Chapter 72: A wedding
302 AC
Lord Harrion Karstark
He walked to the window and looked across the snow-covered hills. When he looked to the left, he saw people walking around in Wintertown. The scenery was beautiful, almost as good as Karhold's.
He had arrived at Winterfell a few days ago. Since then, he had spent his days with his siblings. It was good to see his sister again and Eddara was a joy to be around. He had spent many hours playing with his little niece. Yesterday, him and his siblings had spent a whole afternoon with just the three of them and Eddara. They had told her stories about Karhold and he had gifted her a dress in the Karstark colors. She had loved it, joyously screaming about the sun and wolf that were embroidered upon it.
He would never admit it, but it had given him a lot of food for thought. He longed to have his own family now and he knew he was obliged to his house to start one soon anyway. Aly had looked at him yesterday as if she understood, but she had said nothing. Even so, it had taken away all his trepidation for marriage. That evening, after he had helped with putting Eddara to bed, he had sat down with the Greatjon and had finalized his own betrothal to the man's only surviving daughter.
It was the best marriage he could have arranged for himself, as the Umbers were strong and had gotten even stronger since the war. Their main lands had been enlarged with lands of the New Gift, whilst the Greatjon's younger brother got the former capital's lands. Great allies to have both north and south of the Neck.
He had known Serena Umber for years through the dealings their parents had as well as his friendship with Smalljon. She was tall, had brown hair and was surprisingly elegant for an Umber, both whilst dancing or training with her knife. He didn't love her, but most noble couples didn't love each other at the start. Nevertheless, they were friends of some sort. Even if love wasn't on the cards, she had the potential to be a good Lady of Karhold and mother to his children. He couldn't ask for much more.
Her dowry had also been excellent. He had gotten the promise of five thousand golden dragons up front, mutual investments on the road system between Last Hearth and Karhold, minor trade concessions and the Greatjon had gotten the permission of his younger brother to promise him a reserved docking place in the new harbor along the Blackwater during spring, summer and autumn.
One of his ideas had been to spent parts of the coin he had won in war on a few trading cogs of his own. He didn't have the funds or infrastructure to start a whole trading fleet, but just two or three cogs that would trade further than simply going up and down to White Harbor could be an interesting stream of revenue. He wanted one to trade directly with Braavos and Lorath and another to trade with the Vale and Blackwater Bay. Selling small parts of their lumber without any middlemen would bring House Karstark some extra coin. More importantly, it would help them to gain trade contacts for future endeavors.
He hadn't been the only one that had been thinking about betrothals or marriages after the war, heck that was the reason he was in Winterfell in the first place. Not a day had gone by since his arrival here without some nobles announcing their betrothals. Some had even married already.
Dacey Mormont had married Owen Norrey in a small ceremony before coming here, something most of their friends had been expecting. It was a matrilineal marriage, meaning their children would be Mormonts and stand to inherit Bear Island in time.
Roose Ryswell had been awarded with some of the remaining lands in the New Gift by Robb and had moved quickly. He had already married a daughter of the Wull clan, the most powerful Northern Mountain Clan. He looked with interest at the developments in these lands and would continue to follow them closely.
The Tallhart succession had successfully been dealt with. Robb had given Torrhen's Square to the late Ser Helman's brother Leobald instead of his daughter Eddara. He needed a strong hand to rule the land and help its population heal the scars that the Ironborn had left. However, to smoothen things over in the long run, Eddara was betrothed to Leobald's eldest son Brandon. By way of their children, Helman's line would be restored to the rule of the Tallhart lands soon.
Dozens of smaller marriages and betrothals were had between smaller families or side branches of the main ones. The most interesting one to him was the marriage of his cousin Osric to Jeyne Poole. Jeyne was apparently the heiress of a small masterly house sworn to Winterfell. Nevertheless, they had become quite wealthy as Jeyne's late father had served as their steward for two decades. Osric had fallen in love with the girl and had even promised that their children would take on the Poole name to continue the family. This was a thing he approved of, as he didn't want distant Karstarks running around the North where he couldn't influence or control them.
None had made more or better deals than the Umbers though. Aside from his betrothal to Serena, many others had gotten betrothed. Smalljon had gotten ahold of Lyra Mormont. An interesting marriage now that rumors circulated that her older sister Alysane would receive lands on the Stony Shore.
His younger brother Harmond had made an even better marriage. It had come as a shock to many when it had been announced a few nights ago that he had been betrothed to Wynafryd Manderly. The future heiress of White Harbor was a highly coveted bride for many men in the North.
By marrying her, the two Umber brothers would control Last Hearth and White Harbor in time, whilst their sister ruled with him in Karhold. He had welcomed the marriage, as it meant that his future children would be cousins to the Manderlys in time. Some of the conditions of the marriage had been that Harmond was placed after his youngest brother in the succession and that his children would be named after his wife's house. A small price to pay for a second son when it meant ruling over the richest city in the kingdom in time.
He wondered if Harmond Umber could begin to reverse some of the Andal influence in the southwest of the North, oh how his father would have loved to have seen that.
The Umbers hadn't even stopped there. The Greatjon had betrothed the two sisters of his late brother Osric as well. The youngest, Berena, was to marry Larence Hornwood, formerly Snow and new heir to his father's lands, whilst her older sister Arra was betrothed to the heir of House Rykker to help Rodrik Umber's influence in the South. Rodrik himself had already married a daughter of House Paege before coming north. In a few months, the Umbers had constructed a web of alliances stretching across Last Hearth, Karhold, Bear Island, the Stony Shore, Hornwood, White Harbor, Fairmarket, King's Landing and Duskendale.
Many hushed conversations had been had about it by other prominent families and countermoves were being made, but he felt good about it. His children would benefit from the network as well and his relations with his Umber neighbors were better than his father could have ever dreamed off.
