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"The bolton lands and its administration does not engage in naval militancy nor does our lord encourage bullying over the seas. The few armed naval vessels we have are for protection of our merchant fleets and lord Manderly could attest to this." Treygar Caro said to the stark overlord as he was brought back once more to winterfell in the absence of his Lord."
"Do you call 25 vessels few", Catelyn countered sarcastically.
'Indeed it was compared to the ratio of merchant ships they had to protect. But in reality the warship numbers were over a double of the 25, and they only kept a little less than half of these at Acanon while the rest were anchored in bravos, which the mercantile state had leased for better and faster protection for their own trade convoys at seas.
It was a good business, the ships were far better than the galleys, longships, and the inferior designed cogs or oar driven ships the merchant states and the regular world was used to.
"My lady Stark, Lord Manderly Himself holds over 50 armed ships to his house and we ourselves rely on him for protection of our sea assets because we don't have the resources nor do we wish to offend lord Stark and make our neighbors nervous of our intentions. Which as you've seen over these years we have always been honorable and considerate in our dealings", Caro lied through his teeth.
'This wench he thought', as he forced himself from scowling at her.
"To which you and young lord bolton have upheld master Caro", Ned stated as he looked to his wife to make her quiet down.
"But it also goes to say that Lord Bolton was summoned directly and you show in his place once more. A foreigner you are though not a stranger to me over the years but a foreigner nonetheless and you can see the precarious situation i'm in."
"Lord Bolton means no offense my lord",
"Yet the offense is given, whether it was intentional or not", Ned says to which had made the man take pause.
"And my lord Stark , lord Domeric sincerely apologizes for this, his recent absences my lord is due to his illness. Our maester fears that it might be the culmination of the same unknown ailment that took his father in his sleep and he had even fallen off his horse the other day. Then the work which he sorely doesn't wish unattended due to his selflessness, a selflessness which feeds our lands greatly. he is too ill to travel.
Another half lie.
Domeric fell off his horse alright , but not due to illness, but because he was drunk and he had always been a man that couldn't handle alcohol very well nor did he really partake in drinking wine more than the need called for it.
'Good Catelyn', thought in satisfaction hearing the young lord being ill, the boltons had become too rich too powerful and as rivals to house stark for centuries they could not be trusted even more so than ever with their resurgent power and wealth in trade.
Ned needed to reel them in and she had been warning him, but he hadn't been listening until now.
"I suppose that is understandable, but your lord must show himself to me before six moons time, I need to hear the happenings and confirmation from him personally. Let him know this. I would not be satisfied with him sending mere letters and gifts to compensate for his poor attendance. I am his liege lord and when I call. I expect an answer from all of my banner men." Ned said calmly but with authority .
"Yess my lord", Caro bowed his head low. Showing his understanding.
"We have quarters prepared for you and your entourage whenever your horses are ready and fit for travel again you may leave when you like tomorrow."
"We thank you for your hospitality my lord."
"We shall be off by early sunrise tomorrow , so we can relay your message with earnest to lord bolton". Caro nodded.
He watched the man's entourage bow to him as well before leaving the great hall in tow with their leader and he could hear his wife's words already.
"You are too soft with them My Lord", they are not to be trusted.
"And who says I trust them?" He shut her up .
They have done right by the north and its people for years now. They have done nothing disgraceful, nor dishonorable, nor have they committed any crime.
Master Caro himself had been open and honest across all their encounters and that same man that left had personally given out grain , copper and silver to the town's folk of this land even winter town that lay outside winterfell's walls.
"Tell me Cat do you expect me to accuse or upset a house that had been seemingly trying to get in my good graces, to be accepted and viewed differently than what thy were before. Do you expect me to ruin the good relations we have been forging in favor of words without solid proof. I cannot and will not do so"
'Too much coin, grain and resources were at risk. It would be a waste'.
"The Bolton Lands as you know lady Catelyn does generate the greatest profit for our kingdom, and not only does it look good on house stark as liege lords of the north but it plays into our favor since southern houses. Would see us differently and our improvement from our rough times." Maester luwin interjected.
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