The greatest challenge fell to Qyburn and the administrative team of Starfire City. With more than two hundred thousand refugees suddenly pouring into the region, the logistics of housing and managing them had Qyburn and his people working around the clock.
Fortunately, Jason had prepared for this influx well in advance. Without his foresight, the entire system would have collapsed.
Many of the newcomers were given jobs at the paper mill just outside the city, which now ran five new production lines. Including the loggers who transported timber, the mill employed over five thousand workers. The fish cannery also absorbed several thousand people, providing steady work and food.
The largest new source of employment was the iron smelting plant currently under construction. An iron ore deposit discovered on the Stark's new lands was being developed as a joint venture, requiring thousands of miners alone.
To maintain stability, Qyburn implemented Jason's policy: at least one person from each refugee family was guaranteed a job at the paper mill, the cannery, or the ironworks. This ensured every family had a monthly wage and that no one received food for free, encouraging a culture of work rather than dependency.
In addition to this, the army recruited ten thousand strong young men from the new arrivals. With these arrangements in place, the massive population of refugees was settled without any major disturbances.
At a designated lake in the Riverlands, the North and the Westerlands met to exchange their prisoners. Both sides were eager to retrieve their own, and the tension was thick as they eyed each other across the water.
The exchange proceeded smoothly, with neither side attempting any treachery. Sansa and Bran were returned to their mother, Lady Catelyn, who wept with joy as she held her children again.
Jason met with them shortly after. He could see the terror still lingering in the eyes of the two children who had survived the horrors of the Red Keep. They had lived under the shadow of Cersei and Joffrey for so long that they had both grown thin and withdrawn.
The news of Arya's disappearance brought a fresh wave of grief to Catelyn and Robb. They had no idea where she could be and could only send out riders with her description, hoping for a miracle.
Jason, however, knew Arya was likely with Yoren and the Night's Watch recruits. If the timeline held, they would soon be intercepted by the Mountain's men and taken captive to Harrenhal. He chose to keep this information to himself. Telling them now would only lead Tywin Lannister to hunt her down specifically. Besides, Arya was a survivor, tough-willed and surprisingly lucky. He believed she would be alright.
With Sansa and Bran safely returned, Robb and Catelyn worried about keeping them on the front lines. They decided it was best for Lady Catelyn to take them back to Winterfell, where their youngest brother, Rickon, was waiting.
Though the hostages were exchanged, the war was far from over. The North would never forget the execution of Eddard Stark.
Robb summoned his lords to plan their next move. With Roose Bolton's forces pinning down Tywin Lannister at Harrenhal, Robb intended to lead a surprise attack directly into the Westerlands.
The northern lords were all for it. They had long envied the wealth of the west and were eager for a chance to plunder it. The lords of the Riverlands were equally excited, though they remained wary of Tywin launching another attack against their homes.
Jason had no interest in Robb's raiding plan or the spoils of the Westerlands. His priority was the safe relocation of the refugees he had gathered from the Riverlands. Everything else could wait.
The northern lords didn't object. It just meant one less person to share the loot with.
Once the plan was settled, the lords filed out of the tent to ready their men for the march west. Jason lingered behind, feeling the need to speak with Robb alone.
"Robb," he said, catching the young king's attention. "You have to remember your marriage pact with House Frey. Don't let some woman make you break that vow. If you offend the Freys, you'll push them straight to your enemies."
Robb looked at him, confused by the sudden warning. "Of course, Jason," he replied, his tone serious. "I remember my oath to House Frey. I would never break my promise."
Jason looked at him intently, wanting to say more but knowing he couldn't explain what hadn't happened yet. As an outsider, his words carried only so much weight. "Just be careful with that relationship," he finally said, nodding. "Falling out with the Freys would cause you a world of trouble."
Robb gave a slight, indifferent nod, a hint of irritation in his eyes. He felt Jason's warning was an insult to his honor. He was Robb Stark, the King in the North. He did not break his word.
Just then, Theon Greyjoy entered the tent to report that the men were assembled. Robb quickly joined him, leaving Jason alone with his thoughts.
Jason shook his head, hoping Robb would somehow take his words to heart.
Soon enough, he had no more time to worry about Robb. He was completely occupied with the massive undertaking of moving the Riverlands refugees north. Transporting hundreds of thousands of people was an incredibly complex task.
Thankfully, the refugees themselves were compliant. Their low status had taught them not to resist the orders of lords and soldiers. They followed the instructions of Jason's men like a flock of sheep, making their way north.
With Robb and his army gone, Jason took over their abandoned camp outside Riverrun, turning it into a staging ground for the refugees. He walked through the sprawling camp, his guards close behind, observing the masses of people huddled in crude wooden shacks. Their clothes were dirty and tattered, their faces etched with hardship.
These were the people whose fields had been burned and villages destroyed by the Lannister army. Driven from their homes and lacking food, they had sought refuge with House Tully, the lords of the Riverlands, only to be met with indifference. The lords of Westeros often viewed the smallfolk as little more than livestock, letting them starve rather than opening their granaries.
If Jason hadn't stepped in, countless more would have died from starvation or been taken by wild animals. Over the past two months, he had used his soldiers to escort nearly three hundred thousand refugees north.
Now, Starfire City had reached its absolute limit. Jason had no choice but to stop accepting more people. He gathered the last group at the camp outside Riverrun, preparing to personally lead them on the final journey north.
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