Chapter 85: Misunderstanding

Eddard came to the courtyard, where Vayon Poole was with Helen Pyke and the female Wildling Osha.

Vayon Poole said to Eddard, "Lord Eddard, how should we settle these two ladies?"

Osha was a female Wildling Eddard had captured on the way to Castle Black. At Castle Black, the brothers of the Night's Watch had advocated for Osha's execution, but Eddard had spared her life and brought her back to Winterfell; even now, Osha was still wearing shackles.

"Direwolf Lord, you spared my life. I swear in the name of the Old Gods that I am willing to serve Winterfell, but I will never kneel."

Wildlings despised those who knelt, and Eddard did not care for such hypocritical etiquette. "The Free Folk love freedom. If I open the shackles on your hands, you will not run away, will you?"

"Lord Eddard, I crossed the Wall with great difficulty to seek a living in the south." To a Wildling from Beyond the Wall, Winterfell was indeed the south, Osha said. "I have never seen a castle as magnificent as Winterfell. As long as Stark is willing to take me in, I am willing to work for Stark, asking only for food and a warm fireplace in winter."

Osha was familiar with the Free Folk and even claimed to have seen White Walkers and Wights. Once the North needed to launch an expedition Beyond the Wall to deal with Wildlings and White Walkers, this female Wildling would come in handy. Eddard personally opened Osha's shackles.

"You will live with Helen Pyke from now on. Vayon, arrange for them to stay in the courtyard by the Godswood."

Vayon Poole frowned. "Helen Pyke is a female Warrior. What will Osha do in the castle in the future?"

Osha said, "I am a spearwife; I can also dance with blades and spears."

Eddard smiled. "Osha, when I need you to use a blade, I will find you. However, Winterfell does not only need Warriors. Vayon will take you to find the cook Gage to work as a maid under him. You can go to the Godswood to pray; the hot springs in the Godswood can be used for bathing, and we also have a women's bathhouse."

Osha left with Vayon Poole, and Eddard said to Helen Pyke, "Do you like your new home?"

Helen Pyke was somewhat delighted. "I didn't expect Winterfell to be so warm. There are hot springs everywhere, and the castle is fully equipped with a training yard, stables, and an armory. The Iron Islands don't have such a large castle."

"Sometimes, when winter comes, the hot springs are more useful than a fireplace." Eddard pointed to the Winter Town outside the castle. "The Winter Town also has hot springs. This is a gift from the Old Gods, though some say there is a dragon beneath Winterfell, and it is the dragon's breath that causes the hot springs."

Helen Pyke stroked the Sapphire Necklace at her throat. "The Ironborn Smith under my command all like the hot springs here; the Smith Wote bathes in the hot springs every day. It's just a pity that this is not the sea, and there is no Drowned God."

Eddard smiled. "You are wrong to think that way. We are surrounded by streams and small rivers, and the river water will eventually flow into the sea; where there is water, there is the Drowned God. My financial advisor tells me that the Winterfell shipyard has already broken ground on the upper reaches of the White Knife. When the time comes, the Ironborn shipwright Mogul can build Longships for Winterfell."

Helen Pyke's eyes lit up. "With Longships, the Iron Bitch will finally have a place to show her worth."

Eddard was speechless. "Helen, in Winterfell, it is better to mention your Ironborn identity less. The men of the North do not like bitches, let alone an Iron Bitch."

Mischief flickered in Helen Pyke's sea-blue eyes. "The Northmen don't like bitches? But some Northmen are always undressing me with their eyes! They want me, Lord Eddard. When you captured me, you refused to take me as a Salt Wife; do you regret it now?"

"Hmm—" An abrupt cough came from nearby, and Eddard only then discovered that Catelyn was standing by the wall not far away. Eddard did not know how much of the conversation she had heard.

Eddard was somewhat embarrassed. "Catelyn, this is the 'Iron Bitch' Helen Pyke, captain of the Queen."

Catelyn squeezed out a smile. "Winterfell welcomes you."

Seeing this enchanting and beautiful woman flirting with Eddard, Catelyn was very unhappy. Upon hearing Helen Pyke's name, Catelyn's disgust for the woman before her increased by a few points. Because of Jon Snow, Catelyn had always loathed bastards, and Pyke was the surname for bastards of the Iron Islands.

Helen Pyke exchanged a few polite words with Catelyn and turned to leave.

After Helen Pyke had walked far away, Catelyn complained, "I heard this woman is a female pirate. Was she flirting with you just now? Eddard, are you planning to produce another bastard? Could she be Jon Snow's mother?"

Eddard hurriedly explained, "Helen is only in her early twenties. When Jon was born, she might not have even been ten years old; how could she have given birth to Jon?"

"Helen Pyke said she wanted to be your Salt Wife; I heard it all." Catelyn was full of anger. "This woman calls herself a bitch, is the captain of the Queen, a female pirate, a bastard, and an Ironborn. I am at home raising children, while you are out messing around with an Iron Bitch."

"Catelyn, you really misunderstood. The relationship between Helen Pyke and me is pure. I value honor; how could I mess around with other women?"

"Then where did Jon Snow come from?" Catelyn did not believe Eddard's explanation. "A female pirate should be executed when captured, but you, on the other hand, brought a female pirate home. Could it be that you captured the Iron Bitch at sea, and the Iron Bitch captured you in bed?"

Eddard took Catelyn's hand. "I am willing to swear in the name of the New and Old Gods that there is nothing dishonorable between the Iron Bitch and me."

He kissed Catelyn on the face. "I have Catelyn of House Tully; how could I look at any other woman?"

Eddard had always been firm and rigid, lacking in romantic flair, so this declaration seemed exceptionally rare. Catelyn's heart blossomed with joy, and she revealed a smile. "That's more like it. However, you keeping the Iron Bitch in Winterfell, is that really okay? A woman actually calling herself a bitch is too evil; she will corrupt Arya and Sansa."

Eddard embraced Catelyn. "Helen Pyke is the leader of the Ironborn. If we keep Helen, the Ironborn Smith and shipwrights under her will serve Winterfell, and she herself is an excellent navigator and a master of naval warfare."

"You went on an expedition to Skagos and returned in triumph, but you brought back too many strangers, didn't you?" Catelyn counted on her fingers. "The twenty or so wards sent by the Rockborn, the female Wildling, the Iron Bitch... Winterfell has so many people who worship foreign gods."

"The Rockborn and the Wildlings, just like the Northmen, are all descendants of the First Men and believe in the Old Gods," Eddard explained. "The Ironborn believe in the Drowned God, but we must have tolerance. As long as we take the strengths of others, these people can all serve Winterfell. Aren't the Braavosi and the poachers examples of this?"

"The Braavosi Syrio saved me on the battlefield, the poachers Dawson and Fellan performed meritorious service on the battlefield, and the Braavosi Klar helps us manage the accounts. Winter is Coming; we must recruit talent widely so that Winterfell can be strong."

(End of chapter)