"We have to do something, Ned!" Said Caitlyn.
I shake my head and look around the bedchamber. It is well-lit and well-furnished and quite warm as well. Winterfell was made to stand any winter, after all. I focus back on my wife. "And what you have me do, Cat, start a war with the old gods," I said to my distressed, angry wife, which took the wind out of her sails.
"Your dream and what happened on the sept, these things only started to happen after that sorcerer came here." She said in an accusatory tone.
"Cat, we have already spoken about this. We can't lose Antares. He is too dangerous to have as an enemy or somewhere we don't have eyes on" I stop and remember the assaults on the Ironborn castles, not sieges, assaults," he can take entire castles by himself, Cat, castles, he is equivalent to a full-grown dragon, but with a lot more tricks than breathing fire."
"H-he can't be that powerful. The stories we heard must be at least a bit exaggerated." She says in a quieter voice
"I saw him storm a full garrisoned wall. He killed everyone inside the gatehouse, opened the portcullis, and then entered the castle. After that, he kidnapped Theon and his sister from the other side of the castle and went to the throne room and subdued everyone there before we could arrive." That made her quiet.
"I don't believe he means any harm to us. He will be good for the north and its people, as long as we don't make him an enemy," I say.
"If that is your decision," she sighs," I won't fight over it, but I would like to keep our children away from him. Robb is already obsessed with the man. He doesn't stop talking about him." She says.
"Antares will have a lot to do. His castle and his new smallfolk will take a long time to deal with. I doubt he will spend much time around Winterfell." We spend some time in silence until she speaks again.
"Can we trust him?"
"I don't know. I like the man. He seems trustworthy enough, but still too soon to be sure." Another pause follows.
"Will the sept be rebuilt?" She asked.
I raise an eyebrow "to have it destroyed again, no, unless we figure a way to keep it whole, then I will not waste precious resources on building another one." I say with a tone of finality.
"But...i-"
"Cat, do you have any idea of the rumors that are spreading already? The most prominent one is that the old gods are angry with you for asking for a sept in Winterfell. You have to remember that the majority of people around you are believers of the old gods, not the seven, so until second order, there will be no sept in Winterfell."
Change POV: Antares Palestars
One week later
I am back at the Moat. My smallfolk are already on the work, wood is being chopped, and houses are being built, with some sense of organization, but still kind of a mess. I need an architect or something because I ain't living in a city with the smell of shit like Kingslanding, I've never been there, but there wasn't a character that did not complain about it.
I also got to meet my new staff, commanding the guards that lord Stark gave me is Boric of White Harbor. I put him and his men as the guard of the town instead of the keep, because, first, I don't know the guy or his men, sure I know they will not stab me in the night, but he still can be giving info from inside the keep, second the town needs some order, after all, is a lot of people, and third I will make my own guards, but that's for later.
Arren is the spokesman of the people but in particular the woodworkers, he is a Riverlander from the Cape of Eagles, a little cheeky, but he has his mind in the right place. He and I had some excellent conversations about shipbuilding. With the memory of my previous life and the ability to draw I can make some pretty accurate blueprints, I also have the privilege of knowing what works best thanks to history, so the future of my navy is looking good.
Last but not least, Mansy, she is the head of the servants of the keep. She is a sweet old lady that reminds me of my grandma. She is from Naarth, quite far from home this one.
At the moment, I am in one big room, and around me are dancing lights. I took this room as my study/art studio is a circular room with a lovely table at the front of the window with all kinds of plants and rocks and pieces of metal all around, all for making paints. My unfinished paintings are here on the walls, I am sitting on the table drawing a blueprint when I am interrupted by a knock on my chamber's door, I look through the eyes of Starchaser that is perched outside the room on the doors porch's, it's Mansy.
"You may enter, Mansy. There's is no need to knock."
"How did yo-..." she smiles and shakes her head" Excuse milord, there is one of them Maesters wanting to talk with you, he waiting in the hall." She says. I frown, I didn't ask for a Maester, and he came unannounced as well, quite rude.
"Thank you, Mansy" I get up from behind the table
"Please fetch bread and salt for our guest." I started to walk through the hallways where people were working on cleaning. As I pass, they bow their heads, I nod and keep my way.
The hall is empty of furniture right now, just candles and a tall throne at the end of it, made of stone, Boric is there as well as an older man. He has a strong jaw, is short and squat with big hands, and has an ale belly. He has white hair coming out of his nose and ears, and around his neck, a chain. This is obviously the Maester.
