Chapter 7: The North Rises

Ned walked into the room where Daenerys and Jorah slept. The room usually held at least one wetnurse to keep an eye on them. Catelyn insisted on Robb sleeping in their room. Playing with the three babies made Ned feel a little less tired from being Lord Stark. Ned would often visit after supper and tell all three of them stories. The three babies were already growing too fast for his liking. Robb was a loud baby whose cries could be heard from Wintertown. He may favor his mother's looks but the little one was all wolf when he decided to howl at night.

In contrast, Jorah was rarely ever crying. Ned had never seen a baby more silent than him. His large eyes were always looking around and staring at people. And then there was the little dragon. Ned already loved her and she was a mix of both Robb and Jon. She was capable of looking around and gazing inquisitively but was also perfectly happy competing with Robb for volume.

Ned quietly sat in his customary chair with his son on his chest as he rocked Jorah and Dany with each hand. Old Nan quietly walked into the room and sat watching him.

"Her boy is more like you when you were a baby," Nan said quietly. Ned's head shot up as he looked at her in panic.

"Oh come boy. I nursed your father at my breast and his brother before him. I have seen more Starks than most people and I remember them all," she said admonishingly

"Please. No one else can know," Ned pleaded.

"Shut it. I know how to keep my secrets. You took too long to ask what the bear told you to ask. I'm a woman whose time is running out. Don't tempt fate, young wolf," Nan said

"I had a lot of work on my mind. What can you tell me about the three eyed crow?" Ned asked

"Oh you foolish bastard. Bloodraven is still alive then?" Nan asked sadly

"Aye. He is being kept alive by the Children," Ned said and Nan sighed weakly.

"The three eyed raven is a greenseer of prodigious talent. Very few greenseers have the necessary strength to host the spirit of the Third Eye. It is said a Child of the Forest grew to be a very strong greenseer and saw the arrival of the First Men and the Long Night. The Child sacrificed his eye to see past the Long Night and saw the Andals instead. None took his warnings seriously and banished him to the Isle of Faces instead. In his desperation, he invoked The Old Gods. They asked him to sacrifice the lives of his own kin and consume their flesh to separate his soul from his body. The Spirit of the Three Eyed Raven does all it can to protect the Children just like Bloodraven did to protect the Targaryens from the Blackfyres. I can see why Bloodraven has stuck around all these years with that spirit," Nan said.

"I have been studying the history of the Starks from him," Ned revealed

"Oh the three eyed raven can only see that which a weirwood can. They can walk the past and the present but there is much they do not see. Three eyes they may have, but the world is larger still. If you want the real history of the Starks, write to Lord Rickard Karstark and tell him, "The Lone wolf calls out to the Sun and asks about the Moon"," Nan said.

"What could the Karstarks tell me?" Ned asked.

"The truth that was hidden even from the three eyed raven's eyes," Old Nan said as she rose. "House Stark has many secrets. Your father was a fool to have kept them from you."

She slowly picked up Daenerys and rocked her gently.

"You did well to have settled the Pact of Ice and Fire. Those oaths were sworn on blood and weirwood. Oaths of old are not broken without consequence. Go young wolf. Take your pup to your wife. I shall watch over the hatchlings tonight," Old Nan said.

The Great Northern Reconstruction began soon after Benjen reached White Harbor. The Northern Canal as it began being called was a project that attracted the interest of the entire realm. Many unemployed men flocked to the North anticipating the need of labor. Kings Landing was slowly emptied of those that could afford to travel North in search of work. Populations of Lannisport and Oldtown also took hits from the migration. Septons attempting to travel with the smallfolk were unhappily turned away from White Harbor and Greywater Watch on orders of Lord Stark.

The smallfolk had never known the faith of the Old Gods and readily converted and took to worshipping them. They were astounded that the Old Gods demanded nothing like the Seven did. No expensive oils, no compulsory donations, no gifts to the gods on threat of punishment. The old gods demanded basic simple rules be followed and no more. No incest, no slavery, no kinslaying and respecting guest rights. They also discovered that the Septons had been lying to them about the savage and bloodthirsty practices of the First Men. This increased the hostility towards the Faith of the Seven as well.

The High Septon and the Faith of the Seven were apoplectic with rage at this turn of events, but they could take no direct actions against the faith of the Old Gods. Resentment in the South grew as the number of conversions increased and plots of sabotage and revenge began brewing.

