Chapter 202: All the Lords Reached the Wall
Castle Black, the Wall
POV of Domeric Bolton
A Month Later
Lord Stark sat at the main table with Lord Commander and Maester Aemon beside him and looked at the various lords and some ladies sitting in front of him.
All the important and some not-so-important lords had come to the Night's Watch in the last one and a half months.
All were sitting in the Great Hall of Castle Black, along with the commanders of the men in the Night's Watch.
Even the reclusive Lord Reed had left Greywater Watch and come to the Wall to answer the call. The man must have been truly worried about his son's health, as he left his castle, which he hadn't left for a long time, and came this far.
His aunt herself had only arrived here early this morning, as she didn't want to stand in ceremony for the Starks any longer than she absolutely needed to.
On Domeric's right sat his aunt Barbrey Dustin, and on his left sat his grandfather Lord Rodrik Ryswell. The other lords in the table included Lord Whitehill, Lord Dustin (another one of his aunt's nephews on her husband's side), Lord Hornwood, Lord Flint, and a few other minor lords.
Behind him sat the sons of those lords as well as the newly 'enhanced' Varko, Raksa, Walton, and Ygritte—as well as General Karsi, General Bronn, and Fleet Admiral Muron.
Usually, lords are not permitted to bring their retainers with them on such meetings. Still, judging by how he was the one who led the 2nd expedition to the North of the Wall and the one who brought back the proof of the White Walkers' return, he was being given a celebrity's treatment.
"My lords. My ladies." Lord Stark started, "You all know why we're here. You've already seen the Ice Sword brought by Lord Bolton. You've already heard the news and rumors about the Wights. Some of you may not believe it. But my sons fought and saw the Wights with their own eyes. My own brother, Benjen Stark, died at the hands of a White Walker. I assure you that the White Walkers are just as real as you and me. And they've returned."
"The coming Winter is no doubt going to be the longest and the hardest you've ever lived. Many of us will not live to see the next Summer. But we need to do everything in our power to make sure that our children live on to see it. We need to come together to make sure that our children will live and one day have children of their own."
"I called you all here not only for the purpose of telling you about what's coming but also so that we could start the preparations for it."
From there on, Lord Stark explained how every house needs to gather enough food to feed their people for at least 10 years of Winter. More if possible.
Not only that, but they also needed to start training their men. Not only their guards but their levies as well.
They knew that the upcoming war would be long and bloody. That even with the presence of the Wall, many people would die. And the dead would need to be burned and replaced by new levies.
He told them to buy warm clothes for their people, create new underground shelters that would allow whole villages to huddle up inside during the snowstorms that may last for months at a time.
By the end of the meeting, Lord Stark told the lords about the story of the last lord of the Moat Cailin. How he didn't prepare for the Winter properly, and how his whole family perished when the estimated 2-year winter turned into a 6-year one.
He told them that the precautions they take right now might be the difference between the survival of their family as well as their people.
In the end, Lord Stark asked the great lords of the North to accompany him to another room, where they would hold a War Council, in which they would decide their strategy and their method of fighting against the White Walkers.
Lord Stark ended the meeting by telling everyone that he had already sent a letter to King Robert and was expecting a reply before the end of the month.
He had also sent a letter to his father-in-law, Lord Hoster Tully, and his foster father, Lord Jon Arryn, and asked for their presence in the matter that could very well endanger the whole realm.
Well, the topics Lord Stark has discussed so far could be considered general except for the parts about the White Walkers, of course.
Even if the Lord Commander hadn't called all the Northern Lords to the Wall due to the White Walkers' return, Lord Stark would likely have gathered all the lords at Winterfell before Winter arrived and delivered a similar speech.
Therefore, this wasn't the conversation that mattered most. The conversation that mattered most was what would soon be discussed at the War Council between the great lords of the North.
And Domeric could more or less predict the outcome of this council.
The North would prepare for war, and all the great lords would have responsibilities for preparations. And Domeric was sure that he would bear the most significant responsibilities. Probably even more than the Starks.
But Domeric didn't mind taking on responsibilities. Lord Stark would likely ask him to lower the prices of certain goods and to stop selling food outside the North.
These were things Domeric had planned to do anyway. As long as Lord Stark didn't overstep the limits with his demands, Domeric had no problem with it.
Domeric knew he couldn't win against the White Walkers alone. Even if he dared to face the White Walkers alone, he couldn't defend the entire North by himself.
Therefore, unity was necessary in the North, at the very least, to ensure the safety of his lands and loved ones. And Domeric had no reason to hesitate to do his part, even if his responsibilities were far greater than those of other lords.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.203: Outcomes of the War Council
Ch.204: The King Receives Lord Stark's Letter