Chapter 10
The Red Keep, 281 A.C., Later that day (one week since the Seastark-Karstark fight)…
A fucking game of dice.
We nearly tore the North apart because of game of dice gone wrong that ended up with two heirs dead. I hadn't even heard of the Liddle-Harclay brawl since I was busy meeting with Northern lords to make betrothals for Wyman and I's younger siblings.
The fight and argument with Lord Karstark in front half the court was a rude awakening. I had been so focused on securing trade deals with Southron lords and spending time with Myrra that I hadn't paid close attention to the reaction of my fellow Northerners beyond the initial reactions to the betrothal. I saw the looks and mutters of disapproval of a few lords like Karstark and Umber and foolishly thought that would be the extent of it before reality smacked me upside the head. I looked into Karstark's claims about what "they" have been saying about me, "they" being our fellow Northern lords. It turns out that for roughly a quarter to a third of them, "the newest house of the Westerlands" wasn't just an insult but a very real sentiment and one of the nicer things said about me. Houses like the Umbers, Karstarks and Boltons had always turned their nose up at House Seastark for being a young house known for copper-counting. Then my inventions and Wyman's acquisition of a city charter along with our newfound royal favor bred resentment before my alliance with Lannisters caused them to truly view me as an over-grasping vassal that needed to be knocked down a peg or two.
But the usual suspects like the Karstarks and Umbers talking shit didn't disturb me so much as finding out that some of the "neutral" houses like the Manderlys or Hornwoods shared similar sentiments that my ties to the Lannisters could be a destabilizing force in the North. The only solace I have is that not only do they feel this to a lesser extant then the houses tied to the Karstarks but they see Lord Karstark's loud insults as equally destabilizing.
This lit a fire under my ass to try to build up alliances and ties to my fellow Northern lords since my position in the North wasn't as strong as I had assumed. I had already met with the Slates to secure Wyman's betrothal to Lord Artos Slate's eldest daughter Elsa Slate when I started by meeting with Lord Jorah Mormont over the betrothal of Wyman's younger, ten nameday old brother Jonnel with an eight nameday old Alysanne Mormont. This was an easy betrothal to make due to House Mormonts historically good relationship with House Seastark and my uncle fostering on Bear Island with a younger Lord Slate. The betrothals with the Slates and Mormonts were announced to little surprise or reaction from both Northern and Southron lords as both houses were already viewed as part of the "Seastark alliance" as the Southron lords dubbed it with the betrothals merely formalizing it.
The same could not be said for my negotiations with the Tallharts and Ryswells and the reactions to it. House Tallhart were the Masters of Torrhen's Square, a strong, square-shaped castle on the shores of Torrhen's Lake deep in land. They were a decently big trading house due the lake flowing into the Torrhen River, a river navigable by small merchant ships (and Ironborn longships) that made them the "Gateway to the Interior", having access to larges amounts of timber, furs and metals for trade. I met with Master Helman Tallhart and his younger brother Leobald Tallhart for a betrothal and a trade deal. Master Tallhart was a fairly young but tough haggler but I managed to secure a trade deal of iron and metals that Sea Dragon Point sorely lacks for some of the Westerland winter grain shipments being sent to Torrhen's Square and a betrothal between Wyman's three-and-ten-nameday old sister with Master Helman's seven-and-ten nameday brother and castellan, Leobald.
The Ryswells were another tough nut to crack as like the Tallharts, the Lords of the Rills have never been traditionally part of the "Seastark alliance" and were an ancient and proud house known for their horse breeding with their current head, Lord Rodrik Ryswell, being a similarly shrewd negotiator. My main goals were a trade deal for the Ryswells famous Northern horses, hoping to import around fifty warhorse and fifty workhorses a year for five years but the Ryswells insisted that would taken too many horses, some of which were promised or already purchased by other houses. Thus, a deal for twenty warhorses and thirty workhorses in exchange for a portion of the winter grain shipments and some amber and a betrothal was made for my six nameday old sister Breyna with Lord Ryswell's eight nameday old son and heir Roger in exchange for lowering the Wolfsport custom duties by five percent.
The reaction to these trade deals and betrothals had a much bigger reaction from the Northern lords as the Hornwoods were unhappy with me because it turned out that they were trying to negotiate a betrothal between Leobald Tallhart and Lord Hornwood's sister Berena Hornwood, the Boltons were unhappy about my betrothal to the Ryswells due to their own marriage between Roose Bolton and Lord Ryswell's eldest daughter Bethany. The Karstarks and Umbers were unhappy since my betrothal effectively forced the Ryswells from a pro-Karstark stance to a fully neutral stance.
