14 Foundations of a Dynasty
The North
The Wolfswood
301 AC
The crackling of the fire is the only sound that fills the air. It is not a particularly big fire, not big enough for one to cook over it, nor is it hot enough to stave off the cold winter air. It provides some illumination but the scions of House Stark can easily do without it as if it were the daytime. The fire serves no true purpose to them other than being a habit at this point. And as he looks to his brothers and sisters around this flame, Aemon feels the need to impart to them one more piece of wisdom.
"What is power?" asks Aemon, causing his brothers and sisters to stop what it is they were doing and to look at him for they have done this song and dance quite a few times in the past moonturn.
When he does not receive an answer from them, Aemon continues.
"Power can come in many forms but they can all be divided into two categories, subtle or overt." says Aemon. "When power is subtle and wielded right, it is not seen nor is it truly felt and the one who it has been wielded against will not consciously acknowledge its existence as they do your bidding." explains Aemon.
"Father was good at that." comments Sansa, causing the other Stark children to look at her. "More often than not he did not need to command others for them to do his bidding, simply ask."
"Aye, for they respected him and respect itself is a form of power. It is perhaps one of the subtlest forms of power for most men are happy to follow the command of one they respect." explains Aemon.
"What about fear?" asks Bran.
The question brings a smile to Aemon's face. This past moon has been good for Bran. Between being crippled and his tumultuous time as the Stark in Winterfell, Bran has not had a good experience with power.
"Fear can also be a subtle form of power, but most men are not smart enough to wield it as such. They take overt actions when slighted and make sure that all know far and wide that they are to be feared." Aemons says
"Like Tywin Lannister." says Arya.
"Aye, like Tywin Lannister. Such men confuse respect for fear and disregard the power behind other emotions such as love. They believe that love is a useless emotion only to be held against those who feel it for they themselves have never felt true." explains Aemon.
"Love is not an emotion whose experience can be put into words, for everyone feels and shows love differently. But when one truly loves someone and loves them deeply enough, there are no lines that cannot be crossed in the name of that love. As such, it is never wise to discount love. It is a mistake that men like Tywin make and never live long enough to regret it." Aemon says before falling silent for a brief moment.
"You said that fear can be subtle. How? Isn't it obvious when someone feels fear?" asks Sansa
"Have you ever been to the Bolton lands?" asks Aemon, causing Sansa to shake her head.
"If you were to venture into the Bolton lands when Roose Bolton and his heir, Domeric, lived, you could speak to most of the smallfolk there and never suspect the lord of any wrongdoing, for the smallfolk would kindly speak to you of many number of things without alluding to the existential terror that their life is. It is a tactic wielded by the most cunning of men and one I abhor, for to warrant such a reaction one must have an earned reputation of doing the most unspeakable of things." explains Aemon.
"You make it sound like Roose was more dangerous than Tywin." remarks Arya.
"He was." says Aemon. "I would rather face one hundred Tywin Lannisters than fifty Roose Boltons. Tywin was cruel, but he could never see the results of his actions beyond one generation or two in the future. In a world where the War of Five Kings did not happen, Tywin's legacy would not survive beyond his children's generation. At the very least his way of parenting would have been the beginning of the end for House Lannister."
"Even now, between his brother and his daughter, his house tears itself apart." says Arya, causing Aemon to proudly smile at her.
"What about Lord Bolton?" asks Sansa. "What would have been the cause of his downfall?"
"Lord Bolton's flaw was not properly understanding human emotions and how they affect most lords of the North or their mindsets. He underestimated the respect the North as a whole holds for the name Stark and believed that as long as he showed himself to be the best option for the North's survival the lords would follow him, if not willingly than begrudgingly." says Aemon
"Ha! That's so stupid." scoff Rickon from his position within Bran's arms. "The lords would rather follow House Stark into hell than live with a Bolton." the boy says.
"Where did you hear that?" asks Sansa.
"Osha." replies Rickon proudly before turning somber and looking at Aemon. "She also says that the White Walkers are coming from the North and that to face them is to die. You're not going right?" he asks.
"I must." replies Aemon.
