CHAPTER 6
279 ac
For a week, I would wake up as early as possible. It is tough to wake up early when there is no alarm clock. There is a clock tower, but it does not have a watch; it has a bell. It is only used to inform the commoners with bell rings. The time is kept by sundials in the morning and with marked candles at night. It would have been really cool if I were an engineer and knew how to make a clock. I know it is powered by springs and gears, but I don't know the dimensions and how to configure them. Anyway, I start working on my mana for 6 hours until the afternoon. I would spend all of it doing different things with it. Like I would try using other elements. I'm able to use water, fire, and wind. All of them are magnificent. When I use water magic, I can make a bead of water, and the wind is the most powerful. I can create a gust of wind. I can make stronger gust than the spell by blowing with my mouth. It is unfortunate how weak my magic is even affter all that magic training.
I would have lunch and then usually play with Robb. We usually play tag or wrestle. It is a bit annoying, but it is good for my future. Being the childhood friend of the future lord is a good thing. Afterward, I would rest or meditate like The Rob said and replenish my mana. By the time of dinner, I would have full mana. Then I would use all of it again, trying to make a familiar bond with a bird I bought. I still don't have enough mana for a bound, but I can feel the advancement. It is minor, but it is there.
When I thought about what spell to cast, I heard someone shouting and bang the door "Aermir, are you there?"
I opened the door and saw a stablehand boy standing there. I don't remember his name. "The Lord is looking for you." I got up in a hurry and ran to the yard. When I was outside, I saw Lord Stark, Robb, and his other son, Jon. I don't like calling him a bastard son or a baseborn son.
"My Lord, I'm here," I said.
"Ah, little Aermir, come with me. All of you, wait here. " I followed him, and we went to one of the tables near the training ground. He sits down and tells me to sit too.
"So, you know I owe your father my life, right?"
"Yes, My Lord, I heard it from other people; that is why I don't have to work, and I can play with Ro... Little Lord."
"You are a smart child; you know you shouldn't call him Robb when there are other people around. Do you know why I called you here?"
"No, my lord, I do not."
"Since you know you shouldn't call Robb by his name when people are around. Can I take it as you know what a highborn and commoner is ?"
"Yes, my lord; you are highborn, and I'm a commoner."
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"Yes, as a commoner, you need to work, but thanks to your father, I'm allowing you to grow with more means. I wonder if I'm doing good or bad with this, and I want you to have a profession as you grow up. Do you have anything you would like to be or anything you like doing?"
This is an excellent opportunity. I could try his limit since he saw me as a child and wouldn't find it offensive if I asked something I shouldn't. As I understand, it is tough for a commoner to become a knight. My father was a noble's bastard. Still, it took him many years to become a squire. He first became a soldier in Winterfell, then he was made a squire when he was 22 years old to reward his bravery and valor in a battle. Before he died, he had just become a knight. I started acting shy and said:
"Can I become a knight?"
He was a bit surprised by my question. He started looking into my eyes for a while.
"Why do you want to be a knight?"
"I want to be like my father."
"Becoming a knight as a commoner is a hard thing. Even if you become one, the noble knights will look down on you. Do you know what that means?"
I nodded and said, "They wouldn't like me."
"Yes, something like that. You might not be able to become one, and do you have what it takes?"
I got up from my chair, held my head high, and banged my chest, saying, "I can do it."
"HAHAHA, good… good, a man should have some gut. Okay, I will let you train in the sword, and everything else is up to you."
"Rodrik"
"Yes, my lord."
"From now on, you will train Robb, Jon, and Aermir in sword and war."
"Yes, my lord."
I bowed and said, " Thank you, my lord; I will not disappoint you."
"Hope not" he got up and left. I turned around and bowed down to Rodrik Cassel and said:
"Thank you for your guidance, master Cassel." He is a man around 40 years old and has a little bit of belly, but he is a tall and muscular man, and he is the master-at-arms of Winterfell.
"HAHA, we shall see if you will thank or beg. All three of you going to be here every afternoon, and we will be starting morrow" then he went after Lord Stark.
"Cool, so we are going to start learning the sword." Said Robb and started swinging a branch he found on the ground.
I looked at Jon; he was happy but wasn't trying to show it. He was a bit of an introvert. He doesn't talk much, and he usually doesn't want to play with Robb because whenever Lady Catelyn sees us playing, she would always calls Jon and give him an arduous chore. With time, little Jon started to get that he only gets chores when he plays with us and starts to distance himself a bit. Occasionally He still plays with us, but he would stop and run the second he sees Lady Catelyn.