The universe of A Song of Ice and Fire and its characters belong exclusively to George R.R. Martin. This is a work of fiction created by a fan for fans, made solely for entertainment and the development of creative writing.
Only the characters created by me, such as the protagonist and some other original characters, as well as the changes to the canonical plot resulting from their actions, are of my own intellectual authorship.
I wish everyone a good read!!
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Chapter 7
Year 97 BC
POV: Denovan
The trip back was smoother than the way there; we made few stops and were already more accustomed. It took us almost six hours to retrace the path, but the atmosphere was different from the way out.
I felt the weight of the iron axe fastened to my belt, a physical symbol that things were changing. My father, Sigorn, watched the road with a satisfied countenance, probably already calculating how many more men he could arm with that new technique.
As soon as we crossed the gates of our village, Halgar and my father's other men went to their homes after putting the horses in the stables. After all, those horses belonged to the Magnar, not them. Afterward, we stored our things and Valka served our food.
Eating a hot meal inside your own home was a relief. After all, there was nothing like being in the comfort of the place you call "My home."
We should rest our bones from the trip. But I had other plans.
"Ulf, come with me," I called excitedly, as soon as I finished my soup.
My brother didn't even need to ask where. He knew I had been obsessed with that nest since we left. And everything was already agreed upon for as soon as we arrived.
"Where are you going?" asked Valka. She knew we were tired and didn't expect us to leave the house today.
"Surprise, Mom..." I said with a grin from ear to ear.
My mother looked at me suspiciously and said, "More surprises?"
"Just one more..."
She looked at me, analyzed, and after a moment of waiting, she said, "...You must be tired, don't take long."
"We'll be back in an instant..." as soon as I said it, we quickly left through the door.
Sigh. "These brats..." Valka said with a tired voice.
We crossed the village in an instant and walked to the edge of the forest. When I blinked, I was in front of an ancient pine tree that stood like a huge sentinel.
Climbing it was a challenge—my tired and childish body was an annoying limiter—but with Ulfar giving cover below, I climbed without fear. After all, it wasn't my first time either. I quickly reached the top.
To my surprise, the nest didn't have just one, but three chicks. Small balls of gray fluff with hungry beaks. I shouted to Ulfar who was down below.
"THERE ARE THREE, DO YOU WANT ONE FOR YOURSELF?"
From below, I saw him looking at me and he seemed hesitant.
"I DON'T WANT ONE... BUT BRING ONE MORE WITH YOU FOR SIG... SHE'LL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T GIVE HER ONE."
"YES SIRRRR," I shouted in response.
I looked at the other two chicks in the nest and a thought wouldn't leave my head. Nature was so cruel; if I leave one of the chicks here, will it survive? Well, I know that if the mother returns and sees none, she won't be happy at all; maybe leaving one isn't bad... but leaving it alone seems so lonely... fuck, what a cruel doubt...
"....FUCK IT," I murmured after staring at them for a good while, taking all three.
It was rare for all three to survive in such a hostile environment. The mother wasn't around, probably hunting a last meal before nightfall. I was going to take good care of them; maybe their mother won't even come back...
Without wasting time, I carefully tucked them into a soft leather bag strapped to my chest and descended.
When we returned, the sun was already low, almost disappearing; the sky was red, and we entered silently into our quiet house.
I looked at Ulfar who was heading towards his room and called him quietly.
"Thanks, Ulf..." I said sliding my hand into the bag with the chicks. "Take one for yourself... you were undecided, right? I trust you, our blood is strong... you can become a skin-changer if you try..."
He looked at me and after hesitating a bit, took the chick and said, "I don't even know where to start, Novan... you'll have to guide me, brother."
"We will learn together... it will work out..."
He looked at me weirdly and said, "You don't even know how to become a skin-changer?"
I looked at him, gave a smile, and said, "Good night, brother," and quickly went to my room, leaving him behind as he followed me with his eyes.
"Shameless..." I heard him say.
"Hihi," I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
The power of a true skin-changer doesn't come with a manual; I was going to have to learn on my own.
That night, while the village slept, I was awake taking care of the little beasts. I made a warm blanket and fed them strips of raw meat. One of them was my most ambitious project: my pair of eyes in the sky. The other, my gift for Sig.
"I hope they manage it," I murmured before falling into the world of dreams.
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Three months later...
The following months were a blur of constant work and charcoal smoke.
The routine in the village changed drastically. Under my guidance and with the unconditional support of my father, we reformed the central forge. Now, we had three furnaces operating on the new design—we decided to call it the "Roaring Furnace" for the noise it makes when it starts pulling air—consuming charcoal on a scale we had never seen.
We initiated a systematic collection system. I sent men to scour old battlefields and we began practicing barter with neighboring clans: we offered fine furs and game meat in exchange for any "gray stone" or old metal they considered trash. To them, we were being generous; to us, we were accumulating the most valuable resource on this side of the Wall.
