Chapter 66: Act 2: Chapter 13

First day, Third Moon, 253 AC (+1 days)

I contained my sigh as a few of the elders started to stray back to the topic of schooling. We had been discussing it for the better part of an hour already, on top of the hour-long introductions before that. The village elders wanted to keep cycling back to that topic, and not for any concerns about the curriculum, which would be mainly military in nature at this point, but about bringing in boys from a few neighboring settlements.

Family feuds were abundant, village feuds were a consideration, and straight up not wanting rabble-rousers from other villages to stay cooped up in Stonefisk – which the villagers happily accepted as a new name. I understood all their concerns and did my best to alleviate them, but they apparently wanted to circle back for some inane reason.

I cleared my throat, cutting off one of the elders who was speaking. "Unfortunately, Elder Tom, we have been over this before. In the interest in making sure we discuss everything on our list today, we need to move on."

There was some grumbling, but everyone settled down in their seats after a moment. We were currently in the village's tavern since it was raining outside. It was a bit cramped inside, with the village elders, some prominent tradesmen, like the shipwrights, along with me, Nyra, Donovar, and his wife, Alara. The tavern itself, was a typical Northern tavern, though the exterior walls were of stone instead of wood. It was well built and kept warm easily enough, even if the lighting was poor – especially on a day like today, where the door had to be closed to keep out the rain.

"Very well then. We've agreed that the school shall operate throughout the winter, taking in boys of 12 through 18 from the surrounding lands. Master Donovar will winter here, along with a few of his trusted men, and teach these boys. Supplies from Redbridge will need to be brought here, weapons, lumber, and the like, of which I am willing to pay anyone with a boat to transport. Now, that brings us to our next topic: Coin."

Most in the audience perked up at that. "There are a few products and ideas that will be new to this village that I wish to introduce so that coin will flow for everyone here. The first is simple, as I need people to transport some goods via wagon or boat from Redbridge to here. I will be paying for the transport back, and I will be paying for seafood to be brought to Redbridge as well. This area is known for its Dungeness crabs, snow crabs, and large lobsters, and I will pay for them to be brought to Redbridge."

I took a sip of mead while I carefully watched over the crowd. Most seemed interested in an easy way to make coin, but that was all. After all, it was not really a groundbreaking idea.

"This is but the first step. I want to strengthen what you are good at, but I also want to expand on what you can do. To that end, has everyone heard of garum?" I asked.

Most nodded their heads, while one of the old men croaked out, "Aye, m'lord. Rodrick's been spinning these tales for a few years, 'n brought some back this past year."

"Excellent! During my time here, I, or someone on my behalf, will begin to teach on how to make this product! From there, you can find markets for it in Redbridge and even Seaguard! I know that the Riverlands have a huge demand for it but are unwilling to buy from the Ironborn. There is a lot of coin ready to be spent on garum, and as the largest fishing village on the west coast of the North, you stand to gain from it."

There was light applause throughout the room as they liked the sound of that – especially the fishermen.

I continued, "Next, I wish to better the farming practices here, and expand the farmland."

"Expand the farmland, m'lord?" asked one of the sheepherders.

"Yes. With better practices and ways of doing things, we can improve the land you already have under pasture and create new pasture areas. With new tools, you can do more and do it quickly." I held up a pair of shears and said, "See this? This will allow you to shear sheep much more quickly as opposed to the normal blades." I passed them around the room for them to inspect. I wasn't letting them know about the carding machines and spinning wheels just yet, as I wanted to maintain a monopoly on them as long as I could. I had no doubt I would lose that advantage quickly, but I wanted to milk it for all its worth, while I could. "There are other farming tools as well that I will show you on another day which will further help you."

I saw one of the sheepherders fidgeting a bit like he wanted to say something but couldn't work up the nerve. I waited a moment to make eye contact with him, then asked, "Do you have something to say?"

"Ah, no m'lord. It's nothin'," he replied.

"If you have a question, speak up. I can't help unless I know what the problem is."

He blushed a bit and said, "Well, m'lord, I don't right know how these tools 'll help make more pasture. Don't grass need dirt to grow, not stone?"

I smiled at him reassuringly. "Good question. These tools will help, but indirectly. New practices on how you graze your animals will impact this more so, and how the pasture land is set up even more so. I will talk about this a little more once I've talked about the shipwrights."

"Ah, my thanks, m'lord."

Once I received the shears back, I continued my speech. "There is also a few more types of farming that I think will be well suited to this area. The first is mink. It's fur and oils made from its fat sell for good coin, and mink are abundant in this area. Mink as historically been hunted for its goods, but if they are captured live, they can be kept and bred in pens allowing for even more fur and oil to be harvested. Unfortunately, I do not have any experience with such things, and while I have ideas for its success, this will need someone here that is willing to take a chance. If you know of anyone like that, please send them to me."

The men in the crowd looked thoughtful, though the older ones looked more skeptical than anything. "The other type of farm is seaweed. There are plenty of shallow bays in this area that would be ideal for planting and harvesting seaweed, which is an excellent product for selling. It can be dried and transported long distances inland, meaning another source of coins for this village."

