Chapter 49: Eddard's Strategy
Saelen stood there for a moment, slightly stunned.
He had never truly given Dark Sister to Robb—he had only lent it to him. Yet somehow both Eddard and Robb had come to believe it was a gift.
After a brief pause, Saelen decided not to correct the misunderstanding.
It was, after all, a rather pleasant one.
Besides, he had grown quite accustomed to wielding Ice. Returning it had left him faintly reluctant. If the two blades were now, in a sense, exchanged between them, then perhaps that was not such a bad outcome.
He accepted Ice with both hands and said solemnly,
"Rest assured, Lord Eddard. I will not disgrace the name Ice."
Eddard gave a small nod, then summoned Jory.
"Deliver this letter to Maester Aemon. Ask him to send it to King's Landing."
Jory took the letter and withdrew.
As Saelen turned to leave, Eddard stopped him.
"Stay a moment. There is more to discuss."
Saelen paused respectfully.
"I have written to King Robert," Eddard continued, "requesting that Stannis cooperate in the mining of dragonglass on Dragonstone. I have also petitioned the Iron Throne to lend us additional blacksmiths and stonemasons. Once they arrive, we can begin restoring the abandoned castles along the Wall."
He fell into thought for a moment, then asked directly:
"How many soldiers can your lands muster for war?"
Saelen considered before answering.
"Five thousand fighting men at most. I had planned to send two thousand to the Wall—stationed at Queenscrown—to monitor and deter any wildling unrest. The rest are farmers in times of peace, but can be summoned to arms in war."
Eddard thought for a while before replying.
"Send only one thousand to the Wall. No more."
He continued:
"I will call upon all my bannermen to contribute forces as well. Combined with the thousand men I have already brought, we should be able to assemble five thousand in total."
Saelen nodded slowly.
His original intent in sending two thousand had been practical—his own men were easier to command, and greater numbers would strengthen his influence at the Wall.
But if Lord Eddard had a broader plan, Saelen would not oppose it.
He inclined his head in agreement.
"Very well, my lord."
Eddard's tone turned grave as he looked at Saelen.
"Do you remember the band of more than two hundred brigands from over a decade ago? Well-armed, fully armored men. Such a sizable force within the North—yet in these past ten-odd years, they vanished without a trace. Have you ever considered why?"
Saelen had not forgotten.
In his view, those men had either been mercenaries or retainers secretly belonging to a northern house. His suspicion had long rested on one of two families:
Either House Bolton, ancient rivals of the Starks who had rebelled more than once in history—
Or House Dustin of Barrowton. Lady Barbrey Dustin still harbored resentment toward Eddard for not returning her husband's bones from the Tower of Joy. She, too, had motive. And the two houses were bound by marriage—collusion would not have been difficult.
But these were only suspicions. He had never possessed hard evidence, and thus had never voiced them aloud.
Now that Eddard had asked directly, Saelen did not hesitate. He laid out his reasoning plainly.
Eddard nodded in approval.
"You are perceptive. Your conclusions are close to my own."
He spread a map across the table and pointed to Saelen's territory.
"This is precisely why I granted you those lands. Should House Bolton stir, your domain becomes the buffer between Winterfell and the Dreadfort."
Saelen studied the map and understood at once.
If the Boltons rebelled and Winterfell took the offensive, his lands would serve as the forward staging ground. If Winterfell chose defense, his lands would become its outer shield.
If the Boltons marched directly on Winterfell while ignoring him, Saelen could strike their rear. If they attacked him first, all he had to do was hold out long enough for Winterfell's forces to flank them.
From the map's perspective, House Bolton was already boxed in:
East: Karhold
North: Last Hearth
West: Saelen's lands and Winterfell
South: White Harbor
Should the Boltons rise in rebellion and fail to seize Winterfell swiftly, they would find themselves surrounded on all sides. Barrowton would be in much the same position.
Realization dawned.
Saelen now understood why Eddard had quietly permitted him to maintain such a substantial standing force in his territory. It was not indulgence—it was preparation.
He could not help but feel a flicker of admiration.
So Lord Eddard had been laying groundwork for this possibility for more than a decade.
Saelen found himself reassessing the honorable Lord of Winterfell. Eddard Stark might value honor above all—but no man could rule the North without foresight and steel beneath that honor.
In another life, he might have survived the intrigues of men like Petyr Baelish and Cersei Lannister—had he been just a shade less trusting.
"Lord Eddard," Saelen asked, "what would you have me do?"
"I want you to maintain a standing force of one thousand men in your lands," Eddard replied. "Keep watch over Bolton territory. If anything changes—anything at all—you report to me immediately."
"As for Barrowton, I will entrust its oversight to White Harbor and Torrhen's Square."
Saelen glanced at the map again, then nodded lightly.
"Understood. I will remain vigilant."
In truth, he already needed such numbers to protect his porcelain works and industries. Adding Bolton surveillance to their duties was hardly burdensome.
He only hoped that Roose Bolton and Lady Barbrey Dustin would have the sense to remain quiet.
Eddard exhaled slowly.
"The wildlings and the Others are our most pressing threats. These arrangements are simply to secure our rear. It is preparation—nothing more. If no crisis comes, so much the better. But if it does, we will not be caught unready."
Saelen agreed.
Then he asked, "Should we petition the Iron Throne for aid? The Others are not merely the North's enemy—they threaten all mankind."
"Not yet," Eddard replied, tapping the Wall on the map. "We will first restore the abandoned castles and fortifications along the Wall. With those manned, we will be better positioned to withstand what comes. As for calling upon the Iron Throne… we shall decide when the time is right."