But while metallurgy flourished, my magic seemed stagnant.
I was sitting on a tree trunk behind our house, with the falcon—now young and with strong feathers—perched on my leather-protected arm. He was magnificent, but stubborn.
I ran my hand gently through his feathers; when I chose him, it was just because he was the best choice, chicks were easier. But now, analyzing his pattern and feathers and size, I'm almost certain this is the Peregrine Falcon, the fastest being of my old world. I was lucky, I got the best of falcons. I looked into his eyes and tried again.
Close your eyes.
Feel his blood. Feel his heartbeat.
I tried to project my consciousness into the bird, but the conscious link was much harder. With the marine creature, it felt like I was pulled into an abyss of instinct; with the Falcon, I simply couldn't find a way.
It seemed like the door was closed. I thought it would be simpler...
He chirped, turning his head sideways and looking at me with that cold yellow eye. It seemed to mock my inability.
"Still nothing, brother?" Ulfar appeared, leaning against the wall of the house.
He was taller, his shoulders becoming broad like Sigorn's, and his falcon was calmly on his shoulder. He hadn't formed a bond with it, but the animal seemed to like being in his presence.
"He accepts me as an owner," I sighed, letting the hawk fly to a nearby perch. "Like yours accepts you too, but he doesn't let me in. It's as if there isn't a path or place for me to reach."
"Maybe you need a name," suggested Ulfar. "They say giving a name to a beast creates a bond. And... well, you're there all undecided with the name that you haven't chosen yet, the little one must be furious with you."
I looked at the bird, which was now observing the surroundings with deadly precision.
"I wanted to name him as soon as we forged a bond, wanted to feel him and then give a name that suited him..." I murmured.
I didn't want a common name. I needed something that represented what he would be to me: my vision in the dark and up high.
"I'm going to call him Horus," I decided. The name of a god, the god of the sky, of power, and whose symbol is an eye, I think it fits well...
"Horus," I called him. The falcon, previously focused on the beauty of the horizon, focused his eyes on me, and for a millisecond, my vision wavered and upon blinking returned to normal.
Sigh.
I decided to try properly now.
"Can you come here?" I asked looking at him.
He looked at me, his usual disdainful look had disappeared, and in a light swoop, he landed in my arms.
"Horus," I murmured as I closed my eyes and touched my head to his.
I felt everything disappear, first the sounds, then the touch, and gradually I didn't even feel my own breathing. I decided not to open my eyes yet. I began to feel Horus's heartbeats, his breathing, his claws on my arm, his feathers on my forehead.
I felt a light mental nudge. And opened my eyes.
"..." I expected to see through the falcon's eyes, but I was mistaken. I was in space, a place very similar to where I met ROB, with the exception of two golden threads.
One thread was so thin that I lost sight of it when I tried to track it.
The other was connected to Horus. Horus was staring at me, his eyes showing only a calm invitation, like someone who had been waiting for that moment for a while.
I placed my hands on the golden thread that connected me to Horus and let it flow.
When I blinked again, I was already in his body.
"Piaaa."
I was facing myself, looking at my own body, which was breathing peacefully and motionless.
I averted my gaze and looked at Ulfar who was looking at me curiously.
I jumped, leaving my arms and took flight; first I circled Ulfar and my body and started flying higher and higher.
I chirped again, and this time Ulfar's falcon, Sharp Wing, detached from his shoulder and started flying beside me.
We flew high and fast in the skies; I had never felt so free, the sensation of flying was intoxicating.
My vision was ridiculous, I saw everything: every blade of grass, every detail on a face, cracks in some houses... I managed to see everything, it was insane.
Gradually I felt my mind giving tugs, trying to pull me back. I resisted; I was at least going to land before that.
I swooped down and at breakneck speed passed between Ulfar and my body.
"WHOA... that was too fast... hahaha."
I directed myself to land on my own arm and started slowing down.
And I landed not as delicately as I wanted, but I managed.
I sighed and closed my eyes; when I relaxed again, I felt the sensations of my body once more, the weight on my arm, a slight headache, my heartbeats and breathing.
I opened my eyes and looked at Horus. "We did it, boy... It was incredible."
"Piaaa," he gave me a chirp in response. Through our bond, I felt that he truly understood what I said, and was happy and... relieved.
I looked at him and analyzed his gray and white feathers even more minutely, some fluff, he was still molting.
I raised my gaze and stopped there. They weren't his characteristic eyes, they weren't yellow, they were golden.
I looked at Ulfar and said, "Are his eyes golden or am I crazy?"
Ulfar, who was previously looking at me sideways, turned his gaze fully to me and his eyes widened, and he said in a gasp.
"His eyes are golden... much more than usual, and they look identical to..."
"Horus..." I interrupted.
"Thaaat... Did you do it, Denovan? You're a skin-changer, I saw you there motionless, but you've done that several times, I wasn't sure..." He looked at me with apprehension and anxiety.
