Chapter 42: Back home
"Bring the meal to my Solar." her cold voice was nothing new in the keep as the servants knew that she only smiled while with her child or when talking about him.
"My Lady if I might suggest..." Maester Lowsen wanted to protest about his Lady choice unfortunately he was cut off in the middle of his sentence.
"You may not Maester. I know what you want to say, but I don't think you have a chain in advising your Lady where she should eat or do you?" the Lady of the house looked at him while lowering her head a bit signaling that she will not take any other answer than his complete capitulation on the subject.
Lady Barbrey didn't trust the man even once in her time as the Lady of Dustin. She was the one responsible for schooling her son not to let the old man influence her little treasure in any way.
"No My Lady." Lowsen could only bow his head and give up while he looked at the ten fully armored and armed robust men in Dustin colors and sigil following her with their hands on the sword hilts just waiting for the Lady order. He was clear that he was not liked in the keep and his sole responsibility was to take care of the ravens and that too after controlling his access to the messengers and the content of the messages.
The man was still unaware that House Dustin already used falcons with their allies and the more important communication between the members of the House.
The system was managed by their most trusted servants and it worked perfectly.
'I need to arrange an accident for him when my baby comes back. He already asks too many questions.' Lady Dustin thought as she moved through the halls to her Solar.
When she arrived and opened the door the first thing she saw were two wolves waiting for her at the entrance.
"Missed me pups?" she lowered her hand and patted the two bundles of joy that reminded her of her little boy.
Oh how she missed her child, everyday she asked herself if letting him go was the correct decision. Every night she lost sleep waiting for any news and imagining the worst.
Barbrey was well aware that her boy was special and she didn't care about the rest. If he was a Greenseer or a Warg was irrelevant, the only important part was that he was her blood, her only child and she would give her life for her sweetheart without blinking an eye.
She moved to her chair behind the desk sighting at the pile of reports and letters on her right.
The wolves rested on her feet playing together from time to time like the young pups that they were.
Soon after she got comfortable there was a knock on the door. "Come in." she didn't even look up from the note she was reading.
"My Lady, your meal." the servant girl came in and gently placed the food in the usual place.
"You may leave." Barbrey took a glance at the leaving servant and after recognizing the girl as the usual one she looked at the still steaming, warm meal.
She felt something heavy on her legs and smiled as Loki and Laika placed their mouths on her legs from each side watching the plates.
"Now you want attention?" she laughed loudly at the wolves hearing them whine that guarded her Solar with all important documents when she was not there. "What did my little rascal thought you?" she petted the siblings and placed the fresh beacon plates for them to eat and she grabbed her son's new invention called pasta.
There were so many varieties and her son taught the Keep Head Cook how to prepare them especially for her as she loved it since the first time she tried the new type of food.
Even now thinking of the ones with fry bacon and egg or the one that she had in front of her now with minced meat and cheese with tomato sauce.
The culinary culture in Neverwinter was the best in Westeros and Essos and she would bet her life on it and all of this thanks to her little boy! The pride filled her chest unfortunately again bringing the emptiness in her heart.
"Now's not the time to think about it Barbrey!" she told herself and got back to work while eating with one hand.
She started with the letters and to her surprise and pleasure the first one was from her son! How could she not see it earlier?!
Lady Dustin dropped her fork and opened it hastily impatient for what her son could write about.
After braking the golden wax with two axes she read.
"Dear mother I miss you!" she already smiled reading the first line in the letter.
She was sure that it was her son's handwriting, remembering how many times she slapped his hands to teach her young rascal to write as a Lord should. It made her feel bad for the boy.
Brendan was never one for etiquette with his friends and family when they were alone. It didn't matter for him at all when he joked and laughed with everyone that he trusted and liked like no other Lord in the Seven Kingdoms did. Highborn, baseborn, servant or peasant didn't matter to her child.
A warm feeling flooded her heart remembering how her son used to run through the Keep shouting "mommy" with his childish voice until he found her, at the same time making everyone in the keep smile like a ray of shining sun.
Hugging her parents whenever he saw them getting fake scoldings from her father and hiding behind her mother to her brothers amusement, or when he took the orphans from Neverwinter to his room and told them to choose any toy they wanted from his collection and giving the rest away.
Every action of his made the people love him more and more and the reports she received from her House Stout handmaiden every time he left confirmed it.
He was a bit ignorant about all of this, but in the city he was already known as Brendan the Blessed and the moniker spread out with every new policy they implemented.
The 10 schools and Clinic's for small folk that he asked her to open before he left were now up and running.
Each city next to their Inn's, Pleasure houses, Bakeries, markets now had at least one Clinic and few of them in King's Landing.
Going even further she decided to open few Yellow Houses in each city.
Yellow Houses were basically orphanages for abandoned or orphaned children numbering one or more depending on each city's needs.
Lady Dustin decided to give the option to each child or new adult that grew up in them to bring them to the North to serve their House or work in their establishments, fleets or in Essos with her son.
It costed a lot, but with dorms and food at least the kids had a chance. Those of them who agreed to move to Neverwinter would be transported by sea or land under escorts for their protection.
Even she was surprised how many infants get abandoned each day in the Kingdom.
Additional boost was for the people as the House offered new jobs in each part of the Kingdom and monthly food distributions and Clinic service.
The last parts were her son's ideas scaring her when he shouted that "No sparrow will break us!".
Lady Dustin brushed this as one of his bizarre dreams and they could afford it then why not.
Only few months later she saw how simple people living in the towns and cities they implemented this perceived them at the same time increasing the intel about a lot of things that even the Whisperers didn't knew about.
This would solve the manpower issue and not anger any lord as the orphans are the last group the nobles were interested in.
There were 6 normal schools teaching the basics like writing and reading with simple calculations to everyone who wants to attend young or old.
The first Military Academy outside of Neverwinter. The Medical school for future medics and doctors as her son called them. The Artisans school and the Business school.
All of them with dorms for which the House payed. At the beginning Lady Dustin didn't see any reason for doing that, but since they had the empty buildings already standing then why not.
The House did loose some gold because of that, but after inspecting the schools and lessons she was convinced again how gifted her son was.
The banners of Dustin's in each classroom, the teaching material installing more loyalty to their House and them specifically was just brilliant!
Getting back to the letter Barbrey started reading again.
"The visit to Dorne went better than expected, I was unable to meet with Prince Doran, but still managed to complete our delivery. I think you can expect a raven from them soon." she smiled and whispered "My little, stupid boy it already came." she looked at the paper with the sun and spear broken wax seal.
"We are already in the Winter Fort and got our first contract!" Lady Dustin smiled at the clear enthusiasm she felt from her son's written words and silently prayed for his Sworn Shields to keep her boy safe.
"I have big expectation's for this one, unfortunately I can't write anymore about it. I hope you understand...
I really miss you and love you with all my heart mother. I pray you stay safe and healthy.
Your son,
Brendan Dustin."
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