Chapter 71: Negotiating the future
302 AC
Robb
He stood in the courtyard of Winterfell together with his family. The air in Winterfell was crisp and biting, the light of the sun barely managing to pierce through the grey clouds that hung low in the sky. The castle's tall stone walls were dusted with a thin layer of snow, and the courtyard was alive with the sounds of horses' hooves and the whispers of some of his household and family. They had all gathered expectedly in the courtyard, their breaths visible in the winter cold.
Grey Wind lay at his feet, his keen eyes fixed on the entrance. The sound of approaching hooves and the soft crunch of snow underfoot reached his ears, igniting a spark of anticipation within him. He glanced at Alys, her gloved hand wrapped around his arm, her brown hair cascading in waves from under her small copper crown. Her gaze met his, an unspoken understanding passing between them.
The courtyard buzzed with a mixture of restrained energy and hushed conversations. His mother stood a little apart from the main gathering, her eyes alternating between Robb and the approaching party. Arya and Sansa stood by mother's side. Sansa's auburn hair standing out against the winter landscape, her posture graceful yet tense.
Bran and Rickon, bundled in their fur cloaks, exchanged hushed words and excited glances. Maester Luwin's stood right behind him, as he wanted to keep his advice close.
Then a group of horsemen rounded the corner, revealing Domeric Bolton leading a contingent of his men-at-arms. Domeric's fur-trimmed cloak billowed behind him, his eyes locked onto Robb's before sneaking a glance towards Sansa. Robb's heart warmed at the sight. Most wouldn't have noticed, but for those paying attention it was clear that Domeric was in love with his sister. He maintained his composure, making sure to not show anything.
"Lord Domeric, it's good to see you at Winterfell," He greeted warmly.
"Thank you, Your Grace." Domeric replied with a nod, his expression mirrored the genuine camaraderie in his voice. His gaze shifted briefly to Alys, a slight bow acknowledging her presence.
Alys stepped forward, her smile genuine as she extended her hand in greeting. "Lord Domeric, your presence brings warmth to our halls."
"Thank you, my queen," Domeric responded, his words carrying a sincerity that belied formalities. He pressed a small kiss on the outstretched hand, before turning back to him. The head of House Bolton turned towards the rest of the courtyard and loudly proclaimed his message. "I joyously announce that the Dreadfort has been cleared of traitors and is loyal to Winterfell once more. Under my leadership House Bolton has returned to the fold and will loyally follow House Stark in the future."
The Lord of the Dreadfort made a hand signal to one of his men and moments later a small carriage was brought up. A filthy man with twisted legs and overgrown hair was soon dragged out of it by two men-at-arms. He was thrown in the sludge in front of his own feet. "I bring you Ramsey Snow to face royal justice, Your Grace. If it were any other man, I would have carried out your laws and sentenced him myself. However, the laws of the Gods forbid me to punish him how he deserves. Therefore, I personally bring you the bastard to fulfill both my duty to my king and the Gods."
He nodded in acknowledgement, as the mood in the yard greatly lifted with the message. Even though everybody knew where Domeric's loyalties lie, for many he was still a Bolton and that meant he was someone to be wary of.
"I thank you, Lord Bolton. You distinguish yourself once again for your loyalty and devotion to House Stark. You have done your duty to both the Crown and the Gods and it will not be forgotten. Please, be welcome in our halls for however long you see fit. As for the traitor, his sentence will be carried out in the morning." He said in response to the gesture. Domeric thanked him with a slight bow.
As the pleasantries flowed, the courtyard seemed to relax even further. Stark retainers exchanged nods with Bolton men-at-arms, recognizing their bond that had been forged on many battlefields. Grey Wind and his siblings settled onto the snowy ground, their watchful posture easing as the atmosphere lightened. Only Lady sprung up, as she walked over to greet Domeric herself. The female direwolf was of similar height with the Lord of the Dreadfort and licked his face with playful ease, another reminder of the formidable strength of even the smallest of the direwolf pack.
Robb's gaze met Alys's, a silent communication passing between them. Even though he and Domeric were friends, this meeting held the weight of alliances and uncertainties, a delicate dance amidst the falling snowflakes. As the snow continued to drift down from the sky, Robb couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would shape the future of the North for the next generation. He looked into Domeric's eyes and he saw that he was thinking much the same thing.
He let Domeric greet the rest of his family, before loudly calling him inside. It was clear he wasn't here simply to deliver that news, as they had had a raven scroll about that more than two months ago. He was interested to hear how he had recaptured his ancestral home and also how he had fared in setting things in order.
He also had the inkling feeling that Domeric would ask after Sansa officially. He had talked to her and it was clear that she wanted the betrothal, even so he hadn't promised her anything. There hadn't been any marriages between Houses Bolton and Stark for a thousand years. Giving the Boltons a claim on Winterfell was not something a Stark did lightly. However, their house was more secure than ever with him, Brandon and Rickon to continue on the name. Alys had also proven to be fertile and hopefully she would soon be pregnant again. Even if it all proved futile, Eddara would come before Sansa in the line of succession.
Domeric followed him through the granite halls up towards his solar in silence. He let him in and pointed him towards the seat in front of his desk. "Please Dom, have a seat." They talked a little about his journey here and how the lands looked that he had passed through, before the servants came in with food and wine. They each took their fill and afterwards the real conversation started.
"Now, tell me how you recaptured the Dreadfort back." He asked.
"Well, as you know, we had been investing the keep for just under two months. Harrion was just preparing to leave for Karhold, when the garrison suddenly surrendered. It seemed fishy. I had offered them surrender three times before. Three times that bastard tried to kill my messenger. The third time an arrow hit my man in the knee, after that I had decided to not offer anything anymore."
"However, three weeks later they suddenly all surrendered. They dragged a man out in front of them dressed in rich pink clothing with the flayed man of my house stitched upon it. They told me it was Ramsey Snow, but when I looked him in his eyes, I immediately knew they lied to me. I had asked around for detailed descriptions of how the bastard looked beforehand. The man in front of me looked a little like him, the same long dark hair and slope shoulders. Nonetheless, the eyes were different. I had been told over and over how Ramsey had the same pale eyes as my father, the same eyes as me. This man in front of me had light brown eyes, a far cry from how my father looked."
