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Chapter 06 North Awakens
~~ Author's notes~~
-Missandei was born in 288 AC in the books but I am just bringing her to almost my same age-
Winterfell, North, 284 AC, Harry POV
As the god said my magic was gone the moment North split from south. It was really weird having not having magic. I couldn't for the same reason call my elves, or Fawkes use any of her powers. Now I am a normal kid with a black beautiful bird. None of my artifacts I made works for me. So I couldn't open any of my trunks. For some reason for a light reading maybe, I had kept a few of the books I got from my trip on my bed. If not the next 5 months would have been waste.
It was a great thing that we had some left over money from the King gave us and the returns from the trade. Before the start of my so called brilliant plan for Moat Cailin, I had asked my parents and uncle to place all the plants and animals that we had transferred from other places through my Bravosi friends for the bannermen in our, stables, coops and glassgardens. If not these thing many of the plans will have delayed.
There were questions of me not using magic. I had to lie that until I am more than perfect with my control I must rest it for atleast five moths without using it again. Which they were alright with.
Now its almost the five months are over. The accidental injuries I get during exercises I used to do before were automatically healed. Now they hurt like hell and stays for a long time. Since there were no new experiments I can do alone without magic and our maester Luwin was brought in to our secret fold, I started doing them with our maester.
He was very fascinated about magic and very furious about what his predecessor did. We did things like planning and revising the plans for rebuilding Winterfell and Wintercity, and every other keep and towns we are planing to built, advancing the techniques and tools used in farming, smithing, glass work etc.
My father and uncle Ben went to Bravos and contacted the company which we will employ to do construction works in North. They didn't take me or mom didn't let them is the truth. Damn tsunami. They saw the work my people was doing for my manse in Bravos.
They said it was only second best to just one manse there which was held by the Sealord of Bravos himself. There was a rumor that many magisters and the key holders families in Iron Bank wanted to buy the place right out of my hand but they don't know, who the holder of the land deal is.
The construction company was contacted for a similar work to be done by people in places like Slaver's Bay, other Free cities, because this mansion that they building was compared to the likes of Highgarden in the Reach and Watergardens in the Dorne. Not great defensively but still who would attack anything in Bravos. Its a death wish even the Dothraki are not willing to ask for.
Salaries and materials all included when the job is complete along with the land, the manse is worth approximately 5 million in gold. But I didn't loose money because I took it off of people I killed. Their successors might have taken over the helm and might even have have continued their legacy but with less coins. I made another 2 million in that trip. The workers and manse was just a bonus.
All the former slaves and oppressed are too happy to leave Bravos finally. And they were told to go for North the moment the manse is complete. This whole trip was so we can prove that we actually did provide them with what they desired to employ them. There will be 3 months for the manse to be complete. Which is when I will have my powers back too and I will be able to provide them protection during the journey from Bravos to White Harbour.
Within this time frame time we can ask the King to send people he wont miss in the flee bottom, who are also willing to work to us. Tell them we will provide free food and pay them for their work. If they know a trade even better. I have made a system to screen these people to remove criminals flooding my land. Simple a working contract before they land the North would do the trick. If they decided to do a crime or even if they are some spies I will know.
Other than the castles, keeps, towns and cities we also plan to make the part of Kings road to Winterfell remade and renamed Winterroad. And that leads us to the constructions way outside Wintertown, its for the people when, they need to move out of the way while we build the city and the castle. Security and facilities will be low for a couple of years but it all be good when we can finally move to the new place. The construction will start with the wall facing the back of the godswood, the North and East. The buildings constructed now are really close to white knife, for the ease of water purposes. Which gave me another idea, but lets wait until the castle is complete. Which its calculated that will take up to 2 years or less with more workers I will have to star designing the runes for the wards as soon as I get my powers back. We all will move into these buildings when the reconstructions of the castle will start. That is only after the birth of my sister.
My sister Elia Stark, or Elia Potter was born soon before the Harvest Feast. A girl born as the princess of Winterfell but has to hide here as a commoner. I feel a little bad for my manipulations even if for the right reasons. I will make sure she is treated as the Princess of these lands, even if it has to be hidden. It was dangerous with mom in labour and me not without my magic I was really scared. Never will I put my family in this kind of danger ever again.
Then came the Harvest Feast. We introduced the lords to the delicacies, crops and benefits that are to come their way. We had prepared for them, foods using them, and told it will be all delivered to them when their wall are secured from eavesdropping. I personally did everything and my uncle let me. A Six year old. I told them to just live by the food distributed my us while the constructions are going to be done and increase their, all of their standing armies. It will give us a lose of three million but what the hell my lands will be secure when I am done. Creating the ward stones from the stones I collected for the map is almost completed and as soon as my magic is back so will the map.
By the time Elia was 4 months old I was done. I got my magic back and within few weeks I made that happen for all of Westeros. I will be blind in the seas and beyond the wall but from now on, no one will hide from me in Westeros, except. All the elves had to do was plant the stones in the specified places I told them to and the stones will activate themselves and sink deep in to the ground were it can absorb magic from the ground and function for centuries.
