Entry Twenty-Eight
Date: February 6, 300 After Landing, Winter, Long Winter
Location: Winterfell
Sorry for the long delay in my writing. I was attacked and nearly killed the night of my wedding, by what I now believe to be a Shadow Assassin, but I have no idea who could have sent it. I'm fully healed now, but from now on I going to have to be careful about who is allowed near me. After talking with Maester Luwin, we agree that such creatures can't travel more than a few hours away from their host, and in some cases have to be much closer, so when I finally settle down I am going to keep that in mind.
I spent a few days looking over the maps of Sea Dragon Point, my new holdings and land that I am to administer for King Eddard, and it looks promising. I may actually be able to build a naval base there. There are plenty of resources, and the one thing the North really needs is a ocean going fleet. The hills may have other materials as well, but I will know more when I move there…whenever that is. According to the locals, Winter could last as little as entire year, or as much as three. I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens.
Oddly enough, two interesting things have happened the last few days.
First, we received a raven from Castle Black. King Eddard successfully took control of the Wall and the Night's Watch without too much trouble. Stuck between a massive army on either side of them, the Acting-Commander had little choice but to surrender. He then met with the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Mance Rayder, where they then discussed the current situation and talked about ways to resolve it. He was…wary of the offer man to him, but after night to sleep on it and speak with his allies, Mance agreed. In exchange for incorporating the Wall, Hardhome, Whitetree and Fist of the First Men into the Kingdom of the North, and accept the King's Law on them, the Wildlings would be allowed to settle the Gift and New Gift. That is a population bump of roughly 100,000 people, but there is land enough for them all. Too bad it is the wrong season. With the snows here they will have to wait until Summer returns to plant fields and raise farms.
The one downside of this arrangement is that Mance Rayder, a confessed criminal and deserter of the Night's Watch who organized and raised this army, will be allowed to act as Lord Rayder. But King Eddard made it clear, to both Mance and his people, that he is now responsible for them all. If any of them break the King's Law, Mance will die. And to make sure he didn't raise the Wildings against the realm, Mances son will be taken as a Eddard's ward/hostage. Castle Black will be Lord Rayder's seat until the threat of the Other's is taken care of, after which Hardhome will be his new seat. The 100,000 wildlings will then be allowed to cross back beyond the Wall should they wish. No longer would the wall be used to separate man from man, but instead to separate man from monster. Castle Black and the other castles will still be used by the Night's Watch, but their role will be restricted more to maintaining the castles and the Wall itself.
The second event, was we had a visitor.
Prince Oberyn Martell, known to some as the Red Viper, and a few dozen men from his land of Dorne came to visit Winterfell. Queen Catelyn welcomed them warmly, or as warmly as could be expected when there was no advanced notice, and they seemed pleased.
What was really surprising was that this heir to Dorne was here to meet me, the "man who broke the Mountain," and thank me for my service to all mankind in killing him. His gift was a chest they carried, filled with gold (worth 250,000 gold direwolfs), and an invitation for me and my new wife to come visit his home. Since he came all this way to visit me, I don't know how I can refuse.