That got a lot more interest, and the room was engulfed in the men talking with each other. Seaweed collection was not unknown in the area, but purposefully farming it was new and not difficult to understand.

"It will be important to start these quickly, and stockpile goods, as in about a year there will be a large merchant fleet coming this way to trade. This will be an opportunity to buy and sell many different goods – some that might not be available again for many years. I have worked to organize the arrival of this fleet, and while the date is not yet set, it holds great promise for everyone along the west coast."

The room erupted into noise as people tried to ask different questions over each other. Donovar signaled to one of the guards to bash his sword and shield together, while he shouted, "Silence!"

I nodded my thanks to him and continued. "One at a time. You there," I pointed to one of the fishermen. "Ask your question."

"Thanks, m'lord. What will they be buying?" he asked.

"There is no set list of things that they will be buying or selling. It will be up to each individual merchant. I suggest you stock as many special products as you can. Your crabs and lobsters are some of the biggest on the coast and are much fewer in number down south. The snow crabs specifically, I believe, do not like the warmer water. These will likely be in high demand. Wool is also always in demand. Next question."

I pointed to another man, and he asked, "How will all these ships land here, m'lord? We don't have the room or docks for such a thing."

"Good question. Most will not be stopping, but there will be quite a few who do, and it may be staggered over a few days. Next."

One of the elders asked, "Will we have guards t' protect us? We've all heard stories about what merchants get up t', and we have no brothels or things t' entertain such men. They might try 'n take it by force."

I frowned a bit, as I had not exactly thought that out. I leaned over to Donovar and whispered, "Can we spare any men?"

"A few if we know the time in advance. It might not be an issue, however, if there are enough of Manderly's knights and men-at-arms spread out in the fleet."

I nodded and spoke to the crowd, "We will send a few guards to help during that time, and I will also ensure that the fleet, which comes from House Manderly, has enough honorable knights and men-at-arms to ensure such behavior does not occur. This also highlights the need for a winter school, so as to train the boys in this area to help defend against such behavior."

"Any other questions?" I asked. Seeing none, I continued, "Very well. Finally, I wish to talk about the shipwrights. As you all know now, I want to see this village expand and to do so, we need more boats. I have already sent a few boys out to be apprenticed so that Redbridge can have some shipwrights, but we need some here as well. I know we already have some here, but we need more. So, I would like the shipwrights here to talk about how they go about finding wood to build ships with, as I think that will be the thing that holds everything back."

The two shipwrights whispered to each other for a moment, before one elbowed the other, and he spoke up. "Well, m'lord, the wood is a big problem. We can only get it in the winter, where we gotta go inland and cut the trees down. Then we gotta drag 'em back to the coast, but we keep 'em hidden in some valleys and the like, so no raiders get 'em. We don't get much wood – maybe enough for a new boat for me 'n Bill to make each, and some for repairs for the rest of the boats in the village over the summer. Too far to go for any more wood."

I nodded as he spoke, as I feared that would be the case. "Very well, that's about what I expected. What kind of boats can you build?"

Bill, the other shipwright, replied, "We can make small and larger fishing boats, canoes, 'n my grandpappy told me how t' make a knarr, but I ain't ever made one."

"Alright then. The first thing we need to do is plant trees." I looked over the room and asked, "Does anyone have any experience with that?" Everyone shook their heads.

Damn. "Very well, that is something I will have to teach. This goes back to expanding the farmland as well. Currently, because there is no trees or other large plants, the water washes the soil away from the pastures, leaving bare rock behind. To start, we need to plant trees in existing farmland, and anywhere that can sustain it. This will be a dedicated job for someone, whom I will pay in coin, to raise new trees that can be easily transplanted. The trees will hold down the soil and allow other plants to take hold and thereby increasing pasture land. These trees, when planted in sufficient numbers can then be selectively cut down and used for boats and firewood."

The shipwrights looked awed at being able to harvest trees easily, but that was contrasted by some of the sheepherders. One of the sheepherders asked, "But how'll the grass grow if there's a forest there, m'lord?"

"The trees will be carefully spaced out so that they do not interfere with the growth of the grass. This process is called silvopasture and will be a part of the teachings. Some of these trees will be fruit or nut-bearing trees that can provide additional food sources for everyone." He didn't look like he fully understood but was at least somewhat comforted by my assurances that it would be alright.

"There are tales that tell of the wealth of this land, long before the Ironborn came. How House Fisher ruled this land and managed great fleets of ships. From here, Brandon the Shipwright built his fleet – with the trees in this area. We know that trees can flourish here, and I will see it do so again! It will be a long process, but I fully believe that we can restore this land to the way it was before the Ironborn destroyed it so long ago."

Another cheer went through the crowd at that. Another village elder made to stand, and with the assistance of his neighbor did so, and asked, "Forgive me, m'lord. I am but an old man, but how long will all this take? Things like the castle and these trees. Will I live to see such a thing?"

"That is a good question, honored elder. Currently, my castle is under construction, but I hope to start work on this castle here next summer. The training of the guards will start this winter, and the new farming methods will show improvements almost immediately! I know not how long it will take to build the castle until my Master Builder looks it over. As for the reforesting? There is no definite timeline, but I hope to see it before I die."