"You can't! You just got here and the other Jon didn't even come back yet and he promised! He promised, just like Robb, mother, and father, and they're all dead! I don't want you to die." Rickon says with a sniffle as he buries his face into Bran's shoulder.
"I will not die." promises Aemon, causing Rickon to turn and look at him with tear filled eyes. "I will lead my army to the Wall where the lords of the North shall meet me with their own men, and together we will stop the Others. And when I come back the other Jon will be with me and we will stay together in Winterfell for years."
"You swear?" asks Rickon.
"By earth and water, by bronze and iron, by ice and fire." swears Aemon
"And you'll teach me how to fight when you come back?" he asks hopefully.
"Aye, by earth and water, by bronze and iron, by ice and fire." replies Aemon with a smile.
"Good, you swore so now you have to do it." cheers Rickon, causing the others to laugh.
As they share this brief moment of brevity, Aemon decides that now is the time to call this excursion to an end.
"On the morrow we return to Winterfell." says Aemon as the laughter dies. "And by now each Hassan will have finished transcribing the basics of their vast knowledge into books. You will also find books of mine own thoughts on matters of the state such as economy, military, law, and even how magic can be beneficial or detrimental to a culture and nation. You will read those books, form your own thoughts, and write down how the North should proceed from henceforth. What should the government of the North look like? How best to organically foster innovations that will benefit the North? How should the government of the North conduct itself outside of its borders? You must think of these things and more. And remember, your answers to these questions will affect the North for centuries to come so do not answer them haphazardly."
Aemon's words remove the last of the laughter in the air, for even Rickon who does not completely understand what is being said comprehends the severity of the responsibilities placed upon their shoulders. In a perfect world they would not be contemplating the foundations of a nation before their twentieth nameday, but this is not a perfect world and Aemon wants them to lay down the firm basic principles for a dynasty that will last another 8000 years at the very least.
Nothing may last forever, but Aemon wants them to create something that milleniums down the line, future generations will speak their names with greater awe than when they themselves speak of Brandon the Builder.
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There are many speculations of the events that took place within Winterfell's godswoods, the day that Lord Commander Snow arrived with the Wolf Pack, and the subsequent events that took place in the Wolfswood during the moonturn that the members of House Stark were absent from Winterfell. Some claim magic, but that is a given considering how changed the scions of House Stark were upon their return.
Lady Sansa, already beautiful and graceful, would return and become the most beautiful woman in the history of our world, the greatest player of "the game", and the one credited with laying the foundation for our lofty way of life in this modern age.
Lady Arya would with a supernatural beauty of her own as well as go on to create the greatest information agency even in our time.
While Lord Brandon, previously crippled, would return walking on his own two feet and would go on to create the greatest wonders to protect his people, including the Wall that protects the Riverlands from invasion on all sides, the Seven Forts, massive fortresses along the shores of the North, and The Tower, a tower taller than The Hightower and the greatest fount of knowledge in our world.
Lord Rickon, barely older than a toddler at the time, is still lauded as one of the greatest Kings ever to grace our world.
And as for the instigator of the event himself, Jon Snow, later known as Aemon Stark, he would lay the foundations for the historically greatest military of his time, and our time, with the creation of the Wolf Pack, the Wild Hunt, and the Winter Wolves.
Excerpt of Foundations of a Dynasty, by Professor Iseult Mormont of Princess Sansa Stark's Royal University
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The North
Winterfell
301 AC
Their return to Winterfell is met with hushed whispers as the staff of Winterfell bear witness to them for the first time in a moonturn. They bear them no mind as they hand their bounty over to the kitchen staff while Sansa, for reasons unknown to her brothers and sister, explicitly orders them to have the furs sent to her room as soon as possible.
"My lord." says Sihtric before he quickly comes to a stop as he looks at them in awe.
Aemon takes his reaction with amusement for he can understand the man's sentiment. They spent an entire moonturn in the Wolfswood with no way to properly take care of one's hygiene beyond what is possible using a river or a lake and still they look supernaturally beautiful.
