Chapter 141: Wedding

In the future, once the North has a longship fleet on the west coast, the fishermen of Sea Dragon Point will become the sailors and warriors aboard these longships; furthermore, the fishermen of the Stony Shore, Sea Dragon Point, and Salt Spear are also worth considering.

Although the naval combat capabilities of these Northmen are inferior to the ironborn, they are more than enough to guard the coastline.

In the great hall of Barrow Hall, Eddard looked at the map of the North, his gaze resting on the coastal regions of the western North. Now, the river mouths of the First Men River and the Barrow River had fallen into the hands of Winterfell, as had the mouth of the Stony River on the Stony Shore.

"The Stony River, the First Men River, and the Barrow River all require the construction of fortresses to defend against attacks from the sea. The architect Donnel is currently at Moat Cailin, leading craftsmen to restore the ancient fortress of Moat Cailin; these defensive fortresses for future ports will be Donnel's next round of work."

Helen Pyke leaned in, "Lord Eddard, a port also needs to be established at Sea Dragon Point. Because Sea Dragon Point is too close to the Iron Islands, the coastal area has almost become a no-man's-land. Many ironborn pirates dock and station themselves at Sea Dragon Point at will; many captains go to Flint's Finger to hunt, and climbing the cliffs of Flint's Finger has even become a mandatory lesson for many captains in their childhood."

Robb, standing to the side, looked at Sea Dragon Point on the map and frowned, saying: "It is a pity that there is no river on this side of Sea Dragon Point. If there were a river mouth to establish a port, we could better defend against the ironborn."

Helen Pyke smirked: "Robb, you are still too young. If you do not have command of the sea, rivers will be exploited by the enemy. Sea Dragon Point should be glad there is no river mouth on the west coast; if there were, the ironborn would use the rivers to travel upstream, burning and pillaging, and the castle at Flint's Finger would have to be moved further inland."

"Why were the ironborn able to conquer the Riverlands back then? On one hand, it was because the lords of the Riverlands were constantly attacking each other and in internal turmoil; on the other hand, it was because the Riverlands have many rivers. The lords of the Riverlands originally relied on the Trident to defend against foreign enemies, but when the ironborn carried their ships and appeared in the Riverlands, the crisscrossing rivers became a nightmare for the lords of the Riverlands; no one could defeat the ironborn on the water."

Helen Pyke's rough, powerful finger pointed at the cliffs of Flint's Finger at Sea Dragon Point.

"Ships coming from the south have to waste several days at sea in vain if they want to bypass Sea Dragon Point. If a port is built next to the cliffs of Flint's Finger, and dozens of longships are stationed there, it would be enough to discourage more than half of the ironborn pirates."

Eddard pondered Helen Pyke's suggestion. In the future, once the shipping route on the west coast is opened, the port next to the cliffs of Flint's Finger could serve as a place for ships from the north and south to rest and resupply.

However, once the Reach, the Riverlands, and the Westerlands begin maritime trade with the North, the ironborn of the Iron Islands will certainly not remain indifferent. With merchant ships coming and going at their doorstep and the Iron Islands unable to reap much benefit, King Balon would likely privately encourage ironborn captains to plunder, and at that time, the pressure on the sea would rise again.

The shadow of the Iron Islands looms over the Sunset Sea, and the damned sea monsters are single-handedly destroying maritime trade between the north and south. Eddard began to calculate that perhaps he could pull the Iron Islands into the trade plan; in this way, ships from the Reach, the Westerlands, and the North would all stop at the Iron Islands during north-south trade, and the Iron Islands could profit from doing business through tariffs.

However, Eddard found it hard to imagine that the grim-tempered King Balon would be a businessman.

Theon is Eddard's ward and the nominal heir to the Iron Islands, but King Balon has seemed indifferent to Theon in recent years; King Balon prefers his daughter Asha Greyjoy to be his heir, and King Balon's two brothers, Euron Greyjoy and Victarion Greyjoy, are also considered potential heirs to the Seastone Chair.

Eddard cleared his throat and turned to Theon, who was standing to the side: "Theon, if the North and the Iron Islands were to cooperate in trade, do you think your father, King Balon, would support it?"

Theon thought for a moment: "My father is not enthusiastic about trade. The ironborn believe in the 'iron price'; taking by force, killing, and looting is the way ironborn pay their debts. It is probably very difficult to get the ironborn to follow the rules and do business. Lord Eddard, if you go to any island or dock in the Iron Islands and ask, the ironborn will tell you that taking by force is better than bitter toil, taking by force is better than trade, taking by force is better than everything."

