Capítulo 12: The North I
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When the cart shook wildly as it bumped over an overgrown root, Reagan slowly opened his eyes and the man in front of him seeing Reagan was waking up from his sleep said "Hey you! You're finally awake."
Squinting his eyes, Reagan observed the man and knew that he didn't know him for starting a conversation between them, but still he asked the man "What is it you, whether I am awake or not?"
"Wow, calm down brother. I only asked as they are going to stop after some time." The man said as he looked at Reagan.
Reagan observed the man subtly used his power to know who this person was. 'He's just a passenger to the Trident, nothing more.'
Stretching his hands, he looked around and noticed that they were nearing Highgarden, the capital of Kingdom of Reach, the Green Realm. Looking ahead, he saw ten guards who had accompanied him to the south and when he looked back he saw the other ten guards. He had informed them not to talk to him during the journey as that might alert the owner of the caravan and the information might be spread faster than they could think. Because of the warning from their Prince, they had been acting as small-time merchants from the North in Oldtown for the past year.
The caravan didn't enter the castle, it stopped at the town around it and started to unload some goods that they got from Oldtown and loaded wheat, barely, lentils and salt, which would be sold in the North. Watching the trade happening in front of them, all the Northerners could only grit their teeth in frustration and anger. Knowing his guards best and what they were thinking now, Reagan thought to himself 'Well, anyone will be pissed off after knowing that the Reach had been selling their goods to us eight times of what they are selling to the other kingdoms. But, worry not my countrymen! Your saviour is here!'
Reagan chuckled at those thoughts and started to go through the plan for the North in the agriculture sector 'With my biokinesis and some of the tools that can be used with animals, I can make the North flourish and make it self sufficient. If there are plants that won't grow in the climate of the North, all I have to do is to evolve those plants to thrive in a cold climate. Thanks to being a mechanical engineer and a farmer in my first life, I can make things that would shock this world to its core.'
"Hey brother, where are you going?" The man asked Reagan and knowing that the man is just trying to have a small talk, Reagan replied "To the North."
"OH! Do you live there?" As the man asked, Reagan lied "No, I am Oldtown. I'm going to the North to buy some pelts. By the way, my name is Bale, what's yours?"
"I am Edmund. Say why do you need to go to the North? Isn't the North barbaric? I heard the King in the North eat the flesh of his enemies." Edmund said with a shiver.
"Heh. Where did you hear that from?" Chuckling at the rumour about his father, Reagan asked.
"Well I overheard some Maester talking about it. They said that the ironmen who went North for trading were killed by the King himself and he feasted on their flesh with his bannermen. It is said that there are guards under the command of the Prince who ride on giant wolves that are as tall as a horse." The man said in a whisper as he noticed that there were some Northmen in front and behind their cart. Gulping down the fear the man continued "They also said something about one of the High Lord in the North who died after trying to kill the Prince. How can they all be savage like that?"
"I don't know, you tell me. I am sure that I would find out if they are savages as you say or just normal humans. A piece of advice from me, don't believe everything you hear. Confirm it with your eyes, it might save you at times." Reagan said looking at Edmund, then looking up to the sky and seeing the clear sky, he said "Call me when they stop for lunch, I'm going to sleep. It's been a long day for me."
"Alright friend. No problem." Edmund pondered on what Reagan said throughout his journey.
As Reagan closed his eyes, he cursed the Maesters in his mind 'Those fucking rats. I knew that they didn't like North because father hadn't allowed them to be appointed at each lordly house. But to spread false rumours like this? Man you guys are in for a treat.'
He started to concentrate his mind with a group of hawks he had wragged at Oldtown and ordered them to hunt down every raven that would be coming to the Citadel. Nodding his head at the given order, Reagan thought 'Let's see how you will fare after not getting any information from the other Kingdoms. Well I had already made those ravens loyal to me and House Stark by genetically, every message that raven is able to use a bit of psychometry to read the letters in their talons and pass the message to Winterfell through the rune magic that I have imbued in them. I have also wiretapped the whole Citadel and if they have any conversation about the North, it will be transmitted to the books I had created.'
Like that the journey continued on and Reagan's mind went to the time when he travelled around the North 'That was an eye opener for me. I was able to understand the land, its people and how harsh the North is compared to the South. Well everything will be changing from now on. I am going to introduce potatoes to the North along with the fruits and vegetables that would thrive in a cold climate.