That left only the most prominent marriage of the decade, the one they were all here attending. He straightened out his black doublet and looked into the mirror upon the two white suns embroidered upon his shoulders. He picked up his big fur coat and put it on. After taking a deep breath, he walked out of his room.
He followed the stream of visitors towards the Godswood and soon he was standing under snow-covered trees. He looked upon the torches that were positioned throughout the clearing and the banners that hung from branches.
In front of the Heart Tree, the groom stood. His face like ice, not betraying any emotion. This marriage had been another reason for the Greatjon's haste in making marriage alliances. Even though both his sons had tried to convince him that the groom was no threat, the Greatjon had said that it was better to be needlessly prepared against him than it being the other way around.
He looked upon the pale pink cloak the man carried around his shoulders. It was beautifully lined with red wool and the flayed man of House Bolton had been stitched intimidatingly across the whole of the cloak. His relations with the Boltons were good, but it never hurt to build in some safety against the rising Bolton influence. As such, an alliance between the Umbers, Mormonts, Karstarks, Hornwoods and Manderlys had come to pass. Prematurely crushing any hopes Domeric might have had of trying anything in the future.
He hated that he needed to think like that about his friends, but it was his job to look out for the future of House Karstark. He looked upon his sister and niece standing closest to the Weirwood. To protect his family, the North would have to be stable. No one could jeopardize their safety, not even his friends.
Sounds were heard from behind him and he turned around. Robb walked in with Sansa on his arm. She looked beautifully. She wore a white and grey dress. Fur and wool were lined in intricate patterns of wolves to protect her from the cold, whilst still giving an elegance rarely seen north of the Neck. Her red hair shone brighter than ever, accentuated by the small copper crown that rested upon her head. Her face looked regal, but her eyes shone with merriment once she looked upon Domeric's presence.
He had half-heartedly tried to vie for her attention himself, but she had never had an eye for him. On top of that, Robb had made it clear that a second marriage between any of his siblings and House Karstark was out of the question, as he needed to balance the influence between his vassals and marriages were an important part of that. Seeing her like this made him feel that that had been the right choice.
Then the ceremony started in earnest. "Who comes before the Old Gods?" Lady Barbrey Dustin asked as she stood up. She was the closest family Domeric had and he had asked her to do the honors.
"Princess Sansa, of House Stark, a woman grown, trueborn and noble. She comes to beg the blessings of the Gods. Who comes to claim her?" Robb replied regally.
"Domeric, of House Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort and head of my house. Who gives her?"
"I, Robb Stark, King of the North and the Riverlands. Her elder brother." His brother-in-law responded loudly.
Lady Barbey continued after this. "Princess Sansa, do you take this man as your husband before the Gods?"
"I take this man." Sansa said clearly, joy audible in her voice.
After this, both walked forward towards the Weirwood Tree and Robb gave Domeric Sansa's hand. They knelt before the weirwood and he and almost all the nobles followed them in their prayer.
He prayed for the safety of his family and house. He asked the gods to bless him with numerous healthy children and to let him find some sort of joy of his own with Serena. Lastly, he requested them to keep Domeric's intensions with this union pure for the sake of Alys and her family.
After a short while, Domeric stood up and removed Sansa's maiden cloak and replaced it with the Bolton one he pulled from his shoulders. Dom had told him that his aunt had made it for him, a thing which apparently meant a great deal to him. They had chosen not to use the one Roose had cloaked his mother with, as their marriage had been entirely unhappy.
The signs for the marriage seemed good enough. His father had always told him that it was a bad omen to have it snow during a wedding, yet no snow had fallen since last night and the skies were clear.
The newly wedded couple walked out of the woods, with over a hundred nobles trailing behind them. Once at the edge of the forest, Domeric scooped his bride up and carried her inside towards the hall. A tradition which caused some of the nobles to cheer.
Not much later, the wedding feast was in full swing. He was positioned on the first table below the high one together with the Ryswells as the extended families of the Starks and Boltons. Lady Dustin was up on the dais with Domeric and seemed to in deep conversation with Robb.
He himself talked for a long time with all of the Ryswells. With Lord Rodrik he talked about the effects the Ironborn incursions had had on their lands and the future of the region with the King's plans for more trade along the Sunset Sea.
His heir Roger told him about his marriage to the sister of Lord Timotty Flint of Flint's Finger. An interesting union, as the Flints had been good friends of the Umbers for decades. The Flints and Ryswells could benefit from each other with Robb's new trade ideas and it could also indirectly put them more in the middle of the bed between his own alliance and the Bolton one.
Roose Ryswell told him about his visit to his new lands and his blossoming relations with some of the Mountain Clans and the Night's Watch. His young wife told him about her family and life amongst the clan folk.
After the opening dance, people started mingling more in between the tables. He himself danced with his betrothed and Osric's wife Jeyne. He danced with the bride once too, before Domeric claimed her once more. He looked around and saw Robb dancing with Aly, whilst his younger sister Arya seemed to be dancing with Cley Cerwyn.
He had never been much of a dancer, so after a short while he sat down with the Manderlys, Umbers and Hornwoods at a table whilst his betrothed danced on. Once more his allies discussed the implications of this marriage, as well as those of their own. After a while, Jon came down from the high table and sat with them. He was immediately invited to the Manderly wedding in two months' time from now and he gladly accepted.
All the nobles at the table would accompany Lord Wyman to White Harbor and be hosted there until the wedding. Afterwards, they would all join the Umbers at Last Hearth for the double ceremony of him and Serena and Smalljon with Lyra Mormont. The travel distances during winter were crazy, but for their families it had to be done.
Robb had promised to join them in Last Hearth for the ceremony, as he was planning to travel on to see the Wall afterwards. He wouldn't be able to go to White Harbor as well, as he needed to rule the kingdoms in the meantime, but Jon would take Bran as official representative of the Starks.
"How do you feel about your new title Jon?" Lord Wyman asked the official new Lord of Sea Dragon Point.
