Harry sat on a log while chewing a piece of dried meat, his gaze lost as he watched the campfire flames dance.
They had traveled all day.
His backside hurt.
He was thirsty.
And to make matters worse, he would be sleeping on the ground.
It was nowhere near the adventure he had imagined.
Traveling in his previous life with magic had been far more pleasant. A simple wave of a wand could provide a comfortable home, you could Apparate directly to your destination, or take a broom or a flying carpet if you wanted to enjoy the scenery.
Letting out a sigh, he finished chewing the tough meat with annoyance.
Ned glanced at his son, and the corners of his lips twitched upward slightly.
It was unusual to see Harry looking so miserable.
Doing his best to suppress a laugh, he avoided looking at him and instead focused on his men, who had already finished setting up camp.
The moon was already visible in the distance.
The songs of insects and the calls of owls filled the night.
"Go get some rest. We'll leave early tomorrow," Ned said as he looked at the three boys.
Harry hummed in response, letting out a quiet groan of complaint as he crawled into his tent.
It was small and barely covered his body.
Lying down, he let out a sigh while stretching.
Fifteen days of this.
Closing his eyes in resignation, he fell asleep to the crackling of burning wood.
Fortunately, he was wrong.
The following night, they found a picturesque village in the middle of the Wolfswood where they spent the night.
Fresh food and a straw bed welcomed him.
The following days alternated between sleeping in villages, out in the open, or even inside abandoned structures.
During the long rides, his mind could not help but wander.
If every journey was going to be like this...
He would rather stay in the castle.
At that moment, he found himself missing the modern world.
"Feed the horses," Ned said softly when they spotted the village where they would be spending the night.
Harry climbed down from his horse with a groan.
Gently moving his hips, he felt as though they had been shattered.
Without caring about appearances, he leaned against a tree and looked around.
His father was speaking with several people in the distance.
Jon and Theon seemed to be in a situation similar to his own, dismounting as though they were standing on eggshells.
Letting out a sigh, Harry placed his hands behind his head while looking toward the village.
The sounds of chickens could be heard here and there, and every now and then a mother called out to one of her children.
He understood that the Wolfswood was hardly a safe place.
His gaze drifted toward the smoke rising from the chimneys.
That was when an idea flashed through his mind.
Perhaps he did not have to endure these tedious journeys forever.
Building automobiles was impossible.
Aircraft were even less realistic.
But... a train?
His brow furrowed slightly as he watched the smoke rise into the sky.
That actually seemed possible.
The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.
A steam engine was not particularly complicated.
In fact, he understood how one worked.
With a dazed look, he eventually went to bed while constantly weighing the advantages and disadvantages of attempting such a project.
The rest of the journey became far easier with his mind occupied by the challenges of such an undertaking.
Though he might have to wait until he became Lord Stark.
He was not sure his father would allow him to spend so much money on something he would neither understand nor believe until he saw it with his own eyes.
"We've arrived," Ned said softly as he looked into the distance.
His father's voice pulled Harry from his thoughts.
Looking up, he finally saw their destination.
They had arrived at Deepwood Motte.
Looking at it, he saw that it was a small wooden motte-and-bailey fortress.
A horn sounded from the stronghold, announcing that they had been spotted.
The gates opened, and Lord Galbart Glover personally came out to receive them.
They were warmly welcomed and spent the night at the castle, where Harry met the members of House Glover.
They were not so different from his own House a few years earlier, as only Lord Galbart Glover and his brother remained.
The following morning, they ate breakfast before Lord Glover escorted them to the harbor.
Though harbor was perhaps too generous a term.
Dozens of small, aging vessels were moored along the docks.
The place looked poor and somewhat deserted.
Several fishermen appeared to be preparing to set sail. Harry could see them checking their nets, and as soon as they noticed the newcomers, they stood and offered respectful greetings.
Harry boarded one of the ships while the rest of the small force spread across three others.
House Glover also contributed fifty men to accompany them to Bear Island.
Thus, a small fleet of four ships set sail toward its destination.
The voyage was short.
Even so, it was enough to leave Jon seasick.
Patting his back gently, Harry supported him while Jon leaned over the side of the ship in case he vomited.
Something Theon mocked repeatedly.
It seemed that even after two years, the boy remained perfectly comfortable at sea.
Harry himself felt little different than he did on land.
He had been a Quidditch player.
No ship would ever move as much as a broomstick.
Around midday, they finally reached the great island.
Harry was astonished simply by seeing it from afar.
Massive mountains shrouded in mist dominated the landscape.
At their base, a small settlement could barely be seen.
It occupied only a tiny portion of the enormous island.
From what Harry knew, every inhabitant of Bear Island was a warrior.
Even the women.
They lived through hunting and fishing.
Harry vaguely remembered reading a phrase that described the island as rich in bears and trees, but poor in everything else.
On the beach, dozens of large, bearded men waited for them.
All wore thick, rough fur coats.
