more like a joke.
Jon merely shrugged, already accustomed to the personality of Lord Stark's younger brother.
Then he entered. He found Lord Stark standing behind his desk, watching him.
"Jon. What a surprise. Did something happen?" he asked.
The man was clearly referring to the fainting spell from the previous day.
"No, Lord Stark. I just wanted to ask a favor."
"And what would that be?"
"I want to become a blacksmith's apprentice."
Jon said it directly, causing Lord Stark to raise an eyebrow.
"Are you sure? Aren't you already busy with the maester's lessons in the morning and training in the afternoon?" he asked.
Jon sighed. He certainly would not have much free time. However, with all the knowledge he possessed now, he did not need to spend as many hours learning as an ordinary person. He only needed to put his knowledge into practice. Besides, he could start by simply helping Sellin and using excuses to make it seem as though he was learning. Winterfell's blacksmith could also help him with certain things while he still had such a young body.
Lord Stark was intrigued.
Personally, he had never imagined that Jon would be interested in such a thing.
"Yes, I'm sure. Besides, I want to forge my own weapons."
"Does this have anything to do with yesterday's fainting spell?" Lord Stark asked, raising an eyebrow as he observed the boy's expression.
Jon thought for a few moments before nodding.
"Yes. Actually, I've been interested in it for some time. It has to do with my dreams."
Jon knew that Lord Stark always took his dreams very seriously.
"You've told me some things about them before, but you've never mentioned wanting to become a blacksmith," he commented. "Can you explain it better?"
As long as Jon did not talk about what had actually happened the previous day, he could rely on other explanations.
"Like many of my dreams before, but sometimes I dream that I'm a blacksmith, forging weapons. Even working with Valyrian steel, like the steel of House Stark's great and legendary sword," Jon said.
That surprised the man somewhat before he nodded.
"Very well. I'll speak with Sellin. Just don't faint again. And if you do, I'll pull you out of the forge. But how do you intend to balance your studies, training, and learning this trade as well?" he asked.
He liked that Jon did not allow his training and status as a ward of House Stark to go to his head. Learning a manual trade such as blacksmithing was something he appreciated about the boy. Still, he had to see whether the boy could handle learning everything at once.
"I can spend at least two hours with Sellin every day after my lessons. I know I'll miss part of the midday meal, but I can eat afterward, before the lessons on the training field."
"I can't allow you to skip lunch. I think Lyra would hate me for that," Lord Stark said with a small smile.
Jon felt slightly embarrassed.
How could he have forgotten that?
"Let's do this instead. You'll spend one hour before lunch and one hour after training. Even if you're tired, you'll have to endure it. Even if all you do is lighter work in the forge, understood?" Lord Stark decided.
After the midday meal, they usually rested for a while before beginning their afternoon weapons training, which continued until one or two hours before sunset. That was because they were ten name-days old; at twelve, they would have to train both in the morning and in the afternoon.
At those words, Jon nodded. "Thank you, Lord Stark."
"...But I would also like to ask another favor."
Jon spoke carefully. Then, before Lord Stark could ask anything, he pulled out a sheet of paper and placed it on the desk.
Lord Stark picked it up and saw a list filled with herbs.
"Is it possible to obtain these herbs? They grow in the Reach, Dorne, and even Essos. If it's not asking too much, I do have some savings," Jon said.
Lord Stark thought for a few moments, looking at him as though trying to understand him.
"Does this have something to do with your dreams?" he asked.
Jon nodded. It would be easier that way. Besides, he would not be lying.
"And what do you want to do with them?"
"I saw it in a dream. It's a type of medicine that doesn't exist in Westeros," he replied. Despite that, he also intended to use those herbs for other things. "You can make medicines with these herbs that are better than giving milk of the poppy..."
"Like that oil that preserved the head of that bear?" Lord Stark asked.
Obviously, the oil created by Jon had become quite popular among the Stark vassals, who had begun reproducing the idea on their own.
Lord Stark had placed the enormous bear's head above the fireplace behind the main table in the great hall. After explaining it, the recipe spread, and various lords began using it on their own hunting trophies to mount heads on the walls of their castles, since the oil was not difficult to produce.
