Entry Seventeen

Date: 299 After Landing, Summer

Winter is coming.

Despite the North being a separate Kingdom, I learned that King Eddard had received a white raven from the maesters at the Citadel in Oldtown. Signifying the end of the Long Summer and beginning of the Long Winter. Reportedly the entirety of the North has been thrown into a frenzy as, among the first to be impacted by the news, they are storing as much grain and salting as much meat as possible. The Riverlands will feel the changing season next, but they still have time to gather one last harvest before the snows get here.

It makes me wonder about this world. How does anyone survive in a ten-year winter? How did people survive the Long Night, a winter that the books say lasted an entire generation? And if we are at the end of a nine year summer, what is happening in the southern hemisphere who have suffered a nine year winter? Maybe there are no people in the unexplored regions of the planet, or maybe even no land? I know that grain can be stored for up to three years where I came from…is wheat hardier here? Surviving a year-long winter seems doable to me, but after that the question of meat and vitamins starts to make me worry.

How do plants and animals even survive? Are all of them capable of hibernation, shutting everything down and living on tiny drips of stored energy for years at a time? Maybe the Long Winters are the reason why this world seems relatively stagnant in development. Maybe after so many winters there is an extra-long winter that wipes everything out and resets the clock of civilization? Maybe the only thing that keeps humanity alive is the fact that Winter and its snows don't really reach further south than King's Landing.

It would be nice to have a globe.

I also wish I had had more time to develop Harrenhal before this happened. I had planned to send for glass makers and have the large greenhouses that once filled the courtyards here rebuilt, but instead we will have to settle for having all of the food stored underground. The good news is that Lady Shella had been diligent over the years about collecting a portion of her peoples harvests. Should be enough grain and meat to feed 700,000 people* (roughly how many people are on her lands) for 3 years sitting here. The bad news is that my standing army will need to eat as well, and the south isn't willing to sell grain or meat to their enemy. Maybe I can have Lord Manderly ship some in from Essos. In the meantime, I have put a ban on fishing in God's Eye lake. Hopefully this will inflate the number of fish available and serve as a last resort during the winter.

Anyway, I have a feeling that the changing of the season has influenced King Eddards decision to take Stannis up on his offer of peace. I think he didn't have the heart to fight the bother of his best friend. We both know it is temporary, and we will likely see war resume within the next year. Should Stannis attempt to invade the North during winter I fully expect to see a repeat of Germany's attempt at invading Russia. And even if he does somehow manage to get past Harrenhal and Riverrun, Moat Cailin has seen 6 months of constant repair work and is now fully manned. No force can get past the neck without first taking it. I just hope it lives up to its reputation. Better, I hope we never have to find out.

But I won't be here to see it. I strongly disagreed with King Eddards orders, and wrote him to tell him as much. After some back and forth, he agreed to let me and a few of the Commandos head to the Westerlands and aid Tyrion Lannister. I explained how this distrust of the Lannisters has to come to an end before both sides tear each other apart. "Lions and Wolves only feed on one another when they are desperate. Normally they eat Stags."

So, right now the horses are being watered and supplies organized. It is 720 miles from here to Casterly Rock as the raven flies, so it will take a few weeks for us to get there by horse. Technically I am being sent as an "advisor," but in reality I will be doing more of the same work from last year. Slipping behind enemy lines, disrupting supplies, capturing enemy forces before they know whats happening. But I will also have the added complication of liberating people the Ironborn captured.

Well, I guess I should be going. I am taking Dacey with me, who has really picked up on the nuances of command. She also seems to like my stories of my homeland. She calls it "Ah-mur-eye-ka," English is difficult when you have never heard it before, and likes the war stories best. Even so, she seems to truly understand the concept of Liberty and Rule of Law. But she can't imagine the concept of democracy. I fear few here could. Watt will be in charge of Harrenhal until I return.

One last thing to take care of before we set off. Apparently Second Lt. Ramsey Snow has been abusing his authority. I don't know the specifics, but will be filled in shortly.

Until next time.