章節 7: Black Axe Tribe
Blake carved a piece of wood while waiting for his father to finish eating the rabbit stew he prepared.
In the year they lived together, Blake learned that his father was a rough man of few words, but he could understand him and even give his opinion on his ideas.
Being a rough man, Blake took care of everything about their home, and his father hunted, fought, and made sure to keep them safe.
That was an unspoken deal they had kept since Blake met him, and this, in turn, made them get along smoothly.
"Did you see what I brought yet?"
At Oswin's words, Blake nodded, listing the things he found in the backpack.
"A bag of salt, a jar of honey, two bags of flour, a whetstone, seven apples, five oranges, ten lemons, two steel knives, and ten yards of rope."
"Yes, I was surprised at all the fruit they offered, they had never given so much."
Oswin looked happy about the deal, but Blake showed no emotion besides a slight nod.
He didn't think all the furs and goods he sent would be worth this much alone, the furs were already worked and ready to use, but he knew the Night's Watch wouldn't be willing to make equal deals with savages, so this would be the best he would get.
At least the knives and whetstone would be of great use to him.
"They also placed an order, thirty pairs of gloves and thirty hats."
Blake was briefly pleased with this deal proposed by Shadow Tower.
"If they're proposing it, it's because they trust you, at least briefly, maybe it will come in handy later. what did you ask them for?"
Oswin nodded as well.
"Chickens and goats or a horse."
Blake frowned slightly, he thought a horse was an outrageous request, not because of its value, as all the fur gear might be worth it, but because the night watch shouldn't agree to offer it.
"He said he could give us the cattle, but the mount was out of the question."
Blake nodded, It was a stupid proposal, but he didn't hold it against Oswin either.
"If we get a horse from those black crows we can go anywhere we want, this place is getting more and more dangerous."
Blake said nothing but agreed with his father, children threw stones towards their hut when he was away, and there was increasing animosity towards them.
Nevertheless, Blake was very reluctant to leave his dwelling, let alone when he was building a cabin and had a stable with livestock.
Blake suddenly had an idea as he remembered the night watch's request.
"Maybe we can solve the problem with the night watch and the tribesmen all together."
Oswin looked toward his son with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you have any ideas?"
Blake nodded.
"Hunting all the animals to make that order could take at least half a year."
Blake finished carving the piece of wood, revealing the figure of a wolf, which he handed to his sister who was playing at his side.
"So we could bring down the milk and eggs to trade for pelts with the tribesmen."
Blake pulled out another piece of wood and began carving it.
"Then we could finish the order for the night watch much sooner, and maybe we'd get that horse."
Oswin thought about his son's idea and concluded it was acceptable.
Even though they hated them, if they traded commodities like milk and eggs, the more desperate would have no choice but to accept.
"They hate you, You'd better stay here while I go downstairs."
Oswin said directly to his son.
"Yes, it's for the best, at least for now, When they get used to it later, they'll have no choice but to put up with me."
Blake didn't care what these savages thought of him, with enough benefits, and in this harsh place, they wouldn't have much choice later.
He wanted to take care of this problem quickly, tame them, and perhaps, he could put some of these savages to work for him to more quickly accomplish the goal of going to the other side of the wall.
Oswin watched Blake whittling the wood with quick movements, and his daughter playing with the timber wolf.
She had grown big and healthy, and Blake took great care of her. He bathed her in hot water every three days and combed her hair daily.
She looked like a princess out of those Southern fairy tales, something that made him happy.
"I think it's time to name her."
Blake was interested in his father's words, so far, his sister hadn't had a name, even though he had almost since she was born.
"Mmmmm, Ygritte, yes, that's a good name."
After a few minutes, Oswin nodded in satisfaction at the name.
Blake, on the other hand, opened his eyes and looked at his little sister who was nibbling on the timber wolf with a freshly erupted front tooth.
"It's Ygritte?"
Blake looked at his sister in surprise, was it Ygritte?
Directing his gaze to her hair, he was half convinced that it was.
But if this was true, he would finally know more or less where he was in the history of Game of Thrones.
Ygritte was already quite a woman when she appeared, at least eighteen years old.
Remembering the series, Blake frowned.
Ygritte died shortly after she appeared, in the invasion of the wall....
He couldn't let that happen, he cared little if it was Ygritte or not, She was his little sister, and he wouldn't let her die.
"What, you don't like her?"
Blake heard his father snap him out of his thoughts and watched him with a raised eyebrow.
"No, Ygritte is fine, she'll be called that."
Oswin nodded and went out to tend to the stable.
There were many bowls and baskets made by Blake, perfect for bringing down milk and eggs to the tribe, and as he had already discussed with Blake, he would start trading them for furs.
Blake continued to work on the hut for the next few days, and Oswin continued to trade milk and eggs in exchange for furs.
At first, the tribe was wary of Oswin, however, those with hunger and some furs at home bit the bullet and traded for something to fill their bellies.
Oswin accepted all the skins without being too picky, as long as it was not rotten or full of holes, he accepted it.
This was not only to fulfill Shadow Tower's request but also so that the tribesmen would accept his son.
A month later they had finished their new hut, as well as gathering enough furs to place the order.
Blake had already made all the hats, making sure they were well made, as it was an important request from the night watch.
Blake was sitting in the hut now making the gloves.
The floor of the hut was still dirt, there was a window that could be opened and closed in the roof to let the smoke from the campfire out, unlike their old hut where there was only a hole.
Blake had also made two beds out of wood that he covered with dry leaves to finally put a stew of all the leftover skins to improve its softness.
In one slept his father while in the other slept Ygritte, or himself when he needed it.
Blake concluded that with the success his father was having selling milk and eggs, it wouldn't be long before some woman of the tribe took the initiative to become his wife.
After all, no matter how cursed he was, with enough wealth, someone would succumb to greed.
"Ready."
Blake left the first pair of gloves ready and folded after trying to undo them with moderate force to test their strength.
"This could very well pass as child exploitation."
Blake looked over to the bed where his father slept and the thought popped into his head causing him slight amusement.
In Westeros, it was normal for children to work, just as it was in his world in underdeveloped countries.
He quickly began cutting skins with his knife to begin the next pair.
The night was long after all.
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