Benjen thought he was supposed to collect no more than a dozen Acolytes from Oldtown. However, when he reached there, Mark Ryswell was playing host to over two hundred acolytes all eager to go North. Ned's offer of employment had brought bright minds together that would have otherwise been choked by the structures of the Citadel. The men had created an environment where ideas were hotly debated and discussed between them and they had created a new method of thinking that the Maesters had always discouraged.

Benjen was more focused on the logistics of moving these many people, but was soon plagued by the attitude of the people that consisted of an almost arrogant optimism that anything could be achieved if one was able to use a creative enough solution to a problem. The 200 men and their families soon settled in Wintertown outside Winterfell just as Ned had promised. The largest house had been converted into a house of vigorous debate and discussion. House Stark quietly paid and financed what was growing to be a second Citadel.

The farming practices of Jamie and Mark Flowers were quickly put to the test in the cold hard ground of the North and they produced thrice the yield just as they had promised. They were soon sent to different lords to teach their farmers of this discovery. This success emboldened the other acolytes and ideas began being tested all over the town. Mikken, the Blacksmith of Winterfell was initially swamped with work. He was used to forging weapons but was not prepared to forge something as delicate as springs and gears.

When he complained to Ned, he simply asked the Acolytes for suggestions. He also sent for 2 more blacksmiths from White Harbor. The forge of Winterfell was soon expanded as the fires worked through the night. The Acolytes also designed a bigger forge that could make better quality steel by sprinkling powdered Dragonglass instead of coal over the iron. The new steel was named Wintersteel and demand increased for these swords rapidly. One test conducted found that the steel would not rust even after a moon's turn of being in wet mud. The demands and prices shot through the roof after this was proven repeatedly by other lords. Ships began making regular trips to Dragonstone to mine the Dragonglass within the moon's turn.

The Acolytes had requested Ned to build a library and a center for learning like the Citadel. Ned did not want to offend the Maesters of the Citadel and wrote the conclave asking for permission. The Maesters mocked the 'University of Frost' when they heard about it. In the end granted the request only because they wanted to see the University fail and establish the supremacy of the Citadel and wrote as much in their letter granting the permission.

Only one man at the Citadel saw the potential in the new University and quietly tasked his acolytes with making copies of the most important tomes of the citadel. He would soon quietly ship them off the University before making arrangements for his own departure. Marwyn the Mage did not need his glass candles to see the future in flux.

Wintertown grew outwards rapidly with the influx of new people. The newly constructed road allowed for goods to flow through Winterfell and reach ports on both sides of the North. The southern side of Wintertown closest to the Winter Road became a hub for trade and merchants while the northern end saw the beginnings of a new Citadel rise with the new University of Frost.

The University was unlike the Citadel in many ways. A large central Library was created and kept open to all. Many houses around the Library were converted into centers for learning different subjects. Maester Luwin was granted an honorary position as he was the only Maester to willingly associate with the University. In the coming months, the discoveries of the University would soon prove vital in reshaping the North.

The port city of Lycansvart being built on the Stony Shore was a large one by design. Wood from the Wolfswood was used to build the port and a stone keep was raised using rock from the Stony Shore itself. Benjen supervised the construction of the port and became good friends with House Glover and Mormont in the process. Benjen and Dacey Mormont grew to become rather close friends but neither was ready for a wedding just yet.

Queenscrown was an abandoned ruin a few miles south of the Wall. It had been unmanned since Queen Alysanne Targaryen had unceremoniously given away the New Gift to the Night's Watch by royal decree. However, over the years, the Night's Watch did not have enough men needed to farm those lands and they were left unattended for more than a century. Hother 'Whoresbane' Umber had been sent to Queenscrown to act as castellan and began farming carrots, beets, potatoes and other plants that thrived in the cold.

Work on rebuilding Moat Cailin began rapidly with additional funding from the Lannisters. The grounds for the channel were mostly swampy and wet. Digging through the wet mud needed many men and employed most of the converts from the south. Northerners were none too happy with Andal blood coming into the North but tolerated it for the sake of the canal. Their conversions to the faith of the Old Gods also helped integrate the new blood into the North.

Two years had passed since the Rebellion and the weather had taken a turn for the cold. Autumn had come and all houses of the North began preparing for Winter. As the last crops of the season were planted and food reserves for the winter were measured, the North found itself prepared with enough food and supplies for a decade-long winter. The traditional Autumn festival was one where only the quickly expiring foods were consumed in the anticipation of the coming winter. This year however, there was enough food for everyone to feast without worry for the oncoming winter.

People and Lords from all over the North came to Winterfell using the new Winter road. Wintertown was filled with people as the joyous celebrations began. The Lords of the North met in the meeting hall of Winterfell as a large feast was prepared for them.

