Chapter 45: Rockborn Prisoner Reveals Information

On Skagos, the Rockborn attempted to drive the Northern Army back into the sea, but their surprise attack was repelled by the Northern Army, and the Rockborn army retreated into the mountains. Some wounded Rockborn warriors became prisoners of the Northern Army.

Eddard began interrogating the prisoners in front of the heart tree on the hillside. He chose this location because of the watch of the Old Gods; Eddard believed that in front of the Old Gods, the Rockborn were more likely to tell the truth. Otherwise, if the prisoners provided Eddard with a pile of false intelligence, it would not only waste time but could also cause the Northern Army to suffer heavy losses.

Morgan Liddle of the mountain clans wore a snow-white bear skin over his chainmail; he was a sturdy and strong warrior, the second son of the mountain clan leader, Lord Liddle. Many people called him "Middle Liddle" behind his back, but Morgan Liddle did not like this nickname, and few dared to call him that to his face.

Middle Liddle brought over a Rockborn warrior. The Rockborn had been struck by a sword on his face, and half an ear was missing. Middle Liddle said, "Lord Eddard, this fellow claims to be a warrior of the Maple Tribe, and he has revealed some information to us."

Eddard curiously examined the Rockborn warrior before him; he was a weather-beaten middle-aged man, about forty years old, wearing leather armor over his fur coat, which was stained with blood. Eddard asked Middle Liddle, "How did you get him to talk?"

In the past, the Rockborn prisoners captured by Northern warriors were all hard bones, stubborn as rocks, and even when faced with torture, they would not reveal intelligence to the enemy.

Middle Liddle said, "His name is Nonda Maple, and his two sons were captured along with him; if he didn't talk, he would have to watch his sons die before his eyes."

The warriors of the Liddle clan brought in Nonda's two sons, both of whom were fifteen or sixteen years old.

As long as they have seven emotions and six desires, humans have weaknesses, even the Rockborn who boast of being as hard as rock.

Eddard stared at Nonda before him, "I am the Duke of the North, Eddard Stark of House Stark. The Rock King Samlo Crowl has colluded with the Iron Bitch, as well as Helen Pyke; he has betrayed the oath the Rockborn made to Winterfell, usurped the title of king, and even went to the east coast of the North to burn, kill, and pillage. I have brought the Northern Army to severely punish Samlo Crowl."

"Nonda, your surname is Maple, so it seems you are not of the Crowl clan. I believe that you and your people were coerced by the Rock King and forced to participate in this war. Before the heart tree, before the Old Gods, I swear to you on the honor of House Stark that as long as you answer some questions for me, both you and your children will be safe and sound."

"Before the heart tree, you must also answer my questions truthfully; you should know that lying before the gods will bring down divine retribution."

Nonda remained silent, and Great Jon drew his dagger, pressed it against one of the Rockborn warrior's sons, and a flower of blood instantly bloomed on the boy's face.

Great Jon raged, "Damn Rockborn, you have killed so many warriors and commoners of my House Umber; if you don't talk, I will slaughter your two sons."

Nonda's son might have been afraid, but he did not make a sound; the Rockborn were indeed a resilient people. Nonda looked at the blade held against his son's throat and finally spoke: "Release my sons, I will talk."

Eddard waved at the Heir of the Dreadfort, Domeric Bolton, "Domeric, write down what he says."

Domeric opened the parchment, took the quill, and sat at the table, ready to record.

Eddard said, "Nonda, where does the Rock King Samlo Crowl live?"

"Abyss Keep, that is the ancestral castle of the Crowl clan."

This was the first time the Northern Army had heard of the Rock King's castle, and the Northern vassals—Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, Great Jon of House Umber, and Lady Maege Mormont of Bear Island—all perked up.

Eddard said, "Where is Abyss Keep? How far is it from here?"

Nonda thought for a moment, "Crowl Canyon, 10 leagues to the southeast."

Skagos was, after all, the largest island in the North, and Eddard had once worried that Abyss Keep would be far from the Northern Army's landing site; he had not expected it to be so close.

