The news hit the Riverlands like a lightning strike: Robb Stark was the King in the North. By the next day, every bird and messenger in the Seven Kingdoms was carrying the story. The camp went from a funeral march to a frat party overnight. Everyone was celebrating the new king, and the sheer hype managed to drown out the grief at least for a while.
But with 20,000 troops sitting around Riverrun, things got crowded fast. The city became a magnet for everyone looking to make a buck off a soldier. Laborers, blacksmiths, tanners, and "camp followers" a polite term for the women who keep the army's morale up flooded in from every direction.
I watched the chaos from the edges of the Karstark camp and just sighed. Robb claiming a crown changed everything. The alliance between the Wolf and the Trout was officially a breakaway state now. Renly and Stannis Baratheon weren't going to be happy about a "broken" Iron Throne, assuming either of them actually managed to sit on it. Meanwhile, the rumor mill was churning out the news that Joffrey and his siblings were bastards. Stannis wasn't Ned Stark; he didn't care about "dignity." He just wanted the chair, and he was trashing the Lannister reputation to get it.
I didn't have much time to play armchair politician, though. I was drowning in paperwork.
My "cheap" father, Rickard, had basically moved into Riverrun and checked out of reality. He dumped all the military logistics on me. I was suddenly the COO of House Karstark. I was overseeing armor repairs, horse shoeing, and the worst part - the "Body Count." I had to register every fallen rider, organize their cremations, and sort out pensions for their families back home.
It was a total grind. I had to deal with everything from soldiers brawling over loot to officers wanting to chop off a camp follower's fingers for stealing a spoon. Sometimes, "justice" was just a coin flip. I sent the brawlers out on a scouting mission to hunt Lannister stragglers, let them fight the enemy if they had so much energy. As for the thief? I let her off with a warning. If she were back in the North, she'd be headed for the Wall, and I wasn't even sure if the Night's Watch took girls.
My original four squad members were busy, too. Abel and Dita were out on a "special assignment" I'd given them. Lando was still in the med-tent with his leg in a splint, and Karas Snow was limping around the city, spending the small fortune in silver and the single gold dragon I'd given them.
I noticed something interesting in the system, though. The "received money" reason for their loyalty had already faded. Turns out, buying loyalty is like buying a subscription you have to keep paying or the perks disappear. Luckily, a new reason had taken its place: [You led him to glory in the camp raid and got him paid]. Their loyalty stayed at [Excellent].
One bright morning, six new riders showed up at my tent. My dad had realized I was a bit of a "heat seeker" on the battlefield and decided I needed a bigger meat shield. My squad had doubled in size.
I looked at the six guys. According to my current rank as an Earl's son, I could only "officially" recruit five into the system for the level-up bonuses. But I figured, screw it. If I was going to be a big-time lord someday, I needed to learn how to manage people the old-fashioned way.
"Alright, guys," I said. "Intro time. Who are you?"
Konn was a skinny, smart-looking kid. Paine was a stocky guy with a stutter. Matthew and Martin were brothers, both young horse archers. McKen was a forty-year-old vet with a voice like a drum.
And then there was Doren.
He was a sturdy, weather-beaten guy who kept his head down and didn't say much. I pulled up his profile in the system.
[Doren][Loyalty: Very Poor]
[Reason: 1. Your father sent him. 2. He's been with Karstark a long time. 3. Roose Bolton bribed him with the promise of land.]
I nearly choked. The Leech Lord. Roose Bolton the "Skinner" already had a rat in our house. It made sense; the Dreadfort and Karhold were neighbors. Bolton was always looking for a way to undermine the Starks, and we were the Starks' most loyal branch.
I glanced at Doren. He looked perfectly ordinary. If I didn't have a literal HUD in my eyes, I never would have known he was a traitor.
I decided not to kill him. Not yet. If I sent him back to my dad, it would just be a disaster. I'd keep him close. Keep him under counter-surveillance. I'd feed him enough garbage info to keep Roose happy while I figured out a way to turn the tables.
"Alright," I said, my voice cold and steady. "We've got work to do. Doren, you're on 'Wounded Watch.' Go help Maester Reed in the hospital tents. It's a messy, loud job, but I need someone I can 'trust' over there."
Doren nodded, probably hating the idea of spending his day around screaming men, but he did as he was told.
Once the new guys were busy, I started my morning training. I'd only been swinging my axe for half an hour when Abel rode up, looking urgent.
"Young Master," he whispered, dismounting. "There's movement. We need to go into the city. Now."
I put the axe down. "Let's move."
We rode into Riverrun, crossing the bridge over the moat. The city was a chaotic mess of merchants, refugees, and soldiers. Abel led me through the winding streets, eventually tucking into a quiet alley. He handed the reins to a guard and pushed open a heavy wooden door.
I stepped inside and was immediately hit by the scent of expensive perfume, Dornish wine, and the sound of a flute. It was a high-end brothel - The Ivy Vine. The place was decorated with fancy silks and stained glass.
I looked at Abel, my eyebrows raised. "Seriously? You brought me here in the middle of the day? People are gonna talk, man."
Abel just looked embarrassed and led me to a private room. He gave a rhythmic knock, and Dita Calandre opened the door.
I walked in and stopped dead.
Karas Snow was sprawled out on a velvet couch, and let's just say he wasn't alone. A very pretty, very naked girl was currently helping him forget about his leg injury.
"Faster," Karas was grunting, completely oblivious to me standing there. "The boss is here, I'm in a rush!"
I felt my eye twitch. What the hell is this? I looked at Dita, expecting an explanation.
"Look," Dita said, keeping her cool. "The rule at The Ivy Vine is that if you book the luxury suite, you get the best girls. Karas knew we booked this room for 'business' and figured it was a waste to leave it empty since you weren't here. So... yeah."
I realized then that Abel and Dita had booked the room as a cover for whatever task I'd given them, and Karas had just stumbled in and decided to turn it into a party. It's a classic move, officers taking their guys to a brothel to "bond." Even the Mountain did it.
I sighed. I wasn't going to yell at them for blowing off steam, but man, the timing was great.
"Alright, that's enough!" I barked at the couch. "Finish up and get out of here, Karas!"
Karas jumped, chuckled, and scrambled to put his pants on. He tossed the girl a handful of silver stags, gave me a cheeky wink, and limped out the door. "Won't disturb your fun, Young Master!"
The door clicked shut. I turned to Dita and Abel. "Okay. Entertainment over. What did you find?"