Duskendale
277 AC
Drakul Mihawk
After sending the message to Winterfell, I had warged into the raven carrying it to spy on their deliberations. But it seems there is a reason why House Stark is so revered in the North.
There are magical protections embedded deep into the castle and the lands surrounding Winterfell that resist and actively attack any use of divination or warging with hostile intent. I found that out first-hand when the raven crossed into their land and my mind was violently ripped from its consciousness. Knowing the Starks, there is no way they are unaware of this feature.
It seems I must do this the old-fashioned way, like anyone else, and send spies to infiltrate Winterfell to gather news. But to do that, I must find a way to train them properly.
Sure, I could attempt it myself, but I have no real knowledge of spy craft. Others, however, do.
The House of Black and White. It might not be a commission to kill someone, but with enough coin, I could convince them to lend me one of their own as a potential spymaster. I would have preferred to find someone in Westeros, but any local would likely already be compromised by loyalty to other factions. This spymaster will have to come from Essos.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Enter."
The new master-at-arms, Jeremy Stone, entered my office. With his blonde hair and deep blue eyes, he sported dark leather armor and held a spear. He knelt and bowed his head in deference.
"M'lord, all the surviving smallfolk have gathered and wait beyond the doors of the keep, ready for you to address them."
A smile crept up my face in anticipation.
"Well done, Jeremy. I knew I could trust you with this task."
"M'lord, I am honoured."
"Good. Go wait with the rest of the guards. You have done well."
He stood, bowed once more, and left the room, leaving me to my thoughts—which have been jarring, in truth.
For so long, I had Eve, my A.I., as a companion. She was, in truth, my closest friend, someone I could always trust to have my back and my best interests at heart. It's still jarring that she is gone.
I only noticed it after I woke from my awakening, but she was gone from my mind. Well, not entirely. I can feel her spirit, born anew in my sword, Yoru, which gained a unique spirituality from exposure to my ascension.
It seems the rules of this universe are heavy. It abhors the concept of two souls in one body, among other things I have yet to discover, and will take any opportunity to uproot such a slight from its framework. I may have lost Eve, but I gained much more. The inventory upgraded, becoming a part of my soul and transforming into a genuine pocket dimension that only I can access.
It's still the same size, but now… it can fully support life. I have even seen the beginnings of life within it, with lizards crawling about. Maybe one day, after all this is done, I can retire from my lordship and explore the multiverse. After all, I am immortal and have all the time in the world.
I put on the jacket and hat I designed, mirroring the original Mihawk's style as a tribute to the man whose abilities allowed me to rise so high in this strange world. I made my way through the halls and finally emerged from the door leading out of the castle and into the courtyard.
A sea of heads was the first thing I saw. Thousands of men, women, and children were gathered there, talking, some shouting, even laughing. But all fell silent when they noticed me standing still with Yoru strapped to my back, looking at them.
"Thank you all for making it here today. I know this has been a difficult time for you. You were trapped here as the Darklyns committed the most heinous sort of treason. You were here as the armies of the Iron Throne sacked your lands after the King was rescued. You saw your wives beaten, raped… saw sons and daughters die. Saw your husbands humiliated before you."
I took a deep breath, preparing to do something no lord in recent history has done.
I bowed my head to the smallfolk in apology.
"I am sorry. Sorry for my involvement, no matter how small. Sorry I wasn't awake to at least reduce the atrocities that happened. Sorry for the children who lost their lives too soon in the games that highborns play."
My head remained bowed as silence filled the yard. With my enhanced senses, I could hear the sobs of aggrieved women who couldn't believe what they were hearing. I was resolved to stay like this until I could convince them of my intentions.
In the midst of this, a little girl—no more than ten name-days old, with red hair and dark Summer Islander skin, wearing an old, patched dress—bravely came up to me with tears in her eyes and hugged my waist, crying.
I reached out and wrapped my arms around her slowly, careful not to crush her with my strength. Her actions shocked me; I had made no such plans to gather sympathy. I honestly wanted to tell them my intentions to grow my house and, in the process, empower them. But the kindness of this little girl threw me for a loop. My mind started spiraling as thoughts fired against one another, thinking of ways to use this to my advantage, when it came to a sharp halt.
When did I become this way?
When did the 21st-century boy in me die? When did I become like those rich billionaires who exploited people like me to work for a pittance while they hoarded wealth and influence?
When did I start to believe I was above the people?
Where did this entitlement come from? Was it because I was lucky to be born a noble? Lucky to have been blessed by a god? When did people who were just like me become "smallfolk"?
My eyes softened as I looked upon her once more, seeing a child who, with a gesture of kindness, had touched someone who would have been within his rights to cut off her hand for daring to touch a highborn—a lord, no less.
All I could see was a brave girl. I saw someone I truly wanted to nurture and watch grow into a strong, independent woman, especially in this backwards society.
"You should not bow your head, m'lord. It's not your fault that Mama and Papa are gone. I forgive you, so please don't be sad," she said. Truthfully, I could feel tears building behind my eyes, which I managed to stop, even if my eyes watered a bit.
Yes. This is what life is truly about. Empathy and empowerment. Even in this unjust society, I will empower as many young men and women as I can, so they will have the strength to protect themselves and their interests.
I slowly lifted her, cradling her in my arms against my chest, and hugged her deeply. She melted into my embrace, and I could feel her emotions: warmth, longing, acceptance, hesitance, care, and sadness.
