The Winter Fox
Chapter One: Meeting the King
Disclaimer, this is the only I'll waste your time with this. I don't own any rights to Saga of Ice and Fire save my copies of the book on my bookshelf.
Story deviation Illyanna Stark is the daughter of Benjen Stark, Ranger of the Nights Watch. She is the Lady of Moat Cailin and architect of its reconstruction. She is a beautiful raven haired fifteen year old with soul pearcing white grey eyes.
She is currently riding to Winterfell with her father and her personal routine of ten men-at-arms with ten more baggage men. Then there is her two 'ladies in waiting.' At a distant glance none of the three 'ladies' look the part. The only things that give them away at their fast trot pace is the streaming of their hair and their natural bounce. For like the rest of the party they have swords and bows with quivers strapped to their saddles.
This is the tenth day of their ride back down from Castle Black at the base of the Wall where Illyanna's father is stationed as a Ranger of the Nights Watch under the Lord Commander. She had cut her visit there short after news of King Robert Baraithon's journey north to Winterfell.
If their timing was correct they should arrive in time for the King's welcoming Feast. She was nervous seeing as this would be the first time seeing the King since his visit right after the Greyjoy rebelon ten years ago. When she was only the neice of the Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark, her father's older brother. She was over joy to see her cousins Rob, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and no longer a baby Rickon. As well as her Uncle's wife Aunt Catelyn Stark.
Her and Catelyn haven't always gotten along ever since Illyanna's Mother died giving born to a stillborn baby boy ten years ago. Leaving her mostly in the care of the Starks or her now late Grandfather formerly a rich merchant out of White Harbour. She was a bit too wild of a child and only acted lady like when it was most needed. Catelyn thought she was a bad influence on her younger neice, who like her sault to out do the boys her age. She was deadly with a bow from fifty yards at ten and able body with short sworts or daggers. She was a born natural in the saddle.
All these famiular thoughts going hrough her head as her party spots the glow of Winterfell in the dusky distance. It would be completely dark by the time they arrive and the feast should be underway maybe they'd be able to slip in unnoticed. Not likily she thought.
It was an other hour before their weary horses and bodies made it into the keep. Her Father Benjen Stark had rode ahead a few minutes to alert the stablemen of their approach.
She was nearly ready to jump out of her saddle when she laid eyes on her cousin Jon Snow, 'the Bastard of Winterfell' as some termed him. But never her, for she thought both Jon and Rob as equally her older brothers.
As she pulls her tired mount to a stop in front of her father and cousin, "I thought you were going to alert the stablmen of our arrival not starting on the feastivities Father."
"Why do I have a feeling there is an insult implied with the term." Benjen commented jokingly as he stepped to help Illyanna from the saddle. As a handful of stablemen stumbled to take the reins of the horse and assist her 'Ladies' dismount their own horses.
"Hello Anna as lively as I last saw you. Only much more womanly... What happened to the beanpole I was uses to."
"Its been two years and I could saw the same for you only you haven't grown much taller. I now have to look a little down to you."
"Quite fitting seeing as I am a Bastard and you a Lady."
I laugh at his comment. "If ever any title was unwanted it'd be ours. You'll always be JUST JON to me and I just ANNA to you."
"Yeah your right."
'Of course I am. I wouldn't have it anyother way."
"Now your talking like a Lady"
"No I am talking like a Woman to a Boy."
Jon raised an eyebrow at this, "Really a boy I'm over a year older than you are."
"Yes and there for two year less mature." I say with a straight face until Father next spoke.
"Ok you two done now?"
Jon and I broke out laughing as my routine formed up behind us.
"Ok I think were ready to enter the feast. Jon you can slip in with Tomath and the other men-at-ams." I raised an eyebrow.
"Lady Catelyn thought it unwise to sit the Bastard in the queens presents."
"Well who will know if you sit with my men. Rarely have I noticed many at the high tables look too much at those beneath the salt."
