WILOW-Ch.326: Craster's Keep
Lands Beyond the Wall
POV of Domeric Bolton
"So, this is it, huh…" Domeric said as he looked at the large house in the middle of the forest.
The fact that a man could not only build such a large house in the True North but also live in luxury for decades said a lot about that man.
"I always wondered why there were no other boys in Craster's Keep." Ygritte said, "People said that he killed any baby boy born to his daughter-wives. But he did not kill those boys…"
"…He sacrificed them to the Cold Ones," Kalmyr said and backed away from where they were observing the large building.
He shook his head in disgust and backed away as well.
When his army had passed through this place in the 2nd expedition, the men of the Night's Watch had suggested staying a day in Craster's Keep.
But once he heard that Craster had a harem of his own daughters whom he married and fucked… he was so disgusted by the idea that he had forbidden any of his men from going anywhere near Craster's Keep.
The only reason he did not kill Craster back then was that Lord Jeor Mormont told him that Craster often helped the Night's Watch by giving shelter and food to any ranger doing their mission in the True North.
Also, he was in a foreign land and did not feel justified in forcing his own values upon someone else.
But that had changed. He now planned to establish an Empire, and he would soon announce this ambition to all of Westeros.
And in the Empire he would create, the lands beyond the Wall would be a Kingdom under his rule.
As a kingdom that he claimed to rule, Domeric now had a say in these lands. And he had no intention of making incest a permissible relationship within his territory.
In addition, if Craster were actively helping the White Walkers by supplying them with his own baby boys, then that would change the whole situation—and Craster's crime.
After all, he knew that there was a massive difference between something that was willingly given and something that was forcibly taken.
A wand made out of a Phoenix feather, which was willingly given, would be far more powerful than a wand made out of another Phoenix feather that was forcibly taken.
So, a baby that was willingly given to the White Walkers would be far more helpful to them than another baby that was forcibly taken.
That was just how magic worked.
"What do you want to do now, Domeric?" Ygritte asked as they went back to their place, where their own men were in hiding.
He thought about her words for a moment and then sighed, "I cannot allow Craster to continue supporting the White Walkers. He must die."
"What of his wives and daughters?" Kalmyr asked, a sick glint in his eyes.
"We're not raping those women." He said with a stern voice, "And we're not pillaging the house."
"What do you want to do then?" Ygritte asked.
"Kill Craster. Take his wives and daughters South of the Wall. Give them their own homes with enough food and gold to last until they can stand on their own feet. And build some defenses and use this place as a base against White Walkers."
What Domeric wondered was why he hadn't received any memory of Craster giving his sons to the White Walkers when he learned about this world's destiny line.
He knew that the destiny line only contained the essential events necessary for this world's destiny to progress correctly. And those events revolved only around certain people.
But was Craster giving his sons to the White Walkers really not that important to this world's destiny?
After ten minutes of walking, they finally reached their base.
"Did you find where the boy came from, my lord?" Varko asked with the boy in his hands.
Seeing the greatest swordsman in Westeros holding a child with care was a strange sight, but he took it in stride.
"Yes. It was Craster."
"What are we going to do about him?" Varko asked, and he told them the plan.
Half an hour later.
"YOU SONS OF WHORES!!!" Craster shouted as he was brought out of his house in chains, "YOU THINK I'M AFRAID OF YOU. YOU THINK YOU'LL GET AWAY FROM THIS!!!"
He remained silent as his soldiers brought the man before him.
Craster looked at his helmet-covered face for a moment and looked confused. Then he noticed the coat of arms on his men's uniforms and snarled.
"I know you. You're the one who went up North a year ago. What do you want now, boy?"
"From you? Nothing."
"Then tell these bastards to release me before I bury a fucking axe in their neck."
"Seeing as I'm the one who told these men to capture you, there would not be much point in asking them to release you now, would it?"
Craster snarled at him, "You're after my food. After my daughters. Is that it?"
"No. I don't want your food. And I don't want your daughters." He said, "What I want is to know why you gave your sons to the White Walkers."
"DON'T TAKE THEIR NAME!!!" the man shouted and fought against his men. His men didn't even budge.
Losing some of his patience, he nodded to one of his guards, who punched Craster in the gut and stopped him from making a nuisance.
Craster coughed a few times, and Domeric asked, "Why did you give your newborn baby boy to the White Walkers? What did you gain by doing that? Did you have some kind of pact with them? Do you have any way to communicate with them?"
Craster looked at him in fear, "How would you even know that?"
"I've my means. Now. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll be sure to give you a swift death instead of a long, painful one."
Instead of answering, Craster spat on his face, "I am not telling you anything, you little shit."
He waved his hand and removed the spit from his helmet.
Then he punched Craster in the stomach. The enhanced strength made the man bend backward before he emptied his lunch on the ground.
"Bring out the coffin." He told Raksa, who nodded and went to follow his orders.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.327: Judgment
Ch.328: Wyvern Journey
Ch.329: Returning the Favor