Author's Notes: Hey everyone, I am glad that you liked the last chapter and I hope that you like this one as well, as always I own nothing.
Time passed and Sansa healed. She would have liked to stay in bed and rest, but that was not an option. She was Lady of Winterfell and she needed to be seen to be out and about and leading her people. In truth most decisions were based on recommendations from Hother Umber, Maester Wolkan and Sir Massey, whom between them composed the majority of her council. While the King prepared to simultaneously face the foe to the north and continue to fight for the Iron Throne, Sansa's concerns were much closer to home.
"As you can see my lady," Maester Wolkan said as he presented Sansa with a small stack of papers for her study; "We face a considerable problem."
Seated in her high seat Sansa tried to study the papers, but they were mostly columns of numbers and she soon found herself hopelessly confused. Never the less, she stared at them for a minute or so to give the impression that she was reading them. After a while she looked up and stared at Maester Wolkan and took a guess at their contents from what had already been said during the council.
"You are saying that we are facing a famine?" She looked at the three men, who all nodded slowly.
"The man has the right of it." Hother said. "When your brother went to war he took the bulk of the men of the North with him. When they did not return the crops rotted without men to harvest them. Now that winter is upon us there is not time to plant a new crop."
"I thought we were purchasing grain from the Vale." Sansa said.
"We have and will continue to do so, but that will not last forever. The Vale lords will eventually realize that they need that grain as well and stop selling. Besides, we cannot feed our people on imports alone. Things are made worse with the King's army being here and it will only get worse when the Golden Company arrives." Sansa felt a feeling of dread at his words. She remembered riding through King's Landing before the Tyrells had come to the city's aid, the people starving in the street, the people fighting over rats and worse. She did not want to see that in the North. She looked to her councilors and when she spoke she hoped that there was no pleading in her voice.
"What is to be done?" Maester Wolkan was silent for a moment, then he began to speak.
"In addition to the continuation of buying grain from the Vale for as long as possible, I think that a system of rationing should be considered. Have all the grain brought to a central location, either White Harbor or Winterfell, and have it distributed to the various lords, towns and keeps as needed." Sansa frowned at his words.
"That will not be a popular decision with many of the lords." She said. Hother Umber nodded his agreement.
"I fear that it will not be and I am not even sure that it is possible. The men of the North are free men and having such restrictions put on them will rankle them." He paused and then spoke again.
"My lady, I feel that I must speak bluntly, I am not sure that the lords will obey you in this manner. You are a Stark, but some have not forgotten that you were married to a member of House Lannister, who some say is now lord of that house. There is also the manner of your return.
"While it was logical what you did, men will judge you by your brother. The King in the North crowned himself with his own men. He did not have to swear to a southern king to claim what was his. When this rationing becomes known the grumbling will become louder. Men will say that you are little more than a southern lady in power by a southern king. They may decide to put their strength together and attempt to force you to back down on the issue. If they succeed then you can expect them to do so again every time you do something that they do not like." Sansa, who had felt her anger rising, forced herself to be calm before she started to speak.
"How would you propose I deal with this?" Hother snorted and when he spoke, in a tone that suggested the answer was quite obvious, he sounded far more like his kin.
"Is it not obvious? You prove them wrong! You have to show the lords that you are a Stark in your own right and do so in a manner that'll make it impossible for them to dispute it." He turned to the table, upon which was a map of the North with markers for the various armies were place. He pointed to the one force which was represented by a carved flayed man.
"Roose Bolton has been holed up in the Dreadfort since being driven from Winterfell. Many of his allies have deserted him; doubtless he was hoping for aid from the Lannisters and the Freys. But with the coming of the Dragon Queen that is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
"The King needs to take the Dreadfort to secure the North, but he intends to wait for the Golden Company, more outsiders. If you were to take it with only the strength of your own bannermen and avenged your murdered people it would silence any who would question your right to rule." Maester Wolkan looked troubled.
"My lady," he said once Umber had stopped speaking; "I am not sure that this is wise.
"While Bolton has been abandoned by many of his allies, he still has considerable forces under his command. Additionally, the Dreadfort is one of the strongest castles in the North, one which held off your ancestors for years when they sieged it."
"Aye," said Umber; "It was a hard fight, but by taking it the Starks proved their strength and her ladyship can do the same. Also, you can be sure that the Dreadfort is well provisioned, provisions which can be of use to us. Besides," he said his face and voice becoming grim; "We could benefit with fewer mouths to feed this winter, among other things." The others seemed shocked by his callous words, but he neither took them back nor apologized for them. Sansa was also curious about the other benefits, but he seemed reluctant to speak further on it. To prevent things from becoming awkward Sansa turned to Sir Massey, who had been silent throughout the debate.
"What do you think Sir?" Sansa asked him. He was thoughtful for a moment and then began to speak.
"I am not sure my lady. It would indeed be a memorable feat if it could be accomplished. On the other hand, it is a risky venture. Do her ladyship really wish to gamble with all that you have won so far? Also it must be considered how the King will react. His Grace is not always appreciative of unsolicited initiative on the part of his nobles.
"We must also consider the Dragon Queen. Should she come north it may be better to let the Dreadfort alone and let them fight it out between them." Umber was shaking his head.
"You have it wrong, now is the perfect time. The Dragon Queen has been bloodied, but not beaten. Her image has been damaged and she needs to repair it. That means she will be going after the Ironborn with a vengeance she has no choice. Even after she is done with them, she will not come to the North, I doubt she will even go to the River Lands."
Sansa understood the first part of what he had said. News had been slow, but word of the Dragon Queen's battle had slowly come north. It seemed that it had not been a battle which the Queen had wanted, indeed neither the Queen nor any of her dragons had been present. Her fleet had been sailing to support her efforts to conquer the Storm Lands. It seems that a storm had scattered the fleet and the Ironborn had ambushed and destroyed a portion of it as it tried to find the rest of the Queen's fleet. However; while Sansa understood that part, she did not understand the second part of Umber's speech.
"Why do you think that?" Maester Wolkan asked, giving voice to Sansa's confusion. Umber looked annoyed at him.
"Think man! Winter is here! In the North her army would freeze and the River Lands have been pillaged and burned to the point of being a wasteland. She would be a fool to come to lands where her armies will freeze and starve. No, if she has the wits the gods gave a goose she will stay in the south. She has Dorne and the Reach and events will force her to take the Iron Islands. If she also takes the Storm and Crown Lands that will be enough. She will have all the food that she needs there and can wait till winter passes before she comes north. She can afford to wait, we cannot. We have an opportunity here and I say we take it." After that he was silent, as were the others. It was clear that all that could be said had been said, it was time for Sansa to make a decision.
Author's Notes: Hey everyone, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. What did you think of it? I was reminded of Martin's other book The Sworn Sword and how a woman had to prove herself even more than a man to rule, plus the less than warm welcome that she got in the show. What do you think of the call to attack the Dreadfort, do you think that it is a good idea or not? And what did you think of Danny being forced to go after the Iron Islands to prove herself and her military options? They both seemed trapped by the need to prove that they can rule. What do you think the other benefits are that Umber was talking about? Till next time enjoy the Olympics (GO USA!), no offense intended for my readers from other countries, just to be clear. Also, please pray for the victims of violence everywhere, including the brother of one of the Iraqi athletes and all other people who need prayer. Bye and may Jesus bless you.