章 6: 6
285 AC
"You may raise your head, Domeron Bolton, trueborn son and heir of Roose Bolton, the lord of Dreadfort" I did, when we arrived at Winterfell, I was surprised there weren't any power moves, at least not any too obvious, as Eddard Stark himself stood by the gates, waiting on me, something that is unheard of as Bolton's are under Stark's, and thus there is absolutely no need to show such, respect to us, the retainer family, noble or not...
This wasn't like if King came, which he would if I didn't already screw up the timeline too much...
But, the surprise was probably evident as Eddard Stark nodded his head.
"I can guess what's just runs through your mind, heir Domeron, and it is true that this welcoming is... Special, alas, the time of your arrival came, I was just returning from my hunt with my sons and thus chose to just wait for you." Eddard said, a gentle yet strict smile on his face, and truly, when I looked more carefully, both Eddard and all men near him were clothed in hunting gear, then my eyes fell on two boys who were of the same age as me...
Robb Stark and Jon Snow...
They looked...
Like children they are, Robb who now tried to look all too much serious and failing at that and now was curiously looking at me, and Jon who looked nervous, hiding behind Robb, not too much, but enough for people to notice him lacking confidence of a child, in truth, he showed all sings of emotional abuse, something I knew Catelyn Stark, and probably Septa's or priest's of Seven were responsible for, after all, Southerners detested bastards...
Hmmm, this wasn't time for plots, I looked back at Eddard, who was looking at me with a strict yet gentle smile, but his eyes, they were sharp, maybe too much sharp...
"I see milord, and thank you for showing such hospitability to your lesser, I Domeron Bolton great you in hopes of breaching the void that revolves around our two houses," I said as I straightened up and gave Eddard a serious nod, something that seemed to make Eddard chuckle, he was, different from the shows, and books, he was too...
Open? Carefree, or was it just because I was a child of one of his most powerful house vassals, and after our talks, probably a member of his family as I will either marry Sansa or Arya if she would be in two born, I knew that we wouldn't marry until the either of girls flowered something around from eight to twelve years, thus being capable of carrying child, something that was all too common in this world, and time period, especially among noble families.
God, I hoped that either Sansa or Arya get it in their twelve, I really don't want to marry an eight-year-old girl, not that twelve-old is any better...
Yes, I don't need to sleep with them right after marriage, but then there is the thing that the heirs are needed to be born the sooner, the better, if they don't show being pregnant, there would be problems from all sides...
Questions if my seed is weak or Arya or Sansa is barren will fly all around, questions like that could make any of my rule pretty much tricky...
But that is something I need to worry about later, preferably much more later...
For now, I needed to use that underestimation of me, letting Eddard think that his gentle yet severe persona earns my loyalty.
After that, I was introduced to both Robb and Jon, and just like I thought, Robb tried to act as proper heir, even if he was too young for that, and Jon tried and failed to speak but stuttered, for now, I showed both of them respect as I greeted them both with a smile and firm grip, noticing the surprise in Jon's eyes at me acknowledging him even if he introduced himself as Snow, from Robb I earned a solid nod of the head, heh, good brother I suppose.
And, I could imagine it, but I think I felt the weight of judging eyes on me lessen for little as Eddard Stark stood behind me...
After that little show, we were led into the castle, Eddard who strolled before us, me having two of my guards with me, the rest outside, and me speaking with Robb or rather answering his questions, and time from the time when Jon managed to ask something himself, and I answered, I could feel how much more Jon was becoming open to me, something I knew I could use...
I still didn't have any solid plan of what to do with Stark's, this marriage contract did throw me out of the game at the start I wanted to either somehow save Sansa after all the debacles in King landing or outright wait and somehow push Stark's to extinction, not like I needed to do much, the entire family was as if death wish...
But then, the marriage contract came, and all my potential plots and plans crashed as more, and numerous doors and windows opened to me, and just like more closed as if I'm married with Stark girl, I can't exactly hurt them, at least not openly, or even risk my plots getting out, as kin-slaying is very badly viewed there in North...
"I must say that I now have half a mind to live there..." Robb's eyes opened wide, and I could see hope blossom in Jon's, fuck, just how needed for affection, even if the fake one is this boy...
"That could be arranged, but can I ask why?" Eddard asked as he turned his head to me, an inquisitive look on his face.
"Well, just look what we have on themselves, in-home, I need to wear more furs to ward off chilliness." I made hand gestures to myself, showing how little we wore even if outside its freezing.
"Ah, you speak of Winterfell's most prized invention, at least that's what I'm thinking," Eddard said with a nod of his head, fully understanding my mind.
"Yes, truly, Bran the Builder was genius in using hot springs under the castle as a way to warm the castles indoors." I looked at the one bronze pipe from where I could feel the warmth coming...
I needed to make my own heating version in Dreadfort, but how there aren't any hot springs near, and using fire in a nonstop manner is a big waste of wood and coal...
Finally, we arrived at the main hall, and I could hear the cry of baby, well, Sansa, my maybe future wife, there I coming...
I ignored how quiet Jon became the closer we moved to where Cately Stark was...
How could I use this insecurity of his, I wonder...
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