Chapter 8
The Red Keep, 281 A.C., Later that night…
I strolled through the Red Keep in my nicest clothes, a mostly blue tunic and pants with black and white highlights in the Seastark colors. I ignored the looks and whispers of lords and ladies as I made my way to the Lannister quarters. There I found an intricately carved set of mahogany doors guarded by two Lannister guards in their house colors.
"Halt! Who goes there?" The Lannister guard to the right held out his arm and stopped me.
"Lord Hugo Seastark. I'm expected for dinner tonight." I explain as I hand him the invitation. The knight scrutinizes the scroll, particularly the Lannister seal before nodding his head in satisfaction and opening the door. I was about to walk in when both Lannister guards stood at full attention.
"Prince Stannis! Lady Cersei!" The guard on the left said as they both quickly bowed. Surprised, I turned to see Stannis standing behind me with Cersei holding his arm before giving a quick bow of my own to him.
"Lord Seastark. I was not expecting to see here, though I suppose that explains why the Lannisters of Lannisport were invited." Stannis commented in his usual dry tone while Cersei merely glanced at me as if she was expecting me to be there.
I smile and greet them. "Prince Stannis. Lady Cersei. I'm surprised to see you here too my prince. My invitation didn't say who was attending."
"It will be a small gathering. My father, uncle Tygett, us and the Lannisters of Lannisport." Cersei cuts in with almost bored sounding voice as we made our way through the door into small but ornate dinning room with an eight-seat table fully set. A herald off to the side of the entrance we were walking through announced our presence, drawing the attention of the occupants of the room. My eyes first zero in on Myrra, who when her eyes met mine, gave a small smile that I return briefly. Standing next to her was a young, blonde-haired boy of around two or three-and-ten who I assumed was her younger brother Burton giving me the stink-eye.
Then there were the three Lannister men. Tywin was stone-faced, yet when his hard, green eyes met mine I could understand why people feared and respected him. To his left was a younger version of Tywin with small cuts on his face that looked at me with battle-hardened eyes, seeming to size me up as a warrior. Then there was Myrra's father Harrold Lannister and if this Tywin looked like Charles Dance in his late thirties, then Harrold looked like a Charles Dance as a balding, beer-bellied divorced dad who was giving me a curious look.
Everyone exchanged greetings and we went to sit at the table. I wasn't quite sure of the seat arrangement so I followed slowly as I watched them take their seats before grabbing the lone open seat. Tywin and Stannis sat across from each other at the ends of the table with Tygett to Tywin's right and Harrold to Tywin's left. Cersei and Burton were seated to Stannis's right and left respectively, leaving Myrra and I in the middle with myself between Cersei and Harrold and Myrra between Tygett and her brother.
Tywin silently waved his right hand and as if on cue, several servants began setting the table with porcelain plates imported from Yi-Ti, gold-tinted silverware, red silk napkins, and jewel-encrusted goblets. As this was happening, Lord Tywin addressed Stannis from across the table in a dry voice, "Prince Stannis, I hope your day was well. I heard you spent time with my daughter today."
Stannis replied in an equally dry voice. "Indeed, I did after this morning's council meeting, I escorted Lady Cersei through the castle gardens." Cersei for her part, gave a forced smile and cut in. "Yes, Prince Stannis was telling me about his hobby of falconry and invited me to attend the next time he partakes." Stannis simply gritted his teeth and hesitantly nodded.
If Tywin noticed the couple's awkwardness, he didn't show it. "That is good to hear. Speaking of the small council, did they discuss my petition?" Tywin asked in a curious voice as the servants began placing the appetizer plates on the table and filling the guests' goblets with wine. A fruit platter with various grapes, melons, and citrus and I immediately eyed the blood oranges. A charcuterie board of various breads, cheeses and meats was placed nearby and everyone was given a porcelain bowl of a steamy hot brown soup with what looked to be melted cheese covering bread. Is this French onion soup!? I looked at my own bowl in mild confusion before being pulled away by Stannis's response. "Indeed, they did, and decided there is to be no expansion of the Wayfinders Guild until after the remaining Targaryens loyalists are dealt with."
Does Tywin want a Wayfinder Guild? I thought curiously to myself.
"That is unfortunate to hear." Tywin said after a moment before reaching out and grabbing a piece of bread, giving the silent signal to everyone to dine in. I began grabbing a few pieces of bread, cured salami and a cheese that's looks reminded me of Brie before switching to the fruit and nabbing a few pieces blood orange, cantaloupe and some green grapes. I was idly wondering how Tywin managed to import blood oranges from Dorne with a Targaryen blockade and a hostile House Martell when Stannis looked to me and spoke.
"Speaking of the guild, Lord Seastark, Ser Davos reported the first batch of backstaffs arrived and has begun instructing the captains on how to use them."
"Aye. I inspected them myself before they were sent out. How did the captains find them?" I asked out of curiosity.
"From what Ser Davos reported, unwieldy but once accustomed they swear by it's accuracy." Stannis responded.
"Backstaffs?" Tywin inquired, eyes shifting to me and I gave a brief explanation on what they were and how they work. His eyes shifted back to Stannis, who answered his unasked question.
"I myself have used one and can attest to their worth. They are better than astrolabes and cross-staffs and when used with a wayfinder…We now have an advantage over the Free Cities in navigation." Stannis stated with a confident tone to the surprise of everyone before turning back to me. "Lord Seastark has been instrumental to the establishment of the Wayfinders Guild in such a timely manner." He finished with a respectful nod.
"You honor me, my prince. Setting up the guild was a straightforward affair and they are now in a position where they require little oversight from me." I say with a sheepish smile as I look to see Tywin giving me an impressed look.
Is Stannis trying to wingman me? I thought to myself as a dip my spoon into my soup, making sure to get some cheese with my spoonful as I put it in my mouth and my eyes widen. Huh. This is French onion soup!
I hear a faint chuckle to my right. "Never tried West onion soup?" I turn to Myrra's father Lord Harrold. "No. I did not think such a delicious soup existed." I say while thinking At least not in Westeros.
"It's a Westerland delicacy and my little Myrra's favorite soup. Do try the wine." Harrold smiles and gestures with his hand towards my goblet before taking a bite of bread and cheese. I do so and am immediately hit with the sweet taste of honey mixed with spices. Harrold finished chewing and said "Lannisport spiced honey wine. This vintage is from my personal vineyard. Have you tried it before? Your father buys…er, bought a few barrels from us each year."
"Aye. I've had it before. My father always called it the 'the good stuff' and saved it for feasts or namedays." I say with a sad smile.
Harrold smiles and looks thoughtful. "I remember when your father first came to Lannisport about a decade ago to propose a trade deal, he met with myself and Ser Keven as Lord Tywin was in King's Landing as Hand of the King…" He goes on to a story about when he invited my father to dine with his family, little five-year-old Myrra, who had never met a Northman or Old Gods worshipper, unleashed a tidal wave of questions on my poor old man. I chuckle at the mental image of my father being cornered by a little girl, forced to answer her unending questions as I glance over at Myrra, who was talking with her brother. As if sensing my gaze, she looks at me with a smile and a mischievous glint in her eye and when her brother noticed this, he turned to me with a glare. Harrold's eyes scan the three of us and softly chuckles "Don't mind my son, Burton, he's just overprotective of his sister…"
We continue our conversation shifting to expanding the current trade deal between our houses as we ate our appetizers. The trade deal my father made was a small expansion of the existing one of Northern timber, furs (particularly otter and shadowcat) and amber for Lannister grain shipped during winter alongside a few barrels of honeywine and a tiny amount of spices.
Amber was the one luxury resource House Seastark had and the amber trade was the sole reason Wolfsport is as big as it is. House Seastark was one of the largest exporters of amber in all of Westeros due to stumbling upon a large mine of amber in the hilly, forested interior of Sea Dragon Point, thought to be either ancient First Man burial mound or stockpile during the time of the Warg Kings of old. There were two types of amber that House Seastark cultivated, the first was "yellow amber" that was mined seemed mostly based on the Baltic amber from my Earth memories and despite the name were also commonly orange and brown with red being rare. The second, rarer, and more sought after was the "blue amber" found in the hundreds of sea coves small and large dotted across the peninsula that washed up from the ocean and oddly resembled blue amber from the Dominican Republic back on Earth and in particular, used as jewelry throughout the North.