Jon still lookd forlorn when Benjen cut in, "What my 'Lady' daughter is trying to say is that you shouldn't worry about just one dinner. So come on and enjoy the food and drink." He finish by clasping Jon's shoulder and stearing him towards the group of hungry travel worn men.
Benjen then took his daughter's arm to escort her to the hall as her 'ladies' quickly brushed her long hair before they ventured in.
Illyanna'shopes of just being able to slip in were dashed when the Great Halls door opened during a momentary silence of a toast. All eyes turned to her as their cups were raised and they drunk. She then heard her Uncles calm voice above the renewing clamer, "Your Magesties, may I present my neice the Lady of Moat Caitlin Illyanna Stark and her father, Ranger of the Nights watch Benjen Stark."
Benjen escorted his daughter through the hall to in front of the high table. where two more seats were being made ready. As they reach the table she courtesied as Benjen bowed. Both chimed, "Your Magesties."
"We weren't expecting either of you." Ned commented as they took their new seats to his left.
"Neither were we unti we recieved a raven at Castle Black of King Roberts approach."
"Castle Black? By the seven what were you doing there?" The Queen inquired.
"I was there to conduct some business with the Lord Commander and also to see my father."
"So your the one repairing that mound of stone in the middle of the swamp known as the neck?" Queen Ceirsei snarked.
"Yes, but I call it more of ripping the old out and building new."
"Well your endever nearly waylaid us for two weeks." Robert chuckled
"Oh yes. Along with rebuilding the Moat we're rebuilding the King's Road to inprove over land trading."
"Well I find it funny the one time the King uses the Kin'g's Road he can't." Now Robert was laughing.
"What I'd like to know is how you build what you have in such inpractical terrain." Illyann's attention was for the first time directed to the far end of the table on the King's side.
"Well that is a secret for myself and my builders to know, but I can tell you that it was no small feat."
"Oh no. It looks like your trying to build Harrenhal in the middle of the swamp."
"No. Not Harrenhal, just structure fitting totell everyone that the North lays beyond our steps and a new point of trade."
"Well as we passed through I saw the foundation of a sturcture worthy of surpassing Harrenhal's Great Hall."
"Well I can't denign a few similarities, but other then its defenses and keep. The largest structure being build will be its Great Library."
Illyanna could see the dwarf's eye's widen at the thought of a libray larger then the great hall of the spoken monstrous acursed castle.
"Speak no more of books or where to keep them of the little cur won't stop yammering about it." the King interjected "this is a party." He got up to go mingle with the hall's ocupents.
"It was partly the reason for my trip to the wall."
"How so?" Ned asked.
"Well father had wrote of how large the trees were and I thought if I could incorperate some in my constucrtion works and also in building more trading ships at my holdings in White Harbor. In exchange for extra supplies and manpower."
"Lady Illyanna might I ask a few questions, for it seams I a in the dark of a few matters here." The Queen asked and Illyanna nodded to go on. "How pray tell old are you?"
"I'm fifteen your Highness."
"Your title and means to finace your projects."
"Oh that its a lengthy story, but I'll give it a quick go." the Queen nodded in interest. "Well its starts with my grandfathers the Late Lord Rickard Stark and Hector Foxer, a well to do merchant in White Habor betrothing my father to my mother. The land of the Moat was fathers inheirance and all of the trading company was mother's after the her brother's were killed during the rebelon. She dies herself during childbirth while father was aiding in stopping the Greyjoys ten years ago.
"Then when I was nine I journeyed with Grandfather Hector on a trading trip to Bravos where our four ships were set upon pirates not once or twice, but three times. Sadly it was during the third battle that Grandfather was slain by Grimjawl the Pirateer. Only to have him and his fleet of four ship captured when I hacked his sword arm off as he peirced Grandfather through the heart.
"So by the time we arrived in Bravos our four ships were eleven. All laiden with cargo or other booty. One had twenty or so wealthy hostages that all paid handsome ransoms willingly, mind you much less then the pirates were wanting. I was taken in by some of grandfather's business associates during my six month stay. All the ships needed re-outfitting and repairs, Hostages ransoms paid, bounties for captured pirates paid by the city of Bravos, and goods need sold, traded or brought.