At the front stood a sturdy gray-haired woman clad in chainmail.
A faint smile rested on her face as she watched Ned approach.
Ned gestured for Harry to remain aboard while he disembarked with several men.
Harry frowned slightly.
He had already noticed that several guards rested their hands near their weapons, ready for any situation.
For several long moments, the only sounds were the waves.
Beside him came the sound of someone swallowing nervously.
He did not even need to look to know it was Theon.
Finally, the woman took the initiative.
"My lord, Bear Island is yours," the woman said, bowing her head toward Ned.
"Maege, I heard what happened," Ned said as he looked at the rugged woman.
"Yes. My nephew is an idiot. That blonde whore managed to seduce him to the point that he even started selling slaves," Maege said, shaking her head.
"He even plundered our pitiful treasury," she added with a grimace.
As Harry listened to the conversation, a sudden shiver ran through his body.
He blinked in confusion as he felt the cold breeze carrying traces of magic.
Frowning slightly, he lifted his gaze toward the island and paid closer attention.
The magical concentration seemed greater than it was in Winterfell.
"Did you capture him?" Ned asked.
"He fled with that woman about twenty days ago. At the time, I wasn't aware of everything that had happened. By right of inheritance, the rule of Bear Island now falls to me," Maege replied bluntly.
"I see," Ned said with a sigh.
"There will be a price on his head," Ned told her.
"As you will it," Maege replied calmly.
She knew it was the law.
Nothing personal.
To begin with, very few people on the island had ever liked her nephew.
He was a southerner trapped in the North.
"The feast is already prepared, though you've brought more men than I expected, my lord," Maege said with a chuckle.
Her gaze swept across the assembled men before settling on the small green-eyed boy.
Ned merely nodded before gesturing for Harry to come ashore.
As he stepped onto the beach, Harry found himself meeting Maege's eyes and offered her a polite smile.
He could tell that his father seemed slightly uncomfortable with her remark.
It sounded almost like a reproach for doubting her loyalty.
Under Maege's guidance, they made their way toward the fortress.
Though fortress was perhaps an exaggeration.
It looked more like an enormous wooden hall.
Time had left its mark upon it, yet it remained well maintained and, more importantly, clean.
There was obviously not enough room for everyone.
Only Ned, his three young companions, and a handful of guards entered the hall's dining chamber.
The remaining soldiers were quickly directed toward various homes where they would be housed.
Inside the dining hall, only Maege, her daughters, and several important members of the House remained.
The smell of bread and roasted meat immediately awakened Harry's appetite, causing him to fill his plate while listening to the conversation.
"I'm sorry about my nephew and that you had to travel all the way here for nothing," Maege said, taking a drink as she looked at Ned.
"It isn't your fault. It was my duty to come regardless. Besides, my son wanted to see Bear Island," Ned replied with a smile, resting a hand on Harry's head.
Harry sat beside him.
Jon and Theon sat on his other side, both looking somewhat uncomfortable with the situation, though for entirely different reasons.
"I'm glad someone takes an interest in this wild island. You must be Harry, hm? I've heard quite a bit about you. They say you possess a wisdom beyond that of men," Maege said with a half-smile, studying him carefully.
His bright green eyes had caught her attention from the moment she saw him on the beach.
It was not a common trait among the Starks.
"If those are the rumors, then I suppose they're talking about me," Harry replied with an amused smile.
He met the sturdy woman's gaze without the slightest hint of timidity.
Maege let out a loud laugh at his answer.
The boy was genuinely interesting.
His confident gaze and self-assured demeanor gave a very different impression from his father.
He did not seem as naive or as calm as Ned.
She could see it.
The eyes of a wolf.
"Then let me introduce my daughters. This is Dacey, my eldest and heir to Bear Island," Maege said, roughly patting the shoulder of the young woman seated beside her.
Harry turned toward her and greeted her with a smile while subtly evaluating her.
She had a youthful face and a surprisingly steady gaze.
Her features were refined, with high cheekbones and a soft jawline.
Small freckles were scattered across her cheeks here and there.
As her pale green eyes studied him, Harry offered her a friendly smile.
Her hair was thick and brown, slightly wavy, with a braid falling over one shoulder while loose strands framed her face.
She was a pretty girl.
Though she was hardly what one would picture when thinking of a noble lady.
He noticed that she seemed to be evaluating him as well before giving him a small smile in return.
Maege proceeded to introduce her other daughters as well.
Alysane.
Lyra.
And Jorelle.
Jon and Theon were likewise introduced by Ned in only a few words.
After all, one was publicly known as a bastard, while the other was a political hostage.
"Good. Now let's eat. We hunted that bear especially after hearing you were coming," Maege said with a laugh before taking a large bite of meat.
The atmosphere quickly grew more lively as everyone ate and chatted.
Harry exchanged a few brief conversations with Maege's daughters while listening to the discussion between Maege and his father in the background.
Bear Island seemed like an interesting place.
Though it was every bit as poor as people claimed.
----
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