The ones in Winterfell and Moat Cailin are going to be different. The ones in Winterfell are to be connected to all the others and much more powerful. I will put one to absorb magic, directly under the weirwood and another under where the center of where the great keep is going to be after reconstruction and many below the castle and city walls. It will also control the wards that I am going to place in the castle and the city around it.
Even wargs will have to have my permission to see inside of Wintercity's walls let alone Winterfell's with their animals after the full construction is complete. It will also detect hostile people the moment they enter the walls, informing me of these people and I can keep them on watch as long as I know them no matter where they are.
Wintercity when finished will be capable of holding upto a population of 500,000 in normal days and 700,000 people in harsh winters and can even push a bit more if needed. There will be food storage facilities capable of storing food for these people for up to 5 years in the castle and the city. The city will be capable of providing itself with enough wells and farmlands and glass garden in itself. And if everything goes well, water from the white knife will be usable to us too. City guards and castle guard will have separate barracks, armors, duties, restrictions and jurisdictions.
According to my intentions if I am able to widen the White knife from the newly planned ship building area Wolf Den to, all the way here in Wintercity, then other than city guards and castle guard, there will be port guards too. Patrol guards to guard around the walls of city and surrounding areas. It will have a hospital, an arena for festivals or competitions like a tourney. Even had plans to include several types of taverns and inns with the new norther delicacies in food (Italian, Asian etc) and drinks. Even one or two whorehouses with the new ladies from Lys. Merchant district, residential districts, trade district and several such sections.
The most secured space in the city is near the distilleries which makes butterbeer, firwhiskey and frostwhiskey. Its surrounded by its own wall and guards. Because there was a few ventures to find the secrets of my drinks. The brewers are my utmost confidants. Water is brought to the place through a well. The well is fitted with several ward to keep it clean permanently and to prevent the source from ending the water supply without effecting the other wells
Winterfell will have a big enough spaces for accommodation and other facilities even if all the houses in the north and even half of the south came to visit at the same time in the guest quarters. That one will be the whole of the east side of the castle but not connected to the Great keep through bridges like the others. There will be practice grounds for the guards and children, separate ones. Connecting bridges to all buildings to the Great Keep like the armoury, masters tower, library, rookery, bell tower and a new one of my creation healing tower.
The Great Hall is made part of the Great keep as a wing on the east side. On the west side is the godswood as always. Next to the godswood is the Royal guest house (for if the king decide to come for him his family and immediate servants) and dozens of glass gardens. Near the armory we have the castle forge. Its only be the Great keep and the Royal guest house the only one with hot spring ponds underneath them. The castle will have impenetrable double walls with double moats, one between the walls and one before the outer wall. Each wall with 36 towers and the inner wall with a lookout post on each tower. Temporary bridges between the walls. Bigger stables, kennels, coops and store houses. Castle guard barracks, and servant quarters for them and their family in the north side.
A huge ice house where certain food items can be stored, and wide stoned paved paths. a huge vault below the great keep for keeping the gold and riches, one below the armoury for the hoard of valyrian steel weapons that I found, and one hidden deep inside where the crypts are for the weird artifacts I found deep. No workers will be allowed in these two vaults and they are going to be made in secret to only my mom, dad and my uncles. They is going be under Fidelius Charms and blood wards, to my fathers line of blood. So no Dayne can open it even mom. While I am there I intent to renovate the crypts too. No one but family should go in there.
There is a proposal on the table of my uncle from me for a guard unite called the Wolf guard, comprising of 5000 riders. They will be posted in all four directions patrolling for the security of the realm against raiding of the bandits and wildlings. The unit will be equipped with best weapons, armor, hunting dogs, horses and everything else. They will be fiercely trained my our best people before sending out. There will be guard posts almost everywhere in North. Placing more than a hundred of them in each posts according to the place near borders(north near wall, seas east and west, and the neck), ports, villages etc.
The keeps will be under the care of each lords they wont enter there. In it I want each directions headed by someone capable and honorable. And who knows the area well. In the proposal it said to include the heirs and members from other noble or lordly and knightly houses to participate in the training. And the leaders can be selected from the trainees, the best ones. If we get the permission from all the houses then this can be moved forward. When in war they can act as legion of cavalry. The proposal to have a standing army was denied out right. I didn't have magic at that time so it was benched and later forgotten until later.
The islands newly formed around the Blazewater Bay is newly named the Northern Chain. Because they have formed as a defensive formation around the Bay almost like a big diamond necklace. And its near the Neck so the name fit. Although not as big as the Bear Islands or the Wyke or even the Tarth, there are a few Dragonstone sized islands in there, 2 or 3 even bigger. The thing is they are all not badly scattered. One can swim from some of the islands to another in a few seconds even. Its like the islands can be connected with each other easily through permanent bridges also have boat services between all of them.
The main take is there is actually a couple of islands good enough to pose as medium sized ports, and coincidentally they form an entry way in to the Bay and then to the canal. And thats the only way. They form a complete defensive formation indeed. This is going to be my last long time project. This one can wait until the whole other projects are completed. It can wait for years.