I was saving timber for my own shipbuilding expansion but I was willing to increase furs and amber exports in exchange for increase in grain and luxury goods and it probably helped that I mentioned the soon-to-be Queen Lyanna wore a necklace of blue amber and a bracelet of yellow amber made by amber jewelers in Wolfsport. After haggling over the details as we savored our soups, we came to a trade agreement that effectively more than doubled the current trade between Wolfsport and Lannisport. The only tense part was, as a newly chartered city with the right to regulate custom duties, I pushed for a lowering of custom duties of the standard thirty percent to twenty. Harrold froze as Tywin cut in from his own intense whispering session with Tygett with a stern voice that they would go no lower than five-and-twenty percent with eyes that dared me to argue. Deciding not to die on that hill, I gave an acquiescent nod.
Soon enough the appetizers were finished and the plates clear and made way for the main courses, a large seafood platter of shrimp, scallions, octopus, clams and squid with the centerpiece being the fried oysters with herbs and bits and bacon alongside smaller plates of honeyed chicken and roasted lambchops. Once again, we waited for our host Tywin to grab food first before doing so ourselves. As I was grabbing my food, I saw Harrold and Tywin exchange a look between one another that ended with Tywin giving a nod. After everyone had finished filling their plates and getting their goblets refilled, Harrold turned to me.
"Lord Seastark, we have come to a profitable trade agreement, mayhaps we deepen the growing bond between our houses with a betrothal between yourself and my daughter Myrra?" he asked with a knowing smile as his voice drew the full attention of the gathering.
I met his smile with one of my own. "Indeed Lord Harrold, I think that is a wonderful idea. I would be honored to wed your daughter Lady Myrra and forge a tighter bond between our houses." I turn to a beaming Myrra. "Lady Myrra, in the brief time we have spent I have found you to be beautiful, witty and intelligent. It would be my honor to have you as my wife and Lady of Castle Warg."
"Lord Hugo, you flatter me with words. It would be my honor to be your lady-wife. Besides…" She says as her smile slides into a smirk and her tone become mischievous. "…I could do worse than a tall, charming, well-read, Northern inventor-lord such as yourself."
A laugh escapes my lips. "Please, call me Hugo." Myrra eyes light up in surprise but the smirk holds. "Only if you call me Myrra."
Harrold clears his throat, pushes his chair back and stands up with goblet in hand. "I propose a toast to the betrothal between House Seastark and House Lannister of Lannisport. May your marriage and our trade be bountiful!" he says with ecstatic energy and a wide smile. We all raised our goblets and cheered. Prince Stannis actually gave a small smile as he gave us his congratulations with Cersei's at least attempting to sound polite and friendly. The one Myrra's little brother, Burton, gave us was more subdued, with the tone and body language of someone who didn't like what was happening but accepted it. Tygett gave me a stiff congratulations before turning to Tywin with a displeased look, who for his part, ignored him as he gave his with corners of mouth curled slightly upwards.
After the betrothal and toast the atmosphere changed, as if waiting for this to happen, and became lighter as we dug into our food. I discussed the details with Myrra's father, we would marry in a sept at day and then in front of a Weirwood tree at night, Myrra would keep her faith but our children would worship the Old Gods, she would bring two handmaidens, a bastard knight sworn to the Lannisport Lannisters and a septa. I was a bit hesitant on the last one considering what happened to the Starks in canon with Septa Mordane, but agreed on the condition the septa chosen be competent, well-read, and fully aware their job is to attend to the spiritual needs of my future wife and not converting the locals, especially our children. The dowry was bigger than I expected at ten thousand golden coins to be given after the wedding.
I was enjoying the succulent lambchops when the topic of the wedding date came up, Tywin made his presence known. "If I could make a suggestion?"
Tygett muttered something about him making it anyway but was cut off by a glare from Tywin. I was curious though Harrold looked nervous and we heard him out.
"It hasn't been announced yet, but my brother has been betrothed to Darlessa Marbrand of House Marbrand with the wedding date set to a year from now when she turns five-and-ten. Dual weddings seemed to have become a common occurrence as of late with your lord liege and the Hand, the King and his brother, and the Freys announced one this morning after the debacle in the gardens. If you're willing to wait, I propose a dual wedding my brother and his betrothed and you and Lady Myrra. The wedding ceremony in the Golden Sept of Lannisport with the wedding feast in Casterly Rock." Tywin proposed while Tygett looked like he swallowed a lemon.
Everyone but Tygett was stunned. I looked between Myrra and Harrold, who both seemed eager but were looking for my reaction with pleading eyes. Thankfully for them, I had no qualms with waiting as I wanted to get back home before the wedding anyway. "I admit I'm surprised by the generous proposal Lord Tywin; I would be honored to part of a dual wedding with Ser Tygett." I answer Tywin before giving a respectful nod to Tygett, whose sour expression lessens as he nods back.
"The honor is mine Lord Seastark, Lady Myrra." He forces out in a neutral tone before the sour expression returns when he looks back at Tywin. I get the impression he isn't happy with the dual wedding but thankfully seems to be taking his displeasure out on Tywin rather than Myrra or I. Tywin ignores Tygett as he stands up and gives a toast to the upcoming dual wedding and we toast.
"Ha!" Stannis barks out a short laugh. "It seems dual weddings are the newest trend after all!" he comments and we politely chuckle.
We continue to enjoy our dinner as the wine and conversation flow. I discussed with Stannis and Tywin a future expansion of the Wayfinders Guild as I tried the honey chicken and all but devoured the fried oysters when we discussed the politics of the Iron Islands with the death of Quellon Greyjoy at the Battle of the Mander and the ascension of his son Balon Greyjoy. I suggested that with a new Lord Greyjoy that prefers the old Iron Price to his father's Gold Price would be potential trouble, especially if they sensed any division or weakness in the Seven Kingdoms. Many at the table seemed skeptical of the Ironborn being dumb enough to try to take on the rest of the realm by themselves but I simply replied that I think Balon is arrogant and foolish enough to try if he sees a chance.
When we finished the main course, the servants cleared the table for one final dessert as they placed small porcelain plates of raisin bread pudding with a drizzle of vanilla glaze to my astonishment. As we dug in, Myrra began asking me questions about Castle Warg in rapid-fire secession about its size and history and I answered them one after another barely keeping up without giving away any secrets that would compromise my home. When I caught Harrold's wistful look of nostalgia, I gained an inkling of what my father endured in Lannisport a decade ago.
The bread pudding was gone but the wine and conversation still flowed. I found out Burton was two-and-ten and was Tygett's squire and that Tywin's suggestion for Master of Coin being his brother Keven was passed over for Lord Ambrose Mallister, father of Jason Mallister to Tywin's displeasure. Tygett asked about experiences at The Battle of the Bells and The Battle of the Trident and when I answered truthfully, he challenged me to a friendly spar. I even sneak a question to Myrra about woods witches and hedge wizards around Lannisport and enjoyed seeing Cersei subtly tense up for second out of the corner of my eye but was surprised when Myrra's smile lessened for a moment before her eyes flitted to Cersei and back before answering that they know better than to show up around Lannisport.
Soon the dinner was over, with myself and the other guests bidding their Lannister hosts thanks and goodnight. As I walked out with the Lannisport Lannisters, I gave Harrold a hearty goodbye, exchanged a nod of mutual respect with Burton, who seemed to soften up to me when he heard about my deeds in battle. I grabbed Myrra's hand and kissed her fingers and wished her a goodnight and was rewarded with a cute blush and a stuttered goodnight in response.
I strolled back to my quarters in a slightly drunk but euphoric haze.
