Cregan - 01
The sword was wrenched from his hands and sent skittering across the dirt of the training yard. Cregan growled in frustration, glaring up at his opponent. The Targaryen prince only grinned back.
"You lasted longer this time Cregan." Aelyx offered.
"I still wasn't even close to beating you." He crumbled.
Aelyx rolled his eyes. "I am three years older and a lot closer to being full-grown than you. I would have to be staggeringly incompetent for you to win."
"Ser Aelyx is correct Lord Cregan." The Winterfell's Master of Arms spoke up. "You are very skilled, but you are also at an age where a few years make a world of difference. It will be a far more even match later in life."
Cregan grimaced knowing the older boy and Master Beron were right. No matter what he tried, Aelyx was just too strong, too fast for him to gain the upper hand. That didn't make the fact that the Targaryen barely appeared to be flushed while Cregan was soaked with sweat any easier to swallow.
Seeming to sense his discontent, Aelyx turned to Master Beron.
"I think we are finished for today."
The Master at Arms looked from Aelyx to Cregan.
"Aye, I think you are. Lord Cregan, tomorrow I shall show you some tricks for getting inside the guard of an opponent with a longer reach."
So, saying he nodded at the lordlings, and wandered off across the training yard, barking criticisms and corrections to the sparring pairs as he went.
Cregan followed Aelyx to the corner of the yard where they passed their training swords off to a waiting servant, while other attendants helped them strip out of their padding.
Over the past several days he had come to enjoy the time he spent with Aelyx. All of the other children in Winterfell treated him with a large degree of deference, which made it hard to tell if they really wanted to be friends or were just humoring the heir of the North. Aelyx was always polite, but his words and manner made it clear that a lord's son, no matter how highly placed, did not outrank the nephew of a king. It was nice to be able to spend time with someone close to being his equal.
If he was being truthful, the older boy intimidated him a little. Cregan had never been further than a few days' ride from Winterfell, but his new companion had traveled all across Westeros and Essos. He had never really thought of himself as unworldly, living in the political and cultural center of the North, but compared to Aelyx he felt a little provincial.
On top of that Aelyx was the son of the Daemon Targaryen. He like every boy his age idolized the man. The long peace of Jaehaerys and Viserys' reigns meant that there had been little opportunity for warriors to distinguish themselves on the battlefield, as such the adventures of the Sea Snake and the Rogue Prince in the Stepstones had captured imaginations all across the kingdoms.
As the two prepared to return to keep, Cregan remembered the instructions that his father had given him the night before.
"Last night my father requested that he join him in his solar when we finished sparing."
Aelyx turned, arching an eyebrow.
"Did he say what he wished to speak of?"
"No, but I believe he wishes to discuss the reasons for your visit."
"Oh, he doesn't believe that seeing the kingdoms is the sole motivation for my journey."
"No, and neither do I."
Aelyx let out a laugh at Cregan's rebuttal.
"Well in that case lead the way."
Cregan wound through the halls of Winterfell with Aelyx following close behind. As he walked, he wondered what his father wanted with their guest. The Lord of Winterfell had not been very specific when he had spoken with his son the previous night. Merely saying he needed to discuss important matters with the young Targaryen and that he hoped he could parlay the dragon rider's visit into a boon for both House Stark and the North.
When they reached his father's solar, he halted and rapped sharply on the door. Permission the enter came immediately and he pushed open the door and stepped into the room, Aelyx on his heels. Seeing the stern expression on his father's face, he bowed slightly at the waist.
"Lord Father, I have brought Ser Aelyx as instructed." He had long since learned to tell at a glance what level of decorum his father expected in any given situation.
"Please, Ser Aleyx take a seat." The Lord of the North waved indicating to their guest an ornately carved chair of ironwood. As soon as Aelyx settled in the seat Cregan turned to leave, but was stopped by a command from his father.
"No son, I think it's best that you stay for this meeting."
Cregan's eyes widened, His father had never before allowed him to sit in on a meeting when he was conducting his duties. He quickly shut the door and settled into a chair beside Aelyx. The solar was quiet for a long moment before Rickon leaned forward steepling his fingers and addressed the Targaryen.
"I know why you are here."
Aelyx cocked an eyebrow "Oh."
"Since the day that Prince Aegon was born, there have been those who whisper that he should be his father's heir. And now just weeks after your father wed Princess Rheanyra, you began a journey that reminded all of Westeros where exactly the allegiance of Vhagar and her rider lay."
"King Viserys has decreed Princess Rhaenyra his heir, any who question that decision question the authority of the crown and in doing so court treason."
"And yet here you are."
"And yet here I am."
Cregan shifted nervously as his father and Aelyx held each other's gaze, each waiting for the other to look away first. In the end, the older man won, as Aelyx leaned back with a sigh.
"I will not deny that concerns have circulated on both Driftmark and Dragonstone about the increasing power of the Greens. However, let's not overstate matters Otto Hightower is banished from court and Aegon is a boy of three and ten."
"As opposed to your mature five and ten."
"Fair enough. Truthfully, I have not been empowered by my Father or the Princess to strike any bargains, but should you wish to open relations with the Houses of the Narrow Sea, I would be happy to facilitate such talks."
Cregan frowned as the incongruity of Aelyx's word choice struck him. He had said the Houses of the Narrow Sea, not Prince Daemon, Princess Rhaenyra, or even Dragonstone. That was not an accident.
Rickard tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes.
"And by the Narrow Sea Houses, you mean Driftmark?"
"Once again, I cannot promise anything, but that island was my home for half my life. If House Stark has an interest in deepening its relations with the Velaryon trading empire I could surely be of assistance. Although I will admit that I am not particularly familiar with the primary imports and exports of the North"
His father turned to him.
"Enlighten the prince."
"We export amber, ivory, timber, and furs in large numbers. We import textiles, metals, glass, wine, and in bad years grain." Cregan rattled off. The list was far from complete, but it covered the basics.
"What about whale?" Aelyx queried. "I know the Ibenese hunt it in the Shivering Sea, which I believe has a similar latitude to your lands."
Rickard shrugged slightly I know the Skagosi and the Umbers have dabbled in the practice, but most people in the area prefer to hunt walrus."
Cregan watched with interest as Aelyx drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair, deep in thought. After a few moments of contemplation, he spoke.
"When I return south a will speak to Lord Corlys on your behalf. The North is hardly lacking in riches and I am certain that he could be induced into expanding his network to include White Harbor and all the wealth that flows into it. But if you truly wish to enrich the North, beyond the benefits of a lucrative trade deal, I would recommend taking advantage of the shipyards of Hull. Lord Corlys has gathered shipwrights from across the known world there. I am confident that with half a description they could build a proper whaler. When I said the Ibenesse hunt in the Shivering Sea, I meant that they have based half their economy on whaling. I know the North has little in the way of naval traditions but if large-scale whaling is indeed viable off your eastern coast, you would be able to exploit an untapped market in Westeros."
Cregan looked at his father wondering how he would react to an outsider giving him advice on how to rule the North.
"I am unsure if such an endeavor would be profitable." Rickard began. "But it would be foolish to disregard advice on how to exploit the bounty of the sea, from someone who has spent their entire life living on islands."
Aelyx shrugged. "As I said I have no idea if it's even possible, but it certainly seems to be an avenue worth exploring."
For the next several hours the conversation continued as the two Northerns questioned their guest on the inner workings of the Narrow Sea trade and the intricacies of the Southern markets.