The immediate ones are the where I have to change the soil near all the keeps and villages. Making maximum number of areas fit for farming. Even if its the smallest of them. North is not just aware of the plants that can grow here almost all the surrounding areas in this realm is arid. So maybe people before me didn't even try because its a lost cause. The one area that was worth something was given away by some dragon bitch who thought she knew better and that place is now left alone with no one doing anything for more than a hundred years and is prone to wildling raids. I thought I must do something about them. And suggested a solution. But my uncle advised to wait until the next winter.
Winterfell, North, 289 AC, Harry POV
Three years ago while I was raiding the citadel by scanning all their books. I ran into Archmaester Marwyn the mage. The guy was holding glass candle and running around the library looking for the invisible me. When he moved right past me the candles flamed really high and he dropped it.
"I know you are there. Please I just want to know, I just want to see. My whole life I have dreamed of this day, please I beg you." the guy even knelt down on the floor.
I checked his sincerity, and checked his psyche. This guy is genuine scholar, for decades he has roamed the whole world where his legs would take him to find a proof that magic exist. And he was about to give up when in 279 AC, when I first used my magic the glass candles lite up giving him hope. He has been in an battle to find out where its originated from, and how to find it. Then a few days ago, me, to fill my newly built larger library decided to raid the biggest one in Westeros as a start. And the flames became bigger. He took them around the citadel to find the source everyday since then. He ended up in the library yesterday and now here we are. Since the guy is one of the very few magic enthusiasts I might have use for him. And I felt a bit of pity too.
"Get up Archmaester Marwyn." I was still not visible but my voice came out.
"How do you know my name." he was fascinated.
"I read your mind silly. Now get up. If you want to learn what ever magic you want we don't have time to waste. But first let me do something which is should have done before." I went and warded the place so no one will come in and anyone who comes near will go back to sleep.
"What is it that you just did?"
"I did something so people will not come in to disturb me during I am here. I should have done it before, but it comes with magic you become someone with less common sense sometime. So you want to learn magic huh? I have to be honest with you there is only 3 disciplines of magic that you can learn. The rest actually need a whole lot of magic reserve. We can artificially create reserves, but those are very dark and foul magics, that I don't do and even if did something that your age wont survive. If you want to learn you need to know who I am."
"Anything you are willing to teach I am willing to learn and I think I know where you could be from. For years I have been trying to narrow down your location. And when that earth quake happened I was able to locate you more to the north."
Then I became visible my actual form. "Your right, I am Harrold Stark, Harry for short. If you want to learn then come to Winterfell with some very like minded students or acolytes you can gather when we request for a new maester, as Luwin will be going to Moat Cailin soon, find out a very believable reason to come other than learning magic please. You can ask me all the big questions then. Now go on if you are done I am making copies of all the books in here. Its going to take me a few weeks, I'll come almost every night until I am finished."
"If you don't mind I would like to stay."
"Suit yourself." I then again pulled out the analyzer in one hand and the manipulated each book with the other. I took out one scanned it placed it back, this process went on for weeks. Marwyn brought me all the rare books from all around the citadel, from other maesters and Archmaesters during these days. He told me he will be bringing 8 acolytes and more than 10 students that he is sure of. I told him to bring them without telling them they will be learning magic. He agreed. In the new building there is place for more than 30 people to stay in the maester's tower. I informed him that.
The north was closed mostly to the rest of the world after the earth quake. The bridge to the Neck was not finished because the canal was not complete. The food to their place was delivered my dear old me the old magic way. Its a really closed off place but the people there are nice. They don't care that I can use magic, even more they are fascinated by it and now their loyalty to me is turned to reverence. And also because of this fact not many of the outside world know the north rebuilding itself.
Lannisters, Tyrells and the Tullys know because we are rebuilding and we need a huge amount of food we are not able to now make during the constructions and our population increased drastically during the years and will continue to do so, but they don't know how grand it is. The information they have is we have take a loan from the Iron Bank and we will soon go bankrupt. A poor maester who was fiercely loyal to the Lannisters in White Harbor died during the earth quake by falling from the tower. That was my first mission to Jack, brought him back especially to do that. But he had to go back alone since I lost my magic at that time.
How do I know that? Because the first batch of people in my clandestine division or the NCD(northern clandestine division) is now trained after two years. They are not faceless men and they are not meant to be either. They can blend among any crowd, do assassinations making them look like natural death, extensive knowledge about poisons because they live among the crannogmen. These people even though short have human looks. They are equipped with an mini-analyzer which also acts as a portkey (for escape and it will act as a mirror to the rest of the population) each and a notice me not suit, for necessary situations.
My spy network will expand without letting people find out they from the North at all cost. They are now distributed across Westeros and some Essosi lands. Some places like the High Garden, Casterly Rock and King's Landing will have more than 3 people. Now I have started scanning people outside of Neck for warging abilities, to train and become the next group for my spy division.
When Jack had returned, I introduced him to his office under the bell tower. Which will be known to him, me and his immediate subordinates. His office is equipped with an analyzer connected to mine and the rest of the agents. For others he is an assistant to Vayon Poole. But for all the major people, like my family including my parents, uncles (Benjen now married expecting his first child), the Cassels, Vayon Poole and maester Luwin they know he is my spy master.
