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Yoongi found her sitting in the godswood in the morning. The sun had only just begun breaking through the blood red canopy and the morning dew had finished setting. His boots crunched over the freshly fallen snow, not doing anything to mask his approach. Lord Min Yoongi spent plenty of his time in the godswood, a sacred place of his ancestors. He kept a black and brown cloak over his narrow shoulders as he walked, covering the plain leather doublet and shirt he wore underneath. It was far too early for this, but today was a special day. They all knew that.
Sarang sat at the foot of the tall, white weirwood tree. Blood red leaves and small weirwood blossoms grew from the long branches above them. The face carved into its trunk stared back at her with red sap coming down from its eyes. His father told him the Children of the Forest carved the faces into the trees eons ago; the Old Gods watch their followers through the eyes of the trees. Yoongi found serenity in the godswood, a clearing in the castle surrounded by tall sentinel trees and covered by red and brown leaves. He knew Sarang felt the same. In this small grove, if one listened, they could hear the gods speaking to them.
It did not surprise him that she’d run off into the godswood. His wife told him how anxious Sarang was about her marriage. By the end of the day, she will be Lady Sarang Stark, wife of Lord Bran Stark. He imagined the future ahead frightened her. She’d be far from home surrounded by near-strangers. It was partially why Yoongi suggested Ned bring his family and household earlier than was custom for weddings. He wanted Sarang to become better acquainted with Lord Stark, his wife Catelyn and their children, whom she’d be living with. It also gave her an opportunity to be closer to Bran, her future husband. Yoongi thanked The Gods the two of them got along swimmingly. He had yet to see the bride without her groom or the groom without his bride.
Not to mention, Bran’s direwolf, Summer, tagging along behind them the entire time.
Yoongi took a few steps to his daughter before something came out from around her. He stopped in place as the white and grey direwolf sat on his hind legs and stared at him. Yoongi learned from Ned that all his children owned a direwolf, which seemed fitting since it was the sigil of his house. Five direwolves walking around his castle did not bother Yoongi, but it certainly terrified his wife and other children. Summer, a silvery grey wolf the size of a small horse, laid at his daughter’s feet, shielding her legs from the bitter cold. However, as he drew closer, Summer lifted his head up to see him.
“Easy, boy, I've only come for my daughter " he said, not even bothering to act with caution. "Morning, Blossom,” he called to Sarang, “I knew I’d find you here.”
“Morning, Father,” Sarang said, scratching behind Summer’s ear.
“Your mother told me you weren’t in your bedchamber,” he rounded the small bench and took a seat beside her. “She might’ve called for our bannermen if I hadn’t stopped her,” he snorted.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.” She looked over to him, “Nobody is angry, are they?”
“Not angry,” he patted her hand and took it in his, “Only concerned.”
He gazed over his daughter’s face in the shade of the tree. Out of all four Min children, Sarang looked the most like him. She had the same pitch black hair, button nose and pouty lips. Her sharp brown eyes looked back into his anxiously. She was a true Northern beauty. “I wasn’t trying to run away,” she explained.
“I know,” he replied. “Your mother told me you were nervous about the ceremony. Although, forgive me, but I don’t understand why. Bran Stark is an honorable man with a good heart. Lord and Lady Stark will do everything they can to make you feel comfortable and welcome in their home. You’re even getting a new pet out of it,” he nodded to the direwolf at her feet. “What is on your mind, Blossom? Or is that between you and the heart tree?”
Sarang stayed silent for a moment, enjoying her father’s presence and the godswood. He then noticed her eyes not focused on the face of the tree, but the flowers growing from its roots and cracks. With five crimson petals surrounding black and red pistils and stamens, weirdwood blossoms often signified the end of spring and beginning of summer. They grew in bunches in the trunks and roots of the sacred trees. Yoongi suspected Sarang wanted to pick some for her wedding bouquet, as many Northern brides did.
“Father, tell me the story of the weirdwood blossom again. The one about Namjoon and Jimin."