He nodded along, no one could forget the Bolton eyes once they had really looked into them. "I thanked the captains for their loyalty, whilst asking them to order the rest of the garrison to lay down their weapons. They did so, after which I had all the captains arrested. I ordered the garrison to be guarded by the Karstarks, so no one would escape out of favoritism. After which my man strode into the keep. They turned over every nook and cranny and brought everyone living in the castle outside. We found the bastard hiding amongst the kitchen staff. When he was found out, he killed two of my men before wounding three more. I couldn't kill him, but I did want him punished. Even more, I wanted to make sure he couldn't escape. So, I had both of his legs broken. It doesn't count as kinslaying, but it got the message across to all those watching."
He raised his eyebrows at that. This was one of those rare instances where the Bolton brutality showed through Domeric. However, he couldn't really fault him for this. Ramsey had taken over his home, unlawfully called himself a Bolton and donned his house's colors. He had conspired with his father behind his back when he was appointed castellan in the first place. He had discredited House Bolton in the North, antagonized its neighbors and ruined its relations with its local population. He would let the cruel act slide. The man would be dead by morning anyway.
"Afterwards, I beheaded all the captains myself, together with any of the Bastard's Boys that were still alive. I then sent the lieutenants, all heads of the household and all main advisors of Ramsey and my father to the Wall, together with twenty-four guards that had been accused of rape of the captured women we found inside the keep. All in all, some eighty men were sent to the Wall. Jon already confirmed their arrival to me just before I left."
"Very good, however where does that leave your household?" He asked.
"The places in the guard have easily been filled by men who have proven their loyal to me or my vassals during the campaigns in the South. The household was more difficult. I have even sent the Maester to the Wall, so I requested another one from the citadel. I don't expect any quick reaction to the request though. The head maids were also fired and banished. I spent the next few weeks hiring new maids from my own lands or those sworn to me, whilst promoting those I knew from my childhood to more senior positions."
"I think I have managed to get rid of all those who would pose a danger to my reign, but I am still watchful for stragglers. I will be returning to my lands in two weeks' time. I can't let them alone for too long just yet."
"I understand, Domeric. You did very well. If you need help filling any other positions, I would be happy to assist you and send you some servants from Wintefell." He responded.
"Thank you, Robb, but I have already sent word to my aunt at Barrowton for those positions that I need help with." The expected reply came.
"I understand. Now, is there anything else that you wish to ask me?" He asked.
Domeric took a deep breath before looking him straight in the eye.
"Well, I would like to talk to you about Sansa. We've been talking, and I would like to officially ask you for her hand in marriage. I like your sister, Robb. I think you know this. I truly care for her and she cares for me too. I wish to make her happy. I promise you that she will never want for anything, if we were to marry." He started off the conversation that he had been expecting.
"I care for her, but that's not the only reason that I am considering a marriage between our houses. Given the situation in the realm, I think it could be a strategic move that brings advantages to both House Bolton and House Stark."
"I appreciate your honesty, Dom. Sansa's informed me about your discussions, and of her personal preferences. But let's be real, this carries a lot of political weight. How do you see these advantages? Think my other vassals will react, given the history between our houses? This wasn't the first Bolton rebellion you know this well enough." He replied, whilst caressing his beard slowly.
The new head of House Bolton sighed. "You know my loyalty runs deep, Robb. I have chosen you above my own father. Marrying into your family would show a solidified front, a more united North than ever before. It would show the rest of the kingdom that you believe that I have brought House Bolton back to the fold."
"I have no doubt about your loyalty, Domeric. You've proven that time and again. But I can't ignore the recent history either. Your father's betrayal and Ramsey's deeds, those wounds haven't healed with much of my other vassals. How do you think they will react towards a marriage like this?" He addressed the issue at its core.
"You have no personal problems with this marriage?" Domeric asked.
"No, I don't. Yes, you have some of the Bolton brutality in you, as you have made clear only moments ago in your stories. In spite of that, you are just and steadfast. I truly believe that you are a good, honest and loyal man. I know you like my sister and I know she likes you back. So, no personally I have no problems with it." He responded and Domeric let out a sigh of relieve.
"That's great to finally hear from someone, thank you Robb." He said, the gravity clear in his voice. He got along well with a lot of the younger nobles, both knew that, but being allowed to marry one's sister giving the history was something else.
"However," he continued, "you know that this is not a personal matter. This concerns a princess of the realm. The first Northern princess to be betrothed in well-over three hundred years. I am forced to look at the political aspect of things. You have done much and more to smoothen over your father's betrayal and, aside from the bad tongues calling you the son of a traitor, you managed to avoid any serious harm there. However, what Ramsey has done has left echoes in the North."
"Your bastard brother dragged your house's standing through the mud. He attacked the lands of House Hornwood and House Umber, attacked forces belonging to Houses Umber, Karstark, the Mountain Clans and the Skagosi and terrorized the border populations of all your neighbors. I hear you have already set the last thing to right and I trust you will do the same in the other instances. Even so, the question remain how are you going to fix those two other issues?"
Domeric's expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and contemplation crossing his features. "I hadn't thought about it, but you are right." He responded, taking a pause to think." On what to do, I have already befriended Houses Umber and Karstark. I am sure an agreement with those houses can be made. I will reach out to the Mountain Clans and the Skagosi to apologize, if necessary small monetary compensations will be made." He responded decidedly.
He looked him in the eye. "Very well, what about the damage to the Hornwoods? They have suffered the most of all of Ramsey's victims. Stark and Manderly troops were necessary to repel him from their lands and they are still damaged by it."
"I can offer them a greater monetary compensation?" He offered.
"I don't think that will cut it, Dom. Lord Halys has done a lot for my family and the North this war. When Daryn had been killed, he came home to find his lands under attack from what he experienced as a Bolton incursion. He will want something to show for it as reparation."
"What do you propose?"
"I believe you should consider giving them a small amount of land." He proposed.
"Lands?" Domeric asked surprised.
"Yes, I think granting them a small holdfast and some neighboring lands in contested borderlands will go a long way." He replied.
"Which lands are we talking about?" The cautious response came.
