Sixth Month of 277 A.L. Winterfell

Martyn Cassel

The ride back from that inn in the Riverlands had been one of the most awkward and painful rides that Martyn had ever experienced. They had been jesting and laughing about Brandon and his betrothed and all the things that she had supposedly done, and then talk had turned to Barbrey Ryswell and Martyn had sensed that perhaps this was an issue that should not be discussed, after all he alone knew the full story between Brandon and Barbrey and it was not a good one. Of course young Willam Dustin was drunk as was Brandon and so stories were told until it came to finding out who Willam was betrothed to, and when he had said Barbrey, Martyn had seen Brandon's jaw tense. There were feelings there that his young charge had

never quite gotten over, and as such there had been tension between the two young friends for most of the ride back, and in that sense all of Martyn's attempts to bring them back to speaking had been for naught though he knew that their friendship would heal with time.

It made Martyn glad that his own son Jory was young, the lad having just turned twelve some years away from the dramas that could be brought about by girls and other such issues. Though the lad tailed Benjen Stark and Lyanna Stark around like a puppy most of the time, and as such often got into a lot of mischief which made Martyn laugh a lot of the time. As for his nieces, they were all sweet girls, completely surreal considering how gruff Rodrik was, and yet he loved them all and he knew they were doing well with the Starks and as such could not have asked for a better liege lord or family to serve.

The Starks themselves were very much his family as well, Lord Rickard stern and hard was also the respected older brother for Martyn, the man who had taught Martyn all he knew about life and fighting, Martyn was loyal to the bone towards Rickard and House Stark and would never forget the lessons that the man had taught him. As for the man's children, well he saw Brandon as the exasperating nephew that he was, the boy had a good heart though he was wild and carefree and sometimes made Martyn sick with worry over some of the things he did. As for little Lyanna she was fierce and stubborn just like her mother had been and Martyn was very fond of her, as for the other two Stark children Eddard and Benjen, Martyn was fond of them though he knew little about them, Eddard having grown up in the Vale and Benjen being too young.

Right now he was speaking to one of the Starks, the one he respected the most, Lord Rickard. The man had asked Martyn to come to his solar for a debrief on how the trip in the south had gone. The man merely looked at Martyn waiting for him to speak, and after taking a sip of water Martyn spoke. "The trip went well my lord. Lord Brandon conducted himself most appropriately, you would have been very proud of him. Not once did he get carried away with women or drink and he spent a lot of the time we were there in Pink Maiden with his betrothed getting to know her. I do believe he likes her."

Lord Rickard looked at him then replied. "And do you believe he finds her interesting enough to remain away from Barrowtown and the Rills?"

Martyn nodded. "Yes my lord. I do. He told me that he believes her to be very interesting and entertaining. He believes he will not need any other sort of interest from the opposite sex now. He does seem fond of her, he would not stop speaking of her on the way back my lord."

Lord Rickard gave Martyn one of his rare smiles then and said. "That is good, that is very good. I cannot afford to have Brandon saying one thing and then doing another. The Tyrells are too good an ally to do that to. Now does he know about Willam Dustin's betrothal to Barbrey Ryswell?"

Martyn nods. "Lord Willam told Brandon of it himself."

Lord Rickard nods and asks. "And how did Brandon react to this news?"

Martyn takes another sip of water and then says. "He took it well considering what the girl means to him. He was rather silent, and he and Lord Willam did not speak to one another for the rest of the journey back."

"That is not good. I cannot afford to have Barrowtown isolated from us, not now, not now that Bolton has actually wed Bethany Ryswell." Lord Rickard says.

Martyn speaks then quick to reassure his liege. "I do not believe that this rift will last long my lord. After all Willam and Brandon grew up together, they are as close as brothers and as such I do not think they will let something like this come between them. Brandon assured me that his interests now lay with the Tyrell girl and not with Barbrey Ryswell. He knows that Lord Willam had a duty to his house, perhaps sending Brandon out hunting or to deal with the bandits in the Wolfswood would help to cool his anger and allow things to settle down."

Lord Rickard is silent a moment and then he nods. "Aye that would work. Now tell me Martyn what did you make of the Tyrell girl? Will she make a good lady of Winterfell?"

Martyn considers this question a moment and then says. "Aye, I do believe so my lord. She is undoubtedly smart and she knows how to play the game that is needed here in the north. She also knows a lot about the north and its people and is determined to know more. Yes, I do believe she will make a good Lady of Winterfell."

Lord Rickard nods and says. "Good for the marriage has been set for two years time. I will need to make a visit southwards to see that all goes well and to meet with Lady Olenna in time. There was news whilst you were away. Lord Tywin Lannister has asked for Lyanna's hand in marriage for his son Jaime. I would hear your thoughts on the matter."

Martyn is silent a moment and then he says. "I believe that it would be a smart move my lord. Tywin Lannister is the second most powerful man in the realm as hand of the king, and his son will be Lord of the Rock after him. Your blood will sit in the Rock and rule of the richest lands in the kingdom, a finer match you could not make. I believe you should accept the proposal and watch as your influence at court grows."

Lord Rickard nods. "Aye that was what I was thinking, but then the Tyrells have also offered their boy Willas for Lyanna as well. And now the issue remains do I truly want to place my eggs in one basket and give the roses a claim to Winterfell as well?"

Martyn thinks of this a moment and then says. "No my lord you don't. Your bannermen will begin questioning you if you do, but wed Lyanna to Jaime Lannister and some of the wealth of the Rock and the Reach can be used to help supplement the north and with an ear at court we can get the best trading contracts."

Lord Rickard nods and then says. "Aye I shall think on it some more before I make my decision. Thank you for your input though. And now there is one more matter I wish to discuss, my son Eddard turned fourteen sometime ago, he is coming to the age where a betrothal should be made for him. I mean to see him wed to the north, and as such I propose a match between him and your niece Lyra. They shall be given a holdfast that is currently being built on the Stony Shore and Ned shall be Lord of the Stony Shore which shall become a port town in good time."

Martyn is speechless for a moment and then he says. "Thank you very much for this my lord. It is more than I could hope for."

Rickard smiles again and says. "I always reward loyal service Martyn, and you have been nothing if not loyal."