Yoongi laughed, "Why would you want to hear that story now?"
"Mother says they are Old Gods," she answered. "You always tell me that the Old Gods aren't in a temple or in statues. You've always said they're in the trees. They're in the wind that blows through the branches and the water that runs in the streams. You told me if you're quiet enough, you can hear them. They're listening." She turned back to the tree, "Maybe they are listening to us now through the blossoms and we don't know it. Namjoon and Jimin might be listening when Bran and I stand here at our ceremony. Maybe they will grant us a blessing of some kind. We aren't being married by The Seven, but the Old Gods our forefathers followed. Like you and Mother."
Yoongi's heart melted at the memory. He and Dyana had been married like all noble couples under the Faith of the Seven, by a priest in the sept. But, this never meant anything to Yoongi. He'd only done it to please his southern bride and her family. House Min followed the Old Gods of the Forest. Yoongi remembered bringing Dyana here after their reception. He told her all the stories and sang their songs with his lute. He told her he'd never feel truly married unless they said their own vows underneath the heart tree. It'd been during the dead of night with nothing but a torchlight to guide them. He had seated her by the carved face, and said his vow. In return, she said hers. Back then, he'd felt the gods watching and granting their blessing.
"They were there that night," he told her, "And they will be here tonight too. I know they will. Namjoon and Jimin were the first couple to marry in front of a heart tree. They were old gods; older than any you could name…"
*****
"Before the Dawn Age of Westeros, before castles and kings and men, there were the Children of the Forest. They worshipped the hundreds of nameless gods of rocks, trees and creatures. However, there are two gods we do know the names of, because they are the ones who brought life to the heart trees.
Namjoon, it's believed, was a god of nature. A man of Night's Watch claims he saw stones with drawings on them that depict a tall figure wielding a bow and arrow. He told me the figure wasn't aiming at animals, but other human figures. Underneath was a strange writing, but when translated at last, it read "Namjoon, protector of beasts, hunter of man". He was found mostly carved into trees far beyond The Wall doing similar actions.
Jimin, Maester Ewan, thinks was a god of growth or harvest. He was drawn sitting in a field or surrounded by leaves. Maester Ewan says the writing translated to mean "speaker for trees and leaves."
"Yes, yes, I know this part. Tell me the story."
"Haha, very well...According to legend, Namjoon had been wandering through the forest one day when he saw a band of men chasing down a boar. Being a protector of wildlife, he was obligated to defend the frightened creature. Namjoon rushed forward from the trees and into their way; his arrow drawn and pointing straight, he warned the men to leave back home to their stone castles. The forest was his domain, and he would not let them shed innocent blood for sport. The First Men laughed and said they did not fear woodland monsters. This was not Namjoon’s first fray with the First Men, human invaders who'd come to claim the Children's forest. He knew their weaknesses and, with speed and agility, shot them with swift arrows made of wood and obsidian.
Finding the boar injured from the hunt, Namjoon healed it with herbs of a nearby tree. It was then that he heard it."
"The song of the trees…"
"Yes, the song of the trees. It was a gentle melody that carried through the weirwoods and into the mountains beyond. Namjoon, a creature of the woods, felt drawn to the song. He listened closely as the song seemed to come from the trees themselves. It vibrated through their thick trunks and their silky leaves. It was a tune that soothed his soul and warmed his heart. He left the boar, who'd been healed, and followed the noise. Through the biting cold and hard snow, the god of beasts walked towards the source of the music. He had never heard such a song before, for his songs were the howls of wolves and cawing of crows.
The music became louder as he reached the mountains at the edge of the world. We call it The Land of Always Winter, but back then, it'd been full of green trees and blooming flowers. Namjoon came to a clearing. Sitting enveloped inside a circle of trees was the most beautiful being he'd ever seen. Wearing a tunic the color of golden wheat and a crown of lavender in his hair, Jimin sang softly while petting a sleeping fawn. His light voice filled the clearing and brought a tranquility Namjoon had never felt. Namjoon could not look away from him. An arrow could pierce his heart; a sword could run him through and he would not turn from Jimin. However, when he stepped forward, the snap of a twig stopped Jimin mid-song.