So Vayon Poole now has 5 assistants one is to replace him and Jack and Missandei are two of them. When the Moat will be complete, uncle Ned and his family will move and Maester Luwin, House Poole one of the Cassels will go with him. For now I have decided to place, Eric Holt a very fiercely loyal and honorable guy among, the five as my Mayor for Wintercity. The other two could support him in his duty, perhaps. I really want Missandei to replace Vayon. But she is not of age yet.
But for uncle Ben I have decided to put his family seat in the newly being constructed Sea Dragon Point with a castle of 12 towered wall and provide a small town and a medium port to go with it. It will be right in the middle of Stony shore and Bear island(uncle's good house) two defensive ports with his navy position he will have great command over the ships and ports in the west.
And after five years the construction of Winterfell is completed, also the decoration and furnishing. So is my penalty of no magic for 150 days, 5 years each. I made a few changes along with interior decoration. The towers and all building except some temporary ones like the kennels, store houses, stables etc. are made completely of high quality granite. But the Great keep is made of dragonglass. Even some of the structures have dragonglass infused into them for powering the wards to the limit. With the stone fusing technique we were able infuse them without any trouble.
The Great Hall and the Library are fitted with a mechanism that spreads sunlight to all places using mirror in specific angles. And during night we have chandeliers that will do the same trick. The Great Hall can literally called the mirror hall now. Library starts 2 floors higher from the ground. But the tower itself is huge enough to include twice the books stark library held. And below the tower there is a hidden passage under wards for only special people. These include books from the several extinct Dynasties in Essos including Valyria, I collected over the ears. A directory made of my Analyzer. Forbidden books from the Citadel etc. That I scanned made into books again.
The Great keep itself is the greatest. Its the tallest building probably even in north or the Westeros but enchanted to look like its second to the Red keep, for now. It houses all the Stark family. And has the capacity for more. The roof of the keep has four towers in the four corners. They are for defence. But I made them as entrances only I can use. One to the hidden library below the original one, one to the maester's tower. One to Jacks office. And the last one to my personal lab. Kind of like the room of requirement but only provides whats already stored there. The topmost room is my bedroom. A giant ass one fully magical that only has access to my parents, all three of my uncles, my sister Elia, my brothers Sirius and Robb and Missandei.
Missandei was chosen to be my personal assistant to be my go between to everybody unnecessary. Which doesn't include my family. The steward of Winterfell will probably be the second job Jack will be handling, until Missandei is older and more capable. Then he will hand over the job to her. There are private doors to those towers and public ones. Just like on the floor below in my office there is a private one to my bedroom and lab (the same stairs) and a public one for other people. This is a very complicated design and I had to use magic in multiple occasions to speed up the process.
Lady Stark didn't like that I had the biggest room in the castle. My father mentioned a few times that she is the sweetest women. How that is I would really like to know.
I got my wish of standing army 2 years ago. We now have a standing army of almost 55,000 including the Wolf's guard. Wolf's guard is now 10,000 in number. Wolf's Guard is now also functions as the cavalry. During war 8000 will ride out and the rest will defend the lands. We have 2500 archers and 1000 riding archers, Infantry is 15,000 and a majestic navy comprising 26,000.
There is a system as the soldiers only works for 2 years and will go home for 1 years before coming back for another two years. It started in Wolf's guards as a trial. By doing this Northern army and navy will always retain their number and the soldiers will not be away from their family for long. When the wolf guards numbered in 5000 we let 2000 oldest members go for their break. They were taken from all over the guard posts which are now army posts.
One in between the borders of the gift and Last Hearth called the North Post. One between the Stony Shore and the Rills, by the river bank called the West Post. One which is used to be for training the new batch of trainees in the east between the Weeping water and the Broken branch, that which also will stand as a look out against the Boltons too called the East Post.
And the last one far away from the borders of the Riverlands and closer to the kingsroad and the Bite, but between the Greywater Watch and Moat Cailin, it was the biggest of all posts constructed just like the Greywater watch consisting of the best 2000 cavalry (wolf's guard) and 200 riding archers the north has. It works against the bandits from the Twins's side and the pirate from the Bite and if needed the iron pirates that could come from the Cape of Eagle. That one was the South Post. The first three posts contained 1000 each.
But now there is a new army post that is mainly for the training of new bloods, between Wintercity and Castle Cerwyn along the banks of White knife. The new soldiers are no longer trained in East post but the new one the Central Post. Now, all the new admissions into the army are trained here. After the construction of Central Post 2 army posts moved to new locations since it became overcrowded in that place. The West Post moved to Stony Shore and East Post moved to Ramsgate. Now that those ports have been militarized the revenue from the ports go directly to the army and navy fund. That will almost make the army fund itself in future.
Now that rotation is in place we have a good army of 55000 all the time and almost 75000 if all the army is called and a whooping 110,000 if we include the levies. We are following the very many army tactics that I learned from my world's history and this worlds'. for example the unsullied defending against the Dothraki riders inspired me to adopt the legion system. Though the naming and division I adopted it from some of the earth's greatest armies of my time.
