Chapter 132: The Collusion Between the Rock King and the King-Beyond-the-Wall

In the Great Hall of Winterfell, when Fellan heard that Eddard was going to Barrowton to host a wedding for him and Lady Barbrey, he appeared even more nervous.

"The Lord of the Rills and the people of House Dustin in Barrowton will all oppose this marriage."

Eddard patted Fellan on the shoulder. "They are all vassals of House Stark; they must give me, the Duke of the North, some face. Fellan, with me backing you, what are you still worried about?"

Lady Barbrey gave a light snort. "Fellan, if you are afraid, you can refuse me right now. When you were young, you were a stable boy in the Rills, a servant of the Ryswells, and even a notorious horse thief. I do not want others to say that I, a daughter of the Rills and a widow of Barrowton, had to chase after a servant and a horse thief from my own family's lands."

Fellan pondered for a long while; he clenched his fists as if he had made up his mind.

"I swear by the New and Old Gods, even if the people of the Rills and Barrowton tear me limb from limb, I am going to marry you."

Barbrey coquettishly fell into Fellan's arms, and the two began to kiss passionately.

At this moment, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Domeric, Theon, Jon, and Robb happened to walk over, and Eddard looked at the kissing Barbrey and Fellan.

"The children are watching! You had best mind your influence."

Barbrey and Fellan then separated, and Domeric leaned in. "Aunt, it is not enough that you and Fellan date in the Godswood every night, you are actually kissing in the Great Hall."

"Go away! You little brat." Barbrey told Domeric in a gentle tone, "Your aunt is going to be a bride."

Sansa and Arya screamed and clapped, while Bran, Robb, Jon, and Theon cheered loudly, and the Great Hall of Winterfell became an ocean of joy.

That Fellan and Lady Barbrey could be together was the result of Eddard's strenuous efforts to bring them together.

Years ago, Lord Roderick Ryswell of the Rills married his eldest daughter Bethany to Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, and his second daughter Barbrey to William Dustin of Barrowton, forging a tripartite alliance between the Ryswell House of the Rills, the Bolton House of the Dreadfort, and the Dustin House of Barrowton.

In the years that followed, the tripartite alliance underwent some changes due to William Dustin dying in battle at the Tower of Joy in Dorne and Bethany passing away from illness, but because Bethany had given birth to the Dreadfort Heir Domeric for Roose Bolton, and Lady Barbrey had relied on her flexible tactics to win the support of her husband's family, the Dustin House, after William Dustin's death, the tripartite alliance of the Dreadfort, the Rills, and Barrowton continued to endure.

In order to keep Lady Barbrey, Lord Roose Bolton, and Lord Roderick Ryswell in check, Eddard took Domeric as a ward and kept him in the halls of Winterfell. Domeric got along well with Robb, Jon, Sansa, Bran, and Arya.

With Domeric staying in Winterfell, the Rills, Barrowton, and the Dreadfort all restrained themselves significantly, and the Salt Ban that Eddard subsequently pushed for was able to be implemented in the North.

In Eddard's plan, once Fellan, a household retainer of Winterfell, married Lady Barbrey, it would deepen the relationship between Barrowton and Winterfell, and future policies introduced by Eddard in the North would be more easily supported by Barrowton and the Rills.

In the study, Maester Luwin brought a letter.

"Lord Eddard, early this morning, a raven arrived from Eastwatch."

"Eastwatch?" Eddard frowned. "Could it be that the Wildling army has begun to attack? Winterfell has a garrison at Green Guard, and with the brothers of the Night's Watch at Eastwatch, could Mance Rayder think it is easier to break through from the sea?"

Maester Luwin spread the letter flat on the table, and he shook his head. "Lord Eddard, the raven was sent from Eastwatch, but the news it brings is about the Rockborn on Skagos."

Eddard had led the Northern Army to sweep Skagos with sword and fire. After the Rockborn on the island were defeated, the Rock King Samlo Crowl fled into the deep mountains with his confidants, and subsequently, every Rockborn clan tribe surrendered one after another, sending wards to Winterfell and declaring their submission and loyalty to Winterfell.

Because the Rockborn had long been isolated from the North, there were no maesters in the castles of the major Rockborn clans, and naturally, there were no ravens to transmit messages.

After the Rockborn submitted, Eddard lifted the sea ban on them and encouraged the Rockborn to go out to sea to fish and trade with the brothers of the Night's Watch at Beijing Donghaian and Eastwatch. Skagos was relatively close to Eastwatch, and when Eddard left Skagos, he had instructed Billy Stern, leader of Driftwood Hall, Resson Magnar, leader of King's Hall, and others that if there were any situation, they could send someone to Eastwatch and have the maester there send a raven to contact Winterfell.

Eddard looked at the letter brought by Maester Luwin. "What is the news?"

Maester Luwin stroked the chain around his neck. "The Rock King is gathering remnants in the deep mountains and roaming Skagos; he was defeated by Billy Stern of Driftwood Hall, but the Rock King still escaped. Some of the Rock King's rebel troops crossed the sea attempting to flee Beyond the Wall, and some of them were captured by the ships of the Night's Watch at Eastwatch."

"The Night's Watch learned from the captives that the Rock King and the King-Beyond-the-Wall have reached a covenant. The King-Beyond-the-Wall, Mance Rayder, has sworn to help Samlo Crowl retake Abyss Keep and Skagos, while the Rock King will help the Wildlings use Skagos as a springboard to open the gates of the North."

Eddard stroked his chin. "Previously, the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch at Castle Black, the Old Bear, wrote to say that the Wildling army was active Beyond the Wall, and there were Wildling armies at Eastwatch, Castle Black, and the Great Gorge west of Skull Bridge. Samlo Crowl has become a stray dog, and the nine tribes of the Rockborn have all returned to the rule of Winterfell; it is difficult for him to gain a foothold on Skagos on his own. I am not surprised that the Rock King is colluding with the King-Beyond-the-Wall."

Maester Luwin frowned. "Lord Eddard, the King-Beyond-the-Wall is a traitor to the Seven Kingdoms, and the Rock King is a traitor within the North. These two great traitors are colluding together, and Skagos is right next to Eastwatch; it is enough to threaten the Wall and the North."

"I suggest we immediately send a letter to the Night's Watch and the garrison at the Wall, letting the brothers of the Night's Watch and the soldiers of Winterfell sweep the Wildlings Beyond the Wall, and dispatch an army to march on Skagos to completely annihilate the Rock King Samlo Crowl."

Eddard shook his head. "Skagos is full of mountains and hills, and the remnants of the Rock King can only guerrilla-roam in the mountains; sending the Northern Army would be of no use. Billy Stern, leader of Driftwood Hall, Resson Magnar, leader of King's Hall, Aisi Binglong of Ice Dragon Hall, and others will deal with the Rock King."

Maester Luwin said, "These Rockborn clan leaders have all sent hostages to Winterfell. Under normal circumstances, I believe they would no longer support the Rock King. But now, the King-Beyond-the-Wall and the Rock King have colluded together; who can guarantee which side these Rockborn will stand on?"

(End of chapter)