Moat Cailin…

Moon of the Eagle, 281 After Aegon's Conquest…

"I demand an explanation, Cousin!" Eddard snapped after the Captains had winked out of the room one by one.

"He knows nothing?"

"No, Master." I sighed as Grashnog chuckled and joined Andrew on the floor.

"This should be entertaining at the very least," Grashnog said to Andrew, who just chuckled and nodded along.

"Aye, that it shall."

"Well!?" Eddard barked. I glared at him lightly as I looked down at the kids in my lap.

"Uncle?"

"Damn." Andrew hissed under his breath, glancing at the smirking Grashnog. "Yes, Ben?"

"Do you mind taking Cregan and Leo back to their rooms? I think it's time they had a nap."

"No!"

"We wanna stay with you!" Leo squeaked, looking up at me with pleading eyes. I just shook my head."

"Tell you what? I'll read your favorite, favorite story tonight if you're good for your Uncle Andrew. How's that sound?" Cregan frowned, thinking as hard as a not-quite two-year-old could while Leo looked up at me.

"Promise?"

"Aye, I do."

"Pinky promise?" He asked, holding out his little finger. I chuckled, ruffled his hair, and obliged him.

"I do."

"Yay! You can't break a pinky swear! C'mon Cregan! Le's go!"

"Alright, ya rascals, come with me," Andrew sighed. The 'rascals,' in question already having slid to the floor before he could completely stand up. "Let's get you back to your rooms." He grimaced, staring at me balefully as I just smirked. It slipped from my lips as I turned back to Ned with a frown.

"Well, cousin? What have you to say?" Ned growled as he stared up at me.

"I say you're about two and a half years behind." I said, leaning back in my chair slightly as Ned scowled.

"That's when you arrived in Winterfell, aye?"

"Aye, but there's more to that tale. You likely know the tale we told the Lords of the North, that me and mine came from the other side of the sunset sea, yes?"

"Aye, I know it."

"That's not, per say, the truth."

"Pardon?"

"You see, I'm not from the far west, Eddard, I am not from this world at all. I am the descendant of Jorah Stark, son of Theon, King in the North."

"The Lost Wolf?"

"Aye, the very same, son." Rickard nodded as he leaned forward.

"Incredible… But what do you mean another world?"

"Just that," I said, putting my elbows on the table and leaning forward with a frown. "The world I come is more advanced than this one in every way you could think of: in medicine, technology, warfare, and so much more. But there were some things I still didn't know: like what happened to Jorah." Ned's eyes were wider than dinner plates as he stared at me from across the room. "It wasn't until I came here that I learned that while the North was at war with the Andals, Jorah came across a group of forty-nine warrior-priests. They started doing something, calling on their gods or casting a spell? I don't know. What I do know is that Jorah was a shapechanger. He tore through the priests like they were nothing in his direwolf form, then he changed back to a man and slew the last with his sword, this sword." I said, touching the pommel of Winter's Bane. "It flashed white and then Jorah was gone. He ended up in a cave in the world I was born into, seperated from this world by methods I don't know."

"Shapechangers are naught but stories told to children," Ned said automatically, already shaking his head but latching onto the one thing that made even a little bit of sense.

"Oh dear…" I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as Dacey stood. She passed me Arsa gently, and I took our daughter before she stalked in front of Eddard.

"Stories, eh?" The She-bear growled, rolling her eyes as she transformed into her bear form and roared. Ned crashed backward, flipping over a table and scrambling to regain his feet - but Dacey was simply standing there with her arms folded under her breasts. "What do you make of that, little Lord?"

"I- I don't understand… How? How is this possible?"

"Magic," I said simply, twirling my Blackthorn and Kingwood wand between my fingers as Ned shook his head.

"Magic… Gods. Shape and Skinchanging? Those are just stories old nan told us, father." Eddard protested even as he collapsed onto one of the benches in front of the table he jumped (read: fell) over trying to get away from Dacey.

"Expecto Patronum," I murmured under my breath, watching as my Direwolf Patronus erupted from my wand and trotted around the room. "Those weren't just tales, Eddard. Though, I'll grant you this: the more times a tale is told, the Truth within becomes a bit more smudged. Eventually what started as a warning becomes a legend which then is lost to myth. Why are your words 'Winter is Coming,' Stark?"