"Who are you?" the beauty asked him in a soft voice.
"I am Namjoon, and I speak for the beasts. And who are you, fair beauty?"
"I am Jimin, and I speak for the trees."
"I would have thought you might speak for the flowers," said Namjoon, "But I believe even they'd envy beauty such as yours."
This made Jimin smile, "The true beauty is the world around us. It is in the sun and in the clouds. It is in the songs of birds and colors of the flowers."
"And in the voice that comes from your lips."
"Haha, Bran told me that once. I laughed at him when he said it, but I still thanked him."
"I hope all you did was thank him."
"Father! Oh, just keep on with the story!"
"Alright, alright…"
"Jimin smiled at Namjoon's words and thanked him. He beckoned Namjoon to join him in the clearing, where they sat and talked for hours. Namjoon never met another being like himself. He only ever knew of the Children of the Forest and the wildlife he protected and loved. Talking to Jimin was like breathing fresh air into his body. Namjoon decided from then onwards that he would visit Jimin in the clearing every day. They would talk, sing songs, dance and play in the woods. It became their own special place. Namjoon and Jimin felt complete; two sides of the same coin, forever joined together.
Like any man, when he loves someone, he wishes to pledge himself to them. Namjoon wanted to declare Jimin as his true love. He wanted all the world to know that Jimin was his. He told the young god this one morning as they picked flowers for Jimin's floral crown. Jimin laughed and told him he did not need to make any sort of vow. Simply knowing Namjoon loved him was enough. But Namjoon insisted.
"You and I are meant to be together," he said. "We are one like birds with the sky or flowers on the earth. You own my heart, and I wish to have yours."
"You wish to own my heart?" Jimin giggled. "Shall I cut it out and give it to you?"
"Please, do not tease. Say you will be mine, and I will honor and love you in this world and in the next."
Jimin, coy and flirty, decided he would not give into the beast god so easily.
"You love me?" Jimin asked.
"I do."
"Then you will do anything for me?"
"Anything."
"Even break through the stone walls of men and slay them by the hundreds? Topple down the Giant king and give me his head?"
"Whatever you wish, my love, and I will do it."
"Then, I'd like you to go into the mountains and find me this flower."
He extended his hand where a blooming flower formed."
"The weirwood blossoms!"
"In his hand, he held a small branch of deep red flowers. About the size of grapes, their blood red petals and white stems matched the weirwood trees around them. Namjoon did not recognize the flower, for it was of Jimin's own creation. He took the small bunch from Jimin and examined them closely.
"If you wish to own my heart, you must go into the mountains and find a flower like this one," Jimin continued. "I grew a whole garden of them deep in the mountains underneath the tallest weirwood tree. If you find the blossom and bring it back, then I will gift my heart to you."
Upon hearing Jimin's challenge, Namjoon took up his bow and arrow and headed towards the mountains. He was determined to find Jimin's garden and bring back the flower. Of course, this trek did not come without any obstacles.
On his way, Namjoon came across a den of giant ice spiders just outside the mountain range. Ice spiders, as you know Sarang, were enormous beasts with sharp, clicking fangs and thick legs. Namjoon stepped quietly into the webbed nest, trying his best not to alert his enemies to his presence. He stayed low and out of the eyeline, since their blindspots are on the sides of their bodies. However, Ice Spiders can smell fresh blood, and they caught Namjoon right before he could escape the den. The young god spun out of their clutches, withdrew his dagger and stabbed one in its eye. He then kicked at the other, causing it to push into its fellow and tumble into a web. This raised the alarm of the other creatures. He jumped, leapt and shot his way through the den to the Queen Spider, who spat venom that could freeze a man's entire body. With a single shot to one eye, Namjoon defeated the Queen. He turned and saw the hundreds of soldiers coming his way, their stomping legs echoing down the tunnel. As he ran towards the exit, he felt heat suddenly on his heels. He looked over his shoulder to see fire. The red hot flames quikly licked up silver webbing and trapped the spiders in their burrows. Our hero only just escaped the raging fires and carried on his way.