The man bowed and said, "Bless you, m'lord." As he sat down, I tried to contain my blush. Bless me? A bit extreme isn't it?

But as I looked around the room, it appeared the old man wasn't alone in his attitude. The shipwrights looked incredibly happy and appeared on the verge of tears. I had planned to speak about how I wanted to make sure everyone had plenty of food and how hygiene would help them, and their children live, but this gratitude was making me uncomfortable.

Nyra, sensing my discomfort, addressed the crowd. "We also plan to talk with everyone in the village, on another day, about some other important things that will cut down on any sicknesses in the village. We have seen great results with other villages, and we know we will see the same here." With a smile, she turned back to me and gave me a little nudge.

I returned her smile and turned back to the crowd. "The final thing I want to talk about is mining. What is in the area?"

A muscular man stood up and replied, "My name's Tren, 'n I'm the blacksmith. There's a good iron deposit about two hours or so walk away; copper is about half an hour, and a small coal about half a day. The coals not too good though – lots o' them small seams, so I end up searching for new ones all the time."

"Wonderful, but I will need you to show me their locations in the coming days."

"As you wish, m'lord."

"Excellent! If that is all, I believe we are done for the day. Tomorrow, I will meet with all the fishermen in the village, and I will go over how to make garum. I will make further announcements in regard to my schedule tomorrow as well." I looked to Donovar and quirked an eyebrow, as to ask if he had anything to add.

He stood and addressed the crowd. "I will be looking for five boys who are willing to become men-at-arms and start training immediately! They will stay with me for the next month, while I am in the village, and then return with me to Redbridge for the summer to continue to train. We will then return for the winter, where they will become the start of my experienced and most skilled men-at-arms. I will start meeting with prospective boys tomorrow, so pass the word amongst the village. I will accept the fittest, and those with the greatest passion!"

With a final cheer, the crowd made it way out of the tavern, while I talked with Nyra.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue there," I said, softly.

"You're welcome. A bit shocked by their response?"

"Aye. Normally people are, at most, happy with my announcements. But… that awe… it was uncomfortable. I haven't even done anything yet."

"True," she conceded. "But you will, and it will vastly change their lives for the better. And they can see that."

I shrugged. "Still weird and uncomfortable."

She pressed a kiss to my cheek and murmured, "All great men receive love and admiration. You deserve yours, and you will grow into it."

Xxxx

It was a few days later when a boat with my sigil waving proudly on its mast sailed into the bay.

Over the last few days, I had toured the mines, marking them out on the maps and getting more details on them, and taught the villagers how to make garum. Nyra and Evelyn spent some time with the sheepherders teaching them how to use the new sheep shears but held off on any additional lessons for farming or hygiene until Koryn and his family arrived.

I made my way down to the shoreline as the boat was pulled in. I waved to Koryn's children as I tried to cheer them up as they looked wet and miserable in the boat. Koryn looked excited to see me, and Alessa looked like she wanted to get the hell off that boat. I didn't blame them; travelling for a long time on such a small, utilitarian boat must have sucked especially when the wave splashed over the sides – like that one there.

As soon as I heard the sound of the hull scraping against the shore, the kids jumped out of the ship shouting, "Freedom!"

Laughing, Koryn and Alessa followed them at a slower, albeit still hurried pace.

"Rough trip?" I asked as I embraced Koryn.

"Horrid! I feel bad for Donovar on the way back," replied Koryn.

I gave Alessa a hug and kiss on the cheek, as she said, "Aye, keeping everyone on a single boat was trying. Quicker than by wagon, but that's the only nice thing I'll say."

"Well, the important thing is that you are here now," I replied.

Koryn snorted. "Aye, but it seems the kids have taken off and not bothered to give you even a 'Hello'."

I laughed. "That's all right, we'll see them soon. They'll find my kids quick enough – the village isn't too large. Come on; I'll show you to the tavern. They have a nice warm fireplace, and we'll get you a warm pot of tea."

As we made our way to the tavern, we were joined by Nyra. When we arrived, I got the innkeeper to make us up a pot of pine needle tea for our group, while Koryn and Alessa dried themselves off and got warm.

Once they settled down, Nyra asked, "How is everything back home?"

Koryn let out a whistle. "Busy. Very busy. We've received around 320 people I think?"

My jaw dropped. "That many? Truly?"

Koryn nodded. "Aye. Thereabouts. We got another hundred from the Glovers, one hundred from the Mormonts, fifty from the Starks, and maybe seventy or eighty from our surrounding lands."

"Wow," breathed out Nyra. "That's a lot of people. Are Violet and Tylan handling everything all right?"

Alessa patted Nyra's hand. "They are doing wonderfully and asked me to pass on their love."

"Aye," replied Koryn. "They've got everything running smoothly. It took a while to get sorted, and we had to leave Bran behind to help with settling, unfortunately."

"Were most of those from the Mormonts and Manderlys farmers?" I asked.

