Ned Stark, the warden of the North, has called his banners up to Winterfell. Amongst those bannermen is Lord Sherwin and his daughter Blair. Blair is promised to Lord Bolton's son, a once known bastard. Will she choose to follow her father's desires...
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"Harder Blair, harder," Blair's older brother said as he hit her into the mud, again. If they were to go through with her plan, she needed to be able to fight. She had become decent with a bow and arrow, but she was useless in hand to hand combat.
Rorich watched his younger sister regain her footing as she stood to her feet. Something had been off about her for the past couple of days, and this morning he finally found out why. Robb Stark had named Talisa to be his queen. It was a slap in the face to House Fey. If they had broken their word to another house then their word meant nothing, Rorich thought to himself.
"How long have you known?" Rorich asked as he swung at her again with a training sword.
Blair blocked his sword with one of her two blades and jumped out of the way.
"How long have I known what, exactly?" Blair asked back between dodging attacks.
"Talisa becoming queen. How long have you known," Rorich swung at Blair's knees causing her to collapse to the ground.
"I didn't know, it....caught me...completely by...surprise," Blair lied while replying to her older brother.
Rorich served a blow to Blair's hand causing her to drop her first blade quickly followed by her second when he spun and hit her after she attempted another dodge.
When would she learn that there was no use lying to him. He held the wooden blade at Blair's throat.
Blair watched as he cockily raised his eyebrow at her as she remained motionless on her knees.
"A few days, I told him not to marry her. He wouldn't listen," Blair spat back at her older brother. She knew there was no use trying to play her games with her older brother. He would always win.
Rorich let out a laugh as he offered his younger sister a hand. It was obvious that he had told her a few days ago. Blair's manor towards Rob changed. Her flirty eyes had disappeared and he never saw her talking to him outside of meetings. Blair was not ready for the tides that were coming.
"Your form is improving," Rorich couldn't believe how far his little sister had come. She might survive this war yet.
"I'm going to go change before dinner," Blair said letting a laugh escape her as she wiped some of the mud off of her arms.
Rorich smiles at his younger sister. Part of him wished she would stay at the Dreadfort, but it was good seeing her.
"You better hurry, Aleks will be meeting us for dinner," Rorich yelled back seeing Blair's smile grow.
"Rorich do you have a moment. Lord Bolton would like to speak with you before dinner," He turned at his heels to see a Bolton man standing behind him.
"I do," Rorich replied before turning towards Roose's tent. Over the past few weeks he had felt more like Roose's puppet than a puppeteer.
"You asked for me," Rorich asked as he walked into Roose's tent.
"Sit," Roose motioned for a small wooden chair in the corner of the tent.
"Robb Stark has called for the execution of Richard Karstark and several of his men," Roose calmly said as he leaned back in his chair, the Bolton sigil on his vest.
"Why is the gods name would he do that? House Karstark is a majority of our army," Rorich shouted back.
"Richard Karstark killed the two Lannister boys," Roose replied with a calm tone handing Rorich a letter.
"The two Lannister boys? Those boys were useless to us, what does he care? House Karstark got their revenge for what Jamie Lannister did," Rorich bit back.
He had heard that Talisa had grown fond of the boys.
"In a few nights time, Robb and Catelyn will be rushing towards the Twins in attempt to mend their house relationship. Lord Frey will offer a marriage between Edmure and one of the Frey girls, and the Starks will have no choice but to accept them," Roose said before handing Rorich a letter.
Treason. Treason was written on the letter.
"A massacre. This isn't a damn war strategy but a massacre," Rorich spat back at Roose. His hands shook as he read the decoded letter. Thousands upon thousands will die.
"War is war, Lord Sherwin. Tell me, how many men will die if we don't," Roose coldly stated.
"What do you take me for?" Rorich strode throwing the letter back into Roose's face.
"A smart man," Roose once again coldly replied. Rorich's stomach turned at his calm demeanor.
"Why should Robb Stark become our King?" Roose asked.
"He is the heir to the North," Rorich replied.
"It is true that he is the heir. He is also a man who gave his word and broke it for a pretty woman. He is a man who thinks without his head. Do you honestly think he will be able to take the Iron Throne?" Roose asked back. Just like the Bolton sigil that hung from the tent walls, Roose's questions were haunting.
Roose watched as the young lord remained silent. He was right. Roose stood up and sat down next to the young lord.
"House Lannister is a house of its word. They have promised me the North. They have promised us the North," Roose whispered to Rorich before burning the letter.
Rorich took a deep breath as he looked up at Roose, "How do I know you won't do the same to me and my House?"
"House Sherwin has gained a lot of respect and fear from the other Northern houses. You and your sister are not to be crossed. I will need you in the wars to come," Roose replied.
"Wars?" Rorich retorted back.
"In a few years we take back the North, but that will be later on," Roose replied.
A smile grew on Rorich's face, "Gain the information we need and then destroy them when the time is right." The best way to know how to take down Kong's Landing is to know every inch of the castle. p Roose smiled as he returned to his desk. He had won Rorich's favor. House Sherwin was his. With the Karstarks, Sherwins, and the Frey's the North would soon be his.
"Blair will make a great wardeness of the North." He wondered if this was his father's master plan. With the Boltons becoming the wardens of the North, then House Sherwin will survive the war.