The Umbers and Karstarks were reportedly caught off guard and responded by forging betrothals with Houses Lake and Lightfoot respectively. House Lake was located on the northern end of the Long Lake where it meets the Kingsroad and had historically good ties with the Umbers with Lord Lake betrothing his young daughter to Lord "Greatjon" Umber's young son the "Smalljon". House Lightfoot was located on the southern end of the Long Lake sandwiched between the Starks, Lakes and Boltons and Lord Lightfoot betrothed his daughter of near maturity to Lord Karstark's thirty-some namedays old cousin Creegan Karstark with both betrothals giving the Karstark-Umber-Bolton axis greater control of the Kingsroad in the North and creating a larger border between them and the hills clans to the west and the Wolfswood clans sworn to House Glover to the southwest.
This, along with whispers that the Umbers and Karstarks were meeting with Lord Medger Cerwyn for potential betrothals for his two-and-ten nameday daughter Lady Jonelle Cerwyn, caused me to seek my own negotiations for my same aged younger brother Edric Seastark. Unforunately, while Lord Cerwyn was amendable to a simple trade deal he was completely opposed to a betrothal, having had the Umbers and Karstarks harass him and now me for his daughter's hand, he made it very clear to me that he wasn't taking any sides in the "childish spat between your houses".
When our negotiations ended at midday, we both left the room to find an anxious Wyman who informed us of the Wull-First Flint brawl the previous night and how both lords were calling on their allies to the Northern military camp outside the city. I asked Wyman what caused the brawl and that was when I learned of the Harclay-Liddle brawl the night before that and how they appealed to the Wulls and First Flints to help settle their dispute only for that to fall apart. Since the negotiations called for lords only, Wyman was left behind and Lord Cerwyn and I went together. As we left the Red Keep, I noticed Southron lords picking up on something happening with the Northerners as they saw them leaving the castle but not knowing what was happening since it was taking place outside the city.
When we finally arrived the "meeting" if it could even be called that since Lord "Greatjon" Umber and Lord Rickard Karstark were loudly arguing with my uncles, Lord Rogar Glover and Lord Osric Fisher while Lord Jorah Mormont and Lord Artos Slate were arguing with Lord Royce Bolton and Lords Calon and Lonnel Flint of Widow's Watch and Flint's Finger respectively. The hill clans were arguing amongst themselves while the neutral houses like the Manderlys, Hornwoods, and Ryswells trying in vain to save the negotiations. Lord Umber and Karstark saw me enter with Lord Cerwyn and became incensed, accusing us of forming an alliance to Lord Cerwyn's angry denial and my confirmation of the rejected betrothal.
Lord Cerwyn joined the neutral houses as we attempted to find some form of fair justice for both the Harclays and Liddles but the problem was too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the broth. The insistence that every lord, regardless of what side they were on, had to have their voice heard created a chaotic atmosphere and the presence of this many lords, instead of putting pressure on the hill clans to come to a compromise, did the complete opposite by convincing the Wulls and First Flints to dig in their heels because they felt embolden by their backup. This caused talks to break down with insults and obscenities being thrown by both sides with the Manderly-led neutral houses trying to keep the peace as he remembered the shitshow that happened yesterday.
…"My Lords, please!" Lord Wyman Manderly cries out.
"WHORESON!"
"OI, THAT'S MY SISTER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"
"LANNISTER PUPPET!"
"YOUR WOMEN ARE UGLY!"
"YOUR BLACK BEER TASTES LIKE PISS!"
I heard a roar of angry yells and laughs at the insult to one's regional "black beer" or what this world calls lager. The different regions of the North each had their own regional black beer that they claim tastes the best, though if I'm going to be honest, I think the Manderlys had the best one since theirs tasted suspiciously like Guinness.
"MY LORDS, PLEASE!" Lord Manderly cries out again but I ignore him as I'm arguing with the Greatjon and Rickard Karstark.
"-SOLD YOURSELF TO TYWIN FOR SOME LANNISTER CUNT!" Greatjon bellows at me as I bristle with rage but Karstark immediately cuts in.
"NO TRUE NORTHERN HOUSE WOULD WHORE THEMSELVES TO THE LANNISTERS! YOU'RE MUMMERS PRETENDING TO BE NORTHERNERS! THEY SHOULD CALL YOU HOUSE FALSESTARK!" He finishes and I hear the lords on Karstark's side of the room cheer, laugh and jeer at me while the lords on my side yell angrily.
"OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP 'GREAT' JON, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN GREAT AT BESIDES YELLING AND GETTING DRUNK! AND KARSTARK? THEY SHOULD CALL YOU HOUSE CAN'TSTARK, CAUSE YOU CAN'T FIGHT THE WILDLINGS, CAN'T FIGHT THE SKAGOSI, AND CAN'T FIGHT THE BOLTONS WITHOUT GETTING BAILED OUT BY THE STARKS!" I scream as I hold my fist with the palm facing me and lifting a finger with each enemy the Karstarks "can't" fight and being sure to give them both the two-finger salute while I'm counting to three. I see his face turn red and he lunges only to be held back by Lord Lightfoot and Lord Bolton while "Great" Jon bellowed in rage and had to be held back by Lord Lake and the Flint lords of Widow's Watch and Flint's Finger. A cacophony of furious insults and obscenities from the Karstark side and boisterous laughter and taunting jeers from my side.
"MY LORDS, PLEASE!" Lord Manderly bellows at a volume I didn't think was possible for a human.
All mouths shut and all eyes turned to him and I could spot from the corner of my eye, Lord Umber looking at the fat man with newfound respect. The Mermaid Lord pants, red faced, forehead sweating before smoothing his ruffled blonde hair and takes a breath before speaking at normal volume.
"Lord Stark and his party are due to arrive tomorrow. Since we are unable to come to a judgement, then mayhaps we wait for his return?" he suggests.
I glance around and see lords muttering and nodding before my eyes turn back to Lord Manderly.
"I wouldn't be opposed to waiting, seeing as we're two punches away from a civil war." I quip with a tired smile and look at Karstark, effectively putting the ball in his court.
The reaction was a mix of chuckles from Lords Umber and Slate, angry mutters from Lords Glover, Fisher and the Flints and sobered looks from Lords Bolton and Mormont. The neutral houses didn't seem to find my quip humorous as Lords Manderly and Hornwood look between Karstark and I with displeasure, Lords Cerwyn and Locke glare at us, and Lord Ryswell's eyes shift nervously between Lord Bolton and I. Karstark glares at me but slowly nods his head.
"Aye. I can do that." He begrudgingly agrees as his face takes a more sobered look, one that I match as we begin to slowly file out of the largest tent in the camp. All fight gone in both sides as they head back to the Red Keep to await Lord Stark's judgement.
Lord Stark and his party, along with Prince Oberyn and a Summer-Isander captain to my surprise, arrived just past the hour of the bull and word shot through the Red Keep like a lightning bolt. Lord Stark, the Hand, and his sister headed straight for Maegar's Holdfast to meet with the King while Lord Willam Dustin and Lord Howland Reed met with the Northern lords to inform to meet in the Great Hall for an announcement to the court and then head to the military camp outside the city for a private meeting with Lord Stark.
The lords quickly gathering in the Great Hall with our Northern houses standing as one, as a show of unity for both Lord Stark and the Southron lords, who were whispering fervently amongst themselves about the arrival of Lord Stark, the Hand and the future queen and the "civil war" that nearly erupted in the North. Out of all the things the Southron lords could've heard about our "meeting" in the military camp, the only things they pick up are "Falsestark", "Can'tstark", and my "two punches away from a civil war" quip. Many were quick to point out House Manderly and the neutral houses standing between the Seastark-aligned houses and the Karstark-aligned houses.
I was standing with my cousin to my right and my uncle Lord Rogar Glover to my left. Myrra was with her house and the other Westerlords across from us and when her worried gaze met mine, I gave a reassuring smile that didn't reach my eyes. I hadn't talked to Myrra since before discussions with Lord Cerwyn and when my eyes met Tywin's, he arched an eyebrow up as if to ask what happened. I nodded that I had things under control…probably, and he seemed to accept this before briefly glaring at Karstark and meeting Prince Oberyn's glare with an indifferent look. Oberyn and his paramour were talking with various Vale, River, and Crownlords with the Summer-Islander woman sending me intrigued looks after I saw someone whisper in her ear and point to me and the prince sending me a look that I couldn't tell if he wanted to fight or fuck me.
After roughly a half-hour of waiting, the king, his brother, the hand, and Lord Stark and his party arrive looking exhausted. Lord Stark stood in the center with Lords Dustin and Reed while Prince Stannis, Lady Lyanna, and Jon Arryn were at the base of the Iron Throne where King Robert sat. Ned's sister told her story to the court about how Prince Rhaegar abducted her and took her to the Tower of Joy, how she tried to escaped and was held down by three Kingsguard and raped by the prince. The last part drew a visceral response of the court in the form of horrified looks and whispers from Southron lords, loud anger and condemnation aimed at Rhaegar from the Stormlands and the North with myself joining in. Ser Barrister Selmy looked like he had been stabbed in the gut at what his fellow Kingsguard had down and looked down in shame while the King, despite looking like he had already heard this before coming here, still got red in the face before taking a deep breath to calm himself.