Helen Pyke said: "However, the families of the Iron Islands are not of one mind; there must still be those who are enthusiastic about trade. For example, the master of Ten Towers on Harlaw, the leader of the Harlaw family, the 'Reader' Rodrik Harlaw; this man is Theon's uncle and is well-read."

"Harlaw is not the largest island in the Iron Islands, but it is the most populous, and the Harlaw family is also one of the most powerful families in the Iron Islands, possessing the most ships. I believe the leader of Harlaw would be very happy to reach a trade cooperation with the North."

Robb stroked the sparse beard on his chin: "Father, perhaps we can seek the support of our southern allies. The Eagle's Point of the Mallister family faces Sea Dragon Point across the sea."

"My mother is the daughter of Hoster Tully, the Lord of Riverrun and Warden of the Riverlands. The Mallister family of Seagard are important vassals of Riverrun. Father can use the connections of Riverrun to reach a cooperation with the Mallister family and let Seagard become a transit point for north-south trade."

Eddard put away the map: "Your advice is very important to me. Everyone should get some rest early; tomorrow we still have to attend the wedding of Fellan and Lady Barbrey!"

The next day, Barrow Hall was filled with laughter and the aroma of wine.

The servants of Barrow Hall brought out barrels of ale, mead, and the Blue Noble and Vodka provided by Winterfell; the tables were piled high with onion and beef, lamprey pie, moose meat, boar meat, swan meat, lemon cakes, and more.

Domeric, the heir to the Dreadfort, played the harp and sang a ballad dedicated to his aunt Barbrey titled "Stealing the Heart and Horse Thief," followed by "Streams and Steeds," which praised the cavalry of the Rills, and "The Conquest of the King of Winter," which praised Winterfell.

Sansa was listening with great fascination; even at Winterfell, Sansa could hear Domeric's ballads every day, yet she was still enthralled and shed tears for the love stories.

Daryn Hornwood, Cley Cerwyn, Benfred Tallhart, and Smalljon Umber all invited Sansa to dance; these children all harbored dreams of marrying a daughter of Winterfell.

However, Eddard still had to worry about Robert Baratheon's marriage alliance. That bastard boy Joffrey Baratheon fit the image of a prince in Sansa's mind, and given the relationship between Eddard and Robert Baratheon, it was likely only a matter of time before Robert Baratheon proposed a marriage alliance.

Perhaps Sansa and Domeric were a better match. If Eddard married Sansa to Domeric, he could refuse Robert Baratheon's marriage request. It would also consolidate the relationship between Winterfell and the Dreadfort and unite the North.

However, Eddard could not ignore the ambition of Roose Bolton. Once Sansa married Domeric, if the House Stark were to be drawn into a war of the Seven Kingdoms in the future, Roose Bolton would only need a backstab, killing the heir to Winterfell before Sansa, to legitimately lay his hands on Winterfell. Such a huge risk clearly required Eddard to deliberate carefully.

At the wedding of Barbrey and Fellan, besides Sansa, the heir to Winterfell, Robb, was also a favorite at the dance.

Robb danced with the girls of the Dustin House, and then it was the turn of Jonelle Cerwyn, the daughter of Lord Medger Cerwyn.

Jonelle Cerwyn was already thirty years old, not much younger than Eddard, yet she was still a maiden. She was fat, shy, and lacked charm; it was only under the encouragement of Lord Medger Cerwyn that she wiggled her fat body and invited Robb to dance.

In the North, it was common to marry at fifteen or sixteen, and many of Jonelle's peers were already married with children. Jonelle was old enough to be Robb's mother, yet she was as shy as a little girl when dancing with Robb.

Eddard watched Jonelle from the side; the fat woman's forehead was beaded with sweat. Clearly, Lord Cerwyn hoped his daughter could become the object of Robb's affection, dreaming of a marriage alliance with Winterfell. Eddard really did not know whether to pity Jonelle or pity Lord Cerwyn.

A joke had long circulated among the northern nobility that Lord Cerwyn had been grooming his daughter Jonelle, hoping she could marry the heir to Winterfell, only Jonelle's target of pursuit had changed from Brandon to Eddard, and years later, it had actually become Eddard's son, Robb.

No matter how many baptisms of sword and blood the North and Winterfell had endured, Jonelle remained a virgin.

Subsequently, Alys Karstark, the daughter of the Lord of Karhold; Dacey Mormont, the heir to Bear Island; Mary Ryswell, the granddaughter of Lord Roderick of the Rills; and Wylla Manderly, the granddaughter of Wyman Manderly, danced with Robb in turn.

Catelyn looked at her son with sympathy, and she whispered to Eddard: "With so many women surrounding Robb, do these nobles think that dancing a few dances can win Robb over? My son will not be easily betrothed."

Theon danced with the girls with a cynical smile, while Jon remained frowning, staying in a dark corner and refusing every girl who came to invite him to dance.

