Chapter 4

Winterfell, The North

The sound of clashing swords could be heard throughout the courtyard. Ned was looking at the courtyard where his nephew was practicing with Winterfell's master-of-arms, Rodrik Cassel, while Robb sat behind them, watching intently. Already, he could see that Aryan was a good swordsman. What made Aryan special was that he had incredible reflexes, and his movements were quick. He felt rather proud of his nephew. Even though Aryan was only twelve years old, he could easily pass for someone fifteen years older. Almost eight years had passed since Ned had returned to Winterfell. And in these years, there had been many changes and developments across the North.

Aryan was an independent yet extremely intelligent child. When Maester Luwin started his education, Aryan grasped the subjects with ease. Whenever he was not practicing his swordplay, he could be found in the library, reading various books, or with Ashara. Luwin was greatly impressed by his intelligence and began teaching him arithmetic, geography, and the art of war. By the time Aryan was seven, he was already proficient in the Valyrian language, of which Ned had only a bare knowledge. Soon, Ned started involving him in decision-making regarding the ruling of the North. He was impressed by his nephew's ideas and forward-thinking ability and began implementing several of them.

When Ned had first returned to Winterfell after the war, he had been greeted by Benjen, who had been preparing to take the black due to his grief over losing their family. However, after meeting and talking with Aryan and Ashara, Benjen had changed his mind and stayed back to help Ned with the administration of the North.

The war had taught Ned many things. One of them was that the North needed to change in order to keep up with the South. Being kept out of the affairs of the realm was greatly affecting the region. So he began building a small spy network to monitor important events across Westeros, an idea that had first been suggested by Ashara. "If you do not know your enemy's moves then you have already lost," she had told him. The North also needed a navy for troop movements below the Neck and for its own protection. He did not trust Hoster Tully or Walder Frey. Thus, he commissioned one hundred warships to be built by Lord Manderly, financed half by Winterfell and half by the Manderlys.

Aryan would sometimes explore the castle on his own. One day, he fell into a hole in the crypts and discovered a hidden vault. When he showed Ned and Benjen the room, their eyes widened in disbelief. It seemed that previous Stark lords had hoarded great wealth in secret while maintaining a simple outward appearance.

During these eight years, Ned had taken Aryan to meet all the Lords of the North by visiting their castles and discussing possible alliances and development projects. He wanted Aryan to understand and know the North well so that he could rule easily when the time came for Ned to move to Moat Cailin. That fortress was coming along well with its twenty towers and would soon be an incredible sight to behold. It was only a few months away from completion, and Ned was waiting for the final word.

To undertake many of Aryan's ideas, they needed more laborers, as the North's population was low. Then, on Ashara's suggestion, Ned wrote to King Robert requesting that beggars, homeless people, and anyone needing work be sent to the North. Within a few months, there was a massive influx of thousands of people migrating to the North for work. They were distributed throughout the region as needed. A large number of them were brought to Winterfell to assist in the castle's renovation and expansion. A thick outer wall was built, replacing the old one, with guard towers in between. The space between the inner and outer walls was utilized for growing food during sieges. The entire castle was renovated, and the First Keep was replaced. The barracks were expanded, the glass gardens were enlarged, and a new guest block was constructed. While Winterfell would never be the most beautiful castle in Westeros, after the renovations, it had become one of the largest and most formidable.

One day Aryan came to him and said, "Uncle, we spend too much money for food from the Reach and Riverlands. So we are spending most of our money on food and are growing dependent on them. I think it is time we grow our own food and become more self-reliant. We could also save more money and use it for other matters."

When Ned remained skeptical of the idea, Aryan called Maester Luwin, and together they explained their findings and ideas. Ned was now convinced that these ideas could finally solve the North's problem of growing its own food. So within a few weeks, he called for a council of lords and had Aryan, now eight years old, present his case.

"My lords, it is a pleasure to meet you all. As far as we remember, we have always been dependent on the South for our food. Most of our hard-earned money is spent on food, leaving us with little for other needs. The Southerners grow rich while we struggle. But we no longer need to depend on them. We can grow our own food. I have found a solution to this problem."

The lords were skeptical, but when Ned assured them, "He is being humble. Most of the changes I have started in the North were his ideas," they listened.

Aryan continued, "We have procured new cereals from Essos that can grow in the cold weather of the North. We tested them at Winterfell, and they have yielded excellent results."

The lords leaned forward, intrigued. Aryan introduced rye and barley, which could grow in cold climates. He also provided Lord Reed with a special grain that could thrive in the swamps of Greywater Watch. He then introduced potatoes, apples, carrots, and cabbages, all capable of being stored for long durations, ensuring survival during long winters. To convince the lords further, he showed them the test farms around Winterfell. Seeing the flourishing crops, they were impressed. Maester Luwin explained the new farming techniques to them.

