Chapter 63: Disposing of the Captives

The Rockborn leaders were brought before Eddard. Billy, leader of the Stern Clan; Ace, leader of the Ice Dragon Clan; and Gewen, leader of the Frost Clan—all three had their fur cloaks stained with blood and filth, and all were wounded, though fortunately not seriously.

Eddard's guard, Dawson, stood by Eddard's side holding the Valyrian Steel Sword "Ice," while Eddard's gaze swept in turn over Billy Stern, Ace Ice Dragon, and Gewen Hanshuang.

"You are all Rockborn leaders. The Rockborn once swore allegiance to House Stark of Winterfell, yet you followed the Rock King Samlo Crowl in rebellion. You are all oath-breaking traitors, and I ought to behead you all."

A wolf-like smile appeared on Billy Stern's face. "Eddard Stark, the ancestors of the Rockborn did indeed swear allegiance to Winterfell, but you know very well that was hundreds of years ago. Whether our ancestors broke their oaths, I do not know, but I certainly have not, because I never swore any oath to Winterfell or the Starks at all!"

Eddard smiled slightly. "It is not too late to kneel and swear allegiance now. As long as you swear fealty, I can spare your lives, as well as the lives of the hundreds of Rockborn captives under your command."

Most of the Rockborn had died in the Ice Valley; many were shot down by Northern archers, and others were trampled to death by unicorns. Of the more than twenty unicorns Billy Stern had brought, fifteen remained, all of which had fallen into Eddard's hands.

Gewen Hanshuang glared at Eddard. "You destroyed my castle, slaughtered my people, sowed salt upon my lands, and even wanted to sell Rockborn women and children into slavery in the Free Cities. How could I possibly bow and submit to someone as brutal as you?"

Ace Ice Dragon echoed, "That is right. We Rockborn would rather die than submit to an enemy whose hands are stained with the blood of our kin."

Eddard said calmly, "Threats and actual deeds are two different things. I did indeed destroy the castles of Frost Hall and Ice Dragon Hall and burned some fertile fields, but compared to the fishing villages and Saltpans your Rockborn destroyed on the east coast of the North, I am far more merciful. I am the Warden of the North, not a slave trader, and I would never sow salt on the lands of the North. Skagos is a part of the North."

Gewen Hanshuang, Billy Stern, and Ace Ice Dragon were somewhat startled. Billy Stern frowned, "You did not capture the Rockborn women and children?"

Eddard sneered, "What would I capture them for? I believe you are well aware that the Northern Army's provisions were largely destroyed by the Iron Bitch Helene Pyke. The Northern Army now has many mouths to feed and little grain; my own soldiers are nearly starving. If I captured those women and children, what would I feed them with? Could I rely on the legends of Skagos and use them as military rations?"

"The Seven Kingdoms prohibit the slave trade. I am the Warden of the North; how could I lead the way as a slave trader? Many slave ships from Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr bypass Skagos and Eastwatch to capture Wildlings Beyond the Wall, but slave traders rarely come to Skagos because it belongs to the North."

Billy Stern said disdainfully, "You want us to believe that the North has protected the Rockborn from slave traders all these years? Heh! If that were truly the case, we would really have to be grateful to Lord Stark!"

Eddard said, "If you do not believe it, you can go ask the Iron Bitch, or ask any slave trader. Whether it is the Sealord of Braavos, the Governor of Lys, the Archon of Tyrosh, or the pirates of the Stepstones and the slave traders of Lys, no one dares to openly challenge the laws of the Seven Kingdoms."

"The Iron Bitch Helene Pyke could only flee in terror when she saw the Royal Fleet in the south. She could not even compete with the Lysene pirate Salladhor Saan. She was a loser in the strife of the Stepstones pirates, and like a defeated dog, she fled to Skagos. That fool, the Rock King, actually thought he had obtained some treasure."

"The Iron Bitch provided you with some weapons and longships, and the Rockborn dared to collude with the Ironborn to raid the east coast of the North. The North is the land watched over by the Old Gods, and the Rockborn are all believers of the Old Gods. You Rockborn leaders actually fought for an Iron Bitch Helene Pyke who believes in a strange god, sacrificing the lives of Rockborn warriors in vain."

The corpses of Rockborn and unicorns lay on the battlefield, and a large flock of crows was holding a feast upon the bodies. Billy Stern, Ace Ice Dragon, and Gewen Hanshuang all fell silent.

Billy Stern braced himself. "We did not fight for the Iron Bitch; we fought for the Rock King Samlo Crowl."

Eddard looked toward the distant mountains. "You would rather bow to Samlo Crowl, who usurped the title of King, than bow to Winterfell? I do not know what Samlo promised you. I suspect it was nothing more than glory, wealth, and power. And the result? The Rock King and his Iron Bitch brought you nothing but death and destruction!"

"The Rock King is naturally fearless; his Abyss Keep is sturdy and treacherous, and he has the backing of the Iron Bitch's Ironborn Pirates. You fought for the Rock King, but when your castles were destroyed and your territories occupied, did he send a single soldier? I, for one, did not see the banners of the Crowl Clan."

Eddard beckoned, and his guard Dawson handed over the greatsword "Ice."

"I have said all that I needed to say. You must either choose to bow and submit, or choose to stretch out your necks for the blade."

Billy Stern sighed and closed his eyes. "Eddard Stark, do it."

Eddard said, "You would rather die than submit? Have you no consideration for your son Baolaisen? After you die, can your fifteen-year-old son protect Driftwood Hall and the people of your Stern Clan?"

Billy Stern's son, Baolaisen, had been captured in the previous battle by the Winterfell bastard Jon Snow and had become a prisoner.

Seeing Eddard bring up Baolaisen, Billy Stern's heart softened instantly. "How is Baolaisen? Is he injured?"

Eddard beckoned, and the Water Dancer Syrio brought Baolaisen forward. Seeing his son safe and sound, Billy Stern felt slightly relieved.

"Lord Stark, if you release my son, I am willing to submit to your disposal."

Eddard smiled. "My disposal is this: I will spare your life, but you must bow and submit. If you are unwilling to kneel, we can pretend you have knelt, but you must kneel before the Weirwood Heart Tree and swear to the Old Gods to be loyal to Winterfell and House Stark."

Eddard picked up the Stern Clan banner that had fallen to the ground, stained with blood and mud, and unfurled it. "Billy, tell me, what do you see?"

Billy Stern looked puzzled. "Eddard Stark, what do you mean? This is the sigil of the Stern Clan, the mark of Driftwood Hall, the sigil of the leafless driftwood."

Eddard said, "Why does the driftwood have no leaves? Because the driftwood has no roots in the earth. Skagos is a piece of driftwood! The Rockborn refuse to take root in the North and choose to collude with the Ironborn, floating on the water; naturally, there are no leaves and no vitality. Winter is Coming; taking root in the North is your only choice."

Billy Stern was silent for a long while, then said, "Lord Eddard Stark, I am willing to bow and submit, and swear allegiance to Winterfell."

(End of chapter)