Chapter 23: Who is Supporting the Rockborn?

Eddard still remembers that Maester Luwin once mentioned to him that King's Port in the Iron Islands gathers the best smiths of the Iron Islands, and the armor and weapons forged by the smiths of King's Port are unparalleled in the Seven Kingdoms. Eddard once had Theon write to Balon to ask for smiths, and the smiths Balon sent were apprentices.

The Rockborn of Skagos, like the Northern Mountains clans, the mountain clans of the Vale of Arryn, and the Wildlings beyond the Wall, are divided into many tribes. These tribes fight each other year-round for territory, food, and women, playing a poor man's version of the game of thrones on that island cursed by cannibalism.

It is precisely because of this that for a long time, the Rockborn could hardly threaten the North.

Nowadays, the Rockborn tribes have actually achieved unification. With internal strife gone, the next logical step is external expansion. No wonder the Rockborn Pirates are so rampant.

However, what Eddard worries about most is the Ironborn. The Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands can only be rivaled by the Royal Fleet of King's Landing and the Redwyne Fleet of the Arbor, and the Ironborn are the people in all of Westeros most skilled in naval and water warfare.

If the Ironborn and the Rockborn were truly colluding across the vast distance, it would be a nightmare for the North, which lacks maritime power.

Balon Greyjoy has always been ambitious; how could he not have ambition? Back then, he led the Iron Islands, raised the banner of rebellion, and challenged Robert Baratheon of the Seven Kingdoms in King's Landing. Although the rebellion was suppressed, only six years have passed, and the Ironborn cannot have forgotten the humiliation of that crushing defeat, while the North gave its all to suppress the Iron Islands rebellion.

Eddard began to regret investing in the expansion project of the Winter Town outside Winterfell. If he hadn't been so anxious about the expansion of the Winter Town, he could have hired ships at White Harbor or the Free Cities, taken the warriors of the North, and crossed Seal Bay to do battle with the Rockborn.

Recently, Eddard has handed over projects like the stables, the forge, the barracks, and the grand market to Donnel. These projects have already had their foundations laid and are being built up bit by bit. The money in Winterfell is running low, and it can only be barely supported by the income from Saltpans and Beehive.

Greatjon Umber glanced at Theon and said to Eddard, "Lord Eddard, I actually quite like this boy Theon, but I truly despise the Ironborn. It seems the Iron Islands are not only raiding the West Coast but also colluding with the Rockborn to attack the East Coast."

Eddard pondered for a long time, "The Ironborn indeed have great suspicion, but the armor, weapons, and longships of the Ironborn can also flow out through trade. Is it possible that the Rockborn obtained these supplies through maritime trade?"

Maester Luwin said, "Lord Eddard, I think the possibility is very low. The Rockborn don't even have their own currency. According to records, they only engage in barter."

Eddard said, "Maester Luwin, is this another conclusion drawn from those ancient records? I think we should look at problems with a developmental perspective. Such well-equipped Rockborn have never appeared in the records before, yet haven't they appeared now?"

Luwin nodded in agreement, "Indeed, the Citadel's records regarding the Rockborn and Skagos are all hundreds of years old and somewhat outdated. There's no help for it; after all, Skagos is nominally part of the North, but they are effectively an independent kingdom."

Financial advisor Klar shrugged, "Anyway, I've traveled to all the major ports of the Seven Kingdoms and the Free Cities, and I've never encountered a single Rockborn, let alone a Rockborn merchant ship. Unless the Ironborn deliberately sailed such a long way to Skagos, it's impossible for the Rockborn to obtain the armor and weapons of the Iron Islands."

Sailing from the Iron Islands to Skagos requires heading south along the Sunset Sea, passing Lannisport in the Westerlands and Oldtown in the Reach, crossing the Redwyne Straits, rounding the long and desolate coast of Dorne, entering the Narrow Sea, traversing the pirate-infested waters of the Stepstones, entering the storm-prone Shipbreaker Bay in the Stormlands, passing the Crownlands and the Vale of Arryn, and then following the long east coast of the North to reach Skagos.

