6 Brandon Stark

270 A.C

Most times I really love being a Stark.

Thanks to our bloodline most of us have the ability to warg. Most likely from the time we assimilated the Warg king's daughters bloodline into our family. Sometimes we even have greenseers. All of us have a very high resistance to cold maybe from the thousands of years of ruling the north, I don't know.

Once in a while someone inherits the wolfblood which gives an extra boost to break through one's current physical ability at the cost of descending to almost the basic instincts of a direwolf. According to my father,Lord Rickard Stark I and my little sister seem to have that ability.

I used it once when sparing a sixteen name day banner man when I was ten. He was completely dominating me in that fight but as soon as my anger took over my thoughts everything seemed to be a blur, by the time I came back to my senses I was standing over a bloodied man.

Sure I got punished by father and had to muck the stables for a month but I won. I proved my dominance over him and that is what matters. I noticed that proving myself capable has become somewhat of a character flaw for me afterwards I'm trying to fix it but its hard really.

'Lord Brandon. Lord Stark is calling for you in his solar.' said a voice of a servant outside my door.

'I'll be right there.'

I'm eleven name days now soon a man grown, my father has been preparing me to rule the north. Asks my opinions on decisions he is about to make even when he already has an answer in mind to me, I guess its a kind of test. I walk my way up the keep to his solar, knock before entering.

'You called'

'Come in sit. This just came from Bear Island. Ironborns have attacked them three times in the past five months.'

'How are we just getting to know this now? We should send aid to them.'

'No need. It seems the bears have been scheming for a while now. They sent a missive that they have captured and executed all the pirates while retaining most of their ships.'

'Thats good then shows how strong the North is to those squids. What do you mean scheming?'

'They have captured ten ships. That is enough for a fleet.'

'Ahhhh. I see. They sent us the missive after they already have ten ships to their name. Subtly increasing their power and standing in the North by proving to be a strong house and now being the only house apart from the Manderleys to own ships. What is their endgame?'

My father paused and looked at the letter again before sighing and said I,

'Pressure. They don't have enough people man those ships for now so they want help from House Stark and our support. Their endgame is likely building a Northern fleet with them being in control of most of it like the Redwynes.'

That's an ambitious project that is likely to fail. They don't have the coffers to handle the ships. They barely have a port to land. If it was the Manderelys I could understand but the Mormonts?'

'Do not underestimate this generation of Mormonts. Jeor's son Jorah has already taken over the post of Lord of Bear Island and is doing an excellent job there. They have never been richer in their recent history as they are now thanks to his younger brother invention of whiskey. I heard it goes for quite a lot down south so they have some coins to spare on this endeavor for a while.'

'That's why they came to us. So we can help them. I believe we should support it as long as they know the fleet will be jointly owned by House Stark. Maybe help build a harbour and provide some skilled workers to help.'

'I agree to that decision but it also brings problems from the south. The crown may start asking questions why the North is building a fleet. Those Targaryens always bring trouble to those around them.'

'All the more reason to do it now. It adds prestige to the north and at the same time makes others weary of besieging us from the sea. Too long have those squids had free movements on our waters.'

'I'll send send a raven to start negotions with them. I heard the second son is preparing to head south.'

'The one with a devil fruit?'

We received reports a last year of a possible devil fruit user from one of our spies. It was concluded to be Hawkeye. The ability seems to have something to do with weight as he was seen floating as he was training the ability at some corner of Bear Island.

'Yes. The boys is gifted. One of the most talented people I've heard of. His current strength can already contend with some of the stronger knights of the realm. He's going to be one of your most important bannermen so you have to be cordial with him. Understand?'

'Yes. How strong is he? isn't he only fifteen name days?'

Probably as strong as the weakest kingsguard currently.'

Woah. The kingsguard are all monsters. If he's that strong now. How strong will he be in the future. Its seems I have to increase my training men do not follow those weaker than them.I have to be the strongest in the North no strongest in the Seven Kingdoms.