"I-" He opened his mouth and then abruptly snapped it shut, drawing his eyebrows together as he stared at the floor. "I don't know…"

"It was a warning. One passed from Father to Son for millenia. Heed the words. Magic is not confined to some tale told on a dark winter's night."

"This is madness…" Eddard whispered.

"Perhaps, but you've yet to see real magic," I said, passing Arsa back to Dacey as she sat back down. "Do you want to see the secrets this castle holds, Eddard?"

"No." He said, shaking his head empathically. "You have already told me too much as it is… I fear I cannot take much more. I feel as if I am already going mad."

"We're all a little mad here." I shrugged slightly as Ned looked up at me. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Aye, I do… Those men, the Captains? Who were they? I did not recognize them."

"Aye, because most of them aren't nobles. Those were my battle commanders. Do you remember our conversation about the legions?"

"Aye, I shan't forget it."

"I didn't think you would." I nodded brusquely as Ned frowned. "I have eight fully formed, trained, and blooded legions. Those were their captains. Each captain commands upward of seven thousand men. Currently, I am their Lord Marshall and sole General. I hope that with the creation of more legions, I will not have to shoulder the burden of command alone."

"What are you saying, my lord?"

"He is not offering you command, son." Rickard said with his arms folded. "You will be charged with the defense of Winterfell and the smooth running of the North. Brandon will likely help Benjamin command the legions."

"Aye, father… Cousin, how did you do all of this?"

"Well, that's a long story." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Not only do I care not, I believe I should know."

"Aye… You're right," I grunted. "Lord Stark?"

"Eddard, you yourself know the state the North was in before Lord Agonstark arrived. We could not feed our own people but now, thanks to Buln-" The Goblin in question nodded to Eddard, "-we have glass gardens in every major castle and an alliance with Braavos. It has alleviated our reliance on southern grain but we still need it for the smallfolks."

"Aye, father. How is it you have come to know the secrets of glass making, master Buln?"

"I was shortly employed by the glassblowers of Myr. I brought some of their secrets back over here," Buln said.

"Aye, and I improved that recipe myself." Grashnog huffed from his place near Ned. "The only reason the Myrish get away with selling that shite is because no one else knows how to make glass properly."

"Right, thank you Master." Grashnog snorted but nodded. "Grashnog is also in charge of a few other projects."

"Such as?"

"I and my workers produce all the arms and armor for Benjamin's Legions."

"And you're paid handsomely for it."

"Aye, I know I am. That's why I keep making them for you, boy." Grashnog snorted as I shook my head. "I also am digging out your harebrained idea for underground gardens."

"Is it a bad idea?"

"Oh no, not at all. Using runic suns and tapping the cisterns where no lakes are available for irrigation very well may be your best idea yet. Not to mention Ancaleon is providing all the fertilizer the North would need by himself. With the other twelve we could start selling the south their shite as fertilizer."

"The Reach would pay a pretty copper for it, Master Grashnog," Rickard said thoughtfully.

"Who is Ancaleon? And what are these other twelve?"

"You'll meet Ancaleon later," I smirked as Ned frowned. "Master? How many engines do we have?"

"At the moment? Seven. Just enough for your legions to be carted to the rally without majorly delaying the rest of our projects."

"Engines?"

"Steam engines, Stark," Grashnog said, but Eddard stared blankly at him. "What do you know of machines?"

"I know Riverrun uses the Tumblestone to turn their waterwheel. They use it to grind their grain. Others use wind to do the same."

"Aye, Riverrun uses their water wheel to mill – among other things, I'd reckon." Grashnog nodded. "A steam engine works on the same principle – using a force to turn a wheel – but does so by using steam instead of water to turn said wheel. The steam engine, however, is attached to a piston instead of a wheel. The steam puts pressure on one end, constantly forcing the piston outward. Attach this piston to a rod, crank, and wheel, and the wheel will propel itself using the rotation to force the piston back into its seat until the steam forces it out again - causing the wheel to turn, driving the engine forward."

"So… It's a horseless carriage?"

"It's more than that, son, much more." Rickard grinned wickedly. "I've witnessed one of these engines hauling as much cargo as an armada of ships - perhaps more - and it did so with naught but coal and water."

"We've moved away from coal, Lord Stark." I smirked as he looked at me like I had grown three heads. "We've begun carving runes where the furnace would typically be."

