Chapter 10: A King's Decree
Olivia has 72 followers who have given her their allegiance for this life and she is happy about this but she had to spend a lot of money to invite trainers both local and abroad but after a year and a half they could be sent to the world.
There are many things Olivia wants so their tasks are towards these goals. One is to develop and improve her home. The next information, then it is riches. In a world without a lot of strong people to threaten her existence all the time she really just wants to be wealthy and well informed.
So she sent them to the world for collection of knowledge and any plants that is considered valuable by the locals or whatever they come across. Lastly it is the spies she sent to the houses of the noble families.
Currently she has received the clothing processing technology from Qarth, Pentos and Bravos. The animal skins they always misuse can now be turned into proper clothes. They came back with fabric crops. Six months later the clothing in the North became colorful and better looking.
The color part was made by Olivia with her alchemist. Wool is seen on almost all the passersby in towns. The north has increased the breeding of animals especially sheep by building animal sheds and using the warm stone to keep them comfortable enough to reproduce.
Towns have a butchery that will skin and take care of all the resources in a game caught by hunters before paying them for what they are willing to sell.
The product which made people's clothes bright even after been worn several time is the washing soap. Olivia made a soap factory and put her people in charge of it. She collects money from sales and store it in her safe after turning it into gold.
The soap is simple, scented, hard, soft, liquid soup and washing powder. She separated it into many types to cater for every customer. Small folks can still afford a simple soap to wash and clean themselves. It has been said it will reduce diseases by the free clinic staff so they listen.
The nobles get scented and expensive liquid soap for themselves. The factory is in the tower and the soap is sold in the town shops and to the merchant groups traveling the world.
In the end they place orders and the soap is sold in bulk to the traveling ships. A lot of money is made this way but she is still not directly entering the seven kingdoms market.
The clothing factory and resources are under the control of Winterfell. Olivia makes use of her power to accelerate the growth of the clothing plants to have more materials for the factory.
They ended up venturing into furniture covering cloths, blankets and bedding mattresses. The lavish designs from the south and the islands improved the standard of furniture for the North. Olivia put paint on the shelves allowing people to buy and paint their houses.
The apartments are already painted but the lords have allowed others to build stone houses as long as they are confident in securing their lives should an attack happen. These are mostly the immigrants coming from the other kingdoms. The lords have made it clear that housing is for the inhabitants of the North therefore they must find their own accommodation.
The land has to be assigned by the lord of the land. These immigrant housing has been included in the overall plan because if they don't account for it, it will drag the development of the North down with unsanitary shacks and low lifestyle with people defecating anywhere like in Kings landing.
Slowly, the vast unoccupied lands of the North has more and more houses and apartments charging rent. Olivia is not involved in this project She didn't want to deal with such a large operation. And since the money is perpetual, it is good to the lord of Winterfell to create jobs.
In the mean time Olivia is making new products in her tower. She fermented a strong drink, that mortals used in bars back home. Brandy, whiskey and wine. She didn't start selling this right away because she is worried for the health of the Northerners.
The brandy makes the body arm what if they all get addicted? She just made it and soon it is piled up in her storeroom which is very big. The only reason she started making alcohol is because she had received fruit seeds and planted them.
Upon their maturity she received many formulas and got curious. It is surprising she didn't get food recipes when she harvested wheat and rice. The real reason she started making alcohol is because she received intelligence that the Tyrells were making a move against the North trying to sabotage its rapid development.
It is said they are looking for the foreign company that lent the money to the Northerners to strike a deal with them. It seems the southerners can not tale a loss lying down. Olivia is working on sending someone over when the time is right. If she doesn't do it, the southerners may begin to suspect the existence of this foreign friend of the North.
Sugar cane has changed the North forever but is needs to be planted in the glass houses. Then there is a gia flower that is full of oil inside. The oil is clean and plentiful. Now there are oil drums in storage warehouse of every house in the North.
These are all the things found and brought back by the teams Olivia sent outside the North to facilitate the development of the lifestyle of all the north from nobles to the small folks.
....
"Lady Olivia" a young voice called out from the ground floor.
"Broady, what brings you here?" Olivia used the stairs and appeared on the ground floor.
"The bastard of Dread Ford pushed a boy down a cliff." He said trying to catch his breath. It seems he ran here.
"I thought he only hunted women in that forest? And how did you know where he was?" Olivia asked.
"Vince asked me to call you over to treat him, he looks very bad." Broady explained.
"The boy?" She asked.
"Yes. He is bleeding from the nose and his bones are broken cutting his skin." Broady said his face turning white as if he is suddenly sick.
Olivia took her surgical tools, pills, powder, and potions.
"I will come with, it has been a while since I was in the Tumbledown town. That is where Vince lives right? Which building and what room number?"
"He lives in Dread ford town Iron bane 18c floor 8." He finished talking. Olivia used her fast speed to reach the place. When she got to the gate and introduced herself the guards let get through.
