When Lyra wasn't busy, she liked to sit by the door, reading books or practicing her magic. More often than not, however, Lyra would just stare blankly at the worn path, thinking of the boy who had made her a promise. By her count, he had been gone for quite some time now.
Would he still think of me? she wondered. When he misses me, does he stare at the road, longing for those far away, just like I do? A promise was the most unreliable thing in the world, yet it was also what gave people hope. Thenya had told her, "You always need something to look forward to in life, it's the only way to get through one day after another."
Lyra was waiting, too, waiting for that gentle young man. But would he ever return?
The sun stretched shadows long and slanted, and the dappled light swayed freely in the breeze. The twilight sun painted the sky with a wash of red, and Lyra was currently lost in a bored daze.
She wasn't sure when it had appeared, but there seemed to be something at the end of that little path. The moving shape looked like... a person. But who would come here? Ever since Granny Thenya left, few people had visited, and the rare visitors who did come were only seeking help or wisdom.
A spark of expectation lit up Lyra's eyes. Could it be him, that young man?
Seeing the vague, familiar silhouette, Lyra finally grew excited. First, she ran out the door, then scurried back in a panic. After hastily tidying up, trying hard to make herself look prettier, she bolted out the door once more.
Thorfinn traveled light and simple, followed by three lads, with Alpha by his side.
Seeing the faint outline of the familiar cabin, Thorfinn also grew excited. He knew Lyra was inside.
"Thorfinn, boss, is that the place you're headed to?" asked Jorr.
Thorfinn smiled, "That's right. I'm going there to pick up someone".
"Must be a woman, to get the boss so worked up," Mael boldly guessed.
Thorfinn snorted, "Making jokes about your boss, Mael? Are you itching for a beating? If you want, I can help loosen your joints".
Mael drew in his neck, a little scared: "Boss, absolutely not. My scrawny body can't handle any more trouble. That axe blow of yours almost killed me, and I still get nervous about it!"
Myrn also chimed in, sucking up: "Honestly, Mael deserves a lesson or two. You're the loudest of us. Now that the boss is around, it's finally a bit quieter".
Mael was annoyed to hear that. Using his superior height, he reached out and fiercely ruffled Myrn's head. However, he uncharacteristically didn't talk back.
Thorfinn saw Lyra sprinting towards them and quickened his pace to meet her.
Reunion is always joyful. Lyra rushed into Thorfinn's arms. Thorfinn, holding the girl, happily spun around a few times, drawing a clear peal of laughter from her.
But Lyra was not like Morla. She had her decorum. Shyness made her pull herself away from Thorfinn's embrace. The girl complained, "Why did you take so long? I've been waiting for ages!"
What could Thorfinn say? He could only comfort her, "I know, I know. Leaving you alone here... it must have been tough".
Lyra's nose stung with emotion. During those solitary days, she was practically sick with longing. After all, a life alone is not easy. If she had things to do, it would have been fine, but in her work-free life, she could only try her best to keep herself busy. Having a task was better than pining away, which was why her practice of magic had made quite a bit of progress.
Lyra gave him a sweet smile, "I'm just happy you came".
Thorfinn smiled back. The bond between Lyra and him was like this: they understood each other. This unspoken feeling of two hearts being in sync was more precious than anything.
The shifty-eyed Jorr leaned forward, stealthily glanced at Lyra, and then turned back to whisper with Mael and Myrn. The three of them snickered occasionally, completely unaware that the sharp-eared Thorfinn had heard everything clearly. But Thorfinn wasn't interested in dealing with those louts right now. He was simply doing his best to please the girl in front of him. He knew she had suffered much distress.
Finally noticing Jorr and the others, Lyra asked, "Who are they?"
Thorfinn smiled, "They're some lads I picked up on the road".
Jorr, Mael, and Myrn quickly hurried over and said, "Hello, Ma'am. We'll be your lads too, heh-heh! Don't hesitate if you have any orders for us".
That address of "Ma'am" was quite pleasing. Lyra smiled and greeted them, "Hello".
The three lads nodded one after the other, fawning: "Good, good..."
Thorfinn then grew serious, "Lyra, I want to know where Boro went. I just checked his dwelling and couldn't find him".
Lyra: "He left. I heard he went to a rather large settlement. He came to invite me to go with him before, but I refused..."
Thorfinn: "I see. I think I know roughly where he's going. Mance is quite capable, isn't he? It seems the true King-Beyond-the-Wall will be born soon".
Lyra: "The King-Beyond-the-Wall?"
Thorfinn: "That's right. He's a man with a lot of nerve and ability. His words will likely win over the crowd".
The five of them slowly walked toward Lyra's room. Lyra had prepared some food. It wasn't a feast, but it was a hot meal. None of them were picky. They had eaten plenty of odds and ends during their journey. The three lads sped up Thorfinn's food consumption, which meant Thorfinn had gone through a few rough, frugal days himself.
That evening, by the campfire, the group sat around the fire, warming themselves. Thorfinn laid out his plan.
Sipping a hot broth, Thorfinn couldn't help but sigh in comfort. "Next, we'll head to Mance's camp. A lot of people have gathered there, and we'll definitely be safer if we stay there. My brother and family are there, Lyra. You'll like them. They're very kind".
Jorr: "Boss, are we going there too?"
Thorfinn: "Of course. This summer is almost over. The winter is already harsh, and with the Others active, life won't be easy for the living".
Myrn, the skinny one, remained skeptical, "Uh... Are the Others really real?"