A Team Leader will lead Team of 5 soldiers, a Sergeant leads a Squad of 3 or more Teams of approximately 20 soldiers, a Lieutenant leads a Platoon of 50 soldiers worth of Squads, a Captain leads a Company of 200 soldiers worth of Platoons, a Major leads a Battalion of 1000 soldiers worth of Companies, a Colonel leads a Brigade of 5000 soldiers worth of Battalions, a Lieutenant General leads a Division of 10,000 soldiers worth of Brigades, and finally the General leads the Army Corps and the Navy Corps.
Right now Ned Stark is the Commander General which in future will be me. My dad is the real Army general but the post was given to Lord Willam Dustin as he is the deputy to hide my father's identity. Lord Manderly was named the Navy Commander. My uncle Ben is his deputy. He has been training under Lord Manderly for the past 4 years. Seems like he has a talent for it. If I am right he could become one of the best ones in all of Westeros.
All the Lords lead their own armies of a few thousands. Some has atleast 4 thousand so they are all awarded Colonel and ones with just thousands are awarded Major positions automatically. Now all of them are sworn to follow the Stark family without loosing their honor the magical way. Any position above has to be earned by hard work. Nobility or name qualifications are out the door the minute you enter the military and navy. Anyone who cannot agree to it is immediately dismissed and this fact is iron nailed into the minds of every single one of my bannermen.
Military desertion is a crime punishable by death. No black for deserters. This is made clear to all soldiers while they apply. And every soldier applied voluntarily. Which means if Bolton has second thoughts about a rebellion I will know and can take him out legally. But what seems to make me have second thoughts about killing is his son Domeric Bolton. The boy is a stand up chap. But he has to grow up a lot and now he is being fostered somewhere in Vale. I am waiting for his come back to make a final decision.
Our navy has been the most successful the past 3 years since we started all the alcohol production. Almost 100 cargo ships. 50 long ships and 50 galleys each on west and east navy. The new 50 frigate ships being the fastest ships in the business we are able to do trade with the west of Westeros for the first time with huge returns. Them also being our new war ships swayed the pirates from attacking them in fear of their own life and finally the flag ship. It has the highest defense, speed and attack power because I have infused dragon glass to all sides, and masts of the ship. Runes drawn made her the hardest and fastest there is.
Mine and both the maesters new invention (Marwyn and Luwin) an on touch exploding scorpion made her and the frigates a devil in the seas. But this is the only one we have made. It cost us almost 4 million gold dragons I don't think we will make more of her. Even if we do it will only be one. It was seriously a lot work. This one is named Black Wolf due to the fact that its completely black, the mast, sails, hull and even the figurehead which is a black Direwolf head looking at the moon howling. It sailed for a test run and since then she is inside a building house in Wolf Den, hidden, waiting for her turn to shine.
Due to their belief in me, all the slaves that I freed from Essos and relocated, more than 25,000 of them have converted to the old gods. Its really is a good religion which demands nothing and don't create new problems for me. So I silently preached for these gods when all the people began to thank them about fertility and safety of the land. I went to the Isle of faces and transplanted a few weirwoods. Four of them are in the city in four directions and a secluded walled park structure around it and appointed people to guard it guard it I also planted seed in every keep in north were one was missing. Within time period of 4 years we had completed the walls of Wintercity. Its said that the city in size is bigger than King's Landing.
We diverted most of the workers to other keeps to complete them faster. The influx of citizens are still coming but we still have the complete control of the city. By now we are at 200,000 people in the city. Some of these people tried to burn the weirwood trees and they disappeared along with their co-conspirators. Why the faith thinks thing like these will work here I will never know. We treated them with love and care and the people of Wintercity gave it back. The city is only city in name, the population and the infrastructure needs to improve a little bit more. But we are following several strict policies even now. Keeping the city clean is the job of its people too. This is ingrained into their head. Use of public baths and other facilities are highly encourages. Jobless lazy bums are forcefully encouraged to get one. Do what you know. If you don't know go learn something. There are dozens of opportunities in north they should pick one.
The people are slowly going for the old gods more and more. And faith people cant help to keep themselves alive let alone cause problems. Not just in Wintercity, this push for a small rebellion was something they tried all over the north. But then we catch them, their friends, their friend's friends and so on so forth until all fanatics are thoroughly removed.
And lastly among the development of north. We completed Moat Cailin, and Cailin city around it. We removed the soil remnants from where the canal formed and used it to fill the marsh. Nothing a bit of magic can't fix. Now its the biggest port city in North, bigger than white harbour. The influx of people are going there too. But unlike Wintercity, Cailin city I almost complete with everything, warding, decoration, library, and everything.
There was a push for a sept to be built in the Moat from the Lady Stark. We still are unable to tell her everything. The reason being she write to littlefinger her most intimate secrets, almost every month. We of course will catch this letter every time, reads them and makes her remove some secret information about North that will damage us and sends them away. Oh and also carefully modify the memory of the letter.