A while later she is knocking on the door. Vince opened the door gesturing for her to follow him. The place is very clean but poorly furnished. She took off her shoes when she came in because they were muddy.
The ground outside the apartment and town square is concrete with the warm stone deep in the ground making the snow melt on its own then the water falls on the drain on the side to be transported out of the city.
Olivia had been walking outside where the soil is damp and the water in the city made her shoes muddy.
The boy laying on the pool of his blood is really in a comma. She sighed thinking that she is actually an alchemist not a doctor but what to do?
She used the scissors to cut away the clothes and then used her mental power to scan the situation. The internal injuries are very serious so she got to work immediately.
When she was done it is already midnight. She then gave the boy the pill that will heal his internal injuries and speed up the healing on his bones. It will take him a week at most to be on his best condition which should be considered a miracle.
Her mental power has been used for a long time now since she needed to stay sharp during the procedure. She left medicine for him to take when he wakes up.
"The boy is the legitimate son of Lord Bolton." Vince came from his bedroom when he heard her come out.
"Interesting." She said but her expression didn't change. Tilting her head.
"Does that interest you?" She asked.
"Very much. You?"
"Also interested. Are we going to hide him until he recovers?" She asked.
"I can only keep him here so so long before someone notices something."
"I'll take care of it. For now he can't be moved. I need to go rest."
"Good night." He said.
"You too." Bastard didn't even walk her out. It's probably best before rumors about her keeping a man in town spread.
She left the gate and ran home but a strange sound stopped her. She head sounds coming from inside the gates of the woods belonging to the lord of Dread Ford. Using the trees she found a group camping deep in the woods but there are people near who are bound by ropes.
These people are all enjoying a meal while some are assaulting people in one of the tents. This must be the bandits who have abandoned humanity.
She ran home and came back shortly. She can not take on a small group by herself after exhausting her mental power, she can fall asleep any moment from now.
She blew the powder in her hands to their direction and did the same after sneaking close to the tens and spread it on the opening. They all slumped on the ground including the hostages.
There are 9 women here all with obvious signs of abuse. Their camp is very deep in the woods, if she didn't have a connection with trees there is no way she could have heard them.
She rubbed something on her hand and made the hostages sniff it waking them up. She jumped back seeing they are all awake. Some started crying while a few had faces full of grief.
"Do you guys have a home to go to? I can have someone take you there." She offered. No one spoke but it seems she touched a sore spot because they all started crying.
One of them came closer to Olivia and bowed her head. "Thank you, but we were taken from our home when they invaded and killed everyone else." She kicked one of the people on the ground. The woman talking is at least 30 years with a kind looking face.
"Where is this? I thought the North is housing everyone in the separate districts?" She asked them in confusion.
"We were taken from below the neck in the place under the twins. They smuggled us all the way up here because they were hoping to find some village along the way but they have a been turned into secure places where they couldn't enter with just their small group. So we have been living in the forest." She answered and looked at the men on the ground.
"They are not dead. You may do with them as you wish." One girl is already carrying a knife from near the fire and walking towards one of the men.
Olivia woke them up but left them paralyzed so they will know how they died. She watched as the girls exact revenge without feeling pity. She couldn't leave them here knowing the type of man Bolton and his bastard son are.
"I can give you guys a job. Are you willing?"
"What kind of a job?" The same woman asked.
"I have several positions open right now but the most urgent is cleaning and maintaining my home." She admitted. Anna and Faith have increased responsibilities these days and can not take care of the tower.
"I will agree. But can I quit later if I want?" One woman asked. Seeing Olivia looking at her she said "My name is Ember."
"You can come and rest for now and then find your own way soon after." Olivia explained she is not forcing them.
They all followed her to avoid the Bolton soldiers. When they got to the tower and realized who she is they became very surprised. She gave them rooms to use and assigned ther two maids to help them if they need anything.
She saw that three of the nine girls are pregnant. Even though it is still very early. She decided to tell them tomorrow. Resting is the only way to recover mental health.
The next morning Olivia met with the lord of Winterfell. "I hear you left during the day and came back after midnight with a group of scantily dressed women." Ned said looking at her.
"Was there a question there somewhere?" She asked him.
"Did you?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Can you explain yourself?"
"I rescued them from a group of bandits from the Twins. They were hiding in the dread forest."
"Where are the bandits now?" He asked.
"Dead." She answered calmly. Ned looked at her not knowing if he should ask the next question.
"Sigh, the girls killed them. I just sprayed paralyzing powder on them." She rolled her eyes. Ned seems to have accepted this answer.
"That is another lord's territory. Did you tell him about it?"
"No." She answered.
"Olivia." He called sternly.
"It was after midnight and they work for me now. No need to involve the man since he is a lord, he must be busy." She answered unconcerned.
"Still."