Ned rose to address them, "My Lords! Autumn feasts have often begun with each Lord accounting for their food supply for the coming winter. This year however, I can trust in each of you that you have enough food for a 5 year winter. The credit for this goes to Mark and Jamie Flowers of the University of Frost. So raise a toast for these two men who have ensured none shall go hungry this winter!"

The hall erupted in cheers as the two men rose abashedly and received many slaps to their backs.

"This is just the beginning," Ned started ominously as all cheer faded from his face and a stoic determined expression took its place. "The North can feed itself for the first time in almost three centuries. We cannot stop here. The Northern Canal will allow for trade to flow from east to west and we will need to protect it. The Manderly Fleet alone cannot do this. So, Winterfell will be sponsoring the construction of a Port City on the Stony Shore called Lycansvart. Old tongue for the black wolf. It will harbor the Western Navy of the North. Brandon the Burner's folly will be undone."

The hall erupted in cheers again and this time it took longer to settle down. A few Lords had already begun making plans when Ned continued his announcement.

"My brother Benjen will take the Lordship of Lycansvart port and defend our shores from the Ironborn. He will also start a cadet branch of House Stark and carry Dawn as their house sword and take the name Duseren as their own. No more shall the Ironborn plague the North! Kneel Lord Duseren!"

At this the Mormonts of Bear Island cheered the loudest and longest. They had often been the target of Ironborn raids and were looking forward to paying their debts. Benjen unsheathed Dawn, placed it's tip on the ground and knelt.

"To Winterfell I pledge the faith of House Duseren. Hearth and heart and harvest I yield up to you, my lord. My swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to my weak, help to my helpless, and justice to all, and I shall never fail you. I swear it by earth and water. I swear it by bronze and iron. I swear it by ice and fire. I swear it by blood and weirwood," Benjen said with his head bowed.

"To House Duseren, Winterfell swears to hold faith. In summers warm and winters cold, the hearth of Winter shall be open to kin. So I swear as a Stark that our enemies shall perish and fall and any that seek to harm thee shall feel the fury and bite of winter. I swear it by earth and water. I swear it by Bronze and Iron. I swear it by Ice and Fire. I swear it by blood and weirwood" Ned said.

A weirwood sapling was brought out and both brothers cut their thumbs on Ice and Dawn respectively and placed their blood on opposite sides of the weirwood. The assembled lords cheered as the two brothers embraced each other after the ceremony. The sigil of House Duseren was to be a Black wolf with red eyes on a field of white.

"Lord Glover! Lord Karstark! The North needs wood for its fleet. I ask of you to provide wood for the Eastern and Western fleets respectively. Lords Blackwood, Forrester and Whitehill. You will aid them and for every tree cut down, three more shall be planted for the future. For every thirty planted trees one Weirwood tree shall also be planted," Ned continued with the announcements

Cheers followed with many cups being emptied and refilled at that.

"Lord Umber, Queenscrown and the New Gift will stay under your control for the foreseeable future. I ask of you to send the produce to the Night's Watch and taxes shall be waived off. In fact, Winterfell will not only match your supplies but double them," Ned said much more calmly.

"My Lords. We have seen a flood of Andal blood from the South. I shall not turn them away. Instead I shall seek more First Men blood for the North. Come summer, House Stark will start building a city at Hardhome. The Wildlings will be offered the same rights that our Mountain clans enjoy. They need not bend the knee but only swear fealty to Winterfell."

There were more grumblings at this. Lord Umber was incensed and Mors Umber thundered, "They took my daughter Ned! I will not let there be peace with the Wildlings!"

"That's good, Crowfood. Because you will be leading the men there. My gift to you is not Hardhome but the chance to freely chase down the abductors of your daughter. I am not asking you to make peace with the wildlings, but to break them and tame them. You want your revenge? Go and earn it. Make the Wildlings produce furs and lumber. The wildlings are fearless warriors for they have nothing to lose. We will give them something that they will fear losing should they act against the North.", Ned said with a note of steel in his voice.

A savage grin grew on Mors Umber's face that refused to budge for the rest of the week.

"There's more Mors. You will be collecting as many aurochs as you can. We will tame them and use them to pull carts. They are stronger and live longer in the cold. Lands north of the Dreadfort all the way to Queenscrown are too rocky to put under the plough but they have large pastures. Tanneries will be set up in Last Hearth and the Dreadfort. Lord Umber and Lord Bolton have exclusive rights to the leather they make," Ned stated and both lords nodded in agreement.