This did not deter Namjoon from his quest. As the fire burned, he pulled the weirwood blossom from his pocket. It had not been crushed or crumbled by the journey, and bloomed brighter than before. He pressed onwards.
Halfway up the mountain, he crossed paths with three giants outside a cave. Giants weren't necessarily man-eaters, but should they come across one, they didn't hesitate to cook him up. The largest of them relaxed against the mountain, eyes closed and arms over his large chest. The second-to-largest dropped two grown men into a boiling pot; their screams sent shivers down Namjoon's back, and the smell nearly made him wretch. The third sat turning a large horse on a fiery spit. Namjoon stayed up against a tree trunk as the largest asked when dinner would be ready. The second-to-largest told him to shut his mouth and be patient, whilst the third complained about continuously turning the horse. Namjoon knew if he was not careful, he would be part of their meal. He searched for a way around them. Above him in the trees, he saw a murder of crows hiding in the canopies. Namjoon had a plan. He slunk carefully around the trio towards the mountain side. He'd begun climbing up the side of the cave's mouth when a large hand grabbed his back. The leader had found him, and opened his mouth to swallow Namjoon whole. The birds on his side, Namjoon let out a sharp two-note whistle and the crows appeared. They dove down over the leading giant, pecking at his eyes and face as he released Namjoon. The second-to-largest and his fellow dropped what they were doing, picked up their axes, and began swinging at the birds. Being too small and too fast, the crows provided a good diversion and Namjoon ran away into the cave.
He pulled out Jimin's flower to see it was still soft and full. Not a single petal had fallen. Namjoon's heart leapt at the soft petals, which reminded him of Jimin's plush lips. Once he found the garden, he would be allowed to kiss those lips as often as he wished.
Going through the mountain tunnels and coming out the other side, he found himself lost in the mountains. Every rock looked the same as the one before it. Every patch of snow and grass resembled the ones he'd passed on his way up and down. The world became a blend of ice, rock, and dirt. Namjoon felt determined to press onwards. Picking up his dagger, he scratched a leaf-shape on a slab of stone to mark the place. He did the same two more times down the pathway. When he made a turn, he came back to the first place marker. Hopelessness crept on him, but Namjoon did not embrace it. He must find the garden. He went about in circles, carving his leaves and trudging through the thick layers of snow. He might have gone mad if the unicorn had not appeared. He'd been walking on tired legs and sore feet when the white horse walked into the middle of the path. Being a beast, the unicorn recognized Namjoon. They bowed their heads to one another, and Namjoon asked if the unicorn knew the way out of the circles. When the unicorn nodded, he asked if she would show him the way out. Now, unicorns might be rare, but they are like any other animal. Show it kindness, and receive it in return. Namjoon offered the unicorn an apple from his satchel, and the unicorn let him mount her. Together, the two of them left the dizziness of the maze behind them and went higher up the mountains.
After asking her where the tallest weirwood might be, Namjoon took to the west of the range. He searched every tree and bush for the red flower, but only found barren branches and frozen shrubs. He wondered how anything could grow so far up north. The god did run into lesser, kinder creatures like the unicorn, who guided him along the way towards the center of the mountain ridge.
In a large valley between two mountains, Namjoon finally found the tree. The weirwood stood as tall as the mountains, with thousands upon thousands of crimson leaves shading the area from the snow. The air itself became crisp and clean, with a faint, sweet scent wafting through it. The small valley was a forest of weirwood heart trees. The Children of the Forest had carved faces of gods into the trees, which stared at him as he walked up to the largest one in the center."
"Didn't they carve the faces after men began cutting down the heart trees?"
