A short chapter for now. I have been busy lately which was the reason I hadn't updated for so long.
Hope you all like this chapter too.
Severus looked at the flurry of Stark men who were taking the prepared food from the area.
Most of the items were already being filled in different big pots and buckets for serving efficiently.
Severus was in no shape to dine with anyone. He had been on little sleep for last some days. Tomorrow another two houses will arrive increasing his workload a little.
"Perfectly drained as usual," Severus uttered to Gage who was taking the rice with him in different mortar pans which had holes at side for water drainage.
"Aye," Gage spoke up in agreement as he looked at the normal plain rice which was going to be served to the people in the hall.
Around him people were filling pots with the meat curry and the chicken curry.
This was the time when the country chicken were more in number. Severus had gathered as much of them he could. Country chicken were tasty as their diet was different than the ones which were reared for meat and eggs. They were also more tasty than the broiler ones which were raised for poultry.
Some men were taking the potatoes to serve them. The potatoes were prepared by three methods today. One dish was that of the potatoes prepared in spicy curry. The other was of meshed boiled potatoes fried softly in a low flame with salt and spices. The last one was, the simple potato chips which was becoming favourite of everyone in Winterfell.
People loved cheap food, more so when the food was enough to feed them well. Moreover the items were lasting long, which made the people value them more.
Even animal rearing was getting popular. Severus had wanted to experiment on the animals but he could hardly do it with the amount of time he found himself free.
He wanted to create better breeds of chickens which would be suitable for meat and egg.
If only he had access to the resources, like he did in his previous life.
Having Lord Stark's attention was something which was a boon and curse at the same time.
He could enjoy certain benefits and had Lord Stark's good will upon him. However it also meant to have his activities spied by people more often than he liked.
If he was going to found himself in a backward world. Then the least he would do was to make things a little better for him.
"Gage. When shall we eat?" Severus asked looking at the cook with a small frown at his face.
"Last," Gage said with a small smile on his face. It was the norm for the cooks to eat after the feast had ended.
"Fine, call me up then. I am here," Severus said looking at Gage as he took a small pot of potato chips with him. This pot was his personal one. It was filled of chips which he had stored for himself during frying them.
"Aye," Gage said leaving Severus away with the people present there.
"I have decided that dumplings are my favourite food," a childish voice eagerly spoke up among the people present there who each were making conversation.
"Ros, your favourites change every once in a while," Severus commented with a drawl as he looked at the group of children who were around his age.
"They don't!" Ros protested out as she eagerly munched another dumpling not before dipping it into the red sauce made of tomatoes, garlic, chillies and various items.
"Yeah," Severus spoke as he rolled his eyes at her words.
"How long will this feast last? I am tired just by this two days. To think that more will arrive and stay for some days," Chet said with a dreadful voice. They may be young but they were resourceful. Besides joining Severus had given them a life that they never thought possible.
"Just another ten to fifteen days," Severus said remembering the time told by Lord Stark.
Severus respected the Starks, atleast they had a nice reputation with actions backing it up. Besides Lord Stark was honourable, which was much more than he could say about some people of this world. He had heard tales from passerbys about certain people of this world. The Mountain was one of the few infamous ones about whom he had heard from the civilians.
"How come you are not tired?" Ros asked concerned as she looked at Severus.
"I am. Though a little less sleep doesn't bother me," Severus replied with a small smirk on his face. In his time as a Professor, he hardly required more than three hours of sleep everyday.
"Ofcourse it won't," Bron replied with a roll of his eyes. Severus for some reason was a very light sleeper. He always woke up first among them while sleeping the last.
"I heard that tomorrow House Bolton will arrive here. How do you think they will do?" Pod asked curiously looking at the members present there.
"Aye, I too heard that." Bron replied back with a small frown on his face.
"I have heard that Lord Bolton does leechings of himself," Bron continued on with a little scared tone. He had heard rumours about the Lord of Dreadfort. Rumours which called him as the Leech Lord. And rumours which gave him a terrifying reputation.
"Aye, Maester Luwin told me that it was true," Severus spoke up in agreement at Bron's words.
"Well they do call him the Leech Lord," Pod spoke up in agreement as he looked at the other ones present there.
"Apparently Lord Bolton believes that it will clear him of bad blood," Severus continued on looking at the children around him.