Jon grinned from ear to ear. "It feels wonderful, my lord. I haven't had the possibility to visit the lands myself, but after all the weddings I will be heading that way. In the meantime, I have already sent a few dozen laborers and craftsmen that way. I have looked upon the maps for dozens of hours and have identified three possible spots to build a keep on. I have been looking at places with a natural harbor, as Robb wants me to establish a small trading town in future years. I have sent loyal people ahead of me to scout out these lands and clear them for building projects."
"All three of them at once?" Lord Wyman responded, whilst raising his eyebrow.
"Aye, all three at once. They are spread out over the territory and the other two would be good places for me to raise small vassals with their own tower and fishing villages in the future. It would help to control the lands and repel future invaders."
"You plan to raise vassals on the lands?" Lord Halys Hornwood asked with interest.
"Aye, as well as grow the population. The area can sustain a lot more people than are currently living there. I have already spent parts of the wealth I accumulated in the war to send food towards the area. Those craftsmen that are already there will help to build shelters. This will help endear me to the population and the men I have send it with will start maintaining order there and get the minor nobles in the area to fall in line." He responded.
He listened closely to the exchange. The development of the western coast was of much interest to all around this table, as it could shift the balance of power in the North away from them.
"Who leads that mission?" Ser Wylis Manderly asked.
"Torrghen Flint, I befriended him during the war. Afterwards, during the campaigns at the Wall, he became a trusty companion of mine."
"Late Flint's youngest boy?" The Greatjon boomed, as he took a sip from his mug of ale. Jon nodded in affirmation. "Good lad that, Robett Glover praised him for his conduct whilst taking the Twins. His father talked about him often as well and was glad he got some recognition later in the war. The Gods rest his soul."
"Aye, he is. I have sent him to the area with a hundred men my brother has lent me. I am planning on giving him lands in one of the two other spots." Jon replied.
"Good idea, any idea about the others you'll raise?" He asked his friend.
"I am looking at a few Winterfell men, some Clansmen too. Nothing has been decided yet."
"How will you populate the area?" Smalljon asked.
"In short, by importing Northerners from all over. Farmers from Stark and Cerwyn lands for the fertile pastures, Clansmen from the mountains and Wolfwood to populate the hills and woodlands and fishermen from the Bite and the White Knife to settle the coastlines. Those will mingle with the local population and others." Jon explained.
"Others? You mean the Wildling scum you captured." Greatjon scoffed.
"Partially yes, but those will remain a small minority and mostly consist of women and children."
"Partially?" Ser Wyllis asked.
"Aye, we also have some of the women and small children we saved from the Ironborn, as well as the orphans brought from the South. Parts of them will be settled in the lands as well. Special care will be taken to spread them out and have them all intermarry. In two or three generations they will be as Northern as can be. You have to remember that the local population will still outnumber any migrants three to one and the majority of those migrants will be loyal Northerners too."
He looked upon his friend in thought. "If you think it can be done, I believe you." He responded. This shocked the Umbers, whilst the Manderlys and Hornwoods looked at him in thought.
"You mentioned fishermen from the White Knife and the Bite? You intend to encourage people from my lands to move as well?" Lord Wyman asked.
"I wanted to have a conversation with you about that. However, it would need to be private." Jon replied, peeking everyone's interest.
"Very well, Wyllis and I will come by your rooms tomorrow in the afternoon. We can discuss whatever you want then." Lord Wyman responded, a twinkle in his eye betraying that this talk would be about more than just a few hundred fishermen.
"Back to the Wildlings Jon. What happened at the Wall and how come you brought them south of it? I have only gotten vague reports." Lord Halys asked.
"Well, once we got there, I had to spend a lot of time organizing the army present, especially the Skagosi." All men looked upon the table close to the wall where some twenty men were loudly shouting and drinking. They dressed weirdly and kept to themselves, but them all being here in Winterfell for the first time in over a century was curious enough.
"Once I had done that, I needed to help with the Night's Watch and we had to repel two probing attacks on different stretches of the Wall. The second time I got an idea. Whilst some forces held them off in the west, I brought all our cavalry around to the east. We rode around in the Haunted Forest for days, but upon the set date we reached their army. They were unorganized and quickly routed between our riders from the east and north and the foot coming through the Wall from the southside."
"Whatever some people may say, I am no Wildling lover." Jon said, looking intently at the Greatjon. "We chased their scattered forces for days with the help of the Night's Watch. Ten thousand of them died in the battle or the slaughters of the following days. Twenty thousand more were scattered to the winds with no food or shelter in the midst of winter. Many of them will never see summer again."
"On the fifth night, three Wildling chiefs snuck into my camp. Ghost caught them long before they reached my tent, but they hadn't come to kill me. Their leader told me he had come to swear allegiance to the Wolf King and to ask for safe harbor for his people. They had been ousted out of the army because of internal squabbles after the arrival of the Skagosi and the failure of their former chief, his uncle, to keep control of the Wall."
"The three clans they spoke for, some fifteen hundred people, asked for passage. They were mostly women and children, less than two hundred males of fighting age remained. They were exhausted, malnourished and no threat. To my complete surprise the clan leaders kneeled down to swear their allegiance to me. They repeated it afterwards in front of a heart three and swore oaths to Robb too. All their people bowed too. Veteran men from the Night's Watch told me they had never seen or heard of the likes before."
"So, yes, I brought them south, but only them. All other captives were executed and scattered. We hunted them for aboutc a hundred miles north of the Wall. I made sure that the Wildlings wouldn't have any strength left to harass our lands and strengthened the Night's Watch. I did my duty to the North. I simply chose to help a small portion of those willing to submit. I will personally stand for them. Their clan leaders and elders have already personally sworn their oaths to Robb and they have all promised to have their children raised in my court and I am authorized to organize their future marriages. The unmarried men and women will marry into the local population in a great organized wedding, the children will have to do the same in a few years. The whole group will assimilate in the population in no time."