Baelish really has a spy that I can't kill in my home. The reason why I hate this guy and what really got him under my radar goes back to when we started making our branded beverages. The alcohol productions started 3 years ago. Wine has completely been out-shined now a days. Beer and vodka was the most famous among common people. Especially vodka. Then butterbeer because even children can have them. It is a huge hit in Essos and Yiti. Then the Whiskeys. Firwhiskey and frostwhiskey needs to be ordered in advance to have it because it is premium goods.
When some idiots from faith spread the news that we are doing something unholy to make these drinks we found that littlefinger or Mockingbird as they call him is the one that instigated the news from King's landing. This littlefinger aka Petyr Baelish had a whore house in Wintertown that had been demolished during the remodeling. And we denied him right to build a new one so this was his retaliation. We made a few people from Flee-bottom drag the said Septon that too the High Septon from one of littlefinger's most prized establishments and thew him in the middle of the crowd violently. Some people went into the whorehouses of Baelish and the Great Sept of Baelor and brought all the money from these places that the Septon and Baelish hide away and distributed it among the people freely. When Gold cloaks came to control the crowd some people lite a few past abusive one aflame. That stopped the involvement of the cloaks altogether. The High Septon was paraded around the city streets naked and thrown out of King's Landing in the same fashion. The only one hurt are a few cloaks who got burned in their armor.
Littlefinger was not satisfied with that lesson and tried to stir trouble again. This time his establishments were forcefully vacated and burned to the ground. I made sure the fire didn't spread to other buildings. He was devastated. And when he entered his room that night there was the head of the spy he had sent to Winterfell on his table. There was a note nearby that said. That scared the Mockingbird. It said 'Try that again and I will replace this one with yours'. The guy was dead the moment he laid eyes on my mom the wrong way, let alone the fact that he is a spy. Spies are swiftly taken care off in Wintercity and my castle.
Back to the idiot aunt of mine. I had to place an agent there just for her to control the damage she will make with some of her stupid decisions. Her secret aversion to old gods makes me wonder how she had three kids with my uncle. She tried to destroy Robb's education, which I had to take it up with uncle and father. Which took away her power to decide what her children will learn. Sometimes I wonder if she really is their mother. She wanted to bring up Robb in the light of faith and be like a southern Lord. She tried to make him learn under a Septon because of that. Now because of her idiocy the Septon and Robb will not see each other in any educational capacity. He is a Northern heir he has to live and act like one otherwise his people will not respect him. My uncles had my dad to teach them how to handle people of North if not the north will be in a lot of trouble. Because then I will be late in many details too
My spy division is topnotch and I get lots of disturbing information from all of the rest of the kingdoms. Especially king's Landing, so many disturbing news. I was told that some people are getting really curious, especially Olenna Tyrell and Tywin Lannister. But not dangerously enough. It also said that Iron born have almost completed their fleet. And it will be ready to launch a attack on Westeros in a year. I thought about ending them all a few times. Then I thought why do the job for others. They are of no danger to my land. Every inch of it is fortified and by the time the pirate tries to engage in skirmishes with us it will be even more difficult than it I now.
And now we are about to put the bridge for the kingsroad. The only physical connection the South of Westeros will have with the North. It was really hard to make a bridge while not hindering the canal's function and is long enough to reach each end. The canal itself has three doors on each end to stop invaders. These doors and the bridge were made with real hard work from not just me and my maesters but the architects, the blacksmiths, and many others. We found that the kingsroad need not deviate a lot, because the closest the two sides come are exactly near the Cailin City only minutes ride from there to the city.
It slightly looks like 2 cliffs but the distance is not too much with each other that we can strengthen the base as much as we can then start from there. Its a vertical-lift bridge, from both sides. Its skeletal works are completely made out of reinforced steel and for wood we used Ironwood. Then I fused some dragonglass in the grounds of the bridge's origin in the two sides and the bridge itself.
To lift it 16 people in both sides needs to man it. The muscle power needed is huge. Hence it will only operate twice a day. There are taverns, whorehouses and inns in both sides of the bridge. The people will stand in queue for hours to be sent across each sides. So will the ships while people are crossing.
Since there were ward stones inlaid everywhere I was able to find out information that the lions are going to be out of gold to dig out soon, even before them. And I also found out in the Northern Mountains we have quite a big haul to dig. Thank gods its not near the Boltons. We have a huge amount of iron and some other metals like gold and silver in those mountains but mainly iron which I gave the Last Hearth the contract to dig. They will get 30% of the money over the pay for the workers. This iron mining alone will go on for a few 1000 years by the size of it, let alone the rest of it. I intent to put a keep, or a huge castle withe a mining town in there for my brother in the future or something. And it does not touch any of the Gifts. I do send food, cloths, weapons and ale to the poor men at the wall every year. Its not costing me a lot anyway. Because, when it all started Starks always looked out for the Watch. They were eternally grateful for my contribution.
