Seven

Raizen was not surprised that he is in this world but more by the fact that he landed here out of all the countless worlds.

R: "In which timeline did I pop up?"

Layla: [Two months before the first episode starts.]

R: "hmm... Then the direction that I would take depends on the quest."

Layla: [The quest only said that you will not let them leave this continent. You can either finish it now or let the story play itself. Once you finish it, you will be transported to the next world. You will be able to return to the last world you have after Strange fix the problems but the next world will be dangerous or a breeze for you.]

R: "Then I will just do the minimum."

Raizen then starts walking through the moat to go to the wolves. He could get there faster by running and a journey of a few weeks would only take a day but he want to take this time as some form of vacation.

Two months go by and Raizen was looking over the boy with his brothers doing practicing shooting an arrow to a target. Their mother and father came over to look at them. A little girl then shoots an arrow at the target that annoyed the boy and began their chase.

During these two months, Raizen has introduced himself to Eddard Stark, Warded of the North, as a sellsword that wanted to live in the north and a good cook after coming to Winterfell. Ned was having an internal conflict because of his clothes that looks like created for a highborn and a mask on his face. He told ned had a scar on his face similar to Sandor Clegane that he don't wish others to see. Ned wanted to see it and Raizen oblige to show trust. The Lord of Winterfell can only say that if Raizen doesn't have the huge scar on his face then he will be the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Though having a scar that cuts through the left eye would still be appealing to the maidens especially those deep blue eyes.

And true to his word, the food that he made had more flavor than their current culinary expertise which the people of Winterfell appreciated. He taught other cooks and wives how to serve better food and how to add more taste to it. Ned was concerned about the spices that were needed for the food to have a better taste but Raizen told him that he will give the spices for the next two months and teach them how to cultivate some other crops even in the winter season. Ned was taken aback by the proposal but he accepted anyway because it will benefit the north. Raizen told Ned that he will ask his people from Essos who are still doing their job to deliver food to Winterfell and be distributed to the North even to Castle Black. Ned is now sure that Raizen was highborn for giving these benefits but when he asked what he wanted in return, the man only said that in time, he wanted a place in the north for him and his people. Ned still didn't know how his new benefactor will do it but he would have to wait after a month if he is telling the truth or not.

As for his combat skills, Ned was wary of him and test his claim that he is good with swords. Rodrik Cassel, who supervise the sword training of his sons, was the one who first test him. It was shocking to say that every second of the bout, Raizen's sword is always resting in the sword trainer's neck. Ned estimates that he is the fastest swordsman he has ever seen though it became more of a fact after defeating three more people at the same time. He had the chance to fight Arthur Dayne at the Tower of Joy and the king's guard killed three people before being defeated by not honorable means. But seeing Raizen now, Ned would humor the thought of being "Sword of the Morning" reborn but better.

Ned accepted his stay even if her wife Lady Catelyn oppose it and gave the man the job of training his boys when Rodrik was not available.

In his first month whenever he is the one training Robb, Jon, Bran, and Rickon, he will let them do endurance training to increase their stamina. When Catelyn saw her boys on the ground on their first session, she confronted Raizen about the mistreatment of her sons. Ned reprimanded her wife and told her that he approved of such training for them because it will keep them safe when the time comes. After the last two weeks of the month of drills did the training showed results that they lasted longer and do more in their sessions. The result was noticeable that Ned also told his men to do have of it instead of the full training regime because Raizen suggested that his men should be put to shape first before doing the full course to not strain their bodies. Raizen also suggests light training for Ned but most focus on his core because he has other duties to do.

Another two weeks have passed and people would see people doing things outside of Winterfell's walls. Some were running in groups. Others doing push-ups, sit-ups, sword swings but using heavy metal rods that were created for the exercise. In these two weeks, the men of Winterfell became fit that muscles would be noticeable in some parts of their body even if they are fully covered. They become disciplined especially if they have been given the "carrot and stick" treatment. Whenever they failed their task, they would either repeat or do more drills but if they finish on time, they would be rewarded by eating delicious food made by Raizen who is very known for it in Winterfell. As for the result that changes the body of the men, it was clearly impossible to happen in a short time. Raizen has a hand on it by using the ingredients from his time chamber. He might not be able to use his powers now but that does not include the things that he already created for such situations.

His help to Winterfell first will benefit him in the long run. He decided to only use a little bit of strength, maybe at a dragon's level, and only use his Reaper Knights in battle. The war of the five kings will be their debut and he will use this chance to kill all the Freys, Ironborns, and Boltons. Even though he wanted more men for the fight against the Night King, those three houses need to disappear first. He would spare some but the rest will either pledge their allegiance for the sake of the north, be sent to the wall, dying, or worst.

A week later, Ned Stark received news from White Harbor that fifty ships which was twice the size of any know ships came near its coastline. He already told the Manderly about the coming ships but did not expect their numbers and size. It would take a month for that caravan to come to Winterfell and might come across bandits on the road. Raizen told him that it would only take two weeks for them to get here and as for the security, he has three hundred men guarding it.

(a/n: 1 month, 3 weeks after appearing)

Ned was told that it will be directly distributed to each house and the larger ones will obviously get more. Raizen already told the plan about dividing it and the only thing he needs to do is to send ravens to each house and tell them that provisions will be coming to them. They might send guards for it when they know.

The other thing that is concerning him is that Robert will be coming to Winterfell in another two weeks and will ask about the ships not being told to the crown. He is sure that Lord Varys already knows about it by now because no one can hide fifty huge ships in the sea.