Roose Bolton said, "Lord Eddard, since Abyss Keep is so close, our light cavalry can strike at full speed and arrive in three days. I just don't know how sturdy this castle is."

Nonda revealed a beast-like smile, "That might be the sturdiest castle in the whole world."

The hot-tempered Lord Rickard Karstark said angrily, "This Rockborn is lying! With the abilities of the Rockborn, could they build a stone castle?"

Nonda said, "Abyss Keep is a castle built on the foundation of natural caves; the people of the Crowl clan firmly believe that the Old Gods helped their ancestors build this castle."

A look of disdain bloomed on Lady Maege Mormont's face, "Barbarian, you actually dare to lie using the Old Gods; you must have forgotten that we descendants of the First Men in the North also worship the Old Gods."

"It is just a pity that you have long forgotten the names of the Old Gods." Upon hearing the Old Gods, Nonda looked pious, "Perhaps the descendants of the First Men in the North have long forgotten the names of the Old Gods, but we remember; they are the gods who belong to the earth, mountains, rivers, forests, and streams. The Children of the Forest, Green Seers, Wood Dancers, and Earth Dancers have all become legends to you, but to us Rockborn, they still exist, and they are watching us through the heart tree!"

Eddard suddenly felt that the human face on the heart tree before him had become a bit gloomier.

In Westeros, there are many legends circulating about the Old Gods, the Children of the Forest, and Green Seers. Legend has it that when the First Men arrived in Westeros via the Arm of Dorne, the First Men, who possessed bronze weapons, made it difficult for the Children of the Forest, who used obsidian weapons, to cope. To stop the expansion of the First Men in Westeros, the Children of the Forest used magic to raise the sea level, and the tsunami tore the earth apart, destroying the Arm of Dorne—which is now the Broken Arm of Dorne, the Stepstones, and other places.

Could it be that the Rockborn have mastered some kind of magic of the Old Gods? Helping the Crowl clan create Abyss Keep? It is truly a strange matter.

Roose Bolton said, "I do not believe the Old Gods would help the Rockborn build a castle; this is just a bedtime story."

Eddard said, "Who can say for sure? I think what the Rockborn legend means is that a figure like Brandon the 'Builder' helped the Crowl clan build the castle."

Nonda said, "The Crowl clan received the help of the Old Gods, obtained the caves, and then they began to mine, and under the guidance of the Old Gods, they completed the construction of the castle; that is how it is."

"Mining?" Eddard frowned, "What kind of ore does Abyss Keep have?"

"Obsidian." Nonda revealed a mouth full of rotten teeth, "It is used to make sharp arrows to shoot the Northmen! Even the Ironborn smiths cannot craft obsidian weapons, but we can!"

Eddard said, "Besides the Crowl clan of the Rock King, which other clan tribes are powerful?"

Nonda thought for a moment, "The Stern clan of Driftwood Hall, and the Magnar clan of King's Hall in the southeast of Skagos."

"Magnar?" Eddard was curious.

Domeric Bolton stopped his pen, "Lord Eddard, Nonda is lying; Magnar is the lord of the Thenn people, a wildling tribe from Beyond the Wall. How could there be a Magnar on Skagos?"

Nonda laughed, "Young man, 'Magnar' means 'Lord' in the Old Tongue."

Eddard waved his hand, and Middle Liddle and the soldiers grabbed Nonda and his two sons and left.

Eddard was full of confidence, "Once we capture Abyss Keep and kill or capture the Rock King, the Rockborn clan alliance will collapse, and they will kill each other. I have decided to send the light cavalry to take Abyss Keep directly."

"Lord Eddard!" Marlon Manderly rushed in, panting.

"The Iron Bitch led the Ironborn to ambush our fleet anchored opposite Seal Bay; Herman Tallhart, Wyman Manderly, and Wendel Manderly have all been captured, the fleet has been burned, and all the supplies and grain we left opposite Seal Bay are gone."

Eddard instantly felt as if he had fallen into an abyss, and the gaze of the heart tree's face injected a trace of mockery.

(End of chapter)