"It was during this time that a message was missent to father saying that both Grandfather and I perished at sea. In his grief upon recieving the incorrect message that he went and swore his oath and took the black.
"Not knowing of the miscommuniate. I was a toast of the town as our small fleet of ships had brought down the three worst pirate fleets in the area. So there were countless parties and offers."
"Offers?"
"Yes marriage proposals form countless minor merchant princes."
"She love to exagrate this part."
"Really whit girl wouldn't. the worst was at one party one lord had tried to betroth me to the begger dragon." The Lannisters' Eye all opened at this. "Well that wasn't to be for when I deckked him as soon as he grabbed my ass. Needless to say after that all the weaklings princes stop proposing and the young dragons fled Bravos.
"Once my business was done in Bravos. One of the partners had heard of grandfather's plans to rebuild the Moat and inprove the North's trade routes. He had sujested going to Pentos to buy some slaves as workers with a promise of freedom after three years of labor. I did and gain three thousand workers in that trip. All of the workers were freed after a year.
"But after the trip to Pentos, I sailed into White Habour white a fleet of twelve ships picking up two new larger ones in Pentos to coury a quarter of my workers across the fleet would need three more uneventful, but very profitable round trips the coury the rest of the workers across. My agents some how negotiated to have the worker families come along so in the end I gained nine thousand or more to assist in my projects and a vast number are skilled so things are proceeding faster.
"Needless to say I felt on top of the world until I docked in White Harbour ansd found out that everyone in the North thought me dead and my father sworn to thed wall. I was livid. I sent a raven to both Winterfell and Castle Black of their misinformation and of my departing for Winterfell. Only before leaving I left instructions to survey the area of Moat Caitlin for building and resources and begin paving the road between White Harbor and there.
"When I reached Winterfell it was then that all the misinformation was sorted out. Because by my second day of dealing with Bravosee officials I had earned the monker of the 'Winter Fox' some how and that is how the scribes were refering to me so there lay the problem. But in the meantime oaths were sdworn that can't be unsworn and Father would remain at the Wall and I was made the Lady of the Moat then. So with my title and inheiraces I had the land and money to rebuild the Moat bigger and better then before and thats what I'm doing.
"And with my latest trip to the wall Lord Commander has agreed to allow me to send a work for of two hunred men beyond the wall to clear away all the trees within three mile of the Wall starting at Eastwatch. As well as allow ten of my scribes to start copying their archives for my library. I was hoping to see if I could have a few start copying from the one here at Winterfell too." I looked to Catelyn Stark.
"I don't see what would be the problem."
"I don't see what would be the reason to build yourselves a library at the Moat. The Seven Kingdoms already has a grand library why do we need another." The Kingsgaurd that was Jaime Lannister, the Queen's twin, retorted.
"That library may be grand and all, but it is all the way down in Oldtown. As far from the North as possibly it can be. When the North is the oldest and largest realm of the kingdom. I'm intent on improving the North and this is one step towards doing so."
"I don't see how a having a huge library can do that." Sir Jaime smarked.
"Surely your Father Tywin Lannister has taught you that knowledge is power. Yes, learn all you want from books, but one good thrust and they won't mean a thing."
"And they call Northern's barbarians, hearing you talk I think its just sword weilding muscel brained idoit men that are."
"Why thank you." Sir Jaime smiled as the Queen rose to retire as did most of the head table. Leaving Lord Stark to sit watch the King drunk amoungst the crowd and Trion leave to piss.
After a few moments I rose to retire myself, Ned signaled father and I to come closer. In a quiet voice he spoke so as not to be overheard. "Jon Ayrin is dead and Robert has asked me to be his new Hand. We'll be leaving within the forthnight. I'll be taking Bran and the girls with me. Rob and Rickon will be staying with Catelyn here at Winterfell.
"Anna If you want you would be welcome to travel back to the Moat with us."