Chapter 82: Act 2: Chapter 26

Second day, Fifth Moon, 256 AC (+840 days)

Spring was like a race. When the first signs of it showed, your body tensed in anticipation – ready for the signal to finally start. When things finally started to sprout and grow, the race was off. It was a race to get everything done as soon as possible, and there was always work to be done.

Even with my elevation, the nature of the work may have changed, but the quantity never seemed to diminish. But the race was never a sprint. It was always a marathon.

It was summer now, and though the winter had been slightly longer than the summer, my people and I handled it well. The reports from winter had finally been completed, written on Violet's paper, compiled from the reports from Stonefisk and some of the closer, larger settlements near Redbridge.

The reports themselves were extremely positive. Our stores were still substantial, even after winter, and the number deaths over the winter was very small – relatively speaking. Few people went hungry, at least in the Redbridge and Stonefisk and the other areas that had adopted my new machines and methods, and most of those who died had been the elderly. Sickness was still an issue, some of it unavoidable, but it was decreasing as more and more people started to adopt more hygienic practices.

My office was stuffy, even with the doors to the building open, but I continued to flip through reports.

There was already a whole host of pregnancies, so growth was looking strong. Hopefully, in the coming months, we would also see new arrivals start to arrive. Letters of mine that I had stockpiled throughout the winter had finally left a few weeks back with their recipients being all over the place. Correspondence to the other nobility, like Lord Flint, Manderly, and Forrester, as well as letters to contacts in Braavos that Royce the Bard had recommended to me. I planned to obtain some direct merchant contacts as well as a few other things – like musical instruments. Royce had described a city that was akin to an Italian Renaissance city, and I was curious to know what kind of culture they had created for themselves.

I also hoped to learn more about their insurance schemes that the city was known for. It was early for me yet, but I hoped that in a few years when I had a fleet that it might prove to encourage trade – and make a tidy profit for myself. Like so many things, I believed I understood the basic idea of the insurance, but the devil was in the details. I didn't know if I was missing a key aspect, and I had no idea where to even start or creating such a program.

Eventually, I hoped to roll it into a true Bank. An institution that would provide insurance, be responsible for the machinery loans to farmers, a sort of credit union, and something that would offer other services to merchants, like receipts. The receipts were a concept I had thought up over the winter that I thought may have merit. The bank would operate as a commodities market and allow the merchants to buy and sell goods quickly, with a guarantee behind the receipt. The receipts, just as the credit union, would allow the bank to quickly gain a reputation for trustworthiness.

In domestic news, the maple harvest was a success, and we managed to collect a lot of syrup and sugar. Over the winter, a few enterprising people ranged out to find large groves of maple trees to tap. Industry had started back up again, and goods were being made once more. Our iron stores ran out in the winter, so the blacksmiths had been quiet for most of the winter, but the mines were going once again, and with the castle nearing completion, its demands on iron and steel were diminishing – allowing other goods to be made. On the civilian side, the main priority was stoves. The cast iron stoves were catching on in popularity – mainly among the middle class, if you could even truly call them that – as were the rocket stoves. Even simple fireboxes were in demand, but that was mainly as a result of supplying my Rangers with the easily compactible contraptions.

Winter had seen to the more widespread adoption of my longbow training program. I hadn't quite made it an order for all smallfolk to practice their archery, as England had, but I incentivized as much as possible. Archery competitions, with sizeable prizes, and the promises of those being skilled enough being hired at a premium in any wars that might arise. Laws were always a good motivator, but money was the universal language.

A shout broke my attention. "Father!"

I looked up to see Violet walking towards me quickly. "Father! A large group of travels was spotted coming down from the north road. A lot of wagons and the like."

"Immigrants?" I asked.

Violet shrugged. "I don't know. Someone passed the message to me, and I came to get you."

"Does the guards already know?"

She nodded. "I sent someone to alert them."

"Excellent!" I held out my arm for her to take, and we began to make our way down to the village proper. I relished the feeling of the sun on my skin after two years of winter, forcing me to either bundle up or stay inside. As we walked along the main road, I hummed happily as we walked along the freshly finished concrete road that made up the main artery of the village. Wide and smooth, it made an excellent way to travel, especially as the ground was still muddy from a fierce rainstorm we had yesterday.