"Lord Halys came to me when we assembled the army. At that moment he stated his desire to regain a holdfast lost by his grandfather and hunting rights on a ridge, among other things. This holdfast was taken away from the Hornwoods by my great-grandfather Edwyle, after they broke the peace and skirmishes were fought amongst your lands. Your great-grandfather Lord Rogar Bolton helped Lord Edwyle and was awarded with the holdfast, as well as the area sworn to it."
"What area are we speaking off?" Domeric asked once more, giving nothing away.
He went to his desk and pulled out a map. "I have been looking into this. The area around it consists of approximately seven square miles of farmland, three square miles of isolated woodlands, a small creek, two hamlets and one small village, as well as four isolated farmsteads. All in all, some three hundred people live on the lands. It is not wealthy, but on one side it overlooks a ridge with good defensible terrain towards the north. That ridge is the exact same ridge Lord Halys wanted hunting rights for, as they had also been transferred to your ancestor Rogar."
"You have been preparing this. That ridge would help the Hornwoods to hold the border against any future incursion from my house on that side." Domeric remarked.
"Aye, I have. I knew you were going to ask me for Sansa's hand, Dom, and I knew I couldn't accept it unless you compensated the houses your family slighted. I also know that you are smart, and that you would try to compensate them with the coin you gained from the campaign in the South. I know you greatly enriched yourself in your raids in the Westerlands. You also made quite a bit of coin from your two chevauchées into the Reach. On top of that I know exactly how much I paid out to House Bolton as reward for your services, and it wasn't a small amount." He answered, with a meaningful look on his face.
"Everything you say is correct." The Lord of the Dreadfort stoically responded.
"I will allow you to do so with the minor Mountain Clans, as well as the Skagosi. The latter will need coin, if they want to start trading with the rest of the North and I went them to encourage to do so. I agree that you will find a way to placate the Umbers and Karstarks on your own, but that leaves the Hornwoods and by extension the Manderlys. However, I am prepared to take care of the Manderlys for you, if you agree to my terms with the Hornwoods."
"Why would you take care of the Manderlys for me?" Domeric's expected reply came.
"Because I don't want you to be indebted to both the strong houses to your north, as well as the Manderlys to your south. I want to help stabilize the North that doesn't mean weakening you. Besides, you don't have such good bonds with the Manderlys, so I expect they would demand greater compensation than the Karstarks will ask for."
"Hah", Domeric scoffed, "that might also have something to do with the fact that Karstark kin joined the bastard against his own family.
"Aye, that too." He relented. "However, my point remains."
"What is the economic yield of those lands? If you add on the taxes from the farmers, possible logging from the woodlands combined with game from the hunting on the ridge, what does that amount to?" Domeric asked.
"I don't know that. Only House Bolton knows that and maybe House Hornwood has documentation how much it yielded three generations ago. However, I don't have that information, as I have not yet informed Lord Halys of this idea. You are the lord of those lands and it is your decision whether you agree to this deal or not." He responded.
Dom nodded his head at that. "I thank you for that Robb. However, you will make it a condition to accept Sansa's hand, am I correct?"
"Aye, I will, unless you have any other proposals that would hold the same significance?" He asked in return.
"No, I don't. You mentioned those lands were poor?"
"Aye, as with much of the area they are sparsely populated and sparsely cultivated. I can't imagine more than half those farmlands being used. The other half probably lays barren, if it is not more than that. The symbolic value is the defensiveness of the ridge, as well as the fact the Hornwoods regain lands they formerly lost. Economically, I think it is negligible. House Bolton's lands hold over two hundred and fifty thousand people. This area is both demographically and economically insignificant." He replied honestly.
"You are sure of that?" He was asked.
"Almost. If you agree and it turned out to be far more profitable than we thought than I will personally compensate you for it." He reassured him.
"You swear to this?"
"Aye, I swear it on the Gods." He declared formally.
"If you do this, you will accept to give me Sansa's hand in marriage?" Domeric asked, clearly wishing to ensure himself of the betrothal.
"Aye, as long as you oblige to compensate the other houses we mentioned."
The room fell silent for a while, as Domeric weighed his words. His gaze shifted to the window, his thoughts deep in contemplation. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly. "Then we have a deal, on one condition." Domeric suddenly smirked.
"One condition?" He asked, raising one eyebrow.
"The dowry." Domeric responded, as he leaned back in his chair.
"I am prepared to pay twenty thousand golden dragons. It is twice the amount I got for marrying Alys, but I was only the heir to a Great Lord back then and Sansa is a princess. The considerable sum will come with two restrictions. One, you will not ask anything more than the money from me. Two, you will agree to foster your firstborn son together with mine at Winterfell." He replied, as he got a marriage contract out of his desk and pushed it forward.
Domeric read it over. "You will not accept any other proposals?" He voiced, without looking up from the paper.
"No, I will not weaken the direct power of Winterfell by ceding borderlands or rights to any of the produce those lands make. The Crown must remain strong. This condition will remain the same when Arya gets engaged in a few years. I know you have likely prepared some proposals, but I will stick to my point."
"Very well" Domeric replied, as he put the document back on the table. "You want to foster my future son? To ensure his good behavior and to make sure he has no notions of ever staking a claim to Winterfell?"
"No, I am not that devious. It has been custom for the Stark heir to be fostered with some vassal or the other. However, Harrion has agreed with my father to foster his firstborn in Winterfell. I want my future heir to grow up with his cousin and so he will remain here, whilst some of his siblings will be fostered instead. You and Sansa's son will also be a cousin to mine. I would want them to grow together, as they will rule over the lands together one day. It would also help House Bolton to create bonds with the North."
"Any others you would want to foster?"
"Maybe, I will have to see in the future. Maybe Arya's sons with a vassal or the sons of one of our friends. The future will tell, but I would imagine that the more connections your son makes the better."
"I agree. On those conditions I can accept." Domeric responded and he grabbed the quill to sign the document. After doing so, they clapped arms and he laughed. "It looks like I'll have another brother soon." Domeric simply smiled. He knew that he had always wanted a brother and Ramsay's betrayal had hurt him deeply. Sansa would do him good. They would do each other good and help heal wounds that had festered under the surface for far too long.
