After a moment of silence to digest Roose Bolton's words, many nobles in the room, including those who had been quiet before, quickly began a new round of discussion with noticeably more voices joining in.
No one jumped up to shout at him or accuse the Flayer of speaking with ill intent, because on at least one point, that the North could not truly remain neutral, he had not spoken nonsense. There were no upstart Lords here. Every person in the hall was a hereditary or longstanding member of the landed class. Even though most Northern nobles were less versed in political schemes compared to Southerners, this lack of skill was only relative. In truth, every person present had received at least some education in governance and political judgment.
Roose Bolton was right. The Northern Lords, who were not practiced in maneuvering, might not have reasoned it out immediately, but once it was spelled out, failing to see truth from falsehood would not be honesty but foolishness. Even Rickard Karstark shut his mouth and strained to think of a counterargument, rather than stubbornly denying reality.
Did this mean that their only option was to seek refuge with the Dragon Queen?
Half the room fell silent while the other half whispered anxiously, helplessly.
Daenerys flying her dragon north to aid the Night's Watch had indeed earned her credit, but that was still far from enough to fill the pit her Mad King father had dug. Robb Stark's grandfather and uncle on his mother's side had both been tortured to death by Aerys Targaryen. The North had joined the rebellion partly for them. More than half the nobles present had fought in that war. In the eyes of House Targaryen, they were rebels.
Barely more than ten years later, the Mad King's daughter returned, and the very same Northmen who helped overthrow her father were expected to rush to restore the Targaryen throne?
What kind of madness was this?
"Lord Bolton is correct that neutrality is passive and unwise. But who said that if we cannot defeat the dragon, we must fight for her?" After a brief uproar, Howland Reed was the one to break the stalemate. "Lord Robb, do you recall what your father-in-law, Lord Walder Frey, did during the War of the Usurper?"
---
Walder Frey, head of House Frey, Lord of Riverrun, and widely known throughout the Seven Kingdoms as a rich boor. Because he delayed answering Lord Hoster Tully's summons during the rebellion and reached the Trident only after the battle was already finished, he earned his famous nickname, Lord Delay.
Just as some preferred calling Daenerys Targaryen the Mad King's daughter rather than the Dragon Queen, the North had used the nickname Delay for Walder Frey for more than ten years, often even more frequently than his own name. This habit finally faded after Robb married Roslin Frey, transforming "Lord Delay" into the "North's father-in-law," cushioned by his new connection to House Stark.
So why had Hoster Tully humiliated his own most powerful vassal in the first place, risking future instability?
Because Riverrun lay close to the Trident, practically next to the battlefield. The Frey army could sail straight downriver without getting lost or taking a wrong road. For them to be late under such conditions was as absurd as the Cerwyns, whose castle sat next to Winterfell and the King's Road, failing to arrive in time for the Long Lake battle against the White Walkers.
No one with a working mind could believe it was an accident.
Howland Reed had not brought up Robb's father-in-law's disgrace to humiliate him, but to remind the Lords of the choices made by others in the past and the results: even when everyone suspected Frey had delayed on purpose, his family suffered no loss of land or status after the war. Why? Because the Freys did not openly declare neutrality or hide behind their walls. Instead, they mustered their forces and hurried toward the battlefield, claiming to answer their liege's summons.
Everyone could guess the truth. Had Robert lost, the Freys would have just as readily declared to Rhaegar that they came to protect the rightful King.
But no one could prove it.
Without concrete evidence, Robert, Eddard, and Hoster could not punish House Frey. Strength alone played a part, but the larger issue was this: if a ruler punished a loyal vassal merely on suspicion, the long-term damage to the war effort and the feudal order would far outweigh the satisfaction of punishing the Freys.
Thus, Walder Frey took no spoils after the war and earned an insulting name, but he remained on the winner's list and kept his status. He obtained the benefits of choosing the winning side without spending soldiers or risking anything.
---
"Lord Walder Frey collects tolls at the Twins. It is a business with unlimited profit, far better than crop rents. He does not crave new lands, and he does not care who sits the Iron Throne," Howland Reed said. "Is this not very similar to the North's lack of desire in the current war? Yet even with no interest in the outcome, he did not dare remain in his castle and appear neutral when Lord Hoster summoned him. Because he understood one thing: being in the game without choosing a side is nearly the same as choosing to lose. So perhaps we can..."
"Perhaps we can become the next 'Lord Delay' and join the noble House of Delays?" Lord Wyman Manderly asked nervously. "My Lord, no disrespect, but the North is not a family of river lords. We have dignity! Rather than spend a lifetime unable to raise our heads before others, better to fight the dragon and die with honor!"
Many nodded and voiced agreement.
"Lord Wyman, calm yourself. I am not suggesting we be late." Reed continued in his usual mild tone. "We can tell the Mad King's daughter that the North is willing to support her in gratitude for her aid, but that we have just suffered heavy losses and must recover. Ask for a delay in sending troops. According to Jon Snow, this Queen is impatient. She will not wait. Once she goes South to attack King's Landing, we can then contact King Stannis and tell him that we yielded passage only due to dragonfire, and that if he holds out a bit longer, we will march South and attack the Unsullied with him from two sides."
"The North truly has suffered losses and we truly dare not resist dragonfire. Using real reasons to delay, waiting until the decisive battle begins, then marching with fresh troops... If the battle is already decided, we help the winner clean up. If not, we assist whichever side has the advantage. This avoids unnecessary bloodshed and ensures we stand on the winning side. Why not?"
"Playing both sides?" The room exploded. Joining at the end to reap profit was certainly tempting, but in Northern culture such a tactic would never receive support. "This is even worse than the Freys!"
"Both are shameful. I would rather follow Lord Rickard's view. Northmen should die with dignity, not stoop to such filth!"
...
"Quiet! The North will never adopt such methods!" Robb slammed the table with his good hand. The room fell silent. "Lord Reed, your idea is clever. But a man has things he does and things he must not do. Do not offer suggestions that cannot be said aloud."
Amid sighs of relief and murmurs of agreement, Roose Bolton finally relaxed.
He had already prepared the next argument he intended to present, though he had planned to wait a little longer. He never expected Howland Reed to produce such a cunning plan. The Neck, this damp, shadowed land, indeed produced people more subtle than average Northerners. If dignity were not considered, both "Delay" and "watching the tigers fight from afar" were excellent strategies. But thanks to Robb Stark's temperament and the character of the Northern Lords, such methods would never be accepted. Otherwise, Roose himself would have been left with nowhere to maneuver.
Startled into moving earlier than planned, the Flayer cleared his throat and presented his own proposal.
"My Lords, this matter is not nearly as complicated as it seems," he said calmly. "I indeed oppose both going to war with The Gift and declaring forced neutrality. But who said that leaves only one path: joining the Dragon Queen? There is another way to deal with an enemy. It is called strategy."
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)