Koryn nodded. "Most were, yes. Some of those from House Stark's lands were assorted laborers, like transporting coal from the mines, or some construction workers that also helped with harvests. Mix and match really, so I put them to work in the mines."

"Ah, was cement production lagging behind again?"

"A bit, but we also needed more iron and coal."

"Any other news?" asked Nyra.

Koryn shrugged. "Some. Rodrick Stark says he awaits your letter when you return. As does Lord Manderly, regarding the kids' meeting. Oh! And the harvest numbers were in. Very good yields this harvest, and some of the new farmers that arrived before you left even got some of their first harvest out of the ground for things like potatoes, turnips, and other vegetables."

"Wonderful news!" I exclaimed. Nyra echoed my sentiment.

Alessa nodded along and said, "Aye, and we received a lot more orders for alcohol – mainly vodka, but quite a bit of brandy as well. Before we left, Violet delegated Jeran to making the alcohol. And Jeran was already buying up potatoes from the farms, and placed an order for wine from merchants."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Good. That's good. We need the coin coming in. How many orders did we get?"

Koryn shrugged. "Hard to tell, they kept coming in separately. I think it was up to a hundred barrels of vodka before we left? Somewhere about there."

"A hundred? Truly? That is incredible!" replied Nyra.

"Aye, about there. The orders even purchased at more than we had figured they would. Most bought at six stags a barrel, though some were at five. So, just under three gold dragons total for vodka. I think there were maybe forty barrels of brandy ordered? Jeran wasn't certain if we had enough potatoes for the vodka orders, but he told me to tell you, not to worry."

"There were some soap orders as well," said Alessa.

"Right!" exclaimed Koryn. "Mostly from Lady Stark, though we also received a letter from a Lady Cerwyn? They really wanted more of the winter rose soaps, but we ran out. Still ended up placing another order for a gold's worth of assorted soap."

"Excellent!" I exclaimed.

"I will have to make sure to expand the winter rose fields when I get back," replied Nyra. "Hopefully, I get a better yield next harvest. I think I worked out most of the issues."

I let out a laugh of relief. "This is wonderful news! I'm sure everyone back home will be fine – I've got faith in them. Now, we probably ought to tell you about the village. These people are, for the most part, very excited and willing to learn."

Nyra spoke up and said, "They were very attentive when Evelyn and I taught them how to use the sheep shears."

"I want to be there for the silvopasture lessons, as I think they are going to be really important for this area. I will show you later, but this area needs to be restored and reforested as the soil here falls between dreadful and nonexistent."

"Not a problem," replied Koryn. "How long do you want to spend here?"

"Over a week, but probably not two. I want to go over the silvopasture first, and then I will split off from you once I find someone to teach how to set up a tree nursery."

"Makes sense. Are we going to push the co-op model forward?"

"As far as equipment? Yes. Regarding the tree nursery? No. The implementation of the silvopasture and restoration of the land is too important to try and break up into parceled land and risk someone delaying us. Not to mention the irregular nature of the existing pasture land. No, I will have to take on that cost and push it forward."

"Alright, enough of that," Nyra interrupted. "No more work talk for the day! You've both been cramped up in a boat for too long! You both need a good bath, and I assume some alone time."

Koryn and Alessa blushed, while I laughed. They did stink, but I hadn't wanted to mention it. Koryn quickly drained the rest of his tea with a muted, "Cheers," before grabbing Alessa and making their way out of the tavern.

Nyra shouted after them, "Go find Evelyn! She'll show you were the bathing area is set up!"

Even after they left, I continued laughing. Finally, Nyra elbowed me and said, "Oh, shut it. You know you'd want the same if we were in their shoes."

"True. Doesn't make it any less funny though."

We sat in companionable silence while we drank the rest of the tea. Eventually, I noticed something. "Uh, Nyra. It looks like they forgot most of their clothes here."

She looked over to where I was looking, before she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Figures."

Xxxx

It was two days later when we were finally able to gather all of the farmers and herders out on a nearby pasture on a nice sunny day. The sheep were grazing nearby, and the lack of any enclosures was certainly interesting, though I could tell why. Each pasture was mainly centered around valleys, and there was no reason for it to be enclosed as long as the herder stood atop one of the hills and used his herding dogs to keep the sheep in the valley.

It seemed to be that the herders here were using an intensive grazing model – not that they knew it. A lot of people tended to let their animals wander in large paddocks year-round, and let the animals constantly graze any new growth. This, however, had quite a few downsides. This constant grazing kept the grass short and did not allow the grass to reach the stage where it would grow quickly. It was far more efficient to move the animals around on smaller sections and let the grass grow. These people seemed to have inadvertently done that, which would make Koryn's job much easier.

Koryn cleared his throat and began his introduction. "If everyone could be seated on the ground, I will start now." He gave them a moment before continuing. "Welcome, to the first lesson for new farming methods and practices. Over the next week or so, we will be going over some new concepts and new tools that will make your lives better. You will see better yields, from how much grass is grown per square foot t' how much wool you get per sheep, and you will make your lives easier as well. T' start with, I will let Master Michael talk about soil, water, and trees."