(A few days later)
He walked through the granite walls on the way to his solar. He walked in and was greeted by the morning chill he had come to expect. He liked it better when it was cold, and it had become part of his routine. Every morning, he broke his fast with Alys and his family. In the meantime, Maester Luwin came in to the solar and deposited the letters of that morning, whilst openening the window.
He walked over towards it and closed it whilst looking over his snow-covered lands. He walked over towards his desk and sat down. There were more letters than usual on his desk, but that was no surprise. He hadn't been here since yesterday morning. These would include a lot of letter Luwin hadn't deemed pressing enough to bother him about since then.
He had spent most of the late morning watching Bran and Rickon's swordplay. Without father, their education had completely been left in the hands of mother and their advisors. Mother couldn't be any help with their martial training, as such he had taken it upon him to watch their progress weekly.
He had also stayed for Arya's training. Her skills with her dagger and bow were proceeding very well. At this rate, she would be equally as skilled as some of his most expert archers in no time, although he would never tell her that because she would probably try to join the unit the next day.
After midday, he had spent most of his time hosting his guest from the Reach. They had arrived just after lunch and he had welcomed and quartered them personally. In the evening, a feast had been had in their honor. He had wanted to get to know them before the negotiations started. What were they like and why did Willas sent these as his diplomats and not any of the other possibilities.
Before any of that, he had to do his work. He looked through the stack of letters and picked the one with the Tully sigil out first. They were his most important bannerman and family besides, they earned it to go first.
He smiled as he read the contents of the letter. His uncle had married his betrothed in a three-way wedding at Stone Hedge together with Hendry Bracken and Lord Brynden Blackwood in front of nearly all of his nobility south of the Neck. It was a show of unity and strength in the Riverlands that had surprised many of the neighboring kingdoms. Most of them had likely hoped to keep the RIverlands divided to curb his power. Alas, he had been hard at work to make sure that didn't happen.
Uncle Edmure thanked him for his gift, he had sent him a beautiful new harness with the fish of House Tully engraved into the breastplate. He also spoke in much detail about the wedding and his new wife. He seemed to be happy, he was glad for it. He put the letter aside so he could give it to his mother at lunch, she would love to read about all the details and so would Uncle Brynden.
The next letter he picked was from his wife's house. He broke the seal carrying the Karstark sun and read through it. It seemed all had gone as planned in Karhold. Arnolf had successfully been forced to resign as castellan and he and his second son Arthor had left for their lands. A handful of his supporters had been sent to the Wall, as they could be linked to either ties with the Bolton bastard or challenges to Harrion's rule.
The extended Karstark family had also been notified about Osric and Alaric's newfound positions and this seemed to have had a big impact on some of them. Arthor's eldest son Bennard and Berena Karstark's son Harmond Overton had apparently set their minds on joining Alaric on his journey to Rosby in the hopes of gaining lands of their own. They had set out with two dozen of their friends towards the Wall to join Alaric before he went south.
Harrion seemed very pleased with this development, as it left only one of Arnolf's grandsons in his lands. The friends the two young men took with them were for the most part younger relatives of Arnolf's allies, which once again curtailed Arnolf's influence in Karhold and among its vassals.
He would make sure to see both of them when their party stopped in Winterfell on their road to Rosby. Those men could help spread Northern influence among the lower nobility of Rosby and its court, which was why he wouldn't oppose their departure. However, he would make sure that they realized that Alaric was only Lord of Rosby jure uxoris. If something happened to him and his offspring with her, her new husband would come to rule Rosby and not them. They had no claim on any lands in the South, except for those granted to them by Alaric, a thing they best not forget.
The only two of Arnolf's brood who were left in Karhold were Cregan and his eldest son Beron. Cregan had retained his position as master-at-arms, but Beron had been demoted. Arnolf had apparently tried to reorganize the guard to benefit his offspring. He had made Arthor head of the guard and had made Beron his second-in-command. His other grandsons had also been given influential positions in the household. Arthor and the other grandsons had left and Beron had been demoted to a mere lieutenant in the guard, with promise of promotion as time went on.
To his surprise, a small note from Cregan was attached to the letter. It congratulated him on his victories in the South and thanked him for rewarding his youngest son Alaric with Rosby. He explicitly mentioned that he would be loyal to him for the rest of his days. Good, Karhold deserved peace. It would be best for all if Arnolf were to die soon, Cregan would make a far better vassal to Harrion than his father. Beron an even better one still.
The next letter came from the Wall. He had seen the messenger arrive yesterday evening right before the feast and had offered him a seat at their table, to the surprise of the Reachmen. However, he hadn't had a chance to reach the letter yet.
Lord Commander Denys Mallister told him his version of how things were going. He praised Jon's conduct and his leadership of the rowdy clansmen and Skagosi.
More good news came in his agreement to sell the New Gift for the offered price, on the condition that House Stark would in time help resettle Brandon's Gift as well. He also cleverly asked for extra additional material to help settle the new recruits. More steel, boots, gloves and black wool were needed, as well as food because the Watch had grown exponentially.
He thanked him for all the recruits he had sent, especially the number of nobles. Ten lords, sixty-five other high nobles and two hundred and forty knights had joined the Watch in the last two years. On top of that some sixteen hundred experienced fighters had joined. Men from the Vale, Stormlands, Riverlands, Crownlands, Westerlands and Reach, additionally Northmen from the Bolton and Karstark lands as well.
A detailed description of the new leadership of the Watch was included as well. Bowen Marsh remained Lord Steward, whilst Othell Yarwyck remained First Builder. It was almost a miracle that both had been spared the massacre in and around Castle Black as they had been elsewhere. Duncan 'Big' Little had been chosen as the next First Ranger. A choice he was very happy about as he was Northern and the politics might have played a part in it, as Little's father was one of the clan chiefs present in the army at the Wall.
Sadly, the other commanders weren't as much to his liking. Four other castles would be manned in the next years and Mallister himself had to be replaced at the Shadow Tower. An unknown man Steffon of Blackhaven had been named his replacement, apparently one of his subordinates during his time there.
The other four castles would be governed by new men. The first by Lyonel Corbray, former Lord of Heart's Home, the others by the former head of House Lanny of Lannisport, the former ruler of a small Reacher house from the territory he had annexed and lastly by a former officer of House Bolton that Domeric had sent to the Wall in the Riverlands. He understood that their experience would help the Wall, but he didn't like it one bit.
