Locke's Legion
by Kassien
Chapter 14: The Harvest Feast of 296 & Tristifer III
Created: 1.15.21 - 1.19.21, Edited: 5.2.22 & 6.3.22
Circa 296 AC
The food and drink was in full swing, and the loud main hall of Winterfell was filled to the brim with loud and mostly drunk Northerners, as we all celebrated the coming harvest and the current abundance and growth that was happening across the North in the year of 296 After the Conquest. After a short speech by Lord Stark opening the feast, it was pretty much a free-for-all in terms of food, drinks, and songs that was supposed to go on for three days. This first night was given over to pure celebration, saving the more important announcements for the end of the three days, and marked one of the few times almost every Lord of the North was in attendance as countless trade deals and marriage arrangements were being made left and right.
I had already been approached countless times for concrete building projects that almost every Lord wanted, having seen some of the examples of my work on their way to Winterfell, as beyond simply the roads, I had built decent sized towers at the entrances to Wintertown and paved quite a bit of the surroundings in order to increase the flow of traffic. The glass greenhouses were also often asked about, as every noble house in the North now had at least one, and it was quickly being realized how game changing they could be in terms of growing food during any season. A few of the other coastal towns or Families with trade interests, had also inquired about the Locke Shipbuilding that had seemingly emerged out of nothing, as only White Harbor and Widow's Watch to that point had seen much of our trade fleet, and few ever saw the war galleys.
Our rum and vodka sales had already skyrocketed after my initial tours of the North, as orders were constantly pouring in, and this celebration was only reinforcing how much better Locke Distilleries were than the common ale and wine ones, especially for the colder northern climate. Even Lord Bolton had approached me inquiring about the alcohol and concrete, hoping to swing a deal for the Dreadfort and building up their own port on the Weeping Water River to increase trade with Oldcastle. I made sure to carry a small lead pencil and folded sheet of paper to take down any proposed deals as the night went on and people really started offering some interesting things in trade.
Thankfully, I was saved from listening to Lord Harwood Stout trying to trade me his daughter for rights to our alcohol recipes, by the arrival of a pink cheeked and slightly inebriated Dacey Mormont who came to ask for a dance. I was more than happy to politely say goodbye to the old Lord, and join the somewhat drunk Dacey on the makeshift dance floor that had appeared in the gaps between the large tables. We danced a few songs, laughed and talked about many of the other guests, as I lamented being constantly approached for trade agreements or looked to for marriage proposals.
"How many proposals have you received, my lord?" she asked laughingly, getting a little more handsy during the recent dance which I didn't mind at all as it allowed me to return the favor, amazed at the fit figure of the Heir of Bear Island.
"Too many," I said, shaking my head as the song wound down and we slowly came to a stop, having danced now for three songs and both a little breathless.
"And have you decided to accept any of them?" she purred in my ear, and I was instantly turned on and curious about what she was getting at, having thought she wanted nothing to do with marriage.
"No," I answered with a small shake of my head, before turning to look her in the eyes, "I would rather marry someone I knew and got along with."
"Are you proposing, my lord?" she asked with a knowing glint in her pretty blue eyes.
"Would you be interested?" I returned back, surprised at the direction the conversation was going, having ruled Dacey out already because of her past dislike of the idea.
"Not in marriage, no," she answered, though her intense gaze by no means was lessened, before I felt one of her hands reach the front of my pants and get my full attention instantly.
"So you do want to pin me beneath you?" I replied with a knowing smirk, trying desperately not to simply attack her smiling lips or moan too loud at the feel of her hand rubbing against me.
She didn't answer verbally right away, just grabbed my belt and pulled me into her body, her hand then quickly going back to rubbing the front of my pants as she leaned in to whisper something in my ear. Her demand that I 'fuck her raw' had my eyes opened wide, my cock instantly rock hard, and my mind a mess of desire and excitement as I quickly glanced around to see how easy it would be to leave the party without getting noticed. We snuck quietly back towards her room, glad most people were already too far into their celebrations to take much notice of us, and were soon tearing each other's clothes off and getting to know one another even better.
She truly was an animal in bed, attacking me and pinning me beneath her as she rode me unlike any I had experienced, and it was fucking wonderful. She ignored my cry later that I was going to cum soon and pull out, and instead grinded down on me, telling me she didn't mind getting pregnant and throwing me for a bit of a loop. Later during our third coupling of the night, she explained that she wanted to remain the heir of Bear Island, not become someone else's wife or lady, but wasn't against having a few kids of her own if she found a willing partner that understood her.
I wasn't entirely sure how it would be in the rest of the North, as there weren't many followers of the Seven, but bastards still weren't necessarily treated all that well and I wasn't really excited about fathering one myself. When I said something, she just laughed and said the women of Bear Island rarely married the fathers of their children, and they were still accepted into House Mormont, as most simply thought they slept with the bears they were named after. She promised me that any child she had would simply be raised as her child and heir regardless of her marriage status, and wouldn't seek out any help from me as that was one of their older customs.
