Chapter 58: Capturing Frost Hall

The Northern Army captured Frost Hall with ease.

This was a two-story castle of the Rockborn, built with mud and timber, covered with a thatched roof, and even more dilapidated than some of the towers in the North.

The battle ended before it even began; Theon Greyjoy shot and killed two old men who had tried to resist while brandishing wooden clubs. A remaining fat Rockborn elder shouted "Surrender" and opened the wooden door, after which three white-haired elders filed out, followed by six Rockborn children, the oldest of whom was no more than eleven years of age.

Eddard looked at the elder before him, "Is this all of you at Frost Hall?"

One Rockborn elder said: "Our Frost Clan leader, Gewen, responded to the call of the Rock King and took the young and able-bodied Rockborn of the territory to Abyss Keep; only a few of us remain."

In a siege, the elderly and children are useless mouths for the defending side; it is estimated that even if these elders and children had gone to Abyss Keep, the Rock King would not have taken them in.

Theon toyed with his bow and arrow excitedly, "With two arrows, I have captured a Rockborn castle for the North. When I return to Winterfell, I must show off to Robb."

Domeric Bolton, Heir to the Dreadfort, smiled and said: "Theon, I expect this is the peak of your life. Looking across the Seven Kingdoms, it would be hard to find a castle more crude or weakly defended than this."

In fact, there is a large amount of high-quality stone on Skagos. After several days of observation, Eddard realized that the stone here is no less in quality than that of the Vale of Arryn. These stones could be processed by stonemasons and used to build castles, but the Rockborn clearly lack the technology to process stone and build castles, so they can only pile up dilapidated castles with wood and mud.

Once Eddard conquers Skagos and brings the Rockborn back under the rule of Winterfell to become subjects of Winterfell, Eddard will make good use of the stone resources on Skagos to help the Rockborn improve their lives. If the Rockborn are left to remain impoverished, even if they submit for the time being, it is only a matter of time before they rebel again.

Jon Snow peered into Frost Hall, "Lord Eddard, why are there no women to be seen?"

Eddard said: "They likely fled to the deep mountains or caves beforehand."

Jon Snow said: "Lord Eddard, why not send men into the deep mountains and caves to drive these Rockborn out?"

Eddard said: "Jon, if you want to become a commander in the future, you must understand the terrain and the advantages of both sides. We are fighting the Rockborn on unfamiliar land; Skagos is full of peaks, valleys, caves, and winding goat paths. Do not doubt that those Rockborn warriors will be waiting for us in the caves or on narrow mountain roads. If I send troops into the caves and deep mountains, the ambushes of the Rockborn warriors will cause us to lose many men."

Jon nodded thoughtfully.

Winterfell Captain of the Guard Jory Cassel and Bulaofosi Water Dancer Syrio Forel entered Frost Hall to search. Jory Cassel found a few pieces of hard bread and sour cheese, while Syrio Forel found a half-eaten roasted chicken.

Jory Cassel said: "Lord Eddard, the urns in the castle are empty. It seems the clan leader took the grain when he left."

Eddard was not surprised, "This castle was left with only these few elders and children as guards; the clan leader certainly would not leave the grain stores here. They must have taken it to Abyss Keep!"

Greatjon said in a gruff voice: "Lord Eddard, the Rockborn are colluding with the Ironmen to burn, kill, and pillage on the east coast of the North. We should kill these elders and children as a lesson to the leader of the Frost Hall clan."

Eddard shook his head, "It is the Rock King and the Iron Bitch who are doing evil. If we kill every Rockborn, how are we any different from those bloodthirsty savages?"

Lord of Karhold Rickard Karstark said: "Then burn this castle."

The clan leader's castle must be destroyed to force the Rock King of Abyss Keep to come out and fight. The Winterfell personal guards threw torches onto the roof of Frost Hall, and the castle began to burn.

Eddard walked up to the Rockborn elders and children. These elders might have been steadfast warriors in their youth, but now their hair was white, they were old and weak, and even their courage had dissipated; no Rockborn elder dared to meet Eddard's eyes.

A few of the Rockborn children, however, were furious, glaring at the Lord of Winterfell before them.

Eddard decided to release some captives to Abyss Keep to spread fear; the elders were clearly easier to manipulate than the children. The children still had a chance to become warriors in the future, while the elders' only future was the grave. Eddard felt it was time to put on the mask of a Duke to intimidate these elders.

"Take these children away, put them in shackles, and lock them in cages!" The order was given, and the Rockborn boys cursed and swore as they were led away by the Winterfell personal guards.

Only a few white-haired Rockborn elders remained kneeling before Eddard. Eddard raised his voice.

"You elders, I will let you go to Abyss Keep. Go find your leader and tell him I have destroyed your castle. If the clan leader staying at Abyss Keep still chooses to follow the Rock King and resist, I will destroy every single Rockborn leader's castle."

"Go tell your leader that the Northern Army will sell the captured Rockborn women and children to slave traders. Your wives and daughters will be sold to the brothels of Lys, and the men will be sold to Tyrosh and Myr as bondmen. I will not only order the Northern Army to burn the farmland, but I will also sow the land with salt; your already barren land will no longer be able to grow anything."

The few Rockborn elders were clearly terrified. Eddard waved his hand, and the soldiers drove the elders away; the elders disappeared behind the woods. They would carry the message to Abyss Keep.

Jon Snow was frightened by Eddard's words, "Lord Eddard, do you really intend to sell the Rockborn women and children to slave traders? That is illegal! The Seven Kingdoms prohibit the slave trade."

Domeric Bolton said: "Indeed! Lord Eddard, I remember that when Jorah Mormont of Bear Island sold captured poachers to slave traders, you punished him severely for it. Jorah Mormont fled across the Narrow Sea and still dares not return to the North. Why are you acting like a slave trader now?"

Theon Greyjoy frowned, "Lord Eddard, I support selling those Rockborn women and children to slave traders. Every Ironborn raider on the Iron Islands has the right to take captives as bondmen, which is basically the same as slavery. But sowing the land with salt is too extreme; are you really not going to leave the Rockborn any way to survive?"

Eddard smiled, "Children, you are still too young. The plan I spoke of is, of course, a lie. My goal is to force the Rockborn to leave the impregnable Abyss Keep and fight us to the death as soon as possible; therefore, I must provoke these Rockborn. Only a sufficiently terrifying threat can spread fear and achieve the goal."

(End of chapter)