It was a few days later, during the evening supper, when Ra received another missive from Zeus. The delivery method was the same as before; the cute owl swooped down, depositing the letter before finding himself in Elia arms, being fed by Elia and Catelyn.
The letter was as brief and direct as the previous one. It stated simply that Zeus would be arriving soon, accompanied by a group of Vale mountain clansmen who wished to reform their ways and seek new lives in the service of Ned Stark.
A silence descended upon the dining table when Ra announced the contents of the letter.
The only sounds remaining were the clinking of cutlery and chats from the children, who did not particularly care for the political implications of this information.
"Your brother is more a storm than a man, just like you," Ned muttered with a chuckle after he had fully registered the information he had been given.
"I will consider that a compliment," Ra replied with a nod after a brief pause, earning a soft chuckle from Catelyn as well. Sansa, seated in her mother's lap, giggled at the sound of the adults laughing.
"I will send a raven to the Hand for his permission, as these men are of his lands," Ned stated with a decisive nod.
Although Ned phrased it as asking for permission, it was a mere courtesy; he knew Jon Arryn well enough to know his foster father would agree to his request without hesitation.
"However, I wonder where they will stay?" Ned added, his brow furrowing in thought.
"Pardon me, My Lord, but the Bear Islands may benefit from the addition of people," Alysane chimed in with her suggestion, her voice clear and confident despite her age.
"How many clansmen will he be arriving with exactly?" Ned asked Ra, looking for specifics.
"He says there are about two hundred fighting men and six hundred women, children, and elderly," Ra said, glancing at the parchment again to confirm the accurate details.
"These men have a lawless reputation that is well earned. How would we ensure their loyalty?" Catelyn asked, her voice laced with worry.
She was not being unreasonable; she had a valid point. The reputation of the Vale mountain clansmen as savages and bandits preceded them.
The North had its own mountain clans, but they were known for their fierce, unyielding loyalty to the Starks, a contrast to the chaotic nature of the Vale tribes.
"If Ra's brother is anything like him, I have no doubt they will do as they are told by him," Ned answered with a shrug. He seemed to have loosened up considerably in recent days, largely due to Ra's presence and mostly when with family.
"Ned," Catelyn said his name in a chiding manner. She wanted a serious answer to a security concern.
"I do not jest, Cat. He has convinced Ironborn to take the Black," Ned said seriously as he recalled the memory, holding his own shoulder briefly in relief.
Catelyn nodded after a moment and She went back to feeding Sansa and the owl, choosing to trust her husband's judgment.
"As Lady Mormont suggested, I shall send some of them to the Bear Islands to bolster their numbers," Ned nodded to Alysane with a kind, approving smile.
"As for the rest... a Holdfast in the Wolfswood, near the roads, should be a good location," Ned decided, glancing at Alysane's satisfied smile before he resumed eating.
The Wolfswood would be the best strategic location for the clans if they renounced their law of the mountains and accepted Stark law.
He would give them the duty to guard the Wolfswood road, ensuring safety for travelers, and in exchange, they would be permitted to hunt within the forest to sustain themselves.
In the evening,
The children were excited about the impending arrival of their uncle and asked Ra and Elia a barrage of questions about Zeus while they were undergoing their magical training.
"Is Uncle Zeus stronger than you?" Aegon asked Ra, looking up with wide, curious eyes.
"No," came the immediate, flat reply from Ra.
Aegon nodded to himself as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "When is he arriving?" was the next question, this time from Rhaenys.
"A little more than half a moon," Elia was the one who answered this time, as she was currently guiding Rhaenys through a magic exercise.
The children had been asking questions all evening, often repeating the same ones after a short interval, their excitement making them forgetful.
"When you use the shield spell, it forms an invisible barrier. Why is mine different?" Rhaenys asked. She had used the shield spell successfully moments ago, but instead of a shimmer of air, it had formed in the distinct, translucent shape of a dragon's wing wrapping in the shape of a shield.
"You have a connection with something, Dear. It is influencing and increasing your magic," Elia explained with a proud smile. "Great work on the spell." She leaned in and caressed the girl's head affectionately.
"I did see a big white dragon in my dream once. Is that it?" Rhaenys asked with undisguised excitement.
"I saw one as well!" Aegon chimed in, looking up at Ra with hope, wanting to be part of the special connection.