He also hoped that Mallister and the other three would live long, as their replacements were likely to be sole of his former adversaries as well. The new men vastly outnumbered the old ones now for when it came to a vote.
He made a note to ask Osric about their stock of furs, gloves, boots and steel and if they could send anymore to the Wall. Lastly, the Lord Commander spoke highly about his plans for the two orphanages, one for nobles and one for commoners. He proposed Mole's Town as a possible place to build them, as he had been rebuilding the town for a year now and wanted it to come alive again.
The first orphanage would house the underaged sons of nobles, both trueborn and baseborn. They would be educated in leadership and fighting to become the next leaders and high rangers of the Watch. The second orphanage would house the common boys. Lowborn sons born out of wedlock, orphans from the regions, sons of criminals from the entire realm and the like. They would be educated to become stewards and builders. This would ensure replenishment of manpower for the future of the Watch.
Lord Commander Mallister also agreed to take in some of the Frey and Ironborn sons to open the first orphanage. This would take a lot of work out of the hands of him and his vassals.
After that some more letters from his vassals and friends had to be looked at and answered, but nothing too important. He spent the rest of the morning with Osric, as he had been officially named the new steward of Winterfell. They talked about the arrival of the Reachmen and how it would affect their stocks for winter.
He then went on to get lunch with his family and he saw the Reachmen sitting apart on tables next to the furthest wall. Some of them seemed to be eying his people with distrust and suspicion, but none of them behaved openly poorly. At the table closest to the rest of the hall, sat their commanders.
Ser Baelor Hightower had been chosen as the head of the delegation, next to him sat many knights with prestigious and well-known family names from the Reach. Ser Baelor had been a surprising choice, but it made a lot of sense. Willas couldn't physically leave his lands without facing another rebellion or more Dornish incursions. The same could be said for Randyll Tarly, not that he was much of a diplomat anyway.
The other two most likely candidates had been the Queen of Thorns and his sister Margaery. Apparently, his grandmother had become too frail to make the journey north. There weren't many inns between Moat Cailin and Winterfell and sleeping outside in the freezing cold and winter snows would have been too much for her.
Margaery was kept at Highgarden, and for good reason. She was his heir and the key to the Reach if anything were to happen to him. If he were to capture her, he could easily march to Highgarden and marry her off to the first significant lord to rebel against Willas. It would give him the ability to put a puppet on the throne in Highgarden and silence the kingdom for years. The plan had long entered his mind, but apparently also that of Willas.
Ser Baelor Hightower was the next best thing. He was Willas' cousin through his mother's side and the heir of the second most powerful house in the Reach. He had a pristine reputation, both in court and in battle. He seemed shrewd and well-mannered and commanded his men effortlessly.
Many of the Reach nobility had died during the war and so had many of the other possible candidates like Lords Paxter Redwyne or Matthis Rowan. Ser Baelor was an intelligent choice and he would be wary of the man.
Not long after lunch, the knight arrived at his solar. He was quickly let in and given the seat in front of him. Smalltalk was exchanged, as servants brought wine and sweets in to help get the discussions along.
"Let's start, shall we?" He began the real conversation and the Hightower knight nodded.
"I got word from your king that he agreed to the conditions that I sent by letter. That means only our signatories to this document are left for us to conclude peace. Afterwards, we can discuss prisoner exchange, trade and infrastructure." He tried to steer the conversation immediately. However, Ser Baelor wouldn't let him.
"It is true that His Grace agreed to your terms. Nevertheless, he asked me to make small revisions in person."
He had expected as much but had hoped that he could avoid this. "What changes are we talking about?"
"Not really changes, let's call them additions." The knight from the Reach smiled diplomatically. "First of all, we would like to discuss the situation with the Faith. You told us you would relinquish all remaining artefacts, as well as the captured Most Devout. We would ask you to also release their protectors the Warrior's Sons. All their members are nobles and knights and they should be treated as such."
He hadn't expected that. This wasn't a good start to the conversation. "I'm sorry, Ser Baelor, but I cannot accept your request."
"What do you mean? We are not speaking about the rabble here. We are talking about distinguished knights here. I personally know many of them and I even have three distant cousins from both sides that have joined them. We would ask you that you let them leave with me, so they can continue to protect the High Septon in Oldtown. We would be willing to discuss swearing an oath to never attack your lands again." The Hightower heir explained his position. It didn't make a difference. It was simply impossible.
"You misunderstand me, Ser. I cannot accept your request, not because I don't want to, but because there are no prisoners." He answered, fearing his reaction.
"What do you mean there are no prisoners?" The knight from Oldtown exclaimed.
"We took no prisoners. Those that surrendered were immediately beheaded. They were all religious zealots and have been treated as such. History has thought us how dangerous religious orders can be and how they have driven Westeros to ruin, and especially the Riverlands. All my lords, be they believers of the Old or the New Gods, agreed to this. There is no on to release." He explained.
"They, they were knights! This is preposterous!" The Hightower heir shouted.
"That may be so in your eyes, but it isn't so in ours. There is no place for religious zealots and religious orders in these lands. Every one that crosses our borders will be immediately executed. I signed the decree two year ago. The Lannisters, Baratheons, Arryns and Harlaws all signed similar decrees. The Stars and Stripes, nor any equivalent, will be welcome in our lands. If you wish to keep them in the Reach then that is your business, but they ought to stay there or fear for their lives." He replied matter-of-factly.
Ser Baelor's eyes almost popped out of his sockets. "You all signed decrees to that end?" He asked in complete shock.
"Aye, Harrold Arryn and I did around two years ago. The Baratheons followed suit soon and since then the Lannisters and Ironborn have also signed it. Anyone belonging to the Faith Militant that has entered any of mine or my allies' lands since has most likely been executed."
"There were names like Hightower, Tyrell, Oakheart and other prestigious houses from the Stormlands, Crownlands and Westerlands also among them!" He exclaimed.
"No, they give up their lands and possessions to join the order. In doing so, they only align themselves to religious extremism. That has no place in Westeros, except for the Reach if you choose to accept it. This will not be modified either. If you wish to know it, those decrees were my demand for an alliance. Any kingdom that retracts that decree immediately breaks their alliance to my kingdom. In case of the Westerlands and Iron Islands, it will even be seen as a hostile action." He responded seriously.
