Chapter 21: Qiongen

Laira Nuorui waited outside the hall in full armor. Beside her were over a hundred clan warriors fully armed—if wearing animal skins, carrying a mountain forest bow, a throwing spear, and a short curved sword counted as being fully armed.

Enough, Qiongen thought, perhaps. These people should be enough to defeat the wildlings who have rushed south of the Great Wall; moreover, they have horses suited for mountain marches, and if they could swiftly reach Black Castle, defeating the southern wildlings based on the wooden fortifications would be almost certain.

He wanted to say goodbye here to Huode and Zahuzi; this brief acquaintance filled him with endless emotion.

He slightly squatted, avoiding the wound, and embraced Huode, who had accompanied him all the way; the boy looked shy. After releasing the embrace, Qiongen drew a sword with both hands.

"This is borrowed from Earl Norui; I now give it to you." Qiongen said solemnly, "Besides the bow, perhaps you'll be interested in practicing swordplay, but this is a real sword—you must be careful, don't use it on your sisters."

Huode quickly shook his head to indicate he wouldn't. His chubby face flushed red with excitement, anxiously looking at his grandfather. Seeing the grandfather nod, Huode took it with both hands, biting his lip. Qiongen knew what a first real sword meant for a boy.

"Take this as well." a piece of parchment. "If one day you want to become an excellent swordsman, take this to Winterfell and find my sister, she is called Meiyisitake, she is the best swordsman in the world, enough to guide you to become second best." Saying this, Qiongen laughed, and Huode laughed too. But there was a bitterness only he understood. "A good warrior, a good commander, besides learning martial arts, must also learn to read and write. If..." he felt he had said too much.

He stood up. Successfully solving a problem made him feel greatly relieved.

"If you don't leave now, the wildlings will be able to have children on the Great Wall." Laira urged him to set off quickly.

Thus he nodded to Zahuzi, everything in silence.

The heir of Earl Norui had brown hair, a ruddy complexion, sat on horseback looking down at him; this demeanor made her look like his sister, but their faces differed—his sister had a typical Stark face, while she almost had the same heart-shaped face as the wildling Wanyi, this association made him instantly feel that wildlings and their northern people were not so different.

He mounted the long-haired horse; even if he wished to gallop back to Black Castle, this mountain road required a slow pace, allowing no haste at all.

Qiongen felt his head still hurting; he could only try to stay silent on horseback, occasionally closing his eyes, and hoping the horse would walk steadier—each jolt made him feel his brain shaking, bringing waves of pain.

"What are you thinking about?" Laira asked him.

He thought of nothing. "Mance Rayder's great army." Qiongen heard himself say.

"Are they formidable?" she asked, her tone like asking about today's weather.

"I'm not sure; I saw at least a hundred thousand wildlings there." He recalled the endless, scattered camps.

"So, are they formidable?" she continued asking.

"Anyway, a hundred people definitely can't beat them." He somewhat wanted to laugh, wondering how to answer such a question.

"How many can defeat them?" she pressed. He felt a twinge of embarrassment, like being urged by his sister to recite, yet also like the girl was dissatisfied with his answer, full of contempt.

Enduring the headache, he set aside his emotions and suddenly felt this problem could be carefully thought through.

Mance Rayder's gathered wildlings are many, but how many are combat-ready soldiers? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? Their women, though become spear wives, how many can go to the battlefield? And how many of those belong to disciplined troops? He recalled telling Yegerite that the wildlings couldn't win; why was he so confident in saying that, if not because the wildlings fundamentally disregard battlefield discipline, being essentially a great chaotic mass? Though numerous, they obviously do not mean combat strength.

How many can defeat them? He thought carefully. He felt unable to give an answer… perhaps, perhaps two thousand cavalry, no, fifteen hundred cavalry, if they could cause chaos; if the wildlings camped on an open plain facilitating a surprise attack; if scouting failed to detect in time; if, the wildlings hadn't dug trenches… twelve hundred cavalry? One thousand cavalry? Or something else? He dared not think further.