Many of the villagers have moves from their homes to the newly made towns and cities for better protection. Including people from Mole town. So there are many deserted villages in the north now. I imagine the wildlings coming to attack a few villages and seeing an empty are instead. But wildling coming down have reduced a lot since Wolf's guards. So have hunting. We rear meat on our own now. If we keep on hunting then we will be left with nothing in the future. So hunting is now strictly controlled in north. I have made a lot of places fit for grazing the animals that they don't have much complaints. I started a hunting season for any frustrated lords.
The same goes for trees I made a rule to plant five tree if you cut one. Its now strictly followed in all of north. And I have made the grounds more fertile with druid magic so these trees should grow in 3 or 4 decades to what once stood there.
And since the bridge is ready its time to start the jewelry, clothing and glass businesses. We have been planning its execution for a long time now. And we have decided to make cloths for smallfolks as a start of clothing business. And it was a hit. They all don't look like beggars and savages of the north now. We look better than the Reach all things considered. But these cloths stayed in north. We intent to hit the big leagues outside. The rich and the richest of people in Westeros and Essos. Same goes for jewelry. There is a shop in Wintercity and Cailin city that is heavily guarded but outside we only aim for the rich people in this.
Glass is the same we have already set aside all the glasses for glassgardens, renovation, and decoration, furnishing and cutlery, enough for all the houses. Now we are hitting the high-end market in glass leaving the low-end for Myr. Mainly because we lack members to do high amount of orders. The new ones are still in training and it seems like it will take a few years, even with the new styles, better methods and tools we have introduced in all three fields. One thing I am happy about is all these people literally worship the ground I walk on. When they were in Bravos they heard what I did to their past masters. So they have a lot more gratitude, respect and fear for me too.
Now that the news about the realm is all said let me tell you about my family.
My Uncle Ben as said before moved out. But he and my aunt is expecting their first child. When he moved to Sea Dragon Point I gave him a valyrian steel sword as gift. According to his choice a long sword. A green one with wolf pommel and emeralds on its eyes named Frostbite. And reminded him to hide it for now.
My uncle Arthur is tasked with a decent enough five guys to replace him when he finally leaves us to go guard his king in the south. On other times he was fully fixated on training me, Robb and mainly his King, my brother Sirius(Jaehaerys III Targaryen). He is nothing like his namesake. Not a single pranking bone in him. But I am waiting for him to grow up a little more to change all that. Now Robb went to Cailin city.
I am almost like a direct disciple of my uncle Arthur. But my style is not fit to follow his. Neither is my dad's. uncle said I will have to absorb and make a new style of my own of this is the case. So on my last trip to Bravos I made the previous first sword Syrio Forel to come north and teach me by giving him an offer he cannot refuse. Lots of gold. He will also teach Missandei and Elia when they reach 6 years old.
There was a lot of movements in water dancing so if I integrate it into my own mine might become more fast and fluid. For that, a Long sword or Bastard sword they are too long and straight for me to get a fluid motion. Definitely not a Great sword or a Rapier too heavy or too light. In my opinion an Arakh is a stupid choice of a weapon, a weird looking sword. A Katana or NinjatÅ doesn't fit the bill either. So a specialized saber it is. Then an image came in my head. I went to the new castle blacksmith master Vararro, (master Mikken said the other guy is superior and decided to learn under him as one of his deputies) with the drawing of the sword we discussed and decided to put more than the real sword's weight in the training sword and make it two. I might as well give dual wielding a try. Either way 'Ice' our ancestral sword is not my style.
I made 2 swords that looked similar to Orcrist from Lords of the ring. One of my favorite weapon, and I am going to adapt from Legolas's fighting style. This is going to be epic. (to people that didn't notice - look to the cover image of the story please) And with magic my body is more enhanced than giants my age. I am 10 - 11 years old but looks like 14 - 15. later I can make them of valyrian steel. I have the formula after all. Its a problem because I will need blood of a real life dragon, dragon fire and heat it in dragon fir for 300 days to get the steel. Later its really hard to break up the steal and remake it too. But all it need is twice the heat of the best steel out there and a lot of finesse. But I don't have a dragon, atleast I haven't tried to birth one. Because every single time I had that thought a certain phoenix will peck on my head continuously until the thought is gone. So I am in a research to see if whether phoenix fire and blood will work instead.
Then my last uncle in north. Uncle Ned, has was doing well in the work department with my father's help. He is after 6 years of waiting taking his family to the rebuilt Moat Calin. I gave him a valyrian steel sword too. According to his choice a bastard sword. A blue one with wolf pommel and sapphires on its eyes named Wolffang and told him to hide it for now. His son was learning with me from uncle Arthur now that he left that broke half way. But uncle promised that after 2 years he will come back to be fostered here. We have more than one best swordsmen in the planet here, my uncle would be an idiot to send him else were. But only for a year and he will go back. Then he will come back again. 1 year each in Moat Cailin and Winterfell. Like that upto the day till he is old enough.
He also has a daughter a copy of the mother in almost everything, but there is a wolf in her, we just have to get it out. Sansa Stark is a shy little girl overly depended on her mother. Or the woman has made it out like that. Then there is their second daughter, a little ball of energy, an always smiling baby Arya Stark. She is a new born but its clear even now she is a wolf more than anything. My uncle will have a handful with her.
