Chapter 4

A few days later.

"How are your studies going?" Roose asked softly while writing something on a parchment.

He knew it was an intimidation tactic. Asking something in a soft voice would force the listener to listen more carefully to you. And not giving them your attention would make them feel less important and uncomfortable.

It didn't work on him.

Now that he had a wand in his hand, the tides had turned. He now had power over Roose Bolton and he knew it.

A single spell and Roose Bolton would tell him all of his dirtiest secrets. Another spell and he would stab himself in his own eye.

Not that he would kill Roose Bolton. Not now at least.

He still didn't knew much about this world and didn't want to burden himself with running the Bolton lands of his own just yet.

Plus, the men under his father would not want to serve a boy lord. At least until he wins their loyalty.

So he would keep Roose Bolton around as long as he was useful. After that…

"They're going fine." He replied in a disinterested manner.

Roose raised an eyebrow, probably hoping for him to elaborate but that was all he was going to get from him.

Finally, Roose put down his quill and looked at him and he immediately dove into the man's mind.

Turns out that Roose had a very bad impression of his own son Domeric who was kind andinnocent boy. Roose Bolton didn't want kind and innocent. He wanted someone who was ruthless and cunning.

And even though Roose didn't show it, the recent changes in his son pleased him to no end, even if Domeric had to learn all of the Maester's lesson from the start once again.

'What a ruthless man.' He thought.

"Is there something else you wanted to talk about father?" he asked.

"My lord." Roose Bolton replied.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm your lord and you're refer to me as such." Roose Bolton said in his soft voice.

"Very well, my lord." He said. If saying a few respectful words appeased the fucker then so be it. It was not like he had long to live anyway.

"I've heard that you spend a considerable amount of time in the godswood these days." Roose Bolton said and he had to stop himself from making a snarky reply.

He really didn't cared about Roose Bolton's intimidation tactics or his wish to be respected and feared by everyone.

"Is there a question in there?" he asked in a bored tone.

"You never went to the godswood before. Why the sudden interest?" Roose asked.

'Because it's the only source of magic in these lands and staying near it allows my magical reserves to fill at a faster rate. Plus, there's a collection of souls residing inside the tree which I find fascinating.' "It's peaceful under the Wierwood tree." He replied without any hesitation.

Roose didn't show any signs of whether he believed him or not and just gave a nod and said "Close the door upon your exit."

Well, that was Roose's polite way of saying 'Get out' so who was he to deny his request.

He rose up from his chair and left the room.

He then went to the servants quarter and talked with the bewildered men and women for a good while and casted multiple compulsion charms on them to make them like him and be more loyal to him.

He had noticed that Roose Bolton and even his aunt Barbrey Dustin had the habit of ignoring the servants when these servants could easily act as a spy for some other lord.

He was not going to make the same mistake.

If he was going to own this castle, then he wanted everyone living inside it to be loyal to him.