Geralt followed House Bolton cavalry north in haste. When they arrived at Castle Black, they found that it was no longer the peaceful place it once was.
Outside the castle, a large column of white steam rose into the clouds.
Odahviing was lying in a pit, resting. The steam was emanating from this spot, likely from the massive dragon fire it had breathed not long ago. There was also a smaller black dragon, which kept trying to crawl into the hot pit to rest but was pushed out every time by its enormous wings.
Various banners from the northern nobles were hanging from the castle, and the training ground was filled with the sounds of hammering as people worked to prepare. Crates of supplies were being lifted from underground warehouses and sent up to the top of the massive Wall by winches.
"Careful! Watch where you're going!" a black-clad Night's Watch member yelled at a northern knight carrying a box. The knight, irritated by the scolding, reached for his sword, but his companion quickly stopped him. "These boxes are full of clay jars of wildfire! If they fall, they'll explode! We'll all be dead!"
Tension was high as everyone seemed on edge and quick to anger, no longer displaying the usual politeness. Any minor incident could lead to a fight.
"War is coming!" said Lord Roose Bolton, who was familiar with such an atmosphere. He explained to Geralt.
A large group of knights carrying the flayed man banners entered the training grounds, and several Night's Watch officers quickly came to greet them. "Lord Bolton, Lord Eddard, Commander Benjen, and the other nobles are waiting for you in the conference room."
"Understood." Bolton's tone was cold, offering no warmth even to Geralt, his face impassive as he led the way.
Geralt dismounted and handed the reins to the Night's Watch officer. "Odahviing is outside. Isn't Lord Wright in the conference room?"
The officer pointed to a nearby tower. "Lord Wright and the Three-Eyed Raven are speaking privately at the top of the King's Tower."
Boom!
As they looked up, there was a loud crash. A hole was blown through the wall of the King's Tower, sending debris and a door flying out.
"Get down!" The training ground erupted into chaos.
Once the debris settled, the people approached the site. It turned out the door was the reinforced steel door of the commander's study, and there was a foot imprint in the dented metal.
Geralt bent down and placed his hand on the imprint. "The pattern on the imprint is from hard-soled shoes made in Tyrosh, and the size matches Lord Wright's. It's not an enemy attack!"
"It seems the conversation between those two important figures is over," Roose Bolton said, before leading his men to the conference room.
Wright and the Three-Eyed Raven seemed to be in a heated discussion. Geralt knew that now wasn't the time to approach Wright. The new Three-Eyed Raven, Bran, would undoubtedly reveal all secrets in front of him. Lord Bolton had too many secrets he wanted to keep hidden.
The warm conference room was crowded with northern nobles. The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Benjen, was speaking when Bolton entered. He gestured to an empty seat for Bolton, and after a quick wave to familiar faces, Bolton and his son sat down.
At Benjen's side were Lord Eddard and a young black-haired boy, who appeared to be no more than ten. Bolton recognized him as Wright's second son, Sauron, the heir to Tyrosh.
The meeting was a military one, discussing how to resist the army of the Others in ten days at the Wall. On the table in front of Sauron were stacks of paper and an ink bottle. He was acting as a temporary scribe, writing down everything said in a small notebook to later present it to Wright.
Without an army, Geralt wasn't invited to the meeting. He was led by a Night's Watch officer to the underground quarters where the skinchangers were resting.
Dozens of Children of the Forest had been settled in nearby quarters, but the skinchangers were in worse condition. When they left Castle Black to head north, they had been full of excitement. Now, their quarters were filled with sorrow, and some were crying over the loss of loved ones.
Looking at the desolate skinchangers, Geralt felt "coming back" was an understatement. Of the hundreds that had left, fewer than sixty had returned. "Escape" was a more fitting word.
"Geralt! I'm so glad to see you!" A graceful woman suddenly rushed over and hugged him.
Crushed in her embrace, Geralt recognized the scent and whispered, "Wendy? You're alive?"
Wendy clung to him, not letting go. "My servants are all dead. My familiar is gone. I'm the only one left."
Wendy didn't cry, but Geralt knew she needed comfort. After a moment, he spoke. "We only had a deal between us."