The Red Keep, the next morning…
I stood in court with a hungover Wyman to my right and an excited Myrra to my left with her father and brother as Tywin announced the dual wedding being held in Lannisport and Casterly Rock in one year's time. Myrra and I standing next to one another when court began already drew glances and whispers but Tywin's announcement sent the courtiers into an absolute frenzy of whispers, with serious discussions about the new alliance and its implications intermixed with comments about how cute we looked together or how a she shouldn't marry a heathen.
The Westerland lords responded positively to their liege lord's proclamation with heartfelt cheers while the Stormland, Riverland, Vale and North houses being divided between positive and negative.
I paid particular attention to the reactions of my fellow Northern lords, noting that the houses of the west coast with the exception of the Flint's of Flint's Finger, the Manderlys, the Dustins and half the Northern hill clans led by the Wulls gave genuine cheers while the Umbers, Karstarks, Boltons, all three Flint houses with the First Flints leading the other half of the hill clans gave looks and mutters of disapproval. The rest of the Northern lords seemed to be on the fence about it.
Robert boomed with laughter and praised the match and stated that House Baratheon would attend, which at least turned some of the negative looks from the Southron nobles into positive ones, especially amongst the Stormlords.
I looked throughout the court to see the Small Council's reaction. Only Stannis as Master of Ships and Grand Maester Pycelle showed a positive reaction while Lord Estermont as Master of Whispers, Lord Yohn Royce as Master of Laws, Lord Ambrose Mallister as Master of Coin were stoned faced with calculating looks being sent between me and Tywin. Ser Barristan, who was pardoned and kept his position as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard had a neutral look.
As the court of the Red Keep grappled with reality of an alliance between House Seastark and House Lannister, I simply grinned and held Myrra's hand.
A/N: Writing the food was kinda hard and I hope I captured a little bit of G.R.R.M's magic when it comes to writing food. Also we all need a wingman like the Mannis! Like Quote ReplyReport Reactions:eeda, Sonifri, MasterOfDragonsGod and 43 otherskaizerfoxMar 14, 2025Reader modeNewAdd bookmark Threadmarks Threadmarks Chapter 9 New Threadmarks kaizerfoxGetting sticky.Mar 16, 2025Add bookmark#17Chapter 9
Red Keep, 281 A.C., Eight days later…
The days since the announcement of the "Dual Wedding of Lannisport", as the upcoming event has been named, have been an exhausting whirlwind of activity. I had expected a big reaction in the form of a few days of gossiping before the court would inevitably get distracted by something else. What I hadn't expected was for it to strike court like a political earthquake as it seemed to become the topic of conversation on everyone's lips for a week as my new alliance and trade deal with the Lannisters caught even experienced players of the game of thrones off guard. The idea of the Lannisters, even through the cadet branch, marrying into any Northern house short of the Starks was unthinkable until my betrothal and the reality of it caused many to reevaluate not just House Seastark but the North as players of the game. In the eyes of the Southron lords, I went from being a minor Northern lord with a nice pedigree and strange invention to a notable player in the game, with the newest city of Wolfsport being the newest piece.
My days were spent either meeting with various lords for trade deals or going on what I mentally referred to as "dates" with Myrra and "double dates" that involved either Stannis and Cersei or Tygett and Darlessa.
The Westerosi version of a date generally involved a recently betrothed couple spending time together to get to known each other under direct supervision. My dates with Myrra involved strolling through the royal gardens while talking about various topics, meeting under the godswood where I instructed her on how Northern weddings work since she was going to do the same ceremony at Castle Warg, and probably most baffling to courtiers, spending time at the royal library sitting next to one another reading.
She was reading The Loves of Queen Nymeria by Maester Lucifer while I was skimming through a copy of The Nine Voyages by Maester Mathis and contemplating the confusing nature of this world's seasons. Spring and Autumn were fairly straightforward as they lasted only a year but summer and winter varied in length from one to multiple years. If this wasn't confusing enough, I remembered the "False Spring of 281" in the middle of a three-year long winter from the books only for Hugo's memories to contradict it with memories of the "False Spring of 279" with Spring coming in the first moons of this year instead of 283. I was pulled out of my ponderings when I felt a nudge on my left arm.
"I believe you're to meet with Lord Crakehall, Ser Swyft, and Lord Serrett soon." I hear a whisper as I turned my head to see a smirking Myrra. I looked around me and judged from the position and length of the shadows that it was near midday. I thanked her for the reminder and got up to put my book back but not before giving a quick kiss on the cheek that left her blushing, to the excited whispers and giggles of some watching courtiers and the narrow-eyed disapproval of our Septa chaperone. I ignored them as I placed my book back into the correct space and left. Public displays of affection were heavily frowned upon in Westeros and had Myrra and I not been betrothed, even a quick peck would have been a scandalous affair instead of merely juicy gossip for the rumor mill.
As I walked the halls of the Red Keep to my destination, I thought about the other activity taking up my time: meeting with lords, mainly River and Westerlords with a few Vale, Crown, and Stormlords sprinkled in. I didn't think much of it when word of the trade agreement I made with the Lannisters got out but apparently trade deals that mutually lower customs duties were a rare thing in Westeros and also drew a big reaction from court. This led to what felt like an avalanche of lords seeking trade deals, especially after the new Master of Coin Lord Ambrose Mallister of Seagard and I negotiated a simple trade deal of furs and amber for iron mined near Oldstones and lowering the Wolfsport customs duty for Mallister ships to five-and-twenty percent in exchange for grain shipments in winter.
My mind wandered to my upcoming meeting. What did Myrra say about them again? Ah! Right! Lord Roland Crakehall, new lord cause his father just passed, youngest sister Shiera recently betrothed to Jaime, loves hunting, lots of iron, copper and tin…
Lord Willem Serrett, oldest of the three, married his eldest daughter to Roland and youngest daughter to Lord Swyft's son and heir, arrogant and cocky, lots of silver…
Ser Harys Swyft, older than Roland but younger than Willem, chinless, Swyfts used to be a lordly house but got demoted after the Dance of Dragons, sensitive, one of the few agricultural regions of the Westerlands, lots of grain and cider…
I pass by the Great Hall as I mentally dredge up the information Myrra gave me on the two Westerlords and knight I was about to meet. Who they were, their likes, dislikes, achievements, goals, resources, marriage alliances, practically all the information that makes trade negotiations go smoother. Myrra giving information on all the Westerlords was the first way she's assisted me in getting favorable trade deals. The second way was subtler, the only clue being a rather large spike in the number of lords and ladies asking about blue amber two days after the announcement. When I brought this up with her, the only response was an impish grin while explaining how she might have been boasting to the ladies of the court how she'll have a blue amber necklace bigger than the soon-to-be queen's. When she trailed off with a knowing look, I took the obvious hint and promised her a big fat blue amber necklace because frankly she deserved it.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts when I arrived at Lord Crakehall's quarters and entered, finding a small table with the three Westerlords. After exchanging greetings, I sat one of the ends as the special guest of this luncheon across from the host, Lord Roland Crakehall, Lord of Crakehall, a brown-bearded, big-bodied man in his twenties. Seated to the host's right was Lord Willem Serrett, Lord of Silverhill, a tall wiry blonde-hair man in his late thirties, to his right and Ser Harys Swyft, Knight of Cornfield, a chinless man in his early thirties with brown hair that was already showing signs of balding.
"Lord Crakehall, I heard about the passing of your father Lord Sumner Crakehall, you have my condolences." I begin in a serious voice as servants poured our drinks in silver goblets, which I noticed was a type of cider instead of wine. Lord Crakehall thanked me solemnly with a stone face that shifted to a sad smile before continuing.
"But it hasn't all been only dark words from Crakehall, I'm sure you heard about my youngest sister's betrothal to Ser Jaime."
"Indeed, I have heard of the betrothal. You have my congratulations as well. If I remember correctly, didn't Ser Jaime foster with your father?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"Oh yes! Ser Jaime did foster with my father, who taught him all he knew of strategy and war…"
Lord Crakehall responded with a nostalgic smile as he started to tell stories of Ser Silence's time at Crakehall, with myself and the other two occupants only pretending to listen. I was idlily sipping my cider, a nice dry flavor that was my preference back on Earth when I noticed that Lord Crakehall had finished his story.