"Meaning…"

"Meaning that we can control how much heat the boiler receives without coal. We've also carved runes into the tanks to constantly keep the water level high enough that the trains never need to be replenished."

"It never needs to be refueled?"

"No, my Lord. We've even managed to find a way to make sure all the moving parts stay well lubricated. The engines would not need to ever stop until something breaks. We can't make everything unbreakable no matter how much we'd like to."

"Damn," Rickard sighed. "I was hoping you could. Even one of them being down for repairs would be a blow."

"Still faster than carting cargo by ships."

"Or horses."

"How fast are these engines, exactly? To be faster than a horse or a ship is no small feat." Eddard said, eyebrows furrowed. I just smirked.

"You've been on a galloping horse, aye?"

"Aye." Ned deadpanned – because, of course, he had before. What highborn in Westeros hadn't?

"That's how fast the train is, and it can maintain that speed for hours or days on end if need be." I smirked as Ned's jaw threatened to hit the floor.

"Gods…"

"Exactly. It took us two weeks to get here by horse. Care to guess how long it would have taken by train?"

"I do not know."

"Without stopping, it would have taken a full day and a half."

"A day and a half to reach Riverrun!?" Ned choked out, eyes frantically darting between everyone in the room. "H- how long to Winterfell?"

"It's twelve hours from here. Half a day."

"I-" Ned shook his head, burying his face in his hands.

"Master? Where all is connected by rail?"

"The Winter Line connects all the major castles with Winterfell acting as a hub." Grashnog said. "In the two and a half years we've been working on the line, my men have laid over sixty-five hundred miles of track. It would have taken longer but, with the daggers you've procured, we had magic to help." Grashnog said, nodding to me. I nodded back.

"And what's the longest distance?"

"The Moat to the Wall."

"How long would that take?"

"Thirty hours."

"That's about a day and a quarter, Ned."

"A day… A day to reach the Wall?" He shivered, looking down at his hands. "How? How is all this possible?"

"A little innovation can send you a long way, Ned," I said, shrugging. "But I believe we strayed from the topic slightly, aye?"

"Aye." Ned said, taking the change of conversation with both hands. "How were the legions formed?"

"Well, they started as Road Crews," I chuckled. Ned blinked at me blankly. "Okay, so, you see, when I first visited Winterfell, I paid a few of the Lords handsomely on the condition that I could borrow some of their men. I ended up with over seven thousand men, skilled carpenters from House Glover, and all the ironwood House Forrester was willing to give. Then I needed to put the men from King's Landing to work."

"I don't quite follow…"

"The roads, if you could even call them roads, needed to be redone – desperately. Even I knew that much. So I offered to fix them or make new ones. You remember the road separating the Moat in two?"

"I do."

"All the north's roads are either exactly like it now or they will be soon." I smirked as Ned's eyes bulged. "The men from King's Landing needed work and I gave it to them, but the work is running out and the men still needed jobs."

"So you made them soldiers?"

"Aye, I made some of them soldiers. Only the ones who volunteered." I nodded as Ned narrowed his eyes. "As of right now, I have nearly a hundred thousand men working for me, Ned." His eyes widened for a beat before they narrowed again while he nodded.

"The men from King's Landing?"

"With native northmen, aye. Three hundred thousand strong marched North, they couldn't sit idle in Riva. Oh, that's their settlement, we're calling it Riva. Thankfully they all took to it pretty well… But anyway, I started the legions with just Northmen – in fact, both Wolf, Bear, and the first Dragon legions are still all purely Northmen – but now, with Northmen running in short supply, we've had to mix Northmen and settlers."

"Do you plan to make all of these Settlers soldiers?"

"Oh, no, of course not," I shook my head. "They have options, not everyone's cut out to be a soldier. That being said? A soldier certainly gets paid better than a man on a road crew, then the Rangers pay even better - but you have to be chosen for the Rangers, elite groups and all that."

"What of the tradesmen? Masons, carpenters, farmers?"

"Can't do much for the tradesmen considering they still choose their own rates or accept whatever pay their lord offers. The farmers though? That's a different story. They can either sell their crops at market and keep some excess for themselves or they can sell to their lords directly. Meaning that if they sell to us then they're well paid too but not everyone can be a farmer."

"Aye, that's true." Eddard conceded. "Considering you've all but crushed the need for levies, what of the other professional warriors that aren't in the legions? Men like men at arms? Knights?"

