Lu Wen, Maester, stroked his chain. "The Skagosi pirates seem to be growing bolder lately. Could the Salt Towns have provoked these savages?"
Clar, clad in a sky-blue robe adorned with sapphires and emeralds, replied, "Are you suggesting, Maester, that these savages are after salt?"
Lu Wen, Maester, shrugged. "Skagos Island has always been shrouded in terrifying tales of cannibalism. Few captains dare to trade with the Skagosi. Winterfell imposed a sea ban on Skagos Island many years ago. Although the North lacks naval power to enforce a sea blockade, the Skagosi rarely come to the North to trade, so the outside world has little information about the island. I don't know if they need salt."
Little Jon Umber's armor was stained with blood, suggesting he hadn't taken it off in days. Little Jon said gravely, "Old Maester, the Skagosi sail across the sea to steal salt? How is that possible? They destroyed three of our coastal Salt Towns, and they showed no interest in the sea salt everywhere. They are just here to burn and pillage."
Eddard listened quietly, his anger rising. He restrained himself; after all, useless rage was of no use in front of his bannermen and family.
"Did you capture any prisoners?"
Greatjon said, "We took some prisoners, but they wouldn't talk. So, I had them all beheaded."
Eddard sighed. "You were too hasty. You should have kept the prisoners and interrogated them slowly."
Greatjon was a fierce warrior, clearly not adept at interrogation.
Eddard turned to Rickard Karstark of Karhold, a distant relative of the Starks of Winterfell.
"Have you captured any prisoners from the Skagosi?"
According to the reports sent to Winterfell by the Maester of Karhold, the Skagosi pirates had not only destroyed the fishing villages and the Salt Towns along the coast of Karstark lands, but also followed The Last River upstream, slaughtering and plundering all the way, staining The Last River red with blood.
Rickard Karstark's face turned red with anger.
"Those damned pirates fled at the sight of Karhold's cavalry. We caught some who couldn't get on their ships in time and locked them in the Karhold dungeon. But those damned savages actually broke the cell doors, killed three of my guards, and I had to slaughter them all."
Fortunately, Roose Bolton didn't disappoint Eddard.
"Lord Eddard, I captured six. The damned Skagosi ran to the swamps of The Weeping River to plunder and fell into a mud pit, which is my favorite leech breeding ground. I brought six prisoners to my dungeons. These savages initially spat at me, saying they would rather die than be interrogated."
"Then I brought out the Flaying Knife, a Dreadfort tradition. I gave their fingers and toes a proper going-over, starting with the pinky."
Eddard retched. "Spare me the gruesome details."
Roose Bolton continued, "Those fellows spilled some secrets."
Eddard leaned forward. "What secrets?"
Roose Bolton's gaze settled on Theon Greyjoy.
"The Ironborn and the Skagosi are in league, plotting attacks on the North's eastern coast."
For a moment, everyone in the hall—Lu Wen, Maester, Robb, Jon Snow, Catelyn, Sansa, Bran, Arya, the Winterfell servants, the Umber family here to petition, the Karstarks, the Dreadfort entourage—all eyes turned to Theon Greyjoy.
After all, Theon was the only Ironborn present, and he was heir to the Iron Islands.
Theon had been standing to Eddard's right, serving as a guard. He usually wore a mocking expression. But when Roose Bolton accused the Ironborn of conspiring with the Skagosi pirates, the smile vanished from Theon's face, his features twisted with rage.
"My lord Eddard, this is utter nonsense. Everyone knows the Iron Islands are southwest of the North, while Skagos Island is to the northeast, across the entire North. Even if some Ironborn pirates were to go against my father's wishes and raid, they'd sail out of Ironmen's Bay directly to the Grey Cliffs or the Stony Shore. Why would they go all the way around to the east coast?"
"Besides, why would noble Ironborn work with the barbaric, lowly Skagosi to raid? Roose Bolton is slandering the Ironborn."
Eddard gestured to Theon. "Theon, calm yourself. Roose Bolton has made his accusations; let us hear his reasons first."
Dominic, heir to the Dreadfort, who was guarding Eddard on the other side, said, "My lord Eddard, since it concerns the Ironborn and the Skagosi colluding to attack the North, I think it's best if Theon withdrew."
Greatjon Umber, Lord Rickard Karstark, and half the hall echoed the call for Theon to leave, and Theon glared at Dominic.
Eddard clenched his fist and raised it, and the hall immediately fell silent.
"Theon is my ward; he has lived in Winterfell since he was ten, and he hasn't returned to the Iron Islands since. I believe that even if Balon Greyjoy planned the Skagosi attack on the east coast, it has nothing to do with Theon. He is one of my people."
Theon looked at Eddard with gratitude, but he was still angry at the Northerners' move to have him leave.
Eddard locked eyes with Roose Bolton's icy gaze.
"Tell me everything you've learned from your interrogation, in detail."
The Lord of the Dreadfort's soft voice echoed through Winterfell's hall, every person present hanging on his words.
"A Skagosi from the Kraol Tribe, under torture in the Dreadfort, confessed. He said that the Kraol Tribe chieftain, Samuro, used force and cunning to unite the nine tribes of Skagos Island. Other smaller tribes have since submitted. Samuro's weapons and equipment were all provided by the Ironborn."
Theon snorted, "How can we trust the word of a Skagosi prisoner?"
Roose Bolton replied, "His testimony has been corroborated by other prisoners."
Rickard Karstark spoke up, "My lands have fishermen who escaped the Skagosi slaughter, and they say the ships the Skagosi used are very similar to the Ironborn longships."
Greatjon nodded, "Aye, the fishermen along my coast said the same at first. They thought it was Ironborn raiders, but it was the Skagosi, instead."
Roose Bolton gestured, and a servant immediately offered him an axe, while another presented a piece of broken plate armor.
"Lord Eddard, the Skagosi are aboard Ironborn longships, using weapons forged by the Ironborn and clad in Ironborn armor. The weapon smiths of Dreadfort have determined that this is the Ironborn's craftsmanship. If you don't believe it, you can have the blacksmith of Winterfell examine it."
Eddard beckoned, and Mikken, the blacksmith of Winterfell, immediately stepped forward. Mikken ran his hand along the sharp blade, then examined the broken plate armor.
"From the color, materials, and craftsmanship of this axe, it is indeed the work of the Ironborn."
....
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