Inspired, Ned ordered all Northern lords to establish fishing villages along the coast for a steady supply of fish, even in winter. He also encouraged the breeding of livestock for milk and meat. Tax reductions were provided to lords willing to invest in agriculture.

Within a couple of years, food production increased significantly, and Aryan became highly respected among the Northern lords. Even Roose Bolton sent a letter acknowledging the success of the reforms. The North now had enough food to sustain its growing population.

People were still migrating to the North as work and food were available to them. The population around Winterfell was slowly increasing. When Aryan told Ned about making planned settlements, Ned thought about King's Landing and its stench, so on Aryan's suggestion he ordered the construction of a proper sewage system throughout Winterfell and Wintertown.

A few years ago, reports came to him that a man named Holder was selling a new drink called Vodka in Wintertown. Ned went to the shop and had a taste of the drink. It was strong, but it filled him with warmth. He immediately liked it. He told the man to increase its production so that it could be exported to other places as well. Soon, a small industry based on Vodka production started in Wintertown under the direct protection of the Starks. As Vodka was affordable, even smallfolk were buying it. People began calling Vodka a man's drink. Vodka's demand and production gradually increased over the years. He heard from a merchant that these days, Vodka was slowly gaining popularity in the South, too. Vodka production brought more money into Winterfell's coffers.

One day, representatives from the Hill Tribes of the North, led by Worg Wull, came to him and showed him certain shining stones they had found while digging in the mountains. Maester Luwin quickly identified them as diamonds. They started mining and earned significant wealth from mining and selling diamonds. Aryan thanked the clan leaders, and based on his recommendation, Ned gifted each clan—the Wulls, Flints, Norrey, Liddle, etc.—hundreds of cattle, as they did not need money. The clans thanked the Starks in gratitude. This event cemented the loyalty between the Starks and the Hill tribes.

The miners also found large deposits of iron and coal among the hills. Soon, Winterfell became the source of superior-quality steel weapons.

Ned married off Benjen to Dacey Mormont. Benjen was given Stony Shore, where he founded a cadet branch of House Stark called House Seastark and strengthened the North's naval presence on the west coast. He also built them a port town at Stony Shore. Soon, Benjen and Dacey moved out to their new place. In time, this port town would become a major port on the western side of Westeros, trading with Yi Ti, Qarth, and even Asshai.

Just a day after Aryan's ninth name day, an earthquake occurred at the Neck, resulting in a great canal that linked the Bite to the Blazewater Bay through the Fever River. That same day, the sept at White Harbor and the small sept he had built for Catelyn in Winterfell were also destroyed. Rumors started that the Old Gods were displeased with the religion of the Andals in the North. Slowly, followers of the Faith in the North began converting to the Old Gods. Even though Catelyn and Septa Mordane insisted on rebuilding the septs but Ned ignored them.

His nephew came to him after the earthquake and told him to properly develop the newly formed canal so that ships from Essos could sail through it to reach the Sunset Sea. However, due to many ongoing projects, Winterfell's coffers were low at that time.

Aryan told him, "We can negotiate with the Iron Bank, uncle. If the canal opens, it will benefit Braavos the most. Their ships could reach the Sunset Sea in half the time compared to sailing around Dorne."

Ned considered this, and within a week, he and Aryan, along with a few soldiers for protection, set out for White Harbor. There, they discussed the proposal with Lord Wyman Manderly, who knew more about financial dealings than Ned. Manderly was very interested in the proposal, as it would also increase the number of ships coming to White Harbor. Aryan, as always, was able to charm the fat lord into accompanying them to Braavos.

Ashara's influence on Aryan was undeniable. Unlike Ned, she held no faith in honor. To her, power was not about fairness but control. She trained Aryan in politics, deception, and ruthlessness.

He had heard Ashara teaching Aryan, "Mercy is a weakness. A ruler should be feared before he is loved. Because love fades—but fear remains."

She introduced Aryan to spies, merchants, and envoys from Essos. Under her tutelage, Aryan learned how to maneuver through political games, manipulate allies, and destroy enemies before they became threats.

Ned sometimes worried about how deeply Aryan listened to her. There was always something calculating in his nephew's violet gaze.

As he finished reading a letter from Moat Cailin, Ned sighed. It was finally ready to be occupied. His time ruling from Winterfell was coming to an end, and a new chapter was about to begin for the North. He just hoped that it would be a good one.