Chapter 53: Arrival at Abyss Keep

In the hall illuminated by the torches of Abyss Keep, Billy Stern glared at the Iron Bitch, Helen Pyke, "How can you be so certain? Eddard Stark can obtain supplies from the sea whenever he wishes."

Helen Pyke said, "The North has sent some fleets to the east coast of the North, but even if they bring grain and fodder, my Ironborn Pirates will block them far from Skagos."

Billy Stern sneered, "Iron Bitch, you always boast about how formidable your Ironborn Pirates are, claiming the Northern navy is no match for you. Why don't you take your people out to sea and help us clear out those Sistermen pirates and Pentos Mercenaries?"

Helen Pyke stroked her fiery red hair, "The Sistermen pirates and Pentos Mercenaries are not even worth mentioning. Can't you see? The Sistermen and Pentos Mercenaries are all bait cast out by Eddard Stark; he wants to use the Sistermen pirates and Pentos Mercenaries to exhaust the strength of my Ironborn Pirates."

Billy Stern looked disdainful, "You can't even deal with the Sistermen pirates and Pentos Mercenaries, yet you want me to believe your Ironborn can stop the Northern ships from bringing supplies by sea? In my territory, the coastal fishing villages are being raided, and you are doing nothing."

Helen Pyke placed her hand on Billy Stern's arm, "Take my advice: evacuate the people from those coastal villages into the deep mountains. Take all the grain and food that can be moved, and burn what cannot. If we scorch the earth, we will win."

Billy Stern shook off Helen Pyke's hand in disgust, "Burn the grain? Do you know how difficult it is to harvest grain on this barren land of Skagos? Whether scorched earth will win, we shall see, but I only know that if I do as you say, when winter comes, my people will all starve to death."

"Iron Bitch, can you or can you not send the Ironborn to drive away those Sistermen pirates and Pentos Mercenaries? If you don't want to go, I will have to take my warriors, return to the North, and deal with those raiders myself."

The Rock King Samlo Crowl said, "Billy, you must stay. Do not forget the oath you swore before the Heart Tree at the Nine Great Clans tribal council; you must obey my command and hold Abyss Keep."

Samlo Crowl turned to Helen Pyke, "Helen, take your Ironborn fleet and go intercept the Northern supply ships!"

Helen Pyke turned and left.

Billy Stern said angrily, "Why not let the Ironborn fleet go protect the coastal villages?"

The Rock King Samlo said, "The Northern Army is closing in on Abyss Keep. Despite the winding mountain roads, they will arrive soon. Eddard Stark's goal is to destroy the Ironborn Smithy and shipyard of Abyss Keep. He will certainly attack Abyss Keep. My castle is easy to defend and hard to attack; the Northern Army will have to pay a heavy price if they want to storm it. Once time passes and the Northern Army's grain and fodder are exhausted, the Rockborn can sally forth and bury Eddard Stark's army."

"As for the coastal villages, they must be abandoned. Neither the Ironborn nor my Rockborn have the strength to protect those villages. That is how war is; some things must always be sacrificed."

Billy Stern's anger rose, "So the Northern Army's goal is the Ironborn shipyard and Smithy. Rock King, your nephew Donald and my son Baolaisen have all become prisoners of the North. Many Rockborn warriors have sacrificed their lives, our villages have been destroyed by the flames of war, and the sacred Unicorns have died in battle, all because of the damned Ironborn!"

The Rock King Samlo Crowl patted Billy on the shoulder, "The Ironborn brought us longships and armor, and weapons."

"They also brought death and destruction." Billy Stern suppressed his fury and said coldly, "Rock King, I have seen the Northern Army; by my estimate, there are over seven thousand men. The Rockborn cannot contend with the Northern Army. The Rockborn have lived freely on this land for hundreds and thousands of years. Winterfell couldn't be bothered to manage us; it was the Iron Bitch and her Ironborn who insisted on provoking Winterfell, which is what brought the Northern Army here."

"Why must the Rockborn pay for the desires of the Ironborn? As long as the Rock King renounces the crown, hands over the Northern nobles we hold hostage, offers up the Iron Bitch's beautiful head, and declares submission to House Stark of Winterfell, the disaster for the Rockborn can be resolved immediately."

The Rock King said proudly, "The Rockborn never kneel!"

Billy Stern said, "Then what about my son Baolaisen? He is the Heir to Driftwood Hall! And he is my only son. Rock King, can you use the Northern nobles you hold to exchange for Baolaisen?"

"No." The Rock King refused flatly, "You need not worry. The Northern Army will break their heads against the walls of Abyss Keep. They lack sufficient grain and fodder and will collapse sooner or later. Once we defeat the Northern Army, Baolaisen will naturally gain his freedom."

Billy Stern was dissatisfied, but he had no choice but to accept it.

Freezing rain began to fall from the sky, and the air was damp and cold. Eddard led the Northern Army, marching through the rain. Fortunately, the number of ambushes by Rockborn slingers and crossbowmen had decreased significantly. The villages the Northern Army encountered were all empty, with grain and food completely cleared out. According to the Rockborn guide Nonda, the Rock King had likely gathered all the nearby Rockborn to Abyss Keep to defend the city.

Three days later, the Northern Army finally arrived at the foot of Abyss Keep.

"Sturdier than Casterly Rock or Storm's End, and more precipitous than the Eyrie." The Ironborn prisoner James Codd described the Rock King's Abyss Keep this way. Eddard had always thought this was an exaggeration by the Ironborn, until he stood beneath this castle.

The castle was situated on a cliff hundreds of meters high in Crowl Canyon. The massive stone gate was engraved with totems of Rockborn warriors and Unicorns. According to the Rockborn prisoner Donald Crowl, Abyss Keep was originally a natural cave, after which the people of the Crowl clan spent thousands of years mining Obsidian and iron within the cave.

Although the Rockborn's mining technology was backward and the quantity of Obsidian, iron, and other minerals collected was very low, over the long passage of time, the Crowl clan had excavated hundreds of halls inside Abyss Keep.

On both sides of the city gate were catapults and arrow towers, and in front of the castle was the surging Abyss River, the water appearing dark red, forming a natural moat.

The Abyss River blocked the Northern Army on the opposite side of Abyss Keep. Above the Abyss River was a precarious rope bridge, pieced together from wooden planks, stretching hundreds of meters long and wide enough for at most two people to walk side by side. The rope bridge was also an uphill path toward Abyss Keep. Because the rope bridge was located exactly at the wind gap of the canyon, it swayed violently in the wind.

Domeric Bolton, Theon Greyjoy, and Jon Snow were all stunned.

Lord of Dreadfort Roose Bolton gazed at the bottomless abyss and the turbulent river beneath the rope bridge, a flicker of unease flashing in his eyes, which were like black ice.

"Lord Eddard, never mind attacking the castle; I doubt we can even cross this rope bridge. Since the Rock King has chosen to hold out, logically he should have dismantled this rope bridge, but he hasn't even bothered to do that. It seems he is confident."

Lord Medger Cerwyn shrugged, "Is there any need to dismantle the bridge? As long as the warriors of the North attack, the crossbowmen on the arrow towers opposite will fire, and then the Northern warriors will scream as they fall from the bridge into the turbulent river below. If the Rockborn really wanted to dismantle the bridge, a single stone from their catapults could smash this crude rope bridge to pieces."

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(End of chapter)