It was later explained that I was a good donor match for her, and her mother had been pressuring her to either marry herself off, or get pregnant with the next generation of Bear Island's heir. I asked a few questions here and there, and probably wasn't 100% okay with the thought of my kid out there without any role in it's raising, but when she attacked me again and pinned me beneath her rolling her hips, all higher functioning thought left me, and I simply enjoyed the long night filled with amazing sex. I snuck out in the early hours of dawn, not wanting anyone to catch us, and barely made it back to my room before the castle and others started waking up and the activity level increased.
I dragged ass through most of the second day of the Harvest Feast along with many others after all the celebrating and late sleepless night, but was able to have my long meeting with Lord Eddard and Maester Luwin, describing to them all the progress in the road construction project and the new cities that we were growing throughout our lands. I talked to him about our increasing tax payments, of which I delivered and asked him if he had heard anything from the King or Hand about the increasing amounts, but he said he hadn't but wasn't worried at all. Instead, we spent some time discussing plans for the Grand Canal and Moat Cailin, and both men were shocked and impressed with my thoughts and ideas, and the progress already made towards those goals.
They were very pleased with all the compliments they had been receiving of late about the Northern Road Construction project, as almost every Lord had commented on how much easier travel was this time because of the nice roads. We talked about how well the hearty grain and rice were doing in the North and the Neck, and how much better off we already were in terms of stockpiling for the coming winter. Lord Stark even complimented me on the increased trade with Essos, that had allowed the Northern Families to purchase more food at better prices than the North had been buying from the Reach, increasing their coffers and food supply, even as our internal production had started growing as well from all the added glass greenhouses.
I also spoke with them both about a delicate issue that had emerged that needed something done, and that was the unrest and dissatisfaction with the current Lord Stark by House Ryswell. I explained that during my visit, I was blatantly and subtly probed on my own satisfaction with the Starks, and learned of several troubling things that made me question the Ryswell's allegiance to the ruling family of the North. I explained that the current Lord Rodrik and his daughter Lady Dustin of Barrowton were not a big fan of Eddard in particular, and was passing that dissatisfaction along to the rest of their Family which had colored my visits with them both while working on the roads nearby.
Lord Stark told me a bit about the anger from Barbrey Dustin nee Ryswell stemming from the end of Robert's Rebellion and not returning with her husband's bones from a trip to Dorne, as well as the anger at Eddard for taking the place of her beloved Brandon, and her missing out on becoming the ruling Lady of the North. I included what I observed when in the Rills, and how I struck up a friendship with the middle son Rickard Ryswell, and how much better he was than most of the rest of his family. I also included a plan to strengthen the west coast of the North, by possibly building a port settlement in either the Rills or the Stony Shore but didn't want him to hand any more power to the Ryswells without a lot of thought.
I offered the suggestion of Alysia Waterman, one of the few women near my age that wasn't completely helpless and rather attractive if a bit plain, as a possible match for Rickard Ryswell. They could be gifted a small holdfast on the west coast near the Stony Shore to start a new Ryswell branch, seemingly giving the Ryswells more power and influence, but I felt that I could work with and help Rickard build a west coast city and strengthen his ties to the rest of the North. It would also get him away from his immediate Family, and hopefully provide a counter to their dissatisfaction with the Starks if we could get him at least on our side.
Lord Stark looked at me in shock at my suggestion, wondering how I thought up a possible counter move to help keep the Ryswell Family more in line and happy at the same time, and we discussed some of the possibilities of the decision. The other important news for him was the unrest in Bolton lands, as a current bastard of Lord Bolton had been discovered terrorizing many of the smallfolk around the Dreadfort and Weeping Water coastal villages. I admit, I had only heard one mention of the bastard Ramsey Snow, but remembered enough of the TV show to know that his continued existence only put the rest of us in more danger, and hoped to put a stop to it sooner rather than later.
Lord Stark was very skeptical to get involved with Lord Bolton in any way, justifiably not trusting the Leech Lord very much as he knew and remembered his Stark history well. I mentioned that the man's current heir and only true child was fostering in the Vale, and was a great opportunity for Eddard to make some inquiries with some old friends about the Bolton heir, as most reports said he was nothing like his father. It was another of my subtle plays to help Lord Stark bring together the North a bit better before everything went to shit, and offered several more suggestions as well, now that I seemed to have his ear.
I told him he should consider looking into matches for his children sooner rather than later, as many viewed the Starks as not especially tied to the North and other Northern Families after what happened to him and his siblings. None of them married Northerners, and with his father an only child, it had been two generations now without marriages tying him to his vassal houses and strongest supporters, and he needed to shore up some of those relationships. He looked at me with a bit of a glare, but I held my ground and told him he was doing a disservice to the North by isolating his Family, and he should use his many children to shore up the support and create more binding ties to the other houses.
He eventually asked me if I was fishing for a bride myself among his daughters, but I was quick to explain that was not my intention, I was looking for an older match, and that his Family already had my Family's unquestioned loyalty. The statement though inferred that other Families in the North may not have unquestioned loyalty, and that was mainly what I was trying to get across in my pitch for him to tie his Family to the rest of the North through good marriages. I mentioned that he should invite some of those with children around his owns' ages, and give them a chance to get to know each other before simply springing marriage arrangements on everyone, but that he needed to do something to strengthen his position in the North.