"Perhaps. But we call them Wyverns. Your grandfather is a dragon," Ra explained to the children, making the distinction between the beasts that can be ridden and tamed from the origin of their bloodline.
"Can we meet these Wyverns?" Rhaenys asked eagerly.
"Your uncle may be bringing them with him. If not, you can meet them when we move to Nightshade," Ra said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.
"Let us continue with your studies. I will now teach you a spell called Burning Hands," Elia said, turning Rhaenys's attention back to her lesson.
"How about I teach you the shield spell now? Your sister just performed it," Ra asked Aegon with a playful smile, knowing exactly which button to push.
"Yes, Father. It must be easy if she did it," Aegon said, immediately putting maximum effort into learning the spell, completely ignoring the look he was receiving from Rhaenys.
The next afternoon, Ned summoned Lord Torvin Woods and Lord Bryen Branch to a meeting point near the edge of the Wolfswood.
The purpose was to scout a suitable location for the coming Vale men to settle and to begin planning the construction of a holdfast in the area.
"My Lord," Lord Woods and Lord Branch echoed together when they met Ned.
Both were tall, hardy Northmen, accompanied by seven men-at-arms each. They held great respect and admiration for Ned Stark, evident in the way they carried themselves in his presence.
"My Lords. Thank you for arriving in such a short time," Ned nodded at the two. All of them remained mounted on their horses.
Ned then gestured for just the two Lords to follow him and Ra deeper into the path on horseback.
"Strong horse you have there, Bright Butcher," Lord Woods commented, eyeing the massive beast that was able to handle Ra in his full, heavy golden armor without showing signs of strain.
Ra gave his horses strengthening magical foods and potions, allowing them to handle his weight and gear with ease, but to an outsider, it was simply a monstrously strong animal.
"What did you call me?" Ra asked, a distinctive layer of bewilderment lacing his voice as he pulled on the reins.
"Bright Butcher. The 'Bright' part comes from..." Lord Woods paused and gestured vaguely at Ra's shining, full golden armor. "And the 'Butcher' part comes from the tale of the defense of Bear Island you performed," Lord Woods added with a casual shrug, seemingly unaware of the danger he was in.
"Does anyone else call me that, or is it just you?" Ra asked after he looked around the empty woods, leaning in dangerously close toward the Lord.
"I just came up with it this instant," Lord Woods said with a proud smile on his face, pleased with his wit.
"I must not let this name spread," Ra muttered darkly. He looked from the sharp blade of his halberd to the Lord's neck, calculating angles.
"What are you doing, Ra?" Ned asked him suddenly. He had been listening with amusement until his instincts screamed that Lord Woods' life was in immediate jeopardy.
"I... I was just considering some possibilities," Ra said vaguely with a shrug, his hand relaxing slightly on his weapon.
Ned did not look away; he just stared at Ra with a neutral, knowing look.
"You heard the name he just came up with," Ra protested in his defense, pointing a gauntleted finger at the offender.
"What name?" Lord Woods asked, blinking rapidly. He had just made the wisest decision of his life.
"We must get to the matter at hand," Ra said with a firm nod, quickly changing the topic now that he knew Lord Woods had voluntarily 'lost' his recent memories.
"My Lords, I have summoned you here to ask your counsel... There are some Vale mountain clansmen arriving in the North who have chosen to live under Stark Law. I wish to give them a home in the Wolfswood," Ned stated, bringing the focus back to business as he looked at the two Lords.
Lord Woods and Lord Branch placed their hands under their chins in thought, assessing the geography.
"There is a rocky knoll situated three hours' horse ride from Winterfell. It borders the Wolfswood road as well, providing good vantage," Lord Branch said after a moment of contemplation.
"That should suffice. An excellent location as well, My Lord," Ned said with a nod of approval.
"Do you wish us to help in the construction?" Lord Branch asked, receiving a nod from Ned.
"A few longhouses would suffice for them to live in while they build the holdfast and their settlement themselves," Ned answered, giving the lords a meaningful glance. "They must work for their new home."
"It will be done, My Lord," Lord Woods said, patting his chest roughly, and Lord Branch nodded his confirmation as well.
A/n: Give me your thought on the chapter and reviews on the fic.
And.. you got any power stones? Well, hand em over then.