Human Experiments
"So, are you coming with me or not?" She found a group of bandits she couldn't bring herself to kill. They entered the newly developed immigrant housing in Borrow lands and forcefully took the food that people had stored in their houses.
Normally they would be disposed of but Olivia was here on inspection and launched an investigation using her own people and soon all the things they have stolen were returned to the people. Barbrey Dustin has a lot of attitude but Olivia just ignored her and told her something to ponder about.
"The Starks gave them housing and a way to feed themselves yet their lady is sloppy and bitter. I will give you a month to sort out the security in this place or I will take away all your power and give it to someone who can wield it properly." She left her in an uproar.
Olivia has recruited many capable people under her command and what she needs now more than anything is information about this world.
She sent a small group to buy valuable slaves to teach her foreign languages and traditions. She especially wants to learn high valerian and the Dothrak language. Olivia suspects that she will end up leaving the North one day and she doesn't want to appear like a clueless bumpkin at that time.
Four weeks and she realized just how slow the ships are on water. The team bought five slaves and they each have areas where they excel.
First teacher it is the languages she had to master along with her hidden weapons training.
Then it is the art of building a fast and strong ships. In the beginning she had wanted to have this knowledge shared with the Winterfell but then she decided to do it when she is already proficient in it. Her teacher is called Suen.
Like this she arranged her studies and since she possesses supernatural mental power, she absorbs knowledge thoroughly making her teachers very proud. They all chose new names after she told them they are free men and woman now.
There is the foreign architecture designs called Arkar. Olivia thinks her knowledge about construction is too limited by the grand designs of the cultivators or the humble structures of the mortal kingdoms that broke from the slight fights between cultivators.
Then there is a medicinal doctor to teach her basic medicine from this world. This is because she might not be able to recognize some ingredients just because she has never seen them before.
Lastly there is a blacksmith who was able to make a blade close to the magical valerian steel. Since he was a slave his work was credited to his master.
Six months passed by with Olivia adding two more pills to the ones she already had. A truth pill, forcing people to tell the truth in whatever question they are asked. Seun is the ship builder and today he will be seeing the first ship Olivia had build with her power.
The former slave is aware of her power and he was not too surprised by it. He said where he comes from people control animals to fight in large scale battles and others can shoot water from their hands.
Others can shape the earth. Olivia is glad she is not made up to be an odd person and can use her gift with the help if her teacher to make something amazing.
They are never using this gift outside where they may be discovered by someone at any time. They made a base near the sea under a hill in Dread Ford.
"I am 32 and this is the year I got freed from being enslaved. My work was always taken for granted or sold to some terrible people and I had no way to stop it. I broke my hand to stop myself from making something that will be used to bring more people into slavery." He said with a thick foreign accent.
"You are brave." Olivia admitted. "I am glad you don't have to go through anything of the sort again." She said softly.
They are walking towards an underground workspace that Olivia dug up with the help of the trees loosening up the ground using their strengthened roots and branches.
Olivia managed to hallow out a large chunk of a big hill and then stabilized the space with wooden walls and pillars.
Usually they would make a model together but Olivia's plant power broke through a day ago making her full of power so she turned a model into a ship that is very fast.
After all her Master's ships are the best under the wise masters across the seas, combined with the design from her previous life she made something novel.
On the other side of the North her father is conducting an inspection in Bear Island construction progress. Because of the damage they suffered in the last war against the Iron born, Lord Stark has paid for 75% of all their expenses.
This way their progress is faster than others because they had started with the construction of a massive wall around their inhabitable land. Luckily Olivia's concrete paste dries faster so their wall was done in a few months. Then the houses were built. All of which is covered in a thick layer of flame resistant paste. It adds an obsidian marble glow to the structure and turns it 10 times sturdier.
The Island doesn't has too much population so the housing was mostly the farms housing which is accompanied by a series of glass houses.
The overall construction which included their three cities took as long as the construction of the North housing and the road project. The residents are in awe of the transformation and are very grateful to the lord of Winterfell.
Because of the availability of animal skin in bear Island, they are trading with the clothing factory that Olivia had built and then handed it over to her father. It is not just this, because of improved public safety and food security in the entire North, new born children are born healthy.
When reading the numbers, lord Stark shed a few tears because he remembers the old numbers. This reminded him to call over Olivia for an overdue chat. She hasn't come over to explain the group of foreigners seen in her tower recently.
With his wife pregnant again his focus is slipping. She is not having a good time because she has gained weight lately with the increase in the castle wealth and their decrease in relationship she turned to eating her problems.
He doesn't understand how can she hate a child so much when she is capable of loving her own even more. It always makes him remember what Olivia said about her mental state and he wonders if she was really brainwashed.
The most troubling thing for him is that even after all that happened she is unrepentant as if she doesn't consider Olivia a human at all which makes Ned see her differently. Their relationship is different with Ned having a clear picture of his wife's insanity.
The other troubling thing is Olivia's mental state. Although she is brilliant, she is now slightly unstable. Ned is quiet and observant at times, outside of the Northmen, Olivia has little sympathy for the lives of other people. At times she shows the same scorn for her half siblings. He remembers the conversation they had about mending the castle and putting warm stones on the floor of the entire castle.