"Yes, just a deal," Wendy said, loosening her grip. She hurriedly wiped the tears that threatened to fall. The disparity between their social positions made any future between them impossible. Being able to buy Geralt's seed without facing consequences was enough for her.
"Lord Wright!" A Night's Watchman suddenly bowed at the door. Wright and Wendy turned their heads, and they saw Wright quickly walking through the door, carrying two black, skeletal-looking arms.
"Those aren't wights or vampires. What are those arms?" Geralt's detection magic didn't react at all.
Wendy whispered, "It's Sansa! She lost her arms in a battle while saving us. Lord Wright is trying to find a solution."
"What?" Geralt was shocked and quickly left Wendy to chase after Wright.
Wright entered a shared officer's bedroom, where only Sansa and Meredyth were present. After closing the door, Wright used magic to cover it with a layer of thick ice, sealing it shut.
"Is this new arm made specifically for me?" Sansa's tone didn't betray any happiness.
Sansa sat on the edge of the bed, her luxurious yet thin red mage's robe accentuating her tall and graceful figure, but both sleeves hung empty by her sides. Her face was devoid of its usual sparkle, replaced with a look of complete exhaustion.
"Master Wright, can't you make it look nicer? It looks like two skeletons!" During this time, Meredyth had been staying with Sansa, constantly telling jokes to lift her spirits and always supporting her in everything.
Wright placed the items on the bed. "These arms are made from pure Valyrian steel and are powered by pure magic. To conserve magic, I had to make them a bit lighter and less elaborate. If you don't like the design, come to me later, and I'll make adjustments."
The shape of the arms was indeed similar to human arm bones: the upper arms had a single bone, the forearms two, and the palms and fingers were also human-like. The joints were simply connected with basic latches, and there were no mechanical parts on the arms.
"What is this? A vest?" Meredyth asked, holding up a vest-like piece of clothing. But it wasn't made of fabric; it had small black straps the size of a little finger and two metal plates.
Seeing Meredyth' semi-amused expression, Wright took the vest from her, quickly unfolding it the proper way.
"These straps are wrapped in a layer of cotton fabric, and inside they are lined with small white spider silk. It's worn close to the skin to enhance Sansa's magic control." Wright flipped one of the metal plates over, revealing a small nail. "These two metal plates are also made from Valyrian steel and need to be placed against the base of the severed arms. This nail needs to be inserted into the shoulder so that the subtle changes in the arms will transmit through your body, replacing the sensation of your real arms."
Sansa lowered her head. "Valyrian steel is very expensive, right? I can't afford it."
"You're still thinking of prices from ten years ago! The money you've saved up could have bought this by now!" Meredyth put the small vest with black straps over Sansa's clothes and adjusted a few buckles, finding it to be a perfect fit.
"I'll go back and talk to Renly about it. We'll see if the cost can be reimbursed from the treasury." Sansa was Renly's first apprentice, and Renly and Margaery always treated Sansa and Meredyth well. Wright thought Renly wouldn't mind this small expense.
"Sacrificing for the country! Sansa, I'm proud of you!" Meredyth put the two arms next to Sansa and gave her a tight hug.
"Sansa, your arms were severed from the upper arm, and you suffered magic and severe frostbite. If you want to use these new arms, I'll need to remove what's left of your arms and only leave the shoulder. Think carefully and let me know." Women care about their appearance, and Wright was worried Sansa might not want the new arms.
As Sansa was pondering, someone knocked on the door.
"It's Geralt." Having undergone the trial of the grass, his bloodline was special, so Wright sensed him from far away.
"Come in." Sansa called out loudly.
Wright allowed Geralt into the room. "Don't speak yet."
Geralt nodded, standing to the side, his face full of concern as he looked at Sansa.
After a moment of thought, Sansa made up her mind. "I've decided. Install the arms now."
"To remove the remaining arms along the joint bones. Meredyth, can you do it?" This wasn't just a matter of cutting; it required precision, and Sansa would have to take off the only clothes she had. Wright couldn't do it alone.
Sansa stood up. "Tyroshi women walk around in nothing but a thin veil. What haven't I seen before? Meredyth, take off my clothes. Master Wright, go ahead."
"That's because it's too hot. Sansa, you're still an unmarried woman. You can turn around." After saying this, Wright summoned two purple translucent axes, ready to proceed.
