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 agewith 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 Lannisterswhile 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 Rhyswell 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 Ryswell. 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 Stanniswith 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