Mance Rayder's great army is numerous; if they wanted to take Black Castle—there is enough open plain before it—but there is also forest, which would not hinder cavalry charges, rather could be good cover; chaos? The wildling horde itself is already enough chaos; if the charge were sudden enough, they'd only become more chaotic, each tribe falling into its own disorder; trenches? He had never seen wildlings dig trenches in their camps, moreover, in icy snow, with their simple gear, it's impossible to dig even a patch of earth outside the Great Wall, and he had seen no sturdy anti-horse obstacles or properly placed wooden palisades; scouting? That is the problem. Mance Rayder seems to have released scouting wildlings on the outskirts, and Ourier once controlled an eagle, and he would never believe the wildling great army lacked other shapeshifters controlling scout birds.

"What's wrong with you?" Laira asked, "You seem unsettled."

"There are shapeshifters among the wildlings controlling an eagle." Qiongen said.

"What are you saying?"

"I say…" Qiongen suddenly realized he hadn't heard the other's question, completely zoning out.

"How much do you know about that girl Huomin?" Qiongen felt the world described by Scholar Luzhen was slowly collapsing, while a new world was slowly unfolding before him.

"What exactly is wrong with you?" Laira turned her face to stare at him, as if checking whether he was teasing her.

Qiongen remained silent. After Ourier's death, the eagle was taken by Walamier, who thereafter called himself a Six-form Person, controlling three wolves, a snow bear, a shadow mountain cat, and that eagle. Shapeshifters, the most formidable shapeshifters.

If Zahuzi's words are true, Zahuzi is also a shapeshifter, his granddaughter Huomin somewhat special; could he counter Ourier's eagle and clear Mance Rayder's scouting ability? It would be good if his sister were here.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, what's going on?" She jabbed him with her sword sheath.

A wave of pain from the wound almost made him cry out.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Just a bit sore." he said, "The wildlings shot me with two arrows."

"You really should die, Qiongenxuenuo." She turned her head, no longer paying him any heed.

He was astonished, when had he provoked this girl?

By noon they finally went around Tears Mountain and entered the mountain trail; during this time Laira didn't say a word to him. They stopped by a small river, filled their water skins, and fed the horses. Qiongen knew that after leaving here they would have entered the newly granted lands, swiftly marching toward Black Castle, and along the way they would constantly encounter wildlings, facing danger.

Qiongen gazed into the distant mountains, feeling somewhat hesitant. Could this be an opportunity?

Does Winterfell have the strength to aid the Great Wall in defeating Mance Rayder? After receiving the letter, will they march north? How long would it take?

He remembered leaving Winterfell, taking over ten days to reach the Great Wall! Even if cavalry rode nonstop… Winterfell doesn't have that many cavalry; even if conscripted from the surrounding areas, how long would that take?

He felt anxious, and this was clearly visible on his face.

"Qiongenxuenuo, I must warn you: although my father agreed to lend troops, that doesn't mean I can easily sacrifice our warriors for your Great Wall in exchange for gold dragons; you should know those things mean little to us—we help out of duty and honor. Of course, there's also trust in Winterfell, if you can still represent it!" Laira turned her horse's head, placing him sideways beside the road.

Qiongen saw all the Norui warriors fall silent, staring at him wordlessly, like a mongoose clad only in pelts.

"What is this?" "Miss?" he wondered.

"Between Black Castle and Norton's territory there are many other clans, big and small; why did you come here? Although I've had no contact with the Night's Watch, I also know they wear all black." Her gaze was icy, like an arrow.

Qiongen thought this was no longer an issue.

"How could you know the wildlings number a hundred thousand?" she continued pressing.

"I will tell you. But you must trust me." This is a long story.

"What do you think we're doing now? If we don't trust you, will we muster warriors?" She looked furious, "I know you are Eddard Stark's bastard—before, now, and always! Looking at you now, you're just as you were as a child, still strange and awkward."

"What?" he doubted his ears, but quickly realized her meaning.

"I haven't been troubled by my bastard status…" he paused, "Did we see each other as children?"

"Yes, if the chance arises I'll also tell you." She turned her horse's head and continued on the road; he stood there dumbfounded.

Mance Rayder had seen him as a child, she had also seen him…… What is this, a world of acquaintances? He spurred his horse to catch up.