"I did it, I blinked and saw a thread connecting me to Horus's body and put my hands on it and... relaxed."
"Simple as that?... I'm going to have to try harder." Changing the subject, Ulfar continued, "Does this have to do with your eyes? Do they hurt? They look... cool..."
I smiled and said, "I think so... and I'm not feeling any discomfort, and I'm glad they look cool."
"Phew, your sense of humor is bad as always..."
We exchanged looks and started laughing.
"What are you two laughing at without me?" a nervous and feminine voice cut in.
It was undoubtedly Sigrid.
Ulfar and I stopped laughing and looked at her, and before I could say anything, her voice boomed again.
"Novann, your eyes, they are even more golden and... different." She averted her eyes to Ulfar's and her slight frown relaxed a bit, I didn't know if it was from relief or disappointment.
"It's okay, Sig... I did it, I just changed skin, I flew using Horus's body..."
She looked at me, her eyes calming down more and she spoke, "You already managed? Dad told me that to become a skin-changer takes years and you have to have a lot of luck."
"I told you, Sig, our blood will help us, just try every day and treat your falcon well that eventually you will succeed."
"You make everything look easy, Novan... we don't have the Old Gods whispering in our ears." I felt a slight jab.
"It's not easy, Sig... just keep trying your best... and they only say things, they don't do them for me, everything they say I tell you guys."
"I know... I didn't mean to speak lik..."
I got up and gave her a hug and said calmly, "Don't worry, sister, you are blood of my blood, we are here for each other." I paused waiting for her explosive temper to calm down and continued, "I will help you and Ulfar with everything I have... The three of us will be skin-changers, you can be sure."
"Thank youuu....." she said while giving me a tight hug.
"Thanks, blood of my blood..." said Ulfar mocking my dramatic words.
I gave him my best serious face expression and said, "I'm only going to have to teach Sig, I think you're doing well with Sharp Wing."
"Hey... don't be like that, brother," he said with a playful voice.
The three of us started laughing, until a thought crossed my mind.
I turned to Sig and said, "Where is Wind Wing? Don't tell me you lost her..."
She looked at me and tilted her neck slightly, putting her hand on the back of her neck and said, "Maybe she went hunting..."
I flicked her forehead and said, "Never lose sight of her, sister..."
"Hey... don't do that, you know I don't like it."
"I know... let's try to find your falcon."
"Brother..." I said looking at Ulfar, "I can find her alone with Horus now, try to connect with Sharp... feel his breathing, his feathers, claws... and close your eyes and relax, he likes you, it might take time, but you will succeed..."
"I'll try," he said looking at the bird on his shoulder.
"Sig, watch me, okay... I still get a bit vulnerable when I switch bodies." I have to solve this urgently, this vulnerability is dangerous.
"I'll take care of you... little brother," she said with a lupine smile that gave me a slight discomfort.
I sat with my legs crossed and murmured looking at Horus, "Let's find your brother... my friend."
I closed my eyes and felt myself sliding smoothly and when I opened them again, I was already in the falcon's body.
I jumped and began to fly over the area, and with each wing beat I climbed in altitude. "Flying is intoxicating," that's why it's dangerous, one of the dangers of becoming a skin-changer with a bird is this, wanting to fly forever, that was hugely dangerous.
They say many have lost themselves like this. I shook my head and focused on finding the falcon.
After a few seconds, a bit longer than the last time, I felt the mental tug again.
Sigh. "I still can't handle it for long."
I decided to hold on for as long as possible, and while I resisted, I spotted on top of a rock, a falcon feeding.
"Found it!" It wasn't so far from us.
I quickly turned 270 degrees and went in my direction again, closed my wings a bit and began to descend rapidly, like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye I was 3 meters from myself, slowed down and landed on the ground, at my feet.
I blinked and was already back in my body. I took a deep breath, getting used to the sensation and said, pointing in the direction of the falcon, "It's over there, Sig, feeding."
"Then let's go quickly..." she said already running in the direction I pointed.
"Let's go..." I ran after her, leaving Ulfar meditating behind.
"Friend..." I said speaking to Horus, "stay with Ulfar, if anything happens you call me... right?"
"PIAA," he jumped from my shoulder and went towards my brother's.
I ran after Sig, before she did some mischief.
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Thank you for reading :)
Readers, I have an important question: who would you like to see as the MC's romantic partner? I have some ideas, but remember: this will not be a harem.
Possible options:
Jeyne Arryn
Rhea Royce
Rhaenyra Targaryen
A woman from House Blackwood (an original character created by me)
At the moment, the most likely choices are Rhea Royce or the original Blackwood, but I'm open to suggestions. Do you have other characters in mind? Let me know in the comments!
Leave your opinion in the comments, and if you liked it, leave power stones—it motivates me to keep writing.
Release dates will be Sunday and Tuesday.
I hope you liked it, see you in the next chapter.