He dismissed me shortly after that, and I was quick to leave before upsetting him further, but had accomplished my goal of trying to warn him and prevent the fracturing of the North that I remembered from the TV show after his and Robb's deaths. Whether he took any of my suggestions would be anyone's guess, but I at least did something, and was going to continue strengthening the North on my own in preparation for what I knew was coming. Finding my way back to the main hall, I quickly found Lord Wyman and Ser Wylis Manderly for another meeting of sorts, having not spent much time with them recently, and wanting to make sure they were both still happy since I was last in White Harbor with the additions and gifts I gave them to strengthen their city and fleet.
Lord Wyman was very busy eating and drinking, content to let his son handle the meeting between us, as I was his squire for so long, we had a much better relationship with one another. Ser Wylis was quite happy still with the additional glass greenhouses, the extra paving of roads in and around White Harbor, and the pair of war galleys we gave them from Locke Shipbuilding. He now had two young children, both beautiful girls that he spent most of his time talking about, and was really grateful for everything I had done to help White Harbor and keep them on the map in regards to trade, despite our ability to cut them out if needed.
We chatted for a while, and I shared stories of my time in Essos fighting with the Sellsword company, then creating my own and growing it into something really impressive. He was also curious about my travels throughout the North for the last two years as part of the road construction plans, and was jealous that I had seen the Wall and several other castles and towns he had only ever heard of but never visited himself. I reminded him that he wasn't too old to come join us for a bit, bring a batch of troops that he wanted us to whip into shape, and see more of the North, but he couldn't imagine leaving his girls for long.
I made a few more trade deals later that day, with House Forrester for Ironwood lumber, with House Cerwyn for a large herd of goats, with House Blackpool for hundreds of weirwood bows, with House Reed for rice planting rights and help building the Grand Canal, and with House Karstark for lumber as well. Lord Bolton had inquired again about having me build up his nearest port village to increase ship access and trading, after hearing about how many of the other ports on the east coast had seen large increases in trade traffic, and not wanting to be left behind. I was willing to do it, but he didn't have any resources he was currently willing to part with in order to make a trade, nor was he willing to let me scout and mine his lands in exchange.
We finally settled on an agreement, as he would provide me a lot of wool and a sizable financial contribution in exchange for the extra paving he desired, along with a small favor to be called in later that I was able to get out of him. I was already thinking of using that favor to eliminate his bastard, as I knew getting rid of the psychotic Ramsey would only benefit the whole North and I had already made enough money and good deals to keep me busy for the next year. We wrote up a small agreement, and both signed it, with Lord Stark acting as the witness, as there was nobody else in the North he answered to, and I wasn't about to not have the agreement spelled out clearly in writing.
The only other resource I was really trying to secure was horses from the Ryswell and Dustin Families, but so far had been rebuffed as they had quickly closed ranks after my first visit and them trying to feel out my allegiance to House Stark. I was hoping that Rickard might be able to help eventually, if Lord Stark ever agreed to my proposal for the one Ryswell I liked, but wasn't going to hold out hope as the need for more horses to equip my growing cavalry troops was a real need at this point. By the time nightfall came, and another rousing party was in full swing within the main hall, I was quickly losing the ability to stay fully alert and awake, and tried retiring to bed early claiming tiredness.
I should have known however that it wasn't meant to be, as only a few minutes after getting to my room, a soft knock was on my door, and a very impatient Dacey was asking to be let in to continue from where we left off the night before. So, working on next to no sleep, I spent the next several hours wearing both of us out as we enjoyed one another's company several more times before she left me to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Luckily, I finally slept for a good bit, and well into the morning of the following day, waking up not from a random nightmare as usual when I slept, and despite the low level of fatigue, I proceeded to the training ring to wake up better and stretch out a bit more after all the exhausting work of keeping the beautiful Mormont woman satisfied.
The final day of the Harvest Feast concluded with another lively evening of drinking, food, and dancing, though this time the Northern Lords and Ladies were first given a short speech and set of announcements from Lord Stark. He announced the almost completion of the road construction project, and thanked me personally for my assistance and ability in carrying it out so successfully. He spoke a bit about his request to all the Northern Lords to continue growing and storing foods for the winter, to keep sending criminals to the Wall, and keeping the King's Peace.
He also announced that he had spoken with and agreed to the union and creation of a new House in the North, between Rickard Ryswell and Alysia Waterman, to be known as Ryswater. He was granting them a small abandoned holdfast along the Stony Shore to make their own, and continue the growth of the North, with the hope that over time they could help protect and build up the western coast. I could tell that many people were confused by this new house and their location, though the Ryswells in attendance seemed quite happy, which hopefully at least would appease them a bit.
I made sure to seek out Rickard later in the evening when he was alone and promised him that he would be seeing me soon at his new keep, in order for me to outfit his new family with greenhouses, paved roads, and a built up port. I asked him to keep my help and involvement quiet for now as I still had several more projects going on, and didn't want to upset or offend anyone by moving him up the list as my friend. He was pretty overwhelmed by the news I could tell, but was pleased to be getting some separation from his Family, and very much attracted to Alysia and looking forward to a wedding in the Stark's Godswood tomorrow.
