Get comfortable, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🔥
✦
The people of the North’s western coast had suffered under ironborn raids for generations: House Ryswell of the Rills, House Mormont of Bear Island, House Glover of Deepwood Motte, House Flint of Flint’s Finger, the Wulls in the highlands near the Bay of Ice.
All of them hated ironborn pirates to the bone.
Yet when asked to pay for arrow towers to resist them, the same lords grew hesitant.
“The arrow towers must be built if we are to protect the western coast,” Ned urged his bannermen.
Lord Ryswell said, “Lord Eddard, the coast is long. Building towers, garrisoning them, and maintaining them afterward will cost a great deal.”
Lady Maege Mormont agreed.
“The Wall is proof enough. It may be the greatest defensive work in the world. Brandon the Builder raised all those castles, and now most of them lie abandoned. Only Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the Shadow Tower, and Castle Black still barely hold.”
The other nobles nodded along.
Ned said, “I have already considered the cost of maintaining the towers and paying the men. Each tower will hold twenty soldiers. When they are not training, they can work. Beside every tower, we will open saltworks and draw sea salt. Like the military settlements, I call these salt settlements.”
Lady Barbrey widened her eyes.
Master Galbart Glover fell into thought.
Ser Helman Tallhart looked openly confused.
It was clear most of them did not understand what Ned meant.
So he explained patiently.
“My lords, in summer the North can mostly supply its own salt. In winter, with too little sun, our sea-salt yield falls sharply. In many places, the salt pans stop working entirely through the long cold, and then we must buy salt from across the narrow sea or from the south.”
“Every winter, salt costs us a great many gold dragons and silver stags. The North has long coasts on both sides. Why should we not use summer to develop saltworks by the sea? In winter, we will have stores of salt. In the future, we may even export it and earn coin.”
The First Men had never been a seafaring people.
On northern soil, they had faced Andal pirates, ironborn pirates, wildling raiders who came by sea, Sistermen, Stepstones pirates, and every other kind of sea thief.
Coastal saltworks were often destroyed, and over time the North had built fewer and fewer of them.
By winter, salt became so expensive that smallfolk could scarcely dream of it.
His bannermen gradually understood.
Lady Barbrey said, “Lord Eddard means to use the saltworks’ income to pay for the soldiers and the upkeep of the towers. That sounds like a fair idea. But what if the salt cannot all be sold?”
Ned said, “Winterfell will buy it at market price. You need only keep the towers and saltworks secure. Salt is not precious to the ironborn, so you need not fear they will raid the works for the salt itself.”
The western lords had been complaining about the cost of towers and soldiers.
Once they realized the paired saltworks might earn money, their spirits rose at once, and they began agreeing to Ned’s plan with smiles on their faces.
When the eastern coast lords saw that the west would gain towers and profit from salt, they began to think as well.
Something glimmered in Roose Bolton’s pale eyes.
“Lord Eddard, pirates also come to my lands from time to time. I could build arrow towers and open saltworks there as well. The question is whether Winterfell would be willing to buy at market price.”
Lord Rickard Karstark stroked his beard.
“Lord Eddard, House Karstark is a branch of House Stark. Since you have proposed the salt settlement plan, how can I fall behind? My lands get plenty of sun, and the sea salt should be good. Do not forget my house’s sigil is the white sunburst.”
“Everyone knows many wildling raiders take boats around Eastwatch, cross the Bay of Seals, and land in my territory. It is a grave threat to the North. I believe that if we open saltworks, build arrow towers, and station soldiers along my peninsula, those wildlings will no longer endanger the realm.”
Lord Locke of Oldcastle and Lady Lyessa Flint of Widow’s Watch also asked to build towers and saltworks in their lands.
In the end, even Lord Wyman Manderly joined in.
“White Harbor has beaches aplenty,” Lord Wyman said.
“We already have some saltworks. If Lord Eddard needs it, I can build towers and expand the works to join this plan. The towers would strengthen the city’s defenses, and they might frighten off smugglers as well.”
In truth, Lord Wyman did not care much about the income from towers and saltworks.
White Harbor earned plenty in customs every day.
What mattered to him was the phrase Winterfell will buy at market price.
Once he joined the plan, White Harbor would never have to worry about selling its salt.
Ned nodded.
“White Harbor may join, but understand this clearly: Winterfell is buying salt produced by northern tower saltworks. Do not mix in salt from the Free Cities or the south.”
Lord Wyman happily rubbed his fat fingers together.
“Lord Eddard, you may rest easy. How would I dare cheat you?”
The coastal nobles all joined the salt settlement plan.
Among those men were many leaders from the Wolfswood clans and the mountain clans, as well as nobles like Lord Cerwyn and Lord Hornwood.
Ned saw what they were thinking.
“Those who cannot join the salt settlement plan need not worry. I have prepared another business for you.”
The lords immediately focused on him.
Ned said, “The North has vast forests, mountains, and fields, all suited for beekeeping. I intend to promote the craft. On your lands, you can establish apiaries, build hives according to my designs, feed the bees according to my instructions, and I will assign experienced beekeepers to guide you.”
“Believe me. If you do as I say, the bees will earn coin for you. You need not worry about selling the honey you produce. As with salt, Winterfell will buy it at market price.”
Hope warmed the lords’ faces.
The North had always been a harsh land.
These men spent every day worrying over their lands and people, shivering under winter’s shadow.
Now Lord Eddard’s plans seemed to set a beacon before them.
The Greatjon Umber said, “Lord Eddard, I am a rough man and I do not understand half of this, but I worry about you buying all this honey and salt at market price. If you cannot eat it all, will it not go to waste? Do not lose coin on our account.”
Ned smiled.
“Greatjon, do not worry. I will not lose money. The honey and salt I buy have their uses. There is one more thing I need from all of you. If your lands have skilled craftsmen, whether blacksmiths, tailors, stonemasons, or animal healers, anyone with real skill may be sent to Winterfell.”
Ned waved his hand to dismiss the council.
Lord Hornwood rose first and led the other lords out one after another.
“Lord Wyman, stay behind.”
✦
✦
✦
Ready for more?
I hope this chapter pulled you deeper into the story.
Stick around, because there’s still a lot waiting just ahead.