I stood up, nodding in thanks to Koryn for the introduction, and made my way to the front of the crowd. I gave them all a smile and said, "Soil and water. They are crucial to your jobs – as you well know. Without water, the grass and crops would not grow. But too much water, and you lose the soil as it gets washed away. But how much water is too much water? There is no set answer, but I can tell you now, that it should be more than it is now."

I swept my arm before me, indicating to the pasture we were sitting in. "If you look around us, you can see what I mean. Right now, there is just grass growing in this valley. Grass has roots in which it holds down the soil, but they are not deep, nor are they strong." I held up a clump of grass, with the roots dangling before it. "I dug this up from this pasture, and you can see how shallow the roots are. Without many different kinds of plants, water can wash away the pasture you have here easily. Does this pasture ever flood?"

One of the herders replied, "Aye, m'lord. Mostly just in the spring, but sometimes after a real bad storm, too."

I nodded. "It's those times that really washes away the soil. Light rains, like the one we had a few days ago, can be handled by the grass, but more than that damages the pasture. The solution to this is trees. As anyone who has ever tried to remove a tree stump from the ground can tell you – trees have deep roots. They do not want to come out of the ground, and they do an excellent job of anchoring the soil. There are two different applications, both closely related, for trees that I want to talk about today. I will try my best to make sure everyone understands, but if you have a question, please ask."

Seeing everyone nod in understanding, I continued. "The first is what I call silvopasture. This, as the name suggests, means wooded pasture. The idea is that instead of wide, open pasture, like we have around us right now, we bring in trees, at a specific spacing to help the pasture. These trees will help hold down soil, meaning that pasture land won't be continuously reduced, provide additional feed for animals through leaves and any nuts or fruits, provide windbreaks so that animals are sheltered during storms, and finally it will allow the village a source of wood. Everyone follow that?"

I got nods from most of them. "Good. Now, the key to this is planting trees wide enough apart that they do not block the sunlight from the grass. A good rule of thumb is that over half of the ground should receive sunlight. So, different trees affect this in a variety of ways. A tall, skinny pine tree, with foliage only at the top, will block out less sun than a mighty oak tree. Now, for ease of use, trees should be planted in rows, so that you can keep an eye out on your animals easily, and harvest hay easily."

A man in the back raised his hand. I indicated for him to speak and he asked, "How wide should the rows be, m'lord?"

"Good question. Rows should be no more than thirty feet apart, and no less than fifteen. Again, it depends on the type of tree, but I would aim for fifteen-foot rows. Remember, if you notice that there is too much shade, or the rows are too narrow, you can prune and cut back the trees as well. Trees in a row should be about ten feet apart. Now, choosing the trees will be a tricky choice, and Master Koryn will go into this in a bit more detail with you later. But for now, what I will say is that the village itself needs hardwoods, like oak, and softwoods, like pine for building structures and boats. However, as farmers, you would also like things that make your job easier, with fruit and nut producing trees. This is a balance you will have to find, and one that Koryn will help you with. Any questions about silvopasture?"

"Do those nuts 'n fruits need t' be fed t' the animals? Or can we eat 'em?" asked another herder.

"They can be used however you like. The pastures nearer to the village might all go to food for people and the farther ones just for animals, to save on time. There's not any strict rule; it's about what you want."

Another man asked, "What's the point if we gonna cut down the trees?"

"Well, the trees won't all be cut down. The trees that get cut down will be done randomly. So, you won't cut down an entire row of trees. You might get one here, one there, and one over there. This limits the danger of cutting down the trees and will not impact the soil. Plus, when trees are cut down, they need to be replaced immediately with new growth."

"Who'll decide that, m'lord? You or Master Donovar?"

"That's a bit too far in the future for me to answer now. Ideally, we will have enough pasture for each of you to separate your herds and have your own lands, and you can choose. But I understand that won't work now, so we will leave it alone until it becomes an issue."

"Er, m'lord? I don't get how the trees 'll grow here. The soil ain't deep enough. I was out in me brothers boat a few summers back, 'n we stopped in a great forest! And the dirt was real deep there."

"Good question! Soil will need to be built up, but we can also focus on trees that have a shallower root system, which I will talk about with my new tree manager, Sig. Master Koryn will talk to you all about different soil building techniques, such as intensive, rotational grazing, that will help you. Any other questions?"

Seeing none, I continued. "Alright then. This is something that won't be started right away, as I will need to talk to Sig about getting started with tree seedlings, but the idea of silvopasture is something you should all keep in mind. Now, the other is a way of managing water by using trees. It's called keyline design, and it is when you harness the natural flow of water to your benefit. As I travelled through this land, I saw that this area has many small lakes and ponds that hold the rainwater. This is good, as it means that there is a lot of available water for your livestock. Master Koryn will go into greater detail with you later, but for now, I want to focus on trees."

"Trees are excellent at controlling the flow of water and can reinforce the banks of a river. I trust you all noticed the empty river bed at the other end of the valley?" I asked as I pointed towards the riverbed.