"The Lords are free to train or hire into their household guard as they wish and freelances will be free to be freelances. Winterfell has a pair of legions and a dedicated guard while Moat Cailin is garrisoned solely by the Dragon legions. Personally, I have no need for men at arms or knights that aren't attached to the legions but then I don't have any land besides that which Moat Cailin stands on and the surrounding mile. Winterfell has smallfolks it personally has to see to, some of those men want to work for the Stark directly instead of in a field."

"I see…" Eddard muttered. "Tell me of the other legions."

"We have the Bear legion for Bear Island, currently they're our only marines troops because they fight at sea as often as they fight on land so they need to be effective at sea too. The Trident is White Harbor's, the Giant is assigned to Last Hearth, and the First Shark legion is posted to Sea Dragon Keep. Plans are for the Second Shark to be a marine legion too."

"I have not heard of this Sea Dragon Keep?"

"That's because it doesn't quite exist yet." Ned furrowed his eyebrows as I continued. "Sea Dragon Keep is being built to overlook Sea Dragon Harbor and the tiered city being built around it. It's to be the North's trading hub on the West Coast."

"Is to be?"

"Aye, the keep - while functional - isn't quite finished yet. It and the city aren't scheduled to be finished until the Moon of the Lion or Harvest, though the builders estimate the keep could be done as soon as the Moon of the Star."

"When did construction begin?"

"We broke ground on the fourteenth day of the Sun, 280 After the Conquest."

"I see… The construction has gone quickly."

"The city was planned. It didn't take much to direct a few good men on how to build it."

"Ah. Might I… Might I be excused? I have much to think on, it seems."

"I do not see why not." I nodded, glancing at Rickard, who nodded as well. "But remember, Eddard, not a single word of this to Cat."

"She is my wife."

"She's also a Tully and a follower of the Seven. You know what their Seven in One god says about magic." Ned winced but nodded.

"I see the wisdom in that, my Lord…" He hesitated, looked at his hands and then stood up. "I must confess that, after our conversation at Riverrun, I spoke to Catelyn about what we discussed." Alarm bells were ringing in my head now.

"What'd you tell her?"

"What the Prince did to Lya, that he and his Kingsguard were to be brought here, and that Moat Cailin was rebuilt."

"Tully knew." I growled, looking over at Rickard who was already nodding, his face pinched with his eyes closed. "That damn trout knew and didn't say a word."

"It explains why we met Mallister knights on the road, then." Rickard growled, shaking his head irritably. "What did you tell her, exactly?"

"That I estimated Rhaegar was level with Oldstones."

"He was already here, and he has been since the attack."

"Truly?"

"Aye."

"Brandon didn't accompany the Prince then?"

"No, he and Lyanna have been back at Winterfell since just after the assault."

"Seven Hells… How fast are those portkeys?"

"Immediate." I shrugged. "I have a portkey tied to Volantis, if I activated it right now then I'd be there in the next heartbeat."

"Incredible…"

"Aye, and I plan to make you, Rickard, Brandon, Benjen, and Lyanna emergency portkeys that will take you directly to Winterfell should you need to. If Lyanna had one…"

"Do not blame yourself for Rhaegar's sins, Benjamin," Rickard said quietly. "He is the one at fault here, not you. Lyanna should have been safe to ride as she wished."

"Then the damn Prince shouldn't have been able to catch her at all." I sighed, shaking my head angrily.

"It's done, Benjamin. The ink is dry. You cannot change what has happened, only see that it does not happen again. And you can bring justice to Lyanna."

"How?"

"War is coming. End the Targaryen line." I blinked at Rickard as he stared back at me with ice in his eyes. I blinked again, shaking my head harshly.

"No. Aerys and Rhaegar will die, but I can not – will not – condone the murder of children. I'll spare Viserys and Rhaenys. Rhaenys is only a girl, she won't hurt anyone."

"And if Viserys has his father's madness?"

"Then we'll put him at the Wall, where madness is needed."


Greywater Watch…

The Next Day…

"Lord Agonstark, be welcome to Greywater. We've been expecting you."

"Lord Reed, thank you for sending the guides. I fear I'd have never made it through the swamps without them."

"We both know you would have managed, my Lord, and I'd wager you'd find no trouble at all in doing so." I just shrugged while nodding to the stocky man.