After talking with the new Lord Rickard Ryswater, and promising to be here on the morrow for his wedding, I sought out the very happy and probably very drunk Lord Waterman. House Waterman was a much smaller house on the White Knife River, right at the split further upstream above White Harbor, as the larger northern path of the White Knife went straight up passed Winterfell and into the Long lake while the smaller 'Axe Handle' part met up with the Kingsroad as it intersected with House Cerwyn. They were very well placed for a pair of bridges that I was hoping to build to cross the White Knife upstream over both sides of the split.
If I ever needed to move troops by land, it was an ideal place to cross both the White Knife River and the Ax Handle, and having recently been through the very small glorified fishing village on my road project, I knew it was an ideal location. Having met the Lord, Cregan Waterman a bunch of times, I knew he was a solid small minor noble of the North, content to do as his Family before him and not grow or build or change anything without a serious prompt. Completely honest and hardworking, loyal and decent man, but no ambition or pretentiousness, happy with what he had and probably a bit overwhelmed from the recent news about his precious oldest daughter.
I had met Alysia Waterman as well on my trip through Waterman Village, as I spent one night in their small keep, she was an attractive pale and friendly girl with a good heart and kind disposition, and also getting a little old to not be married off yet. At 19, she was definitely of marrying age, and I had really considered her as my own bride for a time, and probably would have been well pleased with the match. I had met her along with her two younger sisters Jynelle and Mari, 16 and 14 respectively, and their younger twin brothers, Brandon and Medrick, who were ten on my one day stay with them, and found the whole Family a good solid sort.
Cregan was indeed drunk when I found him, and very happy to see and talk to and toast with everyone, quickly getting me in on his celebratory drinks with Lord Cerwyn. After the first shots, I tried to ask him if he had read my proposal for his town and holdfast, hoping he wasn't too drunk to remember it, and laughed when he simply hugged me saying he was the happiest he had ever been, and then made sure I had a new glass in my hand for the next round of toasts. He eventually calmed down enough to officially agree to my proposal of adding to his defenses and building two drawbridges while putting him in charge, under the conditions my Family and my people would always have free access across them.
I gave Lord Medger Cerwyn a bit of a hard time, by telling him he should look to Lord Cregan's youngest daughter Mari for his own heir, as the pair were close in age and the youngest daughter was of a similar temperament as her oldest sister. Lord Cregan laughed so loud at Lord Medger's shocked face, that several nearby groups stopped what they were doing to look at us, but we were quickly ignored again a moment later as I heard Lord Umber's bellowing voice drawing attention to the other side of the hall. I simply smiled at both men, then caught sight of Dacey not far off, and quickly excused myself after promising to talk with them both on the morrow.
Unfortunately, Dacey was with her mother at the moment, and I was soon put under a somewhat intense set of questions from the fierce Lady Maege Mormont when her daughter greeted me. I wouldn't have been surprised to know that Maege knew about what had been happening between me and Dacey based on the looks she was giving me, and the nature of the questions being asked, but I tried to hold my own. Even in her mid to late forties, and five kids under her belt, there was no denying the striking features and powerful body of Lady Maege, and it made me a little jealous to think Dacey would look just as good and not be my wife to enjoy much past another night or two if I was lucky.
I was saved by Lord Stark himself, who came to invite Lady Maege to a private meeting, which I hoped meant good things for the North and Starks, but simply ignored in favor of the sexy woman that leaned into my ear to whisper wonderful things she wanted to do tonight. I didn't waste any time, and quickly found a way to duck out of the feast early with Dacey as we practically raced back to her room, both quite eager to pick up where we left off. I made sure to bust out every move and technique I could remember thinking this would be our last night together, and soon had the heir of Bear Island a moaning mess that passed out on me in the middle of the night, allowing me to sneak back to my room and get a few needed hours of rest.
Several of the Northern Families left the following day, and I made sure to have all my agreements and deals signed and in place before anyone left, so there would be no delays once I got the construction teams and my little traveling tribe back on the move. Unfortunately, the Mormonts were one of those families leaving, so I was only able to have a small conversation with Dacey wishing her well, and promising to stop by Bear Island before too long. She gave me a quick kiss that thankfully only a few people saw, though two of them were Lady Maege and Lord Stark, and said her goodbye, giving her hips a little extra sway before mounting her horse and following along with her mother and the small group of six guards they brought with them.
I was just glad that neither of my sisters saw it, as they were both currently packing with their families as well, and didn't want to hear their teasing or them finding out about my little relationship with the heir of Bear Island. The Glovers were soon the next group ready to leave, and I gave Lord Galbart and Robett friendly hugs and kissed my sister, telling her to keep in touch and that I would plan a trip through Deepwood Motte soon in order to see my future nephew or niece. Haylia was there too saying her goodbyes to Sybelle as well, and then it was her turn to leave along with the rest of the Flint Family of Widow's Watch, who I also agreed to stop in and see as soon as I was able.
