章 180: Hesitation for honor
In case anyone is interested, I decided to write a story to distract me from the research I do for some chapters of this fanfic, it's called Industrial Baron in Caesar's Legion, it's more violent because there is no need to keep up appearances.
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-Pov of Eddard stark seventh moon 288AC
It was one of the usual days I had slowly grown accustomed to dealing with. Since the Neck Canal was completed this past year and with the opening of the new cities, I received more frequent complaints from merchants than ever before. The canal had become one of the most important trade routes with the Free Cities of northern Essos.
The journey from Wilhelmshaven to Braavos was shortened by almost fifteen days simply by paying a sum of gold to use the canal. This was not a problem for many Essosi merchants who were already accustomed to working with the Prussians and their charges for using their navigable rivers or their own canal to connect the Mander River with Oldtown.
The problem lay with those who were not used to this and there were constant complaints about the amount that had to be paid to use the canal.
The other problem was governing over two cities whose population was steadily growing, both from the locals and the many foreigners traveling from the south and east to make these cities their new home. With them came all the religious and social problems that stem from different ways of life.
I would have liked to delegate control of the cities so as not to have such distant possessions from Winterfell, but the company was very reluctant to hand over control of the city to one of the noble houses of the North. They insisted that I should be the one to control them, at least politically, and that they would handle the administration if it was so bothersome for me.
The company, however, had very 'swift' ways of solving problems. When there were issues doing business due to the high presence of Essosi, they established the Common Tongue as the mandatory language for business and shut down all artisans who did not follow the rule.
When some inhabitants of Qohor tried to build a temple to their god, their request was denied, and when they started construction outside the walls, it was demolished the day after they began building.
Their new requests included establishing schools like those the Prussians have in the south, where all foreign inhabitants would be forced to send their children to learn the Common Tongue and Northern customs, with threats of harsh punishments for parents who refused.
These were the multiple complaints that reached my office every day about the problems of allowing the cities to be governed in the Prussian way. But without a doubt, the coffers of the North were full from the taxes, docking fees, and payments for services generated in the city.
But recently, a significant problem reached me. I don't know what the hell is happening in the South, but from Jon's letter, it seemed that a conflict between the Faith of the Seven and the Prussians had escalated beyond the point of no return. The Prussians demanded the head of the High Septon for some offense, and the Crown, as the defender of the Faith of the Seven, had to get involved, declaring the Prussian lord a traitor.
This put me in a complicated situation. I had sworn loyalty to the Crown and was expected to fulfill my duty, but... but... I had signed an alliance with the Prussians precisely because of this. Lord Hohenzollern knew a religious war was coming, and anyone could be the victim of it, and it seems the Prussians were the ones affected.
I called all my bannermen, which was quick since most were still in the area or at Winterfell due to our annual meeting. In just two days, all the Northern lords were gathered in Winterfell's Great Hall, but the company's representatives had disappeared, as had all their patrols in the area.
Even when I requested their presence, they still refused to attend so they could speak with us in the assembly, but they kept their distance along with all their men, which made me think the worst.
If the company rises against us because we decide to support the Crown, it could completely destroy all the prosperity we've achieved in a matter of days. The presence of Wolf Heads in the North is considerable, and knowing how these men fight, we will have problems in all areas of the North. We can't be sure if all the Northerners among their ranks are loyal to the Starks or if they will side with the Prussians, which would give them a force capable of capturing the castles of great lords, forcing us to leave a considerable force to defeat them.
I waited a few days to see if the Prussians would attend the assembly to explain what had happened, but again, no one came. I only received a letter from the South written by my father-in-law, Lord Hoster.
It seemed the war had already begun for the Prussians, and they had started by burning the Tully territories and capturing many noble families. The problem still lay in Tully lands, though it seems many were heading to Lannister lands to burn their villages.
Now I had the pressure of my wife, who was urging me to make a decision.
The assembly began that same day, and both cases were presented: the duty House Stark had to the Crown, and the alliance we had with the Prussians to defend each other in the event of a religious war.
To my surprise, it seemed the North had clear intentions. Support for the Prussians was the majority in the assembly; almost all the great houses either supported the Prussians or were neutral about the matter. Those who wanted to fulfill their duty were noble houses that practiced the Faith of the Seven in the North, along with the Boltons and their minor lords.
Whatever decision I make, I will be considered an oathbreaker. If I don't support the Crown, I don't know if I'll be able to look Robert in the eye, or Jon, who raised me to be an honorable man. But if I don't support the Prussians, I'd be breaking my word, and the possibility that Robert might learn Jon's true parentage while I support the Crown means I could be next.