"Should I assume you know everything then, my Lord?"

"No, no one knows all. But we crannogmen are rather well informed."

"Aye, I gathered that when you sent men to assist Lord Manderly's diggers."

"We lost good men during that, and Lord Manderly many more."

"Aye, I'm aware." I sighed, bowing my head slightly. "The canal was not worth so many losing their lives over."

"No, likely not, my Lord. But what is done is done and the North is the stronger for it." He nodded, folding his arms over his chest. "But on a different matter, a personal one? I thank you for what you did for my son at Harrenhal."

"I did precious little, my Lord. Lyanna was the one who did right by him, I simply heard the commotion and came to their aid."

"With a sword in hand. House Reed owes you a debt."

"My Lord, please, that is not necessary. Howland's a good lad, he's welcome in the Moat at any time. I didn't help him for a reward, I helped him because it was the right thing to do."

"I shan't forget it, and yet the debt still stands, my Lord."

"Then we can discuss it later. I'm curious though, just how are you so well informed?"

"As you told my son, the North Remembers. We in the Neck have not forgotten the Old Ways of earth and water, bronze and iron, ice and fire, man and beast. Every keep has a skinchanger in her halls, even if my son was not blessed with his mother's gift."

"Wargs… How many do you think are in the Neck?"

"It is said one in every thousand is born with the gift, Lord Agonstark, while one in every thousand, thousand is blessed with the greensight."

"Greenseer…." I trailed off, remembering an old man and a young man I'd never seen before… Then I shook my head. "I never put much stock in oracles, personally. Prophecy… It will come to pass or it won't regardless of what we do."

"You misunderstand, my Lord," Tarlan said, pointing his finger at my chest. "Those with the greensight see what is, what was, and what yet may come to pass."

"They can see the past?" I tried to keep myself from gaping at that as Tarlan nodded.

"Aye. Most can only see what the weirwoods have witnessed but the truly great can go beyond their sight. They can walk among those long dead or living still, but never those yet to walk – for their song has yet to be sung. They see flashes of what may come to pass but those visions are vague, uncertain."

"The ink is dry…"

"Indeed. It is said that greenseers are also the strongest wargs but I do not know any with the gift of greensight."

"A shame… Why though, my Lord, do they call them greenseers?"

"It is said that the Children of the Forest had the gift and named it the Greensight because those with the gift would typically be green of eye. A green more green than any leaf or blade of grass you could find. They and shapechangers the same."

"Would they have the gift if they had red eyes?" Tarlan cut his eyes toward me as he nodded.

"Those with eyes of green were not as gifted as those with eyes of red. Those blessed with the red were thought to be the eyes of the old gods themselves…"

"Because the weirwoods have red eyes," I muttered, mostly to myself.

"Aye. What did you see?"

"What do you know of the Stark's crown? The real Crown of Winter?" Tarlan shifted uncomfortably but nodded.

"I know it was powerful. That any who wore it could warg even if they were not born with the gift. It was said that once the gift is awakened by the crown, it is permanent. That the man would be a newly made warg." I blinked in surprise, filing that away for later and vowing to tell Ryan about it – and Rickard.

"And the Throne of Winter?"

"I know very little of it, its secrets were guarded by the Stark," he paused for a beat then a small smirk lifted his lips. "Quite jealously at that."

"Damn. Paranoid bastards… We found them, both of them."

"Truly?" Tarlan asked, his voice little more than a whisper.

"Yeah, in the Crypts. Ryan, my brother, wore the crown and sat on the throne. He could see Eastwatch by the Sea and speak to us like I'm speaking to you now. But then I touched the wall and something changed."

"How so?"

"What do you know of wards? Of Runes?"

"Nothing. The Crannogmen still speak the old tongue, write in the old hand, but I do not know of what you speak of when you say wards."

"Winterfell is protected by magic, or rather it was… And now it is again. The wards were dormant until I reactivated them. But that's beside the point. While Ryan was sitting on the Throne, a… Well, I guess you could say a presence with one green eye and a red one - just like how you described - took control of Ryan's body."

"To speak to you?"

"Aye. He charged me to Defend the North, to Defend the Land, and Defend the Living." Tarlan paled as he turned to look at me directly.

"What else did he say?"

"Before he told my wife she was pregnant? He said 'The Others come.'"