"I must say, this is some delicious cider! It has a crisp, dryer taste than the Sarsfield cider my betrothed had me try!" I change the topic and suppress a smirk when I see Ser Harys perk up.
"Oh! It's actually my house's famous cider, brewed in Cornfield the same way for centuries and…" Ser Harys responds with a passionate rant about cider that I only half pay attention to.
"It's only worthwhile thing his house makes." I hear Lord Serrett whisper to Lord Crakehall while Ser Swyft continues obliviously. To be fair to the man, I actually did find it delicious.
"Fascinating! I had no idea so much went into cider production. And I love these silver goblets, especially the intricate carvings! Are these from Silverhill?" I ask Lord Serrett as he puffs up with pride at my question.
"Well of course they are! We Serretts of Silverhill have the best silversmiths in the Westerlands and…"
I smile as I tune out Lord Serrett's obnoxious bragging, content with knowing I've successfully buttered them up before getting to the meat of the trade deal.
An hour later…
I left Lord Crakehall's quarters with a satisfied grin, having secured another profitable trade deal. Though not as profitable then it could've been had I met them one-on-one. Despite their bickering, the lords manage to keep a united front against me. I thought to myself as I pondered about the most recent trend happening in my trade negotiations, that lords were teaming up and I was being forced to negotiate against two or three lords instead of one, lowering my bargaining power. I wasn't sure why it was happening but I noticed it started two days ago with the Vances of both Atranta and Wayfarer's Rest negotiating together followed by the Freys and Rosbys, the Baneforts and Paynes, and now the Crakehalls, Serretts and Swyfts.
I was passing by the Great Hall again when I'm yanked from my thoughts by a familiar voice calling my name and turn to find my cousin catching up to me.
"Cousin! I see you finished early with the trade deal! How did it go?" He asked as we walked back toward the Seastark quarters.
"It went well. Got more iron and copper from the Crakehalls, silver from the Serretts, and grain and cider from the Swyfts for a good bargain. The Swyfts have a nice dry cider I like." I give a quick summary as we walk.
"Huh. I don't remember you liking cider other than our spiced mulled cider up North." He comments in a slightly befuddled tone.
I shrug. "Just a taste I've recently developed." "Like your taste in blondes?" He laughs as I roll my eyes. "You jape, but I've gotten grain deals with two-thirds of the Westerlords for autumn and winter." His eyes bug out when he hears this and it's my turn to laugh.
We continue to talk before deciding to go sparring when we arrived at our quarters. After armoring up, we made our way to the massive training courtyard where dozens of lords of various ranks were spread out mingling and sparring. Surrounding the courtyard was a two-storied peristyle where many ladies, servants, and other observers would watch the intense spars. As Wyman and I grab blunted swords from the weapons rack and enter the courtyard, I spy Myrra with Ladies Jeyne Farman, Darlessa Marbrand, and Cersei looking down from above to our left. When they saw me, they were just close enough for me to make out Myrra's wide smile, next two Jeyne and Darlessa's polite smiles and Cersei's haughty gaze.
Wyman and I find an open spot near the other Northern lords and as we begin to trade blows, I was giving silent thanks to the Old Gods, George, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or whoever merged our souls together that I not only received Hugo's memories but also his skills with a blade.
I wasn't sure if I had his skills or not until a few days ago when I decided to have a private sparring session with Wyman to find out. At first it seemed like my fears of only having my non-existent skills from Earth had come true as for the first two spars, Wyman easily beat my sluggish, uncoordinated ass. However, when started our third spar I suddenly felt everything "click" as my movements became faster and more coordinated and my skills sharper as I went from being easily thrashed to going toe-to-toe with him, winning three of our eventual seven spars.
Speaking of going toe-to-toe, I was currently doing that with Wyman as our attacks and movements sped up as he went on the attack. I was being pushed back barely being fast enough to parry only to duck under a wide horizontal swing that he put a little too much power into that I took advantage of to sneak into his guard and place my blunted blade next to his neck. "Yield?" I say with a grin. "Aye, I yield." He mutters with a smile as notice an audience surrounding us, mostly Northern lords as I see my cousins Owen Fisher and Galbert Glover with a few lords from the other kingdoms mixed in.
As Wyman and I walked off to the side and let Owen and Galbert take over for a spar I hear a shout "Lord Seastark!" as turn to see Ser Tygett Lannister with a few Westerland knights a short distance away. "I believe you still owe me a spar!" he shouts in a challenging tone. I bark out a short laugh and respond "I believe I do Ser Tygett". I begin to walk over with Wyman to where Ser Tygett was as I hear the lords and ladies look at us and whisper and my eyes dart to where Myrra and her with Darlessa and Jeyne with excited expressions with even Cersei looking intrigued.
Wyman stood off to the side with the other Westerlords while I continued to the center where Ser Tygett was, who simply smiled when I reached him. "Good. I want to see the warrior that slayed a Kingsguard!" he says to the surprised mutterings of some of the lords as we get into our battle stances, swords and shields at the ready.
Soon enough, we're clashing, slowly at first as we gauge each other's skill before settling into a face-paced dance of attacks, blocks, parries, and feints. Something I realized very quickly was that while Wyman and I were skilled for our age group, fighting older, more experienced fighters like Ser Tygett who had roughly twice the experience I had was a completely different ball game. He didn't fall for my simple feints, expertly parried my attacks and was currently attacking aggressively to keep me on the back foot. I managed to parry a swing from my right with my sword and bash my shield against him, knocking him back two steps and giving me a brief moment to breathe. I then took control of the momentum of the spar and begin to pressing the attack against him, making it his turn to be on the backfoot. I kept pressing as he expertly block and parried my blows before I spotted an opening on his left that I immediately attempted to exploit only to realize too late that it was a feint when he swifted his blade and hit me with a riposte that left me open to a powerful shield bash that knocked me to the ground. I looked up to find a blunted blade pointed at my throat held by a smirking, Ser Tygett. "Yield"
"Aye, I yield." I say as he offers me a hand up that I grab. "Well fought, Lord Seastark. I see the battles you have fought in gave you some experience though you're still young. It's good that you're aggressive but a more experienced opponent can take advantage of that." He casually offers some advice while wiping the sweat off his brow and I thank him before having a spar with while Ser Addam Marbrand while Wyman had a spar Ser Quenten Serrett, son of Lord Willem Serrett who I met earlier today. I barely beat Ser Addam while Wyman easily beat Ser Quenten before going back to join the other Northern lords while I continued to spar with the Westerlords.
After a few more spars, I defeated a young Lord Gawen Westerling and was pulling him off the ground when we heard shouting coming from the area of the courtyard where the Northern lords had gathered. I went over to investigate and found a group of Northerners with a few lords and knights from the other kingdoms surrounding a group that was the source of screaming obscenities. As I reached the group, I ask a twenty nameday-old Lord Halys Hornwood what was going on. He seems surprised to see me and immediately gets out of the way and calling other lords to do the same. I nod in thanks and continue to the middle of the gathering when I start to hear what was being shouted.
"-WHORING YOURSELVES OUT TO THE LANNISTERS!" I bristle at the insult no doubt directed at my house. I heard a mix of mocking laughs and angry jeers.
"HA! YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT DISLOYAL? HOW ABOUT WHEN YOUR HOUSE SIDED WITH THE BOLTONS DURING THEIR LAST REVOLT?" I hear Wyman's voice shout back in indignant rage with multiple angry yells and jeers coming from one corner of the group. I finally get to the middle to see and furious, bruised and bloodied-nosed Wyman being held back by my other cousins, Owen Fisher and Galbert Glover facing off with an equally furious and battered Arthor Karstark being held back by his older brother Cregan and Roose Bolton.
"OI! What's going on here!" I cut in, straight to the point. "I would like to know the same thing, Lord Seastark." I hear a new voice emerge from the crowd say my name and title mockingly and my gaze shifts Lord Rickard Karstark, a large man twice my age with brown-hair, a large beard and the same blue-gray eyes I had staring at me with disdain. "Lord Karstark." I narrow my eyes and respond neutrally, shifting my gaze back to the scene with Wyman and Arthor. "Well." I say impatiently.