"This winter, I want all the lords to test their heirs. In summer, I want all heirs of the north fostering together. The bonds forged in combat are difficult to break. And I'd much rather trust the men I've fought alongside than those that swore their words to me. Should this be something of interest to all of you, Winterfell will welcome all the sons and daughters of the North. We are in a new North, my Lords. Winds of change are blowing and the North prospers."

"The North Prospers!", all the Lords cheered and music and ale began flowing as the feast began.

The next morning, as many men nursed their hangovers, Robb and Dany decided to make things worse for them and cried louder than ever before. Many a men cursed the babes as they stumbled around Winterfell. Lord Rickard Karstark and Lord Stark met in the goodswood and none noticed their absence for the rest of the day.

The first flakes of snow drifted over Highgarden as Olenna sat in the gardens while she could. Her good-daughter and her son chattered aimlessly as usual. She picked up a roasted fig and popped it into her mouth. Willas and Garlan were playing knight with sticks they had found. Olenna could only hope Mace did not inflict his wits on his children.

A girl she couldn't remember the name of, walked up to her and handed a note and left just as quickly. Olenna sighed.

More bad news. She had heard more bad news in the last five years than she had in the last half century. She opened up the note and threw it onto the table. "Alerie, take Loras and Margery inside. The snows have begun falling. Mace. Sit."

She couldn't help but wonder why she gave birth to such an idiot. "Cersei is pregnant. Robert finally fucked a babe into her in Dragonstone it seems."

"Excellent. Hopefully it is a boy. Margery will be Queen!", Mace exclaimed

"Did you have to get Alerie heavy with a babe the very minute you heard Cersei was pregnant? She lost the child in a month and now you'll jump on the poor girl again. Oh that is not important. The Northern Canal will be ready in a few years. Have you secured deals with any of the Free Cities?" Olenna asked

"Myr, Tyrosh and Lys have all agreed to buy more food from us. But I have noticed we haven't sold as much food as usual", Mace wondered

Olenna genuinely wondered if Mace had been dropped as a baby. "The North hasn't been buying any food from us. That is why our larders overflow, you fool" she explained reluctantly

"Ah that is fine. When winter freezes those barbarians in the snow, they will come begging for food and we can charge them thrice the price" Mace said pleased with himself.

"They won't come this winter. They have begun growing enough food of their own. And even if they have to, they will buy it from the Riverlands. That trout in Winterfell would not let them come to us anyway."

"Oh mother! Stop being silly. The North could never grow enough food to keep their smallfolk fed. They will come. The Riverlands could never produce enough food for the North. You'll see. I wonder if we could ask for Dawn as payment instead of gold? Nobody would question House Tyrell's right to rule the Reach, if we held Dawn." Mace continued building castles in the clouds as Olenna felt tempted to throw the plate of figs at his face. She settled for throwing a single fig at his shirt. That way, the fool would feel the need to immediately change his clothes,spend at least an hour choosing a replacement, and take his stupidity with him.

The construction of the canal slowed to a crawl as winter gained a stronger hold. The new migrants to the North were ill prepared but few died of exposure to the elements. They had to adapt quickly and took up the practices of the Northmen around them.

The old keep of Moat Cailin had been torn down and the stones from the walls were used to lay the foundations of the canal. Fresh rock was brought down from the rocky lands of the Last Hearth and the Dreadfort by small barges down the White Knife river. The canal was made deep and wide enough for an entire galleon to pass through at full speed and full cargo.

Fresh new stone was used to build Moat Cailin from scratch. The First Men built Moat Cailin with twenty towers, a wooden keep and a great basalt curtain 100 feet high across the Kings road. The new designs for Moat Cailin consisted of 40 towers, a Stone keep and granite walls 150 feet high. The Reeds monitored most of the construction but many lords were encouraged to visit and supervise the construction over the years. Thanks to Lannister Gold, labor from Kings Landing and the aid of architects and engineers provided by the Iron Bank and the University of Frost, the project was to be completed by the time spring arrived.

The fortress of Moat Cailin looked over the canal and trebuchets mounted on the top of the tower could sink ships far away from Moat Cailin with no difficulty. The fortress could now withstand any attack from the south as well as the north.

Trade agreements began being signed between merchants of Lannisport and Baraavos as well as the Free Cities in anticipation of the canal's opening. Traffic increased along the Winter Road as the Eastern Navy of the North expanded and Lycansvart port became functional. The Northern Canal was nearing completion when the Greyjoy Rebellion began.