"No… So soon?"

"Soon? Lord Stark asked the Lord Commander if anything strange had happened beyond the Wall, asked if any rangers hadn't returned. Nothing is stirring yet – not far enough South for us to know about, anyway. No rangers are unaccounted for." Tarlan frowned, tapping his fingers against his wrist nervously.

"When this war with the South is over, my Lord, go North. Go to the Wall. Then go beyond. See for yourself what lurks in those snows, then – and only then – return here and tell me nothing stirs beyond the Wall."

"I will, my Lord," I said, meeting the Crannog Lord's eyes. He nodded once, turning around as he gestured for me to follow him.

"Good. Now perhaps we can speak of the reasons you came here, aye?"

"Aye, I think that would be wise, my Lord. I came to ask for your permission to lay a geas over the neck, to reroute any ravens that cross the neck to Moat Cailin."

"For what purpose?"

"Catelyn Tully cannot be trusted to keep our secrets ours. Ned told her of what happened with Lyanna…"

"Aye, I, too, have heard. Howland was most upset."

"And so was I. I need to make sure that all critical information stays North – and any interesting whispers stay at the Moat."

"I believe my wargs would do a fine job of that."

"But men aren't perfect, Lord Reed."

"Indeed… You sound as if you have plans for them."

"Maybe. We're planning to march south. Should Aerys call for war, we'll bring it to him."

"Aye, but Lord Stark has not called the banners, Lord Agonstark."

"You know about the legions."

"Aye, I do." Tarlan's lips quirked as he folded his arms over his chest. "Sixty thousand strong ready to march to war at any moment while the men of the North remain in the North… We will never again be undefended."

"Aye, that was the plan. I'm sending four of those legions to the rally; Moat Cailin's second legion will join them. When the other four march through her walls, five of our legions will march to war."

"And where do you march to?"

"We will need to join with Hoster's forces, more than likely."

"Then you will need to cross at the Twins, my Lord."

"Says who? The legionnaires aren't just soldiers. They're carpenters, engineers, builders, and more. They all started on the road crews, they know how to dig and how to build. With the wood surrounding the Green Fork, we could make our own crossing further south and avoid Lord Walder altogether."

"And what would happen to your bridge once crossed? You'd need must leave men to defend it."

"How many houses are on the Green Fork, my lord?"

"Several dozen…"

"And how does several dozen bridges crossing the Green, Blue, and Red Forks - each - sound?" Tarlan's eyes widened before his grin turned positively feral.

"I believe that would be a good start, my Lord."

"Aye, it would, but it would take time I'd rather not waste on building bridges."

"It would take less time to build the bridge than it would to march the King's Road and circle around to Riverrun."

"Aye, that's the truth of it."

"What have you planned for my wargs?"

"I need scouts, good ones. I've already prepared a small party from the Rangers to ride with the legions as an irregular force but there are only fifty of them. I'll need irregular troops, scouts, people who can hit hard and disappear into the night."

"The Crannogmen have been doing that to House Frey for millenia, Lord Agonstark. They would gladly do so to the Targaryens as well."

"Excellent. If you wish to send them to Moat Cailin, they would be gladly welcome. Should they wish to meet us on the road, then I will brief them there. Any wargs would be doubly welcome. Tell them they will be compensated for their time at one and a half the going rate of the legionnaires, Wargs would get three times that."

"We have no use for gold in the bogs."

"Then they would be paid however they wished to be. They will be compensated for their time and for their abilities, I'd not have it any other way."

"I see…" Tarlan said, rubbing his chin. "Most will ask for weapons. We have some iron but it is limited. We use bronze."

"Then each man will get a new trident and a new dagger made from the same steel the legionnaires have, it's not quite Valyrian steel yet but it is strong, will never rust, and never needs to be sharpened."

"Here, where the air itself is the enemy of iron, those would be worth more than gold, Lord Agonstark."

"Then I will see that they are properly armed, Lord Reed. You will receive new weapons as well, should you wish it."

"I would be honored, my Lord."

"Then when next we meet, you will have them."

"And you will have your scouts."

"Then it is agreed?"

"Aye, it is agreed. You may lay your geas, Lord Agonstark. I wish you good fortune in the wars to come."