Even so, Lord Stark never revealed that the recipe had been created by his ward. That would have drawn too much attention to the boy, and Jon wanted that as well. Instead, he allowed everyone to believe that the method had been developed by craftsmen from Winter Town.
"Yes... Like that oil..." Jon murmured.
"Very well. I'll do that for you."
"Thank you, Lord Stark."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go to my lessons," Jon said.
The man nodded, and the boy left the solar.
"Where were you?" Rickon asked when he saw him entering the maester's classroom.
"I was talking to your father..."
"Not now. I'm talking about you leaving the castle. I heard you took a horse and rode to the edge of the forest."
"I was just collecting some herbs," Jon replied.
Bennard snorted beside him, but Jon ignored him.
"You said you would take me to the Wolfswood the next time you went," Lyra complained, joining the conversation. "And you went with Ghost."
"Ghost may have gone with me, but he went into the forest. I asked him to look for something, and he won't be returning to the castle for a week. I even forgot to tell your father about it."
"Why?"
Both Rickon and Lyra asked at the same time, sounding indignant.
Jon rolled his eyes.
"Because I asked him to look for something inside the forest. He'll be back in a few days. Ghost is the most powerful animal in that forest."
That was all Jon said before turning his attention back to the lesson the maester was giving to everyone.
When the lesson ended, Jon ignored Rickon's insistence that they practice archery and headed to the forge.
As soon as he entered, he found Sellin. "The boy who fainted in my forge," the blacksmith immediately mocked.
"Sorry for coming in here yesterday when you weren't around..." Jon murmured.
The man laughed. "It's all right. But it was still dangerous." Then his tone became more serious. "You didn't touch anything in here, did you?"
Jon immediately shook his head. "No. The only thing I did was pick up the hammer before blacking out."
"I see. Be careful from now on. Lord Stark had the guards speak to me. They said I was supposed to teach you the trade. That's a bit strange. I thought you lived a good life here as a ward, not that you'd have to work hard like the rest of us," he said, though he seemed to be joking.
"I don't have a good life," Jon grumbled.
Sellin shrugged before smiling. "Well, just know that it won't be easy."
"That's fine. I'll prove my worth," Jon shot back.
The man nodded, satisfied with the answer.
"All right. Now help me pick up that bucket full of rings and dump them into the smelter. I'm going to use them to make something else."
Jon nodded and walked over to the bucket, trying to lift it with all his strength.
The man laughed at his effort, but Jon ignored him and began doing what he had been asked.
Later, he had lunch with the Stark family and, while everyone else went to rest, he headed to the godswood.
He went to a secluded corner of the grove where he usually practiced magic.
Taking out all the herbs he had gathered that morning, he began placing them directly into the soil, digging small holes with a trowel he had brought from the forge itself.
Then he started burying all the plants and seeds.
Jon wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead and placed his hand on the earth, which began to glow.
He knew he possessed that ability.
In fact, it was stronger than the fire and ice he could produce.
Soon, the herbs themselves began to grow rapidly, creating an enormous garden in that spot.
Jon knew he would need many of those plants, herbs, and flowers.
He also wanted to obtain the other herbs he had requested from Lord Stark.
Because the moment they were in his hands, he could produce virtually infinite quantities of them with that type of magic.
Thus, he would finally begin working on his body-strengthening potions, which, according to his dreams, he needed in order to increase his strength.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
🦝 Raccoon here: 🦝
I deeply appreciate your support since the beginning of this exciting journey!
🌟 RaccoonLeague | Patreon🌟
Visit our Patreon for more: https://www.patreon.com/RaccoonLeague
Extra Content Already Available:
🏴☠️ One Piece - I Am a Different Luffy!: 30 extra chapters!
👑 Game of Thrones: The Legend of Jon Arctic!: 30 extra chapters!
👑 Game of Thrones: DragonBorn! 30 extra chapters!
👑 HOTD: Jon Arctic! 30 extra chapters!
🌀 Naruto - Minato Namikaze SI!: 30 extra chapters!
🗡️ The Witcher - As Uchiha Madara! 30 extra chapters!
⚡HP - Jon Arctic as Severus Snape! 30 extra chapters!
⚡ Harry Potter - Shadow Monarch! Finished! [100%]
⚡Danmachi – The Alchemist! [Coming Soon.]
Visit our Patreon for more!!
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