"Tell me what you were thinking before," Laira said without turning back, but Qiongen knew she was speaking to him, "then I'll tell you how I came to know you, if you want to know."

Qiongen laughed. "Your father said we're about the same age." Don't act like an elder.

"At least, when someone hides in a dark corner, secretly crying behind others' backs, I've grown enough to know not to disturb."

She had her back to Qiongen; Qiongen couldn't see her expression.

Qiongen shook his head helplessly; if it were before, he might have already blushed, but now he can only give a bitter smile.

I'm thinking about your question," Jon said to her, his tone already serious enough that she wouldn't think he was brushing her off.

Characters: Qiongen. Also "she" refers to Layla. So include Qiongen, Layla.

"What question?"

"How many men can defeat Mansrede's army?" Jon said.

Names: Mansrede (likely a person, enemy commander). Also Qiongen.

After a moment of silence, he continued: "If we can deal with the skinchanger among the wildlings who controls the eagle, I think we would need... eight hundred elite cavalry. I think."

Names: the wildlings (a group/faction, possibly a people). Also elite cavalry is a term but not a name. The group "wildlings" is a faction. Also maybe "skin-changer" is a technique/class, not a name.

She halted. "I don't have eight hundred elite cavalry; the Norros' hundred elite cavalry have already fallen in the south, leaving only a hundred mounted warriors, as you see."

Names: Norros (likely a house/family name, possibly a region or faction). Also "south" is a direction, not a name. Also "mounted warriors" is not a name.

More than a hundred Norros soldiers rode on horseback; he watched them closely—some had graying hair, looking as old as a scruffy beard, others were young, perhaps just a few years ago they had been small boys like Huode. They were cavalry, decent, but nowhere near elite.

Names: Huode (possibly a person, perhaps a boy's name). Also Norros again.

He was filled with guilt. Maybe I'm leading them to their deaths!

No names.

"No," he said, his head pounding again, but he ignored it; enduring the pain surely made his expression grim, but there was nothing he could do. He lowered his voice and patiently explained, "Since the Norros earl has answered my call, I think that if I try to convince the other mountain clan leaders—though I don't have many Valyrian steel swords, but as long as I am Eddard Stark's son—I know they will follow me against the wildlings."

Names: Norros Earl (title), Valyrian steel sword (item), Eddard Stark (person), mountain clans (people/faction), wildlings.

"What are you still waiting for?" Layla showed some impatience, almost mocking, making Jon feel she believed he was a coward at heart.

Names: Layla, Qiongen.

"What if I'm wrong?" Jon felt himself growing angry. "What if eight hundred cavalry, a thousand, fifteen hundred, even two thousand cavalry cannot defeat the wildlings? They would all die outside the Wall, every last one. They would chop off their heads and turn them into drinking cups."

Names: the Wall, wildlings.

"Someone has to fight them, right?" Layla said in an icy voice, as cold as frost. "Besides, you promised Winterfell would send troops to attack the wildlings."

Names: Layla, Winterfell, wildlings.

"I didn't promise anything! I said, if they don't come, the Valyrian steel sword in my hand will belong to the Norros earl."

Names: Valyrian steel sword, Norros earl.

"What do you mean? Who the hell would want your damn sword!" Layla's face flushed crimson; Jon had never seen a woman so furious.

Names: Layla, Qiongen.

Jon felt his head pounding harder, his blood vessels throbbing like someone hammering his brain from within.

Names: Qiongen.

"Winterfell won't send troops! You also saw the raven's reply. Mei Yi has already headed south! Winterfell lacks the strength to relieve the Wall; only Norros, only you, only me, only they can do it!" He gestured to the Norros youths and elders watching him.

Names: Winterfell, raven (not a name), Mei Yi (person), the Wall, Norros, you (Qiongen), me (Layla), others, Norros youths and elders.

Jon sighed to himself. What am I doing? If they decide to turn back, who will come to the aid of the Black Castle?

Names: Qiongen, Black Castle.

"Jon Snow, you really ought to die," she said coldly.

Names: Jon Snow, Layla.

You've already said that. Jon just felt cold.

Names: Qiongen.

Another silence fell.