"And I wish you a good harvest with good meat and mead at your table. My old Master, Grashnog, has come up with a way to see all of the North is fed. You and yours will receive your fair share even in the coldest winters."

"I thank you, Lord Agonstark." The man said, bowing his head. "You and yours are always welcome in my halls."

"And if you ever wish it, Moat Cailin is open to you and yours. All crannogmen will find refuge in the walls of the Moat."

"I thank you, my Lord."

"And I, you, Lord Reed. Until we meet again."

"Aye, until we meet again… I only ask one thing."

"Oh?"

"Should that Howland wish to go to war, I would ask that hebe allowed to ride at your side."

"Done." I said, holding out my hand to the man with a smile. He smiled back, nodded, and clasped my forearm.

"Then may the gods watch over you, Benjamin."

"And may they do the same for you, Tarlan."


Moat Cailin…

Three Days Later…

"Is it done?"

"Aye, it is." I sighed, pushing my hand through my hair. After three long, grueling days, the geas was finally set. No raven would be able to fly through the Neck or past the canal without first going through the Moat. Did I feel bad about reading people's mail? Maybe. But desperate times called for desperate measures, especially with war on the horizon. "Rickard rides for Winterfell?"

"Yes. He, Eddard, and Catelyn. It will be about ten days before they reach Winterfell but they will surely stop once they reach Castle Cerywn."

"Then we have eleven days before Brandon will be here." I nodded as I sat down. "He'll want to be at the front lines."

"Of course he will." Harry said as he sat in front of me. "What can we do while we wait for him?"

"I'm not sure." I sighed, shaking my head.

"Maybe I can help with that?" I jerked in my seat, snapping my head toward the window as my wand fell into my hand. I relaxed but scowled all the same when I saw who it was.

"Damn it, Teddy, you're going to give me a heart attack one of these days."

"You made me your spy master and you're complaining that I'm sneaky?" Teddy laughed as he drifted in the window on his broom. "You're getting soft, Ben."

"Soft is it?" I rolled my eyes as he clambered off his broom and took a seat. "Whatever. What have the cursors reported?"

"Aerys knows Rhaegar is missing – but he doesn't know why. Rhaegar's been away too long for him to have been just stuck on the road. Are we ready?"

"We are," I said, looking to Harry and his godson in turn. "The Legions are at the rally, it's just a matter of time before the fighting begins. Teddy, did Baratheon and Arryn get Ned's letters?"

"I made sure of it. I copied their replies and then sent the Ravens on to Ned. Did I hear he was going to Winterfell?"

"Aye, you did."

"Then the Ravens were headed to the right place." I nodded at that as he reached into his cloak, producing two bits of parchment. "From Lord Baratheon," he said, handing me one letter and then, "and from Lord Arryn," as Harry took the second. I opened the folded parchment to find:


Ned,

The Stormlands ride for you and your House.

Should it come to war, you have our swords. I'll gut the Silver bastard myself for what he did to your sister and then I'll kill his prick of a father.

Ours' the Fury.

Your brother, Robert.


"Straight to the point." I muttered, handing Harry the parchment. He nodded but kept reading.

"Not quite the same here." The professor said, handing me Arryn's note. I cringed slightly as I took it and began to read.


Eddard,

I shall not lie to you, my boy, this situation is dire. The Prince betrayed his station, his duties, and the North itself when he forced himself upon your sister. Rhaegar is not a fit prince of the realm. I will descend from the Eyrie and ride for Runestone to gather the Lords. I myself shall inform them of the situation we now face but I fear not every house will rise for your cause, worthy though it may be.

If Aerys should declare war, though his son is in your custody, then the realm will know Viserys is to be our next king in accordance to his father's, our King's, will…

Should House Targaryen rise against the North, men who have been their leal* followers since the Conqueror rode to the Moat, then House Arryn shall stand beside House Stark against them.

Remember my lessons to you always. Be As High As Honor in all things.

Yours, now and always, Jon Arryn.

Lord Paramount to the Vale of Arryn and the Warden of the East.


"Robert writes as a brother and not as the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands."

"Not even as Lord of Storm's End, but that might be in our favor." I said, nodding as I sat the message down on the desk. "He'll fight for Ned and House Stark like we're family, not just allies. Arryn's reply worries me, though. I know we're not going to get all the Storm Lords to fight for us, crotchety bastards, but the Vale not fighting against House Targaryen even when they know what happened?"

