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(Lord Osric Stark, Heir to Winterfell POV)
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Osric sat atop his wolf, as he waited for everyone else to mount up and let him know it was time to depart. The Umbers as it turned out were quick at mining and had mined enough Ores for him to forge close to a dozen blades and armors when the time came as well as enough for Basilica. Lord Rickard would be riding beside him for this, as he was leading him and the rest of them to his castle and lands. Instead of Waymar, Robb would ride to his left for a change. Lord Umber would send the ores mined from Last Hearth to Winterfell in the meantime, under heavy guard of course.
He'd forge the Blades first and then move on to specialised wagons and harnesses for transportation. He needed to forge some proof of concept blades first.
He was really NOT looking forward to how he'd prove it was better than Valyrian Steel, but given the rarity of it, he had little choice. Oh he hoped his ancestors didn't curse him for it.
''We're ready Lord Stark.'' Lord Rickard said, riding up to him, but maintaining a small distance for the sake of his horse. The Horses were very wary of the massive wolves, which was a fair thing considering the fact they were essentially the Northern Apex Predators already but these wolves were the Apex Predators of Apex Predators, inferior to a dragon, granted, but the difference was the Dragons were gone for now, these Frostwolves were not.
In the future, House Karstark would command the wolf farms, breeding the best and strongest Frostwolves for the following generation and the generation following them. The Cavalry of horses would be given to the Ryswells or Dustins, while the Karstarks would command the Wolfriders.
''Then we ride for Karhold. Lead the way Lord Karstark, you know it best.'' Osric replied.
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(POV Shift: Ser Garlan Tyrell)
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He was part of King Robert's journey to Winterfell for one simple reason. To be ready to determine whether or not it was worth taking a risk and trying to arrange a betrothal between Margaery and the Stark heir. Everyone in Westeros had heard tales of his talent as a smith and his claims of being able to produce steel better than Valyrian Steel.
And honestly? There was an increasingly high chance of King Robert appointing Ned Stark as his Hand, and arranging a marriage between Lady Sansa and Prince Joffrey. So his grandmother had instructed him to join King Robert's journey to the North's capital. Because if Joffrey was betrothed to Lady Sansa, and Lord Eddard became King's Hand, then as grandmother had put it: 'We need to ensare the next generation.' He understood the root of what she meant.
King Robert had little love for them, and it would fall to either Willas's own daughters or a daughter of his sister to try and make the match with the crown to benefit House Tyrell. Besides which, if it was true that he could smith a sword better than Valyrian Steel, then they really needed to bite that bit of steel and run with it.
A Great House who was able to smith swords superior to Valyrian smiths of old was one they needed on side. Competition would be steep, but Garlan was confident he'd be able to make a good and lasting impression on the heir to Winterfell.
If only he'd been able to make sure that Robert had been more than willing to make the match with them. It was painfully obvious truth be told that the King would be arranging a match with House Stark. If only father would see that sooner, they might have been able to have gotten ahead and married Willas to Lady Sansa.
But father was hardly the most beautiful or cunning rose in the Tyrell garden as grandmother liked to say.
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(POV Shift: Theon Greyjoy, ''Heir'' to Pyke)
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Osric must find it endlessly amusing that the giant beasts refused to let him mount them. He'd hurt his back trying. If he tried mounting after Robb or one of the others had mounted, both got thrown off, even trying to distract the beasts hadn't worked. At least he no longer had to lead all the horses; Lord Umber had agreed to have them transported back to Winterfell, only his Stallion Seaspray was left because it was the only thing he could mount without embarrassing himself.
It was truly absurd.
The Direwolves back at Winterfell he could accept, but wolves the size of the Mountain himself? That was beyond ridiculous. But he was quite accustomed to the Starks' weirdness at this point, Osric's most of all.
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(POV Shift: Lord Rickard Karstark, Lord of Karhold)
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Like many of his fellow Lords and Ladies of the North, he was hoping to match his kin to the heir to Winterfell. There was not a House with an eligible girl in the North or Riverlands who wasn't. But the Karstarks were one of the few houses that had received some interest from Lord Osric.
He'd shared many dances with his daughter Alys whenever House Karstark arrived at Winterfell for the annual harvest feast. They weren't the only house to have such an honor, but they were the only House who could boast a similar ancestry as their liege lords and not have been killed off before the Consquest.
Karlon Stark put down the first Greystark Rebellion and was given lands near the Gift to call his own and - at the time - keep an eye on the Umbers, who were annoyed at having their territory significantly reduced by the previous King of Winter to give to the Night's Watch.
Lord Eddard had said Osric would come to his decision after King Robert's visit to Winterfell, which might well be true, but Rickard wouldn't fail to ensure that Alys spent as much time as possible with the Black Wolf for the short time he was in Karhold. If only to improve his houses chances.
He was certain the other houses would try the same. Lady Maege certainly had since her daughter and heir was with the young Lord.
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(POV Shift: Lord Osric Stark, Heir to Winterfell)
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Karhold was described as smaller than Harrenhall, but meaner. It certainly looked intimidating. Darkstones was the main material, and the walls looked strong and thick, the bridge leading to the Great Keep was a kill zone, walls flanking it, open enclosed space. Any army trying to cross that bridge and kill the Karstarks after breaching the gate would get cut to pieces by arrows and Hot oil and other defenses.
Smart all things considered, especially given the castles age. But the final materials to be found in the North were here, and they were arguably the most critical….
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(Author's Note:)
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We're almost at the end of the Osric the Artificer arc of chapters, nearly there. When the Raventree Hall and Stone Hedge are finished, we'll enter the Forge Arc, which won't last too long, but we'll end it off with King Robert's arrival/ Probably shouldn't even call it an arc, really. One last thing, this is the first chapter I started writing on my new Laptop and it's the first one I started on it that I've also finished, here's hoping more in the future right? Anyway, I hope you've all enjoyed the chapter.
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