7 Plans

We cleaned ourselves properly and then went to dinner. Like always, all of the household was on the table. On my one side there was Catelyn and on the other Benjen. Sty was sitting on Benjen's side but he was the only one who wasn't eating meat. Looks like these Green Men are vegetarian.

Nothing interesting happened after dinner and I went to bed as I was tired because of the journey and the exercise I had in the hot springs.

The next morning, I woke up early when the sun was still showing its first light. I turned to the other side of the bed and saw Catelyn sleeping peacefully. I left the bed and went to wash my face. There were already some people in the yard sparring with each other.

I joined them but they were wary because of my position but after a harsh beating, they started to use their full strength. I sparred with three men at the same time and beat time with ease. An hour later I left for the bath and then went to break my fast.

This life of a noble was really good. I mean I don't need to do any menial task as servants handle them. Catelyn came limping to the table and didn't stop sending me a harsh glare.

Looks like I was a bit too hard last evening. Nevertheless, I have greeted her with a big smile on my face. I didn't realize yesterday but I really eat too much. I mean I just intended to leave the table but then I saw a long, red and fat sausage. Guess what happened? I ended up eating the whole plate! Damn it, this "gluttonous" trait will be my death.

After eating all of the sausages, I retreated to my solar with Styr and Benjen. I poured myself some Arbor Gold and also offered it to others but they refused. I looked at Benjen's character screen before talking to them.

[Name: Benjen Stark

Diplomacy: 8

Martial: 19

Stewardship: 15

Intrigue: 2

Learning: 4

Opinion: 100]

His opinion of me was nothing surprising as I was the only brother he had. However, what surprised me was the martial attribute points he had. Looks like he was good at sword and strategy. No wonder, he became the First Ranger when he was in the Night's Watch. Also, his stewardship attribute points were also not surprising as he was the one who stayed in the North and managed it while I was fighting in the South. That means he has some skill at the ruling.

"Benjen, this is Styr, the last member of the Sacred Order of Green Men. He will be staying with us in Winter. He will tend to Godswood and council me." I said while pointing at Styr. "Also, he is blind so you should help him whenever you can."

Benjen looked at Styr and frowned, "He came from Isle of Faces? Can we trust him?"

"I may be blind but I'm not deaf, young man." Sty snorted at Benjen's remark while I tried to stifle my laugh. "If you are not going to trust me, a Green Man, then who you expect to trust is a mystery to me."

I was not going to tell Benjen about me being blessed by Gods as this was something that may come as madness so I talked with Styr beforehand.

"You don't need to worry, there is no doubt about his loyalty." I tried to ease his worries, "Now, did anything noteworthy happen while I was away?"

"There was an increase of wildling raids but I organized a group of soldiers from the reserve forces and sent them so that problem was solved. However, there was also an increase of Ironborn raiders like they were waiting for the rebellion."

I nodded my head. Both of these groups were real problems and one of them was going to rebel in seven years. I didn't want to deal with them right now as I had more pressing problems so I praised Benjen for his good work and pulled out some scrolls from my desk. I put them before Benjen as confusion took over his face.

"I know you want to join Night's Watch but I can't allow that. However, you will still go to Castle Black to negotiate on my behalf. I requested the New Gift back from the Crown and they have accepted but we need to talk about it with Night's Watch too as they own the lands." Benjen tried to talk but I interjected, "Don't you dare think about joining the Watch while you are there, I forbid you from it. Robb is still a baby and there are only two of us. Besides, there is something you need to know."

Benjen tilted his head in confusion. He looked at Styr and then his eyes turned back to me. "What is it?" he asked.

I already told Styr about Jon so I was not worried about him learning it. "Jon is not my son."

"Is it… Is it Brandon's?" A shock took over Benjen's face as I shook my head.

"It's Lyanna's!" Benjen's eyes grew wide open and he opened and closed his mouth like a fish. All colour drained from his face.

I sighed and told him my reason for taking him as my bastard. Robert was a good man but his hate towards Targaryens is entirely something else.

"So that's why Arthur Dayne came to the North!" Benjen exclaimed.