"I witnessed what happened Lord Seastark." I see a slightly fat Ser Wylis Manderly, heir to White Harbor step out from the crowd. "I swear on both the Old Gods and the Seven, Lord Wyman and Lord Arthor had a close spar that ended with Lord Arthor knocked to the ground and forced to yield. When Lord Wyman accepted his yield and offered his hand and pulled him up, Lord Arthor spat on him. Lord Wyman then struck him with his gauntlet and they brawled before being pulled apart." He stated confidently to a mix of gasps and murmurs of confirmation from the crowd. My eyes briefly shift to Lord Karstark, who seemed to be digesting the information before shifting back to Wyman. "Is this true Wyman?" I ask him.
Wyman grimaces for a moment before sighing. "Aye, it's true. He spat on me, I punched him, we fought, and now we're here." Arthor slowly nods, confirming both Wyman and Ser Wylis.
I frown at the tricky situation in front of me. Wyman was in the wrong for punching Arthor but Arthor spitting on him was a provocation. Back on Earth, spitting on someone was an extremely disrespectful act that would probably lead to a fight. In Westeros, spitting on someone was an extremely disrespectful act that will definitely lead to a fight because spitting on a highborn meant spitting on their house and that kind of disrespect can't go unanswered.
"Your cousin assaulted my kin." Rickard Karstark finally growled out in an accusatory tone.
"After your cousin spat on my kin." I remind him with a hard voice.
"My Lords!" Ser Wylis cut in. "Both houses are aggrieved. Mayhaps an apology from each of the involved will appease both houses' honors?" I hear mostly murmurs of agreement from the crowd with the exception of the Karstarks and few members from houses like the Umbers and Boltons who voiced their disagreement.
I contemplated his words. It seemed like the kind of comprise that left no one happy but allowed both parties to claim some kind of win before moving on and forgetting it ever happened. Which was good enough for me.
"I think that is a reasonable compromise." I nod to Ser Wylis and my eyes scan the crowd to see most of the Northerners and non-Northern lords nodding and muttering in agreement, seeming to believe this was a fair way to end it. I ignored the same group that voiced their disagreement to Ser Wylis when they began jeering at me.
"No." Lord Karstark steps forward and says stone-faced and silences everyone as I stare in disbelief. "Why should my cousin have to apologize to your young, brash cousin who can't control his anger." He sneers. This motherfucker… I think to myself.
"Really? Because your what? Thirty namedays-old cousin lost a spar, threw a temper tantrum and spat on my cousin. Sounds to me like your cousin is the one who can't control his anger." I say flippantly, causing him to snarl as his eyes light up in anger as the crowd laughs or jeers at my comment.
"My Lords! There is no reason for things to get out of hand!" Ser Wylis pleads desperately as Lord Karstark angrily responds "Why should we have to apologize to a young, cooper-counting house like yours that's more Southron than Northern? Haven't you heard what they're calling you, Seastark? The newest house of the Westerlands! All because you got yourself a lioness whore!" He steps closer and a thunderous mix of boos, jeers, laughs, and angry yells meets Lord Karstarks inflammatory words.
I feel rage bubbling up inside me and I take a step towards him. "We're more Northern than your house will ever be. Unlike you our house we contribute to the North. We repopulated a barren land, built a fleet from scratch that protects most of the western coast from Wildlings and Ironborn, and now in the past moon alone, my cousin and I have saved King's Landing and gained a city charter. SO I ASK YOU KARSTARK, WHAT THE FUCK HAS YOUR HOUSE EVEN ACCOMPLISHED?" I yell the last part as Lord Karstark's face contorts in rage. He steps closer to me again as the crowd seems to get louder and louder.
"HOW DARE YOU, YOU ARROGANT LITTLE SHIT!" Lord Karstark screams as he steps closer again before being pulled back by the Greatjon Umber, Lord of Last Hearth.
I go to yell something when I feel a hand on my shoulder and look to see my other uncle, Lord Osric Fisher with a serious expression. "Enough, nephew." I could still feel the rage inside from Karstark's words but I forced myself to nod my head and look around.
Where did all these lords and ladies come from? I thought to myself as I suddenly hear cries from a section of the crowd behind me.
"It's the King!" "It's his grace!" I hear as turn to see the crowd part ways to reveal King Robert walking towards us with Prince Stannis and his uncle Ser Ealon Estremont, the Master of Whispers.
"OI! What's going on here?" The King says in a loud voice and I feel a weird sense of deja-vu as everyone kneels. "Up!" King Robert shouts and everyone stands.
"Your grace! Apologies for the disturbance! It's just a spar that got a bit out of control but we were about to finish with both the belligerents apologizing to one another to sate each other's honor." I say to the king with my voice becoming more forceful with the second part as I look at Lord Karstark, his cousin and Wyman. Lord Karstark grinds his teeth and stare balefully at me but turns his head and nods to his cousin and I do the same to mine.
Arthor and Wyman look each other dead in the eye. "I apologize for spitting on you." "I apologize for punching you." They both growl out at the same time and it's obvious to everyone that neither means it. Ser Wylis looks relieved but the King looks at us skeptically and says "I see the issue has been resolved. Make sure it stays resolved." With the last two words carrying an unspoken but potent threat of royal displeasure and even punishment before turning to leave. Prince Stannis glances at me with a somewhat sympathetic look while his uncle gives me a look I can't read before they turn to follow the King. The crowd begins to disperse as I go to Wyman.
"You alright?" I ask him as he stands next to Galbert and Owen. He has a large bruise on his left cheek and a possible broken nose that he was currently using a cloth to stem the bleeding.
"I'll be fine, just need to get my nose fixed." He takes off the rag and shows me his crooked nose that looks bad but fixable.
"Come on, let's get you to a master." I say and all four of us begin to leave but not before turning to my uncle Osric and quietly thanking him for interfering and preventing me from saying I might regret. He only responded that I probably already did and walked away. As my cousins and I left silently my eyes scan the dispersing crowd, I find the Karstarks glaring balefully at me, the Umbers, Boltons, and Flints giving disapproving looks, the Manderlys, Mormonts and Slates among others were giving me sympathetic looks. My eyes shift to where Myrra and her group was to find it empty and when my eyes searched, I didn't find them. As we left the courtyard towards to find a maester, I was already hearing the lords and ladies gossiping in loud and soft whispers about the new feud between the Seastarks and the Karstarks and what this could mean for not only the North, but for the realm as a whole.
A/N: Biggest chapter yet and we now see a feud forming between the Seastarks and Karstarks, who before this had a complicated relationship of "distant kin that occasionally squabble but stood together when it mattered". Yet another thing for Ned to deal with he and his party return...
Interlude – Ned 1
Shipbreaker Bay, 281 A.C., Six days earlier…
Ned stood at the bow of the ship looking out at the setting sun thinking back on the events of the past few weeks. He and his seven companions Howland Reed, Willam Dustin, Ethan Glover, Martyn Cassel, Theo Wull, Ser Mark Ryswell and Walton Seastark rode out from Storm's End but not before Walton grabbed a midwife named Prycilla. He remembered how he initially resisted the idea of bringing a midwife, thinking that it would slow them down but Howland, William, and Walton convinced him of the potential necessity.
Thank the Old Gods they convinced me. If they hadn't... I thought to myself with a grimace.
It had taken them days of traveling through the Red Mountains and they only reason it didn't take them weeks was the wayfinder Lord Hugo Seastark gave him. When they arrived at the Tower of Joy, it was guarded by Ser Gerold Hightower, Ser Oswell Whent, and Ser Arthur Dayne.
He remembered the fierce battle that day, how he slew Ser Arthur with the help of Howland Reed. How Ser Oswell slew Martyn Cassel and was about to kill Willam Dustin before Walton Seastark sacrificed himself, taking the blow instead and allowing Willam to quickly decapitate a surprised Ser Oswell. How Ser Gerold lived up to his name "The White Bull" and slew Ser Mark Rhyswell and Ethan Glover before Theo Wull managed to land a mortal blow and he remembers Theo's stunned look when Ser Gerold made one last swipe and slashed his neck.
