Chapter Ten: Questions of Old Blood

It had been a week since the failed coup in King's Landing, and Duncan had much on his mind since then. He came of age during that time, becoming ten and six, and he didn't really feel all that different from how he felt like while he was ten and five. He had also participated in his first real prisoner negotiations, which he had mixed feelings about. Was it dishonorable to be taken prisoner? Was it dishonorable to ask for a ransom for a prisoner? Hof had assured him that unless they were selling a man into slavery or killing the man after receiving the ransom, taking prisoners and holding them ransom was not dishonorable. The Westford still had reservations about it, but he could not argue with the justification Hof made.

Speaking of Hof, Duncan wondered about the man. He was a Westerlander if his appearance and mannerisms were to be correct. Duncan wondered if he knew more information about the sigils the Westford boy carried. He knew that his Uncle, and by extension himself, were Westfords. Their sigil was a black dog's head on a field of blue. He knew that their Words were "Death Over Dishonor", a phrase that Duncan tried very hard to live by. He knew that his shield's sigil was his Uncle Mors' old friend's sigil. It was a broken sword on a field of red. He didn't know the words nor what family it came from. All Duncan knew that it was once a possession of his Uncle's old friend.

But when the Northman, who they found out to be named Onef Ironsmith, revealed that the sigils Duncan carried were not only from the Westerland but noble Houses under the direct command of Tywin; he wondered once more about his Uncle's secretive past. The shield's sigil he now knew was from the House Sarwyck. That was all he knew really thanks to the exchange he had with the Northman a while back. Then there was the Westford House. Apparently, by all official accounts which Duncan asked for by Hof, the House died shortly after Robert's Rebellion due to the House either being dead or having joined a group known as the "Night's Watch." Apparently they were warriors in the far North on this structure made entirely out of ice called "The Wall", and it was filled with the dregs of society. Duncan didn't know much about that group but he had a feeling that they were connected to the Black Men that attacked him and Uncle Mors during his childhood. Did his Uncle do something to anger the Night's Watch, or was it something else? Had he been a part of the Watch? If so, why did he leave?

And then there was the situation with Onef Ironsmith. Onef was a son of the Ironsmith House, a minor noble family that lived in the North. When he had been taken prisoner a week ago, he had not made it easy for the sellswords in many ways. He often spat at them, insulted them and their families, swore violence against anyone related to the Lannisters in any way, tried to run away, tried to harm the people guarding him, and many other things that have made most of the sellswords think that maybe it was a mistake to take this Northman prisoner. Seven Hells, he had made some of his guards beat him, swear off guarding him, or both after just one guard shift around him! Even Jaddon, the normally reserved and quiet one, was just about to ram a dagger through the man's head had it not been for Daris and Stoin holding the hedge knight back. As such, he was cornered off in a lone tent away from the main camp; tied around a wooden stake planted in the ground. Even Duncan had been asked to guard the prisoner, though he had been far too busy with Hof and the Council.

That was changing today as it was Duncan's turn to guard Onef for the next few hours. He had best relieve Dyra, apparently the one currently guarding him according to Selsa, before she makes the Northman a eunuch!

"Dyra. You can go now." Duncan said out loud as he entered the tent, equipped with only his Valyrian Steel sword for this turn of guard duty. He noticed the young woman scowling, playing around with her short blade as the battered Northman glared at her; one eye half shut from a black eye he had received yesterday. Great… What in the Seven did Onef say to Dyra today? Duncan needed to placate the woman before she left, so he said "I'll spar with you after I'm done and once lunch is made. How does that sound?"

"Good for me, I reckon…" The Riverlander growled out, sheathing her blade as she made her way out of the tent. As she passed the Westford boy, he swore he heard her mutter "...I'll cut his cock off, I swear…" Looks like it was going to be a more bruised filled sparring session this time around, whether it was for Duncan, Dyra, or both; that was to be seen.

"And so the leader of this merry band of murderers, thieves, and rapists has decided to come and keep me company! How humbling of such an occasion it is for me…" Onef growled out at Duncan, the sarcasm in his voice thick and so thinly veiled that even Duncan knew what it was.

"Look… Hof is trying to-" Duncan started to explain that his friend was trying to find a way to contact Onef's family to ask for ransom, something like a few dozen Gold Dragons, when the Northman snarled like a rabid wolf.

