Chapter 8: Year of 283

1st Moon 283 AC

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As morning sun comes from windows in my room I get up and look towards my castle yard from my window.

Today is the first day of the 283 AC. This year marks the true beginning of my plans. First farm district, gold mines and first steel factory is complete.

I will also start establishing the first regiment of my army.

First things first I will visit my uncle in his solar to go over budget of this year. So I get inside my clothes and start moving as fast as my little legs allows.

Uncle is already waiting for me in his solar. He is truly dutiful, I will use him as my hand in council when I actually establish it.

"Good morning uncle." I say after we are alone in his solar.

"Good morning my lord. I prepared reports for budget." Ned greets me.

"Let's begin with our income how much tax we gathered and how much coin we are left with from last year?" I ask without wasting time.

"We have 8.000 golden dragon left from last year. We gathered 100.000 golden dragons from our vassals and 30.000 golden dragons from our direct territory as we expected." Ned gave his answer.

"First we have to secure coin for food. Both for ourselves and for food we send to our vassals. I want first farm district start operating this year, we will save the food produced for next year." I said.

"Our food for this year will cost 10.000 golden dragons and 80.000 golden dragons for our vassals." Ned tells me and my heartache because of the amount.

"What is the upkeep for Winterfell, steel factory, gold mines and first farm district?"

"4.000 golden dragons for Winterfell, 2.000 for farms, 1.000 each for steel factory and gold mines. We will first focus on training skilled men for steel factory as you wanted. It won't work in full capacity to prevent it's maintenence costing more than 1.000 golden dragons."

" This leaves us with 40.000 golden dragons correct? "

"Correct my lord. We also have 100.000 golden dragons in both of our treasuries. As you wanted we won't be touching them." Ned answered.

"That is good. We will start recruitment and training of the first regiment next moon. How much will it cost?" I inquired.

"My lord first 1.000 men strong regiment will cost us 10.000 gold dragons to recruit and 5.000 golden dragons for upkeep starting from beginning of the next year." Ned answered .

"That is good. We will not spend remaining 30.000 golden dragons until we can get first results from first farm district. If they are profitable as much as we expected we can use that to create farms."

"My lord, wouldn't it be better if start to create army few years later? We could use coin to further your projects to generate even more income?"

"It would but we need to employ veterans and train them in new ways of warfare before we start recruiting in much bigger numbers in future. This first recruits will form the backbone and officer class of my army. Sooner we have this is better."

"Anything else we need to discuss today ?"

"No my lord I will start recruitment and training based on your guidelines."

"I will take my leave then." I said and left his solar.

2nd Moon

This is the day recruitment ends and first regiment established. It will have 1000 men but not all of them fighters. Only 800 will be the fighting force while rest will be support personel and officer class.

I divided fighting force of 800 into 80 men units called centuria because I am a rome fanboy. Also it sounds more professional when I use roman names.

Each centuria is further divided into 10 men units instead of roman 8 men units. This is because main enemies I will be fighting will consist of peasant levies instead of barbarian hordes or greek style armies like romans which were experienced in war while peasants are just a mass of meat for the grinder.

10 men unit will chose their own leader among themselves and called contubernium.

They will have a spear with steel tip and a large wooden shield with steel skeleton so it will be more durable. They will have a steel sword and a steel dagger.

Their armor will have steel plates embeded in a chain mail. That way my soldiers doesn't just drop dead from a random peasant.

Battles will be decided in large field battles instead of small skirmishes so a larger basic unit will have better cohesion.

Each centuria will be led by a centurion which will have a men as a right hand men to help him command the unit in battle and takeover command, if need arises, until a new one assigned if centurion dies or unfit for duty.

Third in command will be a watchmaster tasked with order in unit camp. There will also be a standart bearer carrying unit flag and signal officer tasked with relaying signals with a very big horn.

This 5 men command squad will be have an 5 men squad with them to protect them so they don't go down easily.

Thus with a 10 men unit acting as a command contubernium. True size of a centuria will be 90 men. This makes a regiment, or cohort as I decided to call now, to have 900 men in field when battle starts.

Rest 100 consist of a support centuria with 90 total men and a command contubernium consisting of 10 men led by a commander named Prefect who led the entire cohort. Thus making entire Cohort made up of 1000 men with 900 men of that being the fighting force.

I will regularly visit their barracks we constructed to use minimap for spies. I don't want my new military tactics and ideas to be spread. It is just 5 minutes ride outside Winterfell anyway.

According to Ned it will take time to drill new order to this men but if they learn and apply new organization fully they will be a force to reckon with.