This completely silenced his conversation partner. The knight tried to size him up, but he just met his gaze calmly. He would not budge on this.
After a while, the Hightower heir seemed to realize this and continued, but it was clear conversation would be more strained now. He would have to give the man something else in return or risk the peace talks breaking down.
"We would want to discuss with the Iron Bank ourselves without any interference from you." The knight continued, but his voice was still strained.
"That will be no problem for me." He agreed quickly, which got him a nod in return.
"We also wanted to discuss the Goldroad. We fear it would not be well-maintained, if we simply split responsibility. All lords would simply say the other kingdom needs to do it." He continued.
"I can understand that. What do you propose?"
"We propose that the road should be maintained by the lords of each kingdom every five years. After five years, it changes. When the moment of change happens, the road needs to be in pristine condition. If not, diplomatic ties between House Stark and Tyrell will be opened to punish the offenders and deal with the disputes." The knight explained.
He thought about that for a second. It was not a bad idea and would ensure trade. The road was important for his kingdom, as it not only served as the boundary in the middle of the southern part of the continent. It would also ensure trade from his holdings along Blackwater Bay to the Westerlands and Lannisport. In the end, he agreed to the proposal. This slightly lifted the spirit in the room.
"You will formally acknowledge our claim and overlordship to the lands of the Crownlands that belonged to the Gardeners at the time of Aegon's Conquest. There will be no discussions, the lands will simply be ours." He voiced another demand, clearly daring him to challenge him on it. In all fairness, he had no desire to. He didn't care about anything south of the Blackwater Rush. "I agree."
His reply got him a raised eyebrow, but the knight simply continued a little more pleased. "We would like to discuss the displaced families of the lands north of the Goldroad. It has come to our attention that you have disowned them all. We would like you to turn them over. Many lands in the west and south of our kingdom have lost their knightly families and they could be resettled there."
Another problem. "I understand where you're coming from. However, they posed a serious risk to the internal stability of these lands. Because of this, steps concerning these families have long been undertaken to secure it." He voiced cautiously.
"What do you mean by that?" Ser Baelor asked him.
"Most adult males of those small knightly houses that posed a threat have been sent to the Wall. Some females have been married off to Riverlander and Crownland knights to stake their claims to their newly awarded lands. The thing that always happens after war."
"I understand. Would you agree to release those knights that have not been sent to the Wall, as well as all the children and the unmarried females? In turn, we will recognize those marriages and the claims they bring with them."
He thought it over. He had originally planned to send some of those boys to the orphanage at the Wall in time. Some of the girls could be sent to the Septs or be used for further marriages in the region. He wanted to reduce the number of possible claimants and increase the claims of the new nobility. However, this could put him back into Ser Baelor's good graces and was not a major issue if the marriages were honored. The worst that would happen would probably be small border skirmishes or very local insurgencies contained to only a few villages at a time. He would make sure House Tully would respond in force in his name each time for and then the problems would resolve itself.
"I can find myself in that compromise. Although I would ask that each and every one of them individually renounces their claim again." He replied.
"Very well. Those were all the additions we would like to discuss. I propose that we continue on to prisoner exchanges?" He nodded in turn and picked out a bundle of papers in front of him. On it, it had all the prisoners in their possession from highest to lowest ranking members. It had every major Reach house on it. Some, like the Hightowers were only represented by distant cousins, others, like House Oakheart were represented by its heir.
He slid the bundle over to Ser Baelor for maximum effect. The knight glanced through it, while he started talking. "These are all the nobles and knights in our custody ready to be ransomed. How do you want to do this? I would expect their families to ask for ransoms?"
"Yes, many of them have already asked the king. We would propose a payment plan where we would give thirty percent of …" The heir to Oldtown started talking, but he cut him off.
"No, no payment plans. We will only release them once the entire amount has been received. You already have a payment plan of war reparations, which is in the form of food transports. I will not add to it. Your kingdom is in ruin in the middle of winter. You need coin to rebuild it and your trade fleets are all but destroyed. Most of your noble houses, including the Hightowers and Tyrells, will turn a deficit the next few years. There will be no way you can create a payment plan that works." He said and he paused for effect.
"Either you already have the coin in your vaults or you won't have it at all and you will have to take out loans regardless, for example with the Iron Bank you wish to make contact with. If that is the case, you can pay it up front. Your investments in your lands won't yield results until well after winter has passed and we will not wait for it. Those men should have considered this possibility before attacking and raiding our lands." He stated, his voice cold as steel.
"What if some houses can't pay?" Ser Baelor inquired, as he looked over the latter pages mentioning the knights of much smaller houses sometimes from war torn areas.
"Then they will have to be bailed out by House Tyrell, take out a loan or their captives will be sent to the Wall." He replied stoically.
"What? You would banish them to the Wall?"
"These men are prisoners of war. We have treated them with the respect demanded from nobles. However, we are not an orphan house. We will not feed and clothe them through winter because their families are too poor to buy their freedom." He scoffed.
The knight from the Reach looked at him pensively. "Is there any other way to handle this? I am personally authorized to negotiate about a number of the more highborn prisoners and I will also do the same for my vassals and sworn swords. Yet, I can't imagine the others all managing to do this and the Tyrells can't all bail them out."
He thought long and hard about that, as his hand circled in the hairs of his beard. "There might be one other option." He replied slowly, after a long while.
"Yes?" Hightower asked him expectedly.
"I would be willing to part with them if a third party would be willing to stand as assurance for the debt. However, there is only one such party that I would trust to yield enough power to force the Kings of the Reach into submission."
"Let me guess, the Iron Bank?" Ser Baelor scoffed.
"Aye, others could simply be ignored by you."
In the end, the Hightower knight had to agree. They spent the next half an hour haggling over the price of many prisoners. He had personally bought up all the prisoners from his vassals for a part of their worth. This had given his vassals lots of coin to weather the challenges of winter and had taken the problem of negotiating out of their hands. All had been happy with the coin they had made, now was the time for him and House Stark to make it back. After reaching their agreements they moved on.
"You wanted to talk about trade and infrastructure?" He was asked.