When we finally arrived at the outskirts of the village, we could see a huge procession making their way to the village. My men were already at attention but relaxed as they watched the group approach.

At the sight of my men, the column slowly – slowly – came to a halt.

Violet and I walked closer to the head, accompanied by my guardsmen, while a group of elders split from the column and walked to us. They bowed before me, and the assembled elders mumbled, "M'lord."

"And what might you all be doing?" I asked, loudly, making sure my voice carried to the entire group.

"We've come t' live here, m'lord. We've heard tale that you are looking for people," answered one of the men.

"I have good news for you then! You've come to the right place!"

A cheer emanated from the column as word was passed along.

"And where are you all from?" I asked.

"Lots o' different places, m'lord – we all met on the road. My group is from the northern part of the Tallhart's lands."

"Cerwyns," replied another.

"Widow's Watch."

"Starks."

"Northern part of the Stark's lands."

"Boltons."

"Dustins," replied the last.

"A diverse group," I said. "You can settle your people in the open field until we can sort you out. Leave a representative with me, though so we can talk about what your people can do."

The group of elders went back to their group, and the column started to move again. A few moments later, the elders joined me once again.

To the man that had answered, Tallhart, for his group's origin, I asked, "How many people in your group?"

"Fifty, m'lord."

"And what do these people do? Farm? Blacksmiths?"

"We all farm, m'lord."

I looked over to Violet who was already busy writing down the information. I let her finish before continuing, "Good. The group from Lord Cerwyn?"

"Four-and-fourty, m'lord. All farmers."

I looked to the man from Widow's Watch. "Just one-and-ten, m'lord. My family solely. Lumberjacks is what me family does."

The man from Lord Stark's lands answered, "Two-and-eighty, m'lord. Mostly farmers, but we got a family of bakers, and another of candlemakers."

The other Stark man replied, "One hundred and twenty, m'lord. We've got a mix of farmers, and carpenters, and a potter – even a fletcher. Our whole village up and moved, m'lord."

"Where were you from?" I asked.

"T' the north of Winterfell, along the Kingsroad. West of the Lonely Hills."

I nodded - not a prosperous region.

The Bolton man said, "Roundabouts two hundred. We got a mix as well, but mostly miners."

My eyes lit up. "Miners, you say?"

"Aye, m'lord. Used to work in Lord Bolton's iron and copper mines, mostly."

"And how did you come to get here?"

The man shrugged. "Heard from a man telling tales. He said that the Master of this place was looking for miners and the like. I figured that if the story reached all the way out there, the need ought to have been great. Pay as well – besides it's not like Lord Bolton was paying well."

I smiled. "Smart man. Well, you are right; I am in need of miners. We will have to talk later in greater detail. Tell me though, who was the man who told you? A man from Lord Bolton?" I probably ought to know if I owed Lord Bolton a favor.

The man shrugged once again. "'Dunno, m'lord. Didn't recognize him, but I think he was a merchant or somethin'."

Not a favor from Lord Bolton – excellent.

"And you?" I asked the last man.

"Three hundred, m'lord. Mostly herders and some farmers, from Lord Dustin's lands."

Once Violet had finished writing, I addressed the group again, "Excellent. Welcome to your new home. Over the next few days, my son and daughter will be around to talk further with you so that we can get you settled in your new homes."

The men all bowed, and I took my leave with my daughter and guards.

As we left earshot, I told one of the guards, "Make sure Donovar knows to leave a few guards around the group. We don't know them just yet, and I don't want any trouble."

The man nodded and split from our group. Violet tugged on my hand and asked, "Ryden will be coming with me?"

"Aye, he needs to learn more administrative tasks."

"True – he will be Master one day," she replied, without bitterness.

I winced. We had already had this discussion as a family about inheritance, and while we would be conforming to traditional practices, it still sat wrong with me. Violet understood and held no bitterness – none of my children did – but it rubbed me wrong. Regardless of who succeeded me as the head of our house, I would make sure all my children were secure.