"You mean that Lannister scum with his piss colored hair and that pig-faced look! May the Old and New Gods spit on him and his bloodline!"

"Hof isn't a Lannister. He is just from the Westerlands. Anyways, he is-"

"I know shit when I see it just like I know a Lannister, and he is Lannister shit. I bet he is scheming behind everyone's back to have the Mountain come here to mount my head on a spike just so he could fuck that whore of a Queen!" Duncan was a bit stunned at the blatant hatred against the Queen-Mother. How loyal were these Northmen to that Stark fellow?

"What makes you so sure he is a Lannister? Many Westerlanders have blonde hair and a similar face. He could be from Riverspring rather than Casterly Rock." Duncan pointed out, only earning a scoff from the Northman.

"There is no way a Lannister from the Rock would be associating with commoners like this, unless he was like that Imp! He must be from their other disgusting pile of filth in Lannisport. Yes… They always have spares in that damn hive that they shat out. He's a Lannister from Lannisport!" Onef sounded so sure, so dedicated to what he was saying that Duncan had a small part in the back of his mind wanted to believe him. But, Duncan needed evidence and Hof's own words for such an accusation to be truthful. "Then again, you won't even question it seeing how you're twice as loyal to them with those two Houses you carry about!"

"What is so important about the sigils I own? What is their history with the Lannisters and what do you know of them?"

"Ha! To think that fool so blind to his loyalty would not even know of the people he fights for and the colors he parades! Why on earth should I tell a Lannister cock-sucker what I know?"

"Because I can give you freedom to go and do what you wish to do."

"And if I wish to slit your throat and make a cup out of your fucking skull?!"

"You could go and do so, but not without a fight."

"Swear upon the Old Gods and New that you will let me go free if I tell you want you ask of me."

"I, Duncan, swear upon the Old Gods and New that you will be set free if you tell me what I ask of you."

Onef glared at Duncan for a few tense moments, his mind clearly mulling over what had just been said. Eventually, he said "House Sarwyck are the rulers of a town known as Riverspring situated near the source of the Blackwater Rush. Apparently that makes a river that runs from the Westerlands to Blackwater Bay. Despite the location, the town itself is rather poor for a Westerland holding, and the Sarwyck House itself only has one member left; the man being Ryman Sarwyck, the former captain of the guard. They apparently had correspondence with the Queen-Whore, most notably with one Alester Sarwyck and their bastard half-brother Valarr Hill, before most of its family was slain during the first few years of Robert's reign. That included Alester and Valarr apparently as they found their bodies in the throne room, Valarr apparently sitting on the Iron Throne himself!" So that was the sigil Duncan's shield was blazened with? House Sarwyck, a minor noble House that was in decline with only a dying town and one member to its name. If that was the case, then why did his Uncle own a shield from them? Were they close friends, close enough that they could just take each others equipment without any hassle? Duncan had plenty of questions, and he had a good amount of time to get many answered.

"House Westford used to be a House of landed knights in personal service to the Lannisters, just like the Hound and the Mountain are. Apparently it died when it's ruler, Mors Westford, left to join the Night's Watch after Robert's Rebellion and his family was slaughtered by bandits according to the monster Tywin. I bet both of my eyes that Tywin was responsible for killing his family! That cowardly cat could never handle something when someone decides on their own." So his Uncle Mors was a part of the Night's Watch! But, why? Why would he willingly join a group full of murderers, thieves, and rapists? And he had a family?! Why didn't he talk about them? Was it too painful for him to speak of the family he once had? ...Was that the reason why his Uncle hated the Lannisters so much? Did Tywin really kill his Uncle's family?

"Were the two Houses close to each other? If they were close, did they ever marry into each other?" Duncan asked the Northman, clearly eager to hear the truth so he could figure out more about his Uncle's past and maybe something of Duncan's as well.