He remembers running up those steps, calling his sister's name and feeling relief when he heard her voice before that relief vanishing when he finally gazed on her heavily pregnant belly. The midwife looking her over and stating she's going to give birth any day now so they need to leave immediately. It still irks him that they could only dig five graves at the tower and couldn't bring back the bones.
They rode for Nightsong, over the border into the friendly territory of the Stormlands. He had wanted to travel to Starfall to return Dawn to the Daynes but Lyanna's condition meant that getting her to safety was the bigger priority. The night after the first day of riding, they sat around the campfire with Willam, Howland, and himself telling his sister about their experiences in the initial chaos of her disappearance, the war, the sack of King's Landing. She had a horrified reaction to hearing what happened to Elia Martell and her children and when the midwife Prycilla went to her tent to sleep, she whispered with a guilt-ridden face to that she left willing with the prince to our immense shock. She confessed to being the Knight of the Laughing Tree at the Tourney of Harrenhall to all but Howland's surprise and how after she disappeared as the knight…
"…the prince found me taking off the armor and instead of arresting me, we talked. About how I was unsure of Robert with him siring a bastard in the Vale, the prince talked about how his family life was strain and I found him charming. We met in secret again and he promised a way to get out of my betrothal if I met up with him alone next year. I foolishly believed him." She says the last part with a humorless laugh, eyes glistening with tears.
"We headed south to Storm's End to 'negotiate with the Baratheons to end my betrothal' he said. It was all horseshit but I believed him like the dimwitted damsels I use to sneer at. I don't know the South that well but we were close to the Dornish Marches when I realized we were past Storm's End. I asked him, he made excuses but later that night I heard them discussing what the Mad King did to father and Brandon. I tried to flee the next night but was captured brought to that damn tower tied up."
Her breathing speeds up as the tears begin to fall. "I tried to escape again… the first night there… but was caught again…and they held me down… while the prince…" She's pulled into a hug as she sobs into her brother's shoulder, mumbling that it was "her fault they're dead" as Ned firmly denies this and comforts her. After he takes her to her tent, he makes Howland and Willam swear of vow of secrecy…
After three days of riding, they were about to reach the border when they were ambushed and captured by men from House Wyl with Willam's red stallion being shot from under him. He flew off and managed to only break his arm but his horse was slain. The midwife, Prycilla took a bolt throwing herself in front of his sister, saving her life at the cost of her own.
They were brought to Castle Wyl under the "care" of Lord Edgar Wyl. He had heard of House Wyl's infamous reputation and history of vile deeds. It was a tense two days, made worse by a raven from King's Landing baring news of massive caches of wyldfire discovered under the city but gave no details, before his sister gave birth with a local midwife and the castle maester helping. It was a surprisingly chilly night and with salt-scent wind blowing from the sea forcing them to light a small, smoky fire as she screamed from the labor and after a few hours, Brandon Snow was born.
Three days later, Prince Oberyn arrived to escort them by ship and three days after that, they were "guests" of the Martells at the Water Gardens, a private retreat located on a coastal road three leagues to the west of Sunspear. Despite being prisoners and hostages, we were treated well as we dined with Prince Doran, his wife Princess Mellario of Norvos and their children, Prince Oberyn, his bastard daughters, and his current paramour and newest mother of Sand Snakes Captain Nakaya Sho of the swan ship The Feathered Kiss our first night there. The dinner began with Doran raising a golden goblet of Dornish red wine and toasted Eddard Stark himself for "being the only one in the cesspit of the Stag's court to protest Elia and her children's death", notably calling Robert neither king nor usurper. Oberyn gave him an appreciative nod before discussions broke between the Martell brothers and the three Northern lords over the events of the realm including the moving of wyldfire to Summerhall near Dorne and Wolfsport gaining a city charter to the surprise of the Northerners.
Lyanna bonded with Princess Mellario and Captain Nakaya over becoming recent mothers, the princess having her son and second child Quentyn a few moons ago, the same time the dark-skinned Summer Island captain had her bastard daughter Sarella Sand, who was a lighter brown skin than her mother. The three enthusiastically exchanged stories of their homelands, each drawing reactions of awe and disbelief from the other two.
Their eldest child of Doran and Mellario, a girl of five namedays, Princess Arianne marveled at the wayfinder Lord Hugo Seastark lent him with her three bastard cousins Obara, Nymeria and Tyrene Sand. The adults smiled as they watched the girls pass around the wayfinder between with excitement and childlike glee
Prince Doran asked him about the wayfinder while his brother asked about Lord Seastark before revealing Lord Hugo's cousin Wyman was the once who discovered the caches of wyldfire. We were stunned, and as I recalled Jon Arryn telling me of Lord Hugo's strange insistence of wyldfire being under the city I could only wonder how he knew. Captain Nakaya took a keen interest in the wayfinder stating her people would pay an arm and a leg for such a navigation tool before looking to Oberyn and telling him she might stay longer in Westeros just to acquire one.
A few days later a raven arrived with word that Jon Arryn was traveling to Sunspear with Ser Clegane and Ser Lorch to "negotiate peace with House Martell" and we moved to Sunspear two days before Jon arrived. The prisoners, a shivering terrified Lorch and a tied-up Mountain with a vacant gaze caused by some kind of potion were quickly escorted by an enthusiastic Prince Oberyn to the dungeons where even three floors deep, high pitch shrieks and bellowing roars of pain could be faintly heard for the next five days.
Jon Arryn brought Prince Lewyn's bones, Ser Clegane and Ser Lorch as "tokens of apologies and good faith from King Robert." Doran responded curtly that while House Martell was thankful for the tokens, they would be more thankful for an apology from "the Stag King" for laughing at their sister's and her children's corpses. The exchanged created an awkward air but the negotiations after that were simple, the Martells would keep their titles with no punishments for siding with the Targaryens in exchange for handing over their "guests" bending the knee to Robert. Doran then surprised them saying that he will send his brother to bend the knee in his stead and attend the royal dual wedding.
After that Lyanna and I met with Jon Arryn, who mentioned Robert still wished to marry Lyanna to her surprise. She agreed to marry Robert before turning the topic to the fate of her son, with Jon responding that they would decide when they arrived in the capital but admitted he and Robert were leaning on him renouncing his claims when he reaches maturity and joining the Night's Watch to nullify his claim to the throne. This incensed Lyanna who argued her son would be both a Stark and no threat to Robert to Jon Arryn's insistence that would give the Starks too much power while I argued a compromise of raising him as a new cadet branch of House Stark in Moat Cailin. When Jon still argued that he would be a threat, albeit a reduced one as a cadet branch instead of main branch Stark, he offered marrying Brandon to Mya Stone, Robert's bastard in the Vale to tie him to House Baratheon and the crown. Lyanna showed discomfort at the mention of Robert's bastard but accepted the compromise while Jon looked skeptical but didn't dismiss it outright, simply stating they would bring it up with Robert when they get back to the capital.
We finally set sail from Sunspear when Oberyn was finished killing his prisoners accompanied by Captain Nakaya as both his paramour and to potentially negotiate trade deal for the Sho Clan of the island of Koj with either the crown or House Seastark. Ned didn't oppose this as growing comradery between his sister and the fifth daughter of the second son of the Sho Clan head created an interest the North in the latter, a place only a scant few Summer Islanders have been to and only White Harbor. He had agreed to introduce her to Lord Wyman Manderly and Lord Hugo Seastark to form trade deals to the captain's surprise and joy.
Lyana slowly became like the she-wolf she was before Harrenhall, but she wasn't there yet as she had nightmares about the Tower of Joy, along with new nightmares after hearing what happened to Princess Elia. They involved her being held down by the Kingsguard, forced to watch a lion devour baby Brandon. He and Howland assured her that Tywin had no way to reach Brandon in the North and that he would never allow something like that to happen.
