40 My Demands
Shouts and curses were thrown from one side of the room to the other and I was beginning to grow weary of it, it didn't help that it seemed like there was a drum beat going off in my head. I didn't quite understand what they were arguing about, probably something irrelevant, there was a bit of a hatred between the Westermen and the Ironborn, especially those who live near the coast.
We were in the hall of the Ten Towers, there were two long tables on either side of the room, the Lords and Knights of the Westerlands on the left and the Ironborn Lords on the right. I was sat at the very end of the hall, on a smaller table that faced the other two, alongside my uncles and Rodrik Harlaw.
Lord Brax had arrived yesterday after taking the Volmark, taking little more than a week to take the port town. Behind him came a relatively unscathed army, as well as Lords Volmark, the heir of the Volmark and Lord Stonetree in chains. The Lord of Stonetree was a surprise, it would seem that he had marched his men over to the Volmark in an attempt to join forces with them.
With half of the rebellious houses surrendered, it was only a couple of days before the Harlaw's of Grey Garden and Harlaw Hall had sent a raven to the Ten Towers, surrendering to us. I had ordered the Lords of those cadet branches, Harras Harlaw and Sigfryd Silverhair, to come to the Ten Towers so we could discuss the future of my occupation of Harlaw.
"ENOUGH!" I shout as I slam my mug on the table, attracting everyone's attention and putting a halt to the shouting. I did not command the same presence that my father has, yet.
"We are all gathered in this room to come to an agreement that will lead to no more blood being spilt, all of you, put your rivalries aside for now, they can be dealt with at another time." I declared, similarly to how father had done it at the meeting after the attack on Lannisport. A couple of the Ironborn grumble, obviously not liking the fact that they are getting told that by me.
"This war has only been going on for a short time, however it has been harsh on you all." I said as I face the Ironborn Lords. "That is why it would be in all of your best interests to stop all efforts of resistance against my occupation. I swear that for the duration of my occupation on this island, my men will not harm your people nor damage your lands, so long as you agree to my demands."
"And what will they be? Do you want to take our gold? Our food? Our women?" Someone questioned. I looked to the Ironborn side of the room to recognise him as Ser Harras Harlaw.
Before I could answer, a small, hunchbacked man stood up, "Aye, he wishes to plunder us." I gritted my teeth in annoyance. I knew who he was, Hotho Harlaw, also known as Hotho the Humpback, Lord of the Tower of Glimmering. The man was a coward and was only speaking up due to some kind of courage he mustered from the other Ironborn Lords.
"Do not place words in my mouth." I glare at the hunchbacked man, who cowers slightly. "I have no wish to plunder you all. I have no need for your gold, I will only take enough food to feed my men and any woman who wishes to leave with us can do so."
"I will not ask much of you all, you will still be able to govern your lands as you wish, as long as you follow my demands." I tell them, they are silent as they wait for me to tell them what I want.
"One, the resistance that my men and patrols have been facing since arriving on Harlaw are to cease, all fighting is to stop." No-one refutes that, people were growing tired of the small skirmishes that were being launched.
"Two, my word is law on this island, everything I command must be obeyed to the best of your abilities, in order to cement this demand, you will all leave a hostage of considerable worth here." Many people were starting to get angry. "I swear that I will not ask anything of you or your House that would lead them being harmed, nor will I harm the hostages, as long as you all cooperate, and they will be released when the war is over." That had quelled it somewhat. These demands were relatively normal in war, though they probably thought they were going to get a lighter deal due to my age and inexperience.
"Three, as a form of compensation for their unwillingness to surrender, Houses Volmark, Stonetree and the Harlaw's of Harlaw Hall must either loan out their remaining ships to the Westerlands army or supply us with 20% more grain. House Harlaw of Grey Garden must pay their share of the compensation with their ancestral sword, Nightfall." Ser Harras Harlaw looked incensed, it was his sword and had belonged to every one of his ancestors until it was given to their family.
Obviously being far from happy with this arrangement, Ser Harras stood up, "I will not hand my families sword over to some Greenlander child, too wet behind the ears to fight for it. The only way I will hand Nightfall over is if you pay the iron price and take it from my cold body."
"No. Are you such a prideful man that you would risk the lives of your wife and children, Ser?, you either hand over Nightfall and I leave your House alone or you force me to put your entire family to the sword." The Knight of Grey Garden slowly lowers himself onto his chair again, too scared for his families lives to fight back.
I normally wouldn't go to such extreme measures over something so small as a sword, However it was Valyrian steel and would have much use for the future, whether that be fighting against the dead or studying it and its magic.
"Four, every thrall, salt wife and child who wish to, can leave Harlaw with my army at the end of the war and will be ferried across to the Westerlands by the Lannister fleet. There is to be no persecution against them and fi I found out that there is, then you put the life of my hostages at risk as well as intervention from my army. This is non-negotiable." If the point before angered the Ironborn, this sent them into a frenzy, all of them apart from Rodrik Harlaw, he knew of my plans since that day in the book tower.
"You spit on our traditions." Sigfryd Silverhair bellowed, large amounts of spit launching from his mouth in anger. The men around him shout out their agreements.
"I spit on slavery, and your traditions of thraldom are nothing more than a glorified version of slavery, a means of evasion from crime." I shoot back. It didn't matter if they refused my terms, I will just accomplish what I want without them.
"You've overstepped your boundaries, boy." Sigfryd growled, "Be careful of what you say." Everyone on the Ironborn table started throwing insults and threats at me, so much so that I could see Orton and the rest of the Lionguards place their hand on the hilt of their swords.
"The sheep threatens the lion when its teeth are wrapped round its neck. I would be careful of what you all say my Lords, otherwise they might be the last words you speak." I uttered, my threat was loud enough for them all to hear it.
"You would dare break guest right?" Boremund Harlaw, the Lord of Harridan Hill questioned with a look of shock on his face.
"I am not sure if you're aware my Lord, but you have not eaten my food, nor my drink. I have made no offer of bread and salt to any of you." I replied, you could see the colour drain out of people's faces as they looked around the room and noticed my guards.
Guest right is an ancient law, going as far back as the First Men. To break it was to incur the wrath of the gods and dishonour yourself and your family. Normally, to deny someone guest right, you would lay a bare sword across your knees, though you can still deny them as long as you don't offer them food and drink.
"As I have said before my Lords, this demand is non-negotiable. If you do not agree to my demands then you will be taken as a hostage here and now, if you break our agreement in the future then you'll find the might of the Westerlander army bearing down on your keep and putting it to the torch." I warned them, most of the Ironborn had adopted a more cautious expression, though I could still see some with anger on their faces.
"Let me make something clear." I announce, "I am not abolishing thraldom on Harlaw, I am only extending an invitation for every thrall, salt wife and child who wish to escape from their life and start anew, when I am gone, you can continue your thraldom." That seemed to have appeased most of the Ironborn. Outright abolishing thraldom in the Iron Islands would never work, even if it did it would leave a hole in society and cause chaos. Most thralls and salt wives might prefer to stay on Harlaw, they have a secure life here on the island and any child that a salt wife has is Ironborn.
"For those of you who do not accept my demands, you may leave now." Some people were hesitant, showing a little twitch as if they are going to move to the door. However in the end, no one makes to leave the room and they stay sat down on their table. Good.