Raizen told Ned that the people who gave the food for the north were part of the "Company of the Rose" from Essos. This revelation shocked Ned because if this is true then Raizen is either the direct descendant of the people that left the north that didn't bend the knee to Aegon Targaryen or part of it. Either way, he and his group would be most welcome in the north. He tried asking for more information from Raizen but only said that he don't want to talk about it. Ned thought that it must be a difficult past but he will include the information when sending ravens to the lords of the north.

Raizen already knows what he is thinking even without using his powers or items that can read minds. The better his standing to the lords of the north, then he will have a voice in the meeting that will be conducted in the future.

Two more weeks have passed and within those days, letters of thanks came from different houses of the north including Castle Black because other than food and wines, they also receive weapons and building materials. Jeor Mormont personally came to Winterfell to say his thanks and to get some fresh blood for the wall. Unfortunately, the reason for his visit was not at the castle when he came and Jeor cannot stay for long because he needs to manage the items that came personally.

(a/n: 2 months, 1 week AA)

Ned: "Why didn't you meet the Lord Commander when he came? I know you were just hiding from him."

R: "I'll talk to him later. Besides, I wanted to also talk about the Gift near the wall because most of my people wanted to come here to stay in the north. With your permission, I would also make some of my men man the wall without being part of the Night's Watch."

Ned: "The Lord Commander would be glad about your help and the Gift have fertile lands to be used. I'm sure that with the knowledge you taught us, it will become one of the known suppliers of for the people on the wall and to the north."

R: "They will also help of guarding the recruits of the Watch and boost manpower for them."

Ned: "Though I am quite curious. How many men are we expecting to come?"

R: "At least fifty thousand men including woman and child but forty-five thousand of those are fighters."

N: "How can you even feed all those people as a sellsword?"

R: "Only forty-five thousand were sellswords and the rest do odd jobs. Besides, being a sellsword is not only the source of income for the company. After sending ravens to them, by the next few months, Gift would have people using it."

Two days later, King Robert and his people came as expected. Similar events played out. Raizen didn't even want to see Robert because he might kill him just based on the series that he watched when he was in Infinite Stratos' world. Even then, he didn't read the book about it so he can only follow the events happening.

In the crypt----

It was also expected that Robert asks about the ships that delivered food to the north and where it came from. As planned, Ned told him about the northern people that didn't bend the knee to Aegon when he came to the north and that they sail to Essos and created a sellsword. Robert stops him from explaining because he already likes the guys because they don't like the Targaryens. He can only wish that he would meet them but Ned said that they are preparing the Gift south of the wall for some people coming from Essos. Robert asks the obvious question after hearing the number of people coming.

R: "Are they going to kneel to me and swear their allegiance?"

Ned: "Their ancestor already left when someone ask them that though they understand Torrhen Stark's decision, they were a shame to come back and only this generation has the courage to do so. I already talked to their leader but he only said: "As long as there is a Stark on the north, he is the only one we will follow." It was probably their atonement for abandoning the north in that time."

Robert: "You are right. If they didn't kneel before then they will not kneel now and I don't want to go to war with them especially since they're part of the north. You will handle them or your heir will do it when you decided to come south."

Ned: "Give me time to think about it"

Robert: "You are the only one I trust Ned after Jon died."

Robert left first to do his vice until it's time for the celebration at night. Ned went to his solar to think about his conversation with Robert and when he got there, he saw Raizen waiting for him in one of the seats inside.

R: "So... You will accept his request right? Because of honor. But we both know what happened to a Stark when they accept the summon of the king from the south."

Ned not being surprised by Raizen talking to him about being the hand of the king. Raizen already sends his spies to the south to get information about current events. Ned was probably the first one to know in the seven kingdoms that John Arryn died before a raven came with the same message. Ned didn't know how Raizen did it but, getting information faster will be valuable for the days to come.

As for the people of Raizen coming to the north. The Umbers were alerted at first from the ships that were coming to the shores and thought that it was an enemy attack. But when the people came and talk to them, they know that they are the ones that Ned was talking about. They also told that after the immigration, the Umber can have most of the ships to be used because it was one of the conditions given to the north. The Umbers were happy for the gift but were told that ships will be used for the benefit of the entire north rather than just one house. They can use one-third of the fleet for personal use and that is acceptable to the Umbers. They can divide the rest for the other houses that needed it, especially for the bear islands. Greatjon Umber was curious about it even though it was specifically said that the leader of these people give it as a present to the little bear Lyanna Mormont.

Back to Ned and Raizen---

R: "If you go south, you will die. You will be swallowed by plot after plot of the people there."

Ned: "I know but I want to uncover why Jon died."

R: "Probably because the three children of the king are not his."

Ned: "You don't know that. Even if it's true, you have no evidence."

R: "It is a good reason. From my travels, they say that "the eyes are the window to our soul" and all three of them don't have the same eyes as Robert. Let's not even talk about the hair. It's too blond for a brown-headed father. I might reconsider if it's darker but..."

Ned: "Enough, I will see it for myself after I came to King's Landing. I also want to pay my respect to Jon. If your that worried, come with me and protect Sansa and Arya."

R: "Your planning to bring them to a snake pit?"

Ned: "Robert wanted to wed his son to Sansa and Arya wanted to see the capital."

R: "I know that I and Catelyn don't see eye to eye because I also train Jon but we both agree that it will be dangerous for you to go there."

Ned: "If something does happen, promise me that you will protect them."

R: "You don't need to tell me. Sansa is already learning politics a month ago which your wife didn't approve of at first. It is better for her to know that she can't trust anyone in the south. As for Arya, I can help continue her training while waiting there. If things turn so bad out there, I can only save them and leave you behind."

Ned: "That is more than I could ask for."