"From what I learned, Mors and Alester were rather close comrades in Robert's Rebellion. Other than that the two Houses had nothing to do with each other. Maybe they had a bastard child kept hidden away? Maybe the two men were lovers? Maybe Tywin had the Sarwycks kill the Westfords? Or, maybe nothing secretive happened between the two. All I know is what my maester taught me and what I learned on my own. If you want to learn more about them, why not go and ask that Sarwyck still roaming Riverspring? I imagine he knows more than me!" That cleared up a lot of things for Duncan, but also gave him more questions. His Uncle Mors spoke of a close friend, and the Westford boy believes that close friend was Alester. If that was the case, then why did his Uncle take Alester's shield? Duncan had every right to believe that the shield he possessed was once Alester's. After all, his Uncle said it had come from a dear friend of his, and apparently his dear friend was the now dead Alester. So why did his Uncle steal the dead man's shield and take it for his own? Why didn't he send it back to Alester's remaining family? Wouldn't it have been honorable to do so?! Why did his Uncle take Alester's shield?!

And then there was that idea Onef offered out. A bastard of both Houses, kept secret from all as the person's blood coursed with Sarwyck and Westford blood. It made Duncan wonder about something. He wondered about his parents. Truthfully, the young man knew nothing of the people that had sired him. All he had known all of his life up until he had turned ten and five was his Uncle Mors. There was no one else that Duncan knew that was connected to him in any way like his Uncle. Whenever he asked his Uncle about it, all he would get nothing from the scarred man. Was Duncan a bastard of both families? Was Mors protecting him from those that may want to see him dead? If so, then who did those Black Men serve if they were not connected to the Night's Watch? If they were a part of the Night's Watch and he was not a bastard of both Houses, then why was he given the sigils of two families? Could it have been for practical reasons, like simply giving him a shield to use, or could it have been a clue the Westford boy could use to discover his true parentage? What on earth was his Uncle thinking before he forced the young man away from their home?!

Duncan sighed as he scratched his brow, his head beginning to ache from all of the thoughts that raged in his mind. So many new questions to find answers to. So many ideas and theories to fit in with the secrets that elude him. He needed to ask Hof if they could go to Riverspring during the Council Meeting tomorrow. Maybe he could get some of those mysteries solved from the mouth of Ryman Sarwyck.

"So? Anyone more questions out of you, or is that all you have of me? If so, I expect you to uphold your end of the bargain."

"And I will do so. I refuse to dishonor myself, especially after swearing it upon both the Old and New Gods." Onef laughed at Duncan's answer, genuinely and honestly laughed as one of the Westford boy's eyebrows shot up in confusion at the Northman's mirth.

"Ha! A Westerlander believing and partaking in honor. What a joke!"

So. I hope you enjoyed this chapter this time around. It was a bit shorter than some of the other chapters I have written, but I hope that it doesn't have lesser quality. Before I go and begin writing the next chapter, I should respond to some reviews. If you don't want to go through my answers, then I hope you all have a good time on until we meet again!

Yifto: Sorry for such a long wait, but I am glad you are enjoying this story. As for where Duncan's Uncle got the Valyrian Steel blade and whether or not Hof or Stoin may be spies, I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see! I can't spoil such things sadly.

Ser Mors Westford the butcher: I'm glad that you are trying to figure out who Duncan's parents are! It will be a rather distressing event for Duncan as he gets closer and closer to finding out the truth. So I hope you'll stick with this story to see it!

Herr Dunkelheit: I am glad it wasn't such a long of a wait for you. I am indeed back for a good long while, or until my situation becomes terrible once again. Until such things can happen, I'm going to be writing this fanfiction!

Set Andromeda: I am glad that you are enjoying the interactions between the characters. I rather enjoy writing their interactions, especially Duncan and Hof. As a slight spoiler for the next chapter, Duncan will be engaging more with Daris and Selsa in the chapter instead of mainly Hof. Hof will have a key part in it, no doubt, but will partain more towards the two others mostly.

Guest 1?: Thank you for the criticism. I will admit, my fanfiction does feel a bit too clean for Game of Thrones. Duncan also does feel like a Gary Stu at times as well. I will attempt to make the story feel a bit more "dirty" in the sense of it being a Game of Thrones fanfiction. As for Duncan's character, I only ask that you wait and see Duncan's character grow as the story continues as he will be faced with many events that will shake his very being.

Guest 2?: Thank you for similar criticism that the other Guest gave me. I will attempt to make my story better so it can feel more like a proper Game of Thrones fanfiction, and that Duncan is not so much of a Gary Stu.