Seeing Bran walk does not help matters for Sihtric had heard of Bran's situation; and seeing Sansa carry a bear by her lonesome may be the last straw for his sensibilities.
"Is something the matter, Sihtric?" asks Aemon as he takes pity on his housecarl.
"Umm… I interrogated the man." says Sihtric as he regains his bearings. "He claims to have been hired by one Lothor Brune to ingratiate himself with your brothers and sisters to spy."
"Lothor Brune is Littlefinger's man." remarks Aemon with a frown.
"Littlefinger?" asks Sansa.
"Petyr Baleish." replies Aemon.
"I know, he was kind to me in King's Landing." Sansa says. "He was mother's friend when he fostered at Riverrun." she adds, causing Arya to look at her skeptically.
"The man with the ugly beard? The master of coin?" asks Arya.
"That was uncalled for Arya, the man was one of the few people kind to me in King's Landing." reprimands Sansa.
Before Arya can respond, Bran interjects "He betrayed father to the Lannsiters." he says, causing them all to stop.
"What?" whispers Sansa, causing Sihtric to shiver besides Aemon at her cold and emotionless voice.
"Before father's confrontation with Cersei, he promised father to bring the Gold Cloaks to his side, he lied. He bribed their commander to side with the Lannisters and held a dagger to father's throat in the throne room." explains Bran with a quietly restrained rage, causing Sansa's warm blue eyes to turn as cold and as blue as the Other's eyes.
Arya's reaction is not much better, for her own Stark gray eyes gain a ring of cold blue around them.
"We're going to kill him right?" asks Bran.
"Of course we are. The question is how to benefit the most from his death." says Sansa.
"Can't we just do the same thing we did to Ramsay?" asks Arya.
"He has no Kings blood." retorts Sansa.
Before Arya can respond, Aemon interrupts them "Enough. Control yourselves before you freeze Winterfell." he says as he points to Sihtric whose body is covered in frost.
"Sorry." Arya and Sansa, their faces red in embarrassment.
"I-I-It's fine." says a shivering Sihtric.
"Go warm yourself in the springs in the godswood." he tells Sihtric who nods before leaving as fast as possible.
"We discuss how to kill him when Hassan returns with him bound." says Aemon, and for a split second Bran could swear that he sees a shimmering figure bow to Aemon before quickly disappearing.
"For now, we shall clean ourselves before returning to our duties." he says before turning to Bran. "You've expressed interest in Brandon the Builder, meet me in the crypts when you are clean."
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"Few know this, but the magic of this world has not always been wild." says Aemon as he leads Bran into the depths of the crypt with a torch in hand. "During the Age of Heroes, before the first Long Night, magic was structured and one could achieve many wonders with the right runes, rituals, ingredients, etc…" explains Aemon.
"What changed?" asks Bran.
"The catalyst of the first Long Night broke something within the world, turning the structured and ordered magic of the world wild and chaotic. The Doom of Valyria exacerbated the problem, and the death of the dragons was the final nail in that coffin. However, the recent comet heralded the return of magic, even if it remains wild and chaotic." says Aemon as they come across their first obstacle, a cave in which Hassan is quick to excavate.
"What does that have to do with the Builder?" asks Bran.
"The Builder was no mere greenseer or warg. With his hammer acting as a conduit, he could make use of the magic of the Children of the Forest. Yes, he did have the help of the Children and the giants, but even with their aid he would not have been able to weave magic into the Wall, or Winterfell." explains Aemon as they pass lower and lower into the crypts with Hassan clearing the way for them.
"There is magic in Winterfell?" asks Bran, the pitch of his voice rising with his excitement.
"Aye, as long as a Stark King of Winter rules from Winterfell, the magic of the Others can never work within its walls." says Aemon.
"Does the Stark have to be a King?" asks Bran.
"Aye, they must. For it was a King of Winter that the Others made a pact with, not a Lord, nor a Queen. The Others are very particular about such things." says Aemon.
"Do they not like girls?" asks Bran, causing Aemon to laugh.