(no names)

"You say you can persuade the other mountain clan folk—how sure are you?" she asked eagerly.

Names: mountain clan people, Layla.

"No." "I can try. But I already said, what if I'm wrong?" Jon shouted.

Names: Qiongen.

"What do you think we and they are doing? We're defending the North, defending the realm! According to you, if we had enough soldiers we could utterly crush the wildling army and eliminate the North's security threat." She grew angrier, nearly shouting, then she snarled, "If you're wrong, I'll kill you before Mansrede twists your head off." Then she wheeled her horse and yelled, "Houding!"

Names: the North, the realm, the wildling army, Mansrede, Houding; also we, they, her (Layla), him (Qiongen).

A rider pushed forward on horseback. His hair was graying, his face wrinkled, his complexion flushed from drink, weathered by wind and frost; a few stray hairs drifted over his brow, giving him an expression of neither sorrow nor joy.

(no specific names)

This is what a true Northerner is like.

Names: Northerners (a people).

"You will lead this cavalry; if the Black Castle falls before I return, you are not to come back!" she commanded.

Names: Black Castle, Layla.

The old man said nothing, spurred his horse ahead, leaving the crowd behind, and rode forward; the clan knights behind him rode past the two of them in silence, disappearing around the trail's bend, leaving only the echo of warhorses galloping in the valley.

Names: clan knights (a group); the two men refer to Qiongen and Layla.

Another silence fell between them.

(no names)

"Now it's up to you," Layla said. "To the east is Feilinte, to the west is Woer, a little south are Hakelai and Bolieli, further south are Ridel and Nuote; I don't know the exact locations, but they're all hidden on various hilltops."

Names: Feilinte, Woer, Hakelai, Bolieli, Ridel, Nuote; also Layla.

"Which family do you know best? The first one is crucial."

(no names)

"Of course it's Norros, you idiot," Jon thought she was laughing; after a pause she replied, "The second most familiar is Feilinte; my mother is from the Feilinte family."

Names: Norros; 'idiot' is not a name; Feilinte; 'my mother' is not a name.

The original Feilinte is good; we'll head there.

Names: Feilinte.

So they turned around and took a different side path.

(no names)

After they passed the narrow path and the thicket, Layla asked, "Is that eagle important?"

Names: Layla.

"If we could bring down that eagle, your chances of killing me would be much lower." Jon laughed, though his head ached; he thought it best to stay calm: "Victory depends on cavalry charges, but if they spot us in advance, the shock effect would be greatly reduced. Do you have a solution?"

Names: Qiongen.

"No. I'm not a skinchanger either." Layla turned to him and glanced, "The wildlings can make moves, but we will certainly counter them; there will surely be a way."

Names: Layla; skin-changer (a class/technique); wildlings; we.

"Walamier is the most powerful skinchanger among the wildlings; no one should be able to take his eagle." Except his sister.

Names: Walamier; skinchanger; eagle; 'sister' is not a name.

"So what? He wears the eagle's skin as a skinchanger—would that make the eagle's claws stronger?" Layla asked.

Names: Layla.

"Of course not." "It would make the eagle smarter and more enduring." He guessed.

(no names)

"Since it's still an eagle, we should deal with it using anti-eagle tactics."

(no names)

"Besides the eagle, the wildlings also send scouts, but rarely." He said.

Names: eagle, wildlings.

"Heh, Jon Snow, you know the wildlings pretty well!" Layla teased him, "You'd better tell your story clearly; if it's long, keep it short."

Names: Jon Snow, Layla, wildlings.

Jon complied, recounting his journey north of the Wall, the killing of the one-handed Colin, and the wildlings crossing the Wall, then he asked her about Winterfell's history.

Names: Jon Snow; north of the Wall; Colin the One-Handed (a person); wildlings; the Wall; Layla; Winterfell.

"I thought you'd last longer." Layla curled the corner of her mouth and continued, "When I was about eight, I went with my father to Winterfell's harvest feast. It was the summer after the first winter; we normally wouldn't have qualified, but that year your father, Lord Eddard,

Names: Layla, father (not a name), Winterfell, your father Lord Eddard (Eddard Stark), forest clan people, Rickard, Brandon. Also 'I' refers to Layla.