I also met up with a hungover, but very happy Lord Cregan Waterman, and finalized our plans for me building up his town and the new drawbridges, and also mentioned how I was planning to venture to Stony Shore and help the newlyweds get their new holdfast set up. He quickly caught on, and commissioned an extra glass greenhouse for his daughter and her new husband as a wedding gift which I was very happy to accept and would let him announce it to the pair after that evening's wedding. With most of the Northern Families leaving throughout the day, Winterfell soon felt like a much bigger place, as only the Cerwyns, Watermans, Ryswells, and Manderlys remained for the afternoon wedding and much smaller follow up celebration.
The wedding in the Winterfell Godswood was truly beautiful even if the place still made the hair on my neck stand up, and Alysia was a real vision of simple Northern beauty that had the newly named Lord Rickard Ryswater looking very happy as the ceremony continued and they said their words and became man and wife. The celebration afterwards was much quieter than the previous three nights, something I was pretty sure everyone was happy for as it allowed for more meaningful conversation and a lot less drinking. I spent much of it talking with Lord Rodrik Ryswell and Ser Wylis Manderly about my desire to get into the horse breeding game, and even managed to convince the Lord of the Rills to a deal involving a small herd of two dozen of their well known stock in exchange for rebuilding one of their oldest dilapidated towers in the Rills.
Ser Wylis was a big help in convincing the Rills Lord of how good my work was, as White Harbor now sported many of our newest concrete projects, having given them a great deal in thanks for all they did for me growing up. By the time the newlyweds retired for their first night as a married couple, the party quickly ended with everyone going to bed to get an early start the following day. I went back to my room, and worked on a plan for the next few months and all the construction jobs I had added to my plate, trying to make sure nothing got missed or pushed back too far in order to keep the Northern Lords happy, and my coffers filled.
The next morning I was found working with Robb, Jon, and Theon in the training ring after my own warm up proved a little too much for Ser Rodrik Cassel, and landed him a slight concussion and a day off his feet. By lunchtime, the large group of Waterman servants that Lord Cregan sent for had arrived with a wagon of supplies and everyone was preparing to leave Winterfell. I quickly packed my few things and loaded up my horse alongside the newly renamed Lord Rickard Ryswater who had just seen his old Family off, and was gathering the wagon and servants coming with him and his new bride to go to their new holdfast.
Alysia said a long goodbye to her happy father and mother, promising to write and expecting them to come visit soon, before joining her new husband and their somewhat large group of close to thirty people all making their way to the Stony Shore for their new castle and life. During this time, I said my goodbyes to the Stark children, mostly Robb and Jon as the two I got along the best with, reminding them to keep practicing their swords and using their brains until I saw them again. I said goodbye to Lord Cregan and his wife Ursylia, promising to see them soon after I was finished with their daughter's new keep, and received many heartfelt thanks from the kind pair.
I then spoke briefly with Lord Stark, handing him my proposed schedule for the next few months in case he needed to reach me for anything, thanked him and his wife for their generous hospitality and mounted my horse. I had decided to ride with the newly named Ryswater Family until we reached Torrhen's Square and the location of my camp, hoping to get to know them better and discuss some of the plans I had in mind for their new home and port town. There were several small fishing villages along the Stony Shore coast, and even a few old holdfasts that had been abandoned or destroyed over the years, and Lord Stark had given them permission to habitat in either of them they liked as they were the new Lord and Lady of the entirety of the Stony Shore region.
The region was as its name suggested, and very much filled with lots of stone, but inland was a rather nice forest that needed some attention and care to build it back up from all the Ironborn raids over the past several centuries. It was one of the primary locations the Ironborn historically raided for the lumber they used to build ships, and protecting that coast was going to be the first priority. I had been through the Stony Shore not too long ago on the road construction project, and had a pretty good idea of the land and possible locations for the new Family to settle in, and was planning to do everything in my power to make sure they were successful.
Even with the nicer roads, the wagon and party could only travel so fast, and we ended up having to spend the night in the small abandoned holdfast just inside the Wolfswood, only hours from Torrhen's Square. When we reached my camp, the now small group consisting of the new Ryswater household, was in shock at the size of my camp and the amount of fighting forces ready, looking more like a war camp than what they were expecting. We ended up staying two days in the camp at Torrhen's Square, to allow my workers to finish the buildup of the newly improved port and military compound and barracks, and give the new House some time to get acquainted with my camp as they would be the main body of workers to help them build up their new home.
We then continued west, staying above the mountains and hills that protected the Rills and further north than Blackpool Lake and Family, and getting to use some of the newest stretches of road that were built as we made our way into the Stony Shore region. The large camp of 10,000 moved quite well for its size, having been used to marching and traveling this way for the last few years, and within a week we were slowly making our way down the western most coast pointing out the various fishing villages, abandoned holdfasts, and possible locations for their new home. The camp stopped and set up about two-thirds of the way down the coast, at what I had deemed the most ideal place for a new port town and holdfast, but I took Rodrik with me to view the entire coast in case he thought a different location would be better.
After seeing everything, he agreed with me and we returned to the camp and started drawing up the plans to build a port, town, and castle that would be the new home of House Ryswater. The bulk of the camp started by laying the foundation of the main castle, while the more specialized dock workers started on the port, and soon had a good deal of work getting done. We set up several tents in its own section of our camp to give the newlyweds and their new household staff some privacy and a chance to start getting to know and live with each other to get used to it while we carried on with our work.