Meredyth unbuckled Sansa's clothes and slid them down to her waist, revealing Sansa's pale back.
Seeing the scars on her back and the two sections of her severed arms, Geralt clenched his fists.
"Lift your arms." Wright spoke from behind her, and as soon as she raised her arms, two purple beams flashed, and the short, severed arms fell to the ground.
Golden healing magic quickly enveloped Sansa. The healing spell only closed the wounds, without providing any pain relief. Sansa bit her teeth and didn't scream, but her rapid breathing and sweat all over her body showed how much pain she was in.
The two wounds on her shoulders quickly began to heal. Wright picked up the black strap vest and put it on Sansa. Meredyth adjusted the front, while Wright focused on the back and the metal pieces on her shoulders. "You'll feel more pain for a moment, hang in there."
Snap! The two metal pins were inserted into Sansa's body, and the metal discs tightly adhered to her shoulders.
Geralt, watching from behind, saw that Sansa's original arms were gone, leaving only the two black metal discs.
Meredyth took care of the rest of the vest adjustment, and soon Sansa's clothes were in place.
The healing magic had fully healed Sansa's wounds, and her breathing returned to normal. Her pale skin, combined with sweat, made the black straps of the vest contour her body's lines.
Meredyth lightly tapped Sansa's red spot.
"Stop touching!" Sansa instinctively bent her body and tried to push Meredyth' hand away, but she then remembered she had no arms and awkwardly lowered her head.
"It moved!" Meredyth pointed to the metal arm resting on the bed. Knowing Sansa's character, Meredyth could tell she wanted to push her away. The left arm on the bed moved, bending and extending as Sansa intended.
Sansa, feeling the metal pins on her shoulder, realized the arm was responding to her thoughts. She turned around excitedly to look at the metal arm on the bed. She tried to recall the sensation from earlier and began to channel her magic to control it.
The two arms, resembling human bones, slowly flew to her sides and returned to the correct position. While the sensation was not as real as her original arms, the feeling of regaining something she thought was lost thrilled Sansa, and she began making various movements with her new arms.
However, she forgot she was still wearing the alluring black straps on her upper body, and her red spots swayed in front of Wright and Geralt.
To Wright, this was no big deal—his mind was focused on how to improve the arms, as this could be a lucrative post-war venture. But to Geralt, his face turned red.
Perhaps because Sansa and Meredyth had grown up alongside him, they didn't pay much attention to Geralt standing nearby. It wasn't until Sansa felt a bit of a chill that she used her new metal arms to put on her skirt.
Geralt's feelings for both Sansa and Meredyth were complex. He had originally thought age wouldn't be an issue and that marrying one of them would be his lifelong pursuit. However, after discovering that Sansa was his aunt, he shifted his attention to Meredyth. But Meredyth didn't feel the same, and after many women, guided by Oberyn, Geralt let go of those thoughts.
Now, seeing Sansa nearly die and witnessing her loss of arms, Geralt made a decision in his heart.
Geralt drew the Sea Wraith from his back, walked in front of Sansa, knelt on one knee, and held the sword up in front of her with both hands. "Sansa Stark, I, Geralt Sand of Tyrosh, vow to be your sworn knight for life! I will always protect your safety!"
Sansa looked at Wright in confusion, and Wright nodded seriously.
Wright could see that Geralt's words were sincere, coming from the heart. First, he had sworn his vow, and then, marrying Sansa. Wright didn't care about the family matters. Bran, the Three-Eyed Raven, had already played him; his brother's son was pursuing his own sister, so Wright figured he'd return the favor.
Having a sworn knight was not a big deal; every lord had plenty of them. After thinking for a moment, Sansa took the Sea Wraith.
"In the name of the Mother, I ask you to protect the weak and the innocent. In the name of the Maiden, I ask you to protect all women. In my name, I ask you to keep your oath." Sansa touched the sword's tip to Geralt's shoulders, then held it with both hands and returned it to him.
Just as Geralt was about to rise, Sansa spoke again, "My brother Robb's left hand was also severed. What do you think about it?"
"What? Robb's hand—I'm the one who should cut it off!" Geralt grabbed the Sea Wraith and rushed toward the door.