Seeing their nods, I continued. "That ever-expanding slope is eating away at your pasture land – washing away all this soil and grass. That is because the banks of that river cannot contain the water that flows through it. However, if you were to plant trees along that bank, along with some shrubs and bushes, you would see that bank start to hold, and your pasture no longer washes away. There is something important I want to share with you. It is called the Scale of Permanence. These are things that range from the unchangeable to the easily changed. For instance, the most unchangeable thing that we, as farmers, work with is the weather. Aside from praying to the old gods, there is little we can do to make it warmer here, right?"

A chuckle rippled through the group. "Next would be the landscape, as we can't quite make these valleys disappear. We can build the soil, and make it a little smoother, but destroying the valley we cannot do. The next is water supply, followed by roads and paths. These two things are important when it comes to farming, and they can both be worked with, but it is hard to dig a well or make a path up a steep hill. Then comes trees, which can be easy to work with, but take a long time to come into full use. Then comes structures and fences. A piece of land might be really nice, but if you can't make sure the animals don't wander off or if you can't live there, it's hard to call it a good place to farm, no?"

"Finally, the soil is the easiest to change – for better or worse. What we all need to do in the future, is keep these in mind as we work. A valley might be perfect, except for one thing. That might be that there are no trees, like the valley we are in now, and we know that can be fixed easily. However, if a valley has no water, it becomes much harder to work with. For instance, this valley here has no immediate water source. But, if we were to build up the banks of that river and dam up the end of the valley, we can make a lake to catch that rainwater and give it to the animals. There are different amounts of work we can put into the area, and we will get different results because of it."

"It is important to remember to watch how water flows, and how we can adapt and change that for our benefit!" I pointed to that empty riverbed again. "If we were to dig a new riverbed that extended this way, and then reinforced the bed with trees, we could change the flow of that water! And that is only possible with the addition of new plants. Any questions so far?"

"I don't get when we use that permanent thing, m'lord," said a grizzled, old man.

"Well, let's take this valley for instance. It would be nice if there was a small building here perhaps, to help you shear sheep, or shelter you in the rain while you watch over your flock. Now, from our scale, we know that that is not a difficult thing to do. On the other hand, changing the water supply would be much harder. Digging that new riverbed, piling dirt and stone on the new riverbanks, and planting those trees is a lot harder than building a shelter. Looking at the flow of water and trying to adjust that is a lot harder than picking a spot to build a shelter. And that doesn't even include what to do if the rainwater runs out, or if there is a draught. So, if we were deciding to make this valley better first, or the valley next to it, with a good water source, it would be easier to work with the valley without water problems. Understand?"

Understanding dawned on the old man. A young man spoke up next. "So, a real nice valley with water 'n everything wouldn't be any good if you can't get t' it, cause it's on a mountain or some such, right, m'lord?"

"Exactly! Knowing about the scale, we can then look into things even greater, like looking to see what kind of ridges are in the valleys, where water might be diverted or spread amongst crops. Koryn will go into that in greater detail later and will even take you to a valley to show you real-life examples, cause I know it can be hard to understand things when I am just talking like this."

That got a few nods from people, who still looked a little lost.

"The key thing I want everyone to take away from this is two things: trees are amazing and talk things over with your neighbors. We will be leaving in a week or two, and while we will try to teach you everything you need to know, there will come a time where you have to make a big decision without us, and when that comes, talk to your fellows! Bounce ideas off of each other and think things through! Look at the land around you, and don't be afraid to try new things! It might end up being silly to change the course of this specific river, but it could also be a huge benefit! And if you are truly lost, you can always send a letter to Redbridge with your questions. If you can't read or write, find someone in the village who can – I know there are some who can."

I looked over to Koryn and indicated he should come back. When he reached my side, I addressed the group again. "That's all I wanted to talk to you about today. Sig and I will now be leaving to do some more detailed work on trees. I leave you in good hands with Master Koryn here."

With that, I collected Sig, and we left the group. Sig was a young man at 17 years old and was of average height with curly black hair. He came recommended from a few families, and my first meeting with him had gone well. He seemed like an intelligent, young man.

"So, tell me a little bit about yourself, Sig," I said as we made our way to a small valley I had spotted yesterday.

"Well, m'lord… umm…"

"First, you can just call me Michael during our lessons. Secondly, I am not actually of a Lordly house, just a Masterly one." He looked panicked for a moment before I said, "It's not a big deal. I'm not picky on what people call me."

"Right then, er, Master Michael. My Pa and brothers are fishermen, while my ma stays at home and helps clean and dry the catch. But she also grows a few things, like carrots and onions and the like. I always liked helped her with it, and then a few years ago, Rodrick the Merchant brought back something he called ginseng. He made tea with it, and I really liked it – so did a lot of people, and I went out and found some wild ones. I had to go in the boat and travel a long way, but I found some. Then I found a nice little cleft in one of the hills and made a little garden. I now trade some of it in the village."

"Impressive. Did you mistake any for poison ivy?"

"No, Master Michael. Rodrick told me how to spot the differences. He was real helpful!"