"I'm not sure, really. It's just part of the story, Sarang. Anyways, all around the base of the tree and in its branches and trunk were Jimin's blossoms. Namjoon did not immediately pick one up and leave. He rested at the foot of the tree, basking in the slight warmth it gave. He plucked a flower from inside a crack in the bark, and gave it a long sniff. It smelled sweet like Jimin after a roll around in the meadow. Everything about the small blossom reminded him of his love, and he sat and admired it. He admired it for so long that the need to pledge a vow did not matter anymore. He knew Jimin would love him whether he found the flower or not; perhaps the other man did know, and hence made it so easy to find. All the trouble he'd gone through felt worth it now that he held the small flower.
Yet, Namjoon did not need to go down to see Jimin. As he carefully placed a bundle of blossoms in his satchel, Jimin appeared from behind the tree. The appearance of his lover did not anger or bother Namjoon at all. He leapt and cheered. He showed Jimin the flowers in his hands, and recounted the events that happened along the way.
"I know," Jimin said, "I was there."
"Ah, Jimin! This is my favorite part!"
"I was the one who set the fire in the ice spider's nest," he told a stunned Namjoon, "And the one who told the crows to follow you until you needed them. I knew you'd get lost in the mountain maze, so I made sure a unicorn came across you." Jimin smiled softly and put a twig of blossoms behind Namjoon's ear, "I told you that you did not have to do anything to win my heart. You already own it, you silly fool."
"And then they kissed!"
"And then they kissed. Jimin and Namjoon stood right in front of the great heart tree as they each bestowed a branch of blossoms to the other. They looked at one another in the shade of the heart tree and said:
"-Stone and Earth; River and Tree; Beast and Flower, listen to my vow. As the bird loves the sky and as the fish loves the water, I shall now and forever love thee. Through the coldest of winters and warmest of summers, I shall be by thy side. With sword, axe or bow, I shall protect thee. With a loving heart and warm embrace, I shall always cherish and honor thee. For this day and for all the days to come, I shall always be part of thee, and thou shall always be part of me."
Yoongi smiled softly listening to his daughter's words. He'd said the same pledge to Dyana that first night. He'd held her hands, as he imagined Namjoon and Jimin had, and kissed her deeply under this tree. Tonight, Sarang and Bran Stark would do the same. He kissed his daughter's temple and helped her to her feet.
"Now, enough stories. Let's go back inside before your mother calls for the dogs-"
"-Sarang?"
At the edge of the godswood stood Bran Stark. Much softer and slender than his brothers, he was still just as strong. The direwolf at their feet stood up and trotted over to his owner. Bran scratched the animal's ears, and then saw Sarang follow the animal. Yoongi watched Sarang and Bran rush forward to each other, and Bran took her hands.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "They said you'd run off this morning."
"I'm fine, Bran," she replied. "Truly, I am. I was just picking some blossoms," she nodded over to the heart tree, "They're in full bloom today."
Bran sighed in relief. He bent forward and kissed her cheek, "I was worried when they told me you were missing. I thought...I thought you might have changed your mind."
Sarang giggled, "I would never."
"You better run back to your mother, Sarang," called Yoongi.
"Aren't you coming too, Father?"
"No, I think I shall stay for a while longer," he said, sitting back on the stone bench. "You go ahead. I will be along soon."
Sarang gave him a worried look, but he answered it with a reassuring grin. She left the woods with Bran, and he turned back to the tree. Yoongi took in the silence around him. His eldest daughter would be a married woman in a few hours. She would be travelling farther up north where he cannot reach for her. He looked at the tree's face and prayed to him.
"Let them have a love like yours."
Suddenly, out of a breakage in the bark sprouted four weirwood blossoms. One for each Min child, just like the direwolf pups. How did they grow? Any rational man would say nature, but Yoongi felt differently. Yes, Namjoon and Jimin would be here.
With that, Lord Min Yoongi left the godswood with a hopeful heart.