We didn't recruit green men either most of the 1000 is fought in Rebellion so they have an idea of war.

As I watch first cohort train my mind thinking how to call Roose Bolton after my birthday to subjugate him. I thought about a birthday celebration. He might not come. If he does not maybe Lord Ryswell will come.

If that does not work we can always call him for some fake reason. He believes Ned to be a honorable fool so he won't suspect foul play.

I also started my lessons with maester, much to the anger of Catelyn, whose son still haven't learn that dirt is not food, and I firmly proved I am a genius.

Maester Luwin wanted to inform Citadel of my genius but Ned ordered him not to. Maester Luwin begrudgingly complied.

He is truly loyal to House Stark, he just doesn't realize how a genius child might be a target for other lords.

Good thing about my genius learned by castle inhabitants is that I no longer need to pretend or use Ned for everything.

Guards just listen to me. Tho that might also related to the fact I am Brandon's son who was well liked by this guards.

My mother agreed to that after my birthday she will let me travel around Stark territory with Ned. I need to my compass for hunting valuable artifact that are lost.

I especially need valyrian steel to experiment with, I can't risk Ice, so I can learn how to create it. I even might find dragon eggs. I might have Cannibal waiting for me but my children will need dragons.

Valyrian Empire was thousands of years old I refuse to believe few dragonlords didn't visit the North and didn't left few goodies when they visited.

4th Moon 283 AC

I am an idiot, I didn't use my compass for Valyrian Steel inside Winterfell. It took me 2 months to have the simple idea of 'What if dragonlords left the few goodies to the Starks as gift.'

It turns out they didn't but that does not changes the fact Ned and I currently looking at the fucking Dark Sister.

Turns out Bloodraven did take it with him when he was sent to the Wall but he didn't take it all the way. He just buried inside Godswood in Winterfell just in front of the Heart Tree.

I sat upon this treasure for months but I won't be concerned about that right now. Because I am pretty sure I felt a gaze on me when I took the blade out of its scabbard.

I don't know how much Blessed by the Old Gods perk would protect me if Bloodraven turns hostile. So I fought off urge to get close to the magic tree.

I already know most things Bloodraven can inform me about and I don't want to see if he can harm me by trying to communicate with him.

We shall meet another day tree dude. In the mean time I shall yoink your sword. Finders keepers after all.

There is no more Valyrian Steel or any dragon eggs. Valyrians was less generous than I expected or one of my ancestor sold the gifts to buy something useful.

6th Moon 283 AC

Happy birthday to me. Roose Bolton likes me as he seems to have come to gift himself to me.

I didn't expected him to actually show up. I guess he really wants to have influence in Winterfell for his future plans.

Too bad I will takeover his mind when he arrives in Ned's solar. Ned invited him to discuss something when I informed him I got another subjugation charge.

I wanted to have his loyalty as soon as possible before birthday, or as they say in this world name day, feast.

Door opens and a pale and tall men enters the room. He first gives Ned a respectful nod but before he can talk he realized there is a kid in the room looking at him. Roose Bolton is no more.

[Subject Acquired]

[Name: Roose Bolton

Loyalty: Cregan Stark, House Stark, House Bolton

His Thoughts About You: You are his God, Master and Lord and he will do everything in his power to serve you. He now plans to inform you about taxes he didn't pay.]

"Lord Stark, Lord Eddard, I have to inform you about something House Bolton does not pay taxes we should be paying. We should have been paying 15.000 golden dragons instead we payed 10.000 for as long as I can remember." Lord Bolton confessed without a shred of fear.

"I am ready and will be compliant to my punishment." Lord Bolton finished.

"There won't be punishment Lord Bolton but you will show your loyalty with your services in the future. Now tell me how much coin House Bolton has?" I asked.

"We have 70.000 in official treasury but a secret treasury also has around 90.000 golden dragons." He answered.

"Good, I want you to build a port at Weeping Water. It doesn't have to be big one at the start, you can expand it in the future. House Manderly had a monopoly on northern sea trade for far too long. I want that to cease." I answered.

"Manderlys won't be pleased my lord they might cause trouble in future when you don't stop me." Bolton said.

"That is the plan Lord Bolton, I want to provoke certain houses to rebel so that I can wipe them out and have an absolute rule in the North." I answered.

"I understand my lord I will create a port as soon as possible. Do you want me to start a navy? It won't be big but I can assemble a small fleet from leftover coin." Bolton said.