I decided then that this little orphan would be mine. I would take her under my wing personally and protect her. I can't give her my name, but I can raise her as a daughter. She will be my ward, but in truth, she will be my daughter in all but name. If she ever performs any great deeds, I will knight her myself and grant her lands to start her own family and clan as vassals to my house.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I only registered the cheers and shouts of forgiveness as they were dying down. It gave me a wholesome feeling. I would do right by these people for looking past the terror they faced just weeks prior. I would become the spark that lights their world and, in the process, gain their complete loyalty.
"What is your name, little one?" I asked the bundle of joy I held in my arms. She looked up shyly and answered.
"M'lord, my name is Alaya. My mama named me after her mother from her home."
"That is a beautiful name. You must be proud of it."
"I am very proud of it, lord."
"Good. You should be. You honour your parents that way. I have a request I hope you can grant me."
Her eyes went wide before she composed herself quickly. Hmmm, she's sharp. Maybe she doesn't know what I want to ask, but she can tell it's an opportunity. She nodded.
"I want to bring you into my home as my ward. I will feed you, train you, teach you the ways of nobility, and educate you about the world. You will be raised as my daughter, but you will not carry my name. I will pay your dowry when you find a man you wish to marry. I know I can't replace your real parents, but your act has deeply moved me, and I want to reward you."
I could feel the excitement radiating from her. She knew an opportunity like this would never come again. No noble takes on a peasant as a ward; it is practically unheard of. I could easily see her becoming the talk of the realm, with some mocking her for it—an upjumped peasant, they would say.
And they wouldn't be wrong, but I don't care. I am doing what I hope would have been done for me if I had been born a smallfolk in this crazy world—that someone would care for me and elevate me from the bottom.
This is my gift to her.
It will also begin to broaden the closed mindset of the smallfolk. If they one day see her thriving—one of their own, in an environment they were always told was not for them, that they weren't worthy—now they will know they just weren't given the opportunity. Who knows, this might lead to something interesting down the line.
"My lord… father… I would be honoured to be your ward," she said with a huge smile. The crowd burst into loud cheers, and I hugged her once more, a huge smile on my face. I then set her on my shoulders so she could see everyone from on high. With my strength and balance, it was easy to keep her steady. I turned to address the crowd once more to deliver the message I had come to give.
"Some of you may know me, but not all of you do, so let me introduce myself officially. My name is Lord Drakul Mihawk, formerly Ser Drakul Mormont. Although around the world, I am mostly known by the moniker I earned on the battlefields of Essos: The First Demon."
"I was granted these lands to rule over by our king, Aerys Targaryen, the First of His Name. I have taken on the new name Drakul, and my house words are 'We See All.' I was born a second son. I truthfully did not think I would one day be given lands, especially not like this, but man plans and the gods laugh," I continued.
"As the Lord of these lands, I am granted the leave to make changes however I see fit, as long as it does not go against the king and his laws."
The silence was palpable. They knew that whatever I said next could determine their fate and that of their children—a heavy burden I must shoulder, as their lives now depend on me.
"There will be new job openings in the coming months as we rebuild our ports. We will need shipwrights and sailors to man our new fleet. I will also begin producing the drinks I created in the North, like Northern Flames and Northern Ale, which will require many of you to help in production."
"The pay will be ten silver stags per week, though this is subject to change based on production and sales. We must work together so Duskendale can get back on its feet, so we can strengthen our walls and ourselves, ensuring no one can ever come to hurt us so easily again."
Sounds of agreement rippled through the crowd. They would obviously want more protection, especially after what they had just endured. I then continued, delivering the final—and most important—news.
"Silence." I released a sliver of my Conqueror's Haki. It reached all of them and was gone in an instant, but they all felt it. The square fell completely quiet; I could even see some shivering from the contact for less than a second.
The way they looked at me now was different. If before they looked at me with the slight respect trained into them for their lords, now their gazes bordered on reverence. They all knew what they had just felt: the Conqueror's Haki, or The King's Ambition—a rare power that only shows itself in those destined for greatness. They know I have strength, and in this world… strength is true power.
And that is the gift I am about to give them.
"Finally, and most importantly, I will personally train any who wish to learn in the art of Haki, so you can better protect yourselves from harm. You will not be helpless against bandits or any who wish you harm."
"Every week, I will come to the yard, and any of you—old, young, man, woman, husband, wife, daughter, son, even children—can come and learn the legendary art of Haki, which the nobility have suppressed from you. I do this for two reasons."
"I want all of my people to be safe. And one day, war will come upon Westeros again, and I want you all to be ready. I want hardened men, not peasant levies, to be the spine of our armies."
"With that in mind, for the next six months, the captain of my guard, Jeremy Stone, and I will be watching. We will choose the best five hundred men or women to become Castle Guards. And if you prove yourself… you will be given a knighthood from me."
"That is my gift to you. I am giving you back your fangs, so you can bite both your enemies and mine."
And then the crowd went wild!
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Maester's excerpt from "No More Kings" by Maester Rennard Waters, 643 AC
"…Many point to the 'Declaration of Fangs' by Lord Drakul Mihawk, founder of the legendary House Drakul of Duskendale, as the initial stone that was struck, leading to the greatest peasant rebellion of our age. The smallfolk successfully wrested large degrees of autonomy from kings and lords, abolishing the absolute power of the monarchy, removing the noble right of the gallows, and fashioning a republic akin to the democratic system of the Summer Islands.
The Liberation Army leader, a peasant named Garrick Stormcloak, a citizen of Duskendale, took it upon himself to lead the rebellion after the atrocities committed on the smallfolk by the ruling King—"
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