"Aye," I said, "That's why I want you to stay. I can't be seen caring for him too much as that would raise questions. Besides, you know Catelyn, she was raised in the South and doesn't know our customs yet."

Benjen snorted, "Even if you want to send me away, do you think you can? I'm staying in Winterfell with Jon, that's final."

Suddenly, a distant memory flashed in my mind and I saw my father, Rickard Stark, talking to me, sternly, about sending me to the Vale. Benjen's voice was exactly like him and his bearing was reminding me of him.

"Oh, there is one more thing." I said as indifferently as possible, "You will marry when you return from Night's Watch. The wedding will happen during the Harvest Feast."

Benjen's grey eyes grew to like the pearls in the sea, "What! No way, I'm still too young!"

I looked at him with dead eyes as he quieted down, "You are already seven and ten. Winterfell needs more Starks and you will do your duty."

Benjen sulked like a child but in the end, he relented, "At least tell me, who is going to be my bride?"

"You have two choices," I said. "Dacey Mormont, daughter of Maege Mormont, or Jeyne Harstark, great-granddaughter of Artos Stark. However, you should know that Harstarks are only a masterly house that governs a city in House Manderly's name. However, you don't need to worry about where you are going to leave because I will renovate Moat Cailin in time and give the lands surrounding it to you."

I gave two prospects to Benjen but I can see from his eyes his answer was already ready.

"I don't need a castle as I said earlier, I will stay in Winterfell." Benjen said, "Also, let it be Dacey, I remember her from the last Harvest Feast. She was good."

I raised an eyebrow, "Good at what?"

Benjen blushed as a realization dawned upon me. I threw my empty cup to him but he escaped ducking, "You fuckin' swine. Do you think Harvest Feast is for you to fuck around?!"

Benjen's mouth hung upon as he never heard me cursing before but he was quick to come to his senses, "We didn't do anything. It was just a kiss."

I snorted. This "temperate" trait was just a hoax. It should have calmed me but it didn't work. I hope it was just a kiss because I didn't want another bastard in my keep.

"I will contact Maege myself, I'm sure she will not deny such a prospect. I will also ask Dacey whether she wants to go to Moat Cailin or stay in Winterfell. It will be her decision, not yours. In the meantime, you will do exactly what I say. Do you understand?"

Benjen pulled a long face but nodded his head. I was done with this problem so I turned to Styr for "other" problems.

"Did you find Godswood to your liking?" I asked.

Styr stirred in his seat when he heard me talking to him. "Aye, the roots are going very deep and the leaves are red as blood. However, there is a problem."

I looked at his hand which was trying to find something in his clothes. Finally, he took out a small pebble which had a word written on it in Old Tongue.

"What is this?" I asked.

"This is one of the runes your ancestors placed beneath the heart tree. Every heart tree has runes placed beneath it. This one enhances the fertility of the people who pray in the Godswood. There are many of them buried under your tree and that is why men come to pray before a heart tree instead of an idol. However, they need power from the four runestones of the North to work. But I feel no power coming from any runestones."

I knitted my brows and looked at the pebble. "So you are saying someone or something prevented the power from coming to the heart tree?"

Styr shook his head, "No, runestones require sacrifice to work. That is the way of the Old Gods. When I told you "men lost their way", this was one of the things I meant. Magical blood needs to be shed onto the runestone. Although it doesn't matter whether it is dormant or active, it has to be very potent. In the North, only House Stark has such blood."

"Will it be like the ritual we made in the Isle of Faces?" I asked.

Styr shook his head again, "The runestone in the Isle of Faces was already working so all you needed to do was use your blood. However, here, a Stark must be killed before the runestone and with his blood, the runestone must be washed. That is because the runestones here lost their power and only life can pay the debt. In the past, every day dozens of people were being sacrificed to the Gods and the amalgamation of their blood was enough to power the runestones. However, if you are to use normal blood now then you need thousands of sacrifices."

I felt like a headache coming over me as I knew what this meant. He wants me to sacrifice my own kin to the Gods.