Life in the North
Josh, a simple shipbuilder from Neverwinter was sitting outside the restaurant and drinking hot honey mead leisurely while enjoying the cool breeze and the summer warm sun on his face.
Turning the pages of the newspaper in his hands, Neverwinter Times, from time to time he was lifting his head to look at the street that led to his house looking for someone.
""Daddy! Daddy!"" two fresh and youthful voices reached his ears as his gaze shifted to his two bundles of joy.
Standing up from behind the table the man walked few steps to the side when two objects with the strength of bolts shot from a Scorpion collided with his body.
"Upf! You're going to get your old man into a hospital!" he pretended to the two girls joy.
"They couldn't wait to see you..." his wife Meredith came up to them with a smile on her face while holding another child.
Josh looked at the bundled up baby, he smiled just as his wife did.
After kissing the newborn and his wife, the family sat at the table and listened to the two girls bickering with each other.
Looking at the peaceful scene playing in front of him, Josh unwillingly remembered the dark past.
Being a native Northman he wasn't afraid of hard work, cold or hunger. What he was afraid of, was not being able to do anything about his situation even while doing everything he could to make it better.
Josh parents died during the rebellion, his father on Trident, his mother from cold and hunger.
This wasn't Josh first marriage, his first wife and unborn child, may the Old Gods bless them died just like his mother did.
It wasn't so surprising, as winter cold and hunger took a lot of people at that time.
But then he heard about the place that would later become his home.
Since nothing was keeping him in a village close to Winterfell he packed whatever he could and moved to the south like many just as him did at the time, and he never regretted his decision since then.
It was in 283 AC when he met his second wife.
She and her two daughters came from Stormlands after the rebellion, using one of the Dustin's boats in the search of a better life.
Josh couldn't blame them, Meredith already told him how her previous husband beat her and sold her to every soldier that was willing to pay, but as soon as he wanted to do the same to her young daughters she escaped the hell and never looked back.
Their meeting wasn't one of the romantic types.
Josh simply was one of Meredith clients when she started working in a Dustin pleasure house, but he did came to love her making the girl quit her job and start anew with him by her side.
Then even more changed came to their life, since Josh was smart and a fast learner, he got a job in Naval shipyard and worked there ever since climbing to the management position thanks to his hard work and loyalty.
Meredith, on the other hand learned how to write and read after him in one of the schools that the Lord opened and even started to study to be a nurse, and now a doctor. Something she herself couldn't believe was even possible.
"Honey?" Meredith placed her hand on his.
They were out having a family dinner at one of the many restaurants near their house over watching the port. "Is everything alright?" she asked looking at him worriedly only to receive calming smile from his side and feel his manly, safe grip around her hand.
They both looked at their worried daughters observing them when a commotion broke at the end of the street.
"Make way!" repeated shouts and sounds of Vigilante's whistle's filled the area.
As the ones responsible for the city safety, the crowd respected the men and split to the sides without dragging their feet.
One carriage after another with painted red crosses on a white background moved fast in the direction of the military hospitals in the next district.
Most of the people watched the situation with sad eyes, some even sobbing quietly or bowing their heads.
"That's the 3rd one today..." Meredith tightened her grip on her husband hand, still holding their first child in her arms.
Josh nodded his head after hearing her , and pointed at the opened page in the newspaper with his finger making his wife lean in and read.
- - -
Few days ago our courageous Lord and the loyal and brave alliance Houses of Mormont, Glenmore and Ryswell met the barbaric enemy in the sea of Ironman's Bay.
Unfortunately as the other members had to follow the army of our Warden the situation was grim.
Even after being outnumbered, our brave Legionaries, Marines and Sailors under the leadership of Navy Commander Lord Davos Seaworth took it upon themselves to protect our freedom from the thieves, murderers and ra*ists and attacked the Iron fleet under the led by the brutal Rodrik Greyjoy, and fought with all their mighty disregarding their personal safety and sacrifice, for our protection and wellbeing.