Then there is my biggest problem in North. I could use magic on her, but the amount I already use is too much let alone more. During the time I had no magic was very hard to restrict her. I still have no idea what to do with her. My uncle is the man I respect, he is one of the most respected person in the world. What will happen if this news spreads. Over that the littlefinger has spread a tale saying he took both Tully sisters' maidenhood. It would be damaging, heavily damaging to all our reputation. Then there is her ever present aversion for Potter family since the beginning. The fact that she has not done anything against her family in Robert's rebellion is the only thing thats kept her alive.
Then my family. My father never wanted the Lord position. Now everything is going his way. Even though he will guide me, there has not been many areas where I needed one. So he is free to do as he pleases. Mostly he will be by my side like a shadow or mom's. Sometimes she complains to me that she is fed up with my father's clinginess. I think its cute. Sometimes when I see them I miss my other half. I have almost visited all the big cities in Westeros and Essos in my several searches for not just her but many things. But I still have not found her. When ever I think of her I will get into a very depressed mood and then my ever present friend will come flying from his new favorite place to comfort me.
Yes Fawkes has found a place for himself and has claimed it. The Broken tower. I made sure when Winterfell was remade, the tower remained as such. There are no stairs to the tower, inside or outside. The top of the tower is partially open, and all except one side is of the tower is closed. The side that is pointed towards the Great Keep. He had made a nest there and I have planned runes after runes to make her comfortable in there.
Then there comes my favorite person other than Daphne in this world till now. My dear little sister Elia Stark. She is with me the moment she sees me and never lets go. Even when I am in the great hall hearing peoples problems she is there, on my lap. To others she is like an honorary sister since I consider her mother as my own and her father the same. Thats the main thing that stung aunt Catelyn the most. She wanted to be like a mother to me, because some weird affection she felt for my father. I will say this now, the whole Hoster Tully line is a lost cause. Catelyn is worried that I will marry Elia when we grow up, thank god she has only talked about this with my uncle. If she did that with me I would have lost my patience with her and did a crucio on her. My mother would have killed her then and there.
The conversation went like this. I got it from her in one of my letter altering trips through her mind.
"Ned you have to believe me, that vixen will seduce him when she grows up. She is dangerous the whole family is dangerous. I had heard lord Stark call her mother, mother, call Lilly mother many times" oops my bad "We cannot let it stand as a lowborn climb her way to the top."
"ENOUGH. I WILL NOT, AND I REPEAT, I WILL NOT HEAR ABOUT THIS ANYMORE UNDER MY ROOF MY LADY. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. I advice you heed it well."
Sometimes I feel my uncle is just yearning for a reason to divorce her or in this world set her aside.
Back to my sister, she is as smart as me, when I was in my first life, she picks thins up fast, maybe better I did. She looks absolutely beautiful just like my mother. But with gray eyes, that belongs to dad, and the hair. She has shown her interest in learning sword play too. Just like me. She is my pride and joy.
Then there is the new addition I mentioned in passing before. My new brother. Cregan Stark, a copy of myself except for the eyes, they are dads. He is not as smart as Elia but not a dummy. He is energetic and a happy kid and he is more interested in spending time with Sirius than me.
Then there is Sirius my king brother in hiding. He is a very polite and obedient child everybody unilaterally loves him, even some people that might hate me might love him. I think he is my mother's favourite son. We have decided to tell him the secrets within our family when he is ten years old. Same goes for Elia. But I think she will find them out herself before us telling her. She is deviously smart like that. Good thing she is not materialistic. No love for fancy things just like our mother, my sister. And that's my family. Since we have started trades one after another now will be attracting some serious attention to the North than what is was before.
Contrary to our previous expectations in two years all the castles, army posts, ports, towns, cities, defensive measures and all the other will be completed. Our army will have marginally increased by then. So will my spies in number and experience. Even now across the bridge there is a visible presence of 5000 soldiers there. And the rest is in the Moat, a 7000 of them. I diverted a bit from the east to there. The navy is also more concentrated there and west. The three sister pirates and the slavers from Essos are easier for us to handle in the cold weather. Slowly we are fortifying east also. I will not stand a person taken from north as a slave sitting down.
The only place untouched is the Northern Chain islands and the light houses that I have planed to build in all my ports. But that will have to wait. Now all my ships are timed to reach the ports in the morning when there is light. Later it will not be so.
The first time the standing army and wolf's guards started most of my time was spend when I contact a lord and warn him that his heir or the second or third son will be thrown out of the army if he behaves the way he does. After all the advancements in their lands which they know is because of me they are really not interested in seeing their value drop in front of me.
Military strictly follows hierarchy in authority and positions. But who ever misuses it is promptly punished severely. Mostly by demotion. The training is also tough and it builds character. After a few more months I intent to go for the training my self for one or two years. Both my uncles and father were made to go for the training too. It was not needed for Arthur because he is the best disciplined of all of us. The respect they earned while in there, gave them their well earned position in the army. Another thing my aunt hates me for. But my mother loves me for it. Because it gave my father a bit more discipline. Now I am eagerly waiting for the other realms to react to the North's Awakening.