"Aye, that is true. I think normalizing relations between our kingdoms is essential to keeping the peace. I think both the Riverlands and Reach have suffered a lot and trade would help them in getting back on their feet quicker. I also want the North to prosper more than before and trade would help with that. However, the current infrastructure makes that difficult. Finally, King's Landing needs to stop being the point were almost all trade comes together. As such new roads would need to be build that pass it by."
"Where would you like to start?" The Hightower asked cautiously.
"Maybe naval trade along the western shore? I suppose that is more your expertise." The knight nodded. "I want to establish a big trade route going from Bear Island and the Northern Mountains all the way to Oldtown. I have already established the necessary trade agreements and docking possibilities in the Westerlands and Iron Islands, however I would love to extend it further."
"That sounds interesting, but what would we have to gain from that?" The heir to Oldtown asked.
"My vassals and I will invest in our domestic industries. The export of wool, furs and wooden logs will increase towards the south. We have hardwoods that cannot be rivaled in the South. I would expect that you would wish to replenish both your trade and military fleets. There is no better way to do it. In the meantime, our wools and furs can clothe your people."
Ser Baelor nodded at that and scribbled something on a piece of paper.
"Some of my vassals have also shown interest in digging for metal and gemstone deposits in their lands. However, it has to be seen if anything will be found that would outshine simple domestic production. There are noteworthy amber, tin and copper deposits North of the Wall that may be looked upon as well. Large quantities of these materials, and bronze they made of it, have been confiscated by my men and some small trade between some Wildling clans and the Night's Watch has always existed. We intent to include those in the trade route as much as possible" He continued.
"Further south, iron, tin and lead from the Iron Islands will join the trade, as well as grain and other goods from the Riverlands. Precious metals from the Westerlands, as well as the manufactured goods from their smiths will join it further south before reaching the Reach."
"I will have to interrupt you there, King Stark. While this is undeniably true, we could simply trade with the Westerlands ourselves for those." The Hightower interjected.
"Aye, you are right. Nevertheless, my influence might make things easier on you to do so." He replied. "Traders from the North, Iron Islands and Riverlands going south might also be a short- to medium-term solution in replacing your lost trading fleet. In turn they would buy fruits and other foodstuffs, wines, manufactured goods and others in the Reach making you some good coin to rebuild your lands." He finished;
Again, he got a nod in reply. "You mentioned infrastructure?"
"Aye, my traders would need quick places to dock in Oldtown. I heard that your harbor was largely destroyed. Maybe in rebuilding, a section could be destined for our trading ships? On our way we would also need to provision at either Old Oak or the Shield Islands." He summarized.
"Interesting ideas, I must say. Places to provision will soon be possible at both, although I believe Old Oak will yield more results short-term. I personally like your proposals for Oldtown and will personally oversee the project, although I have some requirements of my own. Firstly, I would ask places for our Hightower ships to dock in Seaguard in return for the same terms. Secondly, we won't allow Ironborn traders in our lands. If they wish to trade with us, they should sell or buy from you or the Lannisters. We will not enrich those scum by having their trade ships dock where their military fleet couldn't."
He couldn't believe his ears. This would make the Ironborn more dependent on him and would further enrich his lords and traders. "I agree, but I will do you one better. I will also allow you docking places in Barrowton. That way you can buy Northern wares directly from the source. It is the trade hub for the southwest and I intend to force traders from along Sea Dragon Point, Bear Island, the Wolfswood and the mountains to stop and sell part of their wares there."
Ser Baelor looked at him in surprise but agreed happily. He would not use the North as a backyard for trade in the Riverlands. In time, Barrowton could become to the west what White Harbor was to the east, albeit smaller. Wintertown would serve as a commercial hub for domestic use, as well as a place for the Wolfswood Clans', Cerwyn, Bolton and Umber traders to sell their produce to traders before it headed off to one of the two towns.
"Land trade?" Hightower asked.
"Custom for the last three hundred years had Riverlander, Crownlander and Reach traders travel to King's Landing and sell their produce there, with some smaller border traffic happening in small towns. We would like to reverse that practice. There will still be a town at the Blackwater that will trade on land and water, but it will have to face much more competition from Duskendale and Maidenpool. Trade between the Reach and Riverlands can and must go more directly."
"I am listening."
He pulled out a map of the South. "We propose that a road would be built from Riverrun to connect towards the Reach. I have studied the Reach and I think Bitterbridge or Golden Grove to be the ideal locations. However, that I will leave to you. On my part I would build a grand road from Riverrun through Acorn Hall and other small keeps to Stoney Sept. I would improve smaller domestic roads leading to Riverrun or Stony Sept as well. From there the road will go to a new town in our newly acquired territories north of the Goldroad. This will serve to lessen traffic on the part of the Kingsroad from Lord Harroway's Town to King's Landing. We would like this road to continue into your lands to create a direct connection between Highgarden and Riverrun."
"I certainly understand your reasoning for it, but what would be ours?" The knight asked him. "Stony Sept is small and was recently completely destroyed, the area desolated by Tywin Lannister. The same can be said for much of the Southern Riverlands. Riverrun has no significant town to speak of either."
"King's Landing will cease to exist as a hub to sell your produce from the Reach proper. This way you can create a better trade route that your king could tax, as well as create friendlier relations to our kingdom. Otherwise your trade could collapse or leave your kingdom. Besides, Stony Sept is in the process of being rebuild and it will be larger than before the war once winter has ended. The Tully lands have expanded and have more wares to sell so a small town will grow there, and as I said local roads will attract products from all over the Riverlands."
"I get what you are saying." The knight slowly answered, as he looked to the map. He also scrolled for a long time through the maps he had brought with himself. After a while he spoke up. "I agree that it would be a good idea. We will agree to help construct a road from Bitterbridge to the Goldroad on the condition that you extend the road to Riverrun. Trade will go with lower tariffs, the same you gave your allies. You will allow our traders to sell our wares across all the towns on that route and we will allow you the same in the other direction. Planning and mapping for the road will continue as soon as my return to Highgarden. Nevertheless, the construction will have to wait until after winter."
"That is agreeable to me. I will have my Maester write up a document and deliver it to you in the morning. You can look it over and we will discuss the final details the day after tomorrow."
"Very well, it was a pleasure doing business with you, King Stark."