"Are you still having doubts, Ned?" said Howland, who seemed somewhat annoyed.
"I'm at a crossroads, Howland. The Prussians are fighting all the kingdoms at the same time, they must be in a desperate situation. But if I join them, I'd have to fight Lord Hoster, and my wife would be heartbroken if we attacked her father's bannermen. I'd be betraying Robert and Jon, with whom I grew up," I said, my voice slightly trembling.
"Arryn started the whole mess. We don't know what happened in the South, but it's certain that the Faith of the Seven tried something against the Prussians, failed, and then went crying to Arryn. The Prussians responded with force. They've said it themselves multiple times, they had just come out of an incredibly bloody war to preserve their faith, and the Faith of the Seven provoked them on that sensitive topic. Their reaction is understandable," said Howland as he paced around the room.
"That's my problem. What if it was something minor, and the Prussians used it as an excuse to start the war, knowing we'd join them?" I replied to Howland, this time more seriously.
"Come on, Ned, you have to think clearly. What benefits the North more, the Crown, which only cares about us sending taxes and, every time they have a war, demands we send our men to die? Or those who have truly helped us?" Howland said as he continued pacing impatiently around my room, but he stopped to open his eyes wide and draw his sword.
I turned quickly and saw someone opening the window from outside, wearing a Wolf's Head mask. He made a motion with his hand as if he had a crossbow.
"You'd already be dead, Lord of the North. Lower the sword, I come to talk," said the Wolf's Head as he entered as if nothing had happened.
"If you wanted to talk, why didn't you come to the assembly earlier?" I asked our unexpected guest.
"The Lord of the North tries to govern with the approval of all the North, but they have no decisive power, it's only consultative. Therefore, I would have wasted my time trying to convince the lords who, in any case, voted in my favor... By the way, you need to remodel your castle. The construction with blocks is solid but leaves a lot of space for someone who knows how to climb to reach you or your family. Someone who truly wanted to kill you would have found it very easy," said the Wolf's Head, placing his daggers on the table.
"What happened in the capital? Why is the South bleeding?" Howland asked.
"The High Septon tried to have the chief diplomat of my king assassinated. But the chief diplomat is vested with royal authority to make deals, it's as if they tried to assassinate the king himself. there was no other option but to react violently," the Wolf's Head responded.
Howland looked at me with a face that said, "I told you so."
I sighed deeply.
"My wife is going to kill me. Tell your lord that my men will honor our alliance and help him in his difficult situation," I said to the Wolf's Head.
"Difficult situation? Excuse me, Lord Stark, but do you have information about the war, or are you assuming something?" said the Wolf's Head, reacting as if I had said something wrong.
"The Reach is facing all the great lords; they must be in a difficult situation," said Howland, joining in on what I had said.
"The Riverlands are burning, hundreds of thousands have lost their homes and are without food. The lands of the Lannisters are burning in the east, and the Lannister forces failed in an assault on the preliminary defenses north of The Reach. The Dornish have been put in their place. Admiral Karl raided Plankytown, nearly killed the princes of Dorne, who barely escaped, and defeated Stannis Baratheon at sea, though with difficulty. And the entire army is gathering at Tumbleton, over one hundred and fifty thousand perfectly trained and equipped men to march against King's Landing and assault the capital or destroy the army that Robert Baratheon is assembling. Yes, we'd be in trouble if all the forces united, but that's not the case," said the Wolf's Head.
Howland and I were stunned by the news.
"One hundred and fifty thousand men mobilized just to attack King's Landing without leaving any fortress unprotected?" said Howland, his mouth agape.
"Yes, in total, Prussia could mobilize nearly three hundred thousand men, but only a little more than two-thirds have been mobilized to see how the war will play out. So, what will your decision be, Lord Stark? We don't need you to enter the conflict, just remain neutral, and you'll do much more for the war than by taking any other option. We don't want the Faith to see the war as a total war, or there will be no way to establish peace treaties in the future," said the Wolf's Head, quite calmly.
"We...we...we will remain neutral, then," I replied to the Wolf's Head.
"Excellent. The patrols will return to their posts and areas of work now... Well, I'll be on my way. If you need anything, contact me by letter," said the Wolf's Head as he descended the way he came.
Howland and I watched as the Wolf's Head moved agilely along the walls of Winterfell and jumped across the rooftops until he simply disappeared.
"eh...Howland, how much do you think it will cost us to do that remodeling he recommended?" I said after witnessing that feat of agility.
"I don't know, but I think it would be worth it to have smooth walls to prevent anyone from entering your home," said Howland, also a bit perturbed
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