บท 17: Reactions

"So you're telling me the North has stopped buying from the Reach too?" A man wearing a golden crown and red cloak asked another man who was standing in front of him.

"Yes, my King. The North have stopped buying in bulk like before, from the Southern kingdoms." The man replied, he was wearing a hooded gown while standing in a subservient stature.

"Mmmmm..... It's alright since we don't sell that much to them like the other Kingdom's. Cedric, what are the responses of Vale and Riverlands? They were the primary provider for the North." The King asked.

"My King, there are no news from either the Vale or the Riverlands. But I speculate that the North have stopped buying from them too, which have affected their finance much more." Cedric said.

"Hmmmmm" Breathing out closed his eyes and started to think about the possibilities and when he opened his eyes, he had the answer "It would seem that the Vale and Riverlands will form an alliance to go to war against the North."

Looking at Cedric, the King asked "Do you know why?"

"No my King." He shook his head in denial as he was not even sure why they would attack the North over buying some goods, even though it's a trade that benefited both kingdom's he was not sure about going to war over that.

"I can see it in your eye, the doubt, questions. Let me enlighten you." The King leaned in seemingly getting excited about what he had concluded from his thinking "The Arryns of the Vale is the King of Andals, they have conquered the Southern Kingdoms but not the North. Secondly, there is already bad blood between the Vale and the North. Since the Kingdom of Isles and Rivers is also affected by the North, the Vale will ally themselves and attack the North. The Vale will attack from the east, the Ironborn will attack from the west and the Rivermen will attack from the Neck. So what do you understand from what I said, Tommen."

"That the North is going to face the enemy on different fronts." A boy of age ten and seven who had been standing next to the King, replied.

"That's my son! The North is going to face a crisis, but they have resisted the Andals when they invaded and one of their Kings, Theon the Hungry Wolf led an army to attack the Andalos region in Essos. So what will happen if there is someone like that in the North right now?" The King asked his son again.

"Then it will be an utter defeat to the two Kingdoms at the hand of the North, but is there someone like that over there? Apart from the King, I don't see anyone as a threat from the North." Tommen said to his father.

"Tut tut tut tut, what have I been teaching you Tommen? Brandon Ice Eyes is a formidable opponent, but he's not alone in the North. There is Jon Umber a High Lord of North, he is a massive man who wields a sword that looks like a stone slab attached to a handle, Lord Karstark who is best with his war axe, Lord Mormont who is best when it comes to swords. These people all rally behind King Stark, and their loyalty is unwavering, which is the only thing I'm envious of the North." Then looking at his son, the King continued "Then there is the Prince Reagan, the little king. An unknown player, who seems to be too enigmatic for my taste. If he is the second coming of the Hungry Wolf, then the Vale and Isles and Rivers are in for a surprise. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH"

As his father was laughing his evil laugh, Tommen thought to himself 'What is there to praise a Northern Prince who doesn't have any name outside the North? Sometimes, I don't understand my father.'

In the castle several thousand feet above the valley below, a group of men were in discussion. On the throne there was a man sitting with his hand on his head as he heard the opinions of the Lords who had pledged their allegiance to him.

"My King, I don't think going to war with the North is the right option. We could just come to a better term with them." A man wearing bronze armour said.

"Lord Royce, just because they worship your Gods doesn't mean that we have to tolerate them." A lanky man scoffed at Lord Royce.

"Silence." The King ordered them in irritation and when they were silent, he continued "The North have stopped buying from us. For that reason you want me to wage war against them? Are you out of your mind?"

"We could take the North down if we ally with the Kingdom of Isles and Rivers. They will attack from the west coast and the Neck and we will attack from the east and the Neck." The man who scoffed at Lord Royce said and he continued "If we can take down the North which resisted the migration of the Andals, our names will be known throughout generations."

"The plan is sound and if anyone has a better plan then step forward." When the King said that Lord Royce just shook his head in frustration and said out loud "My King, I will participate in the upcoming war with the North, but know this, I am not coming willingly, I don't want to fight the Starks in any way or form."

Saying his piece Lord Royce left the castle while shaking his head in frustration and disappointment. While he was on his way to the valley, he started to think 'Our ancestors had written that it is better not to anger a Stark, for they have magical blood in them. Even though we are first men decadent, the Starks stood taller than others because of their magical blood. It was written that when the dormant magic of the Stark blood becomes active again, the world will change its course. Seemingly diverting from the predestined path. I just hope that they haven't awakened the magical blood.'

Back at the castle, the Maester who was in the meeting with the lords, hurriedly sent out a letter to the Citadel by a raven. When the raven flew away, the Maester muttered to himself "It has been done. Making the North a common enemy of the two adjacent kingdoms. With the alliance and the assistance from the Reach, the North is as good as dead."

Far from the Vale, in the North a white and black horned owl flew into the solar of King Stark with a letter in its talon. When Brandon took the letter from it, it went to Snowy and started to nibble at Snowy.

Brandon read through the letter and there were only a few words, and the most important were "Grey Rats have made the south decide to wage War against the North." Crumbling the letter in his hand, he tossed it into the fire place and muttered to himself "Those fucking rats are not stepping a foot in the North, nor are their puppets. Well, Reagna already had plan to take the Twins, now we have a genuine reason to claim the Twins"

Smiling with a dangerous gleam in his eyes, Brandon continued "If a war is what they want, then war is what they will get."