I pass through them and sit on the throne, I cast detect thoughts, at this moment, Mansy comes with another servant carrying salt and bread, it's mid-day and the light comes through the skylights, "salt and bread for our guest," the Maester takes the guest rights.
"So who are you and what is your business in my keep, Maester?" I ask
He bows his head low. "My lord, I am Archmaester Marwyn, and I offer my services to you." I use DETECT THOUGHTS on him, but all I get are blurry visions and muffled voices. What the hell? Who is this guy? I look at Boric.
*This is the one called the mage isn't it, what a weird fellow*
Huh, it's working fine, so his title is the mage, he probably practiced some kind of magic, which would explain the blurred thoughts, how the fuck is he still alive being a Maester.
"I asked for no Maester, though," I say to him.
"I wasn't sent by the Citadel, I came of my own volition here to further my studies on the Higher mysteries, and in exchange, offer my own knowledge and wisdom to you."
"And what would that wisdom and knowledge entail?"
"I have forged my links in ravenry, astronomy, astrology, medicine, construction, and Higher mysteries. Of course, my travels have taught me as much as the books on the Citadel, even more, if I might say."
"And did you partaken in rituals of magical nature during those travels," I asked with a raised brow.
"Yes, I did." He answered proudly.
"I will be honest with you, Maester. Your knowledge would be quite useful to me, but I don't trust you, so I will make you an offer. Let me make a ritual that will let me peer inside your mind and you might stay."
"I accept" that was quick, he follows," what kind of ritual will you be making? Does it need blood, a sacrifice perhaps, old runes from the first men, or it has to be done in front of a weirwood tree, to be able to see into someone else mind, What a wonderful gift, you would be able to understand a whole new perspective-." I interrupt him.
"Well, since you're so excited about it let us start now." I pull the candles into a circle and light them with white fire. Marwyn's eyes shine with excitement, I gesture for him to enter the circle and he does, I put my hand on his head and go deeper into his thoughts.
Marwyn saw a lot, a LOT of things, the guy traveled to Asshai and back but that is not my focus, my focus is on his intentions, he told the truth but not all of it, he has the intention of learning and teaching here but he also plans to goat me into fighting the citadel influence, and the Citadel itself, he came to spread his story before the Citadel does.
One really problematic piece of information is that feats of magic are appearing around the world once more, for example, he found me, using the glass candle they had in the Citadel, that is a fucking problem, it seems like I replaced Daenerys dragons on the waking the magic front, so maybe I have less time that I would like, and the world just became more dangerous, I leave his mind.
He is bleeding from the eyes and ears but is also smiling, he looks at me and says.
"That was one of the more intrusive and fascinating pieces of magic I ever experienced." He stop to catch his breath" but I guess it confirmed that I intend to not harm."
"Indeed" I float the candles back to the candelabra s the people around us are quite shocked, Boric and the servant girl both took some steps back and are eyes wide, Mansy is in the same place with a fascinated look on her face.
"Maester Marwyn, the first in order of business is the building of the town, I would like you to help our workers with your knowledge of architecture, that is your task for the near future, later I would like to discuss more details about your experiences and future, perhaps over supper."
"I would be honored, my lord"
"Mansy please prepare a bath and a room for our new Maester, you, Arren, and Boric here are to come to supper with us as well." She smiles, bows, and grabs Marwyn's sleeve.
"Come, come I show you, your chamber." She says as she drags the man out, and the servant accompanying her starts leaving as well.
"You girl," she let a low surprised sound and bowed to me" I will be needing some materials at my study, mostly iron and steel and some leather, five men weight of each... And some living animals, speak with Arren he will be able to help you with it." she quickly bowed once more and left, I will start building my army today.
Later that day
Utilizing the material that was brought to me and FABRICATE, I created five armors, using the cantrip COLOR I changed their color to what I needed, mostly Black, White, and Golden, they have a square shield, that I based on the Roman Scutum, a spear on their hand and a sword on their hips, but for now they are only armors, let us change that.
I go to the wooden cages that are in corner of the room, there is a small variety of animals, a pig, two chickens, and two wild dogs, they are making a racket because all of them are in the same corner, I use telekinesis to take one of the dogs out of the cage and put in front of one of the armors, I cut him then I draw inside the torso of the armor a symbol with its blood after the simple is made I kill the wild animal and the armor springs to life, he falls to one knee and a deep voice comes through.
