Game of Thrones: Kings in the North

Chapter 24 Luwin's Admonition
"Lord Ed, this is simply crazy!"

In his study at Winterfell, Maester Luwin stroked the choker around his neck.

"Lord Ed, the maester's oath requires me to provide advice to the lord. I have served in Winterfell for many years. Lord Ed and Lady Caitlin treat me like family, and I treat Robb, Bran, Jon Xue Nuo, I regard every child in Winterfell as my own flesh and blood, so I beg you to withdraw your decision to send troops to Skagos Island!"

Ed frowned and looked at the map of the northern border, his eyes resting on the waters near Skagos Island.

"As a vassal of Winterfell, it's nothing more than Yan Zhong refuses to bow his knees, but he dares to take a boat to my land, destroy Yantun, villages, and kill my people. As the guardian of the northern border, I must send troops, isn't it? Sit by and watch my people be slain by barbarians?"

Bachelor Luwin said: "Although the outside world generally regards Skaggs Island as a barren, barbaric, and uncivilized place, history tells us that the rock species living on the island are not easy to deal with. As early as the Stark family During the years when the northern border was king, the king of the northern border sent troops to Skagos Island many times, hoping to merge the island and complete the unification of the northern border. There's a resurgence on Skagos Island."

"Lord Ed, don't forget that just over 100 years ago, during the period of the wise king Daeron II, the rock species once raised the rebellious flag and challenged the rule of Winterfell. The war lasted for three years, and countless northern warriors died in the In the sea or in the strange hills of Skagos, even your ancestor, Lord Basilone Stark."

Ed pressed his hand on the map, palm just covering Skagos Island.

"The former king of the north or the guardian of the north couldn't do it, so you think I can't do it either? This is the largest island in the north, and it has been the territory of the king of the north since ancient times. The rock traitors refused to come to the north Jing bowed his knees and surrendered, paying tribute and proclaiming himself a minister, but he dared to attack."

"If this continues, my people and vassals will feel that Winterfell is powerless to suppress the rebellion, and they will think that the Stark family in Winterfell is weak and deceitful. Once the seeds of rebellion are planted, the vast northern border will There will be smoke everywhere. I am not a bloodthirsty and warlike person, but I have no choice."

Maester Luwin sighed, "Master Ed, if the town of Winterfall is not expanded, I will support you to send troops, but now...we are building a lot of construction in Winterfall Town, and our treasury is almost exhausted. How can we fight without money?"

Ed said: "I was just about to tell you that I have decided to accept Krall's suggestion and borrow money from Wyman Manderly, Earl of White Harbor. You write to Earl Wyman and say that Winterfell owes you Hong Kong borrowed [-] golden dragons, which will be gradually offset from the tax paid by White Harbor to Winterfell."

Maester Luwin's eyes widened: "Master Ed would rather borrow money to fight against the barbarians? If the war starts, one hundred thousand golden dragons will not be enough for the war."

Ed said: "So I had to borrow money from the Iron Bank in the end. I have already asked Krall to send someone to White Harbor to contact the envoy of the Iron Bank office in White Harbor. Initially, I plan to borrow 50 golden dragons."

Maester Luwin was shocked and said, "Lord Ed, this is crazy. In order to deal with the barbarians of Skagos Island, you would not hesitate to make Winterfell bear such a huge debt? Winterfell really can afford to repay such a huge debt." Huge debt?"

Ed patiently said: "Luwin, the 50 gold dragons are not all military expenses. The expansion of the winter shelter town will sooner or later require borrowing money. With this money, the shipyard in White Harbor can also officially start building the fleet in the northern border." .”

Ed originally planned to postpone the shipbuilding plan after discussing with the shipbuilder Marin, but now, the rock species is raging on the east coast of the northern border on the longboat of the iron people. The possibility of an alliance between the iron people and the rock species made Ed make up his mind , would rather build a fleet with heavy debts.

Maester Luwin said dejectedly: "The rock species on Skagos Island is just a disease of ringworm. 'The Iron Bank cannot be in arrears'. Any king who owes the Iron Bank money, the Iron Bank will use the money to fund the rebellion. Once the cold winter comes , Our arrears to the Iron Bank will be a certainty, isn't the master afraid that the Iron Bank will instigate all kinds of rebellions in the northern border? For a small group of rock pirates, we won't have to bear such a huge debt."

"Raw mange? A small group of pirates?" Ed was a little annoyed, "Luwin, whether it's the Dreadfort, the Umber house, or the Karstark house, it's all reported that hundreds of pirates have appeared. A horde of pirate fleets! I appreciate your advice, but you miscalculated the situation."

"Rockborn has a lot of weapons, armor, and even longships from the Iron Islands. Are there any Ironborn forces on the island of Rockborn? Or, is Rockborn in collusion with Carter Pike of Eastwatch? The King Beyond the Wall Mance Rayder, did you bypass the Wall and make some kind of oath with the rock species from the sea?"

Eddard pointed out Skagos Island on the map to Maester Luwin.

"This is the largest island in the northern region. It is nominally the fiefdom of Winterfell, but we don't know how many rock tribes there are on this island, how many people there are, and whether there is any currency. The information we have is often contradictory. , Luwin, you should be very clear about it yourself."

"According to the data, the people on Skagos Island are very backward and barbaric, and they don't even have currency. However, it took three years for such a backward tribe to make the northern army called by Winterfell more than 100 years ago. They failed to conquer, and the Duke of Winterfell and thousands of northern warriors followed suit."

"I must bring the northern army into Skagos Island. Even if I can't force the Rockborn to surrender, I must find out the secrets of Skagos Island. Is the Rockborn in collusion with the Iron Islands? I will never allow the Ironborn Or Mance Rayder, the king beyond the Wall, using the rock seed to make waves in the rear of the northern border. As far as the current situation is concerned, the threat of the rock seed exceeds that of the wildling tribes outside the Great Wall."

Even if the savages crossed the Great Wall, Ed could gather the northern army and defeat them in Zengdi and Amber's territory.The savages with backward equipment and lack of discipline have been attacked and destroyed by the night watchmen and the northern army every time they invaded the northern border in history.

Rock species are different. They rely on the largest island in the northern border. Once they attack on a large scale, the northern border lacking sea power will be difficult to destroy.

Maester Luwin stared at Skagos Island on the map, "Perhaps Lord Eddard is right, but even if he goes on an expedition, the northern border lacks naval power. Lord Eddard and King Robert are as close as brothers, and now the former Prime Minister Joan Ern Arryn was not only your adoptive father, but also your brother-in-law. Jon Arryn's wife, Lysa, is Lady Catelyn's sister."

"Since the rock species used the weapons and armor of the Iron Islands when they plundered the northern coast, we have every reason to suspect that Baron of the Iron Islands is behind the rock species' invasion of the northern border. Why don't Lord Eddard write to King Robert of King's Landing and Hand Jon Arryn, request King's Landing's verdict?"

(End of this chapter)