"I don't think that they have a particular opinion on such a topic, but they take the words of their pacts to a literal sense, or at least they do when it suits them." says Aemon. "The King of Winter who made the pact with them did not understand that until it was too late, and as such every ruler of Winterfell has had to be a King for fear of their unannounced return. At least that is how it was in my own world until that was forgotten and all House Stark remembered is that 'there must always be a Stark in Winterfell'." adds Aemon.
"Is it different here?" asks Bran as they come to a stop before a massive door.
"Very different." says Aemon as he approaches the door and wipes the dust from what seems to be a locking mechanism. "For one, the Others are not Others, but are White Walkers." Aemon explains as he hands the torch to Bran.
"What's the difference?" asks Bran.
Removing one of his gloves from his hand, Aemon makes a small incision on the palm of his hands with a dragonglass dagger.
"White Walkers are creatures made by the Children of the Forest for the purpose of defending themselves from the First Men. They have escaped the control of their makers and have a singular purpose, the end of all life." says Aemon as he places his bleeding hand on the mechanism. "The Others are sentient beings of magic in the same vein as the Children of the Forest. They can be reasoned with and are not simple villains."
For a few seconds all is silent until the doors slowly open with the sound of grinding sound.
"I am hoping that the difference has not significantly impacted the history of the Builder in this world. If we are in luck he too shall possess a magical hammer to weave the magic of the Children." says Aemon as the doors slam open with a bang that shakes crypt.
"Is this where the Builder is buried?" asks Bran as he stares into the cavern.
The cavern is quite large, all things considered, and is filled with piles upon piles of what might have once been powerful swords, gemstones, gold, bronze and iron crowns, and even dragonglass weapons.
"In my world this was not only where the Builder was buried, but also where his father and his sword Ice are buried along with an extensive loot from his conquests." explains Aemon as he walks in, causing Bran to gape after him.
"The first Ice is buried here?" asks Bran as he follows Aemon into the cavern.
"Aye, but it is nothing special. It is merely a bronze bastard sword whose power has long since faded with the passage of time and the fading of its runes." says Aemon as he walks to the end of the cavern.
At the end of the cavern are two sepulchers of two men, their likeness sitting on thrones and their favored instruments in life laying across their laps. One possesses a bronze bastard sword with faded runes carved upon its blade, while the other possesses a weirdly shaped hammer across his lap.
The hammer looks to be made from a single piece of metal that was beaten into its current shape, and other than the runes carved upon it, it is quite plain. Its head is a small oval shape and its back looks to be made for stabbing.
"Is that hammer made of steel?" asks Bran as he takes the hammer from the statue's lap to examine it.
"It doesn't feel magical." he comments when he receives no reaction from holding.
"If it works like the one from my world you will have to bleed on it and learn how to properly make use of it." says Aemon as he takes the torch back from Bran. "Come, we only have two moons before we must march for the Wall." says Aemon as he exits the cavern
Two moonturns will be enough for Bran to completely master the basics at the very least. With the super-soldier serum coursing through their veins, learning has never been easier for the Stark children. Whether it be physical or mental, they can easily learn any skill within a fraction of the time it would take the greatest genius. Captain America could learn any fighting style and make use of it after seeing it once and he did not have a magical version of the super-soldier serum coursing through his veins.
Two moonturns will also be enough time for he and Tobho Mott to melt down Ice and Longclaw and reforge them into three new valyrian steel swords to be used. Ice's size makes it unwieldy despite being made of valyrian steel and Longclaw no longer feels right for him.
For the past moon the sword has felt too wide and long for him despite his familiarity with it. He has found himself fighting less like how Ser Rodrick taught him and Robb and more like how he fought while a slave.
It is a puzzling realization considering the fighting style taught by Ser Rodrick is best fit for the battlefield, whereas his fighting style from his time enslaved is best suited for one on one combat.
His current theory is that his increased physical parameters and assimilation with the Black Knight's skills are to blame for this change and there is nothing he can do about it; at least not until the assimilation is complete and the skills are more than just a subconscious itch.
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Author's Note: The last chapter in Winterfell before we go to the Wall. Tell me what you guys think, I love to hear your thoughts. Also, I'm still taking suggestions for the pairing.