"Lord Stark, if I tell him about it I will have to inform him that I entered a guarded area without permission and sneaky came out." She said
"Fine but no more situations like this in the future." He said but Olivia is not amused. He spent a decade pretending she doesn't exist now he is laying rules for her? What a joke.
"Why did you call for me Lord Stark?" She asked changing the topic.
"You have been giving people of the North free medical care in the clinics in all the big and small towns that were built using your plans." He took out a scroll and gave it to her.
"The number of sick people who end up dying because they can not afford medicine is now close to zero and the people love you for it. Apparently the staff working in these clinics give credit to you."
"Are you hoping I say it was you or the seven gods?" She narrowed her eyes because he doesn't sound to be praising her.
"Someone has paid attention and they think your medicine is miraculous. I want to thank you for your contribution before someone ruined it for me." He gestured for her to open the scroll.
She opened it and read the contents. Her eyes shot up to see her cheap father looking worried. This letter is coming from kings landing. They are having a plague situation and they want her to come and fix it.
"Cough cough.." She suddenly sounded sick.
"Lord Stark. This.." She lifted up the scroll "Is a king's decree. They are summoning me to the place where babies are murdered and women are violated. And you expect me to go?" She looked at him with curiosity.
Ned coughed feeling like he is chocking. "We can not go against a king's decree." He felt cold sweat when he saw her nonchalant attitude.
"I'm not going." She declared.
"If you refuse to go, the entire family will be in jeopardy. I may be beheaded." He said in a serious tone.
"Are you scared? Why are you worried? You already have a perfect heir." She ridiculed.
"Olivia!" He stood up suddenly making his chair fall. "This is no joking matter!"
"But it is. If it was Sansa they want South, would you send her there knowing she might not come back alive?" She leaned back on her chair and watched him huff.
"I am going with you." She admitted.
"That doesn't help me." She said with scorn.
Ned gave her a sharp look. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"What would you do there for me except bowing and agreeing to everything the king commands?" She asked him. Ned didn't speak he felt sad that his daughter sees him as that kind of man.
"The Southerners are traitorous people who want to control or destroy you. How would a man who only takes orders protect me from them? Not to mention they might want to weaken the North by killing or crippling you while you are there so they can use that to point and accuse each other."
"Are you looking down on me?" She actually saw hurt in those eyes. But she resolved herself to never allowing him south.
"I haven't thought of it like that but between you and me I would bet in my chances to survive amongst snakes and scorpions. I have survived as a child being stepped on, I once had someone's foot on half my face threatening to apply pressure and crush me if I didn't do as he said.
I have been pointed at, ridiculed and insulted while the person I loved ignored it all and pretended I didn't exist. I have had my bones broken and put together while my body is still growing and don't get me started on what happened recently.
While you are a good child of the North who knows bad things are happening but ignores them because you don't want to put a stain on your precious honor."
"You can't talk to me like that. Even if you are disappointed at me as a father but I am your Lord!"
"Look into my eyes and tell me if I look like I care who you are? If I am such a disrespectful brat, why are you keeping me around?" she asked harshly. He became chocked up by those words.
"Anyways you can't go by yourself you are still a minor. And I am not that useless of a father like you say."
"Did you or did you not refuse the loot from that war because of your honor?" She deadpanned.
"Don't speak about things you don't understand."
"All I 'understand' is that you lead men to war and many died leaving their families with no way to survive with nothing to show for it because the money was bloody." She heard this from the lessons and Vince.
"A man who acts like you do is too predictable to be in a place like Kingslanding. If you go, we might both be killed because I can't poison the water supply if you might drink it." She smirked at his horrified expression.
"You can not commit massacre Olivia even if they upset you. The truth is I am most worried about what you will say there when there is no one to stop you." He admitted
"Don't worry I will just pretend to be you and stay silent unless I am asked a direct question, that is how I lived after turning 5. How is that?" He can tell she refers to his silence while she was being abused.
"If you really don't want me there, take a few guards with you."
"I have my own thank you."
"Those dancers in your tower's training grounds? They are not guards or soldiers Olivia they are mostly children with no experience.
"I have improved their bodied to each have the strength of 10 men with the speed of my horses. You remember my horses right? The ones you were drooling over when we went on inspections." She said proudly.
"Fine. But you will take four veterans to accompany you. That is final."
"Fine. I will only leave in three days." She declared.
"The decree said immediately."
"I couldn't care less what the paper said. I have a dying patient who will probably only be stable in three day. Besides my carriage will only be ready by then."
"According to that croll, tens of people are dying in Kingslanding." He protested.
"800 of them is not worth the man I am healing to the North, to you." She said mysteriously.
"I am leaving, this meeting gave me a headache." She didn't even wait for him to dismiss her. She went past Caitlyn Tully on the way without greeting her. There are no outsiders to pretend for.
Caitlyn also didn't want to interact with her. They didn't even look at each other.
....