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“Lord Eddard, this is madness.”
In Winterfell’s solar, Maester Luwin touched the chain around his neck.
“Lord Eddard, a maester’s vows require him to counsel his lord. I have served Winterfell for many years. You and Lady Catelyn have treated me like family, and I regard Robb, Bran, Jon Snow, and every child of Winterfell as if they were my own blood. For that reason, I beg you: withdraw your decision to march on Skagos.”
Ned frowned down at the map of the North, his gaze fixed on the waters around Skagos.
“The stoneborn are Winterfell’s bannermen. If they refused to bend the knee, that would be one thing. But they dared sail to my lands, destroy saltworks and villages, and butcher my people. As Warden of the North, I must send troops. Am I to sit by while savages slaughter my subjects?”
Maester Luwin said, “Though outsiders usually see Skagos as poor, savage, and uncivilized, history tells us that the stoneborn are not easy to deal with. In the days when House Stark ruled the North as kings, the Kings of Winter sent armies to Skagos many times, hoping to annex the island and complete the unity of the North. Yet whenever the northern army withdrew, the embers of rebellion rekindled on Skagos.”
“Lord Eddard, do not forget that only a little more than a century ago, during the reign of Good King Daeron II, the stoneborn raised their banners and challenged Winterfell’s rule. That war lasted three years. Countless northern warriors died at sea or in the unfamiliar mountains of Skagos, including your ancestor, Lord Barthogan Stark.”
Ned pressed his hand down on the map, his palm covering Skagos.
“Former Kings of Winter and Wardens of the North failed, so you believe I must fail as well? This is the largest island in the North. Since ancient times, it has belonged to the Kings of Winter. If the stoneborn traitors merely refused to come north and bend the knee, refused tribute and fealty, that would be one matter. But now they dare attack.”
“If this continues, my subjects and bannermen will believe Winterfell cannot suppress rebellion. They will think House Stark of Winterfell weak and easily bullied. Once the seeds of rebellion are planted, smoke will rise across the vast North. I am not bloodthirsty or warlike, but I have no choice.”
Maester Luwin sighed.
“Lord Eddard, if Winter Town had not expanded, I would support your campaign. But now… we are building on a grand scale in Winter Town, our treasury is nearly exhausted, and without money you still mean to wage war. How is a war fought without coin?”
Ned said, “I was about to speak to you about that. I have decided to accept Kral’s advice and borrow from Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor. Write to Lord Wyman. Tell him Winterfell will borrow one hundred thousand gold dragons from White Harbor and repay it slowly by deducting the amount from White Harbor’s taxes to Winterfell.” This chapter was taken from novelping . com without permission.
Maester Luwin’s eyes widened.
“Lord Eddard would rather borrow than abandon a war against savages? If war begins, one hundred thousand gold dragons may not be enough.”
Ned said, “That is why I must borrow from the Iron Bank after all. I have already had Kral send men riding hard to White Harbor to contact the Iron Bank representative there. My first intent is to borrow five hundred thousand gold dragons.”
Maester Luwin was shocked.
“Lord Eddard, this is too mad. To deal with the savages of Skagos, you would burden Winterfell with such enormous debt? Can Winterfell truly repay so vast a sum?”
Ned answered patiently.
“Luwin, the five hundred thousand gold dragons are not all for war. Winter Town’s expansion would require loans sooner or later. With this money, the shipyard at White Harbor can also begin formally building a northern fleet.”
Originally, after speaking with the shipwright Marlin, Ned had meant to delay the shipbuilding plan.
But now stoneborn riding ironborn longships were ravaging the North’s east coast, and the possibility of an ironborn-stoneborn alliance had made Ned decide to build a fleet even if he had to shoulder debt to do it.
Maester Luwin said gloomily, “The stoneborn of Skagos are only a skin disease, a small band of pirates. The Iron Bank will have its due. Any king who defaults on the Iron Bank finds the bank funding rebels against him. Once winter comes, we are almost certain to default on our debt to the Iron Bank. Does my lord not fear the Iron Bank stirring all sorts of rebellions in the North? A handful of stoneborn pirates are not worth such debt.”
“A skin disease? A handful of pirates?” Ned grew angry.
“Luwin, the Dreadfort, the Umbers, and the Karstarks have all reported pirates appearing by the hundreds. These are pirate fleets moving in groups. I am grateful for your counsel, but you have misread the situation.”
“The stoneborn hold large numbers of ironborn weapons, armor, and even longships. Are there ironborn forces on Skagos? Have the stoneborn colluded with Cotter Pyke of Eastwatch? Has Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall, bypassed the Wall and struck some pact with the stoneborn by sea?”
Ned pointed to Skagos on the map for Maester Luwin.
“This is the North’s largest island. In name, it is Winterfell’s land. Yet we do not know how many stoneborn tribes live there, how many people they have, or whether they even use coin. The records we hold often contradict one another. You should know that better than anyone.”
“The records say the people of Skagos are backward and savage, without even coin. Yet these backward tribes forced the northern armies raised by Winterfell more than a century ago to spend three years trying and failing to conquer them, and the Lord of Winterfell and thousands of northern warriors died with that effort.”
“I must lead the northern army onto Skagos. Even if I cannot force the stoneborn to submit, I must uncover the island’s secrets. Have the stoneborn colluded with the Iron Islands? I will not allow ironborn or men like Mance Rayder to use the stoneborn to stir storms behind the North’s back. As matters stand, the stoneborn threat is greater than the wildling tribes beyond the Wall.” Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Even if wildlings crossed the Wall, Ned could gather the northern armies and smash them in the New Gift and Umber lands.
Poorly equipped and lacking discipline, every wildling invasion in history had been destroyed between the Night’s Watch and the armies of the North.
The stoneborn were different.
They held the North’s largest island.
If they struck in force, the North, lacking naval strength, would find it difficult to wipe them out.
Maester Luwin stared at Skagos on the map.
“Perhaps Lord Eddard is right. But even if you campaign, the North lacks naval power. You and King Robert are as close as brothers. The current Hand, Jon Arryn, was not only your foster father, but is also your goodbrother by marriage. Jon Arryn’s wife Lysa is Lady Catelyn’s sister.”
“Since the stoneborn are using ironborn weapons and armor while raiding the northern coast, we have every reason to suspect Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands is the power behind the invasion. Why not write to King Robert and Hand Jon Arryn in King’s Landing and ask for the court’s judgment?”
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