Storm's End, the next day…
Ned, his sister and fellow Northern lords, the Hand, Prince Oberyn and Captain Nakaya sat as they heard the news from King's Landing during a private dinner with the castellan Ser Raymont Bolling and Maester Cressen. The announcement of the dual wedding of Lannisport involving the betrothal of Lord Hugo Seastark to Lady Myrra Lannister of Lannisport and the new Seastark-Lannister trade deal shocked everyone. He and Willam reacted with stunned silence, Howland looked like he saw a ghost and whispering about a "black direwolf and swimming lioness". Lyanna looked disturbed, having to calm her rapid breathing as her fearful eyes turn to him for assurance that he gave with a smile and nod that he didn't feel himself. Jon Arryn looked conflicted at the Lord Seastark betrothal, that looked morphed into astonishment when he heard about the part of the trade deal that involved Wolfsport and Lannisport mutually lowering their customs duties. He commented out loud that the Lannisters never lower customs duties and that even the Mad King tried and failed to get Tywin to lower his before muttering that he needed to tell Lord Seaguard to get a trade deal and tell the other lords to double team him in negotiations. Captain Nakaya looked conflicted, asking her lover if it was alright to meet with a Northern lord that is marrying into the family that murdered his sister. The prince assured her with that it was alright and that it wouldn't offend him or House Martell because he also really wanted to meet Lord Seastark as he looked at Ned with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
A/N: Part 1 of 2, with the second part being from Storm's End to King's Landing and we'll hear Ned's reaction to the brewing Seastark-Karstark feud.
Also Lyanna is a complicated character that can be polarizing to the fanbase at times and I hope I wrote a Lyanna (a fifteen year old girl) that made a terrible decision to go with Rhaegar and tried to bail the moment she realized he was lying to her resulting in Brandon. She also feels immense guilt for essentially causing the war, especially the deaths of her father, brother (why she named her son after him), and Elia and her kids. Hope this characterization seems plausible, and no she's not going to be weak and broken, she many be traumatized and a little paranoid about the safety of her son but she's still a she-wolf...
The part with Oberyn's Summer Islander lover being there was a happy accident of me researching the Sand Snakes and realizing Sarella Sand was born or 280 or 281 so I slotted her in instead of Ellaria Sand and made her a minor noble/merchant of the island of Koj since the only info we have on her is that she's the captain of a swan ship called The Feathered Kiss. That's it, not even a name.
Interlude – Ned 2
Wendwater Bridge, a week later…
Their party was less than a league away from Wendwater Bridge, a small keep in the Kingswood held by a cadet branch of House Wendwater as Ned looks down at his wayfinder and reflects on what happened since the dinner at Storm's End.
After reminding Prince Oberyn that that Lord Seastark was a bannerman of the North, who simply grinned and said he only wished to "meet and talk" with Lord Seastark while the same dangerous glint continued to shine in his eyes, the table broke off into smaller conversations.
The prince getting into a discussion with Maester Cressen about the wayfinders and how some mocked Archmaester's theory on magnetic poles was being proven correct. Ser Raymont Bolling and Jon Arryn were discussing the trade deal and how Lord Seastark seems determined to turn Wolfsport into a much bigger center of trade despite its isolated location. The Summer Islander captain asked his sister a similar question to the one she asked the prince with Lyanna quickly assuring Captain Nakaya that it was no insult to her or House Stark. That left him with Willam Dustin and himself asking Howland Reed in whispers what he meant by "black direwolf and swimming lioness", who responded that he would tell them later tonight.
The dinner had continued but the news of the dual wedding dominated the table conversation and even when it wasn't the topic, it loomed over them like a gathering storm.
When Ned met with his sister, Howland and Willam later that night, the Crannogman revealed that he had a green dream on the night of Brandon's birth.
A black direwolf fated to die at the Trident rises and dances with the swimming lioness.
It snarls at the burning white sun while buckets clash with broken stones.
When the gray direwolf returns with a white, winged direwolf pup, the black direwolf flanked by a golden lion and stubborn stag will quarrel with the white sun flanked by an old, blue falcon and red viper as the winged direwolf grows and spreads its wings.
The kraken will lash out and a one-eyed crow will rise.
When the winged direwolf comes of age with a doe of the storm, a cold wind will blow from the north.
Some of it made sense to Ned, the black direwolf and white sun were the Stark cadet branches, the swimming lioness was the future Lady of Castle Warg and Wolfsport, the lion, stage, falcon and viper were Lord Tywin, Prince Stannis, Jon Arryn, and Prince Oberyn. The kraken was the Greyjoys and he suspected the winged direwolf was Brandon. The buckets, broken stones, and one-eyed crows left him puzzled.
When he asked the group about them, they all shared confusion over the one-eyed crow but were surprised he didn't know the buckets and broken stone's part. Lyanna comments that the buckets and broken stones were the Wulls of Ice Harbor, house sigil is three wooden buckets, brown on blue, with a border of grey and white checks and the First Flints of Breakstone Hill, house sigil is a gray flintstone arrowhead, broken equally from tip to base on red.
Howland proceeds to explain the history of the Northern hill clans, how the hill clans lived and raided one another until conquered by the Flint Kings of Breakstone Hill, who were in turn conquered by the Winter Kings who freed the hill clans, and broke Flint King's grip over them and their flintstone crown to reduced them to another hill clan. The Flints would eventually recover and with the help of the Umbers, allowing the Flints to begin marrying outside the hill clans with Northern lords and over time, establishing cadet branches in both House Flint of Widow's Watch and Flint's Finger with the Flints of Breakstone Hill becoming the First Flints to distinguish themselves from their younger, more civilized cadet branches. This alliance with the Umbers and outside marriages allowed the First Flints to become strongest and wealthiest hill clan that dominated the Allthing, or massive days long gathering of all forty clans large and small that included political meetings between chiefs, feasts and games, with each clan trying to outdo the others in adding to the feasts and games as a way to show off generosity and wealth.
Willam picks up were Howland left off: Until the rise of the Wulls of Ice Harbor, who located on the shore of the Bay of Ice, were almost always the second strongest and wealthiest clan to the First Flints and their rise starts with the birth of House Seastark. The Wulls started trading with the new Stark cadet branch and trading more with the Glovers and Mormonts and with the Sunset and Mormont Fleets protecting the Bay of Ice from the wildlings and Ironborn, they overtook the First Flints as the wealthiest clan. This has created a rivalry between the two constantly trying to outdo each other in particular at the Allthings and even raiding one another every once and a while. This has caused an even divide in the hill clans, with the eastern twenty hill clans of the hilly and mountainous interior, dominated by the Burleys, Knotts and Liddles side with the First Flints and their Umber and Karstark allies while the western twenty hill clans of the shore of the Bay of Ice, the hills and the Wolfswood dominated by the Harclays and Norreys side with the Wulls and their Glover, Mormont, and Seastark allies.
Ned was stunned hearing this as he had no idea of the history or politics of the Northern hill clans, only that they were similar to the Vale mountain clans but peaceful but as the trip to Wendwater Bridge continued he would realize that he had large gaps of knowledge when it came to the North due to fostering in the Vale. Something the others picked up on and begin educating him on the history and politics of various Northern houses to Ned's immense gratitude.
A glimpse of the old Lyanna returned when she got into a friendly argument with Prince Oberyn about horse breeds and which horse breeds were faster. Lyanna challenged the prince to a race and before any one could argue, his sister gave him Brandon and raced off with Oberyn close behind. The prince would end up winning the race but praising his sister's horse-riding skills.
It was the latest glimpse of the she-wolf since back in Sunspear when a furious Lyanna argued that the sword Dawn, wielded by Ser Arthur Dayne and one the Kingsguard that helped abduct and held her down to be raped, should be given to House Stark. This caused an equally fierce Oberyn to argue against this, stating that horrible crime or not, Dawn belongs to House Dayne and that Martells would never allow them to take it. Prince Doran, Ned and Jon Arryn would argue the same thing though in more diplomatic language, causing she-wolf to begrudging back down from her demands for the sword and the Martells collected the sword to be sent back to Starfall. It was after that, that he received word of Ashara Dayne throwing herself to her death after the stillbirth of her bastard daughter…their bastard daughter.