As we made our way into the small little valley, the term valley seemed a bit generous. It was a depression in a hillside on the southern face of the hill. It was about thirty minutes from Stonefisk, and not near other, larger pastures, so it was rarely used be any herders. It was mostly overrun by lilacs and lily of the valley, which were deadly to sheep and goats, so instead of expending effort to clear up a valley that would never be used, they let it be. It was, however, perfect for what we were planning.

"This little area," I said, spreading my arms before me. "Will be the base of our operation." I placed the large sack I had been carrying on my back onto the ground and started emptying it. I had a few small potted plants, as well as a collection of seedlings. "What we will be going over today is a review, as we will be getting more in-depth throughout the week, and we will break up my talking with some physical lessons to make sure you understand."

At his nod, I continued. "To start, there are two ways you can plant trees, though not every tree can be planted the second way. The first is by seed." I picked up a sealed pinecone and handed it to him. "That pinecone is one of the ways trees spread their seed. Now, the pinecone itself isn't the seed – no, the seed is inside and only released when the cone is opened. We can open the cone with a little heat, such as putting it on a put above the fire for a few minutes." I grabbed another pinecone, one that I had already heated up, and passed that to him. "Bang that on the ground." When he did, little seeds fell to the ground. "Those are what turn into mighty trees. And different trees have different methods. Nuts are another form of seed, and fruit trees carry their seed inside the fruit themselves."

"The other type of planting method is called cutting. This only works on some trees, such as willows and apple trees, and this is where you cut a small branch off of a tree and plant it into the ground. This will cause the branch to sprout and grow an identical tree to the original. This is especially useful for fruit trees, as every seed carries a different fruit, and they will never be identical. Of course, each method is more involved than I just went over, and we will cover that over the next week, but it's a good summary. Do you understand?"

Sig had been sitting paying rapt attention to my speech. At my question, he nodded fervently and replied, "Yes, Master!"

I hid my grimace at his reply. Why couldn't I have been a landed knight instead? Hearing 'Yes, Master' from someone sounded like they were my slave. Why couldn't I have been a Ser instead? I wasn't a warrior, but a Master was supposed to be one anyway.

Not letting my feelings show on my face, I replied, "Good. Now, I will tell you that I don't know everything, and I won't pretend to. A lot of what I will tell you will be for forming the base of your knowledge. After these lessons, it will be important for you to keep observing the world around you and learning from it. Learn from what you see, what you do, and how everything works together. For instance, I know that willows are a good tree to use alongside a riverbank. They tend to like water, but some types of willow like water even more." I pointed out a group of sticks I had bundled together. "These are from a sandbar willow, with is a short tree, almost a bush, that loves water. It is even fine with being submerged for a time. This is a good tree to plant first alongside a riverbank. Then there are black willows, which grow taller and work well – just not as well."

"There are many different plants that grow alongside the rivers as well, that will help you, but unfortunately, I am not overly familiar with them. This will be something that you will need to go out and observe, and then try for yourself. As for other trees, I will go over some of their intended roles throughout the week. I will also go over other things over the week, like the best soils to plant different trees in, why woodchips will be your new best friend, and many other, intricate things. Questions so far?"

"Yes, Master! Will you go over the plants that can be used in cutting again?"

"Yes, I will, but on another day. I have made notes for you on a collection of parchments with more detail that you can keep. This will be good for helping you learn, and helping you remember after I have left. Can you read?"

Sig fidgeted a bit before admitting, "Maybe, Master. My Ma got Rodrick t' teach me, but it was long ago, and I haven't done it since." He looked disappointed that he wasn't able to answer yes.

I patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry; we'll go over that too and get you caught up."

"Thank you, Master!"

I coughed and continued, "Aye, well… are you comfortable outside the village? Do you have any hunting experience?"

"Yes, Master! I've hunted with a bow before with my brothers to get meat."

"Excellent! In the future, you are going to have to take some long trips out into the forest. You will need to observe where trees are in nature so that you can answer questions like, what trees do well when exposed to wind? What trees can handle flooding? You will need to be able to look around you and answer these kinds of questions." At his worried look, I continued, "Don't worry, we will go over this as well. It can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be impossible. For instance, look around this little area we are in now. Can you tell me why there are these plants here?"

Sig looked around the valley bewildered. "Umm… well… no…?"

I chuckled. "That's quite alright. And when you don't know something, it's always alright to ask for help. In this case, these plants are poisonous to sheep and goats. So, once upon a time, there may have been other plants here, but a herder likely came through, and the livestock went and grazed on those other plants. Can you tell me what would have happened next?"

He scrunched up his face in thought. "Well, the other plants would have been eaten right? So, they would be smaller and closer to the ground?" He looked to me for confirmation, and seeing my nod, continued, "Then these plants would have more sun? And plants can't grow without sun. So, they would have taken over?"

"Correct! It probably took many times for that to happen, but eventually, it wasn't worth it for the herders to come back anymore. It's questions like these that need to be asked and answered. Sometimes, your questions will be wrong, and at other times it will be the answers. What you will have a lot of in your future, is your guesses to these questions and your attempts to find out the answer."