"They knelt in front of a Weirwood?" Harmond Umber asked. "Aye", Jon replied.
"That means something, even to those pesky raiders. I caught some of them a year before the war. We hunted them until we came to a small Weirwood grove on the edge of our lands. They had taken shelter there. They had destroyed fields, farmsteads and villages, but the grove was left intact. The Gods are the only thing they care about." Harmond explained.
"Bah, what if they turn to raiding and kidnapping again once spring arrives?" The Greatjon spat.
"Then I will personally execute each one that was involved." Jon responded grimly. This seemed to at least silence the Lord of Last Hearth. "As it stands now, it diminishes the enemy's numbers even more whilst increasing my own. The Wildlings are outnumbered by the locals thirty to one and thousands of Northerners will still move into my lands the coming years. They will all be assimilated before my life is over."
This placated most present at the table, so they talked about other things. As the night went on, he spent some time with the Mormonts and afterwards with the young Lord Timotty Flint. He participated in a drinking contest with those Riverlords who had made the journey north. Lord Blackwood passed out under the table, his brother Lord Lucas Goodwood left the hall in a drunken state with one of the female servants and Patrek Mallister and Ser Hugo Vance were seen emptying their bowels in the snow outside. He himself passed out at one point, after the Umber brothers joined in on the game.
When he woke up with his head on the table, the bedding had already passed, and the hall was half empty. Robb still sat at the dais and was talking to Lord Wyman Manderly, but Aly and Torr seemed to have left. He stood up and said his goodbyes to the friends in his vicinity and walked out. It was time for him to go to bed.
(Two days later)
Robb
He had more meetings planned with some of his lords this afternoon. He hadn't done much else this past week. However, he liked talking to his vassals. It gave him a much better understanding of his lands than those daily stacks of letters ever could.
Yesterday evening, once everybody had recuperated from the wedding, he had had a talk with the Blackwood brothers about their views for the Riverlands. They seemed happy with his rule and had made suggestions for future infrastructure plans and integration projects.
He in turn had helped them by giving them possible ideas on how to threat their Seven believing neighbors, and in Lucas' case his Seven believing minor vassals.
This morning, he had a very interesting talk with Alysane Mormont and her paramour Artos. First, her mother had joined them, but afterwards they had talked alone. Twenty minutes in, he had already decided they would be perfect to rule the lands of the Stony Shore. When he had told them as much, they had been overjoyed.
Together, they would create a new house name, sigil and words. Artos would take those as his when he ennobled him, before they left for Bear Island. There, they would wed in a normal wedding before her mother's people. Together they would carry the name of this new house and set sail for the Stony Shore.
He had given them his permission to start on the groundwork to build a wooden keep there. In the meantime, they would need to entice people from Bear Island and the Northern Mountain Clans to move south towards their new lands. They would need to think about enlarging the population, raising minor nobles and winning the loyalty of the local people and minor nobles.
Once it had become clear to both that he would legitimize their two children, they had been overjoyed. Artos himself had sworn his loyalty to him about a dozen times during the conversation. He had advised them to betroth their nine-year-old daughter to one of the strongest local houses, whilst finding a younger daughter or cousin from a large noble house to help establishing their new house among their peers.
Now, he had two important talks ahead of him. First with Lord Manderly and afterwards with Lady Dustin. He searched in his desk for some of the papers that could help him during the conversation and by the time he had found them Lord Wyman had arrived.
He was let in by one of his guards and took his seat after being offered a glass of Arbor Gold. The fat lord of White Harbor looked to be in an especially good mood. He had a sneaking suspicion for the reason behind that.
"Good afternoon, Your Grace. I once mentioned the idea of creating our own coinage to get rid of some more of the Targaryen legacy in our lands. I think now would be a great way to start with this. The lands are at peace and during winter a lot less trading happens. By the time the traffic picks up again in spring, we could have tens of thousands of coins ready for circulation."
He looked upon one of his older and most powerful vassals. He knew that by agreeing to it, he would further grow House Manderly's influence. They would become the only mint in his kingdom and would be the first to use the new coinage. Nevertheless, it was a very good idea.
He kept his face neutral, whilst responding. "I suspect that you have some ideas yourself?"
"Aye, Your Grace, I do. Personally, I would keep the gold values of the old system in place. They can always be replaced in the future, but for now keeping them would help trade both with the rest of Westeros and the Free Cities. The old values are well-known and are a trusted variable when trading."
He nodded in agreement. The North was the richest it had ever been now, no need to devalue their currency.
"For the designs, I worked out some ideas." He pulled out a few coins from his pocket. The first one was a gold coin, on it was a running direwolf. "This one would replace the golden dragons. It would clearly establish House Stark's legitimacy. It would also help your reign personally." The Lord of White Harbor explained, as he turned the coin around.
When he looked upon the other side of the coin, he saw himself. A delicate design showed his face looking directly at the user. His beard was cropped neatly, and his bronze and iron crown adorned his head. Above his picture, his name was engraved in a simple yet elegant hand.
He picked it up and turned it around in the palm of his hand. "It's beautiful." He mumbled to himself. Lord Wyman grinned proudly. "I am glad you like it, Your Grace. House Manderly and I wish only the best for your reign. We propose to rework your personal design every decade, to keep up with your changing appearance. Special coins can also be minted for the birth of your heir. However, this one will set the precedent of all those to follow, for you and your descendants."
He thought those ideas over and nodded approvingly. "This will do nicely, Lord Wyman. You have my thanks. What else do you have there?" He replied, as he looked upon the other coins he had pulled out of his pocket.
"It was more difficult to find designs for the silver and copper coins. I made multiple models for you to choose from. First off, we have the silver coins." He spoke, as he showed him three silver coins.
The first one had the same likeness of his face, whilst his name was engraved in the same way. On the other side, instead of a running direwolf, a trout was engraved. "This is to signify the importance of the Riverlands and your overlordship over them and House Tully."