I should find something similar to Yak that would give meat, milk and leather in large quantities and introduce it to the farmers. I should also try to find something similar to maple syrup in Canada and I should implement rainwater collection along with biogas production. Biogas will reduce the usage of woods, which can be used to build few ships that could travel from North to Essos and the collected water can be used for household purposes and agriculture.
We already have a green house in the castle, so I can ask my father to build a small greenhouse in every village so that they could grow their own food during winter. And the most important thing is roads, we need roads that won't be frozen over during winter to increase the trading between the villages.'
On the third month of their journey, the caravan reached the Twins where they had to pass through to reach the North. As the caravan crossed the Twins and entered the neck, one by one the guards started to get off to find their mounts that they had left in the care of crannogmen. After a few miles, Reagan also got off the caravan and when he couldn't see them anymore, he softly called out "Fenrir, come out buddy."
Suddenly a blue gate appeared by his right side and from inside the gate, a giant black wolf that stood taller than the largest horse came out. Fenrir immediately started to lick his face eagerly and Reagan scratched under Fenrir's chin while saying "Why are you acting like we haven't met in the hunting dimension?"
"Woof woof." Fenrir barked at him and laid down on the ground so that Reagan could climb over him.
Shaking his head, Reagan climbed over Fenrir and told him as his face started to change into his real face and his height decreased to five foot three inches, his natural height. Then looking back he announced to the guardsmen who had come back with their own wolves "We are riding to Winterfell through the forest. We don't want to be spotted by the caravan, got it?"
"Yes, your Highness." The guards shouted in unison.
"Let's go home buddy. We have so many things to do. Lead the pack." Reagan told Fenrir and Fenrir howled out informing the wolves to follow his lead "Awooooooooooo"
""Awoooooooo"" The twenty wolves howled with him in agreement and because of this the wolves in the forest in the Neck started to howl out too.
Hearing all the howls from the wolves, Reagan said to himself "I am back at the North."
It only took a single day for Reagan and his men to reach Winterfell. When they reached the castle his father, mother and his sister were waiting for him at the entrance with the rest of the dire wolves. Jumping down from Fenrir, he stood in front of his father and both of them hugged each other as his father welcomed him back "Welcome home son."
"It's good to be back, father." Reagan replied as he separated from his father.
Then he was wrapped around in the hands of his mother who kissed his cheeks with some tears in her eyes as she also welcomed him back. When he hugged her, he felt a set heartbeat from her other than her own. So he eyed her for a moment then looked at his father then looking back he asked his mother "When?"
Smiling at her son, she said "Two months ago."
Looking at his father, he said "It looks like you are going to be a father of twins."
"How do you know that?" Brandon and Sarra asked at the same time.
"Well I can hear a set of heartbeats other than my mother's. So, an educated guess." Reagan told them and left them to their own devices and looked at his sister.
He observed that she's growing tall like the rest of the family and she would surpass five foot in half a year or more. He also noticed that she was pouting at him, so he did what does to her when she's in a bad mood. He hugged her under her arms while saying "Why are you upset now?"
"Let me go you brute! Let me go!" Alys kept on trying to break free from her brother but he was much stronger than her, so she gave up after a minute of struggle and said "I wanted to tell you that mother is pregnant. But you had to ruin it by finding it out on your own.'
"Well, sorry for that. But aren't you excited to be a big sister?" As soon as he apologised and asked the question, her face lit up with a radiant smile.
"Yes! I'm thrilled! You know how boring it was without you here? When our siblings are born, I won't need your company that much." She said as they walked inside the castle with their parents and wolves.
"Really? Where did my sister who was always on my tail go?" Reagan asked playfully.
For that she didn't say anything but hit him with her elbow which released her from his clutches.
"Ow." Reagan said in a mocking tone.
"That's what you get for leaving me here alone." Alys huffed out, and Reagan just chuckled at that. Suddenly all the playfulness was washed away from his face and looking at his family he said "Father, mother, Alys. Let's go to the Solar. There are things that I have to inform you about what I have found during my stay in the South."
Squinting his eyes, Brandon asked "Is there a problem, son?"
"You will understand when you hear what I have found out and I'm sure that you know some of it too. But, it's better for me to tell you three things I found without withholding any information." Reagan told them as he led them to the great keep where the solar of the King is located. Even Alys who had been upset with him knew that there is something important that made her brother in all seriousness.