Mael, the tall one, also said, "Yeah, I still find it hard to believe. It's more bizarre than those old, worn-out stories and legends, it's just..."
Thorfinn: "Unbelievable?" The three lads nodded in unison.
Thorfinn, on the other hand, was completely calm. He didn't force the three of them to believe, he just said, "You'll meet them one day. As long as you don't run away, our fight with the Others is inevitable. I'm afraid some cowards will wet their breeches when the time comes".
Jorr excitedly said, "No, boss, we won't".
Thorfinn smiled, "It's alright. There's no shame in being scared. I'm scared, too. Those things are terrifying. Others, Ice Spiders... cruel killers, they bring the Long Night..."
Thorfinn's silly voice made everyone burst into laughter, and even Lyra couldn't hold back a chuckle.
Lyra wasn't surprised by Thorfinn's decision. They had agreed on this long ago. Leaving was a certainty. Being alone meant a smaller target, but also weaker strength. Unless one was mad, no one would take the risk of going off on their own.
The next day, Lyra and Thorfinn set off, unburdened. Of course, with lads to do the work, why should they carry their own gear? Free labor is free labor. Thorfinn selectively ignored the minor grumbling from Jorr and the other two. Stepping onto the road again, the all-white snowscape was something Thorfinn was now immune to, having seen it so much. This beauty had almost given him 'aesthetic fatigue'. Thankfully, he could chat with Lyra. Strolling in the snow, the crunching sound underfoot, with a beautiful companion by his side, made the journey quite interesting.
During their rests, Lyra and Thorfinn would always exchange tips on practicing magic, and both gained something from the discussion.
Lyra carried a small bundle. Thorfinn knew those were the books Thenya had left behind. They held the old witch's life's work, and the young witch treasured them immensely, as did Thorfinn.
With someone to chat with and stroll alongside, the journey wasn't tedious. Even the longest road was full of small delights, and laughter occasionally rang out, showing that the travelers were in good spirits.
Thorfinn recounted the various things that had happened since he left. The little witch listened intently: the joy of being reunited with family, the tension of facing Varamyr, and the excitement of winning the fight. As Thorfinn narrated, it was as if she were experiencing it herself. She rejoiced, she worried. She was happy for Thorfinn's happiness and sad for his sorrows.
Thorfinn's experiences weren't outrageously thrilling, but they were still captivating. Jorr, Mael, and Myrn behind them tried their best to keep up and listen to their boss's heroic tales. They aspired to be like him and learned from him. They knew they had followed the right man. They hadn't heard of Thorfinn's name before, but they did know Varamyr. After their initial shock at learning the boss had taken down Varamyr, all that remained was deference.
In the eyes of the three lads, this humble man seemed to have no airs. In his eyes, they, the wild children among the Free Folk, were no different from him. This respect made the three truly grateful and loyal to their boss.
If Thorfinn knew, he would probably be ashamed. After all, the three lads were currently carrying all the heavy burdens. Even though he would sugarcoat it by calling it "training the lads' fitness," it didn't change the fact that he was exploiting cheap labor. Er... well, the lads were obedient. They were enduring and moldable talent.
The noise along the road grew more intense as they neared Mance's camp. They encountered more and more people, with a crowd gradually gathering, all heading toward one destination. They were clearly people from one village.
Men with their families protected their women and children, but most people focused their energy on guarding against those around them. Who knew who might snatch their belongings if they weren't careful? There was no pity here; the Land-Beyond-the-Wall did not believe in tears. The weak who didn't want to be bullied could only grow stronger. If you couldn't hold onto something, it was your own fault for being useless.
Of course, the people traveling in twos and threes weren't completely without order. Some people were maintaining it. A strange fellow adorned with bones, along with a few scruffy Free Folk, was leading the way. Seeing Thorfinn's group, the larger party came forward to question them.
Rattleshirt was clearly in a good mood. He had brought in another whole village, and this was his accomplishment. Not just to suck up to Mance, but simply to prove his own worth.
This was how every bit of a wildling's prestige was accumulated: through more followers and more trust. Weak people with dull wits would always give their choices over to the strong. Rattleshirt enjoyed this feeling.
He was covered in all sorts of bones, and even his head was covered with a crude bone mask. Perhaps he just wanted to be more intimidating. Thorfinn couldn't figure it out, only sighing that it takes all sorts to make a world.
Coming up to Thorfinn, Rattleshirt bluntly asked, "Whose boy are you, and where are you going?"
Thorfinn neither confirmed nor denied the question, "I'm going to find Mance".
Rattleshirt was stunned, "You know Mance?"
Thorfinn smiled, "He's my friend. My family is also in the camp, so it's only right that I go find them".
"Your friend? How could he be friends with you?"
"That's a long story. In short, he invited me here. What, do you object?"
Rattleshirt: "Why would I object? You're Free Folk, not a Crow. We don't hold back against our enemies. Whether you're Mance's friend or not, we'll know once you meet him. Now you couldn't run away even if you wanted to. Come on, follow along".
Looking at the few Free Folk silently surrounding them, Thorfinn's expression didn't change. He signaled to Jorr and the others and Lyra to follow, and he led the way, following Rattleshirt.
Seeing Thorfinn show no fear, Rattleshirt gave a chilling laugh, "You're a good lad, you've got a bit of the Free Folk spirit. I'm starting to like you. We just got back, too. Let's go into the camp together and see if Mance recognizes you, you bold boy!"
Thorfinn gave a confident smile, "I'm afraid it will exceed your expectations".