"I'll send you the invoice." She had said seeming to enjoy this part more than a little bit.
"You provided the stone to the rest of the construction in the road and the towns not to mention the donated stoves to the poor." Ned complained.
"Caitlyn Tully doesn't live in the rest of the North, and like you said those people are poor." She said happily.
"I'll ensure every coin is paid." He sighed.
"I was called to watch your people train once. What are you preparing them for and why so many?"
"Are you afraid I am planning a hostile take over of the castle?" She asked flatly.
"People are talking." He said.
"What are they saying?" She tilted her head in curiosity.
"They say the speed and power of your people is abnormal and that you are feeding them some potion like the medical soup you gave me and the veterans last time." He said.
"Thy are not wrong. I am creating a group of monster warriors who can go against an army with just a few numbers." She admitted. Ned became uncomfortable.
"You shouldn't use humans as genie pigs to test your medicines Olivia!" She reacted. To his surprise Olivia nodded.
"I will keep that in mind."
"What about the men in your tower? You are too young to be living in the same place as strange men."
"No, I need to monitor their condition on daily basis incase there is a problem with their transformation." She admitted.
"What do you mean? Does your medicine have complications?" He asked
"No but the human body is complex especially for people who grew up with so little to sustain themselves. To suddenly be thrusted with power it may take damage."
"Then why do it?" He glared.
"I am being as gentle as possible." Her tone a little helpless.
"Lives are at stake Olivia you are too young to understand the weight of a human life on your conscience but if you are not sure, you shouldn't play with people's lives."
"Is that what you think? That this is my playing time and that the people are victims of my urging?" She asked with ridicule.
"The people I am training and feeding my medicine would gladly take this small chance that they may be able to protect themselves out there than remain the way they were when I found them."
"The men you took to war and then brought back news of their death or their crippled bodies had families who depended on them and now those families have been ravaged by bandits, hunger, the animals in the wild when they tried hunting for food."
"Don't bring this on to me!" Ned defended.
"I am only speaking the truth. People are terrified of what they will have to put up with if they remain weak. So terrified in fact they are willing to give their bodies to an 11 year old for experimentation. I was very clear about the possibility of illness, sudden fatigue and even death but they still agreed."
"You did this even after knowing what might happen?" He asked incredulous about his daughter's mental state.
"Don't be a hypocrite. If this medicine is successful aren't you going to want it for your generals? your children? For yourself?" She asked flatly.
"Of course not!" He denied.
"Good then, don't come to me in the future about this matter."
"You can count on it." He assured.
Till this today Ned feels like he was being goaded into saying those words because he saw the strength of the men when they went up against the seasoned veterans in his army. He recons even he would have to put in some effort to win in a confrontation.
The sparing was one day seen by his wife and her paranoia reached a new limit. This is why he is looking forward to getting Olivia a good marriage this is the only thing he can still do for the child.
Recently Olivia feels like she is pulling away, more than usual. First she left the task of managing the free clinic to him and his people. The previous clinic is now separated into two. The part managed by Winterfell and the part that sells the medicine to those who can afford it.
The clinic stopped using the 'special' medication with the mysterious energy for free and used the normal ones. She is also storing her mysterious medicine for her own use or to sell depending on future situations.
Olivia gave him a bottle of wine and brandy but none of these products ever made it to the market. The storm that will result from the taste alone is enough to give him cold sweat. The two drinks are made for all types of drinkers, whether they like the mild alcohol content of delicious wine or the strong flavor of a drink that will knock you off your feet. The brandy.
He can even imagine the jealous eyes of the leaders all turning to his castle. But with all his worries the girl didn't release the product even though he knows she is producing it in large batches. This is because the supplies bought from the south are bought on regular basis.
Mean time Olivia is seated at a young man's bed side. "Who are you?" The boy asked.
"My name is Olivia Snow." She answered him politely. the blue eyes of the young man shot open in surprise. Olivia chuckled "You've heard of me, great. You are almost as good as new but may I ask why is a teenager with intestines of an old man?"
"I have been sick for a while now I can't hold my shit. I followed my half brother into the mountain but my illness attack came and I went into the bushes but then I saw him do something...wrong. He didn't want to let me go and set his dogs on me."
"What is your name?" Olivia asked him with a sudden shift in her voice.
"My name is Domeric Bolton."
.....
Olivia has been steadily advancing in her knowledge on this world. She found several new species of herbs in this world that she hadn't paid attention to in the past.
She usually pays attention to the plants when she recognizes the mysterious energy around the herbs which has resulted in her overlooking the rest of the herbs.
Now that she has a tutor she has made a batch of new pills with less complicated formulas for the common sicknesses. They are not endowed with the glowing color but they are much more effective than normal pills.
She has now made a large batch for the benefit of her future army and the free clinic. As a veteran alchemist she is is able to make two thousand in a week. Medicine will never be an unnecessary resource. Her formula claims to keep the pills from expiring sooner so she can keep them for now.
.....