Chapter 14: Preparations [Edited 13/08]

Winterfell

"I want to be the one leading this siege, father," I told my father seriously when we were alone in his solar.

"May I know why, son?" he asked, dipping his head to meet my eyes.

"I want to start gaining the trust of our fellow lords, Father. The Lords of the North may be simple, but they are hard to impress, and I need to do that to accelerate my plans for the future. I've been having some bad premonitions for a while," I explained, pacing around the room.

"I also want to keep many Bolton's men alive, the ones redeemable at the very least. We could use this large man force to achieve many things while they pay for their crimes if they have any," I continued.

"And what are those plans, son? I've seen you talking with the maester about ways to change the North, but I have been trying not to interfere. I trust you, and I know you'll do what's best for our people," said my father, standing up and placing his hand on my shoulder.

"I have many plans, Father. But do you trust me? Can I ask you to leave me alone when I start to work with the Boltons and their territory?" I asked.

My father took a moment to respond, likely weighing the pros and cons of this decision, before walking towards his window and gazing out towards the courtyard.

"I'll trust you in this, Robb. I want you to show me what you're capable of. I won't interfere in your decisions regarding the Dreadfort unless I see you breaking the king's peace," he stated.

I never thought I would seek the approval of my new father in this life, but I couldn't deny that hearing him put his faith in me meant a lot.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I assured him he wouldn't regret it and asked him to wait and see the results.

"I'll take only 100 guards from Winterfell. I don't want a big battle where our loyal soldiers might lose their lives. Just wait for the raven, father, and take care of our family."

"I'll wait for the good news then, my son. I'm proud of the man you've become," Ned said.

Great Hall

"I know I'm young, my lords. But my father passed his command position on to me. He trusts me, and I ask you to do the same," I addressed the many lords gathered in our halls.

"You know this is not the same as hunting bandits, right, Lord Robb?" Lord Ryswell asked.

"I am well-versed in warfare, my lord. The maester has been kind enough to teach me all he could, and I have experience in battle. Besides, I won't make decisions without consulting the lords accompanying me," I assured him, pondering which lords would best take to the Dreadfort.

"Lord Umber, Lord Karstark, Lord Hornwood, would you please join me in the back to discuss my plans?" I asked some of the assembled lords.

"What about the rest of us, Lord Robb?" asked Maege Mormont.

"I want the rest of you to return to your territories and await good news. Afterward, I ask that all of you, my lords, return to Winterfell in a month.

By then, I'll be back, and my father and I wish to have words with all of you after dealing with the Boltons."

Five minutes later

"We're here, my lord," said Lord Hornwood after closing the door, entering last.

"Good, we can begin," I said, sitting behind the desk.

"As you can see, I don't intend this to be a siege. I have plans for the Dreadfort and little time to waste trying to breach its walls; that alone would take months, and even with the new fortune of my house, there is no need to waste that much gold.

My plan involves infiltrating the castle with a small group to capture Lord Bolton and his bastard son without alerting anyone," I began, "Since they are the last Boltons alive, there is no one that would take their place in command; the only who could do it would be the master at arms, and he won't go to a war that he would lose"

"After securing them, we'll send a messenger to inform the castle's guards and servants, thereby avoiding bloodshed and minimizing the risk to our loved ones," I continued.

"My lord, I don't mean to offend, but that plan seems impractical; there is no way you could infiltrate a castle and take the lord without anyone noticing," said Lord Umber, known for his blunt manner.

"I can do it, my lord," I replied confidently.

"Are you sure, Lord Robb?" asked Lord Karstark, his frown indicating he had reservations.

"By the Old Gods, I swear I am fully capable of taking a castle alone, and I won't be doing it alone, so you can send some of your trusted men with

me," I assured them earnestly.

"Then my two eldest sons will accompany you into the castle. I trust you with them. Please ensure their safety," said Lord Karstark.

"And my son, Smalljon, will join you as well. He's already quite capable in battle; I'm sure he'll serve you well, Lord Robb," added Lord Umber.

"I thank you both for entrusting me with this, my lords," I said sincerely.

"While I and my group infiltrate the castle, I want all three of you to take your banners and march towards the Dreadfort. This show of strength should demoralize any remaining Bolton loyalists. I understand war is costly, so House Stark will provide funds for foodstuff. I assure you that we will emerge victorious and forge strong bonds through this. I won't say more for now, but I'm confident we'll develop a strong alliance," I smiled.

"Now, let's begin preparations. We will leave promptly. Lord Hornwood will remain behind to gather his bannermen. Then, we'll travel through the Lonely Hills to Last Hearth, where Lord Umber will prepare his march. Once introduced to Little Jon, we'll proceed to Karhold, where Lord Karstark will do the same. My group and I will hasten ahead, and we'll have both Boltons in chains before you arrive at the Dreadfort, I assure you."

"Let's see what the Ghost of the North is made of then," Lord Umber said with a laugh, rising from his seat and leaving the office.

"I hope you live up to your reputation, Lord Robb," said Lord Karstark before following suit.

"I'll prepare for the journey, my lord," concluded Lord Hornwood.

Finally, alone in the room, I sank back into my seat, feeling the tension drain from my body. I had been an ordinary college student before inhabiting Robb's body. All these conversations, plans for the future, and everything else took a toll on me.

Choosing these three lords was straightforward; they were closest to the Dreadfort and loyal to House Stark. The issues with House Karstark in canon were mostly due to the original Robb and Catelyn, and by protecting them in this fight, I could gain favor with two of the North's most influential houses. Forming alliances with future heirs would also advance my plans for improving the North.

The Dreadfort would serve as my headquarters in the future. I planned to build the largest town in the North nearby, revolutionizing the regional economy. I would start by securing Last Hearth, Hornwood, and Karhold from any potential spies (though I doubted there would be any, given their remote locations) and begin developing industries to support the economy. 

Establishing joint ventures with our houses for more efficient vodka production and breeding cold-resistant bees with my powers would ensure their prosperity and loyalty, which is crucial for future support in a more assertive North.

In the assembly that I asked the other lords the next month, I will propose to clean their houses of spies; that way, we could add them to the growing list of allies to give them some responsibilities and ensure they get more gold with different industries the maester and I planned.

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