Once the castle's foundation was poured, we had the greenhouse builders start on the twin greenhouses in order to start growing crops and food for the new Family, while I sent the new Lord Rickard with a few guards to go visit all the fishing villages and introduce himself and show off the edict from Lord Stark naming him the Lord of this region. They came back with many promises that once the castle and town was built up a bit, they would start getting several new transplants from among those currently living in the small villages. The progress was steady with so many people chipping in to help the construction crews, and within a month, the castle was starting to take shape, helped significantly by my steel "rebar" reinforced concrete walls.
We received word from Moat Cailin and West Locke that the Grand Canal had its entrances close to completed, and they were beginning the very hard work of now digging out the long trench that would eventually become the canal. We were also joined by a contingent of twenty guards from the Rills and ten household servants, sent by Rickard's father Lord Rodrik Ryswell for his new House, that we quickly put to work helping the construction crews and vetting them all to ensure none of them were here to sabotage or undermine the new ruler. We learned of one that had orders to report everything going on to Lord Rodrik, and quickly identified him to Lord Rickard so he could be used effectively without giving away any secrets or important information he didn't want his father knowing about.
By the end of the second month, progress was coming along splendidly, with the plain castle's exterior almost completed, and the port built up enough to dock and defend from ships, complete with a lighthouse, pair of watch towers, and strong gates leading into the still empty town and castle. We also learned that Lady Alysia was discovered with child, and the celebratory atmosphere in the camp and newly developing town grew to unheard of levels as many of my camp helpers had really taken to the new couple. Several of them had even asked to be allowed to stay on with the newly named House Ryswater, and I had gladly given my permission hoping to ensure this town survived and thrived and knew I could count on my people to help.
I got word from the other two largest road construction crews that they had finished their final road construction assignments, the largest one having finished the road from Karhold to Eastwatch, and was now at the dilapidated Eastwatch castle along the Wall asking if they should stay and work on rebuilding it. The smaller crew finally reached Cape Kraken after going through Flint's Finger, and was set to return to the Moat for their next assignment or help there. I gave my larger northern crew permission to stay and help rebuild a bit at Eastwatch, but to not expend too many resources, and do repairs and strengthening but not a total rebuild until I had the next assignment for them, which would probably be the upcoming work at the Dreadfort.
I wrote back to Sydel, Juden, and Rickard at the Moat to send the road construction crew once it arrived west, just north of the Fever River to find and start a small settlement that would act as a western watchpoint to better protect Moat Cailin from any trouble coming from the west, namely the Ironborn. I filled them in on the progress at the newly named Ryswater, and that I was going to split my camp to leave half completing the current castle and town, while I took the other half to get started on the proposed and agreed upon work at first Blackpool, then the Rills. They were the two closest keeps, and I wanted to get done with the Ryswell Family now that the only one I really liked had left, and wanted to get started on breeding horses for my cavalry.
After that, I would continue through to House Forrester and then House Cerwyn before returning to Moat Cailin and checking on the progress at that point. At least six months out, I would then probably get the northern crew to meet me at Karkold and Dreadfort for the projects I had lined up with Lord Karstark and Lord Bolton, and then I would be completely caught up on all the currently promised work before the year was up as promised. After I was caught up with these last projects, the Northern Road Project would be complete and I could dedicate all my time and resources to building up Moat Cailin after a quick tour through all my new and growing cities.
I would of course make time for visits to Oldcastle, East Locke, Horseshoe Bay, West Locke, and eventually Moat Cailin itself where I would probably base out of. If possible, I would add in another trip to Widow's Watch to see my sister while I was in the area and check on their progress as well. Either way, I knew I was going to be really busy for the next several months to a year, and was really pleased with all the work that has been done so far. With everything planned for this year, I was curious what the next thing to disrupt my plans was going to be, but was at least hopeful I was ready for anything.
The Locke name and products were now being found much more regularly throughout the North, and in many cities of Essos, our name was being mentioned along with our numerous goods. The agreements we made with Braavos, ensured that all of Essos and any other Westeros cities who traded with the Titan, would receive and know of our products. This was helped by the labeling we created, using either our colored logo of the Family's Crossed Keys on a Purple Field usually for the higher end products, and the black crossed keys we stamped on every wooden barrel, crate, and label to increase our brand recognition while also showing off our capabilities in bottling, packaging, and labeling that were unmatched by anyone currently, and would greatly increase my Family's standing in the North and throughout the know world.
—-Locke's Legion—-
Tristifer Greenhands III
"You call that a block?" I laughed, asking the newest recruit what he thought he was doing with his shield, and quickly had him looking at his peers and copying them as quickly as he could, getting a nod of my head at the action.
Donnell had just left the Camp to get the first construction group together for his new Northern Road Project, and our camp was going to be somewhat following along and providing protection as they got started on the road south out of Winterfell. I was left to deal with all the recruits and training, and to be honest, it was the happiest I had been in months since returning to the North. We were always meeting with someone or planning the next step, and sometimes just keeping up with Donnell and all his many responsibilities was exhausting, and the return to what was comfortable was a welcome one for me.