When they reached the solar, Reagan sat on the chair for the guests with his sister and mother, while his father sat behind the table where usually sat. Looking at Reagan, Brandon asked "So what is it that you had found while you were in the South, God knows what you were doing for the past two years?"
Smiling at his father, he opened up "The first year I was going around all of the Kingdom's as a small time merchant with our guards. I found out many things, the most prominent was that our North is harsh to its people. But, that's not the thing I wanted to share with you." Taking a deep breath in he continued "I studied at the Citadel, I have combed through their books and have gotten twelve links for my chain. Yes, I mastered twelve subjects in one year, I gave myself the challenge of completing one subject per a month."
"Heh, that's my boy." Brandon boasted with a smile and Sarra along with Alys just chuckled at Brandon's reaction.
"While I was there, I noticed that the Reach is selling food eight times more than the normal amount to us. You know that right?" Reagan said.
"I know and every Lord in the North knows about it. We're not happy about it, but to survive the harsh winter we need to do things that we do not like." Brandon told Reagan as a King should respond.
Nodding his head, Reagan continued "I know father, and I respect you for that decision. If we don't stock up, we will be in trouble during the winter season."
There was a sombre mood in the solar after what Reagan said and the only one who had confusion was Alys as she has been invested in martial powers more than ruling. So she asked her brother "Why so?"
"Well my dear sister, the small folks are the blood and sweat of a Kingdom, if they died down due to starvation then it is a stain on the ruler. We don't want that and also we swore an oath to the small folks that we would protect them when we became King in the North. There is no Stark that would break an Oath that was made in the name of the Old Gods." Reagan told her the simplified version.
"What your brother said is true. But, I'm guessing that there are more things for you to tell us." Sarra asked her son.
"Yes mother, I have. The second thing you need to know is about the Maesters, they are knowledgeable but they will rat us out to the Citadel. In the South, they are in almost every lord's home, they are the ones who handle the passing of information to their lords. But, as the rats they are, they will also give out the information to the Citadel and for your information they hate magic to their bones." Reagan told them.
"Of course they would hate magic. They don't like magic because of their Seven Gods, you do know that they killed the Children of the Forest south of the Neck during their invasion, finding them as abominations." Brandon spat out as he knew the true history of Starks after his son explained it to him.
"Well, they did what the First Men did when they came to Westeros, the only difference was that the First Men made peace with the Children and started to live together, the Andals didn't." Sarra pitched in and Brandon nodded his head at that as it was true.
"Now that you know they will be sending information back and forth, and that they might even sabotage our ruling by misinformation, you can decide whether to allow them to the North or not." Reagan said calmly.
Looking at Reagan, Brandon asked "You are awfully calm about it, so what trick did you pull out now?"
Smiling at his father, he told him what he did with the ravens in the Citadel and how the ravens will be transferring information to Winterfell first then to the Citadel, he explained that he achieved it through rune magic that he had been able to use from the age of four.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA" Brandon laughed out loud with tears coming out of eyes, Sarra was holding her laugh back as she and Alys were laughing with her father even though she didn't understand what her brother had done.
As the laughter died down, Brandon said "So effectively you have the way to get any major information from the south through the ravens and magic. I understand, this will be good for us if there are any wars in the future." Then looking at a stand inside the solar he said "Well, we have been using the offspring of Snowy to send messages all over the North and currently every lord has at least one owl that can find anyone with just the name. Was it also rune magic?"
"Yeah, there was some magic in it, but it's mostly Snowy. I think that she's smarter than the rest of the owls and she passed down that trait to her hatchlings." Reagan said.
"Alright. So the bad news is over I guess?" Sarra asked her son, but he shook his head and told his mother "No. The last thing is important as it affects our family directly. They have been spreading rumours that father eats the flesh of the men he defeated and something about the Bolton situation. I don't like that."
"It's bound to happen, they call us savages in the South. It's not something new, but to spread a King as a cannibal is not something to be spread around." Brandon told his son as he stood up from his seat and started to pour some wine into a jug.
Reagan shrugged his shoulders as he had already retaliated for that by killing the ravens in the Citadel. Right then, Sarra asked her son "Son, you said that you have studied twelve subjects right? So do you have a new idea to make the North prosper as you had promised me after Alys was born."
"Of course mother, I won't forget that promise. And yes, I have some ideas that would make the North little to none dependent on the other kingdoms." Reagan said and the three of them looked at him to continue eagerly.
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