The next silver coin had the same trout design, but instead of simply him it showed a portrait of him and Alys together. "This could be a way to celebrate your union together, Your Grace." Lord Wyman pointed out, before giving him a third coin. This one showed a split sigil of a direwolf and trout on one side and a map of the kingdom on the other.
He looked upon all three of them. He discarded the last one. Borders would probably change from time to time during his descendants' reign. Having them fixed on coins in everyday use could pose problems for them. Besides, having the Tully trout on equal terms as the Stark direwolf was asking for disaster. "I think the first design is best." He summarized, after a short while. "However, keep the idea of the portrait of Alys and I. It would be a good idea to celebrate certain wedding anniversaries."
"Certainly, Your Grace. Lastly, we have the more difficult ones, the copper coins. For now, I have only made designs for the Stars. Groats, halfgroats, pennies and halfpennies will have to be for later. They would also be much more difficult to get out of circulation in the short term." His warden of the White Knife explained to him, as he presented him with a few copper stars.
The first had the same design it had always had of the Seven-Pointed-Star on one side, with a carved weirwood on the other. It bore a regal and majestic face, as if daring anyone to challenge its existence on the coin. Another one simply bore the weirwood tree with on the other side a picture of his face in profile. In the next one, the weirwood tree and Seven-Pointed-Star were morphed together with the same image of him on the other side. Lastly, there was simply the original Seven-Pointed-Star with his image in profile and name on the other side.
He looked upon the designs and wasn't sure what to choose. The design without the Seven-Pointed-Star would anger most of his subjects in the Riverlands. Keeping the original, whilst simply changing Robert Baratheon's face for his would annoy most of the Northerners. He didn't know what to pick exactly.
"Can I keep these? I am in the process of appointing my council and I would like to ask them all for their input on this subject. However, you can start producing the gold and silver designs. How soon can you start?"
"Immediately, Your Grace. I have prepared for this day and the Old Mint is in perfect condition to start producing." His vassal smiled wildly.
"Very well, please do so. However, in time things will need to be looked at by the council. Normally it was the master of coin who decided upon the minting of coins, exchange rates and the appointments of the officers of the mints. This will remain in the hands of a council official in the future. You can start production now, but it is not your authority to oversee things or promote overseers. The Old Mint in White Harbor will remain active, with all the known advantages for your lands, but authority is mine and my appointed council alone." He pointed out to Lord Wyman.
The Lord of White Harbor's face didn't change. "Of course, Your Grace, we simply serve at your leisure. Have you had thought about any more of the appointments on your council?"
He stroked his beard before thinking about answering. The composition of his council had been something that he had been considering for a long time, although he hadn't made many of them official yet. Jon had been officially made his Hand of the King, whilst uncle Brynden had been made Commander of the Kingsguard. He knew that most of his vassals were trying to work towards a position during these festive weeks, but he hadn't announced anything yet. However, now was as good a time as any.
"As a matter of fact, I have. Although I have a little bit of a conundrum for you. First off, I thought you would be the perfect choice to be my first master of ships. However, I know that you also have a great spy network at your disposal and would serve adequately as master of whisperers. Nevertheless, it is impossible to have you serve as both. What are your thoughts about that?"
His gamble had paid off, as he saw how he took Lord Manderly entirely by surprise. The older man was silent for a while, before answering. "I would be honored to serve on your council, Your Grace. I am willing to help you set up a spy network and using my connections to help you in these endeavors, but I think my and my family's expertise remains with the fleet. I think I could best serve you in the position of master of ships."
With difficulty, he kept his face neutral. This was the answer he had hoped for. No one would dare to contest that Lord Manderly was the ideal candidate for the position, but this way he would be able to use his extensive intelligence network too.
"That sounds perfect, Lord Wyman. I will be announcing most of my new council at the dinner feast in three days. I ask you to keep this quiet until then." He replied.
"Of course, Your Grace. Could you already shine a light on who my colleagues might be?"
"Jon will remain my hand, whilst my uncle Brynden will have a seat as Lord Commander. Osric Karstark will be made master of the treasury, an office that will replace the master of coin. Maester Luwin will also take a seat at the council. I am still looking into a master of whisperers, a master of law and I am planning to instigate some other offices as well. More on that will become clear at our first meeting. On top of that, other nobles from across the kingdom will serve as advisors too."
Lord Wyman nodded in thought. "Thank you for the information, Your Grace. I look forward to it."
"Now, on the topic of Jon. I have heard that he has had a talk with you and Wylis yesterday?" He asked with a small smile on his face. He already knew what had been talked about there, as Jon had come to him straight afterwards, but he wanted to hear it from Manderly himself.
The lord smiled lightly. "Aye, he did. It was a very … fruitful discussion, Your Gace."
"Is that so?" He simply replied, not able to hold his own smile in.
"Quite." Lord Wyman smiled. "However, I believe that you already know as much. I am happy with the outcome. The negotiations were very beneficial for both sides. Jon is a good man and has a bright future and Wylla will be happy with him. It is the best for her and our house."
He smiled at that. Jon had fostered with Lord Wyman's late son Ser Wendel. He had gotten to know the know the late knight's niece well. Both from their time there and their shared time in Winterfell for when she fostered here. Where he had first simply been a bastard, now he was a lord in his own right and Hand of the King on top of that. A marriage with him would vastly increase the Manderly influence in Winterfell the next few decades, whilst it would legitimize Jon's new house with a marriage to one of the strongest in the North.
It also had another function. He had noticed the growing alliance centered around the Umbers. The Karstarks were already directly connected to him, thereby overlapping both alliances. With Jon's marriage, the same could be said for the Manderlys now. This ensured the integration of the Umber alliance in his web of stability, instead of it being a hinderance to it.
"What about the deal with the population transfer?" He asked.