Cleaning of bad blood, it was something that amused him to no end.
House Bolton were the oldest Rivals of House Stark. Twice the Boltons had razed Winterfell to ground. Their standing as the second strongest house in the North was the only reason they were alive till now. In his personal opinion the Boltons should have been annihilated completely by the Starks of the old. You don't let a knife which is going to eventually kill you come closer to your ribs. There was no way that they were going to be completely loyal to the Starks after so long and interesting history between them.
If Severus had been Lord Stark, he would have simply sent a vial of poison along with a servant to mix in the food of his enemies. This way the fight would have been easier and had been finished even before starting.
Ned Stark looked at his fellow bannermen who were eating heartily.
He was not a fool to miss the happy and awed expressions on their faces after eating some of the desserts and cuisines.
Severus had still to go all out till the Harvest feast day and his bannermen were already impressed by the items.
Some items were being introduced slowly, day by day till the Harvest feast. The rice pudding was something which he had never tasted yet. It was sweet and was loved by everyone from what he could see.
"Lord Stark, is this another item from the infamous Snow of Winterfell?" Wyman Manderly asked heartily as he sipped the rice pudding. He loved its flavour. It was simple, sweet and was fulfilling to eat. Especially the raisins which he had tasted till now in the pudding gave it another level of savouriness.
"Aye Lord Wyman." Ned affirmed the doubts of the Lord of White Harbor.
"It still marvels me. His food alone had caused people to arrive back from Essos or to simply stop in white Harbor to eat it." Wyman spoke impressed looking at Ned.
"Aye, Wintertown has expanded much due to him and his business." Ned spoke up in agreement.
"Aye Lord Stark. I had never seen Winterfell so full before. And that too when the summer is reigning over us." Rickard Karstark said in agreement. He was impressed by the huge traffic in Wintertown.
"Aye, the tools you send were marvelous Lord Stark. The fields were tilled within no time and the potatoes had became a favourite of the smallfolk." Lord Umber spoke up. Their farming fields had increased by huge amounts due to the tools sent by Lord Stark.
"Is it true that he was the one to propose the idea of such tools?" Maege Mormont asked looking at Ned pointedly.
"Aye, Lady Mormont. It was Severus' idea to create a tool. The tool was something which he had made to farm for himself. Seeing its speed and time saving nature, I had no options other than to implement it. The area around Wintertown is cut down to farm more food as of now. There are plans to form some permanent villages seeing the tools and the concrete which we are using to make houses and buildings." Ned said calmly. The other Lords nodded at that.
Winter was harsh and a proper house and keep was boon to many in the North.
"Infact the materials required for concrete are all noted and instructions are going to be taught to people by Maester Luwin. It is the reason why I asked you all to bring your Maesters and learned men who could learn it." Ned explained looking at them.
Everyone nodded with different expressions. The Mormonts were a little excited as they themselves saw the houses and buildings made up of concrete. They wanted to bag as much information and concrete with them. They wanted to take enough concrete to Bear Island with them. Their keep was made of wood and perhaps it was time to make it of brick and stones. They too saw the buildings made up of concrete, it wasn't something nice but it was sturdy and hard enough for winter. Atleast the concrete ones were stronger than ones made up of wood.
"I have also looked around with Maester Luwin, Severus and others about different crops which could grow well in North. There are somethings about which I will talk with all the Lords." Ned said dropping the hint of one of the most important thing to be discussed this feast. He couldn't wait to discuss about it with the other Lords. He had seen the progress of the crops in the cold. He himself was astounded when he saw the speed at which they grew and with how ease they grew in the harsh climates of North.
It was going to be a changing moment in the whole North.
They were going to be on a path to become self sufficient. Once the matter of food would be dealt with, then he will move to security and other concerns of North.
With the coin to buy grains from Reach left with them, he was going to make a new fleet for North. The Ironborn invasion wasn't going to stop even if Theon becomes Lord of Iron Islands. He himself knew that the only thing that was keeping Balon Greyjoy in his toes was Theon. If his Heir was given back, then he will have no to attack them once again.
Perhaps making a keep in the Sea Dragon point would do good for them. From what he knew, there were enough Pine trees to make ships for them.
He had many ideas but it would take some time to fulfill them all.