After bloody and long battle our fleet, even with lower numbers, managed to tear the victory from the Krakens tight grip when Rodrik Greyjoy fell under the sword of Lord Brendan Dustin, our selfless and beloved Lord.
Unfortunately the hell of battle was not over for our brave sons and daughters.
After the battle of Fair Isle of which we informed in detail our readers before, because of questionable leadership over Westeros Navy by Maste-of-Ships Lord Stannis Baratheon, the Ironborn fleet ambushed our selfless warriors soon after their first sea battle finished.
Once again our alliance Houses led by our own Lord repelled the invader that threatened our children with slavery and death.
Even on the verge of inevitable death our Sons, daughters, husbands and wives looked the death in the eye, mobilized everything they had to guard us, and by paying the price in blood and putting their lives on the line emerged victorious seizing Victarion Greyjoy Captain of the Ironborn into our custody by the hand of our great Lord Dustin and destroying the threat to all Westeros Kingdoms at the cost of suffering heavy wounds.
Let us all pray to the Old Gods and remember the sacrifices our heroes shoulder so that we can live in peace.
- - -
"That explains it, I will probably not be able to return home in the next few days." Meredith brushed her boy's face gently and looked at her husband.
"Don't worry, I already asked the midwife from our street to stay with the kids." Josh met his wife gaze.
"They are bringing in ships to repair every day, at least from the looks of it, after emptying the Ironships cargo it wasn't for nothing. There are crates being transported to the castle and a lot of them, from the looks of it."
The servers came and took their order.
The family didn't have to wait long for the food to be brought to them.
"I just wish it would be all over already." Meredith looked at their daughters, she took a handkerchief and wiped the spaghetti sauce from one of the her daughters smiling face, just as Josh finished cutting his other daughter schnitzel with potatoes purée.
"It isn't that bad my love, you yourself remember how it was during the previous rebellion..." he cautiously observed his wife's reaction, but it seemed she got over her dark past. "At least Lord Dustin doesn't leave his men alone after they are hurt, all the opportunities for the wounded veterans, pensions and the possibility of work in the Dustin's and alliance businesses is something that none other Lord, even in the North has, outside of our allies."
The couple spoke for extended time about the issue, but one thing was for certain for the both of them, they were safe thanks to their Lord.
===
Arthur Dayne wasn't happy being away from his Lord that he promised to protect, but an order had to be carried out even if he didn't like the separation.
After leaving Neverwinter at night he sailed to Sunspear where he secretly met with his sister.
After spending some time with her, as per Lord Dustin orders, he meet with Princess Oberon and Doran Martell and Queen Elia.
The next steps of the plan were easy.
Crates of gold, previously transported to Dorne from Gulf of Grief were sufficient enough to make King's eyes shine, not to even speak about simple pirates.
Using a medium they hired the lowlifes to raid the Westeros coast, but the real targets were few.
Dreadfort had to burn for evident reasons.
White Harbor of house Manderly deserved similar fate, only on a smaller scale.
Three Sisters, the den of pirates and scum, or even the monastery would be destroyed to the last brick.
Hopefully placing at least one of alliance Houses to manage the place, maybe even few of them so that the Dustin's would have a port on the east side of Westeros.
In the Vale few of Baelish supporters would have a bad day.
Other then that, the scented candle making secrets and few technicians to be kidnapped with their families and transported to Essos from House Waxley in Wickenden.
King's Landing was optioned if the lowlifes wanted to, it was a suicide, but no one knew what the pirates thought, with most of the pirate captains being more bloodthirsty brutes than thinkers.
Then Oberyn's own agenda.
Hitting the Westerlands Lords and Tywin Lannister where it hurt.
If anyone thinks the Red Viper forgives or forget then they will have a wake up call.
Finally the Reach.
Who would have thought that the old Queen of Thorns had thorns in her side as well.
Then the last push.
The 300 Tribe riders to destroy and create chaos as much as they could all over the Kingdom.
This would be a long mission, but Arthur already had to admit to himself that he missed Neverwinter.