Lady Lyanna looked up at Robert. "My betrothed, no matter how great the rage and hatred you feel for the silver prince, just know it is nothing compared to my hatred for him!" She said with a vicious smile to the thunderous cheers of us Northerners and a chuckle out of Robert.
"Aye. You might be the only one in the Seven Kingdoms who could claim to be angrier than me!" He boomed to the cheers of his Stormlords and mutters from the other Southron houses.
The King finally announced the fate of Jon Snow or in this butterflied Westeros, Brandon Snow. Due to the abduction and dishonoring of Lady Lyanna and the grievous murders of Lord Rickard Stark and Brandon Stark the Targaryen owed a blood debt to the Starks to be paid by "giving back the land they were forced to donate in the shadow of dragons over two hundred years ago."
This was met by an immediate roar of approval from me and every Northerner, not even having to fake unity as I looked at Karstark and smiled, he simply gave a small smile and nod in return. The theft of the New Gift had been a sore point for the North since it was "donated" in 58 A.C. when King Jaehaerys I and his sister-wife, Queen Alysanne Targaryen, visited the North and decided to strengthen the Night's Watch by doubling the size of the Gift, forced to watch fertile land and strong keeps go fallow and abandoned in neglect from a waning Watch. All the Northern lords looked at Lord Stark and his sister with respect for getting the New Gift back.
The King calmed us down as the Southron lords were beginning to realize the New Gift was being returned to the North. Brandon Snow would be taken to Winterfell before founding a new Stark cadet branch and becoming Lord of the New Gift in Queenscrown at maturity, sworn to House Stark but will give half of all food and taxes to the Night's Watch to compensate them. This met with approval with me and my fellow Northern lords but a mix of positive and negative whispers and comments from the Southron lords.
King Robert continued by stating to deal with his potential claim to the Iron Throne, Brandon Snow will be betrothed to his bastard daughter Mya Stone of the Vale to tie his claim to the Baratheons. This was met with more mixed reactions from the Southron lords with the negative comments being centered around "the North getting too much power". When Prince Stannis commented that Queenscrown was a half-ruined tower on an island in a lake with an abandoned village and that wouldn't be fit even for a Baratheon bastard, Lord Stark smiled and announced "Lord Karstark has eagerly volunteered stone, lumber and labor to restore the tower and village and Lord Seastark graciously offered to pay for the rebuilding and repairs." He gave Karstark and I a hard look that dared us to contradict him in front of the King and the entire court. My rival and I exchange nervous glances before nodding to Lord Stark and proclaiming our support.
Court was dismissed but not before announcing that the King and Prince Stannis will have a private dinner with the Starks and some Northern lords tonight. This raised my curiosity as to which ones before being answered with Lords Dustin, Reed, Manderly, Cerwyn, Hornwood, Locke, and Ryswell, all the neutral houses of the North and I feel the hard looks from both Lord Stark and the King directed at myself and Karstark. I could hear my uncles and Lord Jorah Mormont mutter disappointedly while I heard similar mutterings from the Umbers and Flints. The Southron lords, seeing this, whispered amongst themselves about the "new Manderly alliance" and how Lord Stark now has three powerful alliances of bannerman to contend with.
As I made my way out of the Great Hall, I thought about the cost of the repairs I had been voluntold to pay. From what I remembered from the books, with details getting hazier each day and Hugo's limited knowledge, it was a six storied tower that wasn't too damaged on the outside, but the insides would probably need a lot of work due to being abandoned since the Dance of Dragons. The rebuilding of the village across from the lake would be more expensive but nothing backbreaking to his treasury but I had a sinking feeling that this was only part of his sworn lord's punishment for him and that more would be given at the impending meeting.
A/N: Ned Stark makes his return and immediately gains a lot of goodwill from the Northern lords for regaining the New Gift while promoting the Manderly led neutral faction. No, this is not all the punishment, this is merely the public part plus he has to also punish the Harclays, Liddles, Hulls and First Flints.
A lot of you guys commented that Moat Cailin was too much to give to Brandon and I agreed, plus making him Lord of Queenscrown brings the New Gift back into the North, strengthening overall as the once abandoned land (slowly) becomes repopulated and productive. The SI might have the idea of building port town (nothing huge) on the western coast of the New Gift to facilitate trade.