Rodrik had grown used to the rhythm of Vale's prosperity—construction sites teeming with activity, markets buzzing with traders, and smallfolk living better than ever before. Daily management kept him on his toes. He spent his mornings with Yobert and Jayne reviewing council decisions and his afternoons inspecting various projects from aqueduct expansions to new schoolhouses.
But all of it paused the moment Jaymee's final report from Hardhome arrived.
Rodrik read every line with mounting interest—the trade alliances, the mapped weirwood trees, the appearance of Wargs, and most importantly, the hint of giants beyond Everwinter. He knew it was time.
Within the week, he had prepared an expedition force of seasoned soldiers, veterans of mountain campaigns who could brave the bitter cold. His farewell at the Eyrie was heartfelt—Jayne embraced him tightly, Yobert warned him of political ripples in King's Landing, and the people of the Vale sent him off as a visionary.
The journey through the North was long and punishing, but Rodrik was used to harsh winds and colder goals. He crossed the Wall with the support of the Night's Watch and made his way to Hardhome, which had transformed into a thriving frontier town of tents, wooden buildings, and fortified walls. Freefolk, now accustomed to trade, milled about with bartered goods in their arms.
Jaymee greeted him with a tight hug. "You look older," he said with a smirk.
Rodrik laughed. "Blame the tax reforms. And you've been busy, haven't you?"
They spent the evening sharing stories. Jaymee spoke of rowdy trades, new friendships, and how his opinion of the Freefolk had changed. "They're just people, Rodrik. Hardened by abandonment. But there's spirit in them."
Rodrik nodded. "That's why I wanted this done right. Also," he leaned in, "I hear you've avoided temptation."
Jaymee blushed. "You warned me. I listened."
"Vaeron didn't," they said in unison, and laughed.
Rodrik updated him on the Vale's booming economy, the political games in the South, and the recent marriages. When Jaymee mentioned the rumors of him and Princess Rhaenyra, Rodrik just chuckled. "The princess has dragons, Jaymee. I only have mountains."
Rodrik took a small scouting party, joined by recruited Freefolk trackers, into the Haunted Forest. They checked each weirwood site Jaymee had marked. Days passed with nothing unusual, until the sixteenth night.
Rodrik woke not in his tent, but inside a cavern, the air thick with the scent of moss and magic. Glowing roots of weirwood branched along the stone walls, and surrounding him were beings with green skin, yellow eyes, and clothing made of bark and leaves.
The Children of the Forest.
One stepped forward. "We saw vision of you coming Mark?" she asked, her voice like wind through leaves.
Rodrik stood there forzen for some time & then said "My name is not Mark but Rodrik Arryn. I am Lord of the Vale & Who are you?."
" My name is Leaf" the children of the forest standing before his said.
Leaf said " You can't trick us you are the one who have changed the song".
" What do you mean change the song?". Rodrik asked perplexed by this statement.
" Since the time that Wall has went up there is only one song we have heard, there is only future we have seen. Our role is to help two generations of humans to become three eyed ravens after that we never saw anything whether Night king is defeated or not but we believed in the song of Ice & fire, we trusted that by doing this we could be forgiven for the evil we have committed. But around twenty years back the sound changed we were not able to see the future, were not able to hear the song whenever we try to see we saw a Falcon flying higher than dragons & flying towards a new dawn, then a man bleeding in the street of some odd alley & a child being born in the mountains. We can see only till there & no further"
Rodrik got scared what it all means. Is the future not fixed anymore. Still he pressed on the reason for him coming here.
"I know what you've suffered," Rodrik said. "I've read what little remains of your stories. I know what has happened to you & I want to help you, I will protect you & give you a mountain of your own where you could live in open with freedom & not hide like this."
"Why?" she asked, eyes narrowing. "Why would a man want to save us? Do you want to keep us as your new & exotic pet or want for us to fight your wars?
We have grown weary of Man's promises & your fights. We don't want to fight anymore our only reason for still existing is to stop the Night King"
Rodrik's expression didn't falter. "Do not worry about the night king I will defeat him & will rid the world of him. As you have said that the future has been changed because of me nothing is set in stone now. Please trust me ."
The girl, who called herself Leaf, stared at him. "You speak well. But we don't believe in your kind words anymore."
Rodrik got serious he couldn't let them be rotted in this desolate place & go extinct. He has came from a normal world so he simply doesn't want all the mystery of the world go away. He wants to live in a magical world & he wants to help them.
He took his knife & made a cut in his arm " I am ready to take any blood oath you want to show that I don't want anything from you just want to help you survive".
Leaf looked sad " Even if your intentions are true you can't save us we are only remnants of our species. Our species can't survive the world doesn't have that much magic left for us to have children's of our own & grow in numbers".
Rodrik looked at her with conviction " Leave it to me I will find a way. Please you have to think of all your remaining people.
Leaf hesitated. "We are not meant to leave. We have a purpose. We were to guide two generations of greenseers to stop the Night King. That is our fate."
Rodrik's voice hardened. "And what if the Night King never comes here? What if he rises in a different land, where your guidance cannot reach?"
Leaf looked uncertain. "But… that's not how the stories go."
"The stories are changed, Leaf," Rodrik said gently. " You have a chance to live—not just to die nobly. Come with me. I'll give your people a mountain sanctuary in the Vale, where no human will touch you."
"We have to think about it," Leaf said. "You will go to sleep now & will find yourself again in your tent. In a months time if we want to leave with you we will find you otherwise leave here & never return & don't try to find us you won't be able to if we don't want you to."
Rodrik wanted to discuss the giants but suddenly felt very sleepy & lost consciousness. He could himself in the morning in his tent but he knew that was no dream.