"What is your bidding, my master" this shit is soo cool. "Stand over there and await new orders" I order him and he marches to the point I said and stands still like that hallway armors you see in castles, I start to wake the other armors, these guys are the perfect foot soldiers.
Never tired, never hungry, they feel no fear and don't question orders, there is some fault's in them though, they're only can see as far as 60ft(18m) so they would be terrible archers and wall watchers, and using an animal soul to wake them will make them unable to adapt to different situations, if I say form a line and stop the cavalry charge they will do that but if said cavalry goes to the flanks and attack from behind they will not move, they will stand in the same formation, but if I use a Human soul, then they will basically have the same mind as a human, if the personality of the sacrifice is strong enough it will probably pass some parts of it to the armor as well.
I am walking towards the great hall again, is the start of the evening, and a servant warns me that the dinner was Ready, the cleaning of this part of the castle is done, but the walls have cracks and some parts of the walls are simply missing, from one of the holes on the wall I can see the Godswood I made in the middle of the keep, there are people hanging lanterns on the trees of the Godswood and many are kneeling around the weirwood tree, they face relaxed and content, I guess now that the heart tree has a magical effect a lot more people go regularly to the Godswood to pray, nice.
I arrive at the great hall and inside this time is a big table 20 something servants and my council waiting inside the hall all standing waiting for me, feels kinda weird but that is medieval etiquette I guess, there is a big table in the middle, I walk to the chair at the head of the table, give everybody a nod, and sit on it, that make they do the same, the servants start pouring drinks.
"We have much to discuss, first things first, this Marwyn he will be the Maester responsible for this keep, and will also be helping in the designing our town." I drink a bit of wine, it's ok, definitely not the best I drank" Arren how things are with our residents, and how much of the materials promised by our fellow Northmen was delivered?" Arren answered.
"Well milord, people are in high spirits, the fact that they are building their own houses helps a lot on that, those that are feeling homesick tend to visit the Godswood a lot, I've been asked if it was possible to have one closer to the town, not many are comfortable coming inside the lord's keep."
"That can be arranged, Marwyn put that on the plans for the city construction." Marwyn nods.
"About the supplies from the other houses, House Reed hunters arrived, 20-something fellows, and we already put them to work we have at least two young following each hunter and learning, the farmers and seeds of the Manderlys also are here already but we need to set a place where they can plant, they also are teaching some of our people as well, the wood from the Stark and Forrester on the way here, no signal about the others, but their lands are farther away so they probably still on the way here.
Huh, I need to finish the Tyrrel painting or they won't start sending the ships with food, scratch that, it Will be easier if I finish all of the paintings so I am Free from the burden and with a lot of money, the servants started to serve the food at this moment, Cod Cakes, Venison Stew, cheese, capons, brown oatbread, and a beef-and-bacon pie, quite the lovely dinner they put together I take a piece of the pie and taste it, ah that's pretty good, its been some time since I have eaten something, in my previous life sometimes I was so occupied that I forgot to eat but my body always reminded me that if I do not eat anything, I would pass the fuck out, but this body doesn't do that.
My companions are staring at me, I look around and only Marwyns is seen as confused as I am.
"Is something wrong?" that snapped them out of the starring contest.
"Sorry, milord is just... we thought you didn't eat." Say Mancy
"What, I mean I skip some meals but nothing to give you that impression"
"Milord, it's been a week since you arrived from the Wall and all the food we left for you in your chambers was left untouched, after the fourth day we stopped serving the food and you didn't say anything, so we thought it was as you wished."
How crazy I didn't even notice that.
"Huh, milord, changing the subject, can I ask you something?" Arren said, I gesture for him to go on,
"The ships we will be making, we gonna sell them?" I raise an eyebrow, what gave him that Idea?
"No, we will be using them"
"Then who is going to be manning them ships."
"What do you mean, our people will be manning the ships."
"uh, We can't though milord, we are workers milord, not sailors, there's some fisherman that's true but they don't know how to Captain a warship or even a big ship." that made me pause a little.
Fuck, shit fuck, godammit, of course, they don't know how to sail a warship, they were tralls, and no ironborn would share a deck with a thrall unless they were taking them home, fuck now I have to find someone to teach them how to navigate the ships, this shit was not that complicated in the stories I read.
