After many days of rest & taking care of state matters Rodrik sat with his closest council—Jaymee, Jayne, and Yobert—in the quiet warmth of the solar. The fire crackled in the hearth, but a cold tension filled the room.
Rodrik spread a map across the table, pointing north of the Wall. " I have a plan to start do trade with the freefolks beyond the wall."
Jaymee leaned forward. "You want to establish a trade hub… beyond the Wall?"
Rodrik nodded. "Food, medicines, knowledge, farming tools—anything that doesn't endanger the North. Nothing that could be used against us."
Yobert reminded Rodrik " That would be mistake most of the good will you get from Vale is because you took care of The mountain tribes but if you start trading with the freefolks all that goodwill will be damaged & what possible thing could you get from trading with freefolks, they have nothing".
Rodrik thought about how to reply to it so that it doesn't sound like foolish " Yes I know they don't have much to trade but my main motive for doing this is not to actually gain anything materialistic from the free folks" He again contemplated on how to say it " I want to bring Giants & Children of Forests from beyond the wall to Vale as I believe they still exist there somewhere"
Everybody froze after hearing Rodrik's answer.
Jeyne laughed first that too very loudly " Brother that was a good joke for a minute I thought you actually believed in these fairy tales".
Yobert & Jaymee toonwanted to laugh & treat it as a joke but they were looking at Rodrik's serious face & knew that he was not joking.
Rodrik paced towards Jeyne " I am not joking".
Jaymee " Rodrik are you alright did something happen? you can tell us ".
Yobert was quitely listening to this as he could try to see it that maybe the seven has shown Rodrik a vision.
Rodrik explained this as easily as possible " Do you think I am kidding, that there is no magic in this world, then what would you call the Targeryen family & their dragons."
That stopped everyone's silent contemplation & they started to hear Rodrik's point " Dragons are the living proof of magic's existence in this world same for Targeryen otherwise how come only there family are different & are able to bond with dragons. Surely their ancestors performed some blood magic. Magic is real & if Dragons are real why can't Giants, Children of forests & Wargs be real?"
Jaymee trying to bring some sense to this topic " Still it's a far reach to take a risk in that logic".
Rodrik " It's not a risk I know they exist, I can't just give you some proof but as your Lord, Friend & family I need you to trust me on this".
Jeyne brow softened. " I believe you brother if you say Giants are real they must be real"
Jaymee & Yobert also believed him. Jaymee still asked " What will trade will them for "
"Anything of worth they offer," Rodrik replied. "Goods, labor, furs anything is fine. Their knowledge could be just as valuable. I want you to lead this, Jaymee."
Jaymee's eyes widened. "Me?"
"Yes," Rodrik said. "You'll use the existing ruins of Hardhome to build a temporary but defendable city. You'll have to earn the Freefolk's trust, coordinate with the Night's Watch to avoid conflict, and survey the Haunted Forest. I want the locations of all major weirwood trees recorded—but stay away from any caves."
"And the giants?" Jaymee asked, hesitantly.
Rodrik said firmly. "Your main objective is to find evidence—locations, signs, anything that can lead us to them. Do not engage. Just record."
Jaymee departed with Vaeron, Nyra, and a contingent of forty men: a mix of guards, engineers, scouts, and builders. Their wagons were heavy with supplies—timber, dried food, medicines, nails, canvas, tools, and parchment.
Their route was a long one, taking them by land through the Riverlands and up the King's Road. The roads grew rougher, the winds sharper, and snow became a constant companion. Camps were set nightly, surrounded by spiked barricades, with Vaeron keeping spirits high through stories and songs. Nyra remained quiet, always watchful, her hand never far from her blade.
After nearly four weeks of travel, the black stones and towering wall of Castle Black loomed into view, an eternal sentinel between known and unknown.
The gates creaked open to receive them, and inside they were met by the stern and weathered Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Ser Mance Whitehill.
"I received Lord Stark's letter," he said without warmth. "That is the only reason you're not being turned away."
"We appreciate your forbearance," Jaymee replied respectfully.
"But understand this," Mance continued, voice sharp as the wind, "The Night's Watch will not protect you beyond the Wall. Whatever happens out there—your people are on their own."
Jaymee nodded. "Understood. We'll take our own risks. But I do ask one thing—lend us an experienced ranger to help choose a location and establish the camp."
The Lord Commander considered him for a moment, then nodded. "You'll have one. Ser Andrik Pyne. He knows the land well."
Under the guidance of Ser Andrik, the party moved east through the haunted frost-laden forest. The ancient woods were a tapestry of shadow and snow. Giant pines creaked under the weight of ice. Vaeron made jokes to lighten the mood, but even he fell silent when distant howls echoed through the woods.
After two weeks of arduous travel, they reached Hardhome—a silent, desolate ruin nestled between mountains and the icy shore.
Jaymee surveyed the crumbling foundations, the blackened remnants of huts and halls. "What happened here?" he asked.
Ser Andrik's face was grave. "Hardhome was once the largest settlement of the Freefolk. Then came the firestorm. No one knows exactly what caused it—some say slavers, others say something far darker. The survivors spoke of screams that shattered bone, of fire falling from the skies. Thousands vanished in one night."
He led Jaymee to a scorched well. "They say the earth cracked open here. That ghosts of the dead still whisper in the wind."
Jaymee stood silent for a long moment. Then he looked to the ruins with new resolve. "Then we'll give it new life."
The winds howled.
And the city began to rise again.