"I feel much the same, Ser Hightower. Let us toast on a new era of peace and trade that will enrich both us and our people." The glasses clattered against each other and for the first time he led himself hope. Maybe peace would be an option after all.
This is it for this chapter!
I have tried something new as writing style when painting the scene before the talks with Dom. Any constructive comments?
Robb talks with Domeric and betroths Sansa to him on the condition that he makes amends to all the families Ramsay slighted. Said Ramsey is dealt with. (He died in between the two scenes.)
The king deals with more issues in the kingdom. You get a view on how he is dealing with the Night's Watch. Arnolf Karstark and his brood are dealt with and Harrion has full control over all the Karstark lands. Lastly, Edmure Tully has married his Bracken wife and unity is being worked towards in the Riverlands.
Then we see the big negotiations between the Tyrell and Stark kingdoms. Talks are had about the Faith (Militant), nobles/exiles, the Gold Road, the Iron Bank, prisoner ransoms and the creation of trade and infrastructure. Except for the Wildlings, who are being dealt with by Jon, the kingdom is finally at peace.
I want to thank everybody for their continued support and all the lovely reviews lately. it often makes my day. Next chapter will have a time jump of more than six months.
Fannic
PS: I have fixed some mistakes in Chapter 69, concerning the family tree of the Karstarks. That's why that chapter has been updated as well.
Reviews:
- Force Smuggler: Willas would never be able to come to Winterfell and Robb can't go south at the moment. The journey from Highgarden to Winterfell in the middle of winter will take two months one way at least. Willas can't be away from his new and unstable kingdom for 5 months. That's why he has sent his cousin. The other possible candidates were Randyll Taryl, not really a negotiator and needed to help rebuild the defenses of the kingdom, or Olenna Tyrell, who is simply too old and frail to journey during freezing cold snowstorms to Winterfell.
- Scifiromance: Thank you so much! It felt great finally rewarding my loyal side characters.
- Vastoisshin: Thanks! You are right that rebellions will pop up in time due to culture and religion. However, for now they won't. Robb has killed off the Faith Militant. Thousands of zealous Riverlanders and Kingslanders (and to a lesser amount Stormlanders, Westerlanders and Reachmen), who would have instigated rebellions/holy wars were killed off from the start.
The Stormlands, Westerlands, Reach and Iron Islands are too weak to risk joining any sort of rebellions/invasions in the next 15 years. So, will he face trouble? Yes! However, he knows this and has bought himself a lot of time to start dealing with it. He is already strengthening external borders and shifting internal culture. As said before, I will do a lot of time jumps. You will see how things unfold.
- Cliff West: Thank you so much for your continued support!
- George Cristian810: Thank you! I enjoyed writing that. The Reach can't refuse them Maesters. The Hightowers (and especially the Tyrells!) don't have that kind of power over them. If they would, all other kingdoms would quickly abandon the order and it would fall in disarray. Both the Maester order and the Reach know this so they don't interfere that much. However, Robb could enforce that Northern/Riverlander acolytes are accepted in the Citadel and that in turn they are sent back to his kingdom once they complete their studies. It could be a good compromise and limit the danger of spies, as those people would be serving their country/homeland.
He definitely will control the priests! If you look back at all the peace treaties, he has made sure that the Faith Militant has been abolished in the whole of Westeros except for the Reach. This makes it so they can't easily network/conspire against him on religious grounds cross kingdom. He will also start controlling the narrative in time, although he can't do much now in winter and without offending the Riverlands. More on that later.
The North hasn't lost as much craftsmen. Only some on the western coast/Moat Cailin. He can send men from everywhere else AND has already helped that problem by training thousands of orphans to be craftsmen. Essosi would be shunned/ostracized or even killed in remote areas of the North. I only see that working in White Harbor in small amounts. The Riverlands will train/use many of the craftsmen send from King's Landing and the North. The Company of the Rose is an interesting one that I'm still struggling with.
- Rebfan90: Thank you!
- WolfStark: Obrigado!
- Foxy-Floof: Yes, she is. Except for Theon's incursion, her wounds and the loss of her friend (which were very impactful), she was allowed to remain a child. She will have to start growing up slowly now, but she has had a way better childhood here. Robb will, in part, continue their father's habit of shielding her from the world. However, he has given her sort of a forced end goal/deadline here.
- Hank Jones: I really thought about sending Olenna. However, I just can't see her surviving the icy cold winters here. It's like sending your old, sickly and entitled grandma to travel by carriage throughout Northern Alaska for 5 months in winter. However, the Hightower cousin would have been prepped by her personally.
- Galwidanatitud: He is just done with it all. Can't blame him really. He's been through a lot.
- Freakdogsflare: No, normal rice is not mentioned in cannon. Never. Rice being in Yi-Ti is a popular trope in fanfiction due to Yi-Ti's similarities to our world China. However, there was a reason we didn't have rice in the west even with trade lanes to China (that is if you accept the idea that there is rice in Yi-Ti). Rice simply wouldn't get to Westeros for hundreds of years because it's not viable economically and the economy isn't agreeable with moves like that.
- Poly19hum: Thank you so much for your continued support!
- LongingResider: It would be very stupid, yes. The whole plan for the Reach to win would hinge on how long it takes for Robb to come back south and gather his Northern troops.
However, as Robb states he doesn't need his troops in the North. He could move south with 500 men, gather the Riverlanders, gather the thousands of Northern veterans he left in the Reach, muster the men of Cracklaw Point and the northern Crownlands, demand some upport from his allies (especially the Stormlands and Westerlands) and with that far outnumber/outclass anything Willas Tyrell/Randyll Tarly can muster. This could easily muster 35-40k men with the Reach having 15-25k. The Reach has gone up in flames and will have difficulty feeding their troops, Robb won't. In the end, Robb would always have won. Willas, Randyll and Olenna realize this and agree to peace. They will try to rebuild their lands and maybe strike back at him next generation or so.
- WolfLord456: Thank you!He was, why was explained in the reply above this one.
- Sarah-Rose76646: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it so far. I answered your reply in PM because of the length.
- Guest: Thank you so much for the kind words. I'm so glad you like it. There are quite a few chapters left with a lot of development. These last chapters are finishing up many of the odd ends that are still left. From now on much more development will be seen as time jumps become larger.