"High as Honor? My arse," Teddy snorted.

"Pretty much. So much for the vaunted Knights of the Vale's honor." I sniffed as I turned to Teddy. "Any word out of Hoster?"

"He's raised his banners already, men have begun assembling in Riverrun. Thanks for the coin idea, Harry."

"It wasn't my idea in the first place," Harry shrugged. "Ben here's the master of the Protean charm-"

"Because it's just so damn useful!"

"Right, right, we've all heard about your theories on using it on a piece of paper and using gemino to activate the string." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well thanks to that little masterpiece, we can get page long messages all the way to the Wall without even a second's delay."

"Aye, that's impressive, but I like the original idea better." Teddy shrugged, rolling the silver coin over his knuckles absently. "The messages are short but you don't run the risk of silver burning in the field. And besides, everyone just about has a moon on them. Even the smallest of the smallfolk."

"He's right, and you can thank Hermione for that idea."

"Would that I could." Teddy frowned, looking out the window over the Neck.

"Yeah, yeah you're right…" Harry himself said, looking down to his lap as he shook his head. "Ben, do you think…"

"That we're ever going to go home?" I shook my head sadly as the other two men looked at each other. "I'm sorry, prof, but I don't think we will."

"I don't know about you guys, but after living here? I don't think I'd want to go back home only to live the quiet life of a Ministry man anyway," Teddy said. I snorted, chuckling.

"Aye, that's the truth of it. While we can't practice magic freely, it's a lot better here than back home."

"That it is," Harry said. "And I reckon you'd want to take your dragons too. That would send the ICW into a panic unlike anything."

"Hey now, not a one of my dragons is that bad."

"Right," Harry drawled sarcastically. "Because it's not like Ancaleon could swallow a Horntail already if he put his mind to it."

"Be that as it may, he is right, Harry," Teddy said quietly, a far away look on his face as his hair shifted colors rapidly. "You didn't see that… Monster in Valyria…"

"And I hope to never see it," Harry shuddered. "I've been to Valyria, trying to clean up as much of the blood sacrifice as I can but we all know just how hard it is to wash that kind of stain out of the land."

"Aye, I know it. Did you ever get the chance to visit Egypt?"

"No, I didn't."

"Damn. If you had you would have known when you were at Ramses' ritual site… Merlin that place is awful."

"Three thousand years and the stain's still there?" Harry asked, eyes wide as ran through the implications of that.

"Aye. Valyria's only happened recently but you can barely feel it - and we know exactly how many people they killed. I even tried to look for that taint the first time I was there and didn't really know what it was, just felt like old blood magic."

"Bet you felt what it really was the second time."

"Aye, when I knew what I was looking for I did." I shook my head slowly at that. "Think you can get it purged completely?"

"I doubt it," Harry sighed. "But I'll see what I can do."

"Alright then. Anything else?"

"Not that I know of."

"Me neither."

"Okay." I nodded, turning to each of them. "Harry, are you ready to proceed?"

"I am."

"Good. Teddy, go to King's Landing too. I want a report on the fallout."

"You've got it, Ben." Teddy nodded.

"Where am I taking them?" Harry asked.

"Where's Doran?" I shot back.

"The Water Gardens," Teddy supplied.

"Then that's where I'll take them."

"Ben, are you sure you want Dorne to know about what we can do?"

"No, but I've heard that Dorne doesn't really keep to the Seven quite as fervently as the rest of the Kingdoms. I'm hoping that Harry bringing Elia and Rhaenys to Doran safely will help avert any repercussions for using magic in front of them."

"Here's hoping you're right, Ben," Harry sighed. "Because if you're wrong then it's my head they'll be after."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." I smirked, taking a note from within the desk and making a few copies of it before taking another from the desk. "Leave this on the Iron Throne and Aerys will be baying for my blood instead. And give this one," I handed him the latter scroll, "directly to Doran."

"I'll see to it."

"You know Aerys won't just be after your blood, right? He'll be after Rickard's, and Brandon's, and Ned's, and Benjen's, and anyone else who has the name Stark." Teddy pointed out.

"Maybe, but he'll never get past the Moat."

"And where will you be?"

"I'm the North's Lord Marshall. Where do you think I'll be?"

"Right in the thick of it."

"Just like always."


AN:

*Leal - Archaic form of Loyal.