They?

(no names)

They're all dead. The forest is harsher than you imagine. Remembering the dead didn't make her look sad. They were also participating in Winterfell's harvest feast for the first time.

Names: Forest (maybe a place, but not a name). 'They' refers to the brothers.

The harvest feast, I remember. That year's harvest feast had many mountain clan people coming, almost filling Winterfell. Their gifts were truly abundant.

Names: Mountain clans, Winterfell.

Most are the same. But my father's gift included seven beautiful pheasants; I dare say they are the most beautiful animals in the world. I begged him not to take them away, but he refused, and by the time we reached Winterfell only two were still alive. I walked all the way from the mountains to Winterfell, crying the whole way. There was also a pure white shadow cat pelt; I have only ever seen one like it to this day. My mother asked to keep the pelt so she could make me a long cloak, but he refused, saying he wanted to give the gift to someone worthy of it. There's a rumor that this white shadow cat pelt was later given to King Robert, though I'm not sure. But I know that to hunt that white shadow cat, one of my uncles lost his life—either trampled by a startled horse or falling off a cliff; I don't remember. And there were many other gifts.

Names: father (not a name), Winterfell, the mountains, shadow cat, King Robert. Also 'my mother' is not a name.

I don't have much impression of the cat pelt. But I remember those pheasants! We kept them in the sacred woods, but later they disappeared—I guess they died of disease. Jon tried to respond to her.

Names: cat pelt (not a name), pheasant (not a name), sacred woods (maybe a place), Jon, she (Layla).

The gift your father returned pleased my father greatly. He gave each person that Nore brought a steel sword and a set of leather armor. For that white shadow cat pelt, he paid a gold dragon per person according to how many people he brought to Winterfell.

Names: father (not a name), Nore, white shadow cat pelt (not a name), gold dragon (maybe a coin, not a name).

Jon was so astonished he could hardly speak. He looked at Layla, who clearly wasn't lying.

Names: Jon, Layla.

Hehe, I'll get to you soon. After a silence she continued her story: "We stayed in Winterfell for ten days. My father and the clan chiefs went hunting with Lord Eddard and the other lords in the Stark forest; as soon as they went out, it was for several days." Layla laughed, "I couldn't stand sitting with the girls of Winterfell doing needlework under grandmother's supervision, so I kept sneaking out. The thing I remember most is climbing the ruined tower, standing at the highest point to look over all of Winterfell. Before that, I had never lived in such a large castle." She gently patted her horse and continued, "At first I didn't know Lord Eddard had a bastard son. All we knew was that one of Eddard's bastard daughters was formidable. You see, my brothers spent all day with other kids their age, including Eddard's foster son; they were either sparring with wooden swords in the yard or practicing archery, but no matter if it was archery or melee, they were no match for your sister—keep in mind she was only seven then, while my brothers were already in their teens."

Names: she (Layla), Winterfell, father (not a name), clan chieftains (maybe a title), Lord Eddard (Eddard Stark), other lords (not specific names), Stark's forest (maybe a place), young ladies (not a name), grandma (not a name), ruined tower (maybe a place), illegitimate son (not a name), illegitimate daughter (not a name), adopted son (not a name), sister (not a name).

Jon laughed.

Names: Jon.

While in Winterfell, time flew by. I remember one afternoon before we left, I wanted to see the whole of Winterfell again, so I ran to the ruined tower, intending to climb to the top to overlook the fields and castle. Our area had many mountains and trees, but little grassland, and no castle. It was then that I saw a brown-haired child silently weeping in the ruined tower. My father might not have known that Eddard had a bastard son, but I spent a lot of time with the women of the North, so I knew that the boy secretly hiding his tears was you.

Names: Winterfell, ruined tower, the North, women (not a name), brown-haired child (not a name), illegitimate son (not a name), Eddard (part of the name, but we already have Lord Eddard).

Jon smiled calmly; that place was indeed one of his small outposts.

Names: Jon.