"I agreed to send up to two thousand people his way. The vast majority will be either fishermen from the White Knife and the Bite or sailors and rowers on ships. I will take a look if I can spare some small shipbuilders. That way, he can start establishing and manning a small fishing fleet spread out across his lands. His other demands will make this more challenging, but I'll see what I can do."
"The other demands meaning the religious considerations?"
"Aye, those yes. I don't fully agree with it, but I understand where he's coming from. Mixing Wildlings, people held hostage by Ironborn for a decade, clansmen and other Northerners in a very spread out local population won't be easy as it is. Mixing religious differences into that would make things harder. However, refusing any Seven believers in his lands seems quite harsh."
He nodded silently. "However, unlike what most of the people think I still have more Old Gods believers in my lands than Seven believers. My ancestors only left the Reach with some fifteen hundred people when they came to the North. For over a thousand years we have intermingled with the sons and daughters of the First Men. Our blood is as much theirs as can be said the rest of the North, even if that isn't always the case with our customs."
"I know that, and you will never hear anything different from my mouth." He replied. Manderly looked pleased with the answer.
"However, I don't know the specific distribution of both groups. Could you help enlighten me on that?" He asked his vassal.
"Some eighty percent of the thirty thousand inhabitants of White Harbor believe in the Seven. The other twenty percent are mostly sailors and fishermen or their descendants that have come to the city in the last five to ten generations or so. Most families integrate and intermarry if they stay longer than that, although there are some old exceptions." He started explaining.
"In my lands around the city things are very different. The closer to the city, the more Seven believers. The closest farmsteads, hamlets and villages are predominantly Andal in custom and belief, although even there it is less than in the city center. The further you go from our seat the more the influence of the Seven lessens. Whilst smaller towns and larger villages often have some presence, most hamlets or fishing villages thirty miles from White Harbor have none. I have well over two hundred thousand people in all my lands together, maybe close to two hundred and fifty thousand. Of those, I don't think more than sixty thousand believe in the Seven. Both religions are much less zealous, as they come into contact and even intermarry with each other often."
He listened attentively and made mental notes on the information. "So, it wouldn't be too much of a problem to find people for him?"
"I will certainly find a few hundred fishermen willing to join on the edges of my lands. Those will be almost certainly believers of the Old Gods. Sailors and especially shipbuilders will be more difficult to find, but I'll do what I can. I told Jon as much. If he were to need farmers or miners, I could help him with that more easily."
"Miners?" He asked.
"Aye, we have some silver mines on the fringes of our territory. If anything worth of value is found on Sea Dragon Point in the next two or three decades or so, we could help Jon with the start of some basic excavations and the training of a workforce for the mines."
"That's very generous of you, Lord Wyman. I thank you for it." He responded honestly.
"Well, Jon will be my family too soon. That's what family does, they help each other when they can." His eyes glinted and it was clear that he would ask something back from Jon if it was in his power.
Still, it could be a massive boon. First, Jon would need to focus on setting up a fishing and farming population to help feed his growing population and invest in infrastructure and trade. However, once that had been done, some natural resources would come in handy for both his house and local trade in the area. The region hadn't been thoroughly studied in a millennium. Maybe finding something, however small, wouldn't be out of the order.
"Would your offer of miners also extend to other houses in the North? It could better the future of the North significantly." He asked.
"Ah that is different, Your Grace. You have to acknowledge that I would be disadvantaging my own house then. Unless you talk about silver deposits close to the White Knife or the Narrow sea, it wouldn't profit our silversmiths and just make others richer." His vassal explained diplomatically.
"Of course, I was just asking. I have no knowledge of other deposits at this moment anyway, so it is a moot point. I think this was everything I had to talk about for the moment. We will talk in a few days in your new position of master of ships. If you could prepare everything you know about our naval position, you would have my thanks." He finalized the conversation.
"Our position in White Harbor, the North or the entire kingdom?" His master of ships asked.
"Everything you can get me." He smiled and the man nodded. He bowed slightly, not an easy feat with so large a belly, and left his solar.
He then spent the next half an hour organizing his documents and preparing himself for the next meeting. When Lady Dustin arrived, she took a seat even before he could offer it to her. Her eyes pierced into his. He knew she wasn't excited about the discussion they were about to have, but it was nonetheless necessary.
He looked up at her and found no reason to beat around the bush. "The Dustin succession", he voiced aloud.
She scoffed. "You want me gone that's about it."
"No, it's not. On the contrary, whatever we discuss here today I plan to allow you to retain the Barrowlands until your dead." He countered.
This got her attention. "Truly? I thought you meant to install some Dustin cousin to get rid of me and my influence."
"No, not at all. I want to prevent unrest breaking out when you die. There are five distant branches of House Dustin alive, some with multiple claimants. If you should die without appointing an heir, most of them will try to claim the seat at Barrow Hall. They all have connections to the local nobility and funds of their own. There would be fighting in the streets of Barrowton and on the Barrows outside of it." He explained, pausing for effect.
"At the same time, neighboring houses like the Tallharts, Cerwyns or your brother's family will try to assert their influence. The result would be chaos and the people of the Barrowlands will suffer, whilst trade and agricultural production in the region will diminish. This will in turn hurt the rest of the North. I cannot let that happen, nor do I think you would wish it upon your people." He continued, and he honestly meant his reply.
"You are right about that. I do not." She agreed. "What do you propose?"
"Well, of the five Dustin branches, there are only three somewhat legitimate candidates. The others are too far in the line of succession to reasonably consider. If you simply look at their descent, the obvious candidate is Benjicot Dustin." He started.
Lady Barbrey was deep in thought. "He was one of my infantry captains during the war. Benji just married into one of the local houses a few months back. His father tried to claim my position once. There has always been a strained relation with his house since."
He nodded. "However, he is alone now. His brother and cousin died in the war and he has no children as of yet. The second in the line of succession is Roderick Dustin. He has two sons of his own, ensuring the continuation of his claim. Aside from his male line Dustin descent, he is of implacable lineage on his mother side. This includes Houses Stark, Karstark and Flint with other relations to Houses Slate and Stout."