"No I expect House Greyjoy to rebel in the next 10 years and we will have our civil war before that in the next 5 year. We can't spend our coin on a small fleet that can be wiped out by Manderlys or Ironborn when we must prepare for land war. House Stark will get rich and powerful too quickly and other lords will want a share, when I deny them they will rebel either to overthrow House Stark or replace Eddard as regent so they can exploit House Stark while keeping me as figure head. " I answered.

"If Greyjoy rebel during civil war we will be exposed on at least 2 fronts. What will be our plan if it comes to that?" Ned asked.

"We can't ignore Greyjoy Rebellion as I will use that to annex Iron Islands. My current plan is to inform Tywin about rebellion. He will increase his fleet size so that Greyjoys will be delayed with their ridiculous rebellion. Tywin is subjugated like you two so he won't leak information about my plans. " I answered.

"Which Houses do you expect that will rebel with Manderlys? I expect Houses Locke, Woolfield and Flints of Widow's Watch will follow them in war they are basically in their sphere of influence. House Hornwood also has grievances with House Stark." Ned said.

"I want to provoke House Karstark and House Glover too. House Karstark is carrying Stark name, that is dangerous they will be in the faction to replace House Stark with themselves." I said.

I don't care how loyal northern lords were in the books and tv shows. Lord Karstark showed a willingness to disobey in canon. They have name to back themselves as an alternative and there is one thing dangerous for a tyrant is when his people to have alternatives.

"I want House Glover to rebel, they have lands filled with valuable resources. I want that resources under my thumb." I finished.

House Glover lands is sitting on a gold mine, literally according to my compass, they have 20 gold mines and that is gold mines alone. They had the potential to rule the North. Until I came along of course. I am not gonna let a drop of resource to be wasted by this medieval savages.

"Can we win under these circumstances? Other small Houses might just change sides if it looks like we will lose. House Ryswell and House Dustin will rebel even if I stay loyal." Bolton asked.

"House Ryswell will be subjugated and you will get rid of Barbrey Dustin for me." I answered.

"How do you want me to do it?" He asked without hesitation.

"You will wait until I subjugate Lord Ryswell in my next name day feast. After that either a bandit attack when she is in Dustin or Bolton lands, or you can just poison her for all I care. Just make sure to leave no evidence. Once she is gone Ned will appoint Benjen as governor of Barrowlands claiming he will let me decide when regency ends. This will further entice Lords to rebel so that they can get their blood to rule Barrowlands. " I explained my plan.

"I understand your orders my lord anything else?" Bolton asked.

"No that will be all you just start on building the new port. We can discuss anything further next year." I said and dismissed him.

After he left I turned to papers in the desk and started planing next 10 farm districts.

7th Moon

It took time to plan but we started establishment of 10 new farm districts today. They will produce food equal to 100.000 golden dragons if it is fertile and generous as the first farm district. It will finish at the end of this year.

This will make the North completely independent of food imports at the start of year 285.

They cost 30.000 golden dragons total but that is just start. They will also cost 22.000 golden dragons annually, 2000 each, with the first farm district.

Still food they will produce will help me cover northern food we send to our bannermen.

Rest will either be stored or used. I might need that stores during wars and I also want people to be well fed. So they will love me more and population will increase.

12th Moon

We gathered taxes of this year and I am pleased that taxes gathered is the amount it should be, apparently we somehow manage to keep new farms underwrap.

I talked with Bolton, he will not increase his tax to required amount and instead use that coin for port.

Manderlys already sent a raven to inform us actions of 'house with questionable loyalty' but we claimed there was no proof of disloyalty.

I expect Manderlys will lose their mind, because of the amount of coin and trade flow, when we start exporting our steel weapons to Free Cities in 4 to 5 years.

This year we gathered 100.000 golden dragons from our vassals, 30.000 golden dragons from our direct territory and 10.000 golden dragons from our mines.

Next year I plan to build 2 more steel factories and enlarge gold mines. We are starting slow and I can't exactly use my steel factories to export yet, not until I uplift my own lands enough, but I am nothing but patient.

--------------End of Chapter---------

-I don't own ASOIAF/GOT or anything related to it.

-Sorry for not updating, I was trying to decide the direction the story will take.

-This chapter I tried to show how a regular year will pass, without an important incident,next chapter we will have a time skip of 5 year and jump to the start of year 288. We will have a MC POV chapter explaining aftermath of timeskip.

-After time skip we will have 2 chapters of different POVs, one for important Southern Lords and the other for Northern Lords, to get a feeling of political climate after 5 years of timeskip.

-After that we will start to see first signs of a future Northern Civil War and the players will start to set their pieces in the board.