"Now," I continued, "let's talk about the future. For now, this little valley will be where we work. Here is where I will show you how to do things like plant trees, move them from the ground to a pot, and then how to move it back into the ground. This little area will be a good place to start to grow your seedlings, though we will need to prepare the area a bit more. Eventually, I would like to get a glass greenhouse for you to work in." He gave an awed look that caused me to laugh. "It won't be for quite a few years, but that is what I am aiming for. When Master Donovar heads back to Redbridge, I will send with him a letter that will bring you supplies the next time a boat comes out. Things like a good cloak, tools for your travels, a good steel shovel, and many other goodies. These will help you with your job."

"Thank you, Master!"

"Onto pay. I will be paying you five copper pennies a day, every day, to start. Payments will be irregular, and paid in chunks, as the coin will have to come alongside boats that are travelling from here to Redbridge. I will make sure that the payment is enough to cover the period missed plus the next month, so make sure to be wise with your coin!"

At his fervent nodding, I continued. "If you are good, and you want to continue, your pay will be increased the longer you work for me. This will be a job for the rest of your life if you work hard at it!"

Sig smiled brightly. "I will, Master! I will be the hardest learning person ever!"

I smiled. "Very well, let's get into it then."

As I started to go over the material again, this time in depth, I couldn't help but think: at least he's eager.

Xxxx

Nine days later saw us preparing to leave the next morning, after having spent a good chunk of time in this village both teaching and preparing the village for the future. Donovar would be spending another few weeks here before heading back to Redbridge, while Koryn and his family would be coming with us as we continued south along the coast.

The kids were all asleep, and Nyra and I were the only ones left awake. It had been a long day of preparation, made worse when Anari realized she would be cooped up again inside the wagon. She had thrown quite the fit and refused to do anything all day. Nyra had successfully stepped in, but Anari had been brooding all day.

I turned my attention to Nyra and just admired her. She was even more beautiful than when we had married, as motherhood had truly transformed her. We were both getting older now, and grey hairs were starting to show in my hair, but she carried it with dignity and grace.

Sensing my gaze, she looked at and met my eyes with a smirk. "Like what you see?" she asked.

"Always," I replied, earnestly.

Her smiled softened as she let out a light snort. "Flatterer."

I grinned. "Always."

"Ready for wagons and horses again?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I may not have thrown a tantrum, but I'm still not looking forward to it. My ass hurts just thinking about it."

"It's my head for me. All that bouncing around." She made a disgusted face. "Work slows to a crawl while we travel."

I nodded. "Aye, but at least we accomplished a lot here."

"Yes, yes we did. Your new pupil seems to admire you."

I chuckled. "Sig is a very earnest boy, and he did take to the lessons with a lot of vigor. I think Donovar will like him if he gets to know him."

"Shame about the reading though."

"It is," I conceded, "But Koryn's goodfather will re-teach him. Sig admitted it had been a long time and hoped he still remembered, but he seemed to have forgotten most of it. Oh well, he is determined to succeed, and I think he will."

"Honestly? I think this village will succeed. They are determined to put the Ironborn behind them and rise up. They took to everyone's lessons quite well, and the mood in the village is very happy."

"They are. Though, it was only much improved after I had sat down with the elders again and talked about how I would bring coin to the village in detail."

"Yes, but they remained skeptical afterwards. I think it was when you told Sig about his pay. That was when everyone really realized that there would be coin in the village. And a steady amount of it."

"That probably reinforced the point for them. I will admit, my plans for transitioning the village away from a barter-based economy to coinage was a bit abstract."

Nyra gave me a wry smile. "Abstract? I suppose that is fair."

"Alas, they will have to just sit there and prosper I suppose."

"Oh, woe is them."

I laughed. "Yes, poor them. Anyway, shipments will start to become regular as they are already arranging a number of boats to go with Koryn to deliver fish to Redbridge, and then bring back lumber and other supplies. Garum will be a while as production has yet to start, and it will then have to ferment for a few months, but the coin for the shipments should be enough to get the village going."

"Hmm, speaking of the shipments going back. Did you make sure to give all of our letters to Donovar to bring back home?"

"Yep. Gave it to him over lunch. I made sure he knew of some of the more important messages in case they were lost or destroyed by water."

"Wonderful! Have you gone over the possible stopping points for the trip?"

"No, I'll let Donovar explain where the major villages are along the coast, that would be easy for the people transporting goods to stop at night at. Donovar has a good copy of a map with them all displayed."

I stretched out a bit as I relaxed in front of the fire as our conversation petered out, and we fell into a comfortable silence. After a while, my gaze drew back to my wife who continued to concentrate on knitting.

She felt my gaze after a few minutes and cast a sly glance my way. "Bored?" She asked, in a husky voice.

I blinked. "Yes, but I can think of something I'd rather be doing."

"It will be the last time we have nice surroundings for the next few months…" she said, trailing off suggestively.

I pulled her over to me and placed her onto my lap, so she straddled me. "Best make use of our time then."

A/N: Alright, there is a monster of a chapter; my longest yet. Don't worry too much about the coin figures, as I may go back a change them, since I was having trouble trying to figure out monetary values. Just know that all the figures given were good.