"One of Domeric's cavalry captains, my nephew spoke highly of him. I looked into him after the war. He also has relations with small local nobles like the Greybarrows and the Hornblowers. He owns several businesses in Barrow Hall and is the owner and employer of several trade carts and wandering traders in Dustin, Ryswell, Tallhart and Flint lands."
He nodded once again, glad that she had also done her homework. "Both of those were fourth cousins. There is another fifth cousin named …"
"Beron, yes I know him. He has been one of my trusted advisors for over a decade. However, he is old. Twenty years my senior. Appointing him as my heir would only serve to get his son or even grandson on the throne. Sadly, they are made of inferior stock than their father. It probably has something to do with the wife the man chose all those years ago. She was a complete pest to deal with. They are much the same."
He smiled at that. "Aside from that there is also one line of bastard descent. Their leader was only a third cousin to the late Lord William, so he could claim closeness in blood."
"Mark Twoaxe? No, I will not have it. That man is a complete menace to everything and everyone around him. I will not have it." She replied decisively.
"As you say, he is off the table then. That leaves us with three candidates. I have a proposal for you who to choose." He started to explain his plan. Lady Barbrey simply cocked her eyebrow, signaling him to continue.
"I have gotten to know Roderick Dustin during the campaign in the South, on the recommendation of Domeric actually. He is loyal, capable and he is a distant relation to me. However, he also gives other possibilities. He has two underaged sons. Both could be raised in your court. You could bestow honors upon them and mold them into capable rulers of the Barrowlands, whilst appointing their father as your heir. Chance is Roderick will never rule in his own right, but that his son will succeed him. Roderick is also deeply rooted in the local trade network, as you said. It would be hugely beneficial for my plans if he came to prominence."
"I talked to him multiple times since the war. He actually accompanied me here, something about trade with Wintertown. He seems reasonable enough. Hypothetically, how would the arrangement look in your eyes?" She asked him.
"I know he's here. I personally arranged for a trade opportunity that he couldn't afford to miss so he would be close by." He smirked. This took Lady Barbrey by surprise and he saw how she looked at him differently.
"If that's true, you have more cunning in you than your father ever had." She surmised.
"My father thought me most I know of ruling, family and warfare, but I did have other teachers as well." He simply replied, which she seemed to accept.
"If he accepts, his sons would be sent to Barrow Hall to be thought under you. You would bestow honors upon them and Roderick himself and proclaim his line your heirs for all your vassals to hear. You will assign him and some of his companions to offices within the Barrowlands, whilst you retain complete control of the decision-making and ruling. They would simply serve in certain roles or as advisors. I would also propose you give him access to a small budget. That way he can buy himself some better armor and clothing to suit his position. He could also buy the loyalty of certain people that are necessary for the transition in a few decades."
"That could work. However, how would you deal with the other claimants?"
"On that topic I would count on your expertise. You know these men far better than I ever could." He put the ball in her court. She took her time to answer but seemed to appreciate this.
"Beron and his brood can be bought off with gifts and offices, I think. Beron never tried to exert himself as a possible heir to House Dustin, neither did he instill this to his sons or grandsons. The other more distant branches could be too, if necessary. Benjicot and Twoaxe will be serious problems. Benjicot will never let it stand that someone with a weaker claim than his rises in power instead of him. Mark Twoaxe and his brood are only one level above brigands. They will do everything possible if they see a way to advance their fortunes." She summarized the situation in her lands.
"What action do you propose to smoothen the ascension of Roderick or his son William?" He asked her.
"What I will propose won't be honorable, but I think it will have to be done. Benjicot or his future children will never stop claiming the Barrowlands if nothing is done. He has excellent relations with ten to twenty percent of my vassals. Most of those vassals can be placated, but only if he disappears." She voiced, looking intently at him.
"If he disappears?" He cocked his own eyebrow this time.
"Aye, he will either need to die or be sent to the Night's Watch. Preferably before his wife gets pregnant. Otherwise Roderick's succession will always be messy." She answered his question.
"The Wall it is then. I will not have a man murdered for this." He sighed. This were the parts of ruling that he hated in his core. However this decision could save the lives of thousands in a few years. "What about Twoaxe?"
"Mark isn't the only problem there. He has multiple younger brothers and cousins. Many of them who have their own children. However, their ilk isn't well liked in my lands. His only useful relations are wealthy charlatans and nobles with dubious morals, but they will pose trouble. They are too smart to directly oppose my rule, but I wouldn't put it past them to try to abduct Roderick or his children to get them out of the way."
He looked at her in shock. "Could you organize an escort of guards for them from now on?"
"Of course, I will put only trusted men on it. However, that won't solve the problem. These men have been circling my rule for almost two decades. If I were to die, they will stop at nothing." She explained the situation, which was much graver than he had initially thought.
"I would ask you to discredit their family the coming months and years. Try to alienate them even more from the rest of the nobility. If any of them were to do any shady dealings, punish them harshly. Send some of them to the Wall, if at all possible. Have others leave your lands. Maybe we could award some of the less dubious figures with knighthoods and minor lands in the South to pull their clan apart?" He thought aloud.
"That could work. I will give you a list with three or four names of male or female line relations to Twoaxe. Be sure to award them with lands that are spread out far enough. You don't want to create the same problem there that they pose here." She advised him.
He nodded and took notes of that. "Now I want to talk to you about my council."
"What of it?" She asked suspiciously.
"I would want to offer House Dustin a place in it." He replied matter-of-factly.
"You would offer a woman a seat at your council?" She asked, clearly not trusting his words.
"No, I would offer a seat to the head of House Dustin." He countered. She looked at him in thought. "You will make an interesting ruler, Your Grace. In what capacity would you see this?"
"You would get an advisory seat at the table. I plan to make a lot of investments in the western side of the North. It is only logical that it should be represented in the center of the decision making." He answered.