Ned was dragged out of his thoughts as they reached eyesight of Wendwater Bridge, a small keep overlooking a bridge across the Wendwater, a river that flows through the Kingswood and were welcomed at the gates by a greybeard knight, a beautiful brunette woman in her twenties and a young boy of brown hair.
The knight stepped forward. "Greetings! I am Ser Adrian Wendwater, Knight of Wendwater Bridge. I welcome you to my humble keep!" He greets and the woman steps forward "It is an honor to meet you, I am Lady Gwenys Wendwater of the Crownlands and this is my son Triston Wendwater."
A few hours later…
They sat in the small dining chamber with an old, oak table that was barely large enough to accommodate the ten people that ate a simple meal of smoked venison, cooked vegetables and some bread and cheeses washed down with wine as they discussed news from the capital. Triston was alternating between chewing on venison and playing with Ned's borrowed wayfinder. Lady Gwenys was discussing something with his sister and the Summer-Islander captain in low voices. The men were, as always, talking about poltics.
"My grandson is squiring for Lord Buckler and was at the training courtyard of the Red Keep and witnessed Ser Tygett Lannister sparring with Lord Seastark." Ser Adrian said and the took a sip of wine, the names spoken catching mine and the attention of the other guests. "He said Lord Seastark was skilled but that Ser Tygett's age and experience prevailed. Ser Addam Marbrand then challenged Lord Seastark and lost by a hair but that was before he saw a fight break out between the Karstarks and Seastarks." He takes another sip.
Ned stiffens and sees his fellow Northern lords and sister do the same. He sees the prince and the captain look intrigued while Jon wore a troubled look.
"Apparently a Seastark cousin and a Karstark cousin sparred with the Seastark victorious, the Karstark spat on him and they brawled. They were pulled apart with the Karstark calling the Seastarks traitors for whoring themselves to the Lannisters while the Seastark yelled back something about them allying with the Boltons. Then Lord Seastark and Lord Karstark showed up demanding to know what happened. A Manderly knight told them. Lord Seastark and the Manderly knight thought an apology on both sides would suffice but Lord Karstark refused and loudly insulted Lord Seastark, calling them the newest house of the Westerlands and called his betrothed a lioness whore." The greybeard took another sip.
"And how did Lord Seastark respond?" Ned asked in a cautious voice, knowing that Lord Karstark had made several grave insults that would be difficult not to respond with fists.
"The lord listed his house's accomplishments of building from nothing and finding the wyldfire, gaining a city charter among others in the last moon alone and asked him what his house even accomplished. Made Lord Karstark red in the face and charge him only to pulled back by some large Northern lord." Ser Adrian tilted the goblet as he sipped until it was empty.
Ned snorted, Howland smiled, Willam laughed, the Lady Wendwater and the captain giggled, Oberyn looked intrigued while his sister and Jon were stoned-faced.
"The King and Prince showed up, the Seastarks and Karstarks apologized and moved on. The whole court's talking about this new feud that started two days ago." Ser Adrian stuffed some cheese and bread into his mouth as a servant poured more wine into his goblet.
Ned shared a concern look with his fellow Northerners. "Any word from your kin on my cadet branches happening recently?" He asked taking his own sip, needing to know any scrap of information he could find.
The greybeard finishes chewing. "Aye, my grandson was with Lord Buckler among other Stormlords and was privileged to go hawking with Prince Stannis and his betrothed Lady Cersei and Lord Seastark and his betrothed Lady Myrra as special guests!"
The table sat there with rapt attention and Ned anxiously waits as Ser Adrian continues. "He overheard Prince Stannis congratulating Lord Seastark on his houses betrothals to Houses Mormont, Slate and Tallhart, his trade deal for horses and betrothal with House Ryswell and wished him good luck on his negotiations with House Cerwyn. He heard Lord Seastark say something about the Karstarks getting an alliance with House Lake and House Lighfoot and the Boltons furious about his betrothal and trade deal with House Rhyswell. That's all he heard as he says he mostly heard Stormlords and knights muttering both lightheartedly and mockingly calling Lord Seastark the Eddard of Prince Stannis with some resenting how they fought and bled for Prince Stannis' trust and approval only for some Northerner to sweep in and become his friend with ease!" Ser Adrian finished with a resentful tone before pausing and suddenly realizing who his guests were.
"Er… My apologi-" He starts before Ned cuts him off "No. I asked for word and you gave it. You have my thanks."
Ned surveys the table's reaction. He spots Willam and Howland whispering back and forth rapidly about the new alliances with uncertain expressions. He sees Captain Nakaya whispering into Oberyn's ear while the prince wore the same smirk and mischievous glint in his eye that appeared whenever the Lord of Castle Warg was mentioned. Lady Wendwater was whispering with his sister, who he noticed was stiff ever since the negotiations with the Cerwyns was brought up. Her eyes flickered to his and he saw a storm of fear and uncertainty even as her face betrayed nothing.
He himself was deep in thought about the new alliances and trade deal. He noticed the Seastarks were expanding their alliances on the western coast and bringing House Tallhart of Torrhen's Square, a strong square-shaped castle with a large village located deep inland on the shores of a large lake with a river large connecting to Blazewater Bay wide and deep enough for ships to traverse. They have been raided by Ironborn longships sailing upriver in the past but have been shield in the last few centuries by the Sunset Fleet.
It was no surprise the Seastarks would also ally with the Ryswells, Lords of the Rills, the land between the Stony Shore and the Barrowlands of House Dustin to get their famed horses. Willam will have to tell his wife Barbrey that her favorite stallion was dead but he wondered why Lord Seastark was meeting with Lord Cerwyn?
As they eventually split off for bed Ned continues to feel conflicted on the bannerman who has done much to aid him in saving his sister yet has tied himself to the ruthless, honorless Warden of the West that potentially threatens his sister and her child. His mind flashes to Elia and her children's corpses and he grimaced.
That night his sister had a horrific nightmare that she described to him with bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.
"I'm held down by the Kingsguard as Rhaegar rapes me. The White Bull grabs my face and twists it to watch a white winged direwolf pup being pinned down by a black direwolf and golden lion. The black direwolf snarls as it sinks in its jaws and tears the wings off as the pup shrieks in agony before a golden lion sinks teeth into the whimpering pup's throat and kills it."
Byrchkeep, five days later…
They were half a day away from the gates of the capital as they rode from Byrchkeep, the seat of House Byrch at the northern edge of the Kingswood, with urgency early that morning from the news they heard the night before.
Three days ago drunken brawl erupted between the Liddles and the Harclays in the Northern camp outside the city that left one dead on both sides, young Duncan Liddle, son and heir to Lord Torren Liddle or "The Liddle", and young Ronnel Harclay, son and heir to the Lord Gerrick Harclay or "The Harclay".
If that wasn't bad enough the next day, the Liddles as an eastern hill clan, called for the First Flints and the Harclays, a western hill clan called for the Wulls, which turned the situation into chaos and a second brawl that involved Big Bucket Hugo Wull, father of Theo Wull with Torghen First Flint broke out before being quickly contained by Lord Wyman Manderly who was put in charge of the Northern camp full of hill clans and house men-at-arms and levies outside the walls of the capital.
Then to make things worse yesterday, the First Flints called for their cadet branchs of Widow's Watch and Flint's Finger and the Umbers, who in turn brought in the Karstarks, Boltons and new allies the Lakes and Lightfoots while the Wulls called on their alliance with the Mormonts, which brought in the Glovers, Seastarks, Slates, Fishers and Tallharts with the Manderlys, Ryswells, Cerwyns, Lockes, and Hornwoods declaring neutrality and working with keep the peace. The two opposing sides eventually met with the Manderlys being the neutral party and an agreement that amounted to "wait for Lord Stark" was made. The only solace is that for all their anger and insults, neither cadet branch wants to start a civil war without himself there.
He was thinking of fostering a Seastark and Karstark as a way to foster peace and closer ties, since that worked for him and Robert in the Vale but he's starting to think that's not going to be enough as they reach the Blackwater Rush and prepare to cross by ferry, he sees sister's anxious look, both from the crisis in the North and from her impending meeting with Robert.