Eddard walked up to Jon: "Why not dance with the girls?"

"What right does a bastard have to dance with the daughters of noble houses?" Jon forced himself to keep his spirits up: "Father, as a bastard, I always remember my status."

If Jon knew he was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, everything would be different. Eddard stroked Jon's thick black hair: "Jon, one must learn to find joy in suffering during a short life. Today is the wedding of Barbrey and Fellan; enjoy the dance!"

At this moment, Alys Karstark invited Jon to dance, and under Eddard's encouragement, Jon finally stepped onto the dance floor.

Under the gaze of the weirwood in the godswood of Barrow Hall, Lady Barbrey and Fellan stood side by side before the heart tree.

Lady Barbrey wore a crimson dress, upon which the crossed battle-axes and rusted crown emblem of the Dustin House and the horse head emblem of the Rills were engraved in gold thread.

Fellan wore a sky-blue velvet coat, and the archer emblem of the Barret Clan leaped upon his sable fur cloak.

The officiant sang out loudly: "Who comes here to take the bride?"

Fellan stepped forward: "I! Fellan of the Barret Clan, come to take Barbrey of the Ryswell House."

"Who shall give her away?"

Lord Roderick took a heavy step and moved forward: "I! Roderick of the Ryswell House of the Rills."

Led by her father, Barbrey came before Fellan, and the two embraced and kissed.

Eddard said loudly: "Under the witness of the New and Old Gods, Barbrey of the Ryswell House and Fellan of the Barret Clan are joined as husband and wife. May they stay together until the end of time and the universe!"

Next came the wedding feast, dish after dish. The northern nobles tasted for the first time the legendary tofu and soy milk, caviar, maple syrup, buffalo meat, boar meat, swan meat, and cup after cup of Blue Noble and Vodka were toasted.

After the feast in the great hall, night fell. The aromatic candles of Winterfell illuminated the great hall of Barrow Hall, and it was time for the bedding ceremony.

Greatjon Umber waved his wine cup: "I heard that Fellan is a mule from the Rills; he is destined to be unable to breach Barbrey's city gates when he beds her."

Lord Wyman patted his big belly and smirked: "Is that so? In that case, won't Barbrey be left to live as a widow?"

The northern nobles made all kinds of spicy and lewd jokes, mocking Barbrey and Fellan. Fellan clearly had not experienced such a situation and appeared at a loss.

Lady Barbrey revealed a beast-like smile: "Lord Lamprey, you don't need to worry about me. Fellan is as robust as a warhorse of the Rills and is destined to give me many children. Not every man is as much of a failure in bed as you are!"

The northern nobles let out bursts of boos, and Lady Barbrey laughed wildly, using all sorts of vicious words to counter every joke. That night, the laughter of the bride of Barrowton echoed under the eaves.

After the wedding night festivities ended and the clamor faded, Eddard and Helen Pyke strolled through the courtyard of Barrow Hall, with the Direwolves Sunshine and Night-walker following at their sides; they walked into the castle's graveyard, where the past Counts of Dustin House and the former Barrow Kings rested.

Gazing at the statues under the moonlight, Helen Pyke widened her eyes.

"The Crypts of Winterfell are gloomy enough, but the people of Dustin House actually put their graveyard right inside the castle. Do the people of Dustin House like keeping company with the ghosts of the past so much?"

"Barrowlands, Barrowton, and Barrow Hall—do you think those names are just for show?" Eddard scanned the statues of the Dustin ancestors, "There are many legendary figures among them, such as this one; this is the renowned Count Roderick Dustin, who was the Count of Dustin House during the Dance of the Dragons, and he led the Winter Wolves south to fight for Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen."

Helen Pyke raised an eyebrow, "Winter Wolves?"

Eddard explained, "During the Dance of the Dragons, the North supported Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. Because it was winter at the time, the North could only send a cavalry force of two thousand men, and this army was composed entirely of white-haired old men. Since the northern winter could not sustain such a large population, many old men knew they would not survive the winter, so they preferred to die in battle for the Queen and joined the war in the south."

Helen Pyke smiled, "The Winter Wolves are a brilliant idea! Winters often last for several years; since the North doesn't have enough food, why not organize the Winter Wolves to go south and plunder? Lord Eddard, if I were the Duke of the North, I would do this every winter; I would treat the coming of winter as a clarion call for expansion to the south."

As soon as the topic turned to conquest and plunder, Helen Pyke quickly revealed her "Sea Bitch" side.

"Lord Eddard, as long as our northern fleet takes shape, give me enough ships, and I can seize the gold of Lannisport, the wealth of Oldtown, and the jewels of King's Landing!"

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(End of this chapter)