"Fair enough, but why me? You have far better relations with the Mormonts or Glovers than with me. Your own brother just received Sea Dragon Point and is Hand of the King. He could represent it." She countered.
"Jon's lands are underdeveloped and will be for some time. He will have more than enough work with those in combination with his work as hand. The Glovers and Mormonts are important and well-respected, but their lands do not hold the significance in trade that Barrowton does. I plan to expand its importance as a regional trading hub for all Northern houses along the western coast, as well as trade with the Iron Islands and Seaguard. I even negotiated direct access to it for the Lannisters and Hightowers. No, you are by far the best positioned for the role."
Something glinted in her eyes. For one of the first times ever, he saw Barbrey Dustin smile. "Then I will gladly accept your offer. House Dustin is honored with both the recognition, as well as the trading opportunities."
"You will receive even more honors. If you agree to it, I would like to raise Roderick Dustin to my council as well."
This clearly surprised her. "In what capacity?"
"I would name him master of infrastructure. A new position that will oversee the construction of infrastructure to benefit trade and our overall defenses. He personally knows the infrastructure and trade routes in the southwest of the North better than any noble. He has been to the Riverlands and has seen all those lands during and after the war. He knows their weaknesses and what needs to be done. His job will be to stimulate the development of roads, villages, towns and internal trade routes in regions where we find them lacking. As I said, the focus will be on the western part of the North, but also the Southern Riverlands for now. In the future, this may change."
"You think him capable of this?" She asked him.
"Aye, I do. I had multiple conversations with him. He does his work ably in war, but it is clear that peace is where he thrives. This will also legitimize him as your heir by the kingdom, as he will travel through it from time to time."
"It would also make it so that two of your councilors are Dustins." She pointed out.
"Aye, it will, but that will be the way of things. Other houses will have to live with that." He countered.
She smirked once again. "Then I will agree, on one condition."
"Which is?" He asked.
"Roderick's son William will have to marry my cousin's daughter Barbrey Ryswell. She is my protégé and I am quite fond of her. Another marriage between a William Dustin and a Barbrey Dustin … kind of poetic, don't you think?"
"I accept." He immediately replied. "I wish them all the luck in life that their namesakes were denied." Barbrey Dustin looked at him severely. "As do I, Your Grace, as do I."
This is it for this chapter.
We see the wedding between Sansa and Domeric. I decided to switch things up and show it to you from another POV we haven't seen for a long while. This way you can also feel the implications of the marriage upon the rest of the Northern nobility. With new alliances forming and peace upon them, all of them start marrying as families try to heal and expand after their losses in the war.
After that, you see Robb talk to Lord Manderly and Lady Dustin. He makes decisions about his own currency and deals with the Dustin succession. He also starts assembling his council and shows insights on where the accents of his rule will be. Now you might all realize why I sprinkled Roderick Dustin into multiple chapters and gave him such a large backstory. ;-) I love the idea of his character and will explore it fully.
You hear how Jon dealt with the Wildlings at the Wall and learn that he has chosen a wife for himself. The plans for his lands are starting to come into action. Soon, you will see his whole new house and what it turned out.
Special thanks to RoseLockhall for the ideas for the coinage designs! I hope you like the implications of your suggestions.
The next chapter will have a one-year time jump, as things will move more quickly now.
Fannic
Reviews:
- Finkarhu: You're welcome!
- Yeaaaahhhh I read: It's not concluded yet, but yes the war has run its course. More chapters on their way with big time jumps to see the following decades.
- Wolfstark: Thank you so much! I will see what will happen.
- Cliff West: Interesting ideas. Whale oil in small quantities might be a possibility, but not on a huge export level as the ship building is not nearly good enough to start fleets to hunt those animals. However, those that come too close to undeed waters might indeed be hunted. I'll look into it.
- Scifiromance: Thank you so much!
- Foxy-Floof: It will be shown/mentioned in some of the future chapters. I think you'll need to reread it ;-)
- Vastoisshin: Thank you! Yes, I'm planning to show the next few decades in some time jumps. Betrayals etc. will of course happen.
- Rebfan90: Thank you!
- Force Smuggler: Thanks, it means a lot.
- Poly19hum: Thank you so much! I will.
- Freakdogsflare: Thank you for the correction. However, all the economic reasons still stand.
- Supremus85: In the author notes of last chapters I mentioned he was killed off screen. Yes, the war has now officially died down everywhere! However, the rebuilding and fortifying is only beginning.
- Wolflord456: Thank you!
- Hank Jones: Honest question: do you know how medieval marriages were conducted?
A dowry was (theoretically) to pay for the female's presence and lifestyle in her new family's home. The grander her lifestyle and title, the higher the dowry. If Robb would have paid Domeric less, he would have been looked at as greedy, but most of all it would have looked as if he scorned Sansa. As if she wasn't worth much. This would have made his whole generous and family minded image implode and House Stark would have lost a lot of prestige everywhere.
If he asked Domeric to pay for it (or anyone else for that matter), he would have been scoffed at and nobody would have even asked after Arya's hand anymore. Therefore, completely isolating House Stark. It would be a horrible mistake. It would mean you could get more with a Manderly, Umber, Blackwood, Bracken, … marriage than a Stark one. Good luck governing after that.
In reality, Robb drove a hard bargain because he could push his opponent with the betrayals. Domeric wanted lands and privileges from House Stark, all he got was coin (which Robb has an abundance of right now). House Bolton needs to cede lands that are very important psychologically for both houses. This is a show of force against House Bolton even if it doesn't matter too much. Robb compensating the Manderlys is explained, it would otherwise create a difficult situation which could result in the Boltons isolating and plotting again. The future firstborn son, ROBB'S NEPHEW, will be thought strict loyalty to House Stark, lessening the danger of his claim and finally getting House Bolton in the fold. It is a genius move and although it gives benefits to House Bolton, it also pacifies the North for future generations.