Eddard greatly admired Dominic Bolton, the heir to Dreadfort. The boy was skilled in swordsmanship and horsemanship, and he was also proficient in history and music. He had the potential to become an excellent warrior, perhaps even a commander.
Taking Dominic as his adopted son was also a way of punishing Lady Barbary. At Rykken's birthday banquet, she had been rude and dismissive towards Eddard and Catelyn in front of so many Northern lords. If he didn't punish her, the other vassals would wonder if their liege lord was weak and might start to imitate her behavior.
A liege lord had to keep the lords below him in line, or chaos would ensue.
Dominic was the grandson of Lord Lyswell, the Lord of the Riverlands, and the son of Roose Bolton, the Lord of Dreadfort. He was also the nephew of Lady Barbary of Barrowtown. Dominic was the key figure in maintaining the alliance of these three towns.
Each of these three noble families had a distinguished lineage. The Lyswell family of the Riverlands was a crucial force in defending against the Ironborn and was also an important producer of warhorses in the North. Barrowtown was located on the great plains of the North and served as the first line of defense north of Moat Cailin.
The Bolton family was the most powerful noble family on the eastern coast of the North. In the past, to ensure Dreadfort's loyalty, Winterfell had specifically sent Karl Stark to build a city, which was now Karhold, where the Karstark family resided. Karhold was located northeast of Dreadfort, effectively sandwiching Dreadfort between it and Winterfell.
Intermarriage and alliances among vassals were very common. Perhaps this wouldn't matter much in times of peace, but once war broke out, when Winterfell called upon its vassals to contribute troops and funds, who could guarantee that the allied nobles wouldn't pay lip service to Winterfell's orders or even collude with forces hostile to the North?
Keeping Dominic in Winterfell as an adopted son would allow Eddard to strengthen his relationship with Dreadfort, the Riverlands, and Barrowtown, and he would also have a hostage if necessary.
Lady Barbary, still basking in the joy of Dominic's victory in the lists, found that sweet moment turning to ashes.
"Lord Eddard, Dominic is my ward. I'm alone in my hall. You can't keep him in Winterfell!"
Eddard said, "Lady Barbary, I understand your loneliness completely. Winterfell welcomes you to stay here, for as long as you wish."
Lady Barbary sighed. "But I have a fiefdom to manage. I can't stay in Winterfell."
Eddard patiently replied, "Dominic has always wanted siblings. My children are plentiful. Let Dominic stay in Winterfell's halls and grow up with Robb, Bran, Sansa, Arya, Jon, and Theon. It will foster their friendship."
"Dominic has been a ward in the distant Vale for three years. What is there to worry about if he stays in Winterfell? He will love this place. There are countless books in the library, and many children his age. He can help me expand Winter Town in the future. I assure you, I will take good care of Dominic."
Lord Lyswell comforted Lady Barbary, "My daughter, it's an honor that Lord Eddard is adopting Dominic. He can grow up with the heir to the North, the Stark children, and become close friends. This is a good thing."
Dominic held Lady Barbary's hand. "Aunt, I'll write to you often if I stay here, and I'll visit you in Barrowtown frequently."
Lady Barbary patted Dominic on the head and gave him a few words of advice before turning to leave.
The children of Winterfell were thrilled with Dominic's arrival. Robb, Theon, and Jon were scheming to defeat him in the training yard. Bran wanted to learn to ride from Dominic, Arya was clamoring to learn swordsmanship, and Sansa hoped to hear Dominic's songs every day.
The next day, the lords of the North began to bid farewell to Eddard, departing Winterfell to return to their own lands. Once they were back in their territories, work would begin on the watchtowers, salt towns, and beehives along the northern coast. It was said that Roose Bolton had a disagreement with Lady Barbary before he left.
Thomas, a Winterfell guard, led 100 recruits from Winter Town, setting out with Benjen Stark and Jeor Mormont. They would be establishing a manor and military camp in the newly acquired, abandoned Crown Town to help the Night's Watch resist the wildlings.
This birthday celebration cost some money, but the grain, corn, fruits, warhorses, and livestock brought as tribute by the nobles from various regions provided Winterfell with some replenishment.
The people of Winter Town brought timber from the Wolfswood, and some houses began to break ground. Simple dwellings, like wooden huts, could be completed in a few days, but Eddard had even larger projects in mind.
In his study, Eddard summoned Maester Luwin, pointing to the planning map he had drawn on the floor.
In Eddard's plan, a future military camp would stand south of Winterfell, with stables to the north, a forge and a large market to the east, and a series of warehouses and factories to the west.
Maester Luwin frowned. "My Lord, these are all major construction projects. Will we really need so many buildings? If they are all built of stone, the cost will be too high."
Eddard said, "Initial investment is necessary. Once winter arrives, expanding the town with money won't be an option."
Maester Luwin pondered for a moment. "Even if you disregard the cost, we won't find so many stonemasons and carpenters. If it were just wooden houses, the people in Winter Town would suffice, but these projects combined are equivalent to several castles. Where will we find so many stonemasons and carpenters?"
Eddard said, "I've already informed my bannermen at the lord's meeting to help me gather artisans and send them to Winter Town, but I'm worried it won't be enough. I want you to send letters to King's Landing immediately. One to King Robert, and one to Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, requesting their assistance in gathering artisans."
"I need them all: blacksmiths, carpenters, stonemasons, and leatherworkers."
Jon Arryn was the Warden of the East, the Duke of the Eyrie, and his lands were not short of stone. Eddard had spent time at the Eyrie as a child, and the Eyrie stood on a precipice, like a spear piercing the blue sky. Eddard felt the awe of being in the clouds when he stood at the Eyrie.
The Vale of Arryn possessed abundant stone resources, and stone was a significant industry there, selling well throughout the Seven Kingdoms and the Free Cities. The stonemasons of the Vale were also very skilled, and they were the ones who built the Eyrie.
Given Eddard's relationship with Robert and Jon Arryn, finding some artisans wouldn't be difficult.
Eddard said, "In the future, the forges will need a large number of blacksmiths. King's Landing, as the largest city in Westeros, is home to all sorts of artisans. Steel Street there is filled with blacksmiths from all over, and their armor and weapons are of excellent quality. Have King Robert and Jon Arryn help me find some."
Maester Luwin nodded, "My lord, if you're looking for blacksmiths, Pyke in the Iron Islands is also an option. Theon often boasts that the Iron Islands have the best ironworking in the world, and the Ironborn's skills are indeed exceptional, though the quality varies between the different islands."
"The most skilled blacksmiths among the Ironborn are gathered in Pyke. Perhaps Theon could write to his father, Balon, and request some Ironborn blacksmiths."
Eddard had personally experienced the sharpness of Ironborn weapons during Balon Greyjoy's rebellion. Their shields, armor, and weapons were simple in appearance, but their durability was superior to that of the royal army.
The Ironborn, relying on the barren Iron Islands, had once conquered the Riverlands and repeatedly caused trouble, even the royal fleet struggled to compete with them. Besides their sailing skills and fleet, sharp axes, longswords, sturdy plate armor, and chainmail were also the Ironborn's reliance.
Many Northern lords loathed the Ironborn and might easily dismiss the idea of recruiting Ironborn blacksmiths, but Eddard wasn't so narrow-minded.
"Very well, let Theon write to Balon and recruit Ironborn blacksmiths. And, while he's at it, have him find some Ironborn shipwrights as well."
(End of chapter)