"If I may speak, my lord, there are probably some captains that can teach our men how to sail a bigger ship or even a warship in White Harbour, for a price of course," said Boric
That is not a bad idea at all, and they will have some time to learn since we still have to build the ships anyways.
"Excellent idea Boric, money, fortunately, is not a problem at the moment, tell me do you have someone in mind for this task?"
"I can think of some names that would be helpful, if you wish I could contact them."
"Do that, "I sip my wine, this is a lot more complicated than I expected. "About the land for planting, I have the intention of feeding the majority of the north, if not all of it, so pretty much every mile of land from the White knife to the Dustin land will be used for plantation, what kind of seeds we received from the Manderlys?"
"We received seeds in the great part of wheat, barley, and Maine," Arren said
"Good, the sooner we start to plant them sooner we will be able to feed our people, "the servants began to take away the empty plates off the table, we discussed some more, over some wine each of my advisers told me about the problems and need of their respective areas and I did my best to hear and offer a solution to their plight, by the end of the dinner Marwyn says to me.
"Lord Palestars, I would like to end this night by giving you a gift
"A gift, how very generous of you Marwyn." huh, he didn't give the impression of a bootlicker, he pull out of a chest that a servant brought a black, tall, and twisted, glass candle.
As soon as he put it on the tables she lit up with black flames that flash an uncomfortable bright light on the room, the torches on the walls start to flicker and they seem to emanate less light, the shadows look more prominent and the colors of the choices we wearing seem to get more and more saturated.
I approach the candle squinting my eyes, which is a kind of hypnotic, I look into the flame.
"Think about who you would like to see, my Lord."
my vision blurs and the room shifts, the shadows start to cover everything and morph into different shapes, it takes a minute before all is black, but ever so slowly, the shadows retreat, showing a completely different scenario.
It is a house, a big house with a red door and a lemon tree on its front under the said tree is a small child about 5 years old, she has violet eyes, pale skin, and long, pale silver-gold hair, tears fall from her eyes, she closes them and takes a deep breath, breathing in the warm night air.
This is, of course, Daenerys Targaryen or Daenerys Stormborn, she doesn't have that many titles yet, I came to this place out of curiosity more than anything really, Seeing the character with their exact age according to the books, bring everything into a sharp perspective, of how crazy things really are, I mean at the beginning of cannon she will be 13, and she was married and raped at that age, what a fuck up the world.
Perhaps I will do a good action and help her, in no shape or form I would let her have her dragons or any position of power, I don't want to deal with the political shit of the south the walking dead to the north, and an Essosi army trying to subjugate Westeros on top, maybe I can offer some shelter from the storm, huh let us put that on a maybe.
"Daenerys," a voice comes from now the open door, a young boy, 13 years old, pale skin ,silver-blond hair, and pale lilac eyes.
She turns to him with watery eyes he says.
"Ser Willem is dead." Who? the young Daenery runs to her brother and throws herself at him weeping, so probably someone important, I feel a pull on my shoulder and the shadows engulf all again.
...
"My lord are you well?" I hear Boric, I look around and everyone is showing tense expressions.
"How long was I out?"
"A few moments, my lord "Marwyn answered, it felt longer thought.
"Quite the gift Marwyn." Oh boy, that is a fucking migraine I could use mass cure wounds and probably get rid of it but it's been some time so I will go to sleep.
"I am glad that you appreciate it, my Lord"
"Well, now you will have to excuse me but I will go and sleep off the migraine your gift gave Marwyn." I smile softly.
some eyes widen, oh what is now?
"so... you sleep my Lord," said Mansy.
Oh for fuck's sake
The next day
It is sometime in the morning, I have to get a clock somehow, and I hear knocks on my door, it's Marwyn and a Stark soldier.
"Common in Marwyn" both enter the chambers they both look around fascinated by the paintings and the five weird standing armors in the corner of the room.
"Well, what can I help you both on this fine morning," Marwyn speaks.
"This is the messager of house Stark since we had no time to prepare the ravens yet, it seems that Lord Stark took it upon himself to keep you informed about what is happening in the Kingdoms, my Lord."
"Very generous of him, you boy, say your message." the nervous-looking boy stutters and gets a piece of paper out.
"I-it is from lord Stannis Baratheon milord it seems that lady Shireen has fallen ill and he calls for all the Healers on the land."
"Oh my, you don't say."