If the Ironborn really sent weapons, armor, and longships along this long route to a barren island, the only explanation is that the Iron Islands have allied with the Rockborn.

Theon became a bit anxious, "Our Iron Islands are separated from Skagos by vast distances, and the distance is far..."

Roose Bolton smiled faintly, "But there are Ironborn in the North. Isn't the famous Theon Greyjoy right here next to the Warden of the North?"

Theon was trembling with rage.

Greatjon Umber said in a rough voice, "That's right, don't forget the Night's Watch Commander at Eastwatch, Cotter Pyke. He is a bastard of the Iron Islands."

Pyke is the unique surname for bastards of the Iron Islands, just like Snow in the North, Rivers in the Riverlands, and Flowers in the Reach.

Greatjon Umber continued, "I send food and money to the Night's Watch every year to support them in defending the Wall. When the Rockborn invaded my territory, I went to Eastwatch myself to request that Cotter Pyke send a fleet to assist us in fighting the Rockborn. Do you know what this Ironborn bastard said?"

"'Our mission as the Night's Watch is to guard the Wall and fight the threats from north of the Wall. The Night's Watch never participates in the internal disputes of the Seven Kingdoms. Skagos is nominally part of the North, and the Night's Watch will never participate.' What kind of nonsense is this? I suspect the Rockborn's weapons and armor were sent there via the ships of Eastwatch."

The men of House Umber, the men of House Karstark brought by Lord Rickard Karstark, and the men of the Dreadfort brought by Lord Roose Bolton all voiced their agreement, and the hall became a scene of clamor.

Lord Rickard Karstark gripped the longsword in his hand and said indignantly, "Lord Eddard, besides us Northerners, who else cares about the Night's Watch? Without our food and financial support, the Night's Watch would have starved to death long ago. The Night's Watch claims to guard the Seven Kingdoms, yet Wildling Raiders appear every year in the Northern Mountains, in the Gift, and in Seal Bay; they are even in the Wolfswood."

"Wildling Raiders often row small boats to sneak across, bypassing Eastwatch to infiltrate the lands of House Umber and my own. Who knows if the King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder has infiltrated the forces of the Wildlings into Skagos? Anyway, the Wildlings and the Rockborn are both damn savages, plundering our property and abducting our children and women."

Roose Bolton said softly, "Lord Eddard, your brother Benjen Stark is the First Ranger of the Night's Watch. Why not use Benjen to have the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Mormont, investigate Cotter Pyke? My analysis is that Balon has colluded with Cotter Pyke, and they have joined forces to collude with the Rockborn to attack the coast of the North."

Eddard placed his hands on the Direwolf Throne and said calmly, "You have no evidence for your accusations against Cotter Pyke. From the moment he donned the black, he swore never to participate in the internal disputes of the Seven Kingdoms. The Night's Watch is impartial. Do you expect Cotter Pyke to take the fleet of Eastwatch and directly attack the Rockborn Pirates?"

"Cotter Pyke is right; Skagos is part of the North, and the Rockborn are traitors to the North. Unless it can be proven that the Rockborn of Skagos have colluded with the Wildling Mance Rayder, the Old Bear Mormont cannot send the Night's Watch to fight the Rockborn."

Moreover, if the Rockborn are equipped with Iron Islands longships, armor, and weapons on a large scale, Eddard sees no chance of victory in expecting the dilapidated fleet of the Eastwatch Night's Watch to engage the Rockborn Pirates at sea.

Eddard stood up and looked around at everyone in the hall.

"We do not need the assistance of the Night's Watch. The North can eradicate the Rockborn itself. The Rockborn seem to have forgotten that House Stark of Winterfell is their liege lord. Regarding the betrayal and slaughter by the Rockborn, I have decided to strike back resolutely. It is time to make them kneel and submit once again. With iron and blood!"

The ancient hall of the King of Winter in Winterfell erupted. Greatjon Umber pounded his chest with his massive fist, Roose Bolton agreed in a soft voice, Lord Rickard Karstark drew his longsword, and the Northerners let out a roar of battle.

"Iron and blood!"

(End of chapter)