I didn't want to disturb you, so I just waited nearby until you finished crying and left. But you cried for too long, and I grew impatient; when I decided to give up, you wiped your eyes and went away. Afterwards I climbed to the top of the tower, but I lost my initial enthusiasm. A child crying is normally nothing special, but that day, when I reached the top, all I could think was that even the beloved Lord Eddard Stark paled in comparison to my father.

Names: you (Layla referring to Jon), Lord Eddard Stark, father (not a name).

You're saying all this just to mock me? he said somewhat bitterly.

Names: he (Jon).

Whatever you think. We mountain folk venture deep into the forests; parents and brothers can die outside at any moment. A morning farewell might be the last time you see a loved one. Often we never find the bodies. I've seen too many children, women, and soldiers silently wiping away tears. She glanced at him with a half‑smile, "Jon Snow, I have no objection to tears, but I dislike people crying for too long—up here in the North the cold freezes the tears on your face, and it's not pretty."

Names: we mountain people (maybe a group), the North, Jon Snow, she (Layla), he (Jon).

Well, I guess I have to apologize—I didn't mean to bother you while you were climbing the tower. Jon laughed.

Names: you (Layla), Jon.

I had wanted to find out why you were crying, but I couldn't do so without revealing your secret. Besides, that was already the day before we left Winterfell.

Names: you (Layla), we, Winterfell.

Qiongen himself couldn't even remember the reason, and he didn't want to recall it; compared to the vast majority of northern border people, he had already gotten far too well off—even if he cried, it wouldn't be his turn. If he thought that receiving a noble education entitled him to enjoy noble privileges, that would be too shameless.

"Thank you for keeping my secret." Qiongen said, he could not imagine how embarrassing it would be if his secret crying were known to everyone; as a child, he had always been sensitive and fragile.

"You know, when I heard you had arrived at the family fortress, I immediately begged my father to let me sit in, just to see that old friend from my childhood."

"How is it, any changes?"

"The fever seems to have made you lose a bit of weight, but you're still the same. When I first saw you, I thought Winter City had mistreated you." She laughed, "Winter City doesn't mistreat bastards, does it? I heard your sister ran away from home at twelve."

Qiongen smiled without speaking, after a moment of silence he then said: "Among the mountain clans, Flint and Wolfe are the strongest; I plan to visit these two first. If they love my father, they will also love the North. If I can persuade these two, everything else will go much more smoothly."

Another silence fell.

Qiongen could only hear the clop-clop of the long-haired horse's hooves on the blue stone and the birdsong of the mountain stream; it was hard to imagine this was the North. The birdsong no longer annoyed him, but was pleasant; after a while, he felt his headache ease somewhat.

He gazed along the mountain stream, endless blue pines, green cypresses, iron trees, and birches towered, the dense forest seemed boundless, filling his view; occasional jagged rocks jutted out, having endured ancient endless ice, snow, rain, and erosion, while the strange symbols carved densely by ancient beings upon them remained clearly visible. At that moment, he felt as if he were sharing his sight with the myriad beings of ages past, watching them look at the rocks just as he did, then silently pass, gradually vanishing into the distance under their gaze.

"What would it be like if true winter came here?" Qiongen muttered to himself, filled with awe at everything before him.

"You haven't really experienced a memorable winter, nor have I. But since summer is already this hard, winter is even harder to imagine." She replied solemnly, "Torghen Flint is the chief of the Flint clan; he's old enough to have endured harsh winters and knows what matters most. You'd better rally your spirits and give it your all, if you still want to protect this land."

"Use all your strength to lure their cavalry out?"

"Whether it's eight hundred cavalry, a thousand, or more, you must bring them out to defeat Mance Rayder—by trickery, persuasion, purchase, whatever it takes. Since Eddard Stark only gave the Wall faction a single son, we must make full use of him."

From deep within the forest came the cries of apes and birds, both mournful and sorrowful. "My honor can only be found in endless snow." He recalled his words to his sister; now his sister had ventured deep into the south, settling scores of national shame and family grudges, while he, alone, entered the forest, penetrated the mountains, to uphold her peace in the north and safeguard the kingdom's integrity. For a moment, he felt boundless emotion: fate had pushed them apart, yet an unseen force had brought them closer than ever.

"I will, I promise to do everything I can. In the name of Eddard Stark." He heard himself reply.