"Okay, then," I shouted, getting the attention of the hundred young men and a few women that were taking part in this particular sword training exercise, "you'll need to keep your shield up over your head, otherwise …my overhand swings are going to cripple you. This is what it feels like when receiving an enemy charge, only multiply me by the hundreds. The first couple of times, we are doing it without horses …we'll build up to that later. If you fall in the first round, you are out and have to do two laps after training in full gear, those who make it to and fall in the second round …have one lap. If by some miracle, someone makes it to round three …I'll give you off your next patrol."
What followed was twenty minutes of me swinging my war hammer and happily destroying the shields and blocks of well over half of the young soldiers easily in the first round, leaving only a dozen or more remaining for round two, of which none survived beyond that, though I was very happy with the showing of many of them. I encouraged them all that great soldiers and fighters weren't born in a day or month, and it took years of dedicated practice to reach certain levels. They were all still at the beginning, some a little further along than others, but that every single one of them could become better than me …if they put in the work and trained.
After that exercise, I met with another group of somewhat larger men that I had been personally training in the war hammer for several weeks now, of which there were now two dozen. For the next hour, I put them all through their paces, each at a different stage with the weapon I introduced to the Legion for this purpose, hoping having other war hammer users would help me sharpen and refine my own skills and training. Feeling just right and comfortable in my hand, I now understood what Donnell said about his Valyrian Steel Sword feeling like an extension of his arm, as I finally had that connection with my own new hammer.
I am still in awe of the weapon Donnell had commissioned by the Master Blacksmith of Hornwood, and gifted to me along with a new set of armor that marked me as someone important in the Legion. It was hard to believe that I had grown and changed so much from that sickly young kid stuck in a miserable life, into what I was now, and sometimes couldn't even believe it myself. The time away from my family had maybe helped mellow me a little bit, and I was no longer so angry all the time when remembering them, though I made sure not to point Donnell in their farm's direction, having no desire to ever see them again.
My sleep had been getting progressively worse too, which I first thought was because of how overworked I was after landing back in the North, but I have come to accept that something is trying to interfere with my sleep. It's just a feeling now, but it's almost like my dreams are being controlled for a purpose that I can't understand, as I often watch a similar set of dreams that I have come to expect most nights when I close my eyes. A young Northern girl with dark hair that appears as if she's a woods witch is in many scenes, most where she meets or interacts with a shadowed noble man who is only called Brynden and is much older than her, from a time long since past due to some of the things mentioned and seen in the woods witch's life.
I have given up trying to stop the dreams from repeating, as no amount of exhaustion or drunkenness affects when or if they will appear, though it has allowed me to spend many hours alone in my tent, sometimes training, sometimes thinking about the dreams and what they are supposed to mean or show me. The couple is probably important somehow, but I never studied in no castle or learned history beyond the few tales I've heard around campfires during wars. I wouldn't recognize a family symbol except Donnells, the Manderlys and the Starks, so that wouldn't help me either, and I was simply not going to just open up to anybody about having crazy dreams, cause I already know what they'd say …I'm fucking going crazy.
I keep thinking that something will happen or change the next time I see the set of dreams, or this time I'll recognize something, but I haven't and they don't change or give me any more insight after the hundredth time as after the third. Maybe I am just going crazy, but it doesn't seem right. Everything else I do makes sense, nothing else in my life is different or weird, except this one stupid thing, that I realize I have been seeing and watching at some level in my dreams my whole entire life, for reasons I can't even begin to figure.
"Fuck," came the cry from Jojen, a large man from Hornwood that I had recruited to join my group of war hammer maniacs, and I instantly stopped as did the last few still standing, and turned to see what the problem was.
"Shit," I groaned as it was obvious what happened on his last attack, as the handle of his war hammer was shattered, and unfortunately the head and a sharp piece of the broken wooden handle had impeded itself in his now heavily bleeding and probably crushed foot, before motioning to my squire Kace and Jojen's usual partner Ronn to help. "Ronn, can you support him and get to his other side …Kace, go get the camp medical cart, they should be nearby …I'll help you lift him out of here and get loaded …somebody send a notice to Senbal that I'll be late to my last class with the new recruits."
"I'll do that," spoke Delath quickly, as Kace was already racing towards the medical cart and group of medics that were always on hand during their daily training sessions.
"Sorry Jojen," I replied to the limping man, as Ronn and I half carried him towards the nearest approaching medical cart, "but once you've healed up …you'll have a nice new war hammer to keep up all the great work you've been doing."
"Thanks sir," he breathed out steadily, trying to remain tough in front of others, though I could see the occasional winces that indicated the pain in his foot.
"We've got a stab wound in the foot, and probably some broken bones too," I spoke quickly but calmly to the group of medics preparing for our arrival, before we set Jojen on the cart and allowed them access to the wound.
It was impressive watching the group quickly get his leg and foot cleaned off and disinfected while another person was giving Jojen a shot of rum and distracting him with basic questions, all the while gathering information and relaying what the medical team was doing. I could only watch for a moment in amazement at another of Donnell's brilliant ideas helping us again, before I told Ronn to stay with his friend today, and I would excuse him from afternoon training. I then hightailed it to the central yard where the largest group of the newest recruits were all doing basic sword strikes with their weighted training swords to build up the muscles as quickly as possible, and moved them on to the next set of exercises.
The days and months quickly started flying by as I continued to train recruits for two weeks at a time, before taking a day off to pack up camp and march and catch back up with the Northern Road Project we were set to follow. We'd then set back up that evening for the next two weeks as they continued to work in front of us, and we provided a continual stream of protection and supplies for the workers as Donnell was seemingly bringing in new recruits weekly while mapping out our next destination. After that first month, the construction crews had all learned exactly how to build the roads, and then split into three large groups with one of them sent east from Winterfell back towards Hornwood, while the third one returned to the newest settlement of Horseshoe Bay and the new Concrete Factory to train up the next construction crews, and ensure the factory was up and running properly.
Donnell was taking the team with a small contingent of more experienced soldiers and camp helpers to work along the east bound crew, as he needed to go back through Hornwood, and eventually to White Harbor. From there, he was taking a quick trip to Essos to buy grains and rice for the Northern houses, animal herds for his lands, set up contacts for trading and rescuing slaves, and to secure a new loan for his NRP from the Iron Bank. See what I mean, he is too fucking busy for any one person, and I am glad that I get to stay here in our camp, training up soldiers and myself, while building relationships with good soldiers and Wyla.
Wyla, was a beautiful auburn haired fair skinned woman of just twenty that had joined us from a small village just south of Wintertown inside the first month on the road, and I had spent the last several weeks shamelessly flirting with and trying to get her attention. By the time I had convinced her to share my tent permanently, more than half a year had passed in the blink of an eye filled with nothing but training and fucklng. It was quite honestly the start of the best year of my life, which came to an end when I learned my girl was pregnant and expecting our first of what she hoped was a dozen children.
That it coincided with the time the Legion traveling camp was parked in the Rills with House Ryswell, and Donnell was in attendance was the only thing that helped. He quickly congratulated me and Wyla, who he had only met a few times, but had quickly approved of and said we'd make wonderful parents, then asked for a spar. That was it, not a worry in sight while my heart was beating so loud it was impossible they couldn't hear it throughout the camp, and I was practically frozen in fear for one of the first times in my life since surviving the Greyjoy Rebellion.
After getting my ass beaten black and blue by Donnell, my mind elsewhere made for an easy fight despite the fact that I had recently won several of our battles and had been turning the tide of late. Donnell was happy to have won, as I could tell that he was really worn out and needed the release, but I was still stuck on the news. I was going to be a father and have a family, and needed to ask Donnell to marry Wyla and I tonight in front of the Heart Tree in the nearest Godswood, even if I know he disliked being in the sacred places.
It was one of the unusual things I noticed about my best friend, he wasn't big on practicing faith and religion personally, but he also understood its importance in peoples' lives and welcomed everyone's faith inside the Legion as long as it didn't affect others. He 'kind of' kept to the Old Gods of his First Men ancestors in the North as did most of the original group of Northerners and those we were gathering now, but rarely did I see him in the Godswood praying, and would more often than not physically cringe any time we were inside the sacred forest. I knew he wasn't a fan of Rhilor, as their practices put them in opposition to many of the other faiths we encountered and the few we had met in Essos, were either converted quickly if they wanted to stay with the Legion, or left in other cities to continue their faith away from us.
Hearing about some of their practices of human sacrifice and ritualistic burnings, I was glad to keep far away from who Donnell described as the most dangerous of religious fanatics and faiths. To me, the Old Gods just seemed the easiest to understand. They weren't anything incredible or all encompassing, they didn't encroach on your life or livelihood unless you wanted them to, and they were very tolerant of others, the best of everything in my opinion. But, I know Donnell will be cringing the entire time we are in the Godswood, oh …he'll go and smile and perform his duties to the letter of the ceremony, but he'll be wound tighter than I am at my own wedding, which put a welcome smile on my face as I realized this wouldn't be hard for me at all.
Being married wasn't much different if you were still living in a tent amongst an army training camp, but knowing that my beautiful Wyla was waiting for me between training sessions and for every meal and evening to be shared together, it was amazing. For the next few months, after finishing at the Rills, we continued west out into the Stoney Shore, then worked our way north up the practically desolate west coast of the North that was the prime raiding area for the Ironborn ships. We made great time up the coast as there wasn't much there but stone, and the Northern Road Project continued with our traveling training camp following along, moving weekly now to keep up with the growing paving industry and their advanced skills.
I became a father (knowingly) for the first time before we even reached Sea Dragon Point and the seat of House Glover, where we were supposed to be meeting back up with Donnell. My insane best friend had taken a group of 300 well trained soldiers just as we were leaving the Rills, something Donnell said was an important number, straight into the Westerlands, to meet with Lord Lannister and sell him a Valyrian Steel Great Sword for more money than anyone in the North had probably ever even seen. I got word that he would meet us in Deepwood Motte, which we should be reaching shortly, and I can't wait to hear the story of selling the Sword and see his face when I introduce him to my incredible new daughter, Donella.
AN: Getting closer to caught up with my current writing for this story, and so happy with the positive responses, and have grown indifferent